The Mysteries of Space: Dark Energy

      While scientists today know a lot about our own world, they still don't fully understand the mysteries of space.  Dark energy is a force that makes up approximately 70% of the matter in our universe . . . However, due to it's obscure nature, scientists only know a bit about it.
      If you imagine galaxies as bright baseballs, the Big Bang would have flung them outward billions of years ago.  That is why the universe is expanding.  Now, scientists are faced with another query -- Will this process reverse or just keep going?  In order to figure this out, two teams of astronomers observed the galaxies that were farther out.  The past can be told from distant galaxies.  The farther the galaxies are, the farther you look into the past.  If the more remote galaxies are moving more quickly than the closer ones, then the rate of expansion is already slowing down.  The scientists found that the universe is actually expanding faster than it was before!  Consequently, it can be said that this rate will most probably keep increasing unless a greater force stops it.

      The mysterious source that results in a greatly expanding universe is called dark energy.  Dark energy is an elusive force; scientists don't know much aout it at all.  While its counterpart, dark matter, works to bring all the objects in space together, dark energy works against it.  Dark energy pulls objects apart at a far faster rate than dark matter can repel the force.  This is also due to the fact that there is much less dark matter in the world than there is dark energy.  When we think about dark energy, we don't think about it as too threatening.  It doesn't seem that way, does it?  However, if the expansion of the universe continues as it it is now, many distressing ramifications may come our way.
      Firstly, as the universe expands, the distance between individual planets and other astronomical objects becomes greater.  Thus, it would become even harder for us to reach other places in the wondrous vacuum of space and make life-changing discoveries.  This would prevent findings that could cure diseases or of new types of life on other planets.  Furthermore, and even more disturbingly, dark energy could cause individual cells to separate, which would be extremely detrimental to our livelihood.  Of course, this would happen very slowly, and would take tens of billions of years.  Dark energy would first distance galaxies, then solar systems, and then even separate planets.  Moreover, it could go on to separate the components of a planet such as our own.  Earth could be completely destroyed by dark energy.  Even if we managed to survive Earth's destruction, soon, we would be the ones being taken apart, cell by cell.  Although this is definitely an exaggerated account of what may very well happen if dark energy continues on its path, it defines the way dark energy works.
      The discovery and proof of dark energy in our universe is a major turning point for scientists everywhere.  We can learn a great amount by observing the effects of dark energy and how it can change the way we live.  Once we understand how the universe works, much more can be learned as well.

        I obtained my information from this article in TIME Magazine and a few episodes of Through the Wormhole, a series on the Science Channel.  My first picture came from here.  My second photograph can be found here.

~ Starflower794!!!

Japan's Realization: Nuclear Energy Is Not So Good After All

        Before the catastrophic events that occurred on March 11th, Japan was well on its way to producing 50% of its energy from nuclear power plants spread around the country.  However, now, after an earthquake caused dangerous predicaments to arise, Japan is realizing that nuclear energy is not the safest solution at all.

A nuclear power plant

        The country had decided to partly rely on nuclear energy in order to meet their pledge of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% of 1990 levels by 2020.  Most of the reduction of these gases was due to switching fossil fuels with nuclear power.  However, as proved by the frightening situation in Japan, nuclear energy is helpful but extremely hazardous.  Radiation is fatal to humans and can alter the code in DNA.  The effects are not pretty, ranging from hair loss to nausea and cancer or more serious sicknesses.  Sadly, only 1% of Japan's energy comes from renewable energy such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass.  And just 8% of the electricity comes from hydroelectric power (using water to produce energy).  All the rest of the energy comes from harmful sources such as nuclear and fossil fuels.
        Japan would do well to concentrate on the more beneficial, renewable energy sources.  It would easily be able to obtain the utilities needed to create power from these sources.  Moreover, the risk to humans is definitely less severe than nuclear energy.  The country would be able to save the environment and the many ecosystems in it while providing safe energy alternatives.  Greenhouse gas emissions would certainly decrease even more.  All in all, using renewable energy sources that are helpful towards the environment and safe will ultimately be a good idea for Japan and for the world.  


Some information I used can be found here and here.  My first picture came from here and my second picture came from here.  


~ Starflower794!