Tag: Science Fiction
0 Science Fiction or Fact
Catriona Howson
On this day in 1979, Douglas Adams’ classic Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was published. It seamlessly merged science fantasy with comedy as we followed Arthur Dent the hapless Englishman on his adventures throughout space. Here is a list of interesting space facts which might help any future travelers.
- Saturn would float! Yes, its density is so low it would bob on top of water, unverified as we don’t have a body of water large enough to dunk Saturn into.
- We’re always moving. Trying to map out the universe would be an incredibly daunting task, as galaxies are not a fixed point in time or space. Now we know how USS Voyager ended up so lost!
- The Moon is leaving us. Don’t rely on the moon as a navigational tool to find your way back home, it is slowly but surely drifting out of our orbit. Button moon may be a suitable replacement.
- Big Dipper, big mistake. Frequently classified incorrectly the big dipper is not a constellation but an asterism (a pattern of stars that is not officially recognised). Again mapping even within our own galaxy is a challenge.
- Cold fusion. It literally does exist in space, as if two pieces of metal collide they will be permanently stuck together.
