Science
Over
the Edge:
Science
Over
the Edge:
June 1998
In the News:
Scientists at NASA announced
that the Hubble Space Telescope may have taken the first photograph of a
planet outside our own solar system. The possible planet lies some 450 light
years from Earth near a newly forming binary star system. It is probably
several times the mass of Jupiter, the largest planet in our own solar system.
Up to this point scientists thought they had detected planets around other
stars by watching how the star's "wobble" with the planet's orbit. The image
the Hubble captured is the first direct evidence of other planets.
Is this new planet inhabited? Probably not. To learn more about life in our galaxy, click here!
The most powerful explosion
ever recorded was detected in the distant galaxy of GRB 971214 located some
12 billion light years from Earth. The amount of energy released in two
seconds was about equal to that of the rest of the known universe. Scientists
are baffled by the explosion's origin.as current theretical models cannot
explain it.
Estimates indicate that the explosion was the equivalent of 1,000 stars
going supernovae at the same time.
A scientist at the Carnegie
Institution has suggested that interplanetary dust may have done in the
dinosaurs, along with many other species. He speculates that once every
100,000 years or so the Earth passes through a cloud of dust which get trapped
in the atmosphere and causes climates to cool. Some animals, including
the dinosaurs, could not adapt and died.
Want to hear some more therioes about dinosaur extinction? Click here!
The white dwarf star BPM37093
in the constellation Centaurus maybe a huge solid blue-green diamond. A
white dwarf is a star whose nuclear fuel has run out. With no energy to
keep it in an expanded state it crushes down to a lump of carbon and oxygen
in a
crystallized state. Want to learn more about crystals? Check out our
crystal page!
In History:
The modern UFO era started
on June 24th, 1947 when Kenneth Arnold, a pilot in a small private plane,
spotted what looked like "saucers" flying at high speed over Mt. Rainier,
Washington. The next day a reporter coined the term "flying saucers" and
it stuck.
To read more about the history of UFOs, click here!
Try to pick out some stars
by name this month. In the early evening look for the Summer Triangle of
three bright stars rising from the Eastern horizon. The highest one is
Vega, the next lowest Deneb and the one closest to the horizon
is Altair. For scifi fans Altair is the home system of the Krell
in the 50's movie Forbidden Planet.
Observed:
Two children, a girl, 10,
and her brother, 8, reported seeing a UFO hovering over their home in Mullica
Hill, NJ, USA, on May 7th, 1998. They described it as larger than their
house. They also saw and "alien" floating near it. The kids entered their
home to get their mother who was sleeping, but when she went outside, it
was
gone.
Egypt's City of the
Dead is the subject of a Discovery Channel special on Monday June 29th
at 9PM and 1 AM ET/PT. Archaeologists race to explore ruins from the time
of Alexander the Great before they are destroyed by highway construction.
Discovery Channel is airing the series Animal X
exploring extraordinary and mythical creatures. Thursdays at 9PM and 1AM,
Sundays at 2:30PM ET/PT.
Nova goes to Alexandria,
Egypt, to search the bottom of the harbor for the
Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World in Treasures of the Sunken City. Tuesday June 9th
at 8PM ET on PBS.
TCL looks for Lost
Ships in this new series. Sunday June 21st from 8 to 11PM and 11PM to
2AM. Monday, June 22nd - Wednesday, June24th, at 9PM and midnight. ET.
Episode titles are: Galley of the Gods, The Ghost of Trafalgar
and Last Broadside.
TCL's Science Frontiers
series will be airing some interesting episodes this month. They include:
Mysterious World - Ancient Technologies, Mysterious World - Mysteries
of the Bible, and Chariots of the Gods. Science Frontiers is
seen Monday through Friday at 10PM and 1 AM and repeats Sundays from 1PM
to 6PM.
Puzzles of the Past
explores enduring mysteries of history. Of special interest is Hunt
for Amazing Treasures on June 25th. Airs Monday-Friday at 9PM and midnight
ET on TCL.
Science over the Edge Archives
Copyright Lee Krystek 1998. All Rights Reserved.