Mar 25, 2013 The Sun is not a fusion reactor. In a recent Picture of the Day, it was noted that sunspots are not well understood by astronomers. Furthermore, their bizarre electromagnetic displays are not readily explainable by models of solar activity that rely on radiant emissions from thermonuclear…
Mar 21, 2013 Antarctica is now the coldest place on Earth. The Katabatic winds howl around Antarctica’s gale thrashed coast. But once its green valley’s were filled with thriving Glossopteris Pine and Beach forests. How do we know this? “Scott of the Antarctic” was the first to discover telltale…
Mar 21, 2013 Astronomers have detected a strand of galaxies and gas flowing into a remote cluster. The predominant cosmological hypotheses within which most astronomers conduct their research are based on a gravity-only paradigm. Moving masses and heat are the only factors allowed to operate in their Universe. Electric…
Mar 20, 2013 Is the famous gyre on Jupiter the result of atmospheric convection? The red spot in Jupiter’s atmosphere has persisted for more than 300 years, at least as long as there have been telescopes on Earth able to see it. The consensus opinion is that it is…
Atmospheric scientist Bill Nichols offers a refreshing reconsideration of climate issues, with emphasis on the electrodynamic environment of the Earth, largely overlooked in the polarized debates on climate change.
A recently discovered supernova has left astronomers scratching their heads. It’s in the wrong cosmic neighborhood, and from the vantage point of conventional theory is behaving quite badly.
The Saturnian moon Enceladus may be one of the most enigmatic bodies in the solar system. For nearly a decade, NASA scientists have faced a series of puzzles that continue to challenge conventional theory. The electrical nature of these puzzling phenomena has grown increasingly evident.
Mar 19, 2013 This recent image of the Pencil Nebula from La Silla Observatory showcases a cosmic counterpart to “hair” discharges from Tesla coils. Electric forces separate the plasma into parallel filaments. Magnetic forces further constrict them (the “z pinch”) and induce them to twist around each other, producing a braided…
Mar 18, 2013 The intensity of the Sun’s magnetic field and solar wind periodically decline to low levels but explosive events are possible. On August 25, 1997, NASA launched the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite on a mission to monitor energetic ions coming from the Sun, as well as…
March 15, 2013 Is Cassiopeia A (Cas A) dying or just changing her fashion? Bio 1: In the beginning was an artist’s illustration of the consensus theory of stellar evolution. Thermonuclear fusion reactions at the center of the star transformed hydrogen into helium. After a time, the growing core…
