Happy Halloween

Blasters, you know that if you like spooky monsters, suspenseful activities and scary things, Halloween is the holiday for you. From pumpkins and ghosts to trick-or-treating and haunted houses, Halloween is sure to be a day filled with fun and excitement!

Arguably one of the most important aspects about Halloween is the costume you dress yourself up in. Have you ever dressed in some classic Halloween costumes, such as a ghost, a witch, or even some kind of monster? Has roaming around the Math Blaster Space Station given you any Math Blaster-themed costume ideas?

What are some of your favorite Halloween activities? Do you like bobbing for apples or having jack-o-lantern carving contests? Maybe you can have a Math Blaster Halloween party, and you can have a Monster Mutt scavenger hunt and other fun activities!

Make sure to stay safe while you are busy having fun with all of your spooky Halloween festivities. This holiday is always filled with sweet treats and fun activities, so have fun and tell us all about your favorite Halloween costumes and events!

Sky Diving and Singing — In Space

Do you think you would be able to jump out of a pod, more than 24 miles above the earth’s surface? Felix Baumgartner definitely thought he could, because on October 14, 2012, he jumped out of a capsule to make a historic jump from the edge of space. The descent from the jump lasted a little over nine minutes; about half of those nine minutes was spent in free fall, for 119,846 feet.

 

 

Although Baumgartner was not necessarily out in space, he was very close — he was carried up 128,100 feet above the earth in a capsule that was being elevated by, according to the Huffington Post, a 55-story ultra-thin helium balloon. The trip to Baumgartner’s jumping point helped him break the record for the highest manned helium balloon trip.

The highest manned helium balloon trip record is not the only record Baumgartner broke — he broke the record for the highest jump as well. What is even more extraordinary is that Baumgartner broke the sound barrier on his way down.

Can anyone else say that they have traveled faster than the speed of sound? The answer to that question will probably remain a solid “no” for a while. Can anyone say that they have tried singing in space? Sarah Brightman will possibly soon be able to answer with a confident “yes!”

Sarah Brightman, a famous British opera singer, is planning a concert in space when she travels to the International Space Station in the next two or three years. Brightman will board a Soyuz rocket from the Russian Federal Space Agency along with two others, and her plans are to become the first professional musician to sing from space.

Brightman’s trip would last 10 days as she orbits the earth with her fellow crew-mates. Would any of you Blasters want to travel to space?

If you could go to space, what would be one of the activities you do while you are there? Let us know about all of your space dreams in the comments below!

 

GC and Max Revamped Their MuttPods

When was the last time you did some major redecorating in your own pod? Well, GC and Max recently did some of their own, because now their pods look cooler than ever before!

GC’s Muttpod

Have you been able to play Math Blaster frequently enough to earn yourself some credits? If so, head on over to the store to purchase new things for your pod! You can change the color or design of your floor if you feel like or you can even change the scenery outside the windows.

Max’s Muttpod

There are so many different colors, styles and shapes that you can experiment with as you decorate your mutt’s pod. Do you feel like changing the benches in the background? Or maybe, you would rather change the bed that your mutt sleeps on?

What do you think about GC and Max’s new pod redecoration? Which ideas do you think are the most stylish or interesting? Let us know how you decorate your Muttpod, and what types of additions you have made to it!

The Moroccan Meteorite

Fourteen months ago, a meteorite (named the Tissint meteorite) struck the earth’s surface in Morocco. After conducting research on the intergalactic traveler, scientists have found that the rock originated from Mars and holds valuable clues to discovering more about the red planet.

 

A study led by University of Alberta researcher Chris Herd revealed traces of Mars’ atmosphere trapped within the meteorite. According to an interview with ScienceDaily, Herd stated that the gases found inside the Tissint meteorite matched samples collected by NASA’s Mars lander, Viking, in 1976. Herd and his colleagues estimate that it was formed 600 million years ago as volcanic rock on Mars’ surface until being launched into space due to an asteroid’s impact. This shock not only hurled the meteorite into space but also sealed Mars’ atmosphere within the rock’s cracks from the intense heat caused by the impact.

