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Broadband Communications in Space, 2008.
This paper discusses the use of broadband and nanotechnology in interplanetary communication.
2,690 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 80.95
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Abstract
This is a technical work where the author discusses new, cutting edge technologies and their possible application for interplanetary communication. Specifically, the author refers to broadband communications technologies and the recent development of nanowire technology that enables the construction of microscopically thin cables, which, because of their extreme sensitivity and the great distance of interplanetary space, hold great potential for the development of new communication devices and technologies.
Table of ontents:
Introduction
Issues Facing Interplanetary Communication
Optical Communications Instead of RF Transmissions
Designing an Effective Photo-Detector
The Advances Possible with Nanowires
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper
"The design of the MIT photo-detector is relatively simple from an engineering standpoint (see Appendix for diagram of the photo-detector). This is especially true considering the high degree of efficiency it is capable of producing. Of course, the simplicity of the design belies the significant calibration the device requires: the nanowire must be cooled to almost absolute zero, the glass gap of the photon trap must be a very specific function of the wavelength of incoming photons, and the use of an anti-reflective coating on the surface of the device is critical. The design consists of a photon trap with a nanowire detector followed by a gap of glass, and then a mirrored surface. The nanowire is wrapped in a tight coil in order to maximize its absorption of incoming photons, and the nanowire is cooled to close to absolute zero, three degree Kelvin to be precise, which transforms the nanowire into a very small superconductor. As a superconductor, the nanowire responds in specific ways to photons that impact the nanowire allowing for detection."
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Galileo and Conflicts with the Church, 2008.
An examination of Galileo's work in the realm of astronomy, physics and mathematics and how the Catholic Church reacted to his views.
1,486 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the life and discoveries of Galileo. It specifically discusses the conflict of Galileo's discoveries with the Catholic Church. It looks at his work in the sciences of astronomy, physics and mathematics and his adoption of the Copernican astronomical theory. The paper also looks at the Catholic Church's reactions to his views.
From the Paper
"In the end, Galileo forever changed the the sciences of astronomy, physics and mathematics. Despite the attempts by the Church to silence his revolutionary work, Galileo continued. His work, was evaluated and validated by observers across Europe, in England, German and France. And, it would be Galileo's work that would encourage experimentation in physics, to test mathematical and physical laws. Sadly, it wouldn't be until more than 300 years later that the Church would recant their views, with Cardinal Paul Poupard, the head of an investigation by the church into Galileo's theory, statement in 1992 that said, "We today know that Galileo was right in adopting the Copernican astronomical theory" (qtd. Brauchli )."
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Galileo, 2008.
A discussion on the observations of Galilei Galileo with comparisons to other scientists.
796 words (approx. 3.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 28.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the observations and discoveries of physicist and astronomer, Galilei Galileo. The paper also compares his observations to those of other famous atronomers such as Johannes Keplar, Ptolemy and Copernicus.
From the Paper
"Interestingly, the sort of heresy that Galileo was convicted of was just the sort of observational assertion that Luther had already predicted the Catholic Church would have trouble with, based upon the fact that they held rationalistic interpretations of the Bible in greater esteem than empirical conclusions arrived at through careful examination. In other words, the Church, by hoarding all of the power to make reforms and philosophical claims about the world, had made itself vulnerable to catastrophic failure once competing worldviews were introduced. Essentially, so much had been built upon the rationalistic claims asserted by the Catholic Church for more than one thousand years, that empirical knowledge was likely to soon begin to contradict dogma. Of course, this did occur quite publicly when Galileo argued in favor of the Copernican, heliocentric model of the solar system. Yet, it would seem, the rationalistic way of perceiving the universe was far more flexible than Luther had initially suspected. Galileo, on the other hand, grasped the philosophical wiggle-room rationalism affords anyone who is willing to accept claims about the world based upon faith."
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The Origins of Life, 2008.
Looks at the origins of life on earth and the implications for the search for extraterrestrial life.
