Is There Life on Exoplanets?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description: 

Most of the planetary scientists believe that there can be at least one exoplanet in our Milky Way galaxy, which has life. They have also figured out that 20% of the sun-like stars that exist on the Milky Way are circled by planets, which has the same dimensions as Earth. These planets are located in habitable zones around the stars as well. Therefore, life on exoplanets has become a popular topic among planetary scientists in the modern world. 

The habitable zone of a planet can simply be defined as the area where the temperature is not too cold or too hot. These conditions help water to exist in those planets in the form of liquid. It is vastly known that life cannot survive without water in its liquid form. Therefore, while it has been figured out that there are about 2,000 exoplanets circling beyond our own sun, the possibility to have some sort of life in these planets depends on a variety of factors. The obliquity of the planet holds a prominent place among them. Obliquity can simply be defined as the angle of axis of a planet relative to its orbital axis around the parent starts.

The planet Earth has a low obliquity when compared to other planets. It rotates around an almost perpendicular axis of its own while rotating around the sun. Planetary scientists have figured out that the obliquity can vary from one planet to another. They believe that the planets with an extreme tilt have a very low chance of having life in it. 

Recently some research scientists as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology figured out that water exists on planets that have a very high obliquity as well. Therefore, we can keep some hope that life can exist in the planets with a high obliquity. They also figured out a shallow ocean with a depth of about 50m in a specific planet, which has a comfortable temperature. According to their calculations, the average temperature of that planet was about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit per year. 

However, a planet with a high obliquity usually has an extreme and inhospitable climate. The North Pole would receive sunlight for a period of 6 months continuously and it would have to go through an unending night for the other six months. As a result, they believed that such a planet has a very little chance of having life. That’s mainly because the planet would freeze and boil throughout the year, which is really tough for life to exist. Nevertheless, this can differ under some conditions. For example, the oceans can store heat during the summer period and give it out during winter. This can create a somewhat mild climate in the planet. Therefore, we cannot neglect with extremely oblique planets by saying that they are not in a position to inhibit life. 

It has been assumed that the Milky Way has about 200 billion stars. In addition, it has been calculated that there are about 11 billion planets with “habitable” living conditions. All these consist of hydrogen gas and they are seething hot. The planetary systems have been established circling such stars. In fact, sticky and fine dust particles melt together to create rocky cores, which eventually turns into major planets. 

The very first exoplanet was discovered by research scientists 20 years ago. It was circling a sun like star and was named as 51 Pegasi b. Since then, they have discovered a large number of exoplanets, where most of them were smaller than their very first discovery. They even discovered an exoplanet, which is 150 smaller than 51 Pegasi b. 

Many different methods are being used by research scientists in order to discover new exoplanets in the Milky Way. The Doppler Shift method can be considered as the most popular one. This is an effective method, which can be used to discover giant planets that exist closer to fiery stellar planets. This is a sensitive method and is associated with a higher chance of discovering earth-like planets. 

Throughout the past two decades, scientists have figured out many other methods to discover exoplanets apart from the Doppler Shift method. The major drawback with the Doppler Shift method is that it cannot be used to discover smaller planets that have a wider orbit around the stars. However, the recently discovered methods are in a position to help the scientists with discovering such planets. At the end of 2015, they have been able to discover more than 1,900 exoplanets that belong to over 1,200 planetary systems. 

The Kepler Space Telescope of NASA helps a lot for the scientists to discover new exoplanets. It was launched back in 2009 and has discovered few thousand candidate planets up to now. Most of these candidate planets were confirmed as exoplanets by scientists. Several statistical methods such as the verification by multiplicity were used by the scientists to figure out whether they are in a position to inhibit life or not. The Kepler Space Telescope follows a unique methodology when discovering exoplanets. It differs a lot from the Doppler Shift method. This method searches for extremely small dips in stellar brightness when a specific orbiting planet passes ahead of the glaring face of parent star. 

In the meantime, the scientists at MIT spent their efforts in order to create a model of a highly oblique aqua-planet. This planet had the same dimensions of earth and it was positioned at a distance similar to the earth’s separation from sun. This 3D model simulated circulations among sea ice, atmosphere and ocean. The effects of winds and heat were also taken into consideration. They also created a motionless planet for comparison and discovered the possibility of having life in such a planet. They had the ability to control the obliquity of this planet and they discovered that the ocean absorbs heat during the summer period. 

