Clipmarks | taksmaster's 'astronomy' clips

Extra-terrestrial life almost certainly exists

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:01:38 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: Nothing new. It's just interesting to hear more and more scientists say they believe extra-terrestrial life exists.

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Intelligent extra-terrestrials almost certainly exist on distant planets beyond our solar system, leading British astronomers told the government yesterday.

The scientists expect that the first evidence of primitive alien life, such as microbes and vegetation, will emerge within 10 years, with more substantial finds following future space missions.

The experts, from high-ranking UK universities and research institutes, were gathered in London by the science minister, Malcolm Wicks, to describe the latest advances in the search for distant, habitable planets capable of harbouring life.

"Twenty years ago we only had one solar system to study and that's the one we live in. But since then, there's been an explosion in the number of planets outside our solar system that we've been able to detect," said Professor Keith Mason, chief executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and former head of space physics at University College London.

Tags: space, universe, life, aliens, ufo, intelligence, astronomy

Cosmic Voyage

Sat, 05 May 2007 02:24:10 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: universe, space, stars, science, cosmology, astronomy, planets

The Cosmology Quest - Challenging the Big Bang Theory

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 04:47:52 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: video.google.com

[Video]

Clip Source: video.google.com

[Video]

Tags: physics, astronomy, cosmology, science, universe, space, electricity, einstein

Thunderbolts of the Gods - Plasma Cosmology

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 04:21:19 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: A lesser known theory of cosmology that challenges the the big bang theory.

Clip Source: video.google.com

[Video]

Tags: big bang, astronomy, cosmology, physics, science

Big Bang Losing Grip

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 01:59:32 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.physorg.com

The light from galaxies in the background has been warped and “arced” by the galaxy cluster Abell 1689 in the foreground, and perhaps with some help by either dark matter or a stronger type of gravity on this large scale. Image Source: NASA, N. Benitez (JHU), T. Broadhurst (Racah Institute of Physics/The Hebrew University), H. Ford (JHU), M. Clampin (STScI),G. Hartig (STScI), G. Illingworth (UCO/Lick Observatory), the ACS Science Team and ESA.

In the standard theory of gravity—general relativity—dark matter plays a vital role, explaining many observations that the standard theory cannot explain by itself. But for 70 years, cosmologists have never observed dark matter, and the lack of direct observation has created skepticism about what is really out there.

Lately, some scientists have turned the question around, from “is dark matter correct?” to “is our standard theory of gravity correct?” Most recently, Fermilab scientists Scott Dodelson and former Brinson Fellow Michele Liguori demonstrated one of the first pieces of theoretical evidence that an alternative theory of gravity can explain the large scale structure of the universe.

“It is extremely important to see how well a no-dark-matter cosmology does,” said Dodelson. “[In the standard theory,] we are asking the community to believe in the existence of a particle that has never been seen. We have to be damned sure that you can't explain the universe without this huge leap. Our Figure 1 [see citation below] illustrates that, in standard gravity, a no-dark-matter model does not do well at all.”

Tags: physics, cosmology, science, astronomy, space

Animation: Anatomy of a Black Hole

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 03:25:18 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: Cool flash animation describing black holes and how they are formed.

Clip Source: www.thinktechnologies.com

Tags: astronomy, cosmology, physics, space, science