The World Around Us | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 25, 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||
THE WORLD AROUND US 11 Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 25, 2017 THE MANY FACES OF ROSETTA’S COMET 67P Images returned from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission indicate that during its most recent trip through the inner solar system, the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was a very active place—full of growing fractures, collapsing cliffs and massive rolling boulders. Moving material buried some features on the comet’s surface while exhuming others. “As comets approach the Sun, they go into overdrive and exhibit spectacular changes on their surface,” said Ramy El-Maarry, study leader and a member of the U.S. Rosetta science team from the University of Colorado, Boulder. “This is something we were not able to really appreciate before the Rosetta mission, which gave us the chance to look at a comet in ultra- high resolution for more than two years.” Most comets orbit our Sun in highly elliptical orbits that cause them to spend most of their time in the extremely cold outer solar system. When a comet approaches the inner solar system, the Sun begins to warm the ice on and near the comet’s surface. When the ice warms enough it can rapidly sublimate (turn directly from the solid to the vapor state). This sublimation process can occur with variable degrees of intensity and time-scales and cause the surface to change rapidly. Between August 2014 and September 2016, Rosetta orbited comet 67P during the comet’s swing through the inner-solar system. “We saw a massive cliff collapse and a large crack in the neck of the comet get bigger and bigger,” said El-Maarry. “And we discovered that boulders the size of a large truck could be moved across the comet’s surface a distance as long as one-and-a-half football fields.” In the case of the boulder, Rosetta’s cameras observed a 282-million-pound, 100-feet-wide space rock to have moved 150 yards from its original position on the comet’s nucleus. The massive space rock probably moved as a result of several outburst events that were detected close to its original position. The warming of 67P also caused the comet’s rotation rate to speed up. The comet’s increasing spin rate in the lead-up to perihelion is thought to be responsible for a 1,600-foot-long fracture spotted in August 2014 that runs through the comet’s neck. The fracture, which originally extended a bit longer than the Empire State Building is high, was found to have increased in width by about 100 feet by December 2014. Furthermore, in images taken in June 2016, a new 500- to 1,000-foot-long fracture was identified parallel to the original fracture. “The large crack was in the ‘neck’ of the comet—a small central part that connects the two lobes,” said El-Maarry. “The crack was extending—indicating that the comet may split up one day.” “Understanding how comets change and evolve with time gives us important insights into the types and abundance of ices in comets, and how long comets can stay in the inner solar system before losing all their ice and becoming balls of dust,” said El-Maarry. “This helps us better understand the conditions of the early solar system, and possibly even how life started.” Comets are time capsules containing primitive material left over from the epoch when the Sun and its planets formed. Rosetta was the first spacecraft to witness at close proximity how a comet changes as it is subjected to the increasing intensity of the Sun’s radiation. You can contact Bob Eklund at: b.eklund@ MtnViewsNews.com. OUT TO PASTOR A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder CHRISTOPHER Nyerges FINDING SANITY IN AN INSANE WORLD [Nyerges is the author of “Self-Sufficient Home,” “How to Survive Anywhere,” and other books. He leads classes and does a weekly podcast at Preparedness Radio Network. He can be reached at School of Self-reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.com] This morning I ran up to the mountain with energetic vitality. Through city streets I ran, garbed in only my running shorts and shoes, intent on reaching the mountain. It was still early when I arrived at the base of the mountain. I walked into the large field of dry grass that filled the gap between the canyon to the east and the eroding ridgeline to the west. The mountains were calm; large clouds like wads of cotton rolled lazily over the mountain, merging with the gray foggy bleakness of the morning. The smell of pine and sage was strong as I filled my pulsating chest with the sweet aroma. I was still trying now to "catch" my breath after my last sprint to the top. Insects buzzed about, attracted to my sweat. I heard and saw small animals scurrying about, either pursuing or being pursued. A few occasional birds graced the morning with their short but attractive poetic song. I looked to get the feel of the mountain, the field, the day. I stretched my arms in front of me and opened my palms to the mountain. I recalled something I read in a