You can search out like-minded people to get involved with and find groups that interest you to join. But you should also not shy away from getting involved with organizations that reflect your personal interests as well. There are some very good ways that college freshmen can get involved in college while learning to interact with a very diverse group of people.

Political Associations

College campuses are places where people feel strongly about their opinions and want to find others that hold the same ideals. To find people like this, you can join campus political groups and get involved in the issues that concern you.

Campus political groups can represent the major political parties, or they can take up other issues such as registering students to vote or speaking on behalf of a specific candidate.

Campus Politics

If you are not interested in national politics, then you should try your hand at campus politics instead. You can run for class president or look to be a representative for your group in the student council.

Fraternities and Sororities

Fraternities and sororities are set up as social networks of people who helped each other get through the college experience. But they are also networks of people that join together to take up causes such as poverty and homelessness.

When you join a fraternity or sorority, you have instant access to some of the most influential social networks on campus. These kinds of introductions can help you later when you are trying to make inroads in your new career.

Intramural Sports

If you have an interest in sports, or you played sports in high school, then you will want to use your sporting abilities to get involved in college life. Just because you did not make the varsity college squad does not mean you have to give up on playing college sports. There are thousands of intramural sports leagues all over the country that have teams on your campus.

Sports Booster

If you cannot play sports or do not feel confident about playing sports in an intramural setting, then you can still get involved in college life by being a sports booster. Make yourself a fixture at your school’s athletic events and join the sports boosters program that will help you to become part of a large network of people who are also enthusiastic about your school’s sports programs.

Religious Groups

When people are adjusting to a new situation, such as the transition from high school to college, they often rely on their faith to get them through. You can follow your faith and get more involved in your college activities by joining a campus religious group.

Groups such as Christians On Campus and the Muslim Student Association have chapters at almost every major college campus in the country. Regardless of your faith, you should be able to find a welcoming organization that will help you adapt to and thrive in your college setting.

School Newspaper

Every year the school newspaper loses reporters, editors and other key staff to graduation. If you have an interest in writing, journalism, photography or reviews then you should consider joining the college newspaper.

You can ask to write feature stories, get involved in major campus events as a photographer or review the latest movies for the student body. If you are planning on a career in journalism or any kind of writing, then being on the school newspaper can be invaluable experience.

School Radio Station

In some of the more rural areas, the college radio station is the only station people listen to. If you have an interest in becoming a broadcaster after you graduate, or if you just want to get involved in a group that tries to bring entertainment and attention to the school campus, then join the college radio station.

When you join the college radio station you can get experience in programming, news editing, being a radio personality or promotions. It can be experience that you use in a variety of ways after graduation.

Teaching Assistant

Even as a freshman, you can offer your services to faculty members as a teaching assistant or lab coordinator. It is a great way for you to get the inside track on your major field of study and find out what will be expected of you as you go through your college career.

On-Campus Job

Some students get off-campus jobs to help supplement their college income. But if you want to help yourself get more acclimated with college life, then get an on-campus job. Try the bookstore or any on-campus restaurants, stores or businesses that hire employees.

College can take some getting used to when you first arrive fresh out of high school. You can help your college transition by getting involved in college activities as soon as you arrive on campus.

1. Chief Osceola and Renegade, Florida State Seminoles: The Noles' pregame ritual is probably the most chills-inducing — definitely the most War Chant-inducing — in all of college football. As fans eagerly anticipate the opening kickoff, Chief Osceola, aboard his appaloosa horse Renegade, charges to midfield in Doak Campbell Stadium and spikes his flaming spear into the turf. The Chief's garb is authentic, designed by the ladies of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which wholeheartedly endorses the traditions of the school.
   
2. Mike the Tiger, LSU Tigers: In most cases, "Tigers" is a cliche school nickname, but in LSU's case it holds special meaning. The name represents the Louisiana troops of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and their fierce legacy is carried on by the live Bengal tiger. Currently living large in a $3 million habitat on campus featuring a waterfall, flowing stream, pond and lush greenery, Mike VI can be spotted by the opponent's locker room in Tiger Stadium on football game days, an intimidating sight for players already leery of Death Valley and its ferocious fans.
   
3. Traveler, USC Trojans: It's not often that players marvel at the presence of the school's mascot. According to former USC All-American defensive back Nate Shaw, however, Traveler, a white horse ridden by a Trojan warrior, makes an actual impact on the team, "The horse is one of the greatest inspirational devices USC has. It definitely got the adrenaline going when I was playing and I think it still has an effect on the players." Today, Traveler VII patrols the sidelines of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
   
4. The Masked Rider, Texas Tech Red Raiders: A tradition that predates FSU's or USC's, The Midnight Matador leads the Red Raiders football team onto field at Jones AT&T Stadium before each opening kickoff, working the crowd into a frenzy. Mounted on it is The Masked Rider, a mysterious man or woman donning a mask, bolero hat and a red and black cape. He or she has been Texas Tech's official mascot since the 1954 Gator Bowl, when coach DeWitt Weaver decided his team needed one in order to gain admission into the Southwest Conference to join instate schools Texas and Texas A&M.
   
5. War Eagle, Auburn Tigers: "War Eagle" is the battle cry and fight song of Auburn; not the actual mascot, which is a Tiger. Regardless, the Eagle is cooler than most official mascots in college sports, so we thought we'd include it anyway. It's said that the eagle first appeared at a football game in 1892, when a Civil War vet brought one he found on the battlefield 30 years earlier. Witnesses claimed it got loose and circled the field just before Auburn undertook a game-winning drive to defeat rival Georgia. From that point forward, fans yelled "War Eagle" as a good omen. Since 2006, War Eagle VI has flown over Jordan-Hare Stadium on game day.
   
6. Uga, Georgia Bulldogs: The SEC and most of the nation are familiar with Uga, Georgia's adorable yet testy white English Bulldog. The famous canine has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated and in the film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and made headlines — and received praise from the Georgia faithful — for biting an Auburn player after the team scored. Sadly, Uga VII passed away on February 4th due to canine lymphoma, so the latest in line has yet to be selected and introduced.
   
7. Ralphie the Buffalo, Colorado Buffaloes: Colorado has not one, but two live buffalo mascots, Ralphie IV and Ralphie V, both of which pound the turf at Folsom Field with the football team prior to each kickoff. Through the years, each Ralphie has presented a challenge for its five handlers, especially the original, which caused damage to the field in 1966. The Ralphie tradition is so appreciated in the Rocky Mountain region that Ted Turner was inspired to donate Ralphie IV from his Montana ranch.
   
