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Study Finds Connection to Nature Boosts Well-Being

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Study Finds Connection to Nature Boosts Well-Being

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Inspired by nature, Valerie Varnuska often takes walks in pristine areas near her home in Westbury, NY. Valerie Varnuska also enjoys learning about the ways immersing oneself in nature improves health and wellness.

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Exercise Improves Mood and Reduces Stress

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Exercise Improves Mood and Reduces Stress

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A Westbury, NY resident, Valerie Varnuska’s interests extend to health and fitness. Some of the activities that Valerie Varnuska likes include dancing and walking.

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Lacking Pollen, Bumblebees Work to Trigger Early Flower Blooming

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Lacking Pollen, Bumblebees Work to Trigger Early Flower Blooming

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Valerie Varnuska is a Westbury, New York nature enthusiast who enjoys activities, such as hiking. With an interest in natural phenomena, Valerie Varnuska has an understanding of the complex interactions within biological systems

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Geologic Forces Shaping the Emergence of Present-Day New York State

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Geologic Forces Shaping the Emergence of Present-Day New York State

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Valerie Varnuska lives in Westbury, NY, and enjoys activities that range from stargazing to exploring local hiking trails. Interested in past events and processes, Valerie Varnuska finds anthropology, paleontology, and geology fascinating. New York State’s earliest rocks represent deposits in shallow oceans some 1.3 billion years ago.

They also bear metamorphic witness to the Grenville orogeny, which involved two continents colliding about 1 million years ago. This created a system of mountains and plateaus that were ultimately flattened over the millennia as one supercontinent emerged. Around 660 million years ago, the continents broke up again, and this reversed with the Alleghanian orogeny, a plate collision 250 million years ago that built up the present Allegheny Mountains.

Following the emergence of Pangea, another supercontinent, the plates drifted apart and the current system of seven continents began to take form. Today, New York and the rest of the Eastern Seaboard is tectonically quiet, with most geologic and volcanic activity centered on the West Coast.

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Objectives of the Pan-African Robotics Competition

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Objectives of the Pan-African Robotics Competition

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A lifelong learner, Valerie Varnuska of Westbury, NY, enjoys reading and has a keen interest in robotics and the advancements made in that field in recent years. Consequently, Valerie Varnuska is interested in learning about robotics contests around the world, including the Pan-African Robotics Competition (PARC).

Created in 2016, the first PARC took place in Senegal and welcomed more than 200 participants from middle schools, high schools, and universities throughout Africa. During the competition, each team designs a robot based on a theme, such as 2016’s “Made in Africa” topic, that is relevant to the scientific community and the continent’s continued development.

PARC aims to engender a greater understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), particularly in relation to the real-world applications of these disciplines. Further, it hopes to engender early interest in STEM subjects among schoolchildren, thus building a base of technically competent students who may go on to become Africa’s technological and scientific leaders.

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Turquoise – A Uniquely Sought After Gemstone

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Turquoise – A Uniquely Sought After Gemstone

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Valerie Varnuska resides in Westbury, NY, and has a diversity of interests, including classic cars and trains. Fascinated by paleontology, Valerie Varnuska also has an interest in geology and the composition and makeup of various rocks. Among the most sought-after mineral types is turquoise, which is known for its distinctive blue, yellow-green and blue-green hues.

Turquoise has been uniquely treasured by various cultures spanning the Americas, Asia, and Africa, and was commonly used as material for small sculptures and gemstones. Along with silver, gold, and copper, turquoise is the only mineral to have a color named for it in English.

Turquoise is formed as a hydrous phosphate from aluminum and copper, and not usually found as well-formed crystals. Rather, it is an aggregate of microcrystals, which when packed close together possess greater durability.

A small amount of rain fall runs through rock and soil from the desert surface, which dissolves small amounts of copper. As the water evaporates, the copper pairs with aluminum and phosphorus, and turquoise forms on the fractures of the subsurface rock. Additionally, it is able to replace the rock that is in contact with the water and when that process is complete, turquoise has a solid mass. The mineral is typically found in arid regions such as the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Egypt, and Iran.

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From her home in Westbury, NY, Valerie Varnuska engages in several interests, ranging from robotics and astronomy to paleontology and anthropology. Beyond this, Valerie Varnuska has an interest in old cars and has many happy memories of borrowing a now-classic car to go on trips with her family in her youth. Here are some classic car-maintenance tips for those who wish to preserve older vehicles.

1. Covers. Rainwater can cause the vehicle to rust while the wind can blow dust and dirt into the car that affect its operation or scratch the paintwork. To avoid this, use a cover or park your car in a garage to shield it from the elements.

2. Waxing. Hand waxing the vehicle, especially after washing it, will give the paintwork an extra shine and protect it against aging. Wax your classic car at least every six months and also use chrome polish on the trim.

3. Drive the car. Many people leave classic cars in storage for so long that it affects the inner workings of the vehicle. Take the car out for a drive frequently to keep it in good working order and to pinpoint any issues that need fixing.

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Based in greater Westbury, NY, Valerie Varnuska enjoys venturing outdoors at night to look at the night sky. Valerie Varnuska is passionate about astronomy and the beauty that the universe has to offer. In November of 2015, a team of astrophysicists reported that it had witnessed the consumption of a star by a supermassive black hole.