Abstract This paper describes the origin of meteors, their composition and properties. The author explains the source of light and color of meteors, their speed and size. The paper gives some features of major meteor showers such as the Leonid and Perseid.
From the Paper "The smallest units in the solar system, which can be observed with the naked eye, are meteoroids and they range in size from large fragments of asteroids and comets to small micro-meteoroids. Most meteoroid streams come from..."
Abstract This paper first examines the extinction of the dinosaurs being caused by a meteor strike or several meteor strikes that wiped out nearly all life on earth nearly 250 years ago. The paper then discusses how scientists all over the world continue to search for evidence of a approaching meteors. Finally the paper explores what the potential consequences would be were a similar meteor strike to approach Earth as it did 250 million years ago.
From the Paper "Scientists researching the ancient eras of the Earth seem convinced that some of the major catastrophes that wiped out so much of life on Earth was caused by a meteor strike, or several such strikes. 'Earth's greatest mass extinction--an Armageddon that wiped out nearly all life on the planet 250 million years ago--may have been triggered by a massive meteor collision like the one that millions of years later helped end the reign of the dinosaurs, a team of scientists reported...The extinction is called 'The Great Dying,' because it wiped out 90% of ocean species and 70% of those on land' (McFarling A1)"
Tags: extinction dinosaurs, the great dying, meteorites
Abstract This paper examines the Leonids meteor shower. The Leonids meteor shower occurs every November and was particularly active in November 2001. This paper explains the origins and importance of the Leonids meteor shower.
Abstract This creative writing essay presents an accounting of a scenario in which a meteor hits the planet Earth, destroying all living things. Hundreds of years after the collision, someone stumbles across what used to be a home, and tries to figure out what the artifacts left in the house were used for before the meteor crash.
From the Paper "We arrived on planet Earth this morning and began our expedition with little hope of finding anything useful for our research. Earth has been a dead planet for hundreds of years and we know that there is no life form existing on it. As we begin to disembark however our scout conveyed that he found what appears to be a dwelling form the structure people. The structure people are those who lived here on Earth hundreds of years ago. We so named them the structure people because of the structures that they used to live in. The structures are long gone because the elements on Earth have destroyed them but the scout found a location of a former structure in which some things have been preserved."
Abstract This paper explains how there is proof that earth has been bombarded by meteors in the past. These meteors have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, provided iron to jump-started the Iron Age, and caused a crater in Arizona. The possibility of a 1 km-sized meteor striking Earth, or even Duluth for that matter, is slim. This paper discusses the possible ramifications of such an event in the future.
From the Paper "Earth is a target for destruction, but it's not aliens or terrorists who are planning its ruin. Meteors have assaulted the Earth ever since our home planet came into existence, and they continue to bombard the Earth with broken pieces from asteroids and comets. Some of these results have been disastrous, and some have furthered along human development. In my essay, I hope to show that these meteors have crash-landed on Earth in the past, that meteors do pose a threat to Earth, and evidence for the need for protection against them."
Abstract This paper looks at the numerous theories that have been presented over time regarding the reason for dinosaur extinction. The author discusses explanations such as a sudden catastrophic event, like a meteor hitting the earth or a volcanic eruption, and also slow, environmental causes like global warming or shifting plate tectonics.
From the Paper "First, around the time of the mass extinction of the dinosaurs there was a global climate change. During this time, the environment changed from the warm and mild one present in the Mesozoic era to the cooler one of the Cenozoic. Second, evidence exists to support a massive terrestrial disturbance at the end of the Cretaceous period that included soot in the air, acid rain, the emission of poisonous gases, and a cooling similar to that of a nuclear winter. This terrestrial disturbance caused periods of darkness on the earth as well as a global greenhouse effect. Third, the dinosaurs were only one species that became extinct during this time. According to scientific evidence, approximately 60 percent of all species below the line of the K-T boundary did not exist above that line."
Abstract This paper explains the composition of comets and clarifies what happens that gives them their shimmering appearance. It explains the various types of comets and elucidates the close link between the orbit of comets and the orbit of meteor showers. It lists the commonly seen features when a comet is near the sun and concludes by looking at factors resulting in a change in the behavior of a comet.
