EXOPLANETS – WORLDS BEYOND OUR OWN

The night sky is privy to many stories. It has been a silent observer to the history and evolution of life on our planet. Wrapped within its fabric are the stars, distant and static candles that guided our ancestors in the early days of humanity. Among them, there were a few rebellious elements whose behavior […]

WHY IS SNOW BRIGHT?

It is winter at the home of The Procrastinating Scientist which means it is time to haul snow in the yard. It also means that it is time to get my sunglasses out because the snow is damn bright! Now, why exactly is that? This time around, we tackle this question with an infographic!

HYPERNOVAS: Even bigger than supernovas

Look to the night sky and amid the vastness of space, you will find candles that have burned bright for eons. In their light, we find stories that take us back to a time when the universe was younger and darker. But, father time catches up to all of us. As they near the end […]

CLIMATE CHANGE – PART 4 – WHAT CAN WE DO?

Now, in a much-belated part 4, let’s put it all together. A quick recap of what we have learned: Climate is long-term and refers to atmospheric behavior over long periods. Small climate changes, over a long period, can lead to major effects on global ecosystems. Our planet is warming up with new temperature records being […]

Climate Change – Part 3 – The Consequences

We have had a taste of the basic science behind climate change. With COP26 having come to an end last Friday, lets look at what climate change has and will do to the planet. Briefly, the major consequences include: extreme heat (a warmer planet), extensive flooding and droughts (not everywhere though), a big melt (bye […]

Climate Change – Part 2 – How Does It Work?

So, in Part 1, we looked at the basics and got a glimpse of the evidence we have for climate change. Today, let us look behind the scenes at how it all works. The Greenhouse Effect The warming of our planet is attributed to a human amplified greenhouse effect – warming that occurs when heat […]

Climate Change – Part 1 – The Basics

With the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) underway, I thought a refresher on climate change would be useful. This will be a four-part series, inspired by a post I had written several years back in The Pensive Reverie, my personal blog. The science behind climate change hasn’t changed too much (though my writing […]

Constructor Theory

Recently, I got to work on a script with PBS Spacetime on Constructor Theory. This topic was particularly unique as it didn’t deal extensively with physics but focused on the framework with which we approached and developed physical theories about our reality. The question: Will Constructor Theory Rewrite Physics? How Are Theories Made? For starters, […]

Avoiding Big Rocks From Space – Asteroids Edition feat. Apophis

The stage is set. Our planet is in peril because there is a big piece of rock coming straight at it. Cue worldwide panic. It is survival of the fittest. Humanity is at its lowest. But there is hope as one individual rises above all others. Add a dash of unpredictability, an indestructible pickup, an […]

Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion – Achieving Ignition

Nearly everything in our daily lives, from our laptops, refrigerators, tv, and the internet are governed by the principles of energy that dictate our universe. We have learned to harness energy in many forms (we have gotten real good at it too), From fire in prehistoric times, to steam in the steam age, to fossil […]