Whether significant changes in the world are being observed beyond Earth or scientists have found a new and exciting discovery in the world of minerals, April offered an array of interesting headlines that effectively showcases the ever-changing nature of scientific finds. In this article, you will learn some of the details pertaining to new celestial finds, as well as a personal quest undertaken by a Swiss scientist.
Extraterrestrial Life?
The announcement that a planet that may sustain life outside of our solar system was made this week and while the task of furthering the studies regarding this find, the head of the European team associated with the discovery has his mind on other things. Michel Mayor, a Swiss scientist that is proud to become part of this process, has announced his wish to locate additional information outside of the exciting news of a possible livable planet. He has his heart set on finding signs that extraterrestrial life exists with this find.
So, it looks like the search for life beyond our usual comprehension is on again and Mayor has made a bold prediction. He believes that the researchers of today, who possess the knowledge and skill of the highest caliber, are less than two decades from detecting that real evidence of life beyond Earth exists. As theories and research have evolved over the years, hands-on exploration and other interactive means of coming to conclusions will greatly aid researchers in the future.
If astronomy buffs feel they have heard of the name, Michel Mayor before, it could be because this is the same man, who was given credit in 1995 for being a part of a group of researchers that located some of the first planets situated outside of our solar system. With a heavy background in science, even he admitted that it was rather hard to grasp the concept that other life forms can be found throughout the rest of the universe. Over the years, he states that he has softened up to the idea that other life forms are possible in space.
Greenhouse Gas Battle
As issues of the environment plague each and every country about the world, some locations choose to play an active role in making the world a better place to live. For example, this week, headlines illustrated the efforts that Canada is planning on making, as they wish to target the issue of greenhouse gases. An announcement hit the news stating that the
Canada’s Conservative government plans on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent before 2020 rolls around. By 2012, the country hopes to impose a ban on the inefficiency pertaining to incandescent lightbulbs. Already, the sale of the more efficient choice of compact fluorescent lightbulbs has grown more than 350% between the years of 2004 and 2006.
New Mineral Discovered
You might have enjoyed collecting rocks as a child or like learning about what makes an object the way it is. When it comes to the recently discovered mineral from Serbia, it is revealed that the composition of the find is the same as kryptonite, which is the non-exisistent substance that enemies of Superman would love to get a hold of. Information pertaining to the mineral was released by the British Museum on Tuesday, which admits that it is not an exact match, but when broken down, the chemical makeup bears intriguing similarities.