Featured in EPN
Most recent highlights from EPN:
Unravelling the mystery of the Earth magnetic field1
by Henri-Claude Nataf
Slow convective motions in the liquid iron core of the Earth give birth to its magnetic field. How do these motions get organized under the combined effects of the Coriolis and Lorentz forces? Lab experiments reveal a peculiar behaviour. They also suggest that we need to reconsider what turbulence means in these conditions. Our better understanding of the dynamics of the core, and ever more precise observations have led to the recent discovery of a spectacular phenomenon: the propagation of torsional Alfvén waves, which jerk the core every 3-4 years.
Mental ability and common sense in an artificial society2
by Krzysztof Malarz and Krzysztof Kułakowski
Having equally valid premises pro and contra, what does a rational human being prefer? The answer is: nothing. We designed a test of this kind and applied it to an artificial society, characterized by a given level of mental ability. A stream of messages from media is supplemented by ongoing interpersonal communication. The result is that high ability leads to wellbalanced opinions, while low ability produces extreme opinions.
Giant impact: accretion and evolution of the Moon3
by J. Geiss, M.C.E. Huber and A.P. Rossi
Our planetary system has not always been as serene as it appears to us today. Exploration of the Moon has shown that disastrous collisions and violent epochs have occurred in the early part of its history. Indeed, a collision of the Earth with another planet – the Giant Impact – is the most widely accepted theory for the origin of the Moon. Several hundred million years later, Moon and Earth received a Late Heavy Bombardment that created the large basins on the Moon and must have devastated the atmosphere and hydrosphere of the Earth.
- Henri-Claude Nataf. 2014. Unravelling the mystery of the Earth magnetic field. EPN, Vol. 45, No. 4. DOI: 10.1051/epn/2014401 [↩]
- Krzysztof Malarz and Krzysztof Kułakowski. 2014. Mental ability and common sense in an artificial society. EPN, Vol. 45, No. 4. DOI: 10.1051/epn/2014402 [↩]
- J. Geiss, M.C.E. Huber and A.P. Rossi. 2014. Giant impact: accretion and evolution of the Moon. EPN, Vol. 45, No. 4. DOI: 10.1051/epn/2014403 [↩]
