Tag Archives: earth

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 →

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tardigrades

The Rare Earth Hypothesis

Posted on April 25, 2019 by epiphany9

I was inspired by Victoria’s post to think more about the Fermi Paradox, and specifically, explanations of the uniqueness of intelligent life on Earth. The Rare Earth Hypothesis is one such explanation; it postulates that conditions favorable to life (and particularly intelligent life) are incredibly rare in the universe. It is in opposition to hypotheses […] Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens, Exoplanets, Terrestrials | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Rare Earth Hypothesis

Are Extremophiles Our Roommates?

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Campbell Flower

Extremophiles are microorganisms that can survive in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures or great acidity. A recent study has found extremophiles in a location much more familiar to us, and it’s actually in the homes of humans. The study took samples from water heaters across all 50 states. Around 50% of the tested samples … Continue reading Are Extremophiles Our Roommates? → Continue reading →

Posted in Observables, Science | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Are Extremophiles Our Roommates?

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 →

Posted in Class, Historical, Stars | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Comets as Omens of the Future

Has Anyone Been Hit By a Meteorite?

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Campbell Flower

We are pretty used to things falling from the sky unexpectedly, as this often results in humans falling victim to injury. So it is pretty natural to ask, has anyone been hit by a meteorite: a piece of rock and metal that has survived passage from space through Earth’s atmosphere and ultimately fallen to Earth’s … Continue reading Has Anyone Been Hit By a Meteorite? → Continue reading →

Posted in Historical, Small SS Objects | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Has Anyone Been Hit By a Meteorite?

A Brief, Incomplete History of “Earth”

Posted on March 12, 2019 by IanO12

When looking at our solar system, it is pretty easy to notice one thing that separates Earth from the other planets with which we share a star. Namely, Earth is the only planet not named after a Roman deity. You have Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and even Pluto! So where does “Earth” […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Historical | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A Brief, Incomplete History of “Earth”

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 →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Climate Change

Climate Change: Debunked

Posted on March 12, 2019 by anna_h

Contrary to popular belief, Earth’s climate has not always been the same; just in the last 650,000 years there has been several cycles of temperature rise and fall due to small changes in Earth’s orbit and the amount of energy Earth receives from the Sun. However, in the past 50 years, Earth’s climate has changed … Continue reading Climate Change: Debunked Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Climate Change: Debunked

Cars and the Greenhouse Effect

Posted on March 12, 2019 by Campbell Flower

Earth experiences a warming through the greenhouse effect: the absorption and re-emission of light from the planet’s surface by compounds in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide and water. Greenhouse gases are necessary for keeping life on Earth warm enough to survive, but an increase in their concentration has led to a undesirable heating of … Continue reading Cars and the Greenhouse Effect → Continue reading →

Posted in Light, Terrestrials | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Cars and the Greenhouse Effect

Our Earth, the Spinning Top?

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Sam Bianco

What if I told you that in a couple thousand years from now, your Zodiac sign would no longer be your Zodiac sign? It may be devastating to devout followers of astrology, but the relative positions of the Zodiac constellations are changing very, very slowly, at least from our viewpoint. This is due to a … Continue reading Our Earth, the Spinning Top? → Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Stars, Terrestrials | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Our Earth, the Spinning Top?