2,010 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 9 sources, APA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the search for life beyond this planet must be built on a solid understanding of how life managed to emerge on Earth. The author examines the development of extraterrestrial theories about the origins of life by beginning with an examination of previous theories of origin. The paper then presents current research and the empirical basis for current theories with implications for the search for extraterrestrial life. The author also offers some possible avenues of future research and examination, which could help refine the understanding of the origins of life in the universe.
From the Paper
"In fact, the presence of a liquid like water seems to be the only major prerequisite for the development of life. Without a liquid, the complex chemical reactions required for the emergence of life are presumed impossible. But, that's not to say that the liquid in question must be water. Many researchers are exploring the possibility of life developing in more unorthodox liquids, such as methane, ammonia, or even sulfuric acid. Life on earth may have simply developed to take advantage of the very abundant liquid water; water's presence may have only been happenstance."
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Science and Religion in the 17th Century, 2008.
An analysis of the interaction between science and religion in the 17th century.
1,523 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how the intense interaction between science and religion in the 17th century had an ultimately positive effect on human civilization over the succeeding centuries. The paper explains that these interactions produced played an instrumental role in generating the Enlightenment of the 18th century, which transformed the world, freed humanity from the bonds of religious dogma, and produced long-term benefits ranging from greatly expanded scientific learning to the dramatic emergence and development of democratic systems of government. The paper then points out that religion and science also clashed in the 17th century because they offered incompatible answers to humanity's existence, to the functioning of the universe, and to humanity's place in it. In the context of this discussion, the paper briefly examines the works of philosophers and scientists like Nicolas Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, Galileo and Tycho Brahe.
From the Paper
"After lengthy observations and calculations, Kepler eventually discovered that although Copernicus had correctly concluded that the planets of the solar system all orbited around the sun, he had been mistaken in assuming that planetary orbits were circular instead of elliptical. The most positive contribution of Copernicus was his theory that the earth rotates each day on its axis, that it revolves on an annual basis around the sun, and that other planets also revolve around the sun. Yet as revolutionary as this theory was, it was not proven to be true until Galileo observed the heavens and made some startling discoveries that provided that proof."
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Life Cycle of Stars, 2008.
This paper describes the life cycle of stars, which is a normal progression.
1,185 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that stars have a life cycle that is simply too long for human life to perceive directly and even too long for all of human history to record. The author points out that astronomers have been able to categorize stars to show the different levels of development reached by different groups of stars. The paper relates that, over billions of years, the star slowly contracts, compensating for the heat and light energy it has lost. The author underscores that, as this contraction continues, the temperature, density and pressure at the core of the star increases. The paper tells that, as the temperature at the core rises and the star contracts, the tension between gravity pulling in and gas pressure pushing out determines the life of the star. The author describes this process through the star's life cycle from protostar to black holes.
From the Paper
"At this stage, the star is called a planetary nebula. The core of this star becomes a whiter dwarf, an extremely dense star now the size of a planet. Once the white dwarf uses all its energy, it stops shining and becomes a "black dwarf," or a dead star. Astronomers see this as the final stage for our own Sun. however, for stars with higher masses than the Sun (up to about 40 times greater), the outer layers of the star may be thrown off with much more force in a supernova, an explosion leading to the collapse of the star down to a very compact size, producing what is known as a "neutron star."
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Wormholes, 2008.
A brief analysis of the theoretical proof for the existence of wormholes.
748 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the exotic objects in modern astronomy known as wormholes. It describes the theoretical proof for the existence of the wormholes and shows how it is connected with the theoretical analysis of black holes. The paper also discusses the important developments in the theory of wormholes that have been made over time. Finally, the paper briefly looks at the possibilities that the theoretical prediction of wormholes has raised in science.