Herd and his team estimated that the Tissint meteorite traveled through space anywhere between 700,000 and one million years before finally landing in Morocco over a year ago as only the fifth Martian meteorite landing ever to be witnessed. This particular rock is valuable because it was collected only a few months after landing, preventing significant contamination or damage from Earth’s atmosphere.

One major finding was the presence of weathering caused by water, suggesting that water did exist at one time on Mars. Unfortunately, Herd admitted that not enough evidence was found to determine if life existed on Mars. Nevertheless, the Tissint meteorite provides incredible information on Mars’ atmosphere and greater insight on whether life was once supported on the planet.

HyperBlast Mission

Blasters, you have a new mission on your hands! GC wants all of you to get out there and play some HyperBlast so that you can earn some merits and credits.

 

 

As training Blasters at the Blaster Academy, it is your job to fulfill each mission that is given to you. Playing more HyperBlast is going to keep your speed and agility topnotch. Better yet, playing this fun and exciting game will help you improve your math skills!

 

Defend the galaxy with the Intergalactic Space Patrol! Enter into the HyperBlast game today and be that much closer to attaining higher ranks and more opportunities.

Which games do you like best to improve your math skills? Do you like Oozami and B-Force Blaster, or do you like HyperBlast the best? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

 

Diamond Earth

To Earth’s inhabitants, diamonds are precious gems famous for their beauty and scarcity. But imagine if a planet were made almost entirely of diamonds! Such is the case with a newly discovered planet called 55 Cancri e, which was discovered in 2011. According to National Geographic, the diamond planet was first detected as it orbited its parent star and its discovery has led to incredible findings.

 

The diamond planet is only twice the size of Earth but has eight times its mass, classifying it as a “super Earth.” Unlike our home, 55 Cancri e orbits its parent star in only 18 hours! As a result, its surface temperatures reach a scorching 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit making the planet uninhabitable. However, the intense heat plus an abundant supply of carbon are the two main factors for the incredible amount of diamond on 55 Cancri e.

Studies led by Nikku Madhusudhan on 55 Cancri e and its parent star have found that both are rich in carbon, leading to the belief that its entire planetary system may be as well. Should this hypothesis be correct, it would result in an entirely new class of planets since most discovered planets—like those in our solar system—are dominated by oxygen and silicates.

Located in the constellation Cancer at only 40 light-years away, 55 Cancri e is relatively close to Earth. While it is unsure if other planets like 55 Cancri e exist, it is exciting to know that scientists have found an entirely new class of diamond-rich planets that share some similarities with our own!

Blast Off With Rank 30

Blasters, do you want more ways to rank up and show your special, space cadet skills? Your chance is finally here, because Math Blaster has now created a Rank 30 so that you can fly to new heights in your cadet training at the Blaster Academy.

All of you Blasters are such hard workers, training away to defend the galaxy with the Intergalactic Space Patrol. Now, you have more recognition and ranks to attain with Rank 30. Do you remember how much time, effort, and training it took to get to the rank you are now? Well, you will definitely want to work even harder for Rank 30, because you get to ride a jetpack if you reach it.

Once you have reached Rank 30, all you have to do is go the to Blaster Booster portal that is located in the Space Port. When you step in the portal, you will be taken directly to the outside of the space station, right in the middle of all the stars.

With the cool jetpack, you can fly around next to the stars and asteroids just outside the space station. You can take in all of the beautiful sites that the galaxy has to offer as you steer your Blaster up, down, left, and right through space.

Have you checked your bPad’s list of all of your Math Blaster Achievements recently? Tell us about how far you are from being at Rank 30, and what types of merits and achievements you need to receive to be Rank 30. We want to hear from you, so let us know in the comments section!

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