Universe

These are 6 fascinating facts about the Nucleosynthesis Era. From 10-billion degrees Fahrenheit to our universe’s first star. If you want to learn 6 fascinating facts about the Era of Nucleosynthesis, this is the article for you. Let’s jump right in! #1 Still Hot, Hot, Hot Currently, the universe continues undergoing rapid “cooling.”  However, we quote the term “cooling” because temperatures during the Era of Nucleosynthesis sit at 10-billion degrees Fahrenheit.  Actually, compared to the big bang and following epochs, these temps truly are much colder. #2 Electrons Everywhere During the Era of Nucleosynthesis, basic atoms, like hydrogen have formed.  In other words, atoms with single-proton nuclei.  However, these nuclei are still so hot that electrons are unable to stick to the atoms.  Ultimately, the universe has freely-floating electrons, flying aimlessly throughout space. #3 The Whole Universe Is the Sun’s Core During the Era of Nucleosynthesis, the universe was still amazingly hot and dense.  In fact, our entire universe acted very similar to stars’ core, like our Sun.  Plus, spooky things happen under such tremendous heat and pressure, like atoms smashing together to form different atoms.  Actually, we still see this today within our Sun. It’s called nuclear fusion. #4 Nuclear Fusion Powers On Despite the universe cooling dramatically, atoms stay hot.  In fact, the nuclei inside of atoms stays hot and pressurized enough for nuclear fusion to carry out.  Therefore, hydrogen atoms with a single proton nucleus smash together to form heavier helium.  Plus, trace amounts of even heavier elements arise, like lithium. #5 Still No Light… at All During nuclear fusion, photons of intense gamma radiation are generated.  In fact, this also happens within the core of our Sun and all stars.  Actually, these photons eventually escape the Sun’s core, flying out into space. We call this LIGHT.  Except, light photons during the Era of Nucleosynthesis had nowhere to go.  No matter which direction they float, only more dense, hot space exists. #6 The Perfect Star Recipe Finally, upon nucleosynthesis, our universe has a composition that resembles modern times.  In other words, 75% hydrogen, 25% helium, and less than 1% trace elements, like lithium.  Actually, these will eventually become the perfect ingredients to make our universe’s first stars.

These are 10 fascinating facts about the Particle Era. From 1 million miles in 1 second to the stuff we’re made of. If you want to learn the best Particle Era facts, this is the article for you. Let’s jump right in! #1 A Rapid Growth Spurt Previously, in other epochs, the universe was microscopic. In fact, epochs like the Planck Era saw a universe that was smaller than a single atom.  But, suddenly, in the Particle Era, the universe expands to more than 100-million-miles in diameter.  Not to mention, this expanse took place in under one second. #2 A Lot Has Happened in a Short Time As noted above (see #1), a tremendous amount of change has occurred within the universe.  Furthermore, this amazing change has happened in mere fractions of a single sentence.  Rapid inflation, matter creation, wild temperature fluctuations.  And, all of this within a mere fraction of time since the big bang. #3 Relatively “Cool” Outside Today During these early time, in the universe’s infancy, things were extreme.  In fact, temperatures during the Particle Era were considered drastically “cooler.”  Yet, “cool,” simply meant a staggering 18-trillion degrees Fahrenheit. #4 A World of Quarks and Antiquarks During the Particle Era, matter had not yet begun. No protons, neutrons, nor a single electron had been born.  However, during this odd epoch, the universe was filled with quarks and antiquarks.  Quarks serve as foundational particles, making up protons and neutrons.  However, when the Particle Era began, these particles were still unable to “stick” together. Hence, an endless sea of quark soup! #5 The Most Legendary War in History During the Particle Era, the universe begins pumping out equal amounts of matter and antimatter.  Antimatter is identical to its matter counterpart but with an opposite charge—for instance, quarks and antiquarks.  However, when the two particles come in contact, they instantly annihilate each other. All that is left is pure energy in the form of gamma rays. #6 Nuclear Strong Force Takes Hold Finally, all four fundamental forces were separate and unique during the Particle Era.  Plus, the universe had cooled enough for the strong nuclear force to take effect.  As the name denotes, this strongest of the forces firmly binds particles together, allowing nuclei to be created.  Ultimately, this is the first time the universe saw formal nuclei. Finally, matter! #7 We Could Have Been Pure Energy As mentioned previously, when matter and antimatter collide, they destroy each other, leaving only pure energy behind.  Therefore, had the universe permanently continued creating equal amounts of both matter and antimatter particles, the universe would have been pure energy.  Essentially, the universe would have remained a larger version of the big bang aftermath. #8 Nothing Could Have Never Existed Technically, had matter not won the legendary matter-antimatter battle, we would have never existed.  Indeed, the two particles would have continuously destroyed each other. Thus, disallowing any matter to exist. No planets, stars, galaxies, or anything else. After all, everything we know is made of matter. #9 We Are All Here Because of the Particle Era Matter comprises 100% of human beings.  You, your family, your friends, pets, and everybody else are made of it. Therefore, the matter-antimatter battle during the Particle Era ultimately created… us.  Basically, an event that lasted less than one millisecond gave way to everything we know in our existence. Mind blown? #10 One of the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries Somehow, in a seemingly dead-even match-up, matter won out over antimatter.  Plus, the entire war took place in less than one second during the Particle Era.  However, nobody has a clue how or why matter won. For all we know, antimatter could have just as easily won.  Fortunately, matter won, allowing life and everything we know to occur.  Yet, this remains one of astronomy’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

