Journey to the farthest planet (Pluto).

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Chemistry ISU

Articles (Scientific Americans)

AFRICIUS C.M Tan

Mr. Jason Ellis

Period: 4

30th September 2002

SCHOAc

Journey to the Farthest Planet (Pluto)

Summary

The once most deserted and isolated planet in our solar system has provide new insights

for astronomers. Recently, astronomers have found out that the planet could provide clues

that scientists could obtain revelations in the history of our solar system. Astronomers

have discovered a swarm of comets (around 100 000) orbiting the planet which came to

known as the kuiper belt and that they have not identify the frequent faint objects hurling

towards and orbiting around the planet. The amazing Hubble Space Telescope could only

provide blurred image of that region and the planet. Pluto has one satellite Charon, which

is half the planet’s size. One thing peculiar is the vast differences between the planet and

Charon is the unique appearance and their bizarre atmosphere. Astronomers said that

Pluto is made up of water ice and essential gas for life to pervade, which they conclude

Pluto and Charon could somehow provide critical information of evolution and science

and the concepts of binary world and stars. Now, NASA has planned to learn about this

discovery but is cancelled due to the staggering amount needed to run the program.

NASA was not without supporters and was opened to universities and institutions to

compete in coming with the fastest, feasible and lowest cost in making this program

‘alive’. Last November, NASA had finally chosen a team comprising various universities

and institution called New Horizon to study the region and the planet. The craft they are

researching will be launched in 2006 and reaching Pluto in 2015 taking the shortest route

when the planets are in their ‘right position’. In this program, New Horizon spacecraft

will also study the moons of Jupiter before venturing into kuiper belt.  

Reflection

I think when there is a will, there is a way. One must always take the lead to make

miracles or something to happen. Even though the program requires close to a billion, I

think it is all worthwhile. It could provide important information and findings which we

never would have known if the mission was abolished. Or miracle might happen that the

craft indeed found life or strange mysteries there. One would never know if he does not

try. Since the kuiper belt (KBO) holds the key to how our solar system is formed, it is

wiser that the mission should be done at the quickest possible time regardless of cost and

disagreement. I deeply hope that the New Horizon research program will work out the

way that it is and that we can all learn something new from the journey no man has

experience before. But one thing I asked was that is the team sending only one spacecraft

to the unknown? What if the craft was destroyed by some meteors or comets due to some

miscalculation? The whole mission they have been craving for years is gone. But we

sincerely pray such thing never happen.

How to Build a Time Machine

Summary

Einstein’s theories of relativity clearly shows that time indeed could be altered. In the

proposed theories from scientists, ‘twin paradox’ and ‘Jet Lag’ are the only alternative

way to alter time in reality. Only objects reaching close to speed of light or under massive

gravitational force (a neutron star) could be time travel a reality. Such explanations are

plausible under the hypothesis drew from Peter Bollinger creator of the ‘wormhole’. A

wormhole is considered a time warp or a ‘short-cut’ between two spaces and it could only

be the time machine so far. Wormhole (relic left behind the big bang) are scattered

throughout the universe and that it could be ‘adjusted’ to useful size that allows time

travel to take place. A towing spacecraft could change the direction of wormhole and

position it towards a neutron star whereby the gravity of the star causes time to pass

slowly. At the entrance or exit of the wormhole, the two observers will either jump ahead

or leap back in time depending on the distance between the two holes. In another theory

proposed a plausibility of time travel denotes a ‘notorious paradox’ whereby a ‘billiard

ball’ is shot into a wormhole, traveled back in time, came out from exit and hits earlier

self and prevent it from entering. But Stephen W. Hawking proposed a ‘chronology

protection conjecture’ whereby certain attempts to alter the past is restricted due to

reasonless explanation based on realism prospective.

Reflection

I think that time travel will be extremely difficult to archive but not impossible. Based

on Einstein’s definition of time and space and the numerous theories proposed by famous

scientists, it is not surprising to say that time travel is indeed possible in a sense that such

‘upheaval job’ could not be put in realism in the present but at least for centuries to come.

It would be fascinating to know that such thing is indeed happening and that we could

return to the past or to the future. Based on the profound statement Stephen uttered

‘chronology protection conjecture’, what if a person really changes the past, how could

the ‘restriction’ be put to prevent the person from doing it?  And if a person leaps into

the future and learns the things which we humans are going to learn in the future, isn’t it

true to say that we human has a ‘made systematic course’ ahead of us and knowing it in

the matter of time? Then, is ‘faith’ the word to answer these mysteries? Even from all the

scientific explanations proposed in making time travel a feasible act, then are the

questions above satisfy the act? I would want to know.

Interview with Ross MacPhee

Summary

The long forgotten ‘Mammal era’ has begun to take its toe once again in this world. Ross

MacPhee has given a new fundamental theory to propose his ideas that the once mega

fauna in the Pleistocene was indeed wiped out by hyper lethal disease from human

beings. The mammoth domination first occurred in the tropics of North America and was

extinct due to arrival of the first ‘band’ of people who brought about these new diseases.

Join now!

The tragic extinction not only occurred there but other places where humans had set foot

on. Considering over killing might be the ultimate cause of extinction, humans only does

it for purposes and specific objectives. It will not affect their population sizes. The only

plausible explanation to the mass destruction of mega fauna can only be something

incurable and widespread. This is not done by nature but comes to a conclusion that

human were the ultimate creators of these deadly diseases such as the Culex which wiped

out ...

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