8. Bevo, Texas Longhorns: With his majestic horns looming over the endzone at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the Longhorns have a distinct advantage when it comes to mascot intimidation. For example, Bevo II charged an SMU cheerleader and Bevo V charged the Baylor band, incidents that certainly gave the Texas faithful something for which to cheer. There have been 14 Bevos total, and the current one, Bevo XII, had the privilege of attending the 2006 National Championship Game in the Rose Bowl, in which the Horns hooked Traveler and his Trojans.
   
9. Raider, Ranger II and General Scott, Army Black Knights: Steady and reliable, the Army's mules have served as its mascots since 1899. The senior mule, Raider, and the two newer mules, Ranger II and General Scott, stroll the sidelines when the cadets are in action, continuing the legacy of their predecessors. Each of them represents the animal's usefulness to military operations through history, when it carried supplies, guns and ammunitions for long distances regardless of the conditions.
10. Smokey, Tennessee Volunteers: The familiar, enthusiastic bark of Smokey, a coonhound, echoes through Neyland Stadium on fall Saturday afternoons. The dog secured the gig in 1953 when he barked the crowd into an uproar during a halftime selection contest held by The Pep Club. The late Rev. Bill Brooks provided the first few Smokeys until his death in 1986, at which point his wife and family undertook the caretaking duties. The latest Smokey, Smokey IX, has been faithfully serving since the 2004 Peach Bowl.
    

1. Online gaming: Of the many, many ways video games have changed since their inception and market penetration, the most dazzling is easily the ability to play games online with friends across the country or strangers around the world. Collaborative gaming used to be a matter of watching your friend play a game and then taking turns with the controller, though things got easier with the rise of two-player games that split the work load. But doing anything beyond that took some serious wiring know-how; you could hook up computers and have a LAN party, and you could enjoy some multiplayer heads-up competitions in games like the Nintendo 64's GoldenEye 007, but that was about it. The ability to go online, which is now easier than ever thanks to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, fundamentally altered the size of a gamer's community.
2. Saving your progress: Sad but true: There were days when video games, still following their arcade-based forerunner's example, were all-or-nothing affairs. You played until you beat the game, quit, or got tired. (It helped that a lot of early games were really, really repetitive.) But the arrival in the late 1980s of The Legend of Zelda brought battery packs that let you save your game progress and complete missions on your own time. This didn't just alleviate headaches for gamers; it changed the way games were designed, paving the way for the epic, sprawling games of today. Such titles would be impossible to conquer without the ability to save your game.
3. Wireless controllers: Game consoles used wired controllers well into the 2000s. Although wireless options were available, their occasionally poor battery performance and weak signals made them risky for most gamers, and the cost of such specialty accessories could also be prohibitive. Some console makers tried to get around the limits of wired controllers by selling extension cords that allowed players to sit farther back from their TV screens, though these just added to the mass of tangled cables that accumulated on the game console's shelf. But the generation of consoles that included the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 finally made wireless controllers the default, allowing for a (literally) less tethered feeling for gamers who had grown tired of tripping over one more wire. It makes using a control pad feel even more like using a remote control, and the wireless set up makes for easy sharing and storage. A huge upgrade.
4. Sandbox set-ups: It's almost a given now that most major games are, to a degree, "sandbox" titles that let players explore the game's world at will and often complete tasks in whatever order they see fit. It's not just classic role-playing games, either. Titles like the Grand Theft Auto series, Fallout 3, and Red Dead Redemption bring with them the promise of open-ended worlds that let the player roam around instead of going from quest to quest with no say in the matter. Sandbox games were born of a number of other perks on this list, from better graphics to save files, but they've taken root in the industry like no one could have predicted. It's amazing to see that so many games released today are committed to pushing this particular envelope, but it's worth noting how lucky we are to have them.
5. Expansion packs: For years, a video game's experience started and ended with the cartridge you brought home from the store. You could replay it as many times as you could stand, but the game itself never changed. If you wanted more action or adventure with the characters, you had to wait for a sequel or just suck it up and accept disappointment. Kids today, though, are accustomed to a feature that's still mind-blowing to players of a certain age: expansion packs. By syncing your console online, you can download software updates and patches that improve the game's performance, but you can also download entire new levels that broaden the game's universe. Some of these expansion packs even change the meaning of the game: Fallout 3, for instance, lets you download an expansion pack that changes the original game's ending and adds missions that take place after the main action. Other games, like the Call of Duty titles, have new maps for multiplayer battles. Games are more fluid now. They've moved away from pure entertainment and become more immersive experiences.
6. Adult content: "Adult content" in this context doesn't just mean sex, though there's plenty of that, too, from RPGs to morality-breaking sandboxers like the Grand Theft Auto games (which allows a player to visit a prostitute, engage in sex for a health boost, then kill and rob her). And it doesn't really mean violence, either, or not totally, despite the fact that more and more games feature hyper-realistic combat scenarios that simulate murder in degrees that would have terrified kids in 1984. More than both those, the adult-ness of today's games deals with ethical ambiguity. Legions of role-playing games and even a few first-person shooters give the player the option to choose a moral wrong in a situation, whether it's betraying a friendly character or killing teammates to get ahead. Friendly fire isn't just programmed in, it's given serious repercussions. That kind of nuance might seem rote to younger players just coming to the field, but it's an amazing leap forward from the simplistic games of yesterday that only asked a player to collect coins, explore maps, and jump on enemies like cartoons. Today's games let you make real choices. Sometimes there isn't even a clear right or wrong; players are presented with options that each have pros and cons, and they have to decide how to shape the game.
7. Revolutionary physics: The graphics in video games have obviously gotten worlds better since the 8-bit days, but it's worth thinking about the fact that these developments in imaging software have come with similar advances in the physics engines of games. Shooters and RPGs let players roam over differing terrains and climb just about any surface they can see, and a growing number of games are able to use 3-D rendering to play with gravity and flight. The Assassin's Creed series, for instance, lets players scale walls and towers before diving off again, while sporting titles like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater give players the ability to feel like they're sliding down ramps and through the air in real life. At the extreme end of the spectrum, you've got games like Valve's Portal and Portal 2, which push players to think three-dimensionally about every aspect of the space around them. These games offer multiple solutions for puzzles and problems, as well, forcing players to dig in and rethink the physical world in new ways.
8. Downloadable games: It's not just patches and expansions available online, but entire games, whether you want a title designed to take advantge of the latest console's ability or a throwback title you play for nostalgia's sake. Once again, the amazing convenience of this cannot be overstated. Even a few years ago, it was impossible to think about being able to download entire games. If you wanted a new title, you bought it or rented it from a store (an actual, physical store!) and that was that. The notion of constant connectivity was a vague one, and the idea of being able to get new games just by pushing a few buttons was just a nice dream. Now, though, it's industry standard to make full games downloadable.
9. Identifiable objectives: As games have grown more complex, they've also grown simpler. Case in point: most major titles now in any genre include clear, identifiable objectives that the player has to reach in order to finish a mission or advance to the next level. (Sports games are the obvious exception, since the goals have always been, well, goals.) Gone are the rage-inducing commands from a role-playing game to merely explore an area until you meet the right character; you now have markers and guides to get you to that person quicker. It's not that games hold your hand these days; rather, their makers realized that there's a difference between an open world and a frustrating one, and today's titles have enough signposts to keep you from getting lost but are also loose enough to let you find your own approach. It's an indication that game makers are more interested in telling a good story than in loading the player up with meaningless tasks.
10. Quality portable devices: These basically didn't exist until a couple of years ago. Sure, there have been handheld units that inspired love, like the original incarnation of the Game Boy, but that gadget's yellow-green screen is coloring the collective memory of gamers. Old-school portable game units were awful. Sega's Game Gear was full-color but drained batteries at a laughable rate, and Atari's Lynx had the same problems. Nintendo's Virtual Boy wasn't even portable, just a desk-mounted face-mask that induced headaches in everyone dumb enough to try it. It wasn't until a few years ago and the releases of the PlayStation Portable and the Nintendo DS that portable gaming made real gains. Each system took a different approach — the PSP opted for a bigger screen, while the DS used a dual-screen layout — but they both made smart use of the advances in small-format graphics and rechargeable batteries that have helped boost the popularity of smartphones as gaming devices. They're also a whole lot lighter, and the visuals are mighty impressive for handhelds. Most importantly, they're so powerful and light that they become easy to take for granted. Older gamers should take heart, though: in 30 years, today's kids will be griping about all the things their children take for granted. There's no telling yet what those things will be, but they're bound to be amazing.

