Comments on: Comets and Life On Earth http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/ Jet Propulsion Laboratory Blog Wed, 16 May 2012 19:59:06 +0000 http://JPL.org/?v=2.5.1 By: blogs.jpl.nasa.gov http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-29754 blogs.jpl.nasa.gov Thu, 05 May 2011 21:00:49 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-29754 Blogs jpl nasa.. Keen :) Blogs jpl nasa.. Keen :)

]]> By: Satalink http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-8542 Satalink Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:08:42 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-8542 I take a look at NEO list every now and then. This week there have been two NEO objects come up with little warning that have a caculated distance of less than one lunar distance. In the few years that I have been monitoring the NEO list, it's not often that we experience an object with a distance of less than 1LD. Am I mistaken in thinking this is unusual? http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/ <em>Don Yeomans responds:</em> Neal, two NEOs passing within 1 lunar distance in the same week is somewhat of a low probability happenstance – but certainly not out of the question. I take a look at NEO list every now and then. This week there have been two NEO objects come up with little warning that have a caculated distance of less than one lunar distance. In the few years that I have been monitoring the NEO list, it’s not often that we experience an object with a distance of less than 1LD. Am I mistaken in thinking this is unusual?

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/

Don Yeomans responds:

Neal, two NEOs passing within 1 lunar distance in the same week is somewhat of a low probability happenstance – but certainly not out of the question.

]]> By: Michael Jordan Shoes http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-7925 Michael Jordan Shoes Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:22:10 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-7925 Good atricle indeed. thanks for sharing Good atricle indeed. thanks for sharing

]]> By: Comets and Life On Earth | Hometown Pasadena http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-6988 Comets and Life On Earth | Hometown Pasadena Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:03:42 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-6988 [...] the Full Story at JPL [...] [...] the Full Story at JPL [...]

]]> By: wan2b http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-6490 wan2b Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:46:38 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-6490 I am concerned that the economy or the lack of understanding of the work done in space exploration will prevent us from some day having the chance to save ourselves from a serious impact. I know we have plenty of evidence of earth impacts and that is just the ones not erroded away by time. I think there may be some we just haven't regocnized as impacts aswell. Ever notice how surface water drainage on soil with fine sediments from 6 feet up looks just like river beds from 5000 feet up. The pattern of erosion and areas of deposit build-up are the same. Point being that the same physics apply in both small and large scales. Even from high altitudes such as satellite imagery the big picture may be showing us exactly what is there. Well with that in mind take a look at the Taklamakan desert in China, (N 32.86113 E 68.40088), on any satellite image from Google or ACME mapper 2.0 or what ever you like. Does it look like a glancing blow from a comet or asteroid started directly east of the Taklamakan desert basin, finally digging into the Earth’s crust propelling huge amounts of its dust and mineral deposits as far as Bagdad. What might be buried in the large deposits just west of the Himalayas? Is the sand in this desert different from other desert sands, because it was part of the asteroid or comet? Possible the entire impact site and debris field has been slightly distorted by the Himalayan Mountain Range. Or is it possible this impact happened before this range was developed by the tectonic plates pushed up in this area creating the Himalayas? Crazy sure, but sometimes things are really what they appear. Ok start laughing and tearing me apart, but I still pose the question and will learn from any and all sources willing to constructively criticize and educate a beginner. Thanks. I am concerned that the economy or the lack of understanding of the work done in space exploration will prevent us from some day having the chance to save ourselves from a serious impact. I know we have plenty of evidence of earth impacts and that is just the ones not erroded away by time. I think there may be some we just haven’t regocnized as impacts aswell.

