Winning Science March 19, 2014

Ever wonder what’s really going on at the center of the galaxy? Later this month, scientists who ponder that exact question are getting a real treat. A cloud of gas roughly three times the size of earth appears to be on a direct course for the incredibly massive, black hole that resides at the center of our galaxy. Telescopes across the globe are being trained on the phenomenon in order to gather as much data as possible. No one is quite sure what is going to happen, but everyone agrees it will be worthy of study.

I am 99.99% certain this is NOT what they’re going to find.

Since the center of the galaxy is 26,000 light years away, all of this actually took place 26,000 years ago.

While we all live on this planet, it is easy to forget how little humanity actually knows about the make up of our home. Within a brown diamond found in Brazil, experts have found small amounts of ringwoodite, a substance that is only formed under extreme pressures and has previously never been found naturally on Earth. The ringwoodite is thought to have been formed in the transition layer between the upper and lower mantle where there appears to be considerable amounts of water present. It’s even possible that the amount of water in the mantle is equal to the amount in all the world’s oceans.

I actually find it quite pretty.

The article refers to the brown diamond as “worthless.” I have a hard time comprehending diamond and worthless in the same sentence.

There are many things that separate man from animal, but possibly the most profound is our curiosity–our desire to learn more.  That’s the topic of “The Editor’s Letter” in the April issue of Popular Science.  Humans, more than most creatures, are capable of deriving a physical high from the act of learning. We are built in a manner that encourages curiosity and learning, much to the benefit of our race.

Einstein described himself as having no special talents, only passionate curiosity.

It doesn’t even matter what you’re learning about, the physical reaction is the same, though the topics of interest obviously vary from person to person.