1. Ruth was bestowed the nickname "Babe" once he joined the Orioles: Nineteen years old and fresh out of St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, George Herman Ruth, Jr. signed with the then-minor league Baltimore Orioles, his hometown team, for $250 in 1914. In order for the contract to be valid, Jack Dunn, owner and manager of the team, became Ruth's legal guardian — 25 was the age of majority at the time. When Orioles players first encountered Ruth, they referred to him as "Jack's newest babe," which thereafter stuck as "Babe" publicly. Interestingly, as his career progressed, his teammates refused to call him by "Babe," instead calling him "Bam," "Jidge" and "The Big Fellow."
2. Ruth could've been a Philadelphia Athletic: Before the Red Sox jumped at the opportunity to acquire Ruth for cash, Dunn dangled him in front of Connie Mack, then the Athletics manager and part owner, who elected not to send $10,000 in exchange for Ruth, Ernie Shore and Ben Egan. Although the Athletics were the defending World Series champs and were in the process of winning their second consecutive AL championship, the organization was undergoing financial problems, and the team was dispersed after the season, resulting in eight straight last-place finishes starting in 1915. New York Giants manager John McGraw was angered that he wasn't offered Ruth, and chose to never do business with the Orioles again. That decision eventually cost him Lefty Grove.
3. As a starting pitcher for the Red Sox, Ruth led the league in ERA: Most people know that Ruth played for the Red Sox before joining the Yankees and he initially made an impact as a starting pitcher. But it's often forgotten that the he became among the best pitchers in baseball once he reached his peak, leading the league in ERA (1.75), shutouts (nine) and complete games (23) in 1916. From 1915 to 1917, he led all lefties in the majors in wins with 65. Because of his effectiveness on the mound, Red Sox manager Ed Barrow was reluctant to insert Ruth into the lineup, once saying "I'd be the laughingstock of baseball if I took the best lefthander in the league and put him in the outfield." He eventually reconsidered.
4. Ruth helped lead the Red Sox to the 1918 World Series title: Ruth was the opening day starter yet ended the season leading the league in home runs (11) and slugging percentage (.555), and finishing second in on-base percentage (.411) and third in runs batted in (66). During the World Series against the Chicago Cubs, which was played in September because of the "Work or Fight" order of World War I, he pitched a shutout in Game 1 and won Game 4 while batting fourth — he's the only pitcher in World Series history to bat anywhere but ninth in the order. His hitting wasn't quite as effective, though, as he hit just .200 and only managed one extra-base hit, a triple.
5. Ruth tossed 29 and 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the World Series, once a record: The streak started in Game 2 of the 1917 World Series after Ruth surrendered a first-inning solo homerun to Hi Myers of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He scattered just six hits in the next 13 innings en route to a 14-inning complete game victory. Sherry Smith was the losing pitcher, merely lasting 13 and 1/3 innings — both pitched two-game workloads by today's standards. The Sox won the Series in five games. Ruth's streak ended in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the 1918 World Series, when he gave up an RBI on a Charlie Hollocher groundout. The record stood for 43 years until Whitey Ford pitched 33 and 1/3 scoreless frames ending in the 1961 World Series.
6. Ruth punched an ump and facilitated a perfect game — sort of: As with many other elite athletes through history, Ruth possessed an enormous ego and a temper to match. During a game he started versus the Senators in 1917, he allowed his temper to get the best of him, and ironically, it happened to be for the better. Incensed by the calls of umpire Brick Owens after walking the first batter he faced, Ruth was promptly ejected, causing him to strike Owens behind his left ear — he was later fined $100 for his actions. Policemen dragged Ruth off the field and Ernie Shore, whom was sold to the Red Sox by the Orioles with Ruth in 1914, replaced him on the mound. The runner was thrown out and Shore subsequently retired the next 26 batters, defeating the Senators 4-0. Originally recognized as a perfect game, it's technically considered a shared no-hitter today but referred to by many as an "unofficial" perfect game, a feat also accomplished by Harvey Haddix and Pedro Martinez.
7. Ruth's sale to the Yankees made the team's owners the Red Sox's landlords: Of course, the famous — or infamous if you're a Red Sox fan — trade of Ruth to the Yankees for cash began the unfortunate Curse of the Bambino and Boston's 86-year World Series title drought. Ruth forced matters after the 1919 season when he threatened not to play without a salary increase, demanding the doubling of his salary to $20,000, which Red Sox owner Harry Frazee refused. The Sox floated several trade offers that were rejected, and ultimately had to decide on the White Sox's offer of Shoeless Joe Jackson and $60,000 or the Yankees' offer of $100,000. Franzee's official deal with the Yankees included a $300,000 loan backed by a mortgage on Fenway Park, which made the Yankee's owners the landlords of the Red Sox. In hindsight, it adds insult to injury. But Franzee was happy with the swap, justifying it by telling the The Boston Globe that "no club could have given me the equivalent in men without wrecking itself."
8. Ruth didn't only break power records, he shattered them: In 1918, Ruth was finally given the opportunity to hit more regularly, tallying 11 homeruns, as previously mentioned, in 317 at-bats. The next year, he hit 29 in 432 at-bats, far surpassing Socks Seybold's American League record of 16, Gavvy Cravath's modern major league record of 24 and Buck Freeman's 19th century record of 25. In 1920, his first year with the Yankees, he hit 54 in 457 at-bats, more than any other major league team aside from the Phillies. His record .847 slugging percentage stood until Barry Bonds broke it 2001. Currently, Ruth still boasts four of the 10 best single-season slugging percentages in baseball history. In 1921, he hit 59 in 540 at-bats, breaking Roger Connor's career homerun record of 136 and establishing his own that lasted until Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. Fourteen years later after his best season, he retired with 714 homeruns, more than twice as many as his nearest competitor. Hank Aaron broke the record in 1974.
9. Ruth won only one MVP award: It may seem like a major injustice that he didn't win several MVP awards — Dale Murphy, for example, who isn't in the Hall of Fame, has two — but for a portion of Ruth's career, it either simply wasn't given or he wasn't eligible, as repeat winners weren't allowed. Considering that Barry Bonds currently holds the record with seven, it's interesting to speculate just how many Ruth could've won by today's standards. One metric that could be used to determine where he ranked statistically in each season during his career is Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which indicates how many more wins a player is worth than a replacement player. According to Baseball-Reference, he led the league in WAR 12 times. Accounting for the unique narratives provided by other successful players each season and the repetitiveness that would've come with winning 12 MVP awards, one could reasonably conclude that Ruth would have a total close to Bonds' seven.
10. Ruth was the first high-dollar baseball player, setting the precedent for modern players: Upon joining the Yankees, Ruth received the $20,000 contract he requested from the Red Sox, and by 1930, his salary had risen to $80,000, by far the highest in baseball. He earned more than President Herbert Hoover, who made $75,000, which he rightly defended by saying "I know, but I had a better year than Hoover." When he retired, Gehrig became the highest-paid player in the league, earning $30,000 — much less than Ruth, but much more than baseball players earned before Ruth emerged as a star. Over the course of his career, Ruth made about a million dollars in salaries and bonuses and even more money from endorsements, writings and other ventures.

