earth

To Outer Space and Back

Science, Thoughts

I know this video is almost 20 minutes long, but please take a moment out of your day while you’re eating lunch/dinner and watch this – it will be worth your while.

To venture into space and see the world from a new perspective/light would be absolutely breath-taking & life changing. I can only hope that I will be able to cross this monumental item off my Bucket List before I die. The take-home message in this video is for us to understand that we are essentially ONE huge ecosystem – Earth. What one person does on one side of the globe, truly does effect one person on the other side. We are all connected and fully dependent on our green (and blue) planet. 

I feel like a lot of people are oblivious to the fact that our planet is not going to keep us alive forever. Until we work together as a sole unity to help preserve our ecosystem, we will ultimately lead to our own demise. Our society pushes such a highly consumer-based lifestyle that we often forget we don’t NEED everything society persuades us to buy. Stop living materially, and start living simply and more sustainable.

(c) roettenberger09

(c) roettenberger09

EARTH: In the highest-resolution EVER

Photography, Science, Thoughts

Earth- in the highest definition than ever before! It’s beautiful and amazing.

Also, today my boss showed me this little saying and said it’d be perfect for my blog- and he’s correct. André is a photographer himself, and so here it is:

PERFECTLY SAID! I think we all really should truly focus on who and what makes us happy in life and stick with it. The negatives do happen, and that’s how we learn and grow in this life of ours. With ups, there must be downs.

Happy Friday everyone 🙂 Have a fabulous weekend and enjoy yourself!

5 Great iPhone Apps for Earth Day!

Science, Thoughts

Today is the start to Earth Week– Hooray!

Earth Day is April 22nd this year (AKA this upcoming weekend) – But I say that EVERYDAY is Earth Day 🙂

There will be lots of beach clean-ups, street clean-ups, and eco festivals all across the globe. Find events near you at the Earth Day 2012 website. Just remember that you don’t have to wait for this day out of the whole year to do something good for the planet. If you see a piece of trash on the ground, don’t just walk past it. Pick it up- throw it away properly- and maybe you even inspired the person walking behind you to do the same. We as humans haven’t been on this planet for very long, but we are the root to much of its destruction. Do your part, and protect the planet.

So here are a couple neat Earth Day related iPhone applications that I read about recently. I’m definitely going to download some of them right after I finish writing this blog post 😀

 

1. Project Noah

Project Noah (Credit iTunes)

This free app, with support from National Geographic, allows you to explore and document wildlife while hiking/camping/adventuring. You are connected with everyone else’s data who has the app, allowing you to see what biodiversity is in the particular area you’re exploring. You can also browse what’s been discovered across the globe! People earn patches based on your contributions- kind of a modern day virtual Girl Scout/Boy Scout patch. It’s a great app for the kidos! It was the #1 Education app when launched. Get it NOW (Free)

2. TeuxDeux

TeuxDuex (Credit iTunes)

Sticky-notes are a waste of paper, and always seemed to get lost and buried under piles of paper. With TeuxDeux, you can simply create to-do lists on your phone! You for sure wont loose these lists as easily 😉  To-do lists sync with the TeuxDeux website, so you can access them on your computer or iPhone. You’ll feel good when all you have to do is touch and completed task, and you see it get crossed off! Best feeling ever! And even better, you didn’t waste any paper (poor trees) in the process. Get it NOW ($2.99)

3. iRecycle

iRecycle (Credit iTunes)

With this great free app, you can get over a MILLION ways to recycle over 300 types of material, as well as provide the latest green news from Earth911.com to keep up with your lifestyle. Search for locations near you, by simply inputting your zip code! There’s no excuse not to recycle, when you have this app at your fingertips. Get it NOW (Free)

4. PaperKarma

PaperKarma (Credit iTunes)

Are you sick of all the paper JUNK mail that piles up in your mailbox? I sure am… But luckily with this free app, all you have to do is snap a picture of the unwanted snail mail, and PaperKarma will help make it possible that you won’t receive that junk mail ever again! They contact the mailer, and remove you from the distribution list. SO SIMPLE AND EASY! Not only does this app help you control your junk mail, it also cuts your paper waste, and helps save the Earth! Get it NOW (FREE for a limited time)

5. Green Kitchen

Green Kitchen (Credit iTunes)

This app provides you with inspiring organic healthy, tasty vegetarian recipes! With minimum not-so-healthy ingredients, including gluten, sugar, and dairy products, Green Kitchen keeps your health a top priority. I’ve been actually decreasing my meat intake over the last couple of months and eating more fresh ingredients, so this app sounds pretty perfect for my new lifestyle! The recipes come with beautiful photos and detailed easy-to-follow instructions, which is why this is one very popular iPad app as well. Get it NOW ($3.99)

NEW LIFE FORM ON EARTH!

Science

So in my Physics class today- my friend told me that NASA had just released news that a new life form had been discovered here on earth- In the United States- In California- In Mono Lake in fact which is just a couple hours away from where I am in Monterey Bay! HOW COOL?!

Apparently- the new life form is a type of bacteria- that can live off of arsenic- even using the chemical as a cellular building block! Pretty crazy if you ask me.

Mono Lake-Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon

The building blocks of life consist of such chemicals as carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. And to find an living organism who doesn’t solely depend on these building blocks of life- and can adjust to whatever chemical is present in their environment- proves that animal adaptations are getting more and more advanced!

It is truely amazing to see life forms metabolizing arsenic- the same toxin that is damages life as we know it on a genetic level. Now- the hunt for ET and all those other aliens in the planets above us is on! Although if you want to know my opinion, being scared of aliens thanks to the movie ET for the majority of my life, I hope they don’t find while I’m alive! HAha.

OLDEST Animal Life Found?

Thoughts

Not many people know that humans have not been on this earth very long. (Especially how we treat the planet like we own it…) We can into existence 2 million years ago, when the planet originated 4.5 BILLION years ago. So there were lots of life on this planet before humans were ever alive.

Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest animal fossil which date back to 650 million years ago. These fossils are most similar to under water sponges found in Southern Australia.

This discovery pushes back the fossil record for animals by about 70 million years. The last previously oldest hard-bodied animals were also marine organisms called Namacalathus which only daye back around 550 million years ago.

Great Barrier Reef-Australia

I love how life primarily started out in the oceans. It makes my profession and love for the marine environment even more exciting and exhilarating!