From the Paper "In outer space there are many things that man is still trying to fathom, and he has been intrigued by many things high up in the sky, but yet has not been able to figure out what they are or what they may mean. The field of astrology is one that began thousands of years ago with the Egyptians being the first known astronomers. They were the ones who created the first map of the North Star that is used till today to trace the movements of our planet and the heavenly bodies around it."
Abstract "The earth has evolved in geologic terms, but it has also evolved in terms of the life that teems upon it. All the change that can be seen and inferred has to be explained. The argument in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was divided into two camps, the catastrophists and the uniformitarianists.
From the Paper "The earth has evolved in geologic terms, but it has also evolved in terms of the life that teems upon it. All the change that can be seen and inferred has to be explained. The argument in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was divided into two camps, the catastrophists and the uniformitarianists. The catastrophists explained the changes by resorting to cosmic violence, to a succession of catastrophes that bring about change suddenly. The uniformitarianists saw the earth evolving in a uniform manner over time. Both groups agreed that catastrophes do play a role in the evolution of the earth and that catastrophes still occur to reshape portions of the earth's surface or to bring about biological changes in a relatively short time. However, this is different from holding that a ..."
Abstract The paper reviews and discusses Bob Berman's "Secrets of the Night Sky: The Most Amazing Things in the Universe You Can See with the Naked Eye", written for amateur astronomers but enjoyed by the advanced as well. The paper describes the factors that make the book so successful, including helpful tips, witty prose, colorful illustrations and the dispelling of the myth that one needs expensive equipment to enjoy the night sky. It also gives an overview of the various chapters in the book.
From the Paper "One of the strongest features of Berman's book is his strong and witty prose. He clearly intends this book to entertain the audience as well as educate, and he is truly successful in his aim. The book is engaging and interesting, and most readers will have a difficult time setting the book down. Berman liberally applies clever analogies, enhancing the readability of his book. The book is simply packed with endless insights and metaphors that make it engaging and conversational. Berman's conversational tone is humorous and captivating. For example, in his lengthy discussion of time he notes that "misconceptions about time hatch as readily as cuckoo eggs"."
Abstract Adolph Hitler is undoubtedly one of the most important historical figures of the 20th century. During his reign in Germany as a dictator, he made a tremendous impact on the events that happened on the European continent. His tyrannical rule, which surprisingly, had the support of the majority of the German people, coupled with his imperialistic notions, created a new chapter in European history. The paper shows that the intriguing aspect of Hitler's life is how he managed to rise from, literally, an unknown person to the position of "Fuhrer of Germany". Several historians have been interested in this meteoric rise of Hitler and have studied the sudden transition of his life, offering their own interpretations. The paper explores this aspect of Hitler's life in detail by studying the thoughts of different historians so as to gain a better picture of Hitler's life and the mystery behind his magnetic personality.
From the Paper "The Great Depression in the early 1930's was one of the main reasons contributing to Hitler's success. The Weimar government was not able to standup to the economic crisis, which left millions of German's without job. People who so far showed little interest in politics were lending their ears to new radical parties in the hope of an economic revival. There was an intense yearning for a leader of the status of "Kaiser" and the instability of the Weimar republic provided a fertile ground for Hitler and his Nazi party. The policies of the Nazi party attracted the German people who saw it as the only hope in chaotic situation. One of the main points of action promised by the Nazis was the reunion of the German people who were segregated from the mainland due to the implications of the treaty of Versailles."
Abstract This paper begins with a look at the meteoric rise of computer technology and the computer industry. It then discusses the accompanying rise of "spam", unsolicited electronic mail messages, and its impact on professional organizations. The paper gives evidence that organizations lack the necessary policies to deal with the threat that Spam poses. It then suggests that standardized methods and polices for dealing with spam must be established and even monitored and enforced by a worldwide organization.
