If experiments done in small bottles in a University of Oregon lab are accurate, the friction of colliding Martian dust particles are unlikely to generate big electrical storms or threaten the newly arrived exploration vehicles or, eventually, human visitors. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-02-mars-rovers-safe-lightning.html…
Tag: University of Oregon
Happy birthday to Galileo, born February 15
One of our greatest astronomers, Galileo Galilei, was born February 15, 1564. His discoveries with the improved telescopes he made changed the way we view the universe – and got him in trouble with the church. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/galileos-birthday-feb-15-1564…
What is a supernova?
A supernova is a star’s colossal explosion at the end of its life, potentially outshining its entire galaxy. Read about the causes and types of supernovae here. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/definition-what-is-a-supernova…
New approach refines the Hubble’s constant and age of universe
Using known distances of 50 galaxies from Earth to refine calculations in Hubble’s constant, a research team led by a University of Oregon astronomer estimates the age of the universe at 12.6 billion years. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-07-approach-refines-hubble-constant-age.html…
Castor is six stars in one
The bright bluish-white star, Castor, in the constellation Gemini, appears to our eyes as a single star. But it’s actually a family of 6 stars. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/best-castor-brightest-second-magnitude-star…
New timeline rewrites history of Easter Island collapse
Easter Island society did not collapse prior to European contact, and its people continued to build its iconic moai statues for much longer than previously believed, according to a team of researchers. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/new-timeline-easter-island-collapse…
Robot kayaks track tidewater glacier melting
A new study sent robotic kayaks to survey the water in front of Alaska’s LeConte Glacier – an area too dangerous for ships – to analyze how much glacial ice is melting into the ocean. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/robot-kayaks-track-tidewater-glacier-melting…
Former Oracle Product Manager Claims He Was Forced Out For Refusing to Sell Vaporware
A former Oracle employee filed a lawsuit against the database giant on Tuesday claiming that he was forced out for refusing to lie about the functionality of the company’s software. The civil complaint, filed on behalf of plaintiff Tayo Daramola in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, contends that Oracle violated whistleblower protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act,…
61 Cygni is the Flying Star
Although it’s not bright, 61 Cygni moves exceptionally rapidly against the background of more distant stars. Its motion reveals its nearness to Earth. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/61-cygni-suns-near-neighbor…
A big earthquake in the US Pacific Northwest?
Most people don’t associate the US Pacific Northwest with earthquakes, but maybe they should. It’s home to the 600-mile (1,000-km) Cascadia megathrust fault, stretching from northern California to Canada’s Vancouver Island. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/cascadia-megathrust-fault-earthquake-probability…