Given the scientific evidence and ongoing research therefore it appears that it is not science fiction to believe in life in other planets. While there is still a long way to go before we start packing, we can keep our fingers crossed for the prospect of habituating an exoplanet in the near future.

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Einstein’s Gravitational Waves Detected: A Breakthrough Discovery

Posted by Dr Stephania Savva

Description :

The discovery of Einstein’s gravitational waves reported during a blockbuster announcement in a news conference on February 11, 2016 at Washington DC, is making waves all over the world. What’s the big fuzz about it though and why should we care? This article explores the question by taking a more in-depth look into the phenomenon.

The scientific community are still overwhelmed by the news of the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves in the form of faint ripples of gravity, reverberating invisibly through the fabric of space-time from the collision of two black holes. 

Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), designed to open the field of gravitational-wave astrophysics supported by Caltech and MIT, captured this groundbreaking moment in history reportedly on September 14, 2015. Nevertheless, what does the phenomenon entail in reality and why is it so important to us? We will try to demystify the latter in the next few paragraphs. 

What Are Gravitational Waves? 

The term gravitational waves was originally introduced by Einstein back in 1915 in establishing his theory of general relativity. The latter concept suggests that mass distorts both space and time similar to how a heavy bowling ball distorts a trampoline. 

When an object accelerates, it creates ripples in space-time, in the same way a boat causes ripples in a pond. These ripples that allude space-time are called gravitational waves. Due to the fact that they are extremely weak signals, it is difficult to detect them. Therefore, although there's convincing indirect evidence that gravitational waves exist, a direct detection had proven elusive, until now. 

Missions like LIGO and LISA are dedicated to detect these waves by observing small changes in the distances between objects at set distances. The most optimum opportunity to detect gravitational waves comes from detecting the collision of two black holes or pulsars into each other.

The Discovery

“We have detected gravitational waves. We did it,” Prof David Reitze, executive director of LIGO, told journalists. LIGO, uses the world’s most sophisticated detector, utilizing laser interferometry, which in simple terms means firing lasers into long, L-shaped tunnels; the waves disturb the light to detect the collision of black holes when they merged. A merger occurs when two black holes start to spiral towards each other and radiate energy as gravitational waves. 

Scientists listened the characteristic sound of these waves, namely a chirp, for 20 thousandths of a second as the two giant black holes, one about 36 times the mass of the Sun, the other slightly smaller at 29 solar masses, circled around each other.

The signal detected, allowed them to calculate how stars perish: the two holes had begun by circling each other 30 times a second. Before the final collision and a dark violent merger had occurred at the end of the 20 millisecond snatch of data captured, the two had accelerated to 250 times a second!

The research findings from this study, undertaken by the LIGO Collaboration, have been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Signals of Gravitational Waves, As Einstein Predicted detected by the twin LIGO observatories at Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. Image Credit: Caltech/MIT/LIGO Lab

Why It Matters

The significance of detection of gravitational waves is attributed in the following key issues:

1. The discovery of gravitational waves opens a new window to research of the universe since it provides with insights on its existence and a potential paradigm shift on how we detect and study cosmic phenomena, in particular those that do not radiate in the electromagnetic spectrum.

2. The findings of this research confirm Einstein’s prediction of gravitational waves as part of his Theory of General Relativity and regenerate the interest in exploring the theory in depth. 

3. Re-enforces the study on the use of gravitational telescopes which allows to hear phenomena at the same time as light-based telescopes see them.

4. Since gravitational waves were detected from the energy emitted from the collision of two black holes, it is now confirmed that black holes really do exist and that mergers between two black holes proceed as predicted.

Image by THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY: Fast Facts about Gravitational Waves

In sum, the detection of gravitational waves opens the field to completely new investigation suggesting that some exciting days lay ahead for scientists. Stephen Hawking suggests that "gravitational waves could revolutionize astronomy".

Conclusion

Through this discovery we are one step closer to solving more of the mysteries of the universe following 380,000 years after it is thought to have been generated. And possibly the biggest mystery of it all: the 'Big Bang' singularity.

