Bab 1: Jejak di Nebula Komet Tahun 2242. Kapten Elara Vance, seorang wanita tangguh dengan mata biru tajam dan rambut pirang yang selalu terikat rapi, memimpin pesawat eksplorasi Stardust. Misi mereka: menjelajahi nebula Komet, sebuah kawasan misterius di pinggiran galaksi Andromeda yang dikabarkan menyimpan rahasia kehidupan di luar bumi. Namun, perjalanan mereka jauh dari kata mudah. Keheningan angkasa, yang biasanya hanya diselingi dengungan mesin pesawat, kini dipenuhi ketegangan yang mencekam. Pesawat Stardust telah berkeliaran selama berbulan-bulan di nebula tersebut. Sensor mereka mendeteksi anomali energi yang tak terjelaskan, sinyal-sinyal aneh yang seakan berbisik dari kegelapan antarbintang. Para kru, yang terdiri dari para ilmuwan dan teknisi terbaik di Bumi, mulai merasakan tekanan psikologis yang luar biasa. Kesunyian angkasa yang luas dan tak berujung seakan menekan dada mereka, memicu rasa takut d...
By : Dan Mularski, PhD Throughout history purposefully engaged people have received a prize for outstanding accomplishments. The Olympics, started in the 8th century B.C., now awards the gold medal. The awarding of students with academic degrees came into being around the 13th century. Scholarly and philanthropic endeavors receive the Nobel Prize beginning in 1901. Each respective prize is valuable in itself, but the symbolic and intrinsic value is far greater. The culture in the United States has been getting better about awarding deserved prizes, but the problem is this has evolved into an overabundance and devaluation. Major parties and ceremonies are conducted for graduation... from kindergarten. Win or lose, both teams are getting a prize trophy for just showing up. Confusion arises with too many prizes because no differentiation exists between putting forth an all-out effort, prior to and while participating in the event, and just showing up. Pressing on toward a goal to win...