These are 10 fascinating facts about the Kuiper Belt. From the Kuiper Belt was predicted and then discovered to ices from the time our Solar System formed. So if you want to learn 10 Kuiper Belt facts, then this article is for you. Let’s jump right in! #1 The Kuiper Belt Is Way Out There The Kuiper Belt lies beyond the orbit of Neptune in our solar system.  In fact, the icy belt extends from 30 to 55 astronomical units out from the Sun.  In other words, that’s 2.8 – 5.1 billion miles out. #2 Predicted, Then Discovered Like many things in science, the Kuiper Belt was first predicted by Gerard Kuiper in 1951.  Only later, in 1992, did a team of astronomers observed the first Kuiper Belt Object after five years of scouring the skies. #3 Dear Kuiper Belt, Thank You for the Moons Planets Neptune and Saturn are believed to have gotten at least one of their moons from the Kuiper Belt.  Indeed, as large icy bodies became knocked loose, the gas giants roped them into their powerful gravity. #4 The Neighborhood of a Famous Planet The Kuiper Belt is home to several dwarf planets, such as Makemake, Haumea, and more.  However, the belt is also home to Pluto, our beloved former planet.  In fact, Pluto is the largest object in the Kuiper Belt.  Ultimately, planet or not, Pluto has a special place in our hearts and solar system! #5 The First Mission to the Kuiper Belt As of July 2015, a human spacecraft reached the Kuiper Belt.  NASA’s New Horizons mission official reached the belt as it approached the former planet, Pluto.  Originally blasting off from Cape Canaveral in 2006, the craft blazed at 36,000 miles per hour to reach the frozen target for nine years. #6 Close Encounter With a KBO After successfully reaching Pluto and captivating the world, NASA granted New Horizons an extended mission.  The craft is now en route to a Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), which it will reach in early 2019. #7 Snap, That’s a Lot of Comets The Kuiper Belt is believed to contain more than a trillion comets.  In fact, when the gravity of other objects knocks the comets free, they often enter our solar system.  Actually, several of the comets that frequent our inner- and outer solar system are thought to have originated in the Kuiper Belt. #8 Fascinating Retractable Atmospheres Indeed, our universe is full of bazaar objects.  However, some planets in the Kuiper Belt have retractable atmospheres.  As the planets grow increasingly farther from the Sun in their orbits, their atmospheres begin to collapse, only to appear again as they approach the Sun again. #9 Frozen Clues About the Solar System Ices in the Kuiper Belt date back to the time our solar system first formed. Because of this, the ice chunks give us valuable clues about conditions during this time.  In fact, our solar system’s formation is still one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries.  Therefore, scientists are eager to learn more about the Kuiper Belt, and in turn, our solar system. #10 One of Many Kuiper Belts Astronomers have observed Kuiper Belts surrounding at least nine other stars.  Actually, Hubble Space Telescope has even imaged such icy discs around two stars (HD 138664 and HD 53143).  While astronomers are eager to learn more about how and why such belts form, they are still a large mystery.