1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Should Know from how Stuff Works 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark, 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: There's Charles w Chuck Bryant, and Jerry's over there. So 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: this is Stuff you Should Know the podcast. Uh, we 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: want to give before we get started, a big congratulations 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,279 Speaker 1: to our newest colleagues, Emily and Bridget with the official 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: relaunch of stuff Mom never told you, Yeah, Chuck. They 8 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: just debuted last week, I believe, and they come out 9 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: Wednesdays and Fridays. Huh yeah, so Monday, Tuesday, well, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: the four of us have you covered? Yeah, it's true. 11 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 1: Do we have any shows that come out on Monday? 12 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: We do? All right, Well, Jerry's nodding, so that means 13 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: we've got you covered every day of the week. Let's 14 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: just say that. Nice. That's the How Stuff Works way. Yeah. Yeah, anyway, 15 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: just congratulations to them. That's awesome. I know that they've 16 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: been running classic episodes while they were down and getting restarted, 17 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: and uh it's no small thing to come in and 18 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: take a show over. But they're doing an awesome job 19 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: and are both uh great broadcasters. And you know, I'm 20 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: I'm in support of them. Yeah, that's my official position. 21 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: I know that sounded weirdly political. Yeah, good luck and 22 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: best twishes to Bridget and Emily. So you guys go 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,839 Speaker 1: check it out Wednesdays and Fridays anywhere you get podcasts. 24 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: You can get stuff Mom never told you. Yes, and apologize. 25 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: I apologize for my voice. Oh yeah, what's up with 26 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: your voice? Man? I've just had this upper respiratory thing 27 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,919 Speaker 1: that won't go away, that stinks, and so unless I'm 28 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: constantly wetting my throat, it gets weirdly deep and cracky. 29 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: So are you paying a lot more than usual? Well, 30 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: I'm drinking a lot of water. I'm peeing a lot, 31 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: but I would literally have to drink between every sentence 32 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: to keep it silky smooth. Oh do you want to 33 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: record today? No, I'm fine. I'm not in pain, but 34 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: I just don't want anyone's ears to be in pain. 35 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: Have you heard of um? Oh? Man, now that I 36 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: say it, I realized I don't know the name of 37 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: the brand. But you know those like cough drops that 38 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: are actually like candy, but they market them as cough drops, 39 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: the cherry flavored ones. M No, I mean like they're 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: literal candy. Um no, but it's basically the most delicious 41 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: jolly rancher you've ever had. It lacks the sour, it's 42 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: all sweet. So it's green apple. No, they're red. I 43 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: can't remember what they're called. People are screaming at their um. Yeah, 44 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,839 Speaker 1: well their phones, their tablets, their computers. Right now, settled down, everybody, Yes, 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: we chuck and I agree with you. This is maybe 46 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: the worst intro we've ever done. And Jerry does too. 47 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: So let's get to it, shall we. So we're talking 48 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: aurora's today. Yeah, and generally we're talking about the two 49 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: most famous auroras. Uh And I say too, because I 50 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: don't even want to give I don't want to short 51 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: change the Aurora Australis. No, it definitely does get short changed, 52 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: though totally. Did you Did you come upon why? I 53 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: came upon the explanation a couple of times? Oh about why? Yeah? 54 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: Uh I didn't. But I'm gonna have a guess. Okay, 55 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: let's have it. Is it not quite as magnificent? Nope? 56 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: Are there not as many people there? Yes? There you go, 57 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: There are fewer. There's there's less land around the South 58 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: Pole as there is around the North Pole. Um, I 59 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: should say the magnetic South and North pole. Um. So 60 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: there's fewer eyes to see it, so the grandeur of 61 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: it is is um less obvious too as many people. 62 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: But yeah, that's that's why the Northern Lights get all 63 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: the all the top billing. Plus, no one ever named 64 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: a strain of weed after the Aurora Australis out about 65 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: that too. Southern Lights, what is that? I bet you 66 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: there's one. There's a poison. There a like a head 67 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: shop in Atlanta called Southern Lights. I think it's a bookstore. 