book called Thinking and Destiny: Speaking of a past age on this earth, the author wrote, "At the height of the fire age, the foremost among the fire people needed only their bodies to accomplish what they wished. Four fingers were used: the index finger for fire, the middle finger for air, the third finger for water, and the little finger for earth. With the fingers of the left hand they sensed; and with those of the right hand they directed a stream of the units of the elements....The thumbs were used either to feel, or to direct, unify, or accentuate the streams." I was less ambitious; I just wanted to feel, to communicate without words. I let the energy flow through my arms and out my palms and into the essence of my surroundings. That's how you talk to a mountain -- unspoken communication through strong feeling. I sat under a tree and the mushrooms who lived there demanded that I say "hello." I sat there for a moment thinking, exploring, and resting before I would run back into the city. People passed by on the trail, some examining plants, and others more taken up by inner examinations. I wondered: why the great exodus from our centers of civilization to a mountain, a lake, an ocean, a river? I followed this thought. Many are prisoners of their own thinking and live their lives in silent desperation, floating like a leaf in the wind of society's praise, denial, approval, and scorn. But the steps you must take to be educated, to earn a living, to improve yourself, and to strengthen yourself need not necessarily be the steps of others that you blindly and unquestionably follow. And all too often society's "leaders" have no idea themselves where they are "taking us." Sometimes you must follow your own voice, albeit the path is harder and you are a pioneer upon it. I continued to sit, considering this thought, and its ramifications. The early morning breeze rustled the pine and a few needles danced upon my head. A ray of light shone through the clouds, and a lone gliding bird disappeared in distant trees. I thought of my work, my battle with the counterfeit so I don't become another corpse along the roadside. I was up, and I ran back down to the city. Pain is the next frontier. Later in the day, I went grocery shopping. I strapped my panniers onto my bicycle and rode in a logical direction. First, I filled an ice cream bag with edible fairy ring mushrooms (Marasmius oreades) that I gathered from several of the local lawns. One lady assured me that I could have all the "toadstools" and dandelions from her yard that I wanted. She reminisced about many years ago when she was visiting a friend in Europe. They picked wild fresh mushrooms every night for supper, and she remembered how delicious they had been. She stood over me as I carefully picked the best mushrooms in the circles on her lawn, apparently amused by my activity. Then I pulled out my digging tool and I filled another bag with dandelion roots that I later cleaned, dried, roasted, and ground for dandelion coffee. As the sun was getting low, I visited a friend in Altadena who let me pick prickly pears and saguaro cactus fruit from his yard. This was the first time I'd eaten the saguaro fruit with its whitish flesh and seedy insides. They were excellent! My packs were now bulging. Riding back to my abode now, I observed many natal plum bushes with most of their fruit rotting on the bush. I passed many carob trees whose unused fruit was being raked into the gutter by a disgruntled resident. I could only shake my head, though I had no words to utter. Memories flooded my mind as I rode my bicycle into the red setting sun. I recalled the many times I obtained boxes of slightly inferior but perfectly edible produce from the bins behind the markets. I recalled the time my friend Drew and I ate lunch out of a local school's trash bin. It was full of thrown- away lunches -- peanut butter sandwiches, tuna and baloney sandwiches, oranges, tangerines, bananas, potato chips and apples. Drew and I had just finished conducting a wild food outing in the hills above Monrovia, and then we found ourselves city-foraging as well. It seems that some trash cans around town are goldmines. I swerved to avoid a turning driver who didn't see me. It was getting dark now. As I entered home stretch, I wondered why the incredible, fantastic wealth of this country continues to be wasted and taken for granted. Why must it be flushed down the toilet, tossed in the trash, or carelessly abandoned? The solutions to ALL the Earth's problems are extant today, but we foolishly believe that we can do nothing, that we must wait for a leader, a bureaucrat, a savior. Individually, we must do all we can to awaken our nervous systems from our own slumber, and to discipline our minds to see the biggest possible picture. We must bravely take our personal individual action. I recall the words of Robert Rodale: "If enough people start living sanely, they may gain the courage and the desire to try to create a world that is itself sane." Good advice! A SUSPICIOUS MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE I