1. The Red Planet has two different faces.
One side of Mars is known for looking beat up, while another side of the planet is almost completely smooth. The Northern side of Mars is known for plains, while the Southern side has a thicker crust, rockier terrain, and a lot of craters. Why does Mars have such different faces on the Northern and Southern halves of it? Scientists are still trying to find out the real reason why.
2. When the universe was first created, it was hot.
Temperature-wise, the universe was very warm when it first came into existence. Within minutes of its creation, scientists believe that the universe reached temperatures of over 1 billion degrees Kelvin. It cooled down continuously until this very day, when the average temperature of the universe is a mere 2.275 degrees Kelvin. It will continue to get colder in the universe until it reaches an average temperature of 0 degrees Kelvin – also known as absolute zero. This is why many scientists believe the end to our universe will be a Big Freeze.
3. Our universe is about 13.7 billion years old.
Scientists have confirmed that there is nothing in the universe that is older than 13.7 billion years – making our planet (which is about 6 billion years old) a spring chicken in comparison. And here we were, thinking that WE feel old!
4. Our universe is expanding – rapidly!
Right now, scientists are amazed to see that galaxies and the planets that inhabit them are floating away from one another at increasingly rapid rates. This is also proof of the increase in the universe’s expansion. Moreover, since the universe is currently expanding, there is no way to figure out where the center of the universe is.
5. Scientists are studying structures smaller than an atom in order to learn more about the universe as a whole.
Scientists want to figure out what the universe was like during the time right before the Big Bang, which incidentally, had conditions that are similar to those being studied in the realm of particle physics.
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