68 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: Oh got it? Wink wink. Oh yeah, but where you 69 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 1: can where you can buy rush and spice books. Well, 70 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: I I don't understand. I'm just kidding. Let's see. Is 71 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: that like a code for something? Well, I thought you 72 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: were giving me the code, Chuck. I think it's a 73 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: real bookstore, gardening books. This is the most confused I've 74 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: ever been on this show. Like we're on a cell 75 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: phone and have to keep things, you know, straight up? 76 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: All right, all right, let's get back to it. I 77 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: don't want to confuse you so Auroras, because I want 78 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: to make sure that you is uh comes through Um 79 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: the the there are two and Chuck apparently until very 80 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: re cerently. It was assumed because people couldn't see him 81 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: at the same time, but it was assumed that there 82 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: the northern lights that you were seeing the Aurora borealis. Um, 83 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: if you could simultaneously see the Aurora Australias, you would 84 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: be seeing a mirror image of one another. And they 85 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: recently found out that that's absolutely not true at all. 86 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: They finally got someone down there to look some some 87 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: poor sap had to run. He's like, no, it's it's 88 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: way way too different. It's not the same. I don't 89 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: exactly know how they do it. They must have observed 90 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: it from space, but they saw They are convinced now 91 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: that it's not a mirror image any longer. Um. But 92 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: this is it's not that surprising that they're just now 93 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: kind of um figuring that out, because it wasn't until 94 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: too terribly long ago that people thought the aurora was 95 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: things like a giant camp fire on the other side 96 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: of the ocean being reflected in the sky or um uh, 97 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, like the sun's rays peeking up from under 98 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: the earth where it was day when it was night 99 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: where you were. Um. There's been a lot of explanations, 100 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: some of them goofier than others. Um, But it wasn't 101 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: until I think the nineteenth century that we really figured 102 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: out what was going on. And it was a dude 103 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: in Norway, appropriately enough, because Norway is a good place 104 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: to see the Northern Lights. Yeah. I mean they've been 105 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: around obviously, since there have been people to watch them, 106 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: since ancient times, people have been observing them. But like 107 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: you said, when you know, when you're talking about indigenous 108 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: peoples and vikings and things, they're gonna have, uh, you know, 109 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: they had a more limited understanding of science, so they 110 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 1: had all these uh, fanciful descriptions of what they might be. 111 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 1: But um, are you talking about the first person to 112 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: use the term are you talking about? No? Actually I 113 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: jumped past him and he definitely deserves pop, so let's 114 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: talk about him. Yeah, Pierre Pierre Gasindi or Galileo and 115 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: Galileo Galilee apparently at the same around the same time, 116 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: both witnessed the September twelfth, nine sixty one display, and um, 117 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: both kind of you know, put it in their own 118 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: words how wonderful it was. But it wasn't until I 119 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: believe you were talking about eighteen physicist name Christian Birkeland 120 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: in Norway. Yeah, I think it was sixteen sixty one. 121 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: What did I say, Oh man, Yeah, okay, And they 122 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: saw it on Yeah, they saw it on the same night, right, 123 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: and they both went out and I don't think they 124 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: were having a conversation and then both ran out to 125 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: write it down. It seems like they simultaneously came up 126 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: with this idea at the same time from seeing it 127 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: on the same date. Is that is that correct? Yeah? 128 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: I think they both saw the same uh fantastic display 129 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: on the same night, but they both came up with 130 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: the same idea to name it Aurora Borealis. Oh. Well, 131 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: that I don't know. They share credit, which to me 132 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: means they probably don't know right and would just feel 133 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: bad giving it to one of them. Yeah, because history 134 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: has riddled with that kind of thing where you know, 135 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: everybody says, oh no, it was really Alexander Graham Bell 136 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: and Elijah Gray. There's definitely no winner in that. Or 137 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: maybe one of them said I say, Aurora, you say, 138 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: and he went Borealis and they had got a little 139 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: chant going. It was like a Beastie Boys concert. Yeah, exactly, 140 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: so they it was that the what was the Norwegian 141 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: scientists who Kidistian Berkeland. So they were already called the 142 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: Northern Lights from at least the Renaissance on um or 143 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: I guess that would be pre Renaissance, didn't Galileo helped 144 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: kick off the Renaissance. I think he cut the ribbon. 