PV Gap

Marlene Said:

NASA baffled by dark energy.Are they trying to search for GOD?

We Answered:

*smile* I wrote to NASA once....about their space probe that ended up crashing in Utah. They were searching for the origins of the universe, and were terribly upset about the delicate instruments, that might have gathered data, being destroyed in the crash.

You know, I grew up watching NASA reach for the stars, the planets, the moon. I admired and cheered them on. And when I read how in despair they were over their probe, I sent them a letter, telling them in as kind a way I knew that the answer was right in front of them all the time....in the source of the name of their own space probe. They had called it "Genesis".

Carl Said:

Origin of solar energy?

We Answered:

It comes from the sun.

Kay Said:

Origin of the universe questions?

We Answered:

The big bang occurred about 13.7 billion years ago. After the universe had cooled enough for atoms to form, the universe was almost completely hydrogen (the simplest atom) with trace amounts of helium and lithium. As the universe continued to expand and cool adiabatically, some clouds of hydrogen gas collapsed into the first stars - these massive stars formed all the other elements through iron in their cores through nuclear fusion, and when they died in supernovae explosions even more elements formed in the explosion, and neutron capture gave us the remaining elements we see in the universe. As the universe expanded further, galaxies began to form out of collections of stars, and planets formed around stars form the leftover heavier material (oxygen, carbon, silicon, nitrogen, etc).

Amber Said:

Regarding Supernova Remnants and The Origin of the Solar System?

We Answered:

First, humans can and have produced elements in the lab that are heavier than found in nature. Plutonium is one you are probably familiar with.

Second, the material did not need to heat up to form the sun (so you are correct in that). Rather the material heats itself as it coalesces into the sun (or whatever). As pressure increases so does temperature. Eventually you get enough stuff to make the pressure and temperature so great fusion starts. Need lots of stuff though.

For your questions:

1) I suppose we could...maybe. The supernova that made the stuff that became this solar system left behind one of two things. It either left behind a Neutron Star or it left behind a Black Hole.

If it is a Neutron Star then we could possibly spot it although it would be hard to know which one was ours. The nearest identified Neutron Star is 326 light years away (called J0108-1431). That is almost certainly too far to have produced our nebula (although perhaps it gave the nudge that caused the collapse to start but no way to know)/

If it is a black hole we can only spot it if it is consuming material. The infalling material heats up and we can spot that. If it is all by itself however then we can't see it because by definition it does not radiate (well...Hawking Radiation but that is exceptionally weak and we would not spot it). The nearest black hole we have spotted is 1,600 light years away. Definitely too far away to affect us.


2) Not really no. Could be another star passed nearby and gave just enough of a gravitational nudge to start the collapse. Or perhaps a different supernova pushed things. No way to tell.

Randall Said:

if man is just a colonist here who lost contact with his ancestors in another solar systemhow can we contact?

We Answered:

I think the only logical conclusion as to why we lost contact with each other is that we were not colonists. We were criminals and free thinkers and that wasn't tolerated in their society. They abandoned us here thinking we would eventually kill each other off. We are well on our way to that end, and it will probably happen before we even come close to coming up with any real answers about our existence. So don't sweat it, live life to its fullest, live everyday like it's your last, and numerous other cliches that apply.

Edward Said:

Which of the following factors was MOST important in the origin of life on Earth?

We Answered:

Life on earth started from inorganic compounds which slowly changed into organic molecules such as ammonia and glucosein the primitive earth. Oparin once said Abiogenisis first biogenisys ever since. So may be C is the more appropriate answer.

Margaret Said:

The first step in the origin of life is thought to be the formation of organic compounds from atmospheric...?

We Answered:

I'd guess C