SOMETHING RELEVANT: Dreaming About the Future of Space Tourism

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Space Travel and Exploration: Dreaming About the Future of Space Tourism

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Welcome fellow hustler! Busy morning? Here's what you need to know to start your day.

For ages mankind has dreamed of traveling the stars and visiting distant planets. Not just astronauts but civilians too. Over the years we have seen a few of these achievements come to fruition. People have been sent up to orbit the earth and collect data for scientists back on the planet. A select few have claimed the great achievement of setting foot on the moon. A rover was even sent to Mars and transmitted back pictures of the alien surface.

Even with all these advancements over the last 30 years, space exploration is still in its infancy. The recent crash of Virgin’s Space Ship Two can attest to that. Not only are the ‘kinks’ still being worked out, but what has been explored so far, is merely a drop in the ocean when compared to the billions and billions of stars that have yet to be reached. Aside from Mars and the Moon, our own solar system remains an unexplored mystery. With the future of space tourism hinging on uncertainty; what does this mean for the average citizen?

The taxpayer no longer foots the bill

When the idea of space travel was first put on the table, it was the taxpayer’s dollars that funded the missions. Politicians formed the plan, while the working class paid for it. With the introduction of private spaceflight, the politicians have no say and the American citizen isn’t left paying for everything. The only real restriction they have is how much money is available.

Failure is an option

Private companies can fail as much as they want, within reason. They aren’t tied to an ever shrinking budget like NASA was. Unfortunately, not every test is a success, just look at Virgin Galactic. The explosion of their Space Ship Two was a tragedy and devastating blow to private space flight; but this doesn’t mean they have to call it quits. And now that the politicians can’t step in and pull the funding, that’s one less hurdle they have to deal with. Virgin now has the option to try again, if the funds are there. 

Engineers play a bigger part

If one were to work for NASA as an engineer, they would be part of a larger team working together. With smaller teams being employed by private companies, it allows for a more hands on experience. The engineer actually gets to go in the field and fire the rockets, rather than sit behind a desk all day. Smaller teams and limited resources actually foster more creativity, making them almost like modern day MacGyver’s. 

The price of space travel will drop

The flight of a Virgin space plane costs $250,000. That’s nothing compared to the $12 million price tag of launching a satellite into orbit. On top of that, the rocket that sends it to space can only be used once. If the privately funded space planes can make it to orbit consistently, the price of space travel is going to be drastically reduced. A host of scientists are standing by waiting to run tests on these flights. Also, lower cost means more accessible tourism.

Hypersonic travel may finally happen 

Circumnavigating the globe will be achievable in an afternoon. The promise of sub-orbital travel has been talked about for a while now. Until these privately funded space flights came around, it has always been just out of reach. Right now $95,000 for a ticket still may not be for everyone, but as with any new technology it’s always expensive when it first hits that market. The first microwave cost about $5,000. Now you can pick one up for less than $50. The same thing will happen with sub-orbital flights. Once they hone the production process and discover cheaper ways to build these space planes, tickets may even be as cheap as regular commercial flights.

The view will be humbling

Every astronaut has said that seeing the planet against the infinite backdrop of space was not only awe inspiring, but life changing. What’s going to happen when an artist sees this for the first time? What happens when politicians and CEOs start to take these flights regularly? Will they be moved like the astronauts; or will it be business as usual? 

Even though Richard Branson suffered a major set-back, this doesn’t leave him down and out. Without politicians calling the shots, they can go back to the drawing board and try again. This doesn’t mean that failure isn’t costly; this just means that without the threat of having funding pulled, they have a better chance of learning from their mistakes. Whatever Virgin is doing in the wake of this tragedy, people need to start seriously thinking about how space tourism will affect their lives and how it’s about to change the world.

RECOMMENDED: The Infinite Stretch of the Universe

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*by andreascy*

Two New European Galileo GPS Satellites Launched Into Orbit This Month

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

The Galileo GPS system is entirely civilian, unlike its rivals designed by the Russian and American military, and when fully operational will offer a more robust GPS solution and exciting opportunities for GPS manufacturers around the world. This month, the European navigation system, Galileo, took a crucial step with the successful launch of two new satellites. The first test of the system will begin soon as there are now enough satellites in orbit to allow for more advanced testing of the system.