From the Paper "With these advances in computing hardware and software, the internet has grown and transformed the world of communications and will eventually change the way commerce and business are conducted. An example of how things have changed: my nephew attends a local London elementary school and he has a pen-pal in an elementary school in India. Their email letters, after being converted to the infamous zero's and ones and then converted into internet ready information packets, take only seconds to travel the thousands of miles that physically separates the children. Email has revolutionized communications."
Abstract This paper discusses how, following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the popularity of President George W. Bush rose to meteoric levels, despite having previously experienced mediocre support from the public. It attempts to explain this sudden surge in popularity by exploring two competing theories. It looks at how the classic "rally around the flag" theory is a viable option, as is the theory that the support of the President during times of national crisis comes about mainly through the selective flow of information through the media and other channels that is biased in favor of the President's policies.
From the Paper "The U.S. invasion of Iraq happened not long after the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks on America. Patriotic sentiments were already running very high at this time. The United State and its people were feeling a sense of solidarity as never before. We had been attacked as a nation, and there is nothing like an unprovoked attack on a whole nation to draw that nation together as one. All of a sudden, we were no longer individuals who wee American, we were American as a whole. When George W. Bush acted to take retaliatory measures against those who would have done us harm, we were behind him one hundred percent. He acted as a central rallying figure behind whom we could all throw our support to show our solidarity in the eyes of the world."
Abstract This paper examines the reasons for the Enron debacle, the ethical issues involved, and how Enron was able to hide its precarious financial position from the public until the very end. It discusses how the meteoric rise and fall of Enron Corporation is a classic example of how market euphoria in times of an extended bull-run, individual greed, conflict of interest, disregard for ethical business, and unrelenting focus on increasing share value can combine to spell disaster.
Outline
Enron's Birth: The Beginning of the End?
Enron's Risky Operations
Ethical Issues
Raptor Oddities
Conclusion
From the Paper "During the times when Enron was making huge profits due to highly volatile energy prices, and there was widespread perception about the unlimited potential of online trade and technology innovations such as the broadband, things looked very rosy for the company. In the late 1990s, however, other energy companies such as Dynergy, Duke Energy, and El Paso started to enter the field of energy trading and the competition started to eat into the huge profit margins of Enron. Other factors such as falling energy prices in early 2001, the approaching world-wide recession and the broadband bubble burst began to work against Enron's "dream" run. The company, in the meantime, had embarked on a culture of cutting trading deals that had a momentum of its own that was hard to stop."
Abstract This essay takes a brief look at the meteoric rise of Nazism, a phenomenon that brought destruction and grief to millions of people. It also takes a look at the causes behind its rise in Germany.
From the Paper "The most immediate cause of the formation of the Nazi Party and the subsequent rise of Nazism was the aftermath of World War I in which Germany was defeated and humiliated under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Under the one-sided terms of the treaty, Germany was solely held responsible for the war, stripped of its colonial empire , its armed forces largely disbanded, and the Rhineland permanently demilitarized and occupied by Allied forces for an indefinite period. (Jarman, p. 75) Most of all, the provision kept in the Treaty for "reparations" as compensation to the Allies for the damage caused by Germany, created the greatest resentment among the Germans. Even J. M. Keynes, then the Treasury representative at the Conference convened for the Treaty, pointed out that Germany would be unable to make the payments."
Tags: adolf, hitler, fascism, post-world, war, i, europe, worker's, party, munich, weimar, republic, social, democrats
Abstract The extinction-level event that occurred during the Permian period, often known as the Great Dying, forms the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods. During this time approximately 95 per cent of all marine species died out. This paper presents an overview of this time period and the explanatory theories regarding this event.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
Overview of Permian Extinction
Explanatory Theories Regarding the Permian Extinction
Conclusion
From the Paper "It has been suggested that this increase in carbon-12 could be the result of upwelling of frozen methane hydrate from the ocean floor. Experiments have shown that a sea temperature rise of 5?C would be sufficient enough to gasify solid methane hydrate. This would lead to huge amounts of greenhouse gases being expelled into the atmosphere, and could have led to the mass extinction ("Permian-Triassic")."
