©American Museum of Natural History via AP
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- paradigm /PAR-uh-dahym/
- sophisticated /suh-FIS-ti-key-tid/
- noteworthy /NOHT-wur-thee/
- indication /in-di-KEY-shuhn/
- rigour /RIG-er/
[noun] – a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something
The new school program became a paradigm for future education reforms.
[adjective] – intelligent or made in a complicated way that is able to do complex tasks
The robot uses a sophisticated system to clean the house.
[adjective] – deserving attention because it is interesting, important, or unusual
The athlete’s performance was especially noteworthy during the final match.
[noun] – a sign that something exists, is true, or is likely to happen
Dark clouds are an indication that rain is coming.
[noun] – the quality of being careful and paying great attention to detail
The scientist checked every step with great rigour.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
On June 2, 2025, the American Museum of Natural History in New York officially opened a planetarium show titled Encounters in the Milky Way. While developing this show in 2024, scientists observed a strange spiral shape in the Oort Cloud, a distant region filled with icy bodies beyond Pluto. The Oort Cloud is believed to be the origin of some long-period comets. Experts were adjusting a scene using real comet data when the spiral image appeared on the dome. This structure resembled a bar with two curved arms, similar to the Milky Way galaxy. Before this, scientists had believed the Oort Cloud had a simple round or shell-like shape. The discovery was later published in The Astrophysical Journal and was considered a new paradigm in the study of the outer solar system.
The spiral pattern was identified through simulations created by David Nesvorny from the Southwest Research Institute. These simulations revealed that the structure of the Oort Cloud may be more sophisticated than previously thought. Planetary scientist Andre Izidoro called the finding a noteworthy change in how experts understand the outer regions of the solar system. While the shape cannot yet be directly confirmed, changes in comet orbits may provide useful indications. The show, narrated by actor Pedro Pascal, also features scenes of the Milky Way merging with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy. According to the museum’s staff, the team’s focus on scientific rigour helped make this discovery possible, showing that accurate visual tools can lead to meaningful results.
The spiral pattern was identified through simulations created by David Nesvorny from the Southwest Research Institute. These simulations revealed that the structure of the Oort Cloud may be more sophisticated than previously thought. Planetary scientist Andre Izidoro called the finding a noteworthy change in how experts understand the outer regions of the solar system. While the shape cannot yet be directly confirmed, changes in comet orbits may provide useful indications. The show, narrated by actor Pedro Pascal, also features scenes of the Milky Way merging with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy. According to the museum’s staff, the team’s focus on scientific rigour helped make this discovery possible, showing that accurate visual tools can lead to meaningful results.
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever been to a planetarium or science museum? If so, what did you see or learn? If not, where would you like to go to learn about space?
- Have you ever watched a show about space or the universe? If so, what was the most interesting part? If not, what topic would you want to learn about?
- Do you agree that new discoveries can change how scientists see the world?
- Why do you think visual tools are helpful for making scientific discoveries?
- Why is it important to question old beliefs in science, like the shape of the Oort Cloud?
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe:
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- museum
- appear
- discovery
- pattern
- accurate