Two new Galileo satellites were placed into orbit by a Russian Soyuz rocket from French Guiana. This is an important step for the European navigation system as it will now be able to run a test phase so GPS manufacturers can start to access the capabilities involved. 

Galileo, which will eventually have 30 satellites in total, should be able to provide services to users in the first few years. "We are committed to provide reliable navigation in 2018," said Paul Flament, Program Manager at the European Commission.

A Success for Europe 

Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall hailed this as "a success for Europe", seeing it as a "good omen." He also said that "new success" of a Soyuz rocket launch "confirms the exemplary nature of our cooperation with Russia."

The third mission of Soyuz from French Guiana placed the two new satellites on a circular orbit at an altitude of 23,222 km of the Galileo constellation. Each of the spacecrafts have weight 700 kg each.

Designed for a lifetime of 12 years, they join their counterparts in orbit and all four of them will form a "mini-constellation" that is fully operational so tests can be conducted. 

At first, and for a hundred days, it will ensure that new satellites are stable enough for Galileo and are functioning properly. Operational navigation tests will probably not commence until around February of 2013.

Slated to Launch by 2018

In the Spring of 2013, the four European satellites should be able to provide for the first time their first waypoint. The in-orbit validation phase will be followed by the deployment of the remaining satellites and Galileo should be fully operational by 2018 or 2019 at the very latest. These type of projects are prone to delays so it’s currently impossible to fix a 100% confirmed date on the official launch.

The four satellites currently in orbit were built by a consortium led by EADS Astrium Germany and assembled in Rome by Thales Alenia Space.

IN TREND: Space Travel and Exploration - Dreaming About the Future of Space Tourism

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The Real and Unreal Science of "Star Trek"

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Since 1966, Star Trek has encouraged our imaginations to boldly go where no one has gone before. Star Trek dared us imagine moving faster than the speed of light, being locked in deadly combat in the vacuum of space and finding common ground with intergalactic beings light years away from Earth.

However, it was not merely the concept of interstellar travel and super-intelligent aliens that drew us in but the promise of the spectacular technology the future could bring. It is hard to imagine any Star Trek episode without thinking of all the gadgets. Tricorders, phasers, and the fantastical allure of the holodeck were an integral part of the immersion this reality we hoped was not too far in the future.

Perhaps we are living in the infant stages of that future. Just how far away are we from a Star Trek universe? Set aside the fantasy for a moment and consider just how feasible our idealized future could be.

Source: Best Computer Science Degree

*by andreascy*

The Infinite Stretch of the Universe

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

The size of the universe is incomprehensibly big. Similarly, the particles that make of the universe that we know are incomprehensibly small. Just imagining how big the solar system actually is, which is just a small dot in the universe as a whole, is nearly impossible. In order to have any type of understanding of the size of the universe, we must compare objects throughout the universe against the size of objects we already know. 

The observable universe is estimated by scientists to have a diameter of over 8.8*10E^26 meters, or 96 billion light years. For comparison's sake, the Milky Way Galaxy, which is the home of planet Earth, is a tiny fraction of that size, 120,000 light years across.

Source: Number Sleuth

A tiny grain of rice measures at 0.008*0.0025 meters big. Skin cells and viruses are thousands of times smaller than the smallest observed objects to the human eye. Yet, a single atom of hydrogen is billions of times smaller than that.

Magnifying the Universe by Number Sleuth. 

Amazing right? :) Check out this page for more.. ;) 

*by andreascy*

Remembering Neil Armstrong

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

History will remember Neil Armstrong, foremost, as the first human to step foot on another heavenly body. But his NASA family and many admirers worldwide will forever appreciate him for more than just that one, albeit world-changing, accomplishment. 

Neil A. Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. He began his NASA career in Ohio.

After serving as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first assignment was with the NACA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland. Over the next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator for NACA and its successor agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

As a research pilot at NASA's Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., he was a project pilot on many pioneering high speed aircraft, including the well known, 4000-mph X-15. He has flown over 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders.

Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Gemini 8 was launched on March 16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.

As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission, Armstrong gained the distinction of being the first man to land a craft on the moon and first to step on its surface.

