Recent Comments

    Category Astronomy/Space

    Scientists measure the Air Breathed by Earth’s 1st Animals

    July 25, 2016, Categories  Astronomy/Space, Environment/Geology

    Scientists have directly measured the air that was breathed by Earth’s first animals for the first time

    Scientists have directly measured the air that was breathed by Earth’s first animals for the first time

    The discovery of an atmospheric time capsule has allowed scientists to directly measure the air breathed by the first animals. A team of international researchers, including geologists from the University of Aberdeen, made the discovery while analysing samples of halite ie rock salt – dated 815 million years old. The halite was found to contain traces of trapped atmospheric gas, from which measurements of oxygen were taken. The analysis found that the percentage of oxygen present in the atmosphere 815 million years ago was enough for animals to flourish. Some studies have suggested that the required level of oxygen would only have been present much later in the Earth’s history.

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    A Star’s Birth holds Early Clues to Life Potential

    July 25, 2016, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    A star’s birth holds early clues to life potential

    The dust cloud L183, identified as a likely region of future solar systems, was imaged by the Spitzer Space Telescope for research published in 2010. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Observatoire de Paris/CNRS

    Our solar system began as a cloud of gas and dust. Over time, gravity slowly pulled these bits together into the Sun and planets we recognize today. While not every system is friendly to life, astronomers want to piece together how these systems are formed. A challenge to this research is the opacity of dust clouds to optical wavelengths (the ones that humans can see). So, astronomers are experimenting with different wavelengths, such as infrared light, to better see the center of dense dust clouds, where young stars typically form.

    Recently, astronomers used data from NASA’s Spitzer Space T...

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    The Science of Star Trek

    July 24, 2016, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Cast of Star Trek: The Original Series with NASA officials at the rollout of the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1976.

    In 1976, NASA’s space shuttle Enterprise rolled out of the Palmdale manufacturing facilities and was greeted by NASA officials and cast members from the ‘Star Trek’ television series. From left to right they are: NASA Administrator Dr. James D. Fletcher; DeForest Kelley, who portrayed Dr. “Bones” McCoy on the series; George Takei (Mr. Sulu); James Doohan (Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott); Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura); Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock); series creator Gene Roddenberry; U.S. Rep. Don Fuqua (D.-Fla.); and, Walter Koenig (Ensign Pavel Chekov). Credits: NASA


    Original producer Gene Roddenberry and the later writers of the show started with science we know and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d it to fit a framework of amazing inventions that support action-filled and entertaining stories...

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    A new Key to Understanding Molecular Evolution in Space

    July 23, 2016, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Ortho-hydrogen converts to para-hydrogen by releasing energy to the ice surface. The conversion rate differed depending on the ice temperature. Credit: Naoki Watanabe, Hokkaido University

    Ortho-hydrogen converts to para-hydrogen by releasing energy to the ice surface. The conversion rate differed depending on the ice temperature. Credit: Naoki Watanabe, Hokkaido University

    Scientists at Hokkaido University have revealed temperature-dependent energy-state conversion of molecular hydrogen on ice surfaces, suggesting the need for a reconsideration of molecular evolution theory. Molecular hydrogen, the most abundant element in space, is created when 2 H atoms bond on minute floating ice particles. It has 2 energy states: ortho and para, depending on the direction of proton spins. Ortho-hydrogen converts to para-hydrogen on extremely low temperature ice particles, though its mechanism remained unclear.

    When molecular hydrogen is released from tiny ice particles in space, the par...

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