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| The SuperNova/Acceleration Probe, SNAP. Image credit: Berkeley Lab Click to enlarge |
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| Will the Universe Expand Forever? |
| Aug 30, 2005 - What is the nature of the mysterious dark energy which is accelerating expansion of the Universe? In a recent study published in the Physical Review Letters, physicists are proposing two scenarios: thawing and freezing. In thawing, the expansion of the Universe should eventually come to a stop, and maybe even reverse. In "freezing", the acceleration should continue indefinitely. A new mission: the Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM) has been proposed by NASA and the US Department of Energy, and should be able to determine which of these two scenarios is correct. (Full Story) |
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| Enceladus Compared to the United Kingdom |
| Aug 30, 2005 - Here's a picture of Saturn's moon Enceladus side by side with the United Kingdom, to show its actual size. Enceladus is only 505 km (314 miles) across, and it could comfortably fit within the states of Arizona or Colorado. (Full Story) |
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| The asteroid's dust trail. Image credit: Sandia National Laboratories. Click to enlarge |
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| Asteroid Dust Could Influence the Weather |
| Aug 30, 2005 - Dust from asteroids entering our atmosphere could affect the weather more than scientists previously believed, according to a new study published this week in the journal Nature. An international team of researchers have studied the dust trail of an asteroid that burned up as it descended through the atmosphere above Antarctica. The 1,000 tonne asteroid formed a cloud of micron-sized particles large enough to influence the local weather in Antarctica. (Full Story) |
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| South Ozone Hole Returns |
| Aug 30, 2005 - The ozone hole above the South Pole has returned, and it's on track to be one of the biggest on record. At this time, the hole is the size of Europe, but it will probably continue growing during September - bigger holes appeared in 1996 and 2000. The size of the ozone hole and the time of its appearance depends on the weather conditions in the southern hemisphere. (Full Story) |
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