Armstrong subsequently held the position of Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In this position, he was responsible for the coordination and management of overall NASA research and technology work related to aeronautics.

He was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati between 1971-1979. During the years 1982-1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., Charlottesville, Va.

He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. He holds honorary doctorates from a number of universities.

Armstrong was a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the Royal Aeronautical Society; Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the International Astronautics Federation.

He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. He served as a member of the National Commission on Space (1985-1986), as Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (1986), and as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Peace Corps (1971-1973).

Armstrong was decorated by 17 countries. He was the recipient of many special honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Gold Medal; the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the Explorers Club Medal; the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA Distinguished Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy; the Royal Geographic Society's Gold Medal; the Federation Aeronautique Internationale's Gold Space Medal; the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award; the Robert J. Collier Trophy; the AIAA Astronautics Award; the Octave Chanute Award; and the John J. Montgomery Award.

Armstrong passed away on Aug. 25, 2012 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. He was 82. August 2012

For someone involved in one of the most famous events in world history Armstrong was a very private person. He kept to himself as much as he could. But after he died, his family put out a statement which said : "When you see the moon smiling down on you, look up and think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."
A public memorial service for Armstrong is being planned for early September in Washington, DC. 

*by andreascy*

CERN: Scientists Believe "God Particle" Has Been Found. What This means?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

The ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN Research Center near Geneva, Switzerland, today presented their latest results in the search for the long-sought Higgs boson. Both experiments see strong indications for the presence of a new particle, which could be the Higgs boson, in the mass region around 126 gigaelectronvolts (GeV).

The experiments found hints of the new particle by analysing trillions of proton-proton collisions from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2011 and 2012. The Standard Model of particle physics predicts that a Higgs boson would decay into different particles - which the LHC experiments then detect.

Both ATLAS and CMS gave the level of significance of the result as 5 sigma on the scale that particle physicists use to describe the certainty of a discovery. One sigma means the results could be random fluctuations in the data, 3 sigma counts as an observation and a 5-sigma result is a discovery. The results presented today are preliminary, as the data from 2012 is still under analysis. The complete analysis is expected to be published around the end of July.

Our Understanding of The Universe is About to Change…

Scientists say their findings are consistent with the theory that attempts to explain how the universe is held together (How Higgs boson lends mass to matter and holds the universe together).

The Higgs boson theory - proposed by British physicist Peter Higgs in the 1960s - suggests the existence of an invisible force field and associated sub-atomic particle that permeates all things, working like glue to give form to stars, planets and even humans.

Without the Higgs particle, the universe would have remained like a soup, the theory says.

In December last year, Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - the "Big Bang" particle accelerator which recreates conditions a billionth of a second after the birth of the universe - revealed they had caught a first tantalising glimpse of the Higgs boson.

Since then they have sifted through vast quantities of data from innumerable high energy collisions in an effort to reduce the odds of being wrong.

Joe Incandela, spokesman for one of the two teams hunting for the Higgs particle told an audience at Cern : "This is a preliminary result, but we think it's very strong and very solid."

Professor Higgs, currently at the University of Edinburgh, welcomed the Cern results, adding: "I never expected this to happen in my lifetime and shall be asking my family to put some champagne in the fridge."

At the LHC, scientists shoot two beams of protons - the "hearts" of atoms - at each other round 27km of circular tunnels at almost the speed of light.

When the protons smash together the enormous energies involved cause them to decay into an array of more fundamental particles. These may then decay further into yet more particles.

By following the decay patterns, scientists hope to see the "fingerprint" of the Higgs boson.

Physicists need the Higgs to plug a gaping hole in the "Standard Model", the theory that explains all the particles, forces and interactions making up the universe.

What is the Higgs boson?

John Ellis a British theoretical physicist answer the question What is the Higgs boson? in preparation for the press conference following the seminar on LHC 2012 results on the Higgs boson searches, due on July 4 2012 at CERN.

How do Physicists look for it?

What comes next?

Both the ATLAS and CMS experiments have observed a new fundamental particle consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson. Now the exciting work of understanding its significance begins.

The results presented by ATLAS and CMS are labelled "very preliminary", having been prepared for presentation at the major particle physics conference of the year, ICHEP2012, which began in Melbourne on 4 July. The analyses are still being consolidated, and are expected to reach maturity by the end of the month. 

