New computer models now suggest that the the habitable zone for life is far larger than previously estimated.
New computer models now suggest that the the habitable zone for life is far larger than previously estimated.
Year: 2012
“What the ‘blank’ could possibly go wrong?”
“That’s a direct attack and a smear on my reputation as a reporter.”
Three super weird homes
Mars’ clay minerals might have been formed by volcanic processes, not standing liquid water as generally believed.
The uncertainty of science: Mars’ clay minerals might have been formed by volcanic processes, not standing liquid water as generally believed, according to a new study.
Data collected by orbiting spacecraft show Mars’ clay minerals may instead trace their origin to water-rich volcanic magma, similar to how clays formed on the Mururoa atoll in French Polynesia and in the Parana basin in Brazil. That process doesn’t need standing bodies of liquid water. “The infrared spectra we got in the lab (on Mururoa clays) using a reflected beam are astonishingly similar to that obtained on Mars by the orbiters,” lead researcher Alain Meunier, with the University of Poitiers in France, wrote in an email to Discovery News. The team also points out that some of the Mars meteorites recovered on Earth do not have a chemistry history that supports standing liquid water.
If correct, this alternative explanation would mean that Mars was not that wet in the past, and would have been far less likely of ever having sustained life.
Hand shadow performance
An evening pause: An incredible hand shadow performance set to Louis Armstrong singing “What a wonderful world.”
Five words and two numbers
For Tuesday: Five words and two numbers.
India’s space agency celebrated its 100th launch today.
The competition heats up: India’s space agency celebrated its 100th launch today.
It is unclear whether the numbers include their failed launches. Regardless, India has a vibrant space program, modeled somewhat after the Russian system, a government space agency focused on gaining commercial market share. Whether that model can successfully compete in the commercial world remains unknown. Russia has had success, but only during a period when they were faced with few competitors. Now that the competition is heating up it is unclear whether Russia’s model will be flexible enough to compete.
What is clear about India, however, is that they are passionate about space exploration. Historically, even the Russian government model has worked when the country using it was the new kid on the block.
God To Democrats: ‘‘That’s okay, you’re not on my ‘platform,’ either’’
Iran has finally released a Christian pastor who had been threatened with execution for not renouncing his religion.
The religion of peace: Iran has finally released a Christian pastor who had been threatened with execution for not renouncing his religion.
Joe Hisaishi – Asia Dream Song
An evening pause:
The Obama administration will miss the legal deadline — from a law he signed only less than a month ago — to provide details on implementing the required budget cuts under sequestration.
The law is such an inconvenient thing: The Obama administration will miss the legal deadline — set by a law he signed only a month ago — to provide details on implementing the required budget cuts under sequestration.
This is only one data point in a long string of data points that have consistently illustrated how disinterested the Obama administration is in dealing with budget issues and the federal debt. And disinterested might be too kind a word. Incompetent also comes to mind.