Asteroids Essay -- essays research papers

Asteroids In our solar system today there are over 30,000 asteroids flying around in all direction colliding with other asteroids and planets, without a care about the destruction they might convey. Our planet Earth is caught right in the middle of all of this action and is liable to entire extinction of any life forms on the planet if a large enough asteroid crosses its path. Any single asteroid has the possibility to erase thousands of years of history and wipeout the human race, as we know it. Asteroids are large or small chunks of rock and metal flying around space up to speeds of 80 000 km/h. These chunks were believed to have formed millions of years ago during the "big bang". These rocks didn’t form any planets and were stuck floating around space on their own or in the gravitation of the asteroid belt. This asteroid belt is approximately 300 million miles from the Sun and it contains thousands of asteroids; some being miles in diameter. Another theory of the formation of asteroids is that a planet between Mars and Jupiter once existed and after many years it exploded into thousands of pieces that are still revolving around the sun in the form of an asteroid belt. Other asteroids are formed when large meteors collide with large asteroids creating more small ones. These meteors can also collide with planets breaking off chunks of the crust into space. Ceres is believed to be the biggest asteroid that was in space at one point in time. Ceres was believed to be 600 miles wide, making up 1/3 of the total mass of all asteroids. Ceres was the first asteroid discovered and was found in 1801. There are two main types of asteroids; the first dominates the outer part of the belt and are found to be rich in carbon, the second group are located in the inside of the belt and are found to be rich in minerals. The average temperature of the surface of an asteroid is approximately -73 degrees C. Many people don’t know that over 50,000 small asteroids called meteors hit the Earth every year. These meteors are the outside layer of larger asteroids that have been chipped off or are the surface of other planets that have detached from their positions when hit with larger asteroids. Asteroids sometimes align with Earth when meteors flying through space collide with other asteroids in the belt causing pieces to break off and head in all directions. ... ... wide and found within 8 million kilometers of Earth. It is very probable that a large asteroid will hit the Earth in the future because of the planet’s past experience with asteroid collisions. Scientists estimate that an asteroid more than 800 m in diameter hits the Earth every million years and a smaller one hits every century. An asteroid bigger than 1 km would mean the end of about 30% of the World’s population. This size of an asteroid would be the equivalent explosion to 2 million Hiroshima bombs. This explosion would cause destruction of all living creatures within a hundred mile radius as well as blocking off the Sun with dust and rock particles for weeks or even months. Asteroids are probably the deadliest force that our solar system can produce, one strike could put man back in the dark ages and would kill almost the entire population of our planet. It is for this reason that scientists should focus more on understanding asteroids and research more into the defense of our planet. At the moment we only know where a fraction of the asteroids out there are. The asteroid that could destroy our planet could only be a year away and we don’t even know it exists.

Monomyth: Hero and Family Versus Loyalty

Monomyth: Fact or Fiction? Does every story truly follow the common stages of monomyth? Joseph Campbell first describes the monomyth in his book â€Å"The Hero With a Thousand Faces† written in 1949. In William Faulkner’s story â€Å"Barn Burning† one can look close enough and see the stages of monomyth. In â€Å"Barn Burning† the loyalty to family versus loyalty to the law is tested. The basic structure of a hero’s journey, in this case Sarty, is shown through the three stages Campbell explains.Campbell’s monomyth starts with a departure, initiation, and return. Sarty is faced with all three. Sarty is given a call to adventure, refusal to call, and a crossing of the first threshold. His call to Adventure was while the family had to go to a new place. He and his family were forced to leave by the Justice, he said to them, â€Å"This case is closed. I can’t find against you, Snopes, but I can give you advice. Leave this country and don ’t come back to it† (504). Sarty’s refusal to call is when he hopes it’s all over.All the running and breaking the law with his father he gets so sick of having to take up for his father. After they left town his father asks, â€Å"You were fixing to tell them. You would have told them. † Sarty answered in a whisper, â€Å"yes† (505). The family was living on DeSpain’s land and that is Sarty’s crossing of the first threshold. The initiation in the story is when the hero is initiated into true heroic stature. Sarty faces the road of trials, atonement with the father, and the ultimate boom. The trial he faces of not knowing if he should keep helping his family.His father tells him to go get oil and as he’s going he’s thinking, â€Å" I could keep on, I could run on and on and never look back, never need to see his face again. Only I can’t. I can’t. † (512). The father figure that the family has t o answer to is DeSpain because they are on is land. The ultimate boom is when Sarty actually tells DeSpain what his father is doing to the barn. Sarty cried, panted. â€Å"Where’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Barn! † he cried. â€Å"Barn! † â€Å"What† the white man said. â€Å"Barn? † â€Å"Yes! † the boy cried. â€Å"Barn! † â€Å"Catch him! † the white man shouted (513).He’s so shook up he can’t even speak clear sentences. After initiation the hero can return in triumph to deserved recognition, although this in itself may not be without trials and tribulations. Sarty refuses to return, takes a magic flight, is rescued from without, and given freedom to live. He takes the magic flight and runs away after telling DeSpain about the barn. He made the decision to run and to not look back, his refusal to return. He made a bold choice to turn away from his family. While running he hears a gunshot, and that rescues him from wi thout.The narrator says,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦a long, swirling roar incredible and soundless, blotting the stars, and he springing up and into the road again, running again knowing it was too late yet still running even after he heard the shot and, an instant later, two shots, pausing now without knowing he had ceased to run, crying â€Å"Pap! Pap! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (514). The relief of not having to answer to his father was enough for Sarty, he had his won life to live with any of the people he chose. With that, he was given the freedom to live. One could say that yes, most stories do follow Campbell’s monomyth.Sarty had a hard choice to make in this story but still came out to be the hero according to monomyth. Monomyth is interesting to those who take the time to learn about it. It does apply to stories and movies in modern day. An example would be The Matrix, Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, and even Hangover. There is a fair share of critics, typically saying that not all stor ies are like this. Some may even say this leads to safe movie and book making, thus leading to boring repeats. The same was said about Shakespeare, and his works are famous.

