Gabriel Almonte

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/business/tesla-factory-musk.html 

In “Inside Tesla’s Audacious Push to Reinvent the Way Cars are Made” it uses many visual elements. The article starts off by stating the company’s agenda to speed up the production process as they were 17,000 cars behind their expected production by December 2018. The article then showed a picture of the exterior of the new assembly line in California. It didn’t look very modern, the assembly line looked cheaply made and seemed like it was made with a very small budget. The article was trying to show how them being behind in production made their budget tight. The next picture was of a Tesla worker that looked like he was shining the leather on a seat. They used this picture because it was stated that the robots that were being used to put the seats into the cars were having trouble fulfilling all their tasks. They said the robots were too slow and were very inconsistent, after a while they decided to use the robots to place all the seats in the car and have the workers handle bolts and the handle the electronic connectors. They then used a picture of their robots in the assembly line to show the difference in Tesla’s production compared to other car companies. Usually car companies start off by paying workers to produce the cars, but it cuts into profits so they either move production to a country with cheaper labor or they start using AI’s to make production cheaper. Tesla has done the opposite they started off with the use of robots and then decided to use more workers to increase production numbers.  

The Tiny Swiss Company That Thinks It Can Help Stop Climate Change

The New York Times published an article on Feb 12, 2019 on the same topic as above by Jon Gertner where it states that the two European entrepreneurs want to remove carbon from the air at prices cheap enough to matter. Over a period, many scientists around the globe have warned on this very concerning term ‘Climate Change’. It is a change in the statistical distribution of weather pattern, which remains for a longer period around decades of years, in a certain area. Affecting or gradually changing the pattern of life, flora and fauna of that area, and leading towards the destruction of Mother Nature. The reason behind this are some biotic processes, variation in the solar radiation received by earth, volcanic eruptions and one of the major causes is the human interruption or activities.

The research made by various scientists put a light on causes of climate change, in late 19^th century scientists started arguing that human emission of greenhouse gases can be the cause behind climate change, at that time many other theories were there like solar radiation and volcanic eruption. But in 1960’s research results started indicating that the heating effect of carbon dioxide is the major cause. In 1970’s scientific research widely accepted the heating effect of carbon dioxide, in 1990’s with the development of computer systems and other advanced techniques, it was confirmed that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc., are the causes behind climate change. After industrial revolution there is 40% increase in these gases, these gases are also produced from automobiles and other sources.

Through this article, I came to know the fact that carbon dioxide (CO₂) can be removed from the air for commercial purposes which safeguards the future of humanity. They have built ‘direct air capture’ machines which collects CO₂  and once trapped it would be siphoned into large tanks and trucked to a local Coca-Cola bottler where it would become the fizz in a soft drink. The captured carbon dioxide from the air is also passed via pipeline to an enormous greenhouse nearby, where it was plumping up tomatoes, eggplants and so on which significantly is very ecofriendly. This process requires huge investment and energy, so they are trying to gain a commercial base to sell their CO₂ to agricultural or beverage companies. The company’s main goal for air capture isn’t to turn it into a product but to pull huge amount of CO₂ out of the atmosphere and bury it.

By these researches people are getting aware of the reasons behind the changing scenarios of climate change and can take measures to have a sustainable place to lead life in future, and conserve Mother Nature.

References:

Click here

The New York Times article, Andromeda is Coming for our Milky Way, Eventually, by Dennis Overbye published February 8, 2019, was created to inform readers about a new finding made by astronomers. The path and speed of the galaxy Andromeda, also known as Messier 31, has changed from their last findings. The former report had declared the galaxy would collide into the Milky Way in 3.9 billion years. Traveling at about 68 miles per second, the collision would end with the Milky Way and Andromeda conglomerating into a singular, enormous cosmic being. New data declares that Andromeda is actually moving a lot slower than expected, at only about 20 miles per second and sideways. This denoting it would take approximately 4.5 billion years to strike our galaxy, in turn also changing the path of Andromeda. At a faster speed, it could be assumed we would have had a harder, more direct hit. The galaxy’s decreased velocity would make the encounter a subtler clash.