145 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: So um, Christian Berkeland he was the one who he 146 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: came up with the modern interpretation of what the auroras are. Yeah, 147 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: he was pretty right too, I agree, like he just 148 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: I don't know if he just pulled this one out 149 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: of his hat or what, but he definitely he he 150 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: decided that what the aurora auroras are aurora Apparently you 151 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: put it a E on the end, and that's how 152 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: you pluralize it. When um, he figured out that they 153 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: have something to do with electrons in outer space interacting 154 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: with the magnetosphere around Earth. And it turns out he 155 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: was absolutely right. Yeah, he recreated this in a vacuum 156 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: chamber successfully, but he wasn't a percent right he I 157 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: think he said that, um, and we'll get to this later, 158 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: but the Aurora borealis and auroras in general are have 159 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: a characteristic shape, which is an oval ring. And he 160 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: did not know this at the time, because he thought 161 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: that these electrons were coming from the sun, which is 162 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: not quite true. No, no, it's not. It's a little 163 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: more complex than that. Like, his interpretation of the whole 164 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 1: thing was pretty seemed to be correct, and you actually 165 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: run into it here there. I saw it on a 166 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: couple of pretty respectable sites that were basically giving the 167 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: Berkeland interpretation of aurora um phenomenon. But it turns out 168 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: there's an extra step in there that he didn't account for. 169 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: So do you want to talk about the magnetosphere real quick? Well, 170 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: I think quickly that we should shout out one more researcher. Uh. 171 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: And this was nineteen sixty four. There was a grad 172 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: student in Japan name Uh, Well you want to you 173 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: always take our Japanese you want to do that one? Uh? 174 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: Shoon Ichi Aka Sofu, very nice, thank you. Uh. And 175 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: he actually in nineteen sixty four saw these photos, examined them, 176 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: examined them closely, and notice that they were rings. And 177 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: I believe that he was the first one to say, hey, 178 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: these things are oval. I think he actually predicted them 179 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: that they would be oval mathematically without even observing him. 180 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: And then then yeah, then once we started going into 181 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: space and looking at from satellites. They said, yep, aka 182 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: Sofu was right through math dude. He was like, nope, 183 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: it'll be a ring. And it turns out he's right 184 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: and the the the So what you're seeing with the 185 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: northern lights and the southern lights, um are actually connections 186 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: toward ovals that go around the North pole and the 187 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: South pole. And what what it is again, it's it's particles, 188 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: highly charged particles from out of space interacting with the magnetosphere. Yeah. 189 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: So so you're ready to talk about the magnetosphere. So 190 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: the this is kind of astounding to me. We're not 191 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: entirely certain why the Earth has a magnetic field from 192 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: what I can tell. Did you know that? Yeah, I 193 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 1: mean they have their idea, but um, they're not positive right. 194 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: That astounds me. Um Supposedly from the rotation of molten 195 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: iron in the outer core inside the Earth, UM that 196 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: generates this electrical field that surrounds the Earth, the magnetosphere. 197 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: That's the current hypothesis. It's probably right, but the fact 198 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: that we don't know exactly what creates the magnetosphere around 199 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: the Earth is just weird to me. Yeah, I'm with 200 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: you there, So what with this whatever is causing it. 201 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: We know that there's a magnetic shield basically around Earth. 202 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: That's that is probably caused by that that iron rotating 203 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: inside the Earth. And this magnetic shield has helped preserve Earth, 204 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: like we would not be here if the magnetosphere wasn't there. 205 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: The atmosphere probably wouldn't be around Earth if the magnetosphere 206 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: wasn't there. It protects us from bursts of radiation of 207 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: highly charged um ions and and particles that are blasted 208 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: out from the Sun and are just traveling throughout the 209 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: Solar System from other stars and we're bombarded. Earth is 210 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: bombarded by the stuff constantly, and Um, the magnetosphere acts 211 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 1: to actually um deflect most of it, a lot of it. Yeah, 212 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,599 Speaker 1: we need the magnetosphere. So we've got this thing surrounding 213 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: us and and it's great. It keeps us alive. But 214 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: it also creates the basis for um for Aurora aurora. Yes, 215 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: all right, so how this happens, um, It sounds kind 216 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 1: of complicated, but it's really not. When you look at it. UM, Like, 217 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: like you said, there's the Sun is like this big 218 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: ball of gas. It constantly spits out and burps out 219 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: all kinds of things in the form of energy and 220 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: um radiation and what's called the solar wind, solar flares, 221 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: coronal mass ejections. Uh. And we talked about all of 222 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: this in various episodes, but notably our terrible episode on 223 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: the Sun, our legendary episode. Anything that has anything remotely 224 