Tag Archives: Class

The Fermi Paradox

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Elias Ibrahim

outer space The physicist Enrico Fermi once asked the question “Where is everyone?” on the topic of extra terrestial life. The Fermi Paradox comes from the idea that if the universe is so old and vast why haven’t we found clear evidence of life elsewhere in the universe. When this thought is taken further it […] Continue reading →

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Final Post

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Michael

I think the most surprising thing this course has taught me is just how different the different planets in our solar system are. Prior to this, I would have guessed that the planets and objects in our solar system are pretty similar in both current characteristics and formation. But I was surprised to find out […] Continue reading →

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Tardigrades and extraterrestrial life

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Michael

I first saw a picture of a tardigrade when I was a child, and even then, I was fascinated. I prefer the more affectionate term “water bear”, and these cute little “micro-animals” are a classic example of just how resilient life can be. As we briefly discussed in class, tardigrades have survived exposure to outer […] Continue reading →

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Blog 08 – My Farewell

Posted on November 26, 2024 by Mercedes

Thank you all for reading my blog posts. Please enjoy my final farewell and concluding thoughts on the course with information from the Pearson Textbook. Enjoy this Milky Way photo from the Farmer’s Almanac. During the time throughout this course, the fact that surprised me the most was the geological activity of other planets and […] Continue reading →

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Blog 07 – Methanogens

Posted on November 26, 2024 by Mercedes

Methanogens are a type of extremophile. While browsing information on extremophiles, these caught my attention because they “ convert inorganic organic compounds into methane and carbon dioxide” (ScienceDirect). These microorganisms prove to be responsible for human flatulence. In addition to their unique productions, Methanogens can be found in the guts of animals, deep marine sediment, […] Continue reading →

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The Europa Clipper Mission

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Ian Vasquez

Artist’s concept of Europa Clipper orbiting Europa. On October 14th, 2024 the Europa Clipper Mission was launched into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Heavy Rocket. It is now on a 6 year journey of 1.8 billion miles to circle the icy surface of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. The Europa Clipper blasts into space on a […] Continue reading →

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Halley’s Comet

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Ian Vasquez

Halley’s Comet In 1705, Edmund Halley, an English astronomer, used Isaac Newton’s theories to chart the paths of 24 comets. In doing so he discovered that three comets that were seen in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were the exact same comet: Halley’s Comet. He then predicted that the same comet should appear again in the […] Continue reading →

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Space Weather and Technology

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Michael

The field of space physics is becoming extremely important due to society’s increasing reliance on technologies that can be affected by space weather. Aviation, GPS, internet, and the power grid are just a few examples of infrastructure that may be damaged or even destroyed in a large-scale space weather event. Posing potentially lethal hazards, this […] Continue reading →

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Studying the Kuiper Belt

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Michael

The Kuiper Belt is a very important region of our solar system, and objects in the Kuiper Belt have been essential in helping scientists determine how the solar system formed. Most of these objects are small and icy, with some (relatively) large enough to be accepted as dwarf planets, such as Pluto. In this blog […] Continue reading →

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Icy Giants: Uranus and Neptune

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Elias Ibrahim

Uranus and Neptune The Outermost Planets Past the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune are the ice giants. These distant planets provide insight of our solar system. Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has a peculiar axial tilt. While the other planets rotate on an axis that is close to perpendicular to their orbital plane, Uranus rotates on its side. Its orbit causes extreme seasons to take place as one pole would face the Sun continuously for decades, followed […] Continue reading →

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