Randall (R2) Dunkin, a North Adams junior, is a first-place winner in the February 2024 Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) K-12 Student Competition. (Photo provided)
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Randall (R2) Dunkin, a North Adams junior, is a first-place winner in the February 2024 Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) K-12 Student Competition. R2’s challenge was to create a video story about where he would go to escape an alien invasion on Earth and how he would survive. The theme is fantastical, but R2’s story is built around solid scientific and mathematical concepts.
First, a destination must be decided upon. R2 chose planet Proxima Centauri b, in part because it is in the so-called Goldilocks zone of the star, Proxima Centauri. Investigations of Proxima b also indicate it might have water and an atmosphere. R2 says dome habitats could be built by autonomous robotic 3-D printers.
Gravity on Proxima Centauri b is 1.3 times that of Earth, a good match. But we might need protection against space weather. Cosmic rays, UV rays and micrometeorites are dangers that could spell doom for human beings, so we might have to genetically engineer humans to better withstand space weather.
According to R2, the most daunting aspect of the proposed journey is the incredible distance between Earth and our nearest planet. Proxima B is 6,200 years away with our fastest rocket. Many generations of humans would pass on the spaceship before our species arrived at Proxima b unless warp drive is invented.
ORISE designs competitions to stimulate American students’ interest in STEM topics and skills. For his winning story, R2 received a remote-controlled telescope, a set of Dr. Dre Beats earbuds, an LED Moon lamp, and a backyard astronomy guidebook. His video story can be found at outofthisworld.mp4 – Google Drive.