From the Paper
"Among these exotic objects are wormholes. Wormholes are the result of the theoretical speculation derived from analysis of Einstein's general theory of relativity. (Kaku, 2005; Holman et al., 1997) So far nobody was successful in observing such an object or proving its existence in any other way. They can be understood as the tunnels that connect two points in space-time in such a way that the travel between the two points might take less time than the travel through the normal space. Like a real tunnel they have two "mouths" connected by a "throat" (Holman et al. 1997). Theoretical predictions of wormhole existence raised many possibilities, which include travel in time (both in the past and in the future), entry to the parallel universes allowed by modern inflation theory etc. These are the center of both scientific and philosophical speculations. (Hawking, 1996)"
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Mars: Not Exactly Home, but Better Than Venus, 2008.
This paper looks at different planets and focuses on Mars as the most preferable option for sustaining human life after planet earth.
1,696 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that the solar system is a unique combination of many different types of planets, which has many different things that it can offer to humans. However, the the writer points out, planet Earth offers the most beneficial climate and diversity for human life. The writer notes that many of the other planets are entirely devoid of life. The writer discusses that despite the fact that there are eight planets in our solar system, only Mars (other than Earth) seems to be capable of containing human life at all. The writer maintains that Mars has many of the requisites that are needed to sustain human life, such as the possibility of water, small amounts of oxygen, and a possibility of life. The writer concludes that if humans were to ever colonize another planet in the solar system, Mars would be the most intelligent choice.
From the Paper
"Apart from the cold at its poles (which is far more extreme than Earth's), Mercury shares very little in common with Earth. It would be very difficult for humans to inhabit Mercury. The temperature extremes, the lack of water, and the lack of a protective atmosphere would quickly decimate human life attempting to live there. Current space craft could succeed in landing humans on Mercury, but it is unlikely that there would be a way to maintain proper oxygen levels for survival.
"Venus is another planet that is very inhospitable. Yet, for several reasons, it is known as the sister planet to Earth: Venus is similar to Earth's size (95% its diameter, 80% of its mass. Both planets do not have many craters, which points to young surfaces."
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The Laws of Planetary Motion, 2007.
This paper examines Johannes Kepler and his contributions to the study of astronomy.
2,714 words (approx. 10.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 81.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Johannes Kepler, a key figure in the 17th century revolution of astronomy. The paper relates that his greatest accomplishment was the explanation of the laws of planetary motion which codified the rotation and planetary motion that was carefully researched and articulated by Tyco Brahe and Aristotle. The paper explains Kepler's treatment of force and his attempts to explain planetary motion as a result of the interaction between forces.
From the Paper
"Kepler was a German born Lutheran; he principally served as a mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. His breakthrough came as a researcher and assistant for Tycho Brahe, the court mathematician for the Emperor of Austria. Brahe's careful documentation of celestial motion provided the solid data by which Kepler was able to carefully create his law of planetary motion. The reason for Kepler's popularity even in today's society is that his Laws of Planetary Motion are so widely sweeping, it accurately predicted a model that would still be true even in today's age of scientific development."
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Pluto, 2007.
This paper discusses why Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
1,521 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that in the not so distant past, schoolchildren all over the world learned that the planet farthest away from the sun in our solar system was Pluto. The writer relates that they learned mnemonic devices to remember the names of all nine planets, made models and mobiles, all with Pluto orbiting at the very end of their dioramas. The writer then describes that in August 2006, after many years of intense debate, astronomers declared that Pluto was officially not a planet. The writer maintains that perhaps the real question about the usefulness of the new definition of planet will not revolve around Pluto, however dearly the old model may still be cherished in our culture, but how the definition is useful in classifying new solar systems. The writer also points out that the question of roundness and what is meant by clearing one's orbit and other points of contention will continue to generate lively debate within the scientific community and in schools, whatever Pluto's official status.
From the Paper
"To say that Pluto is suddenly not a planet though, of course, is somewhat incorrect, as Pluto has remained unchanged, rather it is the scientific definition and astronomer's perceptions (and voting patterns within the organization) that have shifted."
"Surprisingly, until 2006, astronomy textbooks never had a single, universally agreed-upon definition for the word planet, as the IAU had never established exactly what constitutes a planet, and set specific scientific standards. However, defining a planet, or any astronomical body is always extremely difficult, as the definition must be universally applicable, to all solar systems, not just our own."
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