Earth saved from disaster!
Article Abstract:
The Swift-Tuttle comet gained notoriety from a sensational Newsweek cover story describing in detail possible effects of its collision with Earth. Though the story noted that this was improbable, the magnitude of improbability was not stated. Non-gravitational factors accounted for a change in the comet's predicted return of 11 years, and the 15 days that it is now predicted to miss Earth seems close. If hard-to-predict non-gravitational factors can result in an 11 year change, they can result in a mere 15 day change. This is faulty probability. The real chance, given the 11 year span, is one in 10,000.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1992
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A distant candle
Article Abstract:
A type Ia supernova has been identified with a redshift that may help in calculating the cosmic density parameter omega. Saul Perlmutter and coworkers located the supernova, while Karl Glazebrook calculated the redshift at 0.457. Cosmologists hope that the measurement of omega based on this redshift value will help them forecast whether the Universe will grow forever or will eventually contract in on itself. However, further research is needed to confirm the assumed uniformity of type Ia supernovae, which result from exploding white dwarf stars.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1992
User Contributions:
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