What about Santa?
Here's an excerpt from a science item in today's news:
Scientists think they have discovered the energy source of the spectacular color displays seen in the northern lights.
New data from NASA's Themis mission, a quintet of satellites launched this winter, found the energy comes from a stream of charged particles from the sun flowing like a current through twisted bundles of magnetic fields connecting Earth's upper atmosphere to the sun. The energy is then abruptly released in the form of a shimmering display of lights visible in the upper latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, said principal investigator Vassilis Angelopoulos of the University of California, Los Angeles.
I think the scientists have overlooked the obvious. Santa's workshop, of course. Think about how much energy is expended there and the obvious need to entertain those hard working elves. You gotta figure television reception is lousy up there so Santa came up with those pretty lights in the sky to keep elf discontent to a minimum. It's a theory...
If you like wallpapers with a little techiness to them, here's what I'm using on my notebook computer at work right now. It's a picture I took of some pippetor tips on my lab benchtop. As you might be able to tell from the filters built in to them, they're for DNA and RNA work.
Scientists think they have discovered the energy source of the spectacular color displays seen in the northern lights.
New data from NASA's Themis mission, a quintet of satellites launched this winter, found the energy comes from a stream of charged particles from the sun flowing like a current through twisted bundles of magnetic fields connecting Earth's upper atmosphere to the sun. The energy is then abruptly released in the form of a shimmering display of lights visible in the upper latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, said principal investigator Vassilis Angelopoulos of the University of California, Los Angeles.I think the scientists have overlooked the obvious. Santa's workshop, of course. Think about how much energy is expended there and the obvious need to entertain those hard working elves. You gotta figure television reception is lousy up there so Santa came up with those pretty lights in the sky to keep elf discontent to a minimum. It's a theory...
If you like wallpapers with a little techiness to them, here's what I'm using on my notebook computer at work right now. It's a picture I took of some pippetor tips on my lab benchtop. As you might be able to tell from the filters built in to them, they're for DNA and RNA work.
Comments
In fact, Mr. Man's first view of the northern lights was on the 20 mile trip to the base hospital when I was in labor with our first child.
(Er...glad you're amazed at the lights and all but I'm in labor so let's get the hell going already!)
I love your theory though!
Thanks for dropping by my blog - I have been very busy so my blog time is pretty non-existent atm. The new Eurostar station is quite something when you are actually there by the way. A very impressive structure.
The lights are on my list of things to do/see before I die.
About your comment on The New House...Because this is the hills, almost all the houses look "out of place" in a strange way.....especially when they are unfinished or too new for foliage, etc....! What I find kind of shocking about it is that it is three and four floors, in some places....Again, quite typical of the "Hills of Hollywood", but this one seems Bigger than some others...Though I will reserve my judgement on that till after it is all done and landscaped....!
The other surprising thing to me is that this home is being built "on spec"...I mean, most people will want to make whatever it is---Their Own! So, it seems very risky to do this on Spec....
In fact, there is another house at the top of my street, also built on a very very VERY Steep hill....it took years and years to build because of the very heavy-duty building codes here....It was designed inside like an Italian Pallazzo....all imported Marble, etc....(This house was on Spec, too...) And then, when it was all finished they were asking...Are you sitting down? $12 Million!!!
It still has not sold, like 6 years later....! The monthly nut on that home must be atronomical...! The taxes alone....OY!
I've never seen the Norther Lights but either explanation works for me (I like your's somewhat better because it's a more entertaining story though)
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