Comments on: Astronomers Finally Detect Oxygen Molecules in Space http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/ 80beats is DISCOVER's news aggregator, weaving together the choicest tidbits from the best articles covering the day's most compelling topics. Wed, 23 May 2012 19:57:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Iain http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1437643 Iain Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:41:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1437643 I don't understand the big deal here. Oxygen has been seen all over the place. We know that O1 is highly reactive and seeks a companion. What's the significance of O2? We know that early Earth had a reducing atmosphere and it took life forms to release O1 into the atmosphere many many times until finally it had to bond to itself instead of other elements. which were much more readily available. Finding O2 in interstellar dust is like finding alcohol in a beer. OK but so what? I don’t understand the big deal here. Oxygen has been seen all over the place. We know that O1 is highly reactive and seeks a companion. What’s the significance of O2? We know that early Earth had a reducing atmosphere and it took life forms to release O1 into the atmosphere many many times until finally it had to bond to itself instead of other elements. which were much more readily available. Finding O2 in interstellar dust is like finding alcohol in a beer. OK but so what?

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1437481 Paul Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:05:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1437481 Michele, I don't think relativity and quantum physics are related. Some of the same people were working on both, but they're actually so incompatible merging the two is still an unsovled problem. You are right that it's "proved," as much as it can be. There was some blarg about an orbiting gyroscope station just a month or so ago. It showed frame draging and other effects. GPS wouldn't work without relativistic effects. Gravitational lenses. Propagation delays along fibre optics and radio equipment. But nuclear fision is not related, imo. Michele, I don’t think relativity and quantum physics are related. Some of the same people were working on both, but they’re actually so incompatible merging the two is still an unsovled problem.

You are right that it’s “proved,” as much as it can be. There was some blarg about an orbiting gyroscope station just a month or so ago. It showed frame draging and other effects.

GPS wouldn’t work without relativistic effects.

Gravitational lenses.

Propagation delays along fibre optics and radio equipment.

But nuclear fision is not related, imo.

]]> By: Michele http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1359883 Michele Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:54:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1359883 William Daniel, you have lost $10,000. Relativity was proven years ago using atomic clocks. Unfortunately, nuclear bombs could not exist if relativity weren't true. William Daniel, you have lost $10,000. Relativity was proven years ago using atomic clocks. Unfortunately, nuclear bombs could not exist if relativity weren’t true.

]]> By: Marshall http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1319940 Marshall Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:32:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1319940 To clarify - we've been able to see atomic oxygen in space for as long as there's been any kind of spectroscopy at all. The blue-green emission lines of ionized oxygen are responsible for some of the most prominent nebula in the sky. What's new here is detecting molecular oxygen, O2, as opposed to just single O atoms. To clarify – we’ve been able to see atomic oxygen in space for as long as there’s been any kind of spectroscopy at all. The blue-green emission lines of ionized oxygen are responsible for some of the most prominent nebula in the sky. What’s new here is detecting molecular oxygen, O2, as opposed to just single O atoms.

]]> By: Templar 7 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1318857 Templar 7 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:57:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1318857 I must point out that doesent it seem pretty nieve to think that the oxygen is there, it's just "Hiding" from us. Either it's there, or it isen't. I must point out that doesent it seem pretty nieve to think that the oxygen is there, it’s just “Hiding” from us. Either it’s there, or it isen’t.

]]> By: wilkes http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1318624 wilkes Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:09:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1318624 Being apparently so rare, it would be amusingly disappointing if O2 was a marker for carbon based life forms. Being apparently so rare, it would be amusingly disappointing if O2 was a marker for carbon based life forms.

]]> By: william daniel http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/08/02/astronomers-finally-detect-oxygen-molecules-in-space/comment-page-1/#comment-1318457 william daniel Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:38:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=30818#comment-1318457 I have a $10,000 wager that Einstein has been proven wrong. The silly idea of Relativity was science fiction. I have a $10,000 wager that Einstein has been proven wrong. The silly idea of Relativity was science fiction.

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