Category Archives: Universe

Lions, Tigers, and Water Bears – Oh My!

Recently in class, we learned about extremophiles – creatures that can survive in extreme situations. My personal favorite extremophile is the water bear (whose official name is the tardigrade) because they’re the hardiest extremophile (in my personal opinion). “Tardigrades have the ability to withstand complete dehydration. Once desiccated, they have been frozen in blocks of … Continue reading Lions, Tigers, and Water Bears – Oh My! Continue reading

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , | Comments Off on Lions, Tigers, and Water Bears – Oh My!

Final Post (Reflection)

The Observable Universe (Thus Far) I learned quite a bit this semester and it definitely changes the way in which I look at the universe. Coming into the course I could name the planets of our Solar System and that is about it, so I basically had no previous astronomical knowledge. For the most part … Continue reading Final Post (Reflection) Continue reading

Posted in Aliens, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Final Post (Reflection)

Final Post (Reflection)

The Observable Universe (Thus Far) I learned quite a bit this semester and it definitely changes the way in which I look at the universe. Coming into the course I could name the planets of our Solar System and that is about it, so I basically had no previous astronomical knowledge. For the most part … Continue reading Final Post (Reflection) Continue reading

Posted in Aliens, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Final Post (Reflection)

Bringing Colonialism to Space

“I’m certain success is one of the possible outcomes for establishing a self sustaining Mars colony, in fact a growing Mars colony. I’m certain that it’s possible.”  –Elon Musk “I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space.”  –Stephen Hawking “We want to go to space to save the Earth.” … Continue reading Bringing Colonialism to Space Continue reading

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Bringing Colonialism to Space

MEET the home of E.T.?

Liquid water, energy and organic material. According to NASA’s director of planetary science, James Green, these are the major criteria needed for life to form. Green and the rest of his NASA colleagues have also identified four extraterrestrial worlds in our Solar System that hold particular potential for the possibility of life. These worlds encompass one … Continue reading MEET the home of E.T.? Continue reading

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on MEET the home of E.T.?

A new Stellar Catalog

A new two-year long study done by the European Space Agency has created the most comprehensive survey of the universe ever recorded. The Gaia project has cataloged over 1.7 billion stars, 14,000 asteroids and numerous galaxies and galaxy clusters spread throughout the universe. What started out as a relatively small affair eventually exploded into a … Continue reading A new Stellar Catalog Continue reading

Posted in Galaxies, Universe | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A new Stellar Catalog

A new Stellar Catalog

A new two-year long study done by the European Space Agency has created the most comprehensive survey of the universe ever recorded. The Gaia project has cataloged over 1.7 billion stars, 14,000 asteroids and numerous galaxies and galaxy clusters spread throughout the universe. What started out as a relatively small affair eventually exploded into a … Continue reading A new Stellar Catalog Continue reading

Posted in Galaxies, Universe | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A new Stellar Catalog

Pale Blue Dot

Over the course of the semester, I learned a lot of things. I started off learning about the size and scale of the universe, and the enormous distances between planets and stars. We can’t even travel a tenth of a light year in our lifetime in the fastest spaceship we own. Our furthest spacecraft, Voyager … Continue reading Pale Blue Dot Continue reading

Posted in Science, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Pale Blue Dot

The Olber Paradox

My appreciation for astronomy and astrological theorization and examination has increased significantly throughout this course.  From the periphery, astronomy seems overwhelmingly complex and unimaginable.  But, when you venture into the weeds and examine closely, it is remarkably intuitive and fundamental.  Still, certain phenomena have yielded contradictory conclusions that befuddle some of the brightest of minds.  … Continue reading The Olber Paradox Continue reading

Posted in Class, Science, Universe | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Olber Paradox

The Olber Paradox

My appreciation for astronomy and astrological theorization and examination has increased significantly throughout this course.  From the periphery, astronomy seems overwhelmingly complex and unimaginable.  But, when you venture into the weeds and examine closely, it is remarkably intuitive and fundamental.  Still, certain phenomena have yielded contradictory conclusions that befuddle some of the brightest of minds.  … Continue reading The Olber Paradox Continue reading

Posted in Class, Science, Universe | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Olber Paradox