Being Human

As we all know that we are all human beings with uniqueness. Each one of us has different and unique traits, personalities, features and is in total different from an animal or any creatures on the earth. This means to say that we as a human being cannot be like another animal or machine on earth. We have our own set of feelings, habits, likes and dislikes, etc. In fact it can be said that we are probably the only creatures on earth that give priority and importance to relationship and love. However, since these aspects are basically the study of mind we cannot claim that love does not exist among other creatures.Many of us who are used to having pets at home understand the extent to which an animal can express love. However, we cannot judge of the concepts of sin, reasoning, self-awareness, critical thinking, individuality, emotions, empathy, etc. in case of animals. Individuals with psychological problems, sadistic personality disorder, transgressive behavior, cannibals and murdere rs can therefore be considered as being inhuman. There are also instances when human beings under the effect of drugs, neuroscience, introspection, and experiences cause irreversible changes in their traits and characteristics.There are several literatures that talks about the stories of people who were inhuman. There are people who are more â€Å"humane† than the humans around them. This, perhaps, is what really the meaning of being human. There are many people today who are arguing that the present trends in science and technology has kept man and god together. For instance, technologies such as cloning and stem cells have brought in the capability to create a whole new organism. Human beings or for that matter any organism is a result of natures cloning.However, today manmade cloning is a subject of controversy and has raised several ethical questions. There are several arguments made for and against cloning. Some have put forth valid arguments stating the immorality of cl oning. Others use the religion argument saying it goes against God's intention (McCoy n. pag). For any technology to progress and produce beneficial results it is essential that we look at the positive impacts that these technologies may have on the society. There are several researchers who have tries to divine the word being human. For instance, â€Å"Rev. Mitsuo Aoki, Ph.D has said that â€Å"The greatness of aging is to enable you to realize for the first time the deeper meaning of that it means to be human. Not the religious, not that, but more human and it's only in this process of aging that this quality of being human is realizable. You begin to understand the nature of faith, the meaning of hope. And so hope is not about something you achieved, but the life that is always shining in front of you†¦ Is beckoning you. And you only understand that in the process of aging. It's amazing what has been manifested in this process. That beyond all these things is something we call love†¦love. † (KGMB9) Different group of people define this term differently. For instance, â€Å"the constructivists state that Human Nature is a simple cultural artifact†. Sociobiologists, however, are determinists. They consider that human nature – being the inevitable and inexorable outcome of the inhuman ancestry – cannot be the subject of moral judgment†. Human dignity is indeed used to indicate that all human beings have intrinsic worthiness. Every human deserves unconditional respect and is not related to any difference in age, sex, anthropological origin, health, political boundaries, religion, or personal history.In other words it can be said that these are exclusively human. According to the Catholic thought â€Å"human dignity† is linked to an array of human life issues. For instance, it includes health care ethics. In other words catholic moral thoughts are the basic tradition’s understanding of common justice, th e common good, and the right to life and the right to health care in all aspects (Ascension Health). We as human beings have the right to choice and can select what we want in our life. This is not true in the case of animals.Self organizing is another aspect of human beings that is rare in other animals. We live as a social being and participate in the political system. The term being human can be easily understood if we know the meaning of being inhuman. Inhuman means lacking kindness, pity, or compassion or being cruel to other human beings, nature, or any organism. These acts are easily recognizable and are to a greater extent disliked by the majority of us. Besides, the ability to communicate to each other using different languages, the educational background, the society and the impact of religion makes us more human.Morality and immorality is the term that is used to define if a human being can be considered being human or inhuman. Additionally, the concepts of mortality/immo rtality mirror on the promises of life and the predictability of death. It is throughout human development, even for early man called the Neanderthals, this concept has been dominant and in some cultures it is believed that life after death is a reality. The present state of knowledge of the human being is one which has been developed using the special skills and intelligence of human beings.However, it is more by the materialistic thinking of modern technological science. We as human beings need to be more compassionate towards other creatures, nature and think of the development in a sustainable manner. It is also important to realize that we are human beings and not machines. Often times, in today’s run for success and fame, people are not realizing the basic needs of self, family as well as other related organisms. Cooperate world is more like using humans as machines to make profit, to achieve targets and generally think of the human body as being merely an elaborate mac hine which is a real problem.It is essential to realize that we as human beings need to be human to ourselves and other fellow human being with all the non-material aspects of the human being- thinking, feeling, attitudes, emotions, mores, imagination, etc. Work cited Ascension Health. Principle of Human Dignity (2007) KGMB9. The Deeper Meaning of Being Human†¦ Love (2008) McCoy, L. Lloyd's pro cloning essay. (1998).

