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Showing posts from February, 2023

Comets vs. Asteroids vs. Meteors: Synonymous or Different?

Our universe is unimaginably vast and contains hundreds of thousands of objects. Some of these can be very easily mistaken as another because a lot of them overlap traits. A quite common example of this is comets, asteroids, and meteors. A lot of people use these terms synonymously, which is a mistake considering their distinct differences. This post will discuss these differences and hopefully clear up common misconceptions. Comets Comets, by definition, are small, icy, solar system bodies that make the sad mistake of getting too close to the gigantic ball of gas and plasma that we call our sun. When comets pass too close, they start heating up, releasing gases, which scientists refer to as 'outgassing' (no, for real). This creates a 'gravitationally unbound atmosphere', or a coma. The dust, gas, and ice particles start streaming behind the comet, creating the symbolic tail. Fun Facts: The name comet comes from Kometes, which means long hair. In this case

8 Questions You May Have About Black Holes

A lot of people have heard the term 'black hole'. But like most things in space, there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. Humans have a tendency to assume the unknown, so here are 8 questions that are often asked by the general public. 1) What is a black hole? A black hole is a region of space where gravity is so strong, anything that gets in, even light, can’t get out. The gravity of a black hole is this strong because a large quantity of matter has been compressed into a small space. Black holes form when a star dies. Due to the fact that light cant bounce back out of a black hole, we can’t see them. Special tools that are used to identify black holes have special features that enable the user to identify how certain stars, which are closer to black holes, act differently compared to other stars. 2) How can black holes be studied when they are black? Nothing, as in even x-rays and other forms of light, can escape from the inside of the event horizon of a black hol

Turkey's Deadly Earthquake: What, Why, and How to Help

     Earthquakes have been a natural force feared by human beings since they were initially encountered. On February 6, 2023, a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook the Turkey/Syria area. Turkey, which sits on a major active fault line (the North Anatolian fault), is prone to earthquakes. according to  Global News . Earthquakes are caused when two tectonic plates interact or push against each other. On February 6 th , the African, Anatolian (where Turkey sits), Arabian and Eurasian plates all interacted on the North Anatolian Fault, causing the disastrous earthquake.   Data derived by  USA Today  says that “authorities say the death toll has surpassed 11,000 and probably will keep climbing. An estimated 6,000 buildings were toppled”. Hundreds are still believed to be buried under the rubble. According to Brian Olson, who’s Twitter conversation was displayed by  USA Today,  “Yesterday's M7.8 earthquake in southern Turkey ruptured along segments of the East Anatolian Fault zone tha