Curiosity

After the most daring and complex landing of a robot on another planet, the search for evidence of life on Mars enters a new era.

Nasa's Curiosity rover is now sitting inside Gale Crater, a vast depression close to the Martian equator.

Also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, the one tonne machine is the most sophisticated science robot ever placed on another world.

• (A) Curiosity will trundle around its landing site looking for interesting rock features to study. Its top speed is about 4cm/s
• (B) This mission has 17 cameras. They will identify particular targets, and a laser will zap those rocks to probe their chemistry
• (C) If the signal is significant, Curiosity will swing over instruments on its arm for close-up investigation. These include a microscope
• (D) Samples drilled from rock, or scooped from the soil, can be delivered to two hi-tech analysis labs inside the rover body
• (E) The results are sent to Earth through antennas on the rover deck. Return commands tell the rover where it should drive next

Over the coming years Curiosity will climb a mountain at the crater's heart, gathering evidence on one of science's greatest questions – was there ever life on Mars?

The $2.5 billion project will discover whether Mars once had conditions suitable for the evolution and survival of life.

BBC Space specialist Jonathan Amos talks to mission scientists about where Curiosity is going and what it will do as it trundles up Mars' Mount Sharp.

Use the following link to listen to the programme.

Blue Moon

When someone says "Once in a Blue Moon," you know what they mean:  Rare, seldom, even absurd. This year it means August 31^st.

For the second time this month, the Moon is about to become full.  There was one full Moon on August 1^st/2^nd, and now a second is coming on August 31^st.  According to modern folklore, whenever there are two full Moons in a calendar month, the second one is "blue."

Watch the following video by the NASA and answer the following questions:

• What do blue moons symbolize in literature?
• In which occasions can the moon turn blue?
• When does the moon turn red?

Now watch the following video by the BBC to learn some more idioms related with the colour 'blue'.

The Olympic Games

During this year the Olympics have been held in London. But to learn a bit more about the history of the Olympic Games have a look at this site and search for the information to answer the following questions on the different sections you will find on the left:

• When and where did the modern Olympics begin?
• Why was important the 'sacred truce'?
• What was the price for the winner?
• How did the Games end?
• What was the punishment if anyone was caught cheating?
• What was the Heraia?

Do you know which sports have been included in the 2012 Games? Find out in the following sites:
London 2012 Olympics
London 2012 Paralympics
Click on the different sports to learn more about it, participants, results, etc.

To have some fun play the following game. You have to listen to the commenataries and match them with the pictures.

Now answer the following questions:

1. Do you do any sport at school? Which one?

2. Which sports are you good at? Which ones are you not good at?

3. Which Olympic events did you watch?

4. Which events would you like to compete in?

5. In your opinion, what is the most exciting Olympic event? What is the most interesting?

6. Do you have any sports heroes? Who are they?