15 Smile Quotes to Improve Your Face Value

15 Smile Quotes to Improve Your Face Value Every morning, the newspapers bombard us with stories of death, destruction, and agitation. On a rare occasion, we read news that brings optimism and hope. Why should we begin our day reading morose news that builds on our frustrations? Lets begin our day with a smile. Smile. It is a simple act, but sometimes takes a lot of effort. Why dont we smile more often? Is it too tough to smile? The answer lies in our attitude towards life.  If we are more accepting of situations, we will be able to smile more easily. A smile can do wonders. Start your day smiling and see how the magic begins to work. People smile back at you; you feel happier, and you also make others happier. Sounds simple, right? Yet, we forget to smile. If you want a smile on your face, read these  fun quotes. It’s the best way to bring some fun into your life and start smiling. A smile can improve your looks and makes others find you pleasant, but apart from these obvious benefits, smiling has many more advantages: A Smile Makes You Look and Feel Younger A smile is an outward expression of a happy person. A positive attitude releases the right neurotransmitters and makes you feel and look young. It is a well known fact that happy hormones retard the aging process. Smiles Can Patch up Problems and Make Them Go Away Of course, the smile has to be a genuine one, not a wicked, sly grin. If you want to say sorry, sometimes an apologetic smile can suffice. Want to break ice in a new group? Smile! You will usually find others responding with a smile. Have you fought with your girlfriend, but dont want to stay mad? Smile and let go of your pent up anger. Smiles Bring in Business All sales people are taught to smile and befriend their customers. A smiling salesperson opens more doors to business than an unsmiling one. Likewise, if you are presenting to a delegate of buyers or dealers, a smile will improve your presentation manifold. Use your smile as an ultimate business tool to generate revenue. Pets Will Love You More If You Smile New research has shown that dogs are able to understand human smiles as a positive. They can look into a human face and decipher whether the face is smiling or frowning and what that means. Pets connect with humans on an emotional level. So the more you smile, the more your dog will love you. A Smile Can Spell the Beginning of a Great Relationship Like that girl in the neighborhood? Why dont you begin your friendship with a smile? Work on your facial curves and win her heart with your handsome smiles. Be generous when it comes to smiling. A smile is all it takes for love to blossom. Dont look for the best pickup lines, or a perfect way to say, I love you. A smile can say it all. Quotes on Smiling Read these quotes that teach you to smile.  As  Martin Charnin said, Youre never fully dressed without a smile. Phyllis DillerA smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Charles GordyA smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. John Ray Beauty is power; a smile is its sword. Jim Beggs Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available. Mae West Dont cry for a man who has left you, the next one may fall for your smile. Mother Teresa Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. George Carlin If a man smiles all the time, hes probably selling something that doesnt work. Maya Angelou If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Dont be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning Good morning at total strangers. Andy Rooney If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. Lee Mildon People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. Walter Anderson Smile. Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends? Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over. William Shakespeare The robbd that smiles, steals something from the thief. Leo Buscaglia Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. George Eliot Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. Mark Twain Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.

