Science all around us
Have you ever noticed how basic and observed phenomena is translated and manifested into reality? What do I mean. Okay, on a simple level we have the mobile phone, which replaces the human ability to communicate using telepathy, same with the telephone. Then we have the basic gaseous exchange in the human body and then ‘Mankind’ manifests a most rudimentary form of rocket propulsion, after all we only gave ‘them’ one book of maths.
Now I recently came across two articles which sparked my thinking process and one of them has helped me further in trying to understand the mechanics of the ‘Mothership’ and the ‘Baby Planes’. We know that the Mothership uses Hydrogen as a fuel, which she sucks up into storage tanks on a 6-monthly basis.
But what about those ‘Baby Planes?’ Well, reading the article ‘GOCE satellite views Earth’s gravity in high definition‘ may give us a hint of their power source, as the satellite uses ‘xenon ions’ as part of its propulsion system (Ion Thruster).
Earlier I made the point about the manifestation of observed phenomena, so reading the article about the GOCE satellite made me appreciate one of those phenomena that we take for granted and which once thoroughly researched can be put to use for man’s social and economic benefit.
That observed phenomena is called ‘static’, that annoying electric ‘repulsive’ shock we experience when we come into contact with it. Now, I am not a scientist and I don’t understand the science of ‘static’ but what I do understand is that for several years, whenever I get out of my car and touch the door I get a strong static repulsive force that causes me to move my hand away from the door with such force – causing immense pain in my arm muscles – because of experiencing an electric shock. It seems that an electrical force in my body which meets the naturally occurring latent electrical energy in the metal of the car door are not compatable.
Its clear then that all around us is electricity in one form or another. When you see lightening and the electrical charge it manifests we are seeing the collision of negative and positive electrical charges, much less the static in our clothes when it comes out of a hot dryer and you hear the sparks or the electricity that can be generated from the force of water cascading down cliff edges.
Reading the article Ion Thruster, has helped me further appreciate how such a painful static shock in my arm and hands and its repulsive effect can be translated into propulsion systems and maybe the basis of the magnificent speeds at which those ‘Baby Planes’ are capable of traveling, from point zero speed to speeds in excess of Mach 12.
Just wanted to share my thoughts, so I hope you enjoyed it.



