Comments by "Stephen Villano" (@spvillano) on "Astrum" channel.

  1. "Yes, but it appears that our signal keeps getting interfered with by their microwave ovens at lunchtime."
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  2. I will happily be impressed if China or well, anyone makes a probe that lasts even half of that time on Venus. Still, surviving that long, first through space, then landing and operating on Mars is impressive. It's a royal PIA to design things to survive such environments, but actually getting there and even briefly operating is a major accomplishment! I'd suggest collaborating with JPL for the next probe, with no sides hiding any efforts and methods. Likely gaining a probe that lasts far longer than anything humanity has yet launched. And if one selected Venus, one might actually learn a hell of a lot more, given a supercritical near atmosphere, temperature and pressure. We have a preference for STP, that isn't present for either other planet under study. Still, only a suggestion.
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  3.  @Apipus  that's true only if you studiously avoid going to NASA's website, where their data is available for download.
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  4.  @RockBrentwood  and the green immobile creatures, when in lower numbers or even isolation, generate a tremendous amount of low frequency electromagnetic radiation of chaotic modulation, in the region of kiloherts to gigahertz frequencies.
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  5. And contributed greatly to the aspirin company's income as well, when one reviews the math. ;)
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  6. And one other thing, the concept of sandblasting.
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  7. Well, it is almost too simply explained, but since you did the math, you also remember your aspirin budget while doing that math. ;) What overloads many is albedo, which is counterintuitive in its effects on climate for most. Well, that and how slow radiative cooling into space actually is. Indeed, most people don't comprehend even partially how a thermos works. People tend to trust their own daily experiences, it takes a lot of education to allow one to trust the math.
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  8.  @lrvogt1257  actually, a supercontinent had formed and broken up multiple times throughout earth's history.
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  9. As was the Sahara and the Mohave was a seabed. Milankovitch cycles, while long, still are a bitch...
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  10. Initially, possibly, but with density also brings different weather patterns. Still, terraforming mars is idiotic in the end, the gravity and no magnetic field would allow the atmosphere to simply be stripped away over time.
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  11. It's an uglier problem than that. In interstellar terms, we're sitting right on top of the sun, distance wise. So, whatever signals we whisper out are drowned out by the much louder sun's shouting. Blend in the inverse-square law, there are one of three chances an earth signal could be heard. Slim, fat and none.
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  12.  @VictoriousGardenosaurus  awning angles are made the same way. Block the sun in summer, allow it to warm the wall in winter.
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  13.  @blakeuurainen6045  yeah, gotta put my fingers on a diet as well. ;) Don't even get me started on fatigue and my dyslexia...
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  14.  @wolfgangkranek376  who would trust the word of a nanu nanu? I'll just get my hat...
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  15. Hydrogen compressed into diamond? Interesting, so hydrogen becomes carbon in a gas giant by magic. No, the methane disassociates, the hydrogen becoming metallic and the carbon compressed into diamond. And chemistry as we know it goes right into a cocked hat, due to the insane pressures. All of which can create interesting magnetic effects.
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  16. The novel "Year Zero", by Rob Reid explores that notion. Humanity is the only species to develop music, which is a smash hit throughout the galaxy, so the aliens download everything that they can find. Then learn that such is illegal, with an attached fine of $150k per infraction and due to their intense habit of following local laws, would literally bankrupt the galaxy. So, some consider human extinction... A fairly light read, but entertainingly satirical.
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  17. Only one problem. Getting the geological record of those other planets. We can travel a few days for the most part and grab geological samples and ice from all over this planet. Not at all so with other planets at present. If at all. I don't see us getting samples from Venus anytime in the next couple of centuries. :/
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  18. Massive mountain built out of an ant hill. Given the sheer volume of Apollo third stage boosters orbiting the sun on an earth crossing orbit (one of which was briefly a "mystery moon" captured by earth, then ejected back into a similar orbit again). Still haven't figured out the blather about satellites and the moon, as there are very few lunar satellites and well, any earth orbiting birds boosters would tend to reenter the atmosphere and could never, ever reach the moon.
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  19.  @sv_seveniron  yep, totally no clue. That's why we never had a probe fly by Pluto. Oh wait, we did!
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  20. Nope, the magnetic field generated a spurious signal that appeared as if it was data. And magnetic fields generate all manner of merry havoc, both in particles and x-ray/gamma radiation. That's what powers the relativistic jets from black holes, especially quasars.
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  21.  @lrvogt1257  the last several ice ages occurred during specific periods of the Milankovitch cycle. Most occurred when the supercontinents were long broken up. So, we either have several disparate causes of ice ages or one primary cause and the Milankovitch cycle is the leading contender as to being that cause. I've heard theories that the global oceanic currents shut down in some continental configurations, but that's unconvincing, as water tends to keep flowing and entropy still works regardless of how land masses are situated.
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  22. It's a tad uglier, as the tilt, orbit and precession of that orbital tilt that all can change climate massively. It's just interesting how quickly things can cool, compared to warming back up. But then, energy balances are counterintuitive in nature.
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  23.  @SealWithoutHat  which would leave me breathless- literally. ;)
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