Continents Move, Life Evolves
13.7 billion years of evolution in 85 seconds.
Similar Posts
Origins of ‘Mile Markers’ for Expansion of Universe
A study using a unique new instrument on the world’s largest optical telescope has revealed the likely origins of especially bright supernovae that astronomers use as easy-to-spot “mile markers” to measure the expansion and acceleration of the universe. In a paper to appear in the Astrophysical Journal, researchers describe observations of recent supernova 2011fe that…
A Museum of Creatures Re-Engineered By Humans
Richard Pell, who teaches electronic media at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh has a new museum, the Center for PostNatural History. With it, Pell endeavors to create a curiosity cabinet from the Anthropocene period – the age of man. The only criteria for inclusion in Pell’s Wunderkammer are that the organisms have been intentionally altered…
Neighboring Black Holes Defy Predictions of Violent Interactions
Around the cosmos, black holes aren’t known for being the nicest neighbors. They tend to make their presence felt in unpleasant ways, pulling nearby matter inward even as they belch out violent blasts of plasma and radiation. Put two of them in the same neighborhood and the resulting tug-of-war can quickly turn ugly. But in…
Chlorine, Swimming Pool Helper, Has a Checkered Past
Over the next few months, chlorine will ensure that countless swimming pools don’t turn into microbe-choked petri dishes. That’s only one of many uses we’ve found for the element. We sprinkle it on our food as table salt — a k a sodium chloride. We pump water through pipes made of polyvinyl chloride. Perchlorate, a…
Monster Black Holes Stifle Star Birth
The intense energy and winds from gigantic black holes can block the birth of stars as scientists have long suspected, a new analysis of distant galaxies reveals. Most galaxies, including our own Milky Way, are thought to have supermassive black holes at their hearts. Some of these monster black holes are relatively calm, but others,…
Mars Radiation Fine for Humans, Curiosity Finds
Initial readings of cosmic ray radiation on Mars suggest it’s about the same as on the International Space Station. Now we just need a spaceship.