This article contains a video attachment from 2014 in which the previous data found through the Hubble Space Telescope had shown scientist the Andromeda galaxy, made of a trillion stars, would have a head-on collision with the Milky Way galaxy. The video gives a visual representation of how the collision would look to a faraway onlooker. Also, there is an insight into what specifically would happen to the earth and humans in the process of this collision. It is said before the collision would even occur human life would cease to exist from its sterilization by the sun. After the collision and many billion years, the two galaxies after intertwining will be able to assemble into one, large galaxy.

This video is vital to the article as it helps to explain a difficult to grasp the topic. A galaxy’s immense size makes interpreting its behavior hard. These extensive time periods between the actual collisions and how the collision will look are complex to comprehend. Although the video shows a totally different outcome from what will happen with the present data, it allows us to compare the two outcomes. The video also serves as a tool to exhibit the new path Andromeda will take by evaluating the video with the new data in mind.

In the excerpt from the New York : Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2014, STEM Education: How to Train 21st Century Teachers,there is extensive national curiosity for STEM activities, yet there is little exchange concerning what STEM implies as far as an educational programs idea to be connected to class programming. This section centers around STEM as an educational modules idea. To begin with, STEM writing computer programs are examined regarding separate subjects, associated and wide field educational program models. The issue of subject structure is inspected. A qualification is additionally made between the four STEM subjects regarding formal and useful employments of information. Second, some down to earth programming issues are talked about. These incorporate the practically select spotlight on science and math to the rejection of innovation and designing; the test of serving numerous understudy populaces; and the issue of how to manage the “T”  in STEM. A closing segment recommends ways that the STEM activity can be conceptualized so as to understand its significant potential to accomplish educational programs reformulation. Enthusiasm for science, innovation, engineering and math, instructional models is actually detonating over the instructive scene. Colleges are investigating STEM models as an approach to rebuild science and building guidance; optional schools are occupied with exploring different avenues regarding changed educational module; the instructive writing is full with references to STEM activities; and specialists and entrepreneurs are hurrying into the instructive commercial center with confirmations that they also can help in the usage of powerful STEM programming. STEM does not speak to a particular educational model; rather, there are numerous approaches to define STEM programming. Truth be told, it is difficult to observe what precisely is implied by “STEM.” Practically any sort of instructive mediation that is even remotely connected with science, innovation, building or math is alluded to as a STEM advancement. This absence of a cementing impression of STEM undermines over the long haul to decimate support for the development. Inability to convey results will most likely surpass victories.

Week 2 response

        The article “Tapping Signals Replacement for Keyboards” written by John Kosowatz , Senior Editor, ASME.org  uses visual elements to help reader understand more about the how the TAP wearable device works and the benefits of using it.  The first picture on the article shows that “ a man is using the TAP to navigate Hololens AR headset. Image: TAP Systems” . It demonstrates reader about the function of the TAP. TAP allows a user to tap letters, numbers and words into a device without a keyboard. It gives the reader a better understanding of the advantages of TAP and why it is more convenient than normal keyboard. One of the primary advantage visual elements offers is simplicity. For example, when you get lost by reading a long article, you can find it easier and faster by looking at picture to get the information the author wanted to express. Visual elements are relatively more eye-pleasing. When presenting an amazing shot, it makes people relaxed. A funny picture makes people laugh and will help people memorize the information better.

The second picture in the article shows readers the actual product, it is a “wearable keyboard, mouse and game controller that connects to most Bluetooth enabled devices. Image: TAP Systems”. It helps the reader remember the product.

when people cannot understand foreign language, a picture will remove the language barrier. This is the reason that many article use visual elements in addition to words to send message. Visual charts and graphics can be posted online, put beside the website  on anywhere audible. Such flexible communication form can bridge geographic distance and cross cultural differences.

Visual elements prevails in the efficiency of communication. For example, a bar chart helps the reader find out the first and last item at a glance. A line chart on stock with an uprising arrow tells readers immediately that the stock trend is increasing and favorable.

