Author Archives: bobbyc

Tardigrades

Posted on April 29, 2019 by bobbyc

Tardigrades are the toughest animals that we have yet discovered, not due to their physical strength, but rather their incredible ability to survive. People praise cockroaches for their ability to survive levels of radiation that would be lethal to humans, but the real heroes are microscopic “water bears” called tardigrades. Tardigrades are extremophiles, or micro-organisms … Continue reading Tardigrades Continue reading →

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Where are they?

Posted on April 27, 2019 by bobbyc

The Fermi Paradox is a complicated contradiction that considers the probability that other life in the Universe exists, and asks why we have never encountered it. Essentially, some calculations were made to suggest with a high probability that there are many worlds in our universe and even solar system that are habitable, and that the … Continue reading Where are they? Continue reading →

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Comets as Omens of the Future

Posted on April 7, 2019 by bobbyc

Comets have been noticed by ancient civilizations for millenia, and, like many other celestial bodies, were viewed as omens of the future. Comets in particular were considered bad omens. The most famous example is Halley’s Comet, seen in 1066 by the English and theorized to have been an omen for Harold II of England’s death. … Continue reading Comets as Omens of the Future Continue reading →

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Climate Change

Posted on March 12, 2019 by bobbyc

Climate change is predominantly caused by the greenhouse effect, which is when gases in our atmosphere prevent heat from the sun from escaping the Earth. As greenhouse gasses continue to be added to our atmosphere (primarily by burning fossil fuels), the greenhouse effect becomes more severe, allowing less and less heat to escape from our … Continue reading Climate Change Continue reading →

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Nuclear Fusion

Posted on March 12, 2019 by bobbyc

  Nuclear fusion is where two nuclei combine resulting in a displacement of energy. The fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium specifically is what powers the energy output of the sun. This can only occur under the most extreme conditions – typically, the positively charged nuclei of two atoms repel each other quite strongly, and … Continue reading Nuclear Fusion Continue reading →

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Celestial Navigation

Posted on February 11, 2019 by bobbyc

Celestial navigation is the practice of navigating from one place to another using celestial bodies as a guide. Prior to the invention of GPS, people would use the position of the stars in relation to themselves as a method of orienting oneself to their destination. The process is simple in concept – the navigator uses … Continue reading Celestial Navigation Continue reading →

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Tycho Brahe in Context

Posted on January 29, 2019 by bobbyc

Tycho Brahe was born on December 14, 1546 and died on October 24, 1601. These dates are converted to the Gregorian Calendar, as the Gregorian Calendar was established during his lifetime. Tycho Brahe made vast improvements to the instruments of measurement used in the study of astronomy. He was a pioneer in observational astronomy in … Continue reading Tycho Brahe in Context Continue reading →

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Life off Earth

Posted on January 20, 2019 by bobbyc

I’m truly baffled by the sheer size and scale of the Universe in comparison to the scale of the life I live, and the implications of that scale on finding life off of Earth. At any point in time, my attention is engulfed by only 10 or so meters of my surroundings, and often only … Continue reading Life off Earth Continue reading →

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Greetings

Posted on January 18, 2019 by bobbyc

Here’s a link to my 10th grade English blog   Continue reading →

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