CEN 511: Recemt Discoveries in Astronomy

1. Recently, attention has been drawn to a common chemical, dihydrogen monoxide. It is also known as hydroxl acid, and is the major component of acid rain. It contributes to the greenhouse effect, may cause severe burns, contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape, accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals, may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes and has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients. Neverthless, it is still often used as an industrial solvent and coolant, in nuclear power plants, in the production of styrofoam, as a fire retardant, in many forms of cruel animal research and in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical. It is also an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products. Do an online investigation of this chemical, also known as DHMO. What do you think should be done about it?
2. Make your own estimate of the Drake equation. Assuming your estimates for all other factors, what is the ratio of N/(f_i L), where f_i is the fraction of cases in which life-bearing planets develop intelligent life and L is the average longevity of a civilization. What does N denote?
3. Concerning the Drake equation, identify some situations in which it doesn't apply. Considering these exceptions, what do you think is the usefulness of the Drake equation?
4. What major biological development allowed organic life to circumvent the bottlenect to information storage capacity caused by the finite length of DNA imposed by the necessity of relatively error-free reproduction?
5. What is the Fermi paradox?
6. What are von Neumann machines?
7. What are some factors that could limit the longevity of civilizations?