10 Amazing Facts About Life, Planets, Stars, and the Universe:

As we all know, the human race lives on a small blue dot, orbiting a yellow-orange star, in a galaxy that we call the Milky Way. This galaxy is some 100,000 light years across, and our closest neighbor (Andromeda) is about 2.5 million light-years away. And while we have been all over the surface of the Earth, we have never visited our sun, have yet to trek across the vast distances of our galaxy, and we still have quite a ways to go before we make it to Andromeda. In fact, we haven"t even finished exploring our own small planet. Ultimately, there is a lot that we don"t know about the cosmos, but what we do know is pretty awesome.

Check out 10 amazing facts at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/10-amazing-facts-about-life-planets-stars-and-the-universe/

Image via NASA

The Difference Between Black & White Holes:

People like to think of black holes and white holes as gateways through the universe. it would be rather convenient if we could enter a black hole, zip across the universe, and come out at some distant point in space (and maybe even time). Sure, figuring out the exact mechanics would be tricky, but once we had the pattern down, it would make interstellar travel, and probably intergalactic travel, a breeze. However, this view of white holes isn"t exactly accurate.

To learn what white holes really are, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-black-hole-and-a-white-hole/

Black Holes and You: Schwarzschild Radius

It can be easy for one to feel insignificant in this universe. After all, we are small creatures on a relatively small rock that orbits one of many billion stars within one of many billion galaxies. However, the next time you find yourself experiencing this dilemma, try to take a moment and think about this one simple-but-astounding fact: You are made of matter. To be more specific, you are made of atoms.

While many writers, such as Carl Sagan, have elaborated on the deep connection between our atoms and the stars, I’d like to talk instead about a different astronomical feature, one that is less-obvious but a no less-real connection to celestial objects: black holes.

Find out what you have in common with black holes at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/black-holes-and-you-schwarzschild-radius/

Image before editing:
NASA

Kilonova: A New Type of Stellar Explosion

Pretty much everyone (myself included) loves supernovae. After all, they are some of the most beautiful and destructive cosmological events that we know of. Moreover, they are partly responsible for our existence (as most heavy elements are created and distributed throughout the cosmos during this process). In addition to creating the elements necessary for our survival, these events give life to several bizarre objects (like neutron stars, pulsars, and stellar-mass black holes). However, many people are unaware of the fact that supernovae are just one particular type of nova.

In fact, supernovae can be created through different methods. Recently, astronomers discovered tangible evidence of a previously unseen-brand-spanking new type, which was tentatively dubbed the "kilonova." Novae of this type are likely created when two ultra compact objects collide. Consequently, these collisions give us insight into a celestial mystery called "short-term gamma-ray bursts".

Learn all about these amazing events at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/kilonova-a-new-type-of-stellar-explosion/

Image
NASA

What is a Quasar?

Perhaps one of the most perplexing mysteries in current astrophysics is the science behind Quasars. Quasars, or "quasi-stellar radio sources" are the brightest and most distant star-like objects in the known universe. In fact, they are so bright and they emit so much energy, some of them are believed to be producing 10 to 100 times more energy than the entire Milky Way Galaxy in an area that"s comparable to the size of our solar system.

Learn all about these objects at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/quasars/

Image:
NASA

The Oldest Water in the Known Universe:

Have you ever left a glass of water sitting out over night? If you have, then you know how this generally works out -- The next day, you get home after taking the dog for a brisk jog; you grab the glass of water sitting on the coffee table, and…bleh. Old water does not taste very good (okay, so it"s a rather specific scenario, but you get the point). And ultimately, this water has only been sitting around your house for a few hours. Imagine drinking water that has been floating about the cosmos for billions of years (not terribly yummy, I"m guessing).

To read about this amazing find, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-oldest-water-in-the-known-universe/

Image source:
NASA

4 of the most Astounding Black Holes:

Black holes are some of the most amazing cosmological structures in the universe. We are drawn to them. Perhaps this is because they stand as a kind of sublime horror; they are super massive objects that consume entire worlds. Plus, their awesome size and power is unutterably amazing. However, despite their grandeur, they are exceedingly difficult to study. Try as we may, we really can’t get to the heart of these objects; the singularities themselves rest beyond the realm of physics. But all is not lost. Although we don’t know everything about black holes, we have uncovered some pretty amazing facts. Here, in no particular order, are some of the coolest black holes we’ve ever discovered.

To read about these amazing black holes, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/4-of-the-most-astounding-black-holes/

Image source:
NASA