Science Tidbits #4

[huggle]

possibly, in the baby-years of the planet. I doubt it always had such a solid orbit. If it had, wouldn't it be more disk-shaped due to the gravitational forces while it cooled down?
Btw, magnetic pole switches are no fun either, because during the switch we'd be completely unprotected from the radiation and particle-rain from space (solar storms etc). That would inevitably lead to a raise in mortality from cancer and other DNA-mutations/aberrations.

Lupine, do you happen to have a source at hand about the last field reversal's date? I seem to remember it was during the dinosaur era, shortly after the first mammals appeared, but it's been decades since I last read up on the topic.

[Orpheus]

For the past 20 million years, pole reversals have averaged 200,000-300,000 years apart.

For comparison, the Jurassic began over 200,000,000 years ago (1000x as long) and the Triassic (which many call the real dinosaur era) began more than 250,000,000 years ago. H. sapiens *may* go back as far as 200,000 years

Magnetic Pole Reversal Happens All The (Geologic) Time [NASA]

[Lupine]

Lupine, do you happen to have a source at hand about the last field reversal's date? I seem to remember it was during the dinosaur era, shortly after the first mammals appeared, but it's been decades since I last read up on the topic.

What Orpheus said.

For the past 20 million years, pole reversals have averaged 200,000-300,000 years apart.

For comparison, the Jurassic began over 200,000,000 years ago (1000x as long) and the Triassic (which many call the real dinosaur era) began more than 250,000,000 years ago. H. sapiens *may* go back as far as 200,000 years

Genus Homo goes back around 2 million years so our ancestors have survived numerous magnetic pole reversals. Slightly off subject with the Triassic, actually proto-mammals dominated the earliest parts of that era.

[RJDiogenes]

I think the last poll reversal was last November. Whether we survive remains to be seen.

As long as the geographic poles don't flip we should be okay.

Has that every happened?

I was kidding, but it's not impossible-- very unlikely, though, at this point. As huggle said, it would be more likely during the formation of the system or as the result of a cataclysmic event (like whatever knocked Uranus halfway over). But there's really too much inertia for us to physically tip over.

[huggle]

I think the last poll reversal was last November. Whether we survive remains to be seen.

A German writer and philosopher (iirc it was Berthold Brecht) said "every people has the government they deserve". I don't think the Americans are *that* bad. Just a trifle foolish, maybe. You're not the only ones, though: Hitler was elected just as legally and he too published his general ideas beforehand. The problem about lunatic politicians is that everyone finds them diverting or ridiculous at first and doesn't think they'll manage to put their ideas into practize. Sadly, they do very effectively. Hitler used a "national emergency law" to overrule the parliament. It might be wise to keep Trump from anything that might count as such an emergency for I believe your constitution contains the same loophole that ours did in 1939.

[RJDiogenes]

I can't think of any such loophole. The Founding Fathers were big on checks and balances, not so big on authoritarianism. But they also weren't big on political parties, but the electoral system they created has a tendency to encourage a partisan bipolar electorate, which they did not foresee. There are ways to reform the process to prevent that, but even after this I'm not hearing a lot of support for it.

And also keep in mind that Trump got in through a glitch in that same electoral process. Actually only about 22% of the eligible voters supported him and many-- as CNN put it-- "held their noses and voted." He came into office with historically low levels of support and has not exactly been greeted warmly by the citizenry.

[Lupine]

Found a website where you can help find Planet 9!

[RJDiogenes]

I already know where Pluto is.

That was pretty cool. I just found seventeen new planets.

Seriously, though, that's one tough assignment. I'll bet they get a lot of false positives.

[Lupine]

I marked 2 out of around 7 or 8 images, but in all reality they're probably nothing.

[huggle]

Cool website! Thanks for sharing. Didn't find anything but stars at a first glance but I'll keep it bookmarked.
I used to be a regular at SETI ever since it started in the 70s as a screensaver but I quit when they switched to a packet-style software and my PC suddenly couldn't properly converse with their computer anymore.

[RJDiogenes]

I never did that because I share this computer with my Uncle's business. But I suppose I could just run it at night. I'd love to be the one to find some little green men.

[Lupine]

I should look into that. I'm still hoping to find Planet 9 on the other website (I even have a name picked out). I only found one "dipole" today though.

[RJDiogenes]

You get to name it if you find it? I shall redouble my efforts.

Have you seen this?

[Lupine]

You get to name it if you find it? I shall redouble my efforts.

Probably not, but if I was asked I'd name it "Luperca" for the wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus. It also resembles "Lupine"

Have you seen this?

Came across that yesterday and I've been in a wait and see mode as NASA has a tendency to over-hype these news conferences.

[huggle]

it'd be cool if yor Lupercula had 2 moons

Usually, the finder gets to name the celestial object. Only in case of comets they name them after the finder (like Shoemaker-Levi 9 that crashed on Jupiter in 1994). There's a convention that planets or planetary objects within our own solar system are to be named after terrestrial deities.