Capital City of Canada Why Ottawa

Capital City of Canada Why Ottawa SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Whether you’re preparing for a geography exam or simply want to learn more about your friendly neighbor to the north, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we'll answer an important question everyone should know the answer to: what is the capital of Canada?In addition, we'll explain how this place came to be the capital city of Canada and what all the capital cities of the Canadian provinces and territories are currently. What Is the Capital of Canada? The capital of Canada is Ottawa, which is located in Ontario- that is,the province directly above the Great Lakes and the US states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and (part of) New York. Ottawalies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, which runs between and defines the borders of the provinces Ontario and Quebec. Opus Penguin/Flickr Together, Ottawa and the city of Gatineau, which is located directly across from Ottawa in Quebec, make up the National Capital Region called Ottawa-Gatineau. This specially designated region refers to not only the cities themselves but also their surrounding Census Metropolitan Areas. Due to Ottawa’s placement between the primarily English-speaking Ontario and the mostly French-speaking Quebec, it is one of the most bilingual cities in Canada. Beloware some quick facts to know about Ottawa, the capital city of Canada: Location: Southeastern Ontario Original Settlers: Odawa tribe ("Odawa" is said to mean "traders") in the mid-17th century Population (2016): 989,567 (Ottawa-Gatineau) Population Rank (2016): Sixth-largest city in Canada (Ottawa-Gatineau) Year Established: 1850 as town of Bytown, 1855 as city of Ottawa Climate: Continental, with warm summers (70℉) and cold winters (15℉) Major Employer: Federal government Landmarks: Parliament Hall, ByWard Market, National Gallery of Canada, Rideau Canal, University of Ottawa Closest US State: New York Closest Big City: Montreal in Quebec A Brief History of the Capital of Canada Ottawa has been the capital city of Canada ever since Canada became a self-governing country. But how exactly did it manage to become the capital of Canada- and why? In 1841, what was originally called the Province of Canada (the present-day provinces of Ontario and Quebec) came under British colonial control. The next 16 years witnessed ongoing disputes over what the capital of the new province should be; contenders included Quebec City, Toronto, Montreal, Kingston, and finally Ottawa. Each of these cities held the title of capital of Canada for varying lengths of time. Here is a chronology of exactly how the capital city of Canada changed in just two and a half decades: Kingston (1841-1844) Montreal (1844-1849) Toronto (1849-1851) Quebec City (1851-1855) Toronto (1855-1859) Quebec City (1859-1865) Ottawa (1866-present) It was clear already by 1857 that the decision of where to place the capital of Canada was going to be difficult and time-consuming. At this time, Queen Victoria was asked to select the capital city of Canada. Her choice of Ottawa- a fairly small and newly incorporated city- surprised many. Still, Ottawa had a lot of promise: it was starting to experience economic growth and was home to an impressive railway system; it also had a long history of trade due to its location near several rivers. Butnot everyone agreed with the queen’s pick,which led Toronto to remain the capital for another two years followed by Quebec City for another six years. It wasn’t until 1866 that Ottawa was officially designated the capital city of the Province of Canada and began to hold Parliament. In 1867, the Province of Canada became the Dominion of Canada, making it an official, self-governing colony of the British empire. This also meant that Ottawa was the first (and so far only) official capital of Canada as we know it. What Are the Capital Cities of Canada? We now know that Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, but what about the capital cities of all the provinces and territories within Canada? Similar to the United States, where there is a capital city for each state, Canada has capital cities for all 13 of its provinces and territories. The following chartdepicts the capital city of each Canadian province/territory and its population from the 2016 census. Provinces and territories are listed alphabetically. Province/Territory Capital City Capital City Population (2016) Provinces - - Alberta Edmonton 932,546 British Columbia Victoria 85,792 Manitoba Winnipeg 705,244 New Brunswick Fredericton 58,220 Newfoundland and Labrador St. John’s 108,860 Nova Scotia Halifax 403,131 Ontario Toronto 2,731,571 Prince Edward Island Charlottetown 36,094 Quebec Quebec City 531,902 Saskatchewan Regina 215,106 Territories - - Northwest Territories Yellowknife 19,569 Nunavut Iqaluit 7,740 Yukon Whitehorse 25,085 Note that while the capital city of Canada (Ottawa) is located in Ontario, it is notthe capital of Ontario itself- thisstatus belongs to Toronto. For most provinces/territories in Canada, the capital city is also the most populated city, but this isn’t always the case. Here are the biggest cities for the Canadian provinces for which the capital city is not the most highly populated: Province Biggest City City Population (2016) Alberta Calgary 1,239,220 British Columbia Vancouver 631,486 New Brunswick Saint John 67,575 Quebec Montreal 1,704,694 Saskatchewan Saskatoon 246,376 What’s Next? Are you taking the IB geography class? Then you might want some tips and resources with our comprehensive guide. Preparing for the AP Human Geography exam?Get an overview of what's on the test and then learn the best ways to study for it. You can also check out our expert picks for the best AP Human Geography prep books.