1. Will Rackley, OL — Lehigh: The transition from blocking FCS defensive linemen to blocking NFL offensive linemen can be steep, but at 6'4, 307 pounds, Rackley appears to be up to the task. His combination of size and textbook technique enabled him to dominate the Patriot League and enabled his offense to rank among the best in the conference. He's earned numerous All-American and first-team selections, but perhaps most impressive, he was a member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2. Pat Devlin, QB — Delaware: Devlin's involvement in a murky quarterback situation at Penn State prompted his transfer to Delaware, where Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco previously developed into a first-round selection. The move paid off, as he emerged as perhaps the FCS's most potent passer. In 2010, he was named CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year after tallying 3,032 yards, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions. His completion percentage of 68 led the nation and his quarterback rating of 151.64 ranked fifth. Possessing a fluid throwing motion and excellent accuracy, he could develop into an NFL starter in the right situation.
3. Graig Cooper, RB — Miami: A torn ACL sustained in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl — after leading the team with 695 rushing yards on 5.2 yards per carry and 1,417 all-purpose yards during the regular season — knocked Cooper from the top of draft boards, limiting his production in the 2010 season. He did show improvement during the combine, however, running a 4.6 40-yard dash and posting a 6.66 3-cone drill. As a result, some scouts are optimistic that he'll return to pre-injury form.
4. Rob Housler, TE — Florida Atlantic: Given his size, speed and production, Housler is one of the most exciting unknowns of this year's draft. He's 6'5, 248 pounds and he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine. With an 80-inch wingspan, he exhibits good blocking potential. Last season, he posted 629 yards on 39 catches with four touchdowns, not bad for the former 225-pound receiver.
5. ZaVious Robbins, WR — Hardin-Simmons: Often compared to DeSean Jackson, Robbins has blistering speed — he ran in the 4.3s during pro day — and the elusiveness to make big plays with regularity. At 5'9, 175 pounds, he figures to be inserted into the slot as a receiver, and, of course, he'll be utilized as a potentially dangerous kick returner — he made a few long returns during his college career. In his senior season, he tallied 1,271 yards on 89 receptions, 12 of which were touchdowns. Another plus for Robbins: he was named to the 2010 ESPN Academic All-America Football Team with a 3.92 GPA.
6. Ricky Elmore, DE — Arizona: Leading the Pac 10 in sacks with 11, Elmore anchored a solid Arizona defense that surrendered just 21.6 points per game last season. He's adept at getting into the backfield using his excellent technique and relentless energy, qualities that good, consistent NFL defensive ends must possess.
7. Kenrick Ellis, DT — Hampton: Who knew the FCS could produce such monstrous linemen? Standing at 6'5 and weighing in at 346 pounds, Ellis originally occupied a spot on South Carolina's roster, but was kicked off the team for repeatedly violating team rules. He rebounded nicely at Hampton, accumulating 22.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in two season, garnering first-team All-MEAC honors. A promising prospect, he'll need to keep his attitude in check in order to forge a productive NFL career.
8. Chris Carter, LB — Fresno State: Fresno State is associated with high-powered offenses, but one of its defensive players, Carter, drew rave reviews for his performances over the last couple of years. Named the 2010 WAC Defensive Player of the Year and twice named first-team All-WAC, he tallied 19.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss during his career. He's expected to move from defensive end to linebacker because of his size — 6'1, 248 — where he could be an effective pass rusher. During his attention-grabbing combine performance, he ran a 4.58 40-yard dash, a 6.88 3-cone drill and benched 225 pounds 27 times.
9. Justin Rogers, CB — Richmond: Good corners are always difficult to come by, which is why scouts have taken notice of Rogers, another FCS standout. In four seasons at Richmond, he received first-team All-CAA honors four times. His versatility is most remarkable — not only did he record 12 interceptions during his career, but he also participated in several offensive possessions and broke Brian Westbrook's CAA record in career kickoff return yards. He has the speed to smother NFL receivers, running a 4.45 40-yard dash, 4.2 20-yard shuttle and 7.21 3-cone drill.
10. Jeron Johnson, S — Boise State: Defense is a primary reason Boise State has won so many games in such a short amount of time, and Johnson was a big part of it. Starting 44 games during his career, he led the team in tackles three times with 98, 91 and 82, garnering him a first-team All-WAC selection in 2010 and second-team All-WAC selections in 2008 and 2009. He may not have the measurables that would indicate he'll be an elite safety at the next level, but he has shown the consistency and toughness that NFL teams covet from the position.

