Second Life News & Events & Guides

Second Life news abounds. National magazines, newspapers, and websites are all reporting the many ups and downs of this amazing virtual world that boasts over 1 million active users.

Virtual Field Trips

One news item in a recent national magazine focused on the use of the Second Life platform in education – specifically field trips. The Second Life virtual world has opened the world for students in any classroom to experience what was impossible only a few years ago.

NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has set up island in the Second Life virtual world. Students and teachers can visit the NOAA Second Life site and take a trip to the bottom of the ocean or see the Northern Lights. The NOAA also uses their site for employee education and data visualization.

Studying Nigeria in Social Studies this term? According to the news you can take a virtual field trip to the country itself. Second Life Nigeria shows the country as it existed before oil, big business, and government took over. Students can glory in the nation’s Second life linden wonderful wildlife and terrain plus visit Nigerian villages and interact with locals.

Helping Our Vets

Another news item to have caught the interest of many users is the trend of veterans using Second Life to communicate with each other. DAV, the Disabled American Vets has had a presence in Second Life for some time now but veterans are taking it upon themselves to take it a step further. Veterans who might be uncomfortable discussing their problems after returning home from war, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, find it easy to interact with other vets in the virtual world and get the support they need.

Boosting Self Esteem

One of the latest news items concerns disabled women. Health issues, both mental and physical, can lower a woman’s self esteem. BCM, the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, along with a grant from the United States Department of Education, is developing an online intervention program to help disabled women improve their self esteem.

Find more news on the Second Life Herald and the Second Life Newspaper.

The information coming out of Second Life news proves that the applications of virtual reality are endless. This unique platform is not only about having fun and making money. Second Life media shows that the virtual realm can have positive effects on the lives of real world people.