Abstract This paper describes Eratosthenes' calculation of the Earth's diameter, based on one assumption and two measurements, that the Earth was a sphere and that the two measurements made are the degree of the Earth's shadow at noon at two points and the distance between those points. It outlines how this experiment can be repeated by measuring the degree of the shadows cast at two locations either directly north or south of each other at noon on the same day and details the equipment required, the measurements to be taken and the mathematical equations involved.
From the Paper "Eratosthanes used the city of Syene in Egypt as the first point. This point was selected because it was known that on noon on the first day of summer the sun was directly overhead. This was known because people observed that at this time, the buildings cast no shadows (York University). Therefore, the degree of the shadow at Syene was 0o.
Eratosthanes then needed to know the degree of the shadow at another point either directly north or directly south, at the same time of day. Eratosthanes selected Alexandria as the second city. The degree of the sun's shadow was measured and found to be 7.2o (HEASARC)."
Abstract This paper examines why Earth is the only planet in our solar system capable of sustaining life and how it is the only planet that has plentiful liquid water and an atmosphere that can protect the planet from the harmful ultra-violet rays of the Sun. The paper attempts to determine what makes Earth so special by using comparative planetology to understand what makes Earth a habitat for life and what makes it so different from the other planets in our solar system.
From the Paper "If we were to look at Earth as a starting point to compare the other eight planets in our solar system, the first thing we notice from space is the magnificent blue color and swirls of clouds. This is an inviting sight and is the first hint at why life is found on our planet. Earth has many features that the other planets do not have. Earth has many features that make it unique. Earth is made of rock and metal. It is one of the four terrestrial planets and has the largest Moon in the solar system. Earth has abundant volcanic activity because of its size in comparison to the other terrestrial planets. With the abundance of water and oxygen, Earth's atmosphere stays in balance and is able to continue supporting life. The liquid oceans help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the presence of a stratosphere helps protect the surface from the deadly ultra-violet rays of the Sun. Another unique feature of Earth is plate tectonics. Plate tectonics acts as giant conveyor belt that moves the mantle of Earth around, which constantly changes the look of our planet. Although Earth's interior needs much more exploration, scientists can tell about the composition of the deepest regions of Earth by using seismic waves following an earthquake. By reading this seismic data carefully, scientists get a better understanding of interior Earth."
Abstract This paper discusses how ecological footprints, effective ecological tools used to help maintain our world, impose many questions in sustaining the earth's life. Charts are included with the paper.
Defining Our Ecological Footprint
Dependency on Nature
Carrying Capacity of Cities and Earth Comparison between Countries
Natural Capita: Effects on the Earth Impact of the World Economies
Solutions
From the Paper "The world economy has a great impact on the ecological footprints of the world. Every country wants to obtain economic growth to produce more money. But in doing this, they have to deplete their natural capital, which in turn, is not helping in sustaining this world. As William Rees states, "there is simply not enough on the planet to sustain present international development trends using prevailing technologies" (Westra and Werhane ed. 1998, 115). So something drastic has to be done. As the ecological footprints of humans are already too large for the earth to handle, how can we accommodate the rising materials and rising in population, while trying to sustain the earth. Most analysts agree that it can happen in two ways: through a reduction in the standard of living or through the increase in material and energy efficiency (Westra and Werhane ed. 1998, 115). These two issues also apply problems, through cultural, economic, and social values. Especially in the more developed countries. To lower the standard of living would be outright rejected in the more developed countries such as Canada and the U. S. So indeed, most people agree that "global sustainability is achievable only through large increases in the consumption of goods and services in both poorer and richer countries" (Westra and Werhane ed. 1998, 115). But still a problem arises. There will still be inequity in the growth of the more and less developed countries. It seems the richer get richer and the poorer get poorer. A consensus seems to be emerging though. They say that the needed consumption will work if there is a reduction in the material energy costs of goods and services. "
Abstract This paper takes a critical look at the book "Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe", by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee. It discusses their theories of the beginning of life on Earth and additional theories to life on other planets. It challenges their research and data and offers other explanations and theories.
From the Paper "Was the occurrence of complex life on the planet Earth an isolated event or simply the next logical step in evolution? Ward and Brownlee seem to believe complex life is unique to our home world or at least extremely scarce in the Universe.1 In addition to the factors in their Rare Earth equation, mentioned in their book are some specific factors peculiar to Earth that may have affected the development of complex life. Beginning with the planet Mars, W&B argue that the fossil record shows that the cooling Earth developed bacterial life as soon as conditions permitted. They suggest that this may be because the bacteria first developed on Mars, which cooled earlier, and that perhaps Earth was then seeded with these bacteria carried by meteorites reaching our planet after having been ejected from Mars by asteroid impacts. The low gravity of Mars makes this more likely, and it is estimated that ten percent of meteors ejected from Mars may impact Earth. A system lacking a Mars-like planetary companion might have been slower to develop bacterial life."
