Universe is Older than Previously Thought!

The Universe has added about 100 million years to its speculated age, but we're still not quite sure how old she really is. It's almost as if she's trying to keep it a secret! The age we think The Universe is now stands at 13.82 billion years old.

CREDIT: ESA and the Planck Collaboration

The Planck mission, which the Europeans are responsible for, produced an all new sky map of what they call "cosmic microwave background". This is the most detailed map of it's kind than any produced before it, and scientists are able to more clearly distinguish theories of how The Universe started. 

Currently, the evidence suggests that a theory that is named the "Standard Model" is being supported, although it is too early to confirm anything. The map is a fulmination of the Planck's images taken over the first 15 months of it launch. Some believe that as the satellite continues to travel, more will be revealed about how The Universe began, it's expansion rate, and what it looked like when the Big Bang was taking place.

This has the potential to be a very significant discovery for astronomy and human kind in general. The more we know about how everything in existence came into being, the more we will appreciate our lives, or at least that is the hope.

Canadian Chris Hadfield Take Control of the ISS!

International Space Station

On March 13th, 2013, a historic moment in Canadian history has been written. For the first time, a Canadian  has taken command of the International Space Station. Canadian Commander Chris Hadfield has taken control of the 35th expedition crew aboard the ISS. 

Chris Hadfield had this to say about the event, "It is a huge honor and a privilege to me but also for all the people at the Canadian Space Agency ... and for my entire country. So, for the International Space Station Program, all the international partners, thank you very much for giving me the keys to the 'family car.' We're going to put some miles on it but we'll bring it back in good shape." Hadfield is taking over command from Kevin Ford. 

This is also not the first time Hadfield has made history, back in 2001, Hadfield became the first Canadian to walk in space, and was also given the title of first Canadian to visit the ISS on that same mission. 

This is a tremendous achievement for Canada, and all Canadains should feel proud that we have progressed so far to reach this current point. As the space program continues to grow, Canada will defiantly have a significant role to play in its future.

Mars Confirmed To Once Have Fresh Water!

On March 12th, 2013, an announcement was made from scientists that Mars was once capable of supporting microbial life. This news came to the scientists from the Curiosity rover which launched last year and is currently canvasing the Martian surface. The rover has instruments on-board it's main unit that allows it to analyze different specimens of rock and other materials that the rover collects. When analyzing samples taken from a rock NASA named John Klein, the found traces of sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon. In addition to these, the sample also had clay minerals mixed in with those elements, which proves that the rock was once in an environment which once contained water. Due to the pH levels that must of have been present in order for these clay minerals to form, the water in question would have been perfectly safe for humans to drink, today.

Although scientists speculated that water has flowed on Mars in the past, the evidence in these findings suggest that the water was much more habitable to life as we know it than what was previously thought. 


This could mean, that once upon a time, billions of years ago, Mars once inhabited life of all sorts, maybe even human life. And to them, at the time, it was Earth which was the uninhabitable planet. Only time will tell what will come out of this new discovery, however there is no doubt that this has been a huge step in the search for extraterrestrial life. 

Double Dose of Meteor and Asteroid!

On February 15th 2013, two extraordinary events happened. One of which was expected, and one which caught many people off guard.

The expected event was the pass by from an asteroid closer than any of its size before. The asteroid, which was about half the size of a football field, came within 27, 000 kilometers of the Earth around 2:30 PM. This distance was also closer than many communication satellites currently orbiting Earth. No satellites were hit, and the event came and went with no problems or concerns. The fly by provided with an excellent chance for scientists to study and observe the rotation, size and trajectory of the big space rock.

However, the event which stole the spotlight from this extraordinary historical event, was something that nobody was expecting. In eastern Russia a meteor streaked across the sky and exploded in the Earth's atmosphere causing damage to thousands of buildings and injuring some people.

This blast is the biggest in over a century according to some, which is an historical event in its own right. It is reported that this event is not linked in any way to the flyby of the asteroid which happened on the same day. The meteor is believed to come from asteroid belt which is in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.


This unexpected event has some worried. Scientists say that the meteor was not foreseen because of it's small size, however some were under the impression that all imminent threats to the Earth from celestial bodies were known of. It just goes to show how unprepared and at the mercy of the cosmos we really are.