Ever notice how surface water drainage on soil with fine sediments from 6 feet up looks just like river beds from 5000 feet up. The pattern of erosion and areas of deposit build-up are the same. Point being that the same physics apply in both small and large scales. Even from high altitudes such as satellite imagery the big picture may be showing us exactly what is there. Well with that in mind take a look at the Taklamakan desert in China, (N 32.86113 E 68.40088), on any satellite image from Google or ACME mapper 2.0 or what ever you like. Does it look like a glancing blow from a comet or asteroid started directly east of the Taklamakan desert basin, finally digging into the Earth’s crust propelling huge amounts of its dust and mineral deposits as far as Bagdad. What might be buried in the large deposits just west of the Himalayas? Is the sand in this desert different from other desert sands, because it was part of the asteroid or comet? Possible the entire impact site and debris field has been slightly distorted by the Himalayan Mountain Range. Or is it possible this impact happened before this range was developed by the tectonic plates pushed up in this area creating the Himalayas? Crazy sure, but sometimes things are really what they appear. Ok start laughing and tearing me apart, but I still pose the question and will learn from any and all sources willing to constructively criticize and educate a beginner. Thanks.

]]> By: Tman In Tennessee http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-5777 Tman In Tennessee Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:13:04 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-5777 Mr. Yeomans, Do you think that if NASA was able to be more proactive about pushing the research behind projects like Stardust and Deep Impact that this may help to bridge the funding gap for NASA's NEO detection and mitigation programs? It seems that not enough people in power take the asteroid issue seriously enough and I wonder if maybe there is a more effective way of publicizing the importance of NEO research by demonstrating the scientific discovery potential of these wayward objects. I love the new site by the way, it looks fantastic. Please keep up the great work! Don Yeomans says: <br><br> NASA-supported scientists and flight projects, including those dealing with comets and asteroids, play an important role in the exploration of our solar system. Near-Earth Object survey programs also play an important role -- and while we can be doing more, NASA is the leader in this field. Perhaps we need to redouble our efforts to make the importance and significance of this research better known to the public. After all, it is the public who pays for this research. The "Asteroidwatch" website (and its widget, RSS and twitter signups) is an attempt to get this word out. <br><br> For more information about Near-Earth Objects, please visit NASA's "Asteroidwatch" website at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/ Mr. Yeomans,

Do you think that if NASA was able to be more proactive about pushing the research behind projects like Stardust and Deep Impact that this may help to bridge the funding gap for NASA’s NEO detection and mitigation programs? It seems that not enough people in power take the asteroid issue seriously enough and I wonder if maybe there is a more effective way of publicizing the importance of NEO research by demonstrating the scientific discovery potential of these wayward objects.

I love the new site by the way, it looks fantastic. Please keep up the great work!

Don Yeomans says:

NASA-supported scientists and flight projects, including those dealing with comets and asteroids, play an important role in the exploration of our solar system. Near-Earth Object survey programs also play an important role — and while we can be doing more, NASA is the leader in this field. Perhaps we need to redouble our efforts to make the importance and significance of this research better known to the public. After all, it is the public who pays for this research. The “Asteroidwatch” website (and its widget, RSS and twitter signups) is an attempt to get this word out.

For more information about Near-Earth Objects, please visit NASA’s “Asteroidwatch” website at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/

]]> By: Ed Daniels http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-5706 Ed Daniels Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:22:21 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-5706 Thank you for that very interesting look at the origin of life on earth. When you think of it, it is true that near earth objects are not just threats but part of the reason that we are here. Thank you for that very interesting look at the origin of life on earth. When you think of it, it is true that near earth objects are not just threats but part of the reason that we are here.

]]> By: Paul Höfer http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/2009/08/comets-and-life-on-earth/#comment-5675 Paul Höfer Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:33:34 +0000 http://blogs.jpl.nasa.gov/?p=52#comment-5675 It may be that comets and asteroids delivered amino acids to earth also at the beginning but Miller experiments showed amino acids (at least the most simple forms like glycine) should had been produced on earth itself by "simple" chemistry. So the creation of life on earth was not essentially dependant on the support of molecules like glycine being delivered by comets or asteroids. I think one should keep this in mind. It may be that comets and asteroids delivered amino acids to earth also at the beginning but Miller experiments showed amino acids (at least the most simple forms like glycine) should had been produced on earth itself by “simple” chemistry. So the creation of life on earth was not essentially dependant on the support of molecules like glycine being delivered by comets or asteroids. I think one should keep this in mind.

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