6 Ancient Human Fossils that Show us What our Ancestors were Like:

We tend to think of "cave men" as violent savages that would club women over the head to drag them back to the cave (at least, that"s how they are always depicted in cartoons). Truthfully, we do have a rather violent past; however, there"s more to the story than just that. Much more. Our ancestors loved. They Cared. They felt empathy. At times, they were compassionate.

In fact, they were very much like us. And we have the fossil evidence to show it.

Learn what our ancestors were like at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/6-human-fossils-of-compassion/

An Ultracold Big Bang: A successful simulation of the evolution of the early universe

In August of 2013, physicists made a major breakthrough in our understanding of the early universe in an experiment that successfully reproduced a pattern resembling the cosmic microwave background radiation. This experiment was conducted at the University of Chicago with the aid of ultracold cesium atoms.

Want to know about this amazing experiment? See:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/an-ultracold-big-bang-a-successful-simulation-of-the-evolution-of-the-early-universe/

Image:
Alex Mittelmann, Coldcreation

Magma intrusions: What happens beneath your feet

When you consider plate tectonics we often think of hot magma bubbling up from the Earth’s mantle, and we remember the vast assortment of pictures that we"ve seen--images featuring hundreds of active volcanoes spewing forth smoke and lava, and the devastation that always follows. Gargantuan explosions that blow-off the caps of mountains and lava flooded landscapes dominate our imaginations. So it may surprise you to know that the vast majority of the molten rock that rises up into the Earth’s lithosphere never reaches the surface. Instead, it cools and solidifies to form coarser-grained igneous rocks beneath the ground.

So much of the landscape that we travel through every day is the product of tectonic activity that we almost take for granted the immense forces that formed it! Try think twice next time you’re walking along the road, you have no idea what is going on beneath your feet…

But if you want to find out what processes formed the ground you walk on (and what made that hill behind your apartment), take a look at this:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/magma-intrusions-what-happens-beneath-your-feet/

Earthrise: 45 Years Later

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the famous Earthrise picture. This picture was taken by William Anders on the Apollo 8 mission on December 24th, 2968 . Today, we celebrate the 45th anniversary of this humbling image. This is possibly one of the most profound images a human has ever taken; the renowned nature photographer Galen Rowell even went to so far as to say that this is "the most influential environmental photograph ever taken." The Earthrise picture is one of the first images of Earth ever taken where the entire globe is visible, showing the Earth as a small blue ball over the lunar horizon.

To learn more about this iconic image, and see more amazing images and videos, visit: http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/earthrise-45-years-later/

The Anatomy of a Tornado

Anyone who has lived through a tornado will tell you that these are the most terrifyingly beautiful things on Earth. The amount of power that a tornado wields is equal parts impressive, mesmerizing, and horrifying. We all love witnessing their raw power through the images and videos captured by storm chasers, and we wait with bated breath to see the cost of their passing. The amount of devastation that just one tornado can cause is hard to comprehend. Since these beasts are so deadly and destructive, we have put an uncharacteristic amount of time and effort into understanding them.

After all, the only way to protect yourself from something is to get to know it…

Learn about these amazing structures at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-anatomy-of-a-tornado/

Image:
NOAA

On Doomsday and Humanity"s Role in the Destruction of Earth:

Doomsday was supposed to happen in 1999 when we discovered the West Nile virus in the United States. When summer passed and the world didn’t end, we pushed the apocalypse back to 2000 and focused all our fears on the dreaded Y2K. Once we made it through the first days of the new millennium, we quickly convinced ourselves that the Bird Flu epidemic would surely bring an end to civilization. Somehow, we managed to muddle through all of this, only to face the ancient Maya prophecy which claimed that the world would end in 2012.

Now, my throat may be a little scratchy from seasonal allergies, and I might have a burn on the top of my mouth from drinking tea that was a tad too hot, but other than that, it seems that I’ve made it through the end of the world relatively unscathed. In fact, it seems that nearly everyone made it through these doomsday scenarios pretty much intact. So although I hate to make sweeping generalizations, I have to say that we might be just a *little* obsessed with the end of the world.

In some respects, our fascination with the apocalypse is understandable. After all, the end of the world would be one of the most important events in the history of, well, the world. But our obsession is borderline maniacal.

