The Science Scribble

Yellowstone is known worldwide for its geysers, volcanic activity, and beautiful sights but many don’t know about the explosive past it contains. What is a Hotspot?   Regardless of where you are from, you have probably learned about WWII and how Pearl Harbor in Hawaii played a critical role in the United States entry to the war. You should’ve also learned of Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos Islands and how this led to his Theory of Evolution. You may have even heard of Yellowstone National Park with its amazing geysers and superheated pools. Would it surprise you to learn these all exist due to the same force? Well surprise, these places all exist solely because they contain (or contained) what we call a hotspot.   Hotspots are known as areas on Earth where a pocket of superheated magma goes through the mantle and crust and reaches the surface. As continents and tectonic plates move these hotspots stay in place, thus causing a continuous flow of heat energy and magm...

What is life like beyond earth? Is it truly as mundane as we think? Introduction:   The universe is so big and vast, there has to be other life out there besides us, right?   Using the Drake equation, scientists have been able to calculate an estimate of just how much life there might be out there (Bryson). It can seem so lonely in our solar system, feeling like the only ones that have what we have on our little blue planet. What makes our planet special? What can make other planets carry life, such a rarity it seems, too? What exactly could life look like? Let’s get started, from the beginning, and answer those questions together.   So Like, How Life, Live? Scientists have decided that there are somewhat general criteria for what is needed to sustain life on a planet. One requirement is that the planet must have liquid wat...