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Paul Favret explains that geophysics is the study of the physical processes that shape the Earth and its environment. He mentions that, over the centuries, there have been many notable geophysics projects that have helped further our understanding and deepen our knowledge of our planet.
Notable geophysics projects include Galileo Galilei using a telescope to observe and record the phases of Venus in 1609, which was one of the first observations that supported the Copernican model of our very own solar system and placed the Sun at the center instead of the Earth. Another is James Cook sailing to Tahiti in 1772 to observe and, amazingly, record a transit of Venus across the Sun. This data was used to help calculate the distance from the Sun to Earth (known as the astronomical unit).
Paul Favret points out that projects have become more complex in more recent times. Here are some of them:
- The Apollo Moon landing missions, during which seismometers were placed on the moon's surface to study its interior.
- The International Geophysical Year (1957-58), a global scientific initiative, saw over 60,000 scientists from 67 countries participate in research across various disciplines, including geophysics.
- The entire construction of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN in Switzerland is the most massive and most powerful particle accelerator. It has been used to study a wide range of phenomena in physics, including dark matter and extra dimensions.
- The ongoing search for gravitational waves using detectors such as LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory).
- The Mars Curiosity rover mission includes a nuclear-powered rover exploring the surface of Mars and collecting data about its climate and geology.
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- The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation neutrino experiment conducted at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, USA.
For more on Paul Favret’s insights on geophysics and related topics, visit this site.
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