Read about this obsession, and whether humans can really destroy the Earth, at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/on-doomsday-and-humanitys-role-in-the-destruction-of-earth/

Image:
NASA/Colum Five Media
http://www.columnfivemedia.com/

The World Contained in a Strawberry:

The internet has increasingly become a large part of our lives, especially in the past decade. It"s hard to deny. At the end of 2012, there were about 17 billion devices connected to the internet (yes, billion). These numbers are staggering, even when compared to other technologies. For starters, it took four years for there to be 50 million devices connected to the internet. If you think that"s a long time, it took TV 13 years to reach the 50 million mark. But don’t feel too bad for the small shrines we have set up in our living rooms and bedrooms, because it took radio *38 years* to hit the same 50 million mark.

Learn more about the internet and what it means to us at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-world-contained-in-a-strawberry/

Nebraskan supercell

This is an utterly fantastic image, taken by Jeremy Holmes, of a Nebraskan supercell.

A supercell (also known as a rotating thunderstorm) is a type of thunderstorm that forms in the presents of rotating updraft. Overall, supercells are less common than a classic run-of-the-mill thunderstorm, which is fortunate since supercells have the potential of being very severe. They are most commonly identified by their ominous rotating structure and usually occur in arid climates (such as the Great Plains of the United States), but supercells can form anywhere in the world under the right conditions.

Sources and further reading: http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/nebraskan-supercell/

Image credit: Jeremy Holmes
http://www.irvisions.com/

What If Gravity No Longer Existed?

Gravity is one of the primary life forces of the universe. Without it, not only would pretty much everything cease, but the very production of everything would fall apart. No more stars, no more planets, and nothing to keep us tethered to our home planet. Floating about may sound cool for a split second, but let me assure you, that would be a very, very bad thing (space is scary and we would die). Despite gravity being the very essence of our physical universe (it provides the attraction that ultimately allows things to come together and coalesce), our understanding of how it operates is poor at best. It"s believed to be the consequence of the warping of spacetime allotted by objects that have mass. At least, that"s what general relativity postulates, but the jury is still out on that one.

Anyhow, per our theories, gravity on Earth can"t just "turn off" (well, not without the planet and everything on it becoming obsolete). Nevertheless, we can still deal in hypotheticals. So if gravity did turn off (with the three remaining forces of the universe kept in check), what would happen?

Find out at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/what-if-gravity-no-longer-existed/

Image:
http://zbush.deviantart.com/art/Chaos-of-2012-110574677

The Formation of Stellar Mass Black Holes: Making energetic destroyers

The formation of a stellar mass black hole is a very chaotic and energetic event. Really though, there isn"t much that involves black holes that isn"t chaotic or energetic. Stellar mass black holes have a minimum mass of around 3.2 times that of our sun (3.2 solar masses). I say "around" because, due to our lack of understanding of neutron degeneracy thresholds, we don"t quite know where the boundary is between neutron stars and black holes. At the moment, 3.2 solar masses is a good guesstimate, as it fits snugly in between the most massive neutron star and smallest black hole ever discovered.

There are three processes that can form a stellar mass black hole; each one is amazing in its own right. Today, we are going to look at comic collisions and epic mergers, and how these processes contribute to the birth of the most destructive objects in the known universe.

Let’s take a look:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/formation-of-stellar-mass-black-holes-mergers/

Image:
NASA

Is Absolute Zero Absolute?

Right now, as I type this sentence, Earth"s Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the bright ball of light that is the Sun, and it’s cold here (relatively speaking). Humans have long recorded and measured the temperature of their environment, and for good reason. Keeping constant watch on a thermometer helps us prepare for the potential dangers of cold weather. Take zero degrees Celsius, for instance. At such temperatures, water begins to freeze. In some cases, the pipes that the water runs through malfunction, and then there"s the various life-or-death afflictions that can be brought on by this cold temperature. However, zero degrees Celsius is pretty warm compared to zero degrees on the Fahrenheit scale (after all, water freezes at 32 F).

Yet, neither of these can compare to the temperature known as absolute zero.

Learn about the coldest of the cold, and how scientists surpassed absolute zero, at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/is-absolute-zero-absolute/

Image:
WikiMedia, public domain

Astronomy Photo of the Day: 12/22/2013

This eerie bubble looks like a massive plume of fog rolling across the cosmos, but don’t be fooled, this beast won’t create a nice chill on a warm evening. The smoke-like material is actually rather hot. Amazingly hot, in fact. That’s because the sphere is composed of gas that was cast off from a star that is several hundred thousand times more luminous and around 45 times more massive than our Sun.