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: to do with the Sun is usually a poor episode 225 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: for us. Uh. And, like you said, most of the 226 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: time these things get deflected, but sometimes some of the 227 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: stuff gets trapped in the magnetosphere, right, well, or so 228 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: this stuff that's being spit out from the Sun, it's 229 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: it's a lot of it's plasma, right, which is the 230 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: fourth state of matter. And that's like highly charged particles 231 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: that hit the magnetosphere. And when they hit the magnetosphere, 232 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: they basically transfer their current to the magnetosphere. They produced 233 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: an electrical charge in it. That's right, And all kinds 234 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: of fun stuff happens once that happens. And so what, well, 235 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: this is where the Berkland interpretation basically kind of starts 236 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: to diver It's right. So Berkland's idea was those particles 237 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: travel through the magnets for down the field lines of 238 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: the Earth's magnetic field and um. They directly create the 239 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: um the aurora. Yeah, Like if you looked at if 240 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: you could see the magnetic field around the Earth, it 241 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: would have a big, long whiskey tail sort of like 242 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: it would sort of look like a comet surrounding the 243 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: Earth and these magnetic lines that it travels. Once it 244 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: hits those field lines, it goes along that that path 245 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: on the northern and southern poles, right, so down that 246 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: tail and if you if you so, the reason that 247 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: it has that tail. On the one side, it's squished 248 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: and the the it's it goes it's about six to 249 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: eight earth radii outside of the Earth, in between the 250 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: Earth and the Sun, but it's being pressed up against 251 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: the Earth, threats being squished on the sun side. On 252 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: the night side, that tail is being formed, and apparently 253 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: that's extraordinarily long. It goes well well past the Moon, 254 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: something like up to a thousand earth radii past the 255 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: Earth on the other side. Right, But if there wasn't 256 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere just formed, I think 257 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: it's natural shape and there was no pressure from the 258 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: solar wind on it. What you would see if you 259 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: were looking at it from outer space is so the 260 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: Earth is a dipole magnet You've got the positive in 261 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: the negative one on each pole. Right, it would look 262 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: like the Earth's magnetosphere would look like an eight on 263 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: its side to where the top of the eight was 264 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: coming out the left side of the Earth and the 265 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: bottom of the eighth would be coming off of the 266 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: right side. There and where they came together would be 267 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: Earth's magnetic poles. And where those the magnetosphere comes in 268 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: contact with the Earth at the poles are what it 269 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: called the polar cusps. And apparently this is basically a 270 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: direct pipeline, a funnel for particles to go right toward 271 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: the polls. And that's why particles tend to accumulate, or 272 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: the northern lights tend to um accumulate and be seen 273 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: every night at these poles in rings, because they're being 274 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: funneled there by the magnetosphere. Yeah, it's like when uh 275 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: in the original Star Wars and New Hope when Luke 276 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: fires at the end toward the Death Star and it 277 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: and he gets sucked in that little hole that's like 278 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: the polar cusp of the Death Star. That is a 279 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: great analogy. So let's take a break, shall we. I'm 280 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: hanging on here by my fingernails, and I need to 281 00:17:34,720 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: regain myself. I think they call this a cliffhanger. All right, 282 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: so we're back to describe the second part of how 283 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: this works. Yes, and more. Uh So, when this charge 284 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: it's cutting across this magnetic field, following those lines toward 285 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: the it's actually called the magnet magneto tail. I can't 286 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: believe they actually named it that. It's great. Uh And 287 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: like you said from the beginning, it generates this electric 288 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: current and as it goes it generates more and more currents, 289 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,880 Speaker 1: just sort of building up current until it hits the ionosphere. Right, 290 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 1: So here's this really important step, right, And berklen knew this. 291 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: He he guessed this, but he we'll we'll explain what 292 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 1: you got wrong after we explain what's right. How about that? So, 293 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: when um, these particles charge the magnetosphere, there's particles that 294 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: are already trapped in the the magnetosphere already, right, And 295 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: when solar winds and plasma and these highly charged particles 296 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: hit the magnetosphere and electrify it, it kind of shakes 297 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 1: loose these trapped particles, right. Yeah, Well, these trapped particles 298 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: are ions, meaning they have either an extra electron or 299 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: they're missing an electron, but either way they're not neutral. 