Show
Date: January 25, 2006
Pam Eastlick for THE DEEP on line
| ETERNAL REEFS, |
| REACH FOR THE STARS |
| and |
| THE LAST DESERT |
Welcome to The Deep science and technology
column where we cover topics from the deep sea to deep space and
beyond. Join us each week on Newstalk K57 on Wednesday night from
7 to 8 p.m. for exciting live science expeditions or listen live
on our web site www.thedeepradioshow.com. This week on The Deep,
we’ll talk about coral reefs and a unique way to help their
survival, travel to the farthest reaches of space when we talk
about the New Horizons expedition to Pluto and pay a visit to
the Last Desert.
| ETERNAL REEFS |
| We all know that many things can damage reefs. On Guam,
an infestation of Crown of Thorns starfish dealt a blow to
the reefs that took a long time for recovery. Ship anchors,
illegal fishing practices and poor land management all take
their toll on these magnificent creations. |
A company was formed in the early 1990’s to help reefs
recover from natural and man-made devastation. The founders realized
that there were two main challenges. Whatever was used had to
be stable and capable of withstanding not only normal tidal and
current flows, but also major storms and the dynamic energy impacts
that accompany them. The stabilizers also had to be made of natural
materials that would attract and encourage microorganisms to settle
and propagate on the reefs.
They developed patented mold systems to create reefs that closely
mimic natural reef formations. Special design features were included
to make it easy for sea life to attach and grow on these designed
reef structures. An environmentally friendly concrete formula
was developed that would be attractive to the microorganisms that
make new reefs, and reef balls were born.
In 1990, the
Reef Ball Development Group completed the first Reef Ball
project near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Since that time, there
have been over 3,500 projects worldwide with more than 400,000
Reef Balls placed on the ocean floor. With years of documented
history of stability and habitat development, Reef Balls
have become the world standard for fisheries programs, coral
restoration and habitat development projects.But wonderful
as it is, that’s not the end of the story. A relative
of one of the employees of the company requested that his
cremated ashes be made a part of one of the reef balls after
his death and Eternal Reefs was born. |
 |
The company works closely with many regulatory agencies and over
the years Eternal Reefs has become the choice of many people as
they select their final resting place. People choose an Eternal
Reef as their final resting place for many reasons. But an important
one is that this memorial is a true living legacy. To learn more
about Eternal Reefs, CLICK
HERE!
| REACH FOR THE STARS |
| Pluto is the only planet that hasn’t been visited
by our robot explorers. This isn’t surprising since
it’s over 4 billion miles away. Pluto is very small
(less than half the size of our Moon) and there’s a
strong possibility that it isn’t a planet at all. Astronomers
have begun to discover many more Pluto-sized objects in the
empty regions beyond Neptune and Pluto is probably only one
of a host of asteroids in the Kuiper (Ky-per) Belt. |
The spacecraft we’re sending there has state-of-the-art
instruments, which is good because the technology will be nine
years out of date by the time it arrives at Pluto. The people
who will guide the robot in its mission are probably still in
high school and college right now. The instruments aboard have
been given very whimsical names. They are Ralph, Alice, Rex, Lorri,
Pepssi, Swap and SDC.
Ralph is the visible and infrared spectrometer and Alice is
the ultraviolet spectrometer. These instruments will tell us what
chemicals make up Pluto and its moon Charon. Rex will measure
the atmospheric composition of Pluto (assuming Pluto has an atmosphere)
and will also take Pluto’s temperature. As near as we can
tell from Earth, a balmy summer day on Pluto is around minus 365
degrees.
 |
Lorri is the telescopic camera
that will return the visual images that are the most important
part for us non-scientists. Pluto is so far away our best
resolution photos show only blurs of light and dark. SWAP
will measure the solar wind around Pluto and the little
world’s interaction with it. And since the solar wind
is made of particles of the Sun, even at 4 BILLION miles
away, Pluto, like the rest of the solar system, is technically
inside our star.
Pepssi (Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation)
will measure the composition and density of ions escaping
from Pluto's atmosphere and SDC is a real triumph of human
endeavor. It’s the Student Dust Counter and it was
built and operated by students at the University of Colorado.
The instruments job is to measure the space dust peppering
New Horizons during its voyage across the solar system.
So why would we spend $750 million to visit something that
small and that far away? Well, even in the midst of conflict
and natural disaster, the scientific quest to understand
the universe and humanity's place in it goes forward. Our
commitment to exploration and the gathering of new knowledge
is a worthy investment. It says much not only about us,
but also about the human condition. Animals don’t
reach for the stars. |
| |
|
| THE LAST DESERT |
|
| The 4 Deserts is the flagship event for RacingThePlanet.
The 4 Deserts is a series of 250-kilometer footraces across
the world’s largest and most forbidding deserts including
the Sahara in Egypt, the Atacama in Chile, the Gobi in China
and Antarctica. To give you an idea what the Racing the planet
people are all about, just read their Mission Statement: |
| "To inspire people from all walks of life
to explore cultures in the four corners of the Earth through
participation in world class outdoor events which take them
beyond their athletic frontiers."
I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
|
 |
 |
The Last Desert, the culmination of the 4 Desert
series, is an epic expedition – never before staged
on the Antarctic continent. Following the same format of the
other 4 Deserts events, The Last Desert will be a self-supported
footrace across 150 miles (250 kilometers) of the Antarctic
Desert in Antarctica. The race consists of six stages, lasting
7 days, with distances ranging from 10 to 50 miles per stage.
Competitors are required to be fully self-supported throughout
the event and must carry all their own food, gear, clothing
and tent which they will need to complete the 150 mile (250
kilometer) course. |
Entry is by invitation only
and competitors must have successfully completed all three
of the other 4 Deserts events (Gobi March, Atacama Crossing,
Sahara Race) to be eligible.
Our guest this week, Matthew Chapman, is one of thirteen
men and two women who will compete in the Last Desert 2006
beginning January 24th, 2006 (yes, that is tomorrow folks!).When
asked if he was planning on completing all of the 4 Deserts
events when he embarked on the first event, he replied "Never.
During each event, I vowed NOT to torture myself with another.
However, once home, the pain was quickly forgotten and replaced
with unforgettable memories of stunning desert scenery.
I didn't expect that 18 months after doing my first desert
run, I'd be doing my 'last'."
On the subject of whether the events had changed his perception
of the world, Matthew commented: "Naturally they did.
I always viewed deserts as lifeless places and uniform,
in terms of landforms. Having sampled the Atacama, Gobi
and Sahara, I realized the diversity and uniqueness of each.
From a cultural sense, mixing with locals as well as up
to 25 nationalities in some events, was very enriching."
To learn more about the 4 Deserts series, VISIT
THEIR WEBSITE and for more of Matthews Journals,
CLICK HERE! |
Join us this week on The Deep as we discuss coral
reefs and a unique way to help their survival, the importance
of reaching for the stars and pay a visit to the Last Desert.
The Deep is broadcast on Newstalk K57 every Wednesday night
at 7:00 p.m. You can also listen live from our web site www.thedeepradioshow.com.
Join Jim Sullivan, Pam Eastlick, and Peter Melyan on the deepest
radio show on Earth.
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