Once that has been achieved, work on determining the precise nature of the particle and its significance for our understanding of the universe can begin in earnest. In particle physics parlance, strong evidence means that the probability of an observation being attributable to a statistical fluctuation is less than one per cent. Today, both the ATLAS and CMS experiments are beyond the level of around one per million that's required to claim a discovery, and the experiments should confirm that level of confidence once these analyses are complete.

The hunt for the Higgs particle has long been one of the top priorities for particle physics. The Higgs is associated with a mechanism proposed in the mid-1960s to explain why one of nature's fundamental forces has a very short range while a similar force has infinite range. The forces in question are the electromagnetic force, which brings light to us from the stars, carries electricity around our homes, and gives structure to the atoms and molecules from which we are all made, and the weak force, which drives the energy generating processes of the stars. 

The electromagnetic force is carried by particles called photons, which have no mass, whereas the weak force is carried by particles called W and Z that do have mass. Rather like people passing a ball, interacting particles exchange these force carriers. The heavier the ball, the shorter the distance it can be thrown; the heavier the force carrier, the shorter its range. W and Z particles were discovered at CERN in the 1980s, but the mechanism that gives rise to their mass remains to be unlocked, and the Higgs boson is the key.

A simple observation is not enough, however, because the Higgs boson can take many forms. In its basic incarnation, the mechanism is the simplest theoretical model that accounts for the mass difference between photons and W and Z particles, and for the masses of other fundamental particles. But there are other formulations of the mechanism linked to theories such as supersymmetry, which could account for the universe's mysterious dark matter, or to theories predicting extra dimensions of space, which, if verified, would truly revolutionise our understanding of the universe we live in.

So once the discovery is confirmed, the next question is: "What kind of Higgs boson do we have"? Positive identification of the new particle's characteristics will take considerable time and data. It's rather like spotting a familiar face from afar; closer observation might be needed to tell whether it's an old friend who loves coffee, or her identical twin sister who favours tea. But whatever form the Higgs particle takes, our understanding of the universe is about to change.

Check the recording of the Press Conference online.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 30 Stunning Photos of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

Thanks for reading!

*by andreascy*

NASA ScienceCasts : Hidden Magnetic Portals Around Earth

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hello lovelies! 

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I simply love it when Science Fiction becomes reality! Universe is perfect, we just have to discover it. And today we have some interesting news for you out there. 

A NASA-sponsored researcher at the University of Iowa has developed a way for spacecraft to hunt down hidden magnetic portals in the vicinity of Earth. These portals link the magnetic field of our planet to that of the sun. Nice right? Check out the video below for more:

Have something to add to this story? What do you think about these mysterious portals that connect earth to the sun? Share it in the comments. 

*by andreascy*

Something from Nothing? A conversation with Richard Dawkins & Lawrence Krauss

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Join critically-acclaimed Author and Evolutionary Biologist Richard Dawkins and World-Renowned Theoretical Physicist and Author Lawrence Krauss as they discuss Biology, Cosmology, Religion, and a host of other topics. 

The authors will also discuss their new books. Dawkins recently published The Magic of Reality : How We Know What's Really True, an exploration of the magic of discovery embodied in the practice of science. Written for all age groups, the book moves forward from historical examples of supernatural explanations of Natural Phenomena to focus on the actual Science behind how the world works.

Krauss's latest book, A Universe from Nothing : Why There is Something Rather than Nothing, explains the scientific advances that provide insight into how the universe formed. Krauss tackles the age-old assumption that something cannot arise from nothing by arguing that not only can something arise from nothing, but something will always arise from nothing. 

Founded in 2008, the ASU Origins Project is a University-wide transdisciplinary initiative aimed at facilitating cutting edge Research and inquiry about origins questions, enhancing public Science literacy, and improving Science Education. Since its inception, the Origins Project has brought the world's leading Scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, to Tempe to explore origins questions. The Origins Project has hosted workshops and public events that have focused on questions as fundamental as the origin of the Universe, how life began, the origins of human uniqueness, and the origins of morality. 

Enjoy the video!

*by andreascy*

TedTalks : Brian Greene talks about Why is our universe fine-tuned for life

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

At the heart of modern cosmology is a mystery : Why does our universe appear so exquisitely tuned to create the conditions necessary for life? 

