Pee VM oAnicvae emits strange light patterns a » Dimming caused by natural or extraterrestrial blockage Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer recent paper published by the archive website arXiv has detailed the unusual behaviour that existed in light emissions of a star 1500 light years away. Detected by the Kepler Space Telescope, the star’s light has been observed to dim by up to 20 per cent between random observations over the last five years. Out of over 150,000 stars observed through algorithm and human efforts, none of them have been found to dim in light more than a percentage or two—except for one, known as KIC 8462852. The blockage would have : to be caused by an object : roughly half the diameter of : KIC 8462852, a star estimated : to be 1.5x the size of the sun. : This size makes the vast object : far too vast to be a planet, : leading to the question of what : is causing this mysterious : blocking. One possible, if : somewhat radical explanation, : involves the blocking object not : being a natural phenomenon, : but, instead, a structure built : by intelligent extraterrestrial : beings. : Such a megastructure : has been hypothesized in : both science fiction and : astronomy. A civilization could : be harnessing energy of the : star through technology for its : own advancement, in a concept : known as a Dyson Sphere. In an interview with : The Atlantic, astronomer : Jason Wright said: “Aliens : should always be the very last : hypothesis you consider, but : this looked like something : you would expect an alien : civilization to build.” However, natural cosmic explanations are more likely : to be causing the dimness, : even if it is not yet understood. : An investigation by Tabetha : Boyajian of Yale University : hypothesized that the blockage : was caused by a broken-up icy : comet expanding in gaseous : clouds orbiting the star. Boyajian’s published paper ese bra bh Ks : only focused on “natural : scenarios,” but she is also : reviewing other ones. Other : explanations could include a : planet-sized collision (similar to : when Earth’s moon was formed), : or a group of comets pulled into : orbit by a neighbouring star. Whether the behaviour : is caused by a natural or : intelligently-designed structure, : it raises questions such as : the whereabouts of radiation : wavelengths emitted by the : absorbance of a star’s light, : which is currently undetected. : Scientists are working on : further observations of KIC : 8462852 to detect reoccurrences : of the behaviour. This will be : done through Earth-ground Photo of Kelper telescope via www.livescience.com : telescopes. Boyajian has also : partnered with Wright and the : directors of the SETI project : (Search for Extraterrestrial : Intelligence) to monitor the : area for artificial radio signals, : another possible sign of : intelligent life and technology. Those hoping for proof of : extraterrestrial intelligence : shouldn't get too excited—the : most likely scenario is one : of the cosmic phenomena : already known to exist in our : galaxy. However, all possible : explanations warrant serious : consideration and investigation, ? and only time will tell what the : true cause is of KIC 8462852’s : mystery. New award for Douglas students honours late teen » Amanda Todd Legacy Award available for Child and Youth Care students Mercedes Deutscher News Editor S news@theotherpress.ca hree Douglas College students who are enrolled in a Child and Youth Care program at the David Lam campus are now eligible for an award created in memoriam of late Port : Coquitlam teen Amanda Todd. Todd made news headlines worldwide three years ago when she committed suicide at the age of 15 on October 10, 2012. Her death came shortly after she released a video on YouTube that detailed her experience with cyberbullying. Her death and video arguably resulted in governments, schools, and other groups worldwide revising their policies on cyberbullying. “In Amanda’s memory, I wanted to be able to fulfil her dream of helping others. By creating this award, it will give opportunities to support the education of those who want to work in the field of mental health care,” Amanda’s mother, Carol, explained to : Douglas College Student Life. : “It is important that we are : enabling interested students : to assist those with mental : health illnesses. There are : never enough workers in that : particular support system.” : The $1,000 award will be : rewarded to three students on : an annual basis for at least four : years, meant to aid the costs : of the program, which often : involves students driving around : for practicums, alongside other : costs. Funding for the award : is received from the Amanda : Todd Legacy Fund, the Douglas : College Foundation, and four : Tri-City Rotary Clubs. Eligible : students may begin to apply for : the award in Winter 2016. : Those contributing to the : award hope that the it will help : promote conversation about : mental health. “At Douglas, we promote : discussions about mental : health inside and outside the : classrooms, as well as providing : counselling for students who : might be facing mental health : challenges,” said Hazel Postma, : Douglas College’s Associate Vice : President of Advancement and : Alumni Relations, to Douglas : College Student Life. Todd’s death coincides : with World Mental Health Day, : thus providing a good prompt : to discuss issues surrounding : mental well-being every year : around the anniversary of her : death. “It is important to combat : the stigma around mental : health, and the Amanda Todd : Legacy Award will help us do : that,” Postma continues. Douglas College provides : two different Child and Youth : Care programs—a two-year : diploma, and a Bachelor of : Arts in Child and Youth Care— : although students must apply : for the B.A. program either way. : Both programs specialize in : working with at-risk children : and youth through practicums : and other working skills. : Those enrolled in the program : may choose specializations in : Aboriginal Child, Family, and : Community Studies, Youth : Justice, or Child Protection. @ 2 d ° = o ® o ¢ 5 ° =e = ow > 5 3 ° ¢ 6 > ® oat > ° = ° a a