silent thunder Posted July 12, 2023 A recent series of images returned from Mars, showing the Earth and its Moon. It puts me in mind of Carl Sagan's incredibly insightful and moving poem about our Earth, inspired by photographs of Earth sent back to us by Voyager I decades ago. I revisit it regularly and its impact on my psyche, so penetrating and expanding, never ceases to amaze. Figured I'd share it here again for those who may appreciate. The Pale Blue Dot. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted July 13, 2023 Ahhh ... the Earth , also full of water .... and atmosphere (air ) and , that very rare commodity (at least in our solar system ); fire . Does fire exist anywhere else ? ( hint ; oxygen is required ) . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted July 13, 2023 smaller than a grain of sand among the countless galaxies, yet home to countless beings! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lairg Posted July 13, 2023 5 minutes ago, old3bob said: smaller than a grain of sand among the countless galaxies, yet home to countless beings! Apparently planets bearing life forms, such as humans, are quite rare. Maybe we should look after this one 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted July 13, 2023 Go into a flower in enough detail and one will find it reflects the rest of the universe... Indra's Net 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted July 13, 2023 16 hours ago, Nungali said: Ahhh ... the Earth , also full of water .... and atmosphere (air ) and , that very rare commodity (at least in our solar system ); fire . Does fire exist anywhere else ? ( hint ; oxygen is required ) . this could be interesting to see: "Fires can't start in space itself because there is no oxygen – or indeed anything else – in a vacuum. Yet inside the confines of spacecraft, and freed from gravity, flames behave in strange and beautiful ways. They burn at cooler temperatures, in unfamiliar shapes and are powered by unusual chemistry.Sep 16, 2020 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lairg Posted July 13, 2023 Not a lot of chemists around here! Meanwhile Google tells us: You can have a fire without oxygen if you have some other oxidizer. Like fluorine, for example. Fluorine is a better oxidizer than oxygen, so fluorine fires are especially nasty. Fluorine will burn things you normally think of as unburnable, like sand. And asbestos. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted July 14, 2023 6 hours ago, old3bob said: this could be interesting to see: "Fires can't start in space itself because there is no oxygen – or indeed anything else – in a vacuum. Yet inside the confines of spacecraft, and freed from gravity, flames behave in strange and beautiful ways. They burn at cooler temperatures, in unfamiliar shapes and are powered by unusual chemistry.Sep 16, 2020 reference please .... I want more .... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted July 14, 2023 ok, I was just randomly seraching: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