In this tour de force tour of some of science's biggest new discoveries, Brian Greene shows how the mind-boggling idea of a multiverse may hold the answer to the riddle. 

*by andreascy*

Mysterious Subatomic Particles Known As Neutrinos May Be Tachyons

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

For a few days in September 2011, it was the biggest story in the world. The little-known OPERA experiment in Gran Sasso, Italy, had just made an electrifying claim - that subatomic particles called neutrinos had travelled faster than the speed of light. Next year, two experiments - MINOS at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, and T2K in Japan (pictured) - will be able to test the claim. If it stands up, how should we meld these misbehaving particles with the rest of physics?

One option is via tachyons, hypothetical particles that are born speeding faster than light. It turns out that the speed limit imposed by Einstein's special theory of relativity isn't so much a cap that nothing can exceed as a barrier that nothing can cross. Tachyons were dreamed up to illustrate this: particles born faster than light pose no problem for special relativity as long as they spend their whole lives in the fast lane. 

Are neutrinos tachyons? One way they might be is if the universe is filled with a field that interacts with particles as they fly through it. If photons have more drag in that field than neutrinos do, then neutrinos would naturally outpace the speed of light. This idea may feel familiar : light travels slower in glass than in a vacuum, for instance. So the universe might be permeated with a sort of diffuse glass. 

If neutrinos do turn out to be tachyons, theorists will still have their work cut out. Though they are born speeding, tachyons interfere with another demand of special relativity: that a particle's behaviour be the same no matter where it is facing or how fast it is going. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of other theories scrabbling to explain this most astonishing of results.

READ ALSO: Einstein’s Gravitational Waves Detected: A Breakthrough Discovery

Stay tuned for more! 😉

*by andreascy*

New Mexico : Space Port Galactica

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The new space port being built in New Mexico as the home base for the Virgin Galactic Space program is shaping up. Latest images show some truly inspired Design decisions from the Virgin Management team. 

I’m sure Sir Richard has been intimately involved in the design process. No doubt taking note of the latest construction endeavors from UK home show “Grand Design”. This mammoth UFO lookalike in the New Mexico desert is sure to inspire future generations of marsupials to reach for the stars in much the same way the Inca lines of Mexico have inspired us humans to venture into space.

Of course they don’t mention the plans but we can all see that Virgin is positioning the company to be the first port of call for all private space travel in the coming century. they only have to solve the political obstacles of advanced nuclear technology to provide the energy that will be required to shuttle space tourists into and out of space on a regular basis. Maybe they already are working on the problem at the highest levels. 

After all Sir Richard is definitely a member of the Elite society albeit slightly renegade and cool compared to the majority of them. Maybe they are all hoping he will rouse the masses and gain their approval for the inevitable time travel experiments galavanting around the galaxy at close to the speed of light that they are all no doubt hoping for an opportunity to take part in. After all who wouldn’t want to take a short 100 years trip around the galaxy and find themselves 200,000 years into the future of the earth? 

Apart from the small issue of growing enough food and recycling the waste for 100 odd years while travelling at light speed. They will need to solve those issues first. 

Then there are the potential issues of time and space distortion when matter is travelling at such high speeds. How do you plot a course when it is possible for space and time to distort while at high speed? These are things no one really knows until we try it out. 

*by andreascy*

NASA Is Seeking For New Astronauts

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

If you have dreamed of joining the Astronaut Corps, now is the time to apply. NASA is continuing space exploration programs that will include missions beyond low Earth orbit. 

NASA, the world's leader in space and aeronautics is always seeking outstanding scientists, engineers, and other talented professionals to carry forward the great discovery process that its mission demands.

Creativity. Ambition. Teamwork. A Sense of Daring. And a Probing Mind. 

That's what it takes to join NASA, one of the best places to work in the Federal Government.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a need for Astronaut Candidates to support the International Space Station (ISS) Program and future deep space exploration activities. You can find more details on their official link and apply for the Astronaut Candidate Program here.

UPDATE: This position is closed and no longer accepting online applications through USAJOBS.

SEE ALSO: NASA Issues Call for Visionary Advanced Technology Concepts

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*by andreascy*