Scientists, from Aristotle and Einstein through to the great inventors of our generation, have long extolled the value of curiosity to the process of discovery and innovation. Humans have an extraordinary capacity for continuous learning. The basic questions of "Why?" and "How?" are common in childhood. However, without incentive or opportunity, that natural curiosity can fade as we move into adulthood.
Creating and maintaining a healthy scientific curiosity about the world around us is the foundation of lifelong learning. It is also one of the drivers behind a new global initiative, called Cubes in SpaceTM, designed for students aged 11-14 years old to develop STEM-based experiments for launch into space.
STEM is an acronym referring to the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Cubes In Space� program is a no?cost, global design competition that is part of a collaboration with Rubik Learning Initiative, the US Space Agency, NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, idoodlesoftware inc. and the Colorado Space Grant Consortium's RockSat C program, to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the universally popular Rubik's Cube.
"Leveraging the excitement of space exploration, the Cubes In Space programme offers students and educators the opportunity to learn about the methodology for taking an idea from design through the review process. Such knowledge and skills are essential for 21st century learners, workers, and citizens" said Amber Gee-DeHart, founder of the Cubes In Space programme.
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