have discovered over the years several types of minds. The “open mind” which catches everything except the truth. The “analytical mind” which organizes everything to the point of sterility. The “closed mind” which you can bounce ideas and they never stick. For every man, there is the “woman’s mind.” Every husband knows if he wants to change his wife’s mind, all he has to do is agree with her. Finally, the “political mind,” which for all practical purposes is an oxymoron. Politicians obviously do not have a mind of their own. They change their mind so often you hardly know who they are. I find most people’s minds are like beds – all made up and tucked neatly away. Many of these people have sound minds – sound asleep, that is. The most valuable mind is the suspicious mind. It is in this frame of mind that the real picture has developed for me. An incident several years ago illustrated this to me. We received one of those calls every American gets at least once a month. An invitation to come to Daytona Beach and spend two nights at a motel on the beach. The sponsor even offered to throw in breakfast, which we promptly threw out (or was it “up?”). It all sounded wonderful. My wife and I had never stayed on the beach and thought it would be an excellent opportunity. Eagerly we said “yes” thrilled with the prospect. “Oh, by the way,” the young woman on the telephone said, “you will be required to listen to a 90-minute presentation.” It was then my suspicious mind kicked in. To be more honest, the kick came from my wife, who had the suspicious mind. “Is there anything we have to buy?” my wife made me ask the delightful woman on the telephone. “Absolutely nothing,” she said so cheerily, I believed her. My wife, “Miss Suspicion,” did not buy it for a second. Finally, I convinced her to go and I arranged with the woman on the telephone for the two nights on the beach. Looking back on this incident, I realize a suspicious mind does come in handy. I must confess (which is hard for me to do) my wife’s suspicious mind has saved us from a few potentially disastrous situations. (But you didn’t hear it from me.) When we arrived at the Daytona Beach office, they greeted us most graciously. I was smiling a smile that said, “See, I told you this was going to be great.” The cordial receptionist gave us a key to our room and easy-to-follow directions to our motel on the beach and, best of all, coupons for supper for two at a fancy restaurant. So far, everything promised to be a magnificent adventure. Just as I picked up the key, the lady reminded us of the 90-minute presentation. We had to sign up for a time that was “convenient for y’all.” All I could see was that gregarious smile and the beach. As the glaze thickened over my eyes, I signed up. Then we were off. While I was smiling, my wife was mumbling something like, “This is a mistake. I know there is a catch somewhere. Nothing is free.” Being the sophisticated husband I am with a vast, cultivated vocabulary at my disposal, I said nothing. There is a time to speak, but every husband knows it is usually not when in the presence of his wife. We had a great time. The beach was wonderful and late that night we enjoyed a marvelous supper. Everything was going along quite nicely and we drifted off to sleep listening to the waves rhythmically massage the beach outside our window. Then the time came for the 90-minute presentation. It was quite educational. I learned my wife was right all along. The “catch” she worried about was called a “timeshare.” Timeshare is an interesting concept. First, you must buy a week (or two if you like). At that point, I was ready to sign up. My pen was dripping ink ready to sign anything, anywhere. Then my wife began asking questions. It’s a good thing she did. That is when we learned another thing about timeshares. After one buys a week, the cost has just begun. Of course, they told us, we must pay property taxes on “our property.” Then there are monthly maintenance fees and insurance premiums. We learned the word “share” in timeshare means we share all our money with them. By the time she finished her presentation, there were more fees on our timeshare than fleas on a West Virginia hound dog. That was not the worst of it though. When our week came, we were expected to “rent” our own room to stay in it. When the woman got through with her 90-minute presentation (which actually took three hours), timeshare made as much sense to me as renting underwear. There are times when a suspicious mind does come in handy, but not always. Sometimes I appreciate trusting someone without any fear. But, who? The antidote for a suspicious mind is found in the Bible. The Old Testament prophet understood this when he wrote, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). There are many things to be suspicious about, but when I come to Jesus Christ, I can relax. He gives me peace of mind because He is easy to trust. Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com. See us online at: www.mtnviewsnews.com Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com | ||||||||||||||||||||