the Moon, either; the idea that moths are
trying to navigate by the Moon has been
disproved. Exactly why moths fly towards
artificial lights still isn’t understood – all we
know is that artificial lights confuse them in
some way.
Why don’t moths fly towards the Sun?
from predators. Moths don’t fly towards
the Moon, either; the idea that moths are
trying to navigate by the Moon has been
disproved. Exactly why moths fly towards
artificial lights still isn’t understood – all we
know is that artificial lights confuse them in
some way.
the Moon, either; the idea that moths are
trying to navigate by the Moon has been
disproved. Exactly why moths fly towards
artificial lights still isn’t understood – all we
know is that artificial lights confuse them in
some way.
How exactly is the accuracy of Wikipedia articles maintained?
Anybody can write or edit Wikipedia
articles. In August 2014, a YouGov
poll concluded that Wikipedia is more
trusted than the BBC. Specifically,
64 per cent said they trust Wikipedia
“a great deal” or “a fair amount”. The
figure for BBC News was 61 per cent,
and 13 per cent for red top tabloid
newspapers. Wikipedia has three
core policies: neutral point of view,
verifiability and data coming from
published and reliable sources. An
article’s revised section is displayed
alongside the previous version so
erroneous contributions are rooted out.
Wikipedia’s writers and editors create
watch lists and are alerted whenever
an article in which they have some
expertise has been modified. Wikipedia
also has a style manual to ensure
control of language and layout.
articles. In August 2014, a YouGov
poll concluded that Wikipedia is more
trusted than the BBC. Specifically,
64 per cent said they trust Wikipedia
“a great deal” or “a fair amount”. The
figure for BBC News was 61 per cent,
and 13 per cent for red top tabloid
newspapers. Wikipedia has three
core policies: neutral point of view,
verifiability and data coming from
published and reliable sources. An
article’s revised section is displayed
alongside the previous version so
erroneous contributions are rooted out.
Wikipedia’s writers and editors create
watch lists and are alerted whenever
an article in which they have some
expertise has been modified. Wikipedia
also has a style manual to ensure
control of language and layout.
How can we protect against the effects of a huge solar storm?
Every few days the Sun spews out
huge bursts of particles and
electromagnetic energy known as coronal
mass ejections (CMEs). Most shoot
harmlessly into space. But if directed at the
Earth, the fast-moving particles can smash
into satellites, interfere with
communications and damage groundbased
electronic devices. Major CMEs
trigger violent changes in the Earth’s
magnetic field, creating geomagneticallyinduced
currents (GICs). These can surge
through pipelines and high-tension power
cables, damaging transformers and
triggering mass blackouts. CMEs were
responsible for the notorious Carrington
Event of 1859, which blacked out
telegraph systems in Europe and America.
Efforts to minimise the effects of
CMEs focus on early warning and
damage limitation. Space-based
observations can spot CMEs a day or
more before they strike. This allows
power operators to take measures, while
satellites can be re-orientated to reduce
the risk of damage. Some power
networks are being fitted with GIC surge
detectors – these mop up the currents
and protect transformers at key points in
the electric grid.
huge bursts of particles and
electromagnetic energy known as coronal
mass ejections (CMEs). Most shoot
harmlessly into space. But if directed at the
Earth, the fast-moving particles can smash
into satellites, interfere with
communications and damage groundbased
electronic devices. Major CMEs
trigger violent changes in the Earth’s
magnetic field, creating geomagneticallyinduced
currents (GICs). These can surge
through pipelines and high-tension power
cables, damaging transformers and
triggering mass blackouts. CMEs were
responsible for the notorious Carrington
Event of 1859, which blacked out
telegraph systems in Europe and America.
Efforts to minimise the effects of
CMEs focus on early warning and
damage limitation. Space-based
observations can spot CMEs a day or
more before they strike. This allows
power operators to take measures, while
satellites can be re-orientated to reduce
the risk of damage. Some power
networks are being fitted with GIC surge
detectors – these mop up the currents
and protect transformers at key points in
the electric grid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)