Dec 18, 2009

-FUPPETS- Loves Science, and Science Loves You

Oh the wonders of scientific discovery, the rigors of the scientific method, the beauty of new knowledge. -FUPPETS- loves it and cannot get enough. There are just so many interesting things to learn about, and an infinity of possible new questions to try and answer. Humanity will be lucky to exist long enough to delve into even half of these mysteries!
One of the most beautiful and moving natural phenomena is the gorgeous light displays that occur at the Earth's magnetic poles. In the Northern hemisphere these are called Aurora Borealis, while in the Southern Hemisphere these are named Aurora Austrialis. These awesome light-shows occur when highly charged particles cast off from the surface of our Sun meet up with the very powerful magnetic field of our Earth. This video gives a good overview of this phenomena and it's many effects on Earth.
In a very unexpected development, NASA cameras over Alaska have captured an event that no one had witnessed, or even predicted before. Two Auroral "curtains" of light have been seen colliding. Amazing! Here is a link to three frames which capture this previously unknown event.

In a world far removed from the outer space where Auroras reside, deep-sea geologists and vulcanologists have filmed the deepest ever underwater volcanic eruption. While many underwater volcanoes have been filmed, this one was at such a depth (over 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean), and so large, that it wowed the scientists who were lucky enough to experience it. It is named the West Mata Volcano, in the Lau Basin, 140 miles West of Samoa.
Large "bubbles" of lava erupt, and instantly freeze in the cold water. The pressure is so great that the explosions were relatively controlled, allowing for the robotic camera to get extremely close to the event. See the video below. It is beautiful footage.

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