Recharging rovers — how batteries enable (and limit) our exploration of Mars and beyond

Citation:

Ware S. Recharging rovers — how batteries enable (and limit) our exploration of Mars and beyond. ZME Science. 2022. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2auahzha

Abstract:

“My battery is low and it’s getting dark” — this poetic translation of the Mars Opportunity rover’s final transmission describes the rover’s struggle to recharge itself after its solar panels were covered by dust during a windstorm.

Though Opportunity outlived its projected lifetime by over 14 years, advances in battery technology could have kept the rover running even longer. Out of all the parts that could have failed, the battery’s struggle to store and conserve energy proved to be Opportunity’s downfall.

It’s not just Opportunity — believe it or not, batteries are actually a major stumbling block for our exploration of space.

Publisher's Version

At each workshop, ComSciCon graduate student attendees produce original works of science writing that they are invited to submit to our partner publishing outlets including Scientific American, Nature, and Astronomy Magazine. The topic is at their discretion, and past attendees have written about everything from technical aspects of their own research, to the direction of their field as a whole, to reflections on the nature of science communication itself.

At right are our attendees' published works - articles written by graduate students, during ComSciCon events - as well as some press clippings about our workshops.

Recent Publications by ComSciCon attendees or about ComSciCon

Lana N. The importance of science communication skills cannot be overstated. University Affairs. 2023. Publisher's Version Abstract

Conferences like ComSciCon offer graduate students a chance to practice their science communication skills in a variety of mediums.

Verma M. A Journey Through My Microbiome: An Immigrant’s Perspective on a Changing Gut. The Xlyom. 2023. Publisher's Version Abstract

Six years ago, I met my best friend Hannah as a randomly assigned college roommate.
She had driven 200 miles from Indianapolis, Indiana and I had flown 8000 miles from New Delhi, India to arrive at the very same dorm room in St. Louis, Missouri. We had a running joke in our families that we were destined to be in each other’s lives since “India” belongs in “Indiana.” True to this sentiment, I spent every break visiting her home. My community was back in India, so hers became my own.

Naiyeju I. Make Your Science Communication Memorable with These Storytelling Cues. Club SciWri. 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract

Can you recall a story you read recently and found memorable? What was it about it that you enjoyed? The author’s dexterity in painting a vivid image of scenes and events? The story’s vivacity? Your ability to relate with the characters?

The point of these questions was to reveal a crucial point: the memorability of a piece is in its ability to leave an indelible imprint on a reader’s mind. This aspiration for memorability is common to both the storyteller and the science communicator.

Kulkarni S. An unintended byproduct of using fewer fossil fuels? Light pollution . Los Angeles Times. 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract

The move to more energy-efficient lighting has had an unintended consequence: More light is escaping into the night sky and causing light pollution.

Ware S. Recharging rovers — how batteries enable (and limit) our exploration of Mars and beyond. ZME Science. 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract

It’s not just Opportunity — believe it or not, batteries are actually a major stumbling block for our exploration of space.

Stoica T. Slow down, it’s what your brain has been begging for. Psyche.co. 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract

It wasn’t until I moved to the desert that I noticed the rain. Pregnant dark clouds smudge the sharp contrasts drawn by the punishing summer sun. The palette changes from verdant amber to moody violet. A sweet earthy smell wafts through the air. Bird songs and cricket chirps are hushed, replaced by booming clouds and howling winds. A pause. And then, in a grandiose and fearsome display, mile-wide opaque curtains of rain drench the scorched earth.

In the desert, the monsoon season slows down the pace of life and refreshes the arid landscape. In this time-pressed, deadline-obsessed, attention-less society, a monsoon season is what our brains are thirsting for.

ComSciCon

The Communicating Science workshop for graduate students

Citation:

Abstract:

Recent Publications by ComSciCon attendees or about ComSciCon