Intro
Hello curious minds of the internet and welcome back to my podcast, Curio6yx, where curiosity meets discovery! I'm your host, Luca, and in this episode, we'll embark on an interstellar journey. we'll traverse the cosmic terrain, exploring the scent of space, the redefinition of a celestial status, the concealed backdrop of the cosmos, the astronomical price of a space suit, the solar system's loftiest peak, and the intriguing enigma of orphan planets. So, without further ado, let's plunge into the boundless expanse that envelops our existence!
The Astronomical Cost of a Space Suit
Before venturing into outer space, it's essential to secure a space suit. Given that our bodies aren't inherently designed for space's inhospitable conditions, donning a space suit is vital to our survival and exploration. Have you ever contemplated the price tag on one of these remarkable garments? The answer may send shivers down your spine. A solitary space suit commands an astronomical sum, approximately 12 million dollars, to be precise. Two companies are responsible for crafting these technological marvels: ILC Dover, the manufacturer of the suit, and Collins Aerospace, the producer of the primary life support system. The current iteration, the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), was introduced in 1981. This semi-rigid, two-piece suit is available in two main variants: the baseline and the enhanced model. The baseline variant, which weighed approximately 50 kilograms, was retired in 2002 and is no longer in use. The enhanced version has not many differences, but one of them is that it is 5 kilos heavier.
A Cosmic Fragrance: "The Smell of Space”
In the realm of interstellar odyssey, one surprising revelation emerges—outer space is not entirely devoid of sound or scent. The unusual phenomenon of space having a distinctive aroma was initially disclosed by astronauts venturing outside their spacecraft during spacewalks. Their descriptions range from likening it to the scent of seared steak to that of hot metal. But what gives rise to this celestial bouquet? Curiously, it's not the vacuum of space that begets this scent, but rather the outcome of high-energy solar particles interacting with the materials within the astronauts' spacecraft. It's imperative to acknowledge that this unique "smell of space" phenomenon is confined to our solar system. Our cosmic excursions have yet to explore whether distant space possesses a similar olfactory signature.
The Subtle Cosmic Backdrop
Beyond the captivating aroma, our conventional depiction of space as an all-encompassing void, entirely devoid of colour, is, in fact, inaccurate. Standard optical telescopes and the human eye fail to discern any hue or detail within the space that intersperses stars and galaxies. However, the background of the cosmos conceals a subtle secret. This concealed radiance, which remains nearly uniform and unrelated to any celestial body, becomes perceptible through the discerning senses of a sufficiently sensitive radio telescope. The discovery of this background was accidental, done in 1965 by American radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, as the culmination of their work started 25 years before in 1940s.
When a Planet Loses Its Celestial Title
If you attended school before 2006, you're likely familiar with a cosmic conundrum involving a planet that inexplicably lost its planetary status. Enter Pluto, once celebrated as the ninth planet in our solar system, only to be stripped of its planetary classification in 2006. What mandated this celestial identity crisis? The shift was driven by an overhaul of the very definition of what constitutes a planet.
The redefined criteria now dictate that a celestial body must meet the following standards to be considered a planet:
Orbiting the Sun
Possessing sufficient mass to achieve hydrostatic equilibrium, resulting in a nearly spherical shape
Clearing the area around its orbit of other celestial debris
It's this final criterion that proved to be Pluto's celestial undoing. Pluto failed to meet this stipulation as its mass significantly pales in comparison to the combined mass of the other objects sharing its orbital path—only 0.07 times in contrast to Earth, which surpasses the remaining mass in its orbit by a staggering 1.7 million times.
The Tallest Summit in Our Solar System
While Mount Everest reigns as the tallest peak on our home planet, it's essential to recognise that terrestrial mountains aren't static entities. They continually shift and evolve due to the tectonic plate movements that shape our world. On other celestial bodies, where defining sea levels is often impossible due to the absence of surface water, mountain height is measured from base to summit or referenced to an equipotential surface or a reference ellipsoid when data permits. As a result, quantifying heights on other planets becomes a complex task.
The title of the tallest peak in our solar system is subject to ongoing debate due to imprecise data. Two candidates emerge: Olympus Mons on Mars, with an estimated height ranging from 21 to 26 kilometers, and the central peak of Rheasilvia on Vesta, measuring between 20 to 25 kilometers. Vesta, an asteroid nestled in the asteroid belt, boasts a mean diameter of 525 kilometers, with Rheasilvia standing as its most prominent mountain. The identity of our solar system's loftiest peak remains an intriguing mystery, and could possibly be located on an object not being a planet.
Orphan planets
Regarding celestial bodies, let's explore the concept of wandering planets, those not held by the pull of a parent star's gravity. These wanderers are often called orphan planets or rogue planets, and they break the usual rules of planet orbits by drifting freely through the vast expanse of the universe.
These mysterious anomalies pose a perplexing puzzle about their origins. Some orphan planets may have initially formed within a solar system but were later pushed away due to gravitational interactions with other celestial objects. Others might have never been bound to any star system and have roamed the cosmos from their very beginning.
What's particularly fascinating is the possibility of hidden oceans beneath the surface of these wandering planets. Despite the constant darkness and freezing temperatures of interstellar space, some scientists speculate that these planets could have subglacial oceans where life might exist, shielded from the harsh cosmic conditions.
The discovery of these orphan planets challenges our understanding of how planets form and broadens the horizons for the potential existence of extraterrestrial life.
Ourtro
As we wrap up this second episode of the podcast, I’d like to thank you all for joining me today and listening to these 6 curiosities. If you can think of someone who would enjoy listening to this short episode, please share it with them; this will help my audience to grow. If you enjoyed listening, or discovered something you didn’t know, please consider liking the episode and subscribing for more. If you have any feedback, please leave a comment down below or send us an email. And remember, the world is filled with amazing facts waiting to be discovered through our curious lens. Until next time, stay curious and keep seeking knowledge - with me, your host - here on Curio6yx.