Category Archives: Science 10

What’s Really in the Kuiper Belt?

What’s in the Kuiper belt, and why is it so important?
     The Kuiper Belt is one of many things contributing to our solar system and is believed to be one of the largest as well. The belt is more precisely explained as a disc found just outside Neptune’s orbit. Though many things have been discovered about the Kuiper belt, there are still so many unknowns, even with all the new technology. The Kuiper belt is important not only for scientists’ research but also because it is home

Source: Nasa

to countless astronomical things. With the development of new technology and different perspectives, we are going to keep learning more about everything space, but also focus on certain areas like the Kuiper Belt. With new discoveries coming in every day, this data might not be reliable in a year, but with what is known today, the information below will explain why the Kuiper Belt is so important.

       The Kuiper belt – also known as “Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt” – is a disc located outside of Neptune’s orbit, at the edge of our solar system. It’s believed to be comprised of rock, ice, comets, and dwarf planets, including our very own Pluto. Its inner edge is 30 astronomical units away from our star, the Sun, and since it is so close to Neptune’s orbit, it could potentially change its course. However, the effect would almost be undetectable to any human and possibly any technology we carry. The belt gets its name from two astronomers, Dutch astronomer, Gerard P. Kuiper, and Irish Astronomer and engineer, Kenneth Edgeworth. Kuiper first came up with the idea that there was something more out there, but his research sat unsupported by the observations taken place at the time. It wasn’t until after his death, that new studies had shown that there could be a “trans-Neptunian comet belt.”
       Astronomers, engineers, and other space experts are always looking for new things, and clues to help us better comprehend the knowledge we’ve been given about our solar system, and even further. The Kuiper belt is still a huge unknown, so having it around means more research can be done to understand what lies on the other side. Without the Kuiper belt, we wouldn’t have had a temporary ninth planet (Pluto), and we wouldn’t have been able to observe short-period comets. Astronomers have also found that the “pristine bodies” that are moving into the transitional region between Jupiter and Neptune had originated from the Kuiper belt. The Kuiper Belt is helping astronomers answer some of their most pressing questions and concerns and helping them find solutions to future possibilities. Though the Kuiper belt might look like clusters of rock, it holds much more in the eyes of astronomers and anyone curious.

Source: Caltech – R. Hurt

      Through the research of countless teams and organizations, it has been suggested that there could really be a “ninth” planet, and so far, its name is X. How does Planet X relate to the Kuiper belt? Astronomers who had been researching the Kuiper belt had noticed that the contents of the Kuiper belt, including dwarf planets, comets, and other objects had been following unfamiliar orbits. With that information and the knowledge about orbits, the astronomers found that there really could be another planet, undiscovered, way further out than Pluto. A prediction for the orbits suggests the gravity of plant X could be the reason why the contents of the Kuiper belt follow such unusual orbits. This planet remains unnamed until it is proven to really be out there, and the name will then be changed to whoever truly discovers it. The discovery of the planet would imply hard evidence that it’s out there and confirmation from others.

      Astronomers have also suggested that research about the belt soon could lead to the discovery and comprehension of the solar system. This is a huge step toward new discoveries because instead of trying to understand what it’s like outside of the solar system, astronomers can now focus on what was there before. There have always been predictions for the solar systems, and how they came to be, but new spacecrafts are getting new information about what lies in the Kuiper belt and how it could relate to the beginning. It’s always been intriguing to know how the solar systems are created, and with the Kuiper belt’s help, the world is just one step away. Though this type of research could take years or even lifetimes, we’ve taken steps in the right direction already.
      The Kuiper Belt’s importance has never really been challenged, but it’s important to know why. Though it might just look like a belt around the solar system, it holds much more than that. The Kuiper belt covers so many paths in astronomy and has so many important details that influence new discoveries in space. The Kuiper belt helped us find out more about a mysterious planet that may or may not be there and will continue to help us understand more about the “before”. However, with all the bigger pictures, it’s been overlooked that the Kuiper belt is also there for smaller things, like research on comets, dwarf planets and so much more. So, what really is, in the Kuiper belt?

Sources: 

Delsemme, Armand H. “Kuiper Belt.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 16 June 2005, https://www.britannica.com/place/Kuiper-belt.

“What Is the Kuiper Belt?” What Is the Kuiper Belt, Space Center Houston, 27 May 2020, https://spacecenter.org/what-is-the-kuiper-belt/?