Abstract This essay details several ways to make our life on Earth better from an environmental point of view. It analyzes Thomas Berry's 'The Great Work', a standard work in the eyes of the ecological community discussing the progress of commerce and its relationship with the Earth. Berry encourages the work of changing the world's perspective from within by changing individuals to recognize a "new" reality actually as old as time itself. It also discusses the progress being done towards 'The Great Work' as well as other progress.
From the Paper "Thomas Berry's The Great Work is a standard in the ecological community, albeit from what may have been at first considered an unusual source: the author, after all, is an ordained Catholic monk. Long before Berry was a religious thinker, however, he was a boy gifted with a unique insight into the world, specifically the American world around him. He has followed that vision to illuminate"with a poet's lyricism"the contrast between what is needed, an interdependence on the earth, versus the "dam, plow and pave" mentality he found so prevalent in this culture growing up."
Abstract This paper is an examination of life on Earth from its humble beginnings on through the remarkably fecund Cambrian period. Among other things, this paper looks at the Earth's own unlikely beginning, the slow development of life on its surface and the perils it faces. Of special interest, the paper devotes a great deal of time to possible explanations for the recrudescence that took place during the Cambrain period.
From the Paper "The origins of life on earth have fascinated and engrossed scientists for generations. This fascination, of course, should not be surprising: as human beings, we have an instinctive need to know our past - perhaps because knowing our past gives our lives meaning and context and informs our present and future. Whatever the case may be, the study of life's origins has long been one of the chief pursuits of the scientific community. With this in mind, the following chapter will examine the history of life on planet Earth from the earliest days of our planet, on through the period in which the first simple, multi-cellular organisms emerged, to the "Cambrian Explosion" and the marvelous profusion of life that it created. "
Abstract An essay that describes market liberalism (otherwise known as libertarian economics) from the point of view of Al Gore. It is supposed to be part of an imaginary "new edition" of his extensive treatise on ecology and government, Earth in the Balance. It can also stand on its own as an opinion paper about environmental abuses by modern industry, and the worth of government regulation.
Abstract This paper illustrates the many flaws that were involved in the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil. The paper argues that, although the summit started with good intentions, it only stood to perpetuate globalization and allow transnational corporations to run roughshod over indigenous peoples.
From the Paper "The Earth Summit of 1992 appeared to be a new beginning for the environmental movement. Many world leaders gathered in Rio de Janeiro to discuss the various effects of the human race on this planet and to offer solutions to pressing problems such as global warming, biodiversity, and poverty. The world has come a long way from that point; many blocks of sustainable development have come into being and various ideologies have developed, but few have become relevant to creating sustainability everywhere."
Abstract This paper briefly describes the functions of the moon. It looks at the magnetic forces and fields and how these impact the solar system. It also discusses the history of the development of knowledge that scientists have about the moon.
From the Paper "The lunar crust is composed of a variety of primary elements, including uranium, thorium, potassium, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, titanium, calcium, aluminum and hydrogen (Korotev, 2004). When bombarded by cosmic rays, each element bounces back into space its own radiation, in the form of gamma rays. Some elements, such as uranium, thorium and potassium, are radioactive and emit gamma rays on their own. However, regardless of what causes them, gamma rays for each element are all different from one another - each produces a unique spectral "signature", detectable by a spectrometer."
Abstract This paper discusses how the Earth compared to the sun, its moon, and the nine planets in its solar system is extremely unique. Not only does it have unique surface features, but its weather, atmosphere, and size is original when compared to other bodies in space. Then, through an examination of the different properties of the other celestial bodies, the paper also attempts to show how the Earth has similarities to the nine planets when describing how the planets and their atmospheres were formed.