1. 2009 — No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Chicago: When it comes to sheer drama, this one takes the cake. The Celtics were without one of their big three, Kevin Garnett, due to a knee injury that sidelined him for all but four games over the final two months of the season. The youthful Bulls, led by rookie phenom Derrick Rose, took full advantage, pushing the series to seven games. Four games reached overtime, and a total of seven overtime periods were tallied when it was all said and done. Ray Allen hit clutch shot after clutch shot, including the game-winner in game two and nine threes in his 51-point game six performance in a loss, ultimately leading the defending champs to the series victory.
2. 1989 — No. 6 Chicago vs. No. 3 Cleveland: "The Shot" completed an early chapter in Michael Jordan's storied — and absolutely clutch — career and created yet another moment of Cleveland sports misery. After the teams traded wins in the first four games — game four featured a 50-point performance from Jordan in an overtime loss that extended the series — the fifth and final game took place in Cleveland. A close contest throughout, Jordan carried his team on his back, scoring 30 points in the second half. With six seconds remaining, he hit a jumper to give the Bulls the lead, which was followed by a well-executed inbounds play after a timeout that resulted in a Craig Ehlo layup with three seconds remaining. That set the stage for Jordan's buzzer beater over Ehlo and the ensuing celebratory leap that has since been a staple of every Jordan career highlight film. The series victory was somewhat of a surprise given that the Bulls lost all six games to the Cavs during the regular season, though the Cavs were battered by injuries come playoff time.
3. 1994 — No. 8 Denver vs. No. 1 Seattle: It was the first time in NBA history that a No. 8 seed defeated a No. 1 seed, a remarkable occurrence in a sport in which the "best team" almost always wins. The mere 42-40 Nuggets didn't seem to stand a chance versus the 63-19 Gary Payton-and Shawn Kemp-led Sonics, who finished the regular season with the league's best record. After the first two games of the series, the Nuggets lost by a combined 34 points. Surprisingly, they returned the favor during the next two games at home before a deafening crowd in McNichols Arena, winning by a combined 26 points. In the fifth and deciding game in Seattle, the Nuggets held off the Sonics in overtime, thanks in part to Dikembe Mutombo's eight blocks, which gave him 31 in the series, a five-game series record. As the final buzzer sounded, he fell to the floor, emphatically clutching the ball over his head in joy and disbelief.
4. 2007 — No. 8 Golden State vs. No. 1 Dallas: The Baron Davis-led Warriors weren't satisfied with just making the playoffs after a 13-year drought. From the first game of the series, a 97-85 Warriors win, it was evident they held a competitive edge with the leadership of Don Nelson, the Mavs' former coach, and the confidence that resulted from sweeping the regular season series. The Mavs, who had the league's best record at 67-15, were shell-shocked — the combined margin of their first round losses was 59 points. The sixth and final game was highlighted by a third quarter 18-0 run by the Warriors, seven three-pointers from Stephen Jackson and just eight points on 2-13 shooting from Dirk Nowitzki. The Warriors became the third No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed — the Knicks were the second to do it with their win over the Heat in 1999 — and the first to do it in a seven-game series. Almost as memorable as the upset itself were the fervent (understatement) crowds at Oracle Arena, which gave the Warriors a true home-court advantage.
5. 1984 — No. 6 New Jersey vs. No. 3 Philadelphia: Considered one of the best teams in NBA history, the 1983 76ers lost only one game during the entire playoffs. A year later, the playoffs featured a new format in which four more teams would compete and the first round bye was eliminated. Anchored by stars Moses Malone, Julius Erving and Maurice Cheeks, the Sixers weren't supposed to have any trouble in the opening round versus the Nets. Behind Michael Ray Richardson, Darryl Dawkins and Buck Williams, the Nets won the first two games in Philadelphia by a combined 19 points, dropped the next two games at home, and took game five in a close-fought affair. It's the only time in playoff history the road team won every game in a series.
6. 1999 — No. 3 Utah vs. No. 6 Sacramento: As one team was beginning its decline from the top of the Western Conference, another was beginning its ascension. Reaching the playoffs for just the second time since 1986, the Kings were newly rebuilt, featuring Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, flashy rookie point guard Jason Williams and veteran coach Rick Adelman. On the other hand, the Jazz, the two-time defending Western Conference champs, relied on 15-year and 14-year veterans John Stockton and Karl Malone, and coach and perennial winner Jerry Sloan. The difference was evident in game one when the Jazz won by 30 points. The Kings, however, proceeded to take the next two games, and were on the verge of pulling the series upset in game four before the usually raucous crowd in Arco Arena. But John Stockton's long two-point shot in the waning seconds saved the Jazz and enabled them to take the deciding game five in Salt Lake City.
7. 1991 — No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Indiana: The 56-26 Celtics accomplished their position with a mixture of old and new talent. The frontline still consisted of Bird, McHale and Parrish, but arguably the team's best player was guard Reggie Lewis, whose consistent play throughout the first round enabled it to hang with the upstart 41-41 Pacers. The fifth and final game, though, belonged to the 34-year-old Bird, who went toe-to-toe with sharpshooter Chuck Person in the Boston Garden. Despite an ailing back and an additional neck injury he suffered in the second quarter, Bird matched Person with 32 points in just 33 minutes, once again willing the Celtics to a playoff series victory.
8. 2006 — No. 2 Phoenix vs. No. 7 LA Lakers: Led by two-time MVP Steve Nash, the Suns' up-tempo, run-and-gun style of play was transforming the NBA. The Lakers could score too, but most of that responsibility fell on Kobe Bryant, who averaged 35 points per game during the regular season, most notably scoring 81 points in a game versus the Raptors. En route to a 3-1 series lead, his best work occurred in game four, when he made a layup to send the game into overtime and a game-winning pull-up jumper. It was the high point of the series for the Lakers because they wouldn't win another game. Fifty points from Kobe in game six wasn't enough to close it out, and game seven was a forgettable 30-point massacre.
9. 1993 — No. 1 Phoenix vs. No. 8 LA Lakers: Favored to emerge from the Western conference and challenge the two-time defending champion Chicago Bulls, the 62-20 Suns, who boasted the best record in the league, certainly didn't expect much of a fight from the 39-43 Lakers. With James Worthy, Byron Scott, Sam Perkins and AC Green, the aging remnants of Showtime, the Lakers stunned the Suns in the first two games of the series in Phoenix, forcing Charles Barkey's troop to have to win three consecutive games to advance and avoid becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 seed in playoff history. After winning two in Los Angeles, the Suns returned home to win game five, beginning their difficult run to the Finals.
10. 1987 — No. 7 Seattle vs. No. 2 Dallas: Twenty years before their surprise loss to the Warriors, the 55-27 Mavs were stunned in four games by the 39-43 Sonics, becoming the first No. 2 seed to lose to a No. 7 seed. It happened rather swiftly. Following a 151-129 blowout win by the Mavs in game one, the Sonics eked out two-point victory in game two, taking away the Mavs' home-court advantage. Before their always-rowdy fans in Seattle Center Coliseum, the Sonics ended the series by winning games three and four by 10 and 26 points — it didn't help the Mavs that Mark Aguirre, their leading scorer during the regular season, was battling strep throat. The Sonics proceeded to upset the defending Western Conference champion Rockets in a difficult six-game series in the semis, advancing to play the Lakers in the conference finals. One of the most improbable runs in playoff history, few fans of 1980s NBA basketball have forgotten the work of the Sonics' dynamic trio of Tom Chambers, Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel.