Kroeker, Jennifer. “What Effect, If Any, Do the Objects in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud.” What Effect, If Any, Do the Objects in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud Have on the Orbits or Characteristics of the Eight Major Planets?, Astronomy Magazine, 26 Aug. 2013, https://astronomy.com/magazine/ask-astro/2013/08/kuiper-belt-and-oort-cloud-objects.

Tytell, David. “Ejecting the Kuiper Belt.” Ejecting the Kuiper Belt, Sky and Telescope, 20 Apr. 2020, https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/ejecting-the-kuiper-belt/.

Barnett, Amanda. “Hypothetical Planet X.” In-Depth Hypothetical Planet X, NASA, 19 Dec. 2019, https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/hypothetical-planet-x/in-depth/.

In the Woods – Science 10 – Biology – Jaeda C

Canada is home to a wide variety of animals, insects, plants, birds and so much more. We see them every day, yet sometimes we forget to think about how they are living in the places they are, and even how they came to our wild, and sometimes even our country. That is why I answered these simple questions, so you don’t have to. Next time your younger cousin asks you where “these” come from, maybe you’ll have an answer that time around.

Invertebrates wander the grounds that surround us so often, that it’s easy to miss them. The invertebrate is mostly referred to as a bug, those like spiders, snails, worms, and insects are all invertebrates. I took the liberty of doing a little research on the neighborhood worm of British Columbia, the Common Earthworm. The Common Earthworm, scientific name: Lumbricus Terrestris, has a reddish-gray tint and can grow up to 35.56cm (14 inches). They can weigh up to 11.1g (0.39oz) and tend to not live past six years (assuming they live that long at all). These tiny creatures don’t seem too complex in our eyes, but take a closer look at the side they slither on, and you’ll find they have tiny hairs. These hairs are not actually hairs, but hair-like protections that help them slither on the top of the soil. With wetter soil, these worms can move faster on the surface.

I’m not sure where I thought Earthworms lived, but, I guess I assumed they died before the day ended of something because I can tell you for a fact, I have never seen one of them at night (despite them being referred to as nightcrawlers). The reason for that, though it might come as a surprise, is because they burrow themselves in the dirt for most of the day, and mostly come out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and whenever they feel like tasting a snack. Common Earthworms are Herbivores, which means when they typically come out to eat dead leaves. However, with a little bit of research, I found that sometimes they will eat other dead insects and small soil micro-organisms as well (which doesn’t fit the “Herbivore Way“). Though these worms maybe just trying to eat their dinner, it is believed that doing so, and eating the dead leaves could lead to climate change. The worms are speeding up decomposition and though it might be beneficial to certain areas, it is not good for the areas that are not used to this.

Earthworms are not native to North America and come from Western Europe. They are one of an estimated 1, 442 invasive species to our area, and just because they get hungry.

    Another Invasive species, of this one is a plant, is the Japanese Knotweed. The Japanese Knotweed, scientific name: Fallopia Japonica is a “semi-woody” plant originating from Eastern Asia. When fully grown, this plant can be seen as a tall green plant. I know you’re asking “How on earth does a plant make its way to Canada from Asia, well, it’s not as uncommon as you think, and there are tons of plants in Canada from all over the world. The plant was brought over for ornamental purposes and was later found that it could help with erosion control. So, what’s the harm in a beautiful green plant, that helps stabilize our ground? 

    The Japanese Knotweed not only has been found to grow through concrete and asphalt, but it is incredibly difficult to control. It can spread quickly and easily, even the slightest bit of it could create a new one just the same. The Japanese Knotweed has a very strong root system, being able to spread 10 meters from the original stem, and has incredibly dense thickets that degrade the habitats of our wild. Though this Knotweed is very hard to get rid of, even being able to survive massive flooding, there are always ways to help our land. As always, with any type of invasive plant, stay on the trail, and double-check your shoes for branches or leaves from the plant, making sure to not trail it around creating more. Don’t compost it, it will not help, it will grow through whatever you had it in, and then you will need to buy a new compost. Buying, selling, and trading of this plant are illegal in Canada, so report it if seen. If you intend to kill the plant, one of the only ways to do so is to use very high temperatures to burn it until it’s gone.  If you happen to see an unidentified Japanese Knotweed in our wild, call it in, so people know to steer clear and be aware of it. These are important steps to take to stop the spread of invasive species in Canada

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/81545-Lumbricus-terrestris

Japanese Knotweed

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/invasive-earthworms-threat-forests-climate-change-1.6154164

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/invasive-species-in-canada-animals#:~:text=While%20it’s%20impossible%20to%20say,country’s%20farmlands%2C%20forests%20and%20waterways.