Minerals on Mars Point to More Recent Presence of Water

Scientists working in accordance with NASA have spotted "widespread deposits of opals and related minerals on the surface of Mars. An opal belongs to a class of minerals known as hydrated silicas, and in order to have an opal liquid water is needed. It is this finding that causes scientists to believe that the planet was relatively wet for the first two billion years of its existence. Probes on Mars have also found other water-bearing minerals such as clay that date back to about 3.5 billion years ago. This is relatively recent in comparison to the fact that Mars and many other planets in our solar system have only been around for about 4.5 billion years. What makes this so interesting is the possibility that Mars was once warm and wet enough to host life-forms, have lakes, and to maybe even have oceans; furthering the theory that there was once life on Mars.

Recovered Pieces of Asteroid Hold Clues to Early History

Scientists who for the first time tracked an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, and watched it explodes, found remnants from the asteroid on the ground. An article in Thursday's issue of Nature gave scientist data on the composition of meteorites that originate from one type of asteroid called the F-class. Millions of asteroids have whirled around the Solar System and many people have picked up thousands of meteorites. Although no one really knows where they come from. This changed when Petrus M. Jenniskens organized a search team to look through a Sudan desert for pieces of asteroid that had been spotted less then a day before it hit Earth last year. ABout 280 pieces were found of a rare meteorite known as ureilites. The minerals in ureilites indicate that they were heated up but not not fully melted suggesting that they were once part of a much larger asteroid.

Asteroid Strikes Sudan

Last year scientists spotted an asteroid falling to earth. The asteroid was only spotted a day before it struck the Sudanese desert, so the asteroid was not found until now. When the asteroid entered earth's atmosphere it was about 80 tons and the size of a car. The asteroid was broken down by earth's atmosphere and disintegrated about 23 miles over the Sudanese desert. The asteroid's collision with earth released about 1 to 2 kilotons of TNT. Scientists combing the desert in Sudan have found over 280 pieces of asteroid, weighing 10 pounds in total. The asteroid found was of a rare breed known as Ureilites, which are break offs from larger asteroids. The larger mass that the asteroid striking earth was once a member of actually was large enough to have geological processes. This asteroid is significant because scientists can analyze the elements and makeup of it to better understand where asteroids come from; containing some of the most primitive materials left over from our solar system's creation./

Jupiter's Great Red Spot Is Shrinking

While the hurricanes on Earth only last a matter of days, hurricanes on Jupiter are utterly different. The hurricanes on this Jovian planet can last for years, even centuries. For example, the Great Red Spot, a hurricane on Jupiter, has been raging for the last 300 years and is still going. However, this storm now seems to be shrinking while other spots seem to be forming on this planet. It is hard to observe the Great Red Spot because the planet Jupiter is surrounded in colorful clouds, however observations of cloud cover have suggested that the spot is indeed shrinking. The wind velocity data that has been collected form 1996 to 2006 allows scientists to analyze the wind speeds and directions, proving that the Red Spot has been shrinking along its major diameter by about 15 percent over that period.  Although it is unclear to scientists exactly why the storm is shrinking, they can be sure that there is no chance of it disappearing any soon due to the fact that its winds still get up to and exceed 300 mph. The Red Spot may be shrinking, but definitely is not slowing down. The imbalanced period of losing and gaining energy are most likely why the storm is slowly shrinking. Jupiter has also had some unusual climate changes which could also be a reason for the shrinking. The planet underwent unusual weather patterns and color changes from 2005 to 2007. From these climate changes came the birth of the Little Red Spot, a storm that could very possibly overcome the Great Red Spot.

Hearts Of Galaxies Close In For Cosmic Train Wreck

Today an image was taken in space revealing a collision between the cores of two merging galaxies. Both of these were powered by a black hole with millions of times the mass of the sun. Recently, the cores of these galaxies have been approaching each other at tremendous speeds and will soon experience a final cataclysmic collision. It is estimated that these two galaxies will crash into in a few million years. This amount may seem large to us, but in fact is a short period on a galactic timescale. Also, since these two galaxies are interacting, a lot of dust and gas has been swept up forming a burst of new stars that give off infrared light.
This is important because it displays an example of unique movement of the galaxies that is caught during a rare phase of their evolution.

Steam Pouring Out of Alaska's Mount Redoubt

In Anchorage, Alaska there is a volcano known as Mount Redoubt. The last time it erupted was in 1990. There have been steam plume was coming from above the 7000 foot level near a dome the formed because of the last eruption. Two weeks earlier to this there was a sharp increase in Earthquakes underneath the mountain and nearby citizens were warned that an eruption was eminent. Now scientists believe that Mount Redoubt could erupt at anytime, as steam plumes forth and increased seismic activity occurs.

This article is important to me and society because it points the danger of the mountains eruptions to the citizens nearby. It also informs people about volcanoes and help increase awareness of them. The article helped me learn about volcanoes and Mount Redoubt in Alaska.

The article was written well though it was rather short and things could have been explained much better. It assumes that the reader knows a lot of basic facts about volcanoes.

Semeru Volcano, Indonesia

Increased activity has been noticed at Semeru volcano in Indonesia. From the 6th of February to the 4th of March 2009 there have been 873 explosion earthquakes. There is an average of about 34 events each day. Semeru has been reported to have been making booming noises as its events occur.

Sermeru is at a level 2 of 4 alert watch. Explosions have been occurring in intervals of about 20 and 30 minutes. So far the erruptions have not been accompanied by pyroclastic flows, however scientists are still afraid that it might occur. Scientists are worried about the near by villages of Rowo Baung and Supit, for they could be negatively affected by the explosions. residents should be prepared for possible ash fall. Also air crafts should be on the look out for explosions and ash emissions.

Proof on the Half Shell: A More Acid Ocean Corrodes Sea Life

Recent studies made by scientists at the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center (ACE) show that the shells of small sea organisms, called foraminifera, are becoming smaller due to the gradual acidification of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. These waters are becoming so acidified because of an increased level of CO2 levels in the atmosphere. The researchers found that modern foraminifera could not build shells as large as the ones their ancestors formed as recently as century ago. In fact, modern shells were 35 percent smaller than in the relatively recent past. Scientists go on to explain that they are not sure what this impact will have on the organisms' health and survival, but they are sure that these tiny creatures will not be able to store as much CO2 in their shells in the form of carbonate. William Howard, a marine geologist at ACE, says that CO2 emissions need to be decreased or cut alotgether in order to terminate the gradual acidification of the world's oceans. Howard also states that it is likely that other shell-building oceanic animals are suffering the same or similar difficulties as the foraminifera.

The strangest volcano on earth

In a remote corner of tanzaniastands an astonishing mountain called OL Doinyo Lengai where lava fountians harden in midair then shatter like glass. It can't be compared to a normal rock it is very fragile and extremly unstable. The cone rumbles and vibrates but rock plate was directing the lava in other directions. It erupts at around 1000 degrees C. that is roughly half the temp. of more common basalt laves. This volcano is closly inspected by volcanologists. Katie Kraff described it as the perfect labratory volcano. The shape and style of the extrusions exactly mimic the flows of basaltic volcanos except the latter are so much bigger. This is thought to be a truly amazing volcano and scientists wish to study it farther.