Learn about this amazing image at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/astronomy-photo-of-the-day-12222013/

Image:
NASA

TW Hydrae: The Planet That Shouldn"t Exist

In a physical world that contains phenomena such as pulsars, neutron stars, and black holes, one would think that we have a pretty good grasp on the basics--how our universe evolves and functions; however, you might be surprised to know that some of the basics are actually difficult to discern. One of those problematic areas is planetary formation. That"s right.. .we really have a somewhat-amateur understanding of how planets form, despite actually living (and evolving) on one.

Our current models say that our solar system, and other planetary systems circling other stars, form from a protoplanetary accretion disk encircling a young star. This elliptical disk of material is typically comprised of gas, ice, rock, and grain. These build up slowly before ultimately coalescing into a planet, shaped by gravity. This process is thought to take tens of millions of years to occur from start to finish, and of course the amount of material concentrated around the protoplanetary disk dictates the number of planets a star has (and their size), which means that the planets should all form during a similar time-frame and there should also come a period when planetary formation is no longer possible.

However, we may have to rethink this theory. Find out why at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/tw-hydrae-the-planet-that-shouldnt-exist/

Image:
NASA

Life and Moons in our Solar System: Europa

Most of us know about the 8 planets in our solar system (formerly 9 planets…poor Pluto). But you may not know too much about these planet’s moons. Some of these moons are strikingly similar to our own moon, but there are many that are vastly different and incredibly diverse. One such moon is Europa…

Learn about the possibility of life on Europa at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/potential-of-life-on-europa/

Image:
NASA

Alien Stars in Our Solar System: Threats That are Out of This World (literally)

Our solar system is located about 2/3rds of the way from our galactic center, in the Orion spur (of the Perseus spiral arm), which is relatively empty compared to the more cluttered area surrounding the super-massive black hole situated at the center of the Milky Way. However, that"s not to say that no stars or celestial objects pose a danger to us here on Earth. In fact, one particular star may actually pose a significant danger to us. New models uncovered in 2010 say the rogue star could seriously upset the icy comets in the Oort cloud, a theoretical region located on the edges of our solar system.

Read about this cosmic wanderer at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/alien-stars-in-our-solar-system-threats-that-are-out-of-this-world-literally/

Image:
NASA

Estimations: Your Breath and Julius Caesar"s

Not all of physics consists of pin-point accurate mathematics. In certain situations, using assumptions and rough values to come to a workable value is very important. Other times, we may not have the time to run through a very precise set of calculations, and we need a quick estimation. Now please be aware that estimations and educated guesses are NOT the same thing.

An educated guess is throwing out a (seemingly) random number using some vague thought process based on prior knowledge. In an estimation, you use generalised values and rounded figures to work out your final answer. This will, of course, make the final solution fundamentally inaccurate, but it won’t be totally unreliable - and that is why estimations are incredibly useful. One of the most popular estimations involves choosing a famous historical figure and calculating how many molecules you’re breathing in -- right now -- that were in their last breath.

So let’s have a go with Julius Ceasar...
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/estimating-how-many-molecules-you-breathe-that-were-from-julius-caesars-last-breath/

Image: Andrew Bossi via WikiMedia

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

Are Atoms Mostly Empty?

The emptiness of the universe: This is the kind of stuff that the early pioneers of quantum mechanics believed in. In the 1920s, researchers thought that emptiness--an absence of stuff--is what quantum mechanics was talking about. Arthur Eddington"s "The Two Tables" is a really nice treatment of the subject. In this piece, Eddington essentially argues that there are two tables: First, there is the table of everyday experience. It is comparatively permanent, it is coloured, and (above all) it is substantial. Second, there is the table of science: it is mostly emptiness with numerous, sparsely-scattered electric charges rushing about with great speed.

Is this really the way of things? The is universe that we see and interact with made of a great emptiness? Find out at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/are-atoms-mostly-empty/

Image:
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Just-Elemental/Science-Ideas-and-Concepts/The-structure-of-the-nucleus

The Search for a Habitable Planet: Gliese 667Cc

As far as extra-solar planet hunting goes, we"ve found quite a few of them. Most, however, haven"t been remotely discussed as being potential candidates to host life as we know it. In fact, hardly any have been discovered inside the Goldilocks region of their star (the area where liquid water could theoretically exist). However, scientists know of one planet that could potentially host life. It has been dubbed the "holy grail" of extrasolar planets, and it"s only 22 light-years away!

To learn about this amazing planet, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/12358/

Image:
Arecibo