1. Deep Dive — Audrey Mestre (1974-2002): It may not involve blistering speeds or months-long treks, but freediving is equally as dangerous. At the time of Mestre's death, about 100 freedivers were dying each year out of the 5,000 around the world. Mestre, a French woman who came from a family of scuba divers and snorkelers, had spent most of her life underwater and certainly didn't lack experience. She trusted her abilities, and therefore in 2002, had the confidence to dive 561 feet in the deep waters 81 miles east of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. When she blacked out at 300 feet with an empty air tank, she was rushed back to the surface. After spending nine minutes under water without oxygen, there was nothing that could be done to save her.
2. Deep Rebreather Dive — Brigitte Lenoir (1970-2010): Not long after setting the world record for the deepest rebreather dive of 505 feet, Lenoir focused on establishing a new one. While training in preparation for the next attempt in DeHab, Red Sea, a technical malfunction resulted in oxygen toxicity at 482 feet, causing her to die. The accident occurred despite the fact that multiple safety drivers were stationed below the surface and more than 100 tanks were mounted on the downline. Her ultimate goal was to reach 754 feet In Egypt.
3. Water Speed — John Cobb (1899-1952): A fur broker by day and speed demon by night — or when he wasn't working, at least — Cobb strove to become the fastest man on earth and water. In 1939, he broke the land speed record by hitting just under 367 mph and broke it again in 1947 when he hit 394 mph. in 1952, he set out to achieve the water speed record at Loch Ness using the jet speedboat Crusader. Traveling 240 mph, it skid in the water and disintegrated. Cobb is still regarded as an English patriot for his gutsy attempts.
4. Water Speed — Donald Campbell (1921-1967): Campbell was a English speedster extraordinaire who could do it on land or water — in 1964, he became the only person to hold both land and water speed records. The eight-time record breaker couldn't get enough of the thrill and met his demise doing it in 1967. While trying to break his own water speed record in his jet-powered boat, the Bluebird K7, at 300 mph, it ascended into the air as he was just a split-second away from achieving his goal. He died immediately as the boat hit the water and crumbled. Many people believe the crash occurred because the boat was lighter due to a lack of fuel. It wasn't until 2001 that Campbell's body would be recovered.
5. Land Speed — J. G. Parry-Thomas (1884-1927): Parry-Thomas holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first driver to die in pursuit of the land speed record. A chief engineer for Leyland Motors, he understood the function of a quality motor car, and received numerous patents for his inventions. After acquiring the Chitty 4 from the estate of fellow racer and engineer Count Zborowski, he rebuilt it solely for the purpose of capturing the land speed record, which he did in 1926. A year later, he was killed while trying to break the record when the right-hand drive chain busted at 170 mph and he suffered a fatal head injury.
6. Land Speed — Frank Lockhart (1903-1928): One of the early legends of racing, Lockhart was an Indy 500 winner who held the all-time qualifying speed record for decades. Naturally, he strove to obtain the land speed record, and attempted to do so in 1928 in a car named the Stutz Black Hawk Special. During the run, one of the car's tires was slashed causing it to lose control and tumble 140 feet down the beach on which it was racing. Lockhart's lifeless body came to rest 51 feet from the vehicle. It was the first of several tragic deaths that have affected the motorsports community.
7. Land Speed — Athol Graham (1924-1960): Fear never stood between Graham and his goal to reach 400 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The popular mechanic from Salt Lake City was well-aware of the dangers that came with driving at such speeds, telling spectators prior to his 1960 attempt not to be alarmed if his car skidded early. Unfortunately, it did just that as he was traveling 300 mph, flipping end over end until it came to a stop. Graham, always the tough guy, wasn't killed immediately — he held on for two hours before the extensive injuries became too much.
8. Motorcycle Jump — Javad Palizbanian (1961-2005): Evel Knievel famously attempted to jump 13 buses in London, and ended up suffering severe injuries and announcing his retirement afterward. In 2005, Palizbanian, an Iranian daredevil, attempted to leap over 22 buses but landed on the 13th bus, dying immediately. Prior to taking off, he announced that he was "going to break the world record and do something for my country to be proud of." Like Mestre, he was hardly a novice. A month earlier, he successfully cleared a 51-yard-wide river on his bike.
9. Solo Flight — Bert Hinkler (1892-1933): Early in his adulthood, Hinkler was a gunner and observer in the British Royal Naval Air Service during World War I. Perhaps more importantly, he contributed to the military by inventing aviation instruments that were used until World War II. An expert aviator, he successfully flew from England to Australia for the first time in 1928 in just 15 and a half days — the previous record was 28 days. Five years later, he attempted to break the flying record to Australia of eight days and 20 hours, but he disappeared until his body was found in the Tuscan Mountains in Italy. He was laid to rest with full military honors.