300 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: They have a charge positive or negative charge. And those 301 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: things go careening through the magnetosphere toward Earth, down through 302 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: the atmosphere, and when they hit the atmosphere, they start 303 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: interacting with some of the atoms and molecules, specifically oxygen 304 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: and nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere. And when they do, baby, 305 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 1: they release photons. That's right, And that that outer region, 306 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: the ionospheres where most of that oxygen and nitrogen is 307 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: and uh, you're right. They get together and have a 308 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: little bit of a party. They exchange some energy with 309 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: one another, uh, get to know one another a little bit. 310 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 1: And that absorption of energy by the oxygen and nitrogen 311 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: ions it gets those electrons, it gets their electrons excite it, right, 312 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: So they the um oxygen and nitrogen they have like uh, 313 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: they have electrons orbiting them, right, But they're just in 314 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: this low level orbit. It's like a whatever kind of energy, right, 315 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: it's a it's a party that hasn't started yet. It 316 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: is this is kind of hanging out. Maybe the pizza 317 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: hasn't arrived yet. Um, that kind of thing. So the 318 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: when the when the ions arrived though, they're bringing the pizza, 319 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: and then some they're bringing the northern lights with them, right, Um, 320 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 1: and they they get the party started, those electrons in 321 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: the lower orbit suddenly move up to a larger orbit 322 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: further out. And when that happens, energy has been gained. Right. Yeah, 323 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: that's called a high energy orbital Okay, So when that happens, 324 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 1: it's basically destined to come back to its lower energy orbit. Right. 325 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: The party has got to end at some point because 326 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: to get tired, they need to go home. The Sun's 327 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: coming up, that kind of thing. So either by it 328 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: changes in the vacuum state or because of the application 329 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:08,120 Speaker 1: of an external electrical field that orbit, that electron goes 330 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: back to its original lower orbit. When it does, since 331 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: it's gained energy, and energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Um, 332 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 1: that has to go somewhere, And it goes somewhere by 333 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: the production or the emission I should say, of a photon, 334 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: a packet of light. So light is emitted when that 335 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 1: electron goes back down to its lower or after the 336 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: party's over, that's right. And because oxygen ions radiate red 337 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 1: and yellow light, nitrogen ions radiate red, blue, and violet light. 338 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: Depending on where you are, This can happen at different 339 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: UM I guess different altitudes. UH blue and violet UM 340 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: generally less than seventy two miles kilometers, green is going 341 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: to be sight milesight kilometers, and then redh more than 342 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 1: a hundred eight miles, which is about a hundred and 343 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: eighty kilometers, So that accounts for the different colors. If 344 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: you look up or if you've ever been lucky enough 345 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: to see one of the auroras um, either the Australias 346 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: or Borealis, you're gonna see My favorite is the green, 347 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,959 Speaker 1: but you're gonna see all kinds of um, blue, green, violet, 348 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: and red lights. Well, and apparently the green just confounded 349 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: scientists because they're like, wait, so, yeah, oxygen radiates red 350 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: and yellow light. That's that's great. Nitrogen is is red, 351 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: blue and violet. Got that, But where is this green 352 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: coming from? They couldn't link at any particular atom or molecule, 353 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 1: and then they realized that it has to do with 354 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: the rarefied air in the upper upper atmosphere, that the 355 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: the conditions found up there are not going to be 356 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: found anywhere else on Earth. UM and that it's actually 357 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: it is oxygen atoms and oxygen molecules producing the green. 358 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: You just wouldn't see it anywhere else but specifically up 359 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 1: in the upper atmosphere. Yeah, well it's oxygen and nitrogen 360 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: doesn't have something to do with it. I saw it 361 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 1: was just oxygen emitting the green, Okay, but the I mean, yes, 362 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: nitrogen produces some of the other colors. Yeah. So, uh, 363 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: if you're watching these, if you're one of the people, 364 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: they very in brightness, you know they can right now. 365 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: And actually for a while now, we've been in a 366 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,640 Speaker 1: pretty low uh what's it called the solar cycle. Yeah, 367 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: we've been in a kind of a bummer of a 368 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 1: solar cycle for a while now, and these auroras haven't 369 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: been nearly as spectacular as they have been in years 370 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: past because of that. I think they peaked in two 371 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: thousand and twelve, but even that that was a solar 372 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: maximum that when it peaked and it started to decline. 