Stats: 3,191,462 members, 7,944,294 topics. Date: Monday, 09 September 2024 at 02:04 PM |
Nairaland Forum / Science/Technology / 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 (17475 Views)
7 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know You Can Search With Google Images / Photos: Amazing Things You Won't Believe Exist In This World / 20 Amazing Things You Won’t Believe Actually Exist In Nature (2) (3) (4)
10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by UrennaNkoli(f): 9:07am On Dec 19, 2016 |
There are nearly 30 man-made spaceships out in the solar system right now gathering information about our planet’s neighborhood. Every year, evidence is gathered to bolster some theories while others fall by the wayside. Here are just some of the highlights of what we’ve discovered about the solar system in 2016. 10. Jupiter And Saturn Throw Comets At Us In In 1994, the world watched as Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 slammed into Jupiter, “leaving Earth-size marks that persisted up to a year.” Back then, astronomers were high-fiving each other over the notion that Jupiter protected us from comets and asteroids.With its massive gravity field, Jupiter was believed to suck the majority of these threats in before they could reach Earth. Current research says the opposite is probably true, and the whole “Jupiter Shield” idea is wrong.At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, simulations showed that Jupiter and Saturn were more likely to toss space debris into the inner solar system and into orbits that would bring them into Earth’s path. The larger planets are probably lobbing comets and asteroids at us.The good news? Comets hitting early Earth may be responsible for “delivering the volatile materials from the outer solar system needed for life to form.” 9. Pluto Has Liquid Water On the outskirts of the known solar system, NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft has been revealing oddities about the distant dwarf planet Pluto. Foremost is that Pluto has a liquid ocean.The presence of fracture lines and an analysis of a large crater named Sputnik Planum have led researchers to construct a model that shows Pluto has a liquid ocean 100 kilometers (62 mi) thick with a salinity of around 30 percent beneath an icy shell some 300 kilometers (185 mi) thick. That’s about as salty as the Dead Sea.If the Plutonian ocean was in the process of freezing, then the planet would be contracting. But it seems to be expanding instead. Scientists suspect that enough radioactivity is left in the core to give some warmth. The thick layers of exotic surface ices act as an insulator and the likely presence of ammonia acts as antifreeze. 8. The Cores Of Neptune And Uranus Are Wrapped In Plastic How do we know what lies beneath the clouds of distant gas giants with atmospheric pressures roughly nine million times that of Earth? Math! Scientists use the Universal Structure Predictor: Evolutionary Xtallography (USPEX) algorithm to take a hypothetical look at what’s going on inside these less well-studied planets.Knowing that Neptune and Uranus are composed of mostly oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, researchers plugged in the numbers to see what kind of weird chemistry would take place. The results are exotic polymers, organic plastics, crystallized carbonic acid, and orthocarbonic acid (aka “Hitler’s acid” because its atomic structure looks like a swastika) wrapping around a rocky inner core.In the search for extraterrestrial life on Titan and Europa, scientists hope that water might be reacting with rock to create organic processes. But if the inner core is wrapped in exotic crystals and plastic, then we might have to rethink things. http://listverse.com/2016/12/18/10-amazing-things-weve-learned-about-the-solar-system-in-2016/ 5 Likes
|
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by UrennaNkoli(f): 9:35am On Dec 19, 2016 |
Mercury Has A Super Grand Canyon Where Venus and Mars still had volcanic activity as recently as a few million years ago, it seems like little Mercury shut down 3–4 billion years ago. The planet cooled, began to shrink, and started to buckle.This created a massive fissure that scientists call the “great valley.” According to a statement by University of Maryland scientists:The valley is about 400 kilometers (250 mi) wide and 965 kilometers (600 mi) long, with steep sides that dip as much as 3 kilometers (2 mi) below the surrounding terrain. To put this in perspective: If Mercury’s “great valley” existed on Earth, it would be almost twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and reach from Washington, DC, to New York City and as far west as Detroit.On a small planet that’s just over 4,800 kilometers (3,000 mi) in circumference, the great valley is more like a massive scar across its face. Venus Was Once Habitable Venus is the only planet that spins backward. At 460 degrees Celsius (860 °F), its surface is hot enough to melt lead, and it has clouds of sulfuric acid. But at one point, Venus may have been capable of supporting life.Over four billion years ago, Venus had oceans. In fact, it’s believed that the planet had water for over two billion years. Today, Venus is extremely dry with hardly any water vapor at all. The