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Posts by
Editors of EarthSky
How far can a human see?
There's no practical limit on how far away we can see - if we're looking at objects brighter than their backgrounds. Read more about how far can a human see.
May 6, 2008
Altitude sickness: What is it, what does it do?
People with altitude sickness feel tired and nauseated - have a headache - and may feel strangely uneasy.
May 5, 2008
How did sand in the desert get there?
Nearly all sand in deserts came from somewhere else - sometimes hundreds of kilometers away. Read more about sand in the desert here.
May 2, 2008
Is there good ozone and bad ozone?
You hear weather reports about dangerous levels of ozone, then you hear that we're in big trouble because our ozone layer is thinning.
May 2, 2008
Do flowering plants have sexes?
Most flowers have both male and female parts - but some flowering plants have separate male and female flowers.
May 1, 2008
Gene protects grains from disease
A gene protects grains (wheat, rice, corn, barley) from disease. Our species owes its survival in part to the stoutness of the disease-resistant gene in grains.
April 4, 2008
Isolated dwarf galaxy found stripped of gas
A dwarf galaxy in the direction of the constellation Pegasus is being stripped of its gas, according to astronomers. A galaxy needs its gas to create new stars. So we might be seeing this galaxy near the end of its ability to form stars.
March 31, 2008
Arctic seals vulnerable to fast pace of change
Scientists at work in the Arctic say the pace of change there is now so rapid that some creatures might not be able to adapt. For example, Arctic ringed seals give birth and nurse their young in caves dug out on the snow-covered ice.
March 26, 2008
What the center of the galaxy looks like
Astronomers estimate the total luminosity of the central dozen or so light-years of the Milky Way to be equal to about 10 million suns. But the center of our galaxy is 27,000 light-years away.
March 9, 2008
Quantum computers key to deeper knowledge
David Deutsch talks about quantum computers in his book, The Fabric of Reality, and "tries to present a unified world view that incorporates all our best knowledge."
February 15, 2008