1. Jack Nicklaus, 1986: At the age of 46, Nicklaus's best golf seemed to be behind him — coming in to the 1986 Masters, he hadn't won a major since the 1980 PGA Championship or the Masters since 1975. Assumptions can be foolish. En route to his record sixth Masters win and 18th major championship, he shot a 65 in the final round and a 30 on the second nine, tying a course record. Despite proving that age is just a number, he later acknowledged that it is a factor in golf, stating "The older you get, the stronger the wind gets — and it's always in your face."
2. Tiger Woods, 1997: From the oldest to win the Masters to the youngest. The man who's currently chasing Jack's major championships record clinched his first at the legal drinking age of 21, and he did it in resounding fashion. In round one, he shot a 70, impressive for a kid. But it was nothing compared to his next two rounds, in which he shot a 66 and 65. When it was all said and done, he boasted a 12-stroke victory over Tom Kite, becoming the first non-white player to win the Masters.
3. Gene Sarazen, 1935: It doesn't get more clutch than Sarazen's 1935 performance. Golf historians remember it for his double eagle at the par-5 15 that enabled him to make up a three-shot deficit and tie Craig Wood. Sarazen won the ensuing 36-hole playoff to claim his first Masters victory and his seventh and final major championship. Perhaps the most memorable shot in the tournament's history, the "shot heard 'round the world" is commemorated at Augusta with the Sarazen Bridge.
4. Byron Nelson, 1942: When reflecting back on past Masters champions, names such as Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan are typically among the first who people recall. In the case of Nelson, his most memorable Masters victory — each had two — came in a nerve-racking 18-hole playoff after Hogan rallied from three strokes behind in the final round. Hogan's strong play continued in the extra round, and he earned a three-stroke lead after five holes. But Nelson made a comeback of his own, shooting five-under during the remaining 13 holes and winning by a single stroke.
5. Sandy Lyle, 1988: Lyle knows how to win the Masters uncomfortably and in style. His four-stroke lead in the final round in 1988 vanished as Mark Calcavecchia's rallied, and the two were tied entering the final hole. The poor fortune mounted for Lyle when his tee-shot found the bunker. But the golf gods were on his side as he conjured an amazing shot that put the ball right on the green and in position for a birdie, which he sunk. The Scotland-native became the first Briton to win the tournament.
6. Gary Player, 1978: Down seven shots after three rounds, Player made a miraculous comeback, birdying seven of his final 10 holes, shooting a 30 on the back nine and a final round 64 to win by one stroke — it's hard to imagine anyone experiencing a better round on such a grand stage. It was the 43-year-old South African's last of nine major championships and his third Masters title.
7. Nick Faldo, 1996: Sure, it was a memorable victory for Faldo, but it was a more memorable collapse by Greg Norman, who began the tournament with an a course-record 63. He maintained his lead until the final day when his meltdown commenced. Not only did he lose his six-stroke lead to Faldo, but he lost the tournament by five-strokes after shooting a 78. The epic choke-job featured three consecutive bogeys on holes nine through 11 and two subsequent shots in the water. A Masters win just wasn't in the cards for Norman, but he can boast three second-place finishes.
8. Ben Crenshaw, 1995: Recognized as one of the game's elite putters, Crenshaw knew how to keep his cool under intense circumstances. A week prior to 1995 Masters, his mentor Harvey Penick died, and Crenshaw served as a pallbearer the day before the opening round. With his composure fully intact through all four days, he positioned himself to connect on a final putt to beat Davis Love II by one stroke — he then famously collapsed in tears, finally allowing his emotions to win out. It was the 43-year-old's second Masters title.
9. Phil Mickelson, 2004: Lefty, always a fan favorite, finally won his first major championship in 2004, bringing tears to the eyes of his many adoring spectators who watched it in person. The back nine provided all of the drama, as Phil collected five birdies to catch Ernie Els. His putt on 16 placed him in a tie for the lead, and after he put his second shot on the green on the final hole, he sunk a dramatic putt to seal the win.
10. Bob Goalby, 1968: This one is more laughable than tear-jerking. After shooting a 66 in the final round, Goalby prepared to enter a playoff with Roberto DeVicenzo. But an erroneous scorecard prevented it from happening, and Tommy Aaron, the 1973 Masters winner, was responsible for the mistake. Instead of marking a three on 17 for DeVicenzo as he should have, he incorrectly marked a four, and DeVicenzo signed the card without thinking twice. According to Professional Golfers' Association, the higher score signed by the golfer always stands, and therefore Goalby was the champion. DeVicenzo must still be kicking himself.