Sun’s solar wind stripped it all away.Venus’ atmosphere gives off a large electrical field roughly five times as strong as Earth’s. This field is also strong enough to overcome Venus’ gravity and push oxygen and hydrogen into the upper atmosphere where the solar winds sucked them away.Scientists don’t know why the Venus electrical field is so strong, but it might have something to do with Venus being closer to the Sun. 5. The Earth Is Powered By The Moon The Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that protects us from charged particles and harmful radiation. Otherwise, we’d be exposed to cosmic rays up to 1,000 times what we get now. Our computers and electronics would also probably fry.So it’s great that we have a giant ball of molten iron spinning at the center of the Earth. Until recently, scientists weren’t sure why it kept spinning. Eventually, it should cool off and slow down.But in the past 4.3 billion years, it’s only cooled off about 300 degrees Celsius (570 °F). So we’ve lost a little more than the heat of a big barbecue grill, which is not a lot.Scientists now believe that the Moon’s orbit keeps Earth’s molten core spinning by injecting around 1,000 billion watts of power into the Earth’s core. The Moon might be much more important than we ever thought. 4. Saturn’s Rings Are New Since the 1600s, there has been a debate over just how long Saturn’s rings are and where they come from. In theory, Saturn once had more moons and some of them crashed into each other. The resulting debris turned into the current rings and 62 moons.By observing how Saturn squeezes geysers out of its moon Enceladus, scientists have been able to gauge the relative strength of the gas giant’s pull. As all the moons are being thrown into larger orbits, this enables scientists to approximate when this moon crash derby occurred.The numbers suggest that Saturn’s rings probably don’t date back to the planet’s formation four billion years ago. In fact, except for the more distant moons Titan and Iapetus, Saturn’s major moons appear to have formed during the Cretaceous Period, the time of the dinosaurs. 4 Likes 1 Share
|
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by UrennaNkoli(f): 9:37am On Dec 19, 2016 |
There Are 15,000 Really Big Asteroids In The Neighborhood In 2005, NASA was tasked with finding 90 percent of the big near-Earth objects (NEOs) by 2020. So far, they’ve found 90 percent of the NEOs 915 meters (3,000 ft) and larger but only 25 percent of the ones 140 meters (450 ft) or larger.In 2016, while averaging 30 new discoveries a week, NASA found their 15,000th NEO. For reference, they were only finding about 30 new objects a year in 1998.NASA is cataloging all the comets and asteroids around to make sure that we know if something is going to hit us. Even so, without prior warning, a meteor that was 20 meters (65 ft) wide exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia in February 2013. 2 . We Crashed A Ship Into A Comet On Purpose The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft orbited the 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko comet for two years. The craft took readings and even placed a lander on the surface.This 12-year mission made a number of important discoveries. For instance, Rosetta detected the amino acid glycine, a basic building block of life. While it has been theorized that amino acids may have formed in space at the beginning of the solar system, this was the first time that any were found.Rosetta discovered “60 molecules, 34 of which had never been found before on a comet.” The spacecraft’s instruments also showed a “significant difference in composition between Comet 67P/C-G’s water and that of Earth.” This pokes some holes in the idea that Earth received much of its water from comets.After the groundbreaking mission reached its conclusion on September 30, 2016, the ESA slammed its spacecraft into the side of the comet. 1. Mysteries Of The Sun Solved All planets and stars have magnetic poles, and they shift around all the time. On Earth, the poles flip every 200,000 to 300,000 years. Right now, we’re overdue.On the Sun, things move at a faster pace. Every 11 years or so, the polarity of the Sun’s magnetic field swaps around. This coincides with a period of increased sunspots and solar activity.Oddly enough, Venus, Earth, and Jupiter are aligned at the same time. Scientists believe that the planets may be affecting the Sun. “According to the study, when the planets are aligned, their gravity combines to cause a tidal-like effect on the Sun’s plasma, pulling it and disrupting the Sun’s magnetic field.” lalasticlala UjSizzle mkmyers45 CREDIT 6 Likes 1 Share
|
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Cutecharlz(m): 2:57pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
really interesting |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Artixmentor(m): 2:57pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
I miss FTC sha. I will still get there |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by passionate88: 2:57pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by ayodejijoshua(m): 2:57pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
story for the gods ohhhhh 2 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by SWORD419(m): 2:57pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