373 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 1: So solar cycle happens every eleven years, and we're starting 374 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: up our twenty third one now. Um, but this past one, 375 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 1: the twenty second one, was like the lowest in a century. 376 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: It was the weakest one in a cential. Yeah, the 377 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: weakest maximum even but even still weren't there. Couldn't you 378 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 1: see northern lights once in a while, like fairly far 379 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: a few years back. I don't remember. I stily here. 380 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: You can see it in or that at times, you 381 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: can see them in the southern United States, but I 382 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: don't remember seeing them ever. I don't either, And supposedly 383 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: there was a date in either or nine nine where 384 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 1: they were visible from Cuba that they were that far south. 385 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 1: That might be as far south as has ever been recorded. Actually, 386 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: but normally you can see them the closer to the 387 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: poles you are, so specifically, uh, in the North Pole 388 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: or South Pole, the Arctic or Antarctica, you can see 389 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: them basically every night. Um, there are specific conditions to 390 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: where they're more brilliant than others. Right, So, um, if 391 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: you're looking for what did you say, if people watch them, 392 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: they um they put them into categories one through four. Yeah. 393 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: I didn't say that yet, but uh yeah zero up 394 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 1: through four from barely can see it. Two Holy cow, 395 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: that's amazing, right, So if you're looking for the Holy Cow, 396 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: that's amazing. Four. Um, you would go looking on a 397 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: moonless night where there's no clouds where it's super super cold, 398 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: and maybe October or February or March. Yeah, I saw it. Also, Um, 399 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 1: winter is the best time to see him, winter in 400 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: the north and winter in the south. Oh yeah, yeah, alright, 401 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: well I'll buy that. Yeah. I thought that was weird 402 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 1: that there's any confusion on that, because yeah, there's like 403 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,679 Speaker 1: whole tourist industries that are have grown up around us. 404 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: Well maybe that's how they're trying to get you. Like 405 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: it's December, but you should still come. It's great, all right, 406 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: you just come back in December too. Uh So, northern Norway, 407 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: UM Alaska. Obviously you're gonna get some pretty good stuff. 408 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: Um southern Alaska. Like you said, as things as you 409 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 1: go south, it's going to diminish a little bit. But 410 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: I would imagine southern Alaska you're still getting a pretty 411 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: good show, right, don't you think. Yep, Sometimes you could 412 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: see him and I think this will probably be on 413 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: par with southern Alaska. Just at the worst feeling, I'm 414 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: going to get a bunch of email geography. But you 415 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: can sometimes see them in Scotland even Okay, Um, I 416 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:17,480 Speaker 1: believe that maybe the northern UK you could conceivably see 417 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: them once in a while. But I got the impression 418 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: that Scotland is more regular than say, over here in 419 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: the northern United States. Yeah, I think it says here 420 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: Scotland in the UK maybe one to ten times a month, 421 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: and then the US and Canada near the border maybe 422 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: just a couple to three or four times a year. Right, Okay, 423 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: I've never seen him of you know, and it says 424 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: once or twice a century. You might seem in the 425 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: southern United States. So if it happened in the late eighties, 426 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: we missed our shot, my friend, which is weird because 427 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: I would have been in Toledo. Maybe I was sleeping. 428 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 1: It just seems like something that my mom would have 429 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 1: woken me up for. Yeah, I mean, I don't it 430 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 1: doesn't stand out to me. Is like science teachers would 431 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: have probably said something. But remember remember Haley's comment. When 432 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: that came through, everybody was talking about Yeah, I guess 433 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: maybe it could have caught everybody by surprise. I don't 434 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: know about that. I think this is pretty predictable, right, 435 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: I don't know that that's true. What that is predictable? Yeah, well, 436 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: I think the the conditions, they know the conditions where 437 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: they will be the best. But maybe, like the weather, 438 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 1: you can't predict those conditions, right Suppose yeah I saw 439 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: somewhere something like, um, they can predict them within a 440 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: few hours. Oh well yeah, it's not enough time to 441 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: get to Norway. No it's not from Georgia. So so 442 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 1: the scale is zero to four it like we were saying. 