From the Paper "The Earth is the third planet from the Sun being about 93 million miles from the Sun and in one planetary year circles the Sun 365 days of 24 hours each. Its diameter is 7,926 miles and has one moon. Earth is the densest planet in our solar system. It has an iron core, a mantle, and crust with an atmosphere made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases. The temperature of Earth ranges from -127 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Antarctica, to 136 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Africa. The surface features of Earth consist of mountains, faults, volcanoes, cliffs, oceans, rivers, and ice caps. The hydrosphere is the water on or near the Earth's surface. The Earth is unique among the planets because 70% of its surface is covered by oceans. The main difference between Earth and other planets is its ability to support life. Vegetation and organisms are prominent all over the globe. This is possible because of the climate, atmosphere, and general living conditions. "
Abstract This paper explains that the 21st chant of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" can be divided into four main parts: The first two lines function as an introduction of the basic themes, which are developed throughout the rest of the chant; the next three lines (line 3 to line 5) focus on the theme of the night, or rather the Night; lines 6 to 13 develop the theme of the Earth and, finally, the last two lines synthesise the whole in a notion of universal Love. The author points out that the first two lines of the chant take the form of a statement, which once again evokes the style and melody of Biblical poetry and especially the expression "I am he that...". The paper relates that Nature is seen from a cosmic point of view; the reader gets glimpses of the air, the water, the earth, as if the basic elements of the universe are uniting.
From the Paper "The vision of the Night which has shrouded the Earth is maintained throughout the third part too but without actually mentioning the Night itself. We have the allusion to sleep as the trees are "slumbering", the poet also uses the expressions "departed sunset" and "misty-topt" mountains. We have a whole nightscape by the end of the third part with the image of the "full moon" and the "dark... tide of the river". He proceeds from a description of a landscape to the creation of a more imaginary one, of a poetic landscape ("liquid trees"). It is also intensely personal, we have the unclear vision of a dreamer, and it is partly surreal and distorted. The description is freed from control of reason and consciousness."
Abstract This paper analyzes the history of illusions and the effect they have had on the intellectual development of the western world. The paper discusses the roots of the problem of the moon allusion in philosophy and the crossover into psychology. An outline is presented of what the moon illusion is, illustrating the issues of size and distance of the moon. The paper provides some of the common responses to the moon allusion by people like Baird and Wagner, Kaufman and Rock, Parks, and Reed. The implications for both science and philosophy for the various outcomes achieved by the researchers are examined.
From the Paper "Open up any philosophical text, from the elementary textbook, Does the Center Hold? by Donald Palmer to the Oxford History of Western Philosophy. The first entry in the book will be Socrates. Even as far back as that, and probably further back than that, people have been concerned with the problems of perception. Idealism, realism, skepticism. How do we know what we know when the world can change so frequently, so fast. If our senses sometimes deceive us, and they tend to deceive us often, how can we rely upon them to tell us about the outside world. Perhaps it was when these questions were first posed that the science of psychology was first born."
Abstract The paper describes the geology of the moon as determined by samples brought back from the moon and gravitational and magnetic studies carried out by the Apollo and Lunar Prospector missions. It describes the types of minerals found on the moon, and how the various geologic features were formed.
Abstract This paper discusses the moon imagery in Shelley's novel and as it relates to her personal life. By associating these ideas of nature, society and man with their respective symbols of the moon, societal traits and the monster, Shelley connected the story of "Frankenstein" to her life. It shows how the moon is used to pinpoint important ideas of "Frankenstein" in relation to the popular opinions during Shelley's time and to indicate her personal connection to characters in the story.
From the Paper "The Romantic authors considered nature to be pure, void of corruption by society. Although society caused corruption, individuals, at birth, were also pure entities. These ideas existed before the Romantic era, delineated by John Locke during the late seventeenth century. Locke addressed a hypothetical situation: ?man in the state of nature.? He concluded that, before despoiled by society, man's mind is a "tabula rasa" or blank slate (Palmer 307). The monster, when he initially emerges from Frankenstein's house, is the perfect embodiment of purity. When the monster discovers the moon, he exists in a world of indistinct chaos, feeling only "light, hunger, and thirst, and darkness" (Shelley 88). The monster's elemental existence is a reproduction of the ideas of man's untainted state at birth."
Abstract This paper analyzes William Least Heat Moon's "Blue Highways", which is an account of his journey along the back roads of the United States. The papers relates that Heat Moon's writing style is so compelling that the reviewer feels as if he is riding along in the passenger seat. A central theme of the story is that, even in Heat Moon's search for his ancestral roots, the only thing that is constant is change.
Table of Contents:
The Adventure
Change: A Constant Theme Throughout
From Beginning to End and Past to Present
From the Paper "It seems that the looming issues in Heat Moon's life were a major influence on his decision to set out on this journey. After losing his wife to another man and losing his job, he decided to head out on a search for forgotten parts of America and the American experience by traveling the old back roads through old towns. This is an attempt to see passed the superficial nature of modern American culture by connecting with himself and nature by admiring idyllic, and not so idyllic, landscapes."