1. VCU, 2011: By now, VCU's story has been well-documented. The Rams' bubble had seemingly burst after losing 11 games with an unimpressive schedule. But when their name was announced on selection Sunday, it was met with outrage by television analysts, namely those at ESPN. Using the reactions of guys such as Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale as motivation for his team, Shaka Smart has become the latest early 30s wunderkind coach. His offense has been firing on all cylinders, scoring more than 70 points in each of its games, excluding the play-in game, and winning four of VCU's five games by margins of 13, 18, 18 and 10 points. Can No. 11 seed VCU ride the hot streak for two more games? Butler may have something to say about that.
2. Penn, 1979: Any time an Ivy League school does damage in the tournament, it deserves recognition. Lost amid the hoopla surrounding Princeton's upset and near upset of Georgetown in more recent years is the fact that Penn actually strung together four wins en route to the Final Four. Along the way, the Tony Price-led No. 9 seed — the Big Dance consisted of 40 teams in 1979 — upset No. 1 seed North Carolina 72-71, but the dream ended when Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans, the eventual national champs, obliterated the Quakers 101-67 in the national semifinal.
3. George Mason, 2006: In 2010, Butler was that year's George Mason. Virginia Commonwealth is this year's George Mason. In other words, the Patriots hold the distinction of being the first true mid-major to earn a Final Four berth, and each team that has since duplicated its run is just imitating. Their journey as an 11 seed included wins over traditional powers Michigan State, North Carolina and UConn, the latter of which was the game of the tournament. They exemplified team play throughout the season — remarkably, five players averaged double figures in scoring.
4. Butler, 2010: Last season's Butler team will be remembered as the first true mid-major to play for the national championship — note that Memphis's status as a mid-major is highly debatable. Coach Brad Stevens did his best Norman Dale impression as the No. 5 seed Bulldogs, which represent an Indianapolis school of 4,500 students, made a Hoosiers-like run. In a fitting matchup against goliath Duke, Butler, or David, hung close throughout the game, and Gordon Hayward's desperation heave nearly caused the underdogs to pull the upset before the hometown crowd.
5. Butler, 2011: Minus its best player from the 2010 team, Gordon Hayward, Butler is one game from repeating its 2010 performance. Despite returning key players Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack, the Bulldogs weren't exactly dominant during the regular season, and they weren't projected to accomplish what they have. Their 23-9 record and Horizon Conference tournament championship earned them a No. 8 seed and matchups against No. 9 seed and equally dangerous mid-major Old Dominion, No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, No. 4 seed Wisconsin and No. 2 seed Florida — the Pittsburgh and Florida games were two of the best of the tournament. Because they're so battle tested, anything short of a national title will be a disappointment.
6. LSU, 1986: It's amazing to think the 1986 LSU team, a No. 11 seed, experienced more success in one year than the entire Shaq and Chris Jackson era that started not long after. But it didn't become the lowest seed to make the Final Four — VCU and George Mason, of course, would later reach the Final Four as No. 11 seeds as well — without a little help. The Tigers had the fortune of playing their first two games at home in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, where they defeated No. 6 seed Purdue and No. 3 seed Memphis State with a thrilling last-second basket. Impressively, they would also upset No. 2 seed Georgia Tech and No. 1 seed Kentucky in a hard-fought contest between SEC foes.
7. Wisconsin, 2000: The 2000 Final Four, the second-most improbable ever, featured two No. 8 seeds (Wisconsin and UNC), a football school (Florida) and a season-long power (Michigan State). The Badgers did it how they've always done it — by slowing the pace of the game with tough defense and a conservative offense. During the season, only one Wisconsin player, Mark Vershaw, averaged double figures in scoring. Most notably, the grind-it-out style enabled them to knock off a No. 1 seed Arizona team that was stacked with talent — Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Loren Woods, Michael Wright, Jason Gardner, Luke Walton and Josh Pastner were all contributors, though Pastner contributed more to Lute Olson's game planning than the actual on-court action.
8. North Carolina, 2000: If North Carolina had lost its regional final, then Bill Self's Tulsa Golden Hurricane would've become the first modern mid-major to reach the Final Four, and 2000 would've been even more bizarre. The Heels did manage to overcome Tulsa's best effort, winning 59-55. Their March surge, led by veteran point guard Ed Cota — who played on Carolina's 1997 and '98 Final Four squads — made up for an underachieving year in which they posted an 18-13 regular season record and fell out of the polls for the first time since 1990-91. Coach Bill Guthridge, Dean Smith's longtime assistant, felt the heat all season, and even the Final Four run didn't stop him from retiring after it was all said and done.
9. Providence, 1987: It was Rick Pitino's first taste of tourney success. Inheriting an 11-20 team, he built the Friars into a Final Four squad in just two seasons. With point guard and now two-time national title-winning coach Billy Donovan as the floor general, three of the No. 6 seed's four wins came by margins of 22, 21 and 15 points, the latter two were against No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 1 seed Georgetown respectively. As evidenced by VCU this year, there isn't a better time to play your best ball of the season than March.
10. Villanova, 1985: Nova is the one team on this list to actually win it all, and the Cats did it in impressive fashion, playing the "perfect game" and shooting 78.6 percent from the field to upset the ultra-talented Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas. As a No. 8 seed, nobody — including the Philadelphia media — expected them to take home the title, let alone reach the Final Four. Today, they remain the lowest seed to have won it, and serve as inspiration for recent underdogs such as VCU and Butler.

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Although NASA is one of the world's leading programs in space exploration and scientific discovery, many Americans remain uneducated as to what the acronym NASA actually stands for. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established on July 29, 1958 by the National Aeronautics and Space Act. NASA was set into motion by the "space race" that began with the Soviet space program's launch of the first human-made satellite in 1957. The United States government was alarmed by the perceived threat Soviet space exploration posed to our national security and technological leadership status and, thus, urged President Eisenhower to create a U.S. space program.
2. Neil Armstrong: American astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Space mission Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969 with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins orbited above. The success of Apollo 11 was a major accomplishment for the United States space program, beating out the Soviet space program as the first mission to reach the moon.
3. Becoming an Astronaut: In order to apply to be an astronaut, you must be a pilot who has completed up to 1000 hours of flying time in a jet aircraft. The first seven U.S. astronauts were selected in 1959 when NASA requested that the U.S. military provide a list of people who met very specific qualifications. Since the original seven American astronauts were chosen in 1959, only 339 astronauts have been selected from the thousands of applicants.
4. The Skylab: The Skylab was the first space station that the United States launched into orbit. From 1973 to 1979, this almost 100 ton station orbited Earth, with the purpose of studying gravitational anomalies in other solar systems. The Skylab was the second space station visited by a human crew (the first being the Soviet Salyut 1). Skylab was visited by crews three times before the station reentered Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated in 1979. The Skylab collected significant scientific data, including photographs of solar flares, 127,000 frames of film of the sun and 46,000 of the earth, and information concerning the existence of coronal holes in the Sun. The space shuttle also aided in NASA's understanding of an astronauts' adaptation to extended periods of low gravity.
5. Explorer 1: On January 31, 1958, Explorer 1 became the first satellite launched into space by the United States. Onboard the spacecraft was a cosmic ray detector designed to measure the radiation environment in Earth's orbit. It was the first spacecraft to detect intense bands of radiation (now known as Van Allen radiation belts). This is now marked as the first major scientific discovery of the space age. Explorer 1 remained in orbit until 1970 and has been followed by more than 90 scientific spacecraft in the Explorer series.
6. Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Launched in 2003, NASA's robots, Spirit and Opportunity, landed on Mars in 2004 as part of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission. The scientific objective of the mission is to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and soils from Mars' surface that might hold clues to the history of water on Mars. Still currently on the surface of Mars and collecting data, both robots have outperformed their initial missions, which were supposed to last only three months.
7. Titan: Saturn's moon Titan is the second largest moon in the solar system. It is larger than both Mercury and Pluto and would almost certainly be considered a planet of its own if it orbited the Sun. Titan has been of particular interest to scientists because of its known similarities to Earth. Titan is one of the few known moons with its own dense atmosphere. This atmosphere is thought to be very similar to what Earth's atmosphere was in the past. Therefore, scientists believe that by learning about Titan we can learn more about our own planet.
8. Cassini-Huygens Mission: Currently studying Saturn and its moons, Cassini-Huygens was launched in 1997, entering Saturn's orbit on July 1, 2004. Cassini-Huygens' landing on Titan was the first landing ever accomplished in the outer solar system. What is particularly remarkable about this mission is that it is an international collaboration between three space agencies and 17 nations. More than 250 scientists worldwide will study the data collected by the deep space mission.
9. Galileo: While all of these modern day scientific discoveries have been revolutionary to our understanding of space, the solar system, and our own planet, we must not forget the groundbreaking discoveries made be the people who shaped science as a discipline. Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who is credited with many scientific achievements. He made major improvements to the telescope, discovered spots on the Sun, and found that the Milky Way was composed of millions of faint stars. However, his most stunning (and controversial) discovery was of satellites orbiting Jupiter, invalidating the concept that Earth was the center of the Universe.