443 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: And the people that enthusiasts that watch these they actually 444 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: can help contribute to science because you know, there's not 445 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: always someone like you said, if it's just a few hours, notice, 446 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: there's not always a scientist there when you need them. Um. 447 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 1: So these enthusiasts they record things, they record data, uh, 448 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: to turn in like the time and the date, the colors, 449 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: the latitude, and some might even make a little sketch 450 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 1: of what they're seeing. Uh. And that really goes a 451 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: long way to helping the scientists out and helping them understand, um, 452 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: what our magnetic field is doing right now. And the 453 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 1: scientists are like, we didn't ask for us. Get really 454 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: appreciate the extra touch. You know, maybe watercolors nice, Maybe 455 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 1: you put like a mint in the envelope to when 456 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: you veil it off, it would be nice. Why not 457 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: scientists love mints? Um apparently also, Chuck, something that was 458 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: in this article is that you can there are aurora 459 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 1: on other I'm just gonna say aurora's there are auroras 460 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: on other UM planets too. Yeah, you know, I kind 461 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: of wondered about that before I started researching, because, like 462 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 1: you know, solar flares and winds don't just go towards Earth, 463 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: and other planets have magnetic fields, so trurely this happens elsewhere, 464 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: and it does. They've seen it on Jupiter Saturn. Uh yeah, 465 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: Jupiter and Saturn, all right, but surely I mean, like 466 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: if it's if The point is, if you have a 467 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: magnetic field around the planet and an atmosphere around the 468 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: planet that has ionic gases, and and anytime there's a 469 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: solar flare that can reach it and UM create an 470 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: electrical current in that magnetosphere, then you have all the 471 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: conditions right for an aurora. I guess the colors will 472 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 1: be different though, on Jupiter and Saturn, right, because it's different. 473 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: That'd be awesome to see hydrogen and helium in their case. 474 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: So I'm not sure that's a Chartrusse and brown brown 475 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: aurora maybe not the best. So you want to take 476 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: another break and then uh finish up. Yes, I have 477 00:29:51,680 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: to have to wet down again. Okay, so chuck, um, 478 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: we didn't say a lot of the uh, the the 479 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: auroras that you see, um, they have they formed basically 480 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: different shapes, like it can come in different well, different 481 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: shapes around the poles. You've got the ovals, the rings, 482 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: but there's other shapes they can take two and some 483 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: of the more famous ones look like ribbons or curtains 484 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 1: that kind of go basically from one horizon all the 485 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: way to the other overhead. Uh and they going kind 486 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: of this wavy river pattern. But then the lights stands 487 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: upward into the atmosphere that it's got to be something 488 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: to see, you know. Yeah, I mean, after researching this, 489 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: I really like have a hankering to go see this 490 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: in person one day, so I did too, and I 491 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: still do. But I came across an article in The 492 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: Independent and it was written by one of the Independence 493 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: travel writers and they said that going to see the 494 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: Northern Lights was the most disappointing travel experience they have 495 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: ever had in their entire life. And she said that 496 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: part of it is what had to do with the 497 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 1: tour they went on. She said it sucked it was 498 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 1: a terrible tour Ronnie worst tour guide ever in the 499 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: Yelp review. Well, supposedly it was so this it was 500 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: a um they called them a northern lights chase. But 501 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 1: the chase consisted of sitting in their hosts living room 502 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: and then every once a while someone would go to 503 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: the window to see if the northern lights were out 504 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 1: or not, and then they'd sit back down. Um, that 505 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: was the chase. She said that there are that's a 506 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: dumb thing to call it. Well, it's not like it's 507 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: just over there. We just need to get a fast 508 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: enough truck. And apparently there are those like the was 509 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: kind of operations, and that's what she thought she was getting. 510 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: So she was had and on the one hand, but um, 511 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: she said, the actual northern lights that she saw were 512 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: kind of grayish and looked a lot like keim or 513 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: a contrail and or maybe even cigarettes smoke in the sky, 514 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: kind of fog at night. Um. And then Ronie was 515 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: just smoking. And then it wasn't. It wasn't until she 516 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 1: saw the picture that the host took of them with, 517 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: which requires like a long exposure, like ten to fourteen seconds. 