i love anything related to space 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by naughtylagosguy(m): 2:59pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Interesting. Learnt something. 1 Like |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by MrIcredible: 3:00pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
![]() |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by saracus(f): 3:01pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Kk |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by mosho2good: 3:01pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
The solar system we voted for in Nigeria is change and change turn to recession and recession is Wat that is affecting everyone.... 3 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by izzy4shizzy(m): 3:01pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
I no d read....planetery science gives me the chills, I just hope the human race wunt bite more than they can chew with this thier expirements.. 2 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Nobody: 3:04pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Very Informative ... Solar system is defined as the combination of the Sun, and the nine planets. These includes other celestial bodies such as comet, and meteorr. I remember secondary school days. 2 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Nobody: 3:05pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
i dey come
|
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by celestialAgent(m): 3:10pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
I only read generator related posts Walk out of thread. 1 Like |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by ikorodureporta: 3:11pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
I'm still confused abt this....pls how many Planets do we have?? |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Danny287(m): 3:19pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
This is Amazing good one there op |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Nobody: 3:28pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Wish we would perfect our earth before venturing to other planets.. 4 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by sugarwiz(f): 3:28pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Confusing 1 Like |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Yemike(m): 3:30pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
A little bit complicated.
I'm not a science student. |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by dasphinx1(m): 3:31pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Well done OP. I just keep wondering, are we alone in the universe? |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Caseless: 3:33pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Tribalist won't come here. You can see tha this thread is still on zero page. |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by spacyzuma(m): 3:33pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
This is super dope!! Astronomy was one of my first loves. |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by spacyzuma(m): 3:35pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
ikorodureporta: There are 8 planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus. There are several 'minor planets' eg Pluto, Ceres, |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by elrony(m): 3:39pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Abegii. ...all these "may", "might", "maybe" theories and observations. Make we hear word!!! #Nonsense 4 Likes
|
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Caseless: 3:42pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
spacyzuma:8? |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by HAH: 3:42pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
There are over 100Billion planets in our galaxy milky way and there over 100Billion Galaxy. There are more planets in the universe than the entire sand particles in every beach on earth. If the age of earth is 1 years since creation, human being existed only for 1.5 seconds Hmmmn 4 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by Kingmee: 3:45pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
WONDERFUL GOD...MIGHTY ARE THE WORKS OF HIS HANDS! 7 Likes |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by AngelicBeing: 3:45pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
![]() |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by spacyzuma(m): 3:51pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Caseless: Yes, 8 planets. Pluto was once a planet too. But in 2005, scientists modified the definition of a planet, and Pluto no longer qualifies as one. |
Re: 10 Amazing Things We’ve Learned About The Solar System In 2016 by handsam(m): 4:01pm On Dec 19, 2016 |
Masikay: Hey. Have been having issues with adding you on BBM. Reason I don't like that App. Lemme give you my pin so you can add me. When I send It, Remove it during the quote |
Scientist Invent Death Test That Tell Us How Long We Will Live / E50-32 Dstv Error Solved ! / Nigeria Set To Join US, Others To Explore The Moon
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 41 |