AstroPT Magazine

Millions of Portuguese use a cell phone, but simultaneously believe in astrology claims. On the other hand, a multitude of scientific laws work perfectly millions of times every...

Millions of Portuguese use a cell phone, but simultaneously believe in astrology claims. On the other hand, a multitude of scientific laws work perfectly millions of times everyday without our perception of them. For instance, when we wake up and put our feet outside the bed, we assume that gravity will work; and it works! Always!

In this highly scientific world, only 6% of Portuguese understand a science article in the newspaper Público. This shows a lack of Functional Literacy.

AstroPT is an online science platform with 40 authors and more than 3 million visits, that intends to create a society with functional literacy.

This is a project in Portuguese language, which distinguishes itself from other projects because it is done by science experts, with credible and multidisciplinary information, and with a strong interaction between experts and visitors. These are unique competitive advantages with no challengers in the world.

The relationship between the media, the public, and the experts, will lead to a pilot of selling an online magazine about the themes already discussed in AstroPT. The goal is to create a place with detailed information about specific subjects in science. The project needs financial help to cover costs with articles, registration, and professional design of the magazine, internet domain, and other administrative tasks.

The impact of increasing functional literacy will lead to a paradigm shift, to more innovation, to an increase of critical thinking, to higher employment, to more empowerment, and above all to a series of spillovers that will create a society where people understand the scientific world surrounding them.

With your connections and donations... let's change the world!

About the author

AstroPT is managed by Carlos Oliveira, Nuno Coimbra and Vera Gomes.

Carlos Oliveira wants, in fact, to be an alien, and in part he gets to be that strange. He started with a degree in Business, but felt his fellow countrymen calling for him. So, he went to the United Kingdom to begin his studies in Astronomy, and ended up in Texas doing a PhD that only him can explain - according to him, the PhD deals with aliens and science education. The longing was so strong that, after finishing the PhD, he had to come back to the nation of Porto. He loves to be in counter-cycle: when everybody stayed, he left; when everybody is leaving, he comes back.

Nuno Coimbra, a computer nerd, is able to talk for an hour to an elite that understands him. Usually, both Carlos and Vera need a decoder to understand the e-mails sent by Nuno. Nuno fights against computer bugs, viruses, hackers, and other threats that could as easily come from outer space.

Vera Gomes is constantly daydreaming, and hopes to be a human ambassador on Mars. She followed her dream and became an expert in space policy. In the meantime, she decided to understand the financial world. Travelling to Mars is expensive! So far, she moved from Oporto to Lisbon, But Mars continues to be a future aspiration...

More information on our Facebook.

Budget and due dates

Images

Documents

• Em busca de novos mundos!

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