All posts by Nicholas Gerbis

Astronomy, History, Science, Space, Technology

Beyond the big blue marble

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Artist's impression of an exoplanet
Exoplanet visualization by Supportstorm via Wikimedia Commons

Although astronomers and cosmologists long believed in the existence of planets outside our solar system, such worlds remained purely theoretical until as recently as the early 1990s. Since then, the ever-quickening pace of discovery has filled the roster of possible and confirmed planetary candidates with first tens, then hundreds and now thousands of distant worlds.

In this article, I’ll take you on a tour through the history of planet hunting and into its future. Along the way, we’ll take a look at some of the most significant discoveries, including the candidates most suitable for life as we know it.

How planet hunting works

Auto, History, Racing

Closed wheels and open throttles

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In 1900, drivers jaunted in their rattletrap Panhards, Mercedes, Darracqs and Fiats along a115-mile Italian endurance circuit called the Coppa Florio, a bone-rattling race on treacherous and poorly kept roads. Seven years later, the first 24-hour race got underway at Brooklands, the first speedway ever built specifically for auto racing.

From these humble beginnings sprang the great endurance races of today: the Le Mans 24-Hour, 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Along the way, the sport expanded and diversified into subcategories based on car type, manufacturer, course and event length, number of drivers and so on. In this article, I give you a head start in understanding this complex world and list some of the surprising ways that endurance motorsport has influenced the cars we drive every day.

How endurance racing works