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The Swirling Vortex of Titan

Posted by Soulskill on from the bring-a-life-jacket dept.

sighted writes "New images from the robotic spacecraft Cassini show the ongoing formation of a massive vortex in the atmosphere of Saturn's planet-sized moon Titan. (See also this animation.) The same moon has recently provided tantalizing hints of an underground ocean as well. Future missions, if any are ever funded, will have plenty to explore."

2 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. agreed by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Interesting

    And my positive contribution to a serious thread:

    The dipole moment of water, the dipole moment of anything, ammonia for example, is necessary for life

    Because life has to have something to work with chemically, a way in, a way that can lead to more complex chemistry.a dipole moment supplies this way in and way up

    Therefore, I am voting against life on titan, as a bunch of hydrocarbons with no dipole moment offer no stepping stone to more advanced chemistry

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  2. Re:Titan is becoming a more amazing world by bandy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Read and watch "2001: A Space Odyssey". (The book and the movie were developed simultaneously and you really need one to fully understand the other. I'd read the book first.) Then read "2010: Odyssey Two". Both written by Sir Arthur C. Clarke. Psychedelics optional where permitted by law, sitter who knows and loves the story highly advised.

    --
    "You might as well get your son a ticket to hell as give him a five string banjo." -unknown minister