This article is trying to inform the reader of this area in Africa that has not been interfered by humans. The use pictures to show the different species that they have found and help the reader to better get an idea of the type of animals that the scientist encountered in the forest. It can also be said that the intent of the article was to encourage the young to protect special places like these ones that are not harmed by humans. The visual images also give the reader an understanding of how steep the mountain is and how remote it is. This will help the reader to better understand why no one has ever gone to even go up there. They also show potential animals that can be new species that the scientist has discovered and help the reader have a visual of the animals that live in the area. The images convey to the primary message, this place has been out of touch with the rest of the world and we should make efforts to protect these places against people. This images shows what life that lives in this area and through the appeal to emotion, seeing all these nice animals living in the forest, we shouldn’t bother them and leave them alone. Also, the image of the how the mountain was formed is a good visual way to help the reader better understand what erosion can do on a great scale. It clearly is also described in the captions with the images as to how over time what erosion has done to that area and has change the geography of the area.

        
-Tanvir Youhana

In The New York Times article “ How to land on Mars” written by Jonathan Corum,the main idea is about the process of a spacecraft lands on theMars.  It will take six months of traveling in order for a spacecraft to arrive to Mars. After its arrival, there are many steps that the spacecraft needs take in order to avoid the failure of landing. First of all, scientist have to make sure that the timing and the location that they are going to aim is correct, so they can avoid the dust storms on Mars. Then after the spacecraft is ready, it will travel within Mars’ atmosphere at a speed of 12,300 miles/hour.  However, the spacecraft must land with a degree of 12 in order to successfully land on Mars, because if the spacecraft is too steep, it will burn and if it is too shallow, it will just pass through the atmosphere and return the space. While the spacecraft is passing through the atmosphere, the parachute inside the craft will pop out and slows down the landing. Lastly, the legs of the spacecraft will also pop out to make sure that the spacecraft lands. Since the distance between Earth and Mars is really far, it takes 8 minutes and 7 seconds for the communication signal to sent to Earth, so the scientist do not know whether the spacecraft fail or not until they have waited for a long time.  

The diagrams on this article really help me to understand the entire article. I feel like without the diagram, I will not understand what the article is trying to say because I have never see a spacecraft before and I never learn about how a spacecraft will function and the usage of visuals give me an image of what’s going on.  In addition, introducing those images will also prevent me from getting tired of the reading. Also, just by reading those images, you also get figure out the intent of the autor without reading the entire article which is to show the audience about the process of landing on the Mars. Overall, visuals are really helpful in boosting the understand of reader and providing the reader a very brief summary. I would compare the relationship with texts and visuals with a song.  Texts are just like the lyrics of a song, while visuals is like a rhythm. Without any of these, a song will not be complete.

The title of my article is NASA’s 2020 Rover Will Search Mars for Signs of Life. The purpose of this article is to inform the audience about the possibility that life could have existed on Mars. The scientist at NASA believes there may have been life on Mars because of evidence of water. Water is one of the necessities that all living things need and so if a planet has water, there is a chance that there is life there. In order to find more evidence, NASA has planned to create a rover that will reach Mars in the year 2020 and will search Mars for evidence of life.

The author of the article used many visual elements in the article in order to describe the environment of the planet Mars. The article begins with a picture of what the rover was potentially going to look like on Mars. This picture is provided for readers so they have an idea of what the rover would look like and what it would be doing on Mars. The planet is described as red and throughout the article, Mars is referred to as the red planet. The article also provided a video of the surface of the planet Mars which allowed readers to actually see what Mars looked like. This video was helpful because it encourages readers to imagine how life could have been on Mars. Another example is when the article described a lake that was on Mars. The purpose of this was so readers could understand how life could have been on Mars. The article described a lake with a river system. Two rivers fed water into the lake and an outlet valley allowed water out. The way this lake is described on Mars helps readers visualize an ecosystem that could have been the home of various life forms.