Our Planet

The first cell phone call was performed on April 3, 1973

The first cell phone call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973

The first cell phone call was made by Martin Cooper (born December 26, 1928), a researcher at Motorola, on April 3, 1973. Cooper was working on developing the first handheld mobile phone, which he called the DynaTAC. The phone was large and bulky, weighing about 2.5 pounds, and it had a battery life of only about 20 minutes of talk time.

The first weather observation satellite [TIROS-1] was launched on April 1, 1960

Technicians working on the TIROS-1 satellite

On April 1, 1960, the world’s first weather observation satellite (TIROS-1) was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It became operational for 78 days, despite the mission duration being 90 days.

The first Mercury flyby was performed by Mariner 10 on March 29, 1974

Mariner 10 (artist conception). On March 29, 1974, it performed the first Mercury flyby.

On March 29, 1974, NASA’s Mariner 10 spacecraft has performed the first Mercury flyby in the history of space exploration.

8 Largest Prehistoric Crocodiles Ever

In the prehistoric ages, some animals were much bigger than today’s counterparts – including crocodiles. Crocodiles have long been some of the most feared and respected creatures on the planet, and their prehistoric ancestors were no different. Some of the largest and most terrifying crocodiles to ever exist walked the Earth millions of years ago, making even the largest modern crocodile look like a mere lizard by comparison. From the massive Deinosuchus to the impressive Sarcosuchus imperator, this article will explore eight of the largest and most impressive prehistoric crocodiles ever discovered, giving readers a glimpse into a long-lost world of giant reptiles and ferocious predators.

Vanguard 1, the first Solar-Powered Satellite [and the Oldest Human-Made Object Still in Orbit] was Launched on March 17, 1958

Vanguard 1, launched on March 17, 1958, marks a significant step in space exploration as the first solar-powered satellite. It is also the oldest human-made object still orbiting Earth. The satellite, with a diameter of about 6.4 inches (16.3 cm), demonstrated the viability of solar energy in space missions. While its primary scientific mission has long since ended, Vanguard 1 remains in orbit, serving as a historical marker of early space endeavors and the evolving technology of the era. Its presence in space continues to remind us of the early stages of human efforts in satellite technology.

Imagine Earth with Saturn’s Rings [It would offer breathtaking views!]

Earth with rings like Saturn: The view of ringed Earth from the Moon

The photos of Saturn, with its majestic rings, are a testament to the breathtaking beauty of our solar system. Now, imagine if Earth had a similar feature! The sight of a vibrant ring system surrounding our planet would undoubtedly leave us in awe. The striking contrast of the rings against the blue and green of our planet would offer breathtaking views, and the endless possibilities for photography and art would be endless. While Earth’s unique geological features make it stand out in our solar system, it’s hard not to imagine how incredible our planet would look with a set of rings like Saturn’s.

How fast does Earth move in Space? [Exploring the Mind-Bending Speed of Earth’s Journey]

A beautiful night sky, the Milky Way, star trails and the trees

As we go about our daily lives, it’s easy to forget that we’re all hurtling through space at incredible speeds. Earth is constantly in motion, rotating on its axis and orbiting around the sun. In fact, we’re all living in a fast-moving spacecraft. But just how fast is our planet moving? What’s the speed of Earth in space?

The answer is surprisingly complex, and the exact speed varies depending on the reference point. In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to measure Earth’s speed, from its rotation speed and its orbital velocity around the sun to the Sun’s movement around the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and gain a new appreciation for the incredible speed at which we’re all traveling.

Here’s why the sky and the Sun are reddish at sunrise and sunset

Sunset at the Istanbul Technical University

The sky and the Sun appear in different colors (reddish or orange) during sunrise and sunset because of the way that light travels through the Earth’s atmosphere.

During the day, the Sun appears white because its light is composed of all the colors of the spectrum. As the Sun gets closer to the horizon during sunrise and sunset, its light has to travel through more of the Earth’s atmosphere before it reaches our eyes. This causes the shorter, bluer wavelengths of light to scatter more, leaving the longer, redder wavelengths to dominate.

Kepler Space Telescope was launched on March 7, 2009

Kepler Space Telescope (artist imagination)

On March 7, 2009, NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope was launched from Cape Canaveral on top of a Delta II (7925-10L) rocket. It was designed to search for exoplanets – planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. Kepler’s primary mission was to determine how common Earth-like planets are in our galaxy, and it discovered more than 2,600 confirmed exoplanets during its 9-year mission.

Kepler Space Telescope’s discoveries revolutionized our understanding of the universe and our place in it and paved the way for future space telescopes and exoplanet research.

Voyager 1 performed the Jupiter flyby on March 5, 1979

On March 5, 1979, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft performed a Jupiter flyby as it flew within 277,400 kilometers (172,368 miles) of the planet’s cloud tops or 348,890 km/216,790 miles from the center of mass.