How to Study for a Test or Final Exam

How to Study for a Test or Final Exam The end of the term is drawing near, and that means final exams are looming. How can you give yourself an edge this time around? The most important thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Then follow this simple plan: 1) Study2) Test yourself with a practice test3) Discover your weak areas4) Study again5) Test yourself again That’s the simplified version. For really great results on your finals: Science Says Start Early There are many recent studies that show  that it is important to study in stages. The findings say that its best to  start early and give your brain a rest, then study again. If youre preparing for a comprehensive exam, gather together all the material you’ve received during the term. You probably have handouts, notes, old assignments, and old tests. Don’t leave anything out. Read through your class notes twice. Some things will sound familiar and some things will sound so unfamiliar you’ll swear they were written by somebody else. That’s normal. After you study all your notes for a term, try to come up with themes that connect all of the material. Establish a Study Group or Partner Schedule at least one meeting time with a study partner or study group. If you absolutely can’t get together, then exchange email addresses. Instant messages will work well, too. Invent and use learning games with your group. You could also consider communicating through an online forum like the Homework / Study Tips forum. Use Old Tests Collect your old exams from the year (or semester) and make a photocopy of each one. Whiteout the test answers and copy each one again. Now you have a set of practice tests. For best results, you should make several copies of each old exam and keep taking the tests until you score perfectly on each one. Note: You can’t white out the answers on the original, or you won’t have an answer key! Build Up Your Class Notes Organize your notes by date (do the best you can if you didn’t date your pages) and make note of any missing dates/pages. Get together with a study partner or group to compare notes and fill in any missing material. Don’t be too surprised if you missed key information from the lectures. Everybody zones out once in a while. After you organize your new set of notes, underline any keywords, formulas, themes, and concepts. Make yourself a new practice test with fill-in sentences and term definitions. Print out several tests and practice several times. Ask the members of your study group to make practice tests as well. Then swap. Re-Do Your Old Assignments Gather any old assignments and re-do the exercises. Many textbooks have exercises at the end of every chapter. Review those until you can answer every question with ease. Use Different Textbooks If you’re studying for a math or science exam, find another textbook or study guide that covers the same material that you’ve studied this term. You can find used books at yard sales, used book stores, or in the library. Different textbooks will provide you with different explanations. You might find one that makes something clear for the first time. Other textbooks can also give you a new twist or fresh questions on the same material. Thats exactly what your teacher will do on the final! Invent Your Own Essay Questions For history, political science, literature, or any theory class, focus on themes. Read your notes again and mark anything that looks like it would serve well as an essay question. Which terms make good comparisons? For example, what terms could a teacher use as a â€Å"compare and contrast† question? Try coming up with your own long essay questions by comparing two similar events or similar themes. Have your friend or study partner come up with essay questions and compare.

The Influence on Identity of Changez in the Novel The Reluctant Essay

The Influence on Identity of Changez in the Novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Essay Example However, it worked to his advantage in the co-operative world of Manhattan-based Underwood Company. Because he was always top of his class, Jim the person that employs him shortly takes keen notice of him. The notice is mainly because of two things which include the fact that they shared the same education background at Princeton and same economic background that was coupled with financial hardships (Hamid, 34). The discussion that is advanced in this paper looks at the indecisive nature of the protagonist and how this aspect has been affected by other characters in the novel especially Jim and Juan. It opines that despite the fact that Changez has a high level of education, much of his actions are deviated by the characters in the novel. It is therefore difficult to identify his own standing in the main issues that the writer tries to project through him. In this perspective, the author tries to show that the influence of many factors put together like environment add to the persona lity of an individual and direct the position taken. The input of education is important in one’s life. The protagonist goes through a high level of education but several instances indicate that the person is motivated by his previous environment. Ailing from a poor background, Changez is forced to live in a society of the elite in order to receive an education. He has to cook his own meals just to sustain his livelihood while receiving the education. The identity that is being built here is resilience. He has to survive in a totally new environment despite the fact that his previous environment does not fit this lifestyle. Poverty forces him to come up with techniques to survive and in this case, he has to make do with the little he has. We are also informed of the cases in the novel that he is footing much of his educational bills by aids.