518 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: That's when the colors and all the amazing nous comes out. 519 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 1: So everything you've seen in the pictures is from the 520 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: long exposure, and apparently in person it's very rare that 521 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 1: you see something that looks like the pictures. It looks 522 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: very much different in real life apparently, and that disappointing. 523 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 1: That's a huge bummer. But you just saved me like 524 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: ten grand, so that that is really disappointing. That's a 525 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: long exposure effect. Yes. For as far as the Independent 526 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: writer um says that she said when she saw the picture, 527 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: she was like, Oh, that's yeah, it's a it's a 528 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: photo that we're seeing. She said, in real life they 529 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: don't look like that. So the article you can read 530 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: it yourself. Why seeing the Northern Lights was the most 531 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:22,120 Speaker 1: disappointing travel experience of my life, it was in the Independent. 532 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna change my whisch then I don't want to 533 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:30,600 Speaker 1: pay to go on some dumb chase. I just want 534 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: to happen upon them on a regular trip somewhere there 535 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: you go. Then I'm already happy with Yeah, like Icelanders 536 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 1: And actually she she makes the same exact point. She said, 537 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: the rest of the trip was awesome. She said the 538 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: the I think she was in Norway, and she said 539 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 1: that the the just everything else about it was one 540 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: of the best trips she's ever been on. It was 541 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: the Northern Lights themselves that specifically stunk. And if you 542 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 1: make that, you know, part of your tour, but not 543 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: the whole reason you're going, you probably wouldn't be discipution 544 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: to to visit the far north of Norway. Well, because 545 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,319 Speaker 1: I'm sure that's great on its own, you know, That's 546 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: what she was saying. Yeah, I mean, gosh, I'm scrolling 547 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 1: through the pictures now, it's amazing. That's uh. I thought 548 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: that's what it looked like, right, That's what everybody thinks, apparently, 549 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: but and sometimes I guess it does. But you are 550 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: extraordinarily lucky if you're seeing the Northern Lights and it 551 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:28,879 Speaker 1: looks like that in person. From from what this lady 552 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: is saying. Well, plus, if you go on one of those, 553 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: there's nothing worse than feeling duped into and uh duped 554 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 1: into spending a lot of money on a tour. Yeah, 555 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 1: at some dude's house. Yeah, I'd like to see video. 556 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 1: That would be more telling. Yeah, I can't can't just 557 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 1: expose it like that with video, can you not? Well, 558 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 1: I mean you can open up the exposure to get 559 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: a two, get the video to look right, but it 560 00:34:57,680 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: won't be just like a you know, it's not like 561 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: open the exposure on uh, moving traffic at night with 562 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: a photograph and you'll see like the dragging of the 563 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: tail lights and stuff like that. Like it, it won't 564 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 1: create some weird effect. I wonder if you use like 565 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: a high speed filter it would do it? Or do 566 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: you want low speed high speed filter? You know, obviously 567 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 1: I'm I'm a professional photographer. Uh. Should we talk a 568 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 1: little bit about the sound. Yeah, definitely. It makes a 569 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 1: farting noise which is really interesting. Yea. And it kind 570 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 1: of smells that would make it all more fun at least. Um. No, 571 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: But there have long been people that um swore that 572 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: it makes a sound um and not everyone because apparently 573 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:48,600 Speaker 1: and you know, someone actually found this out. It's a 574 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: sound that only some people can hear sometimes. Yeah, And 575 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 1: the conditions have to be super right for it, and 576 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: there's very specific ones. And there's this one poor guy, 577 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 1: his name is Unto kay Lane. He's finished, I belief. 578 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 1: Um he's an acoustic acoustician, is there right? Yeah? Um 579 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: from Finland who was on a camping trip, and I 580 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: think two thousand and the Northern lights were just going 581 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: off and going crazy, and he said he could hear 582 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: like popping and crackling sounds and everyone said, well, that's 583 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: because you were drunk, and he's like, no, I know 584 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 1: for a fact I heard this. So he spent like 585 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 1: the next fifteen years basically, um trying to capture the 586 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:36,279 Speaker 1: sounds of the Aurora borealis, and he finally was successful 587 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:43,439 Speaker 1: apparently in two thousand eleven. Yeah, and his whole deal was, UM, Well, 588 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: when he was with his friends, first of all, he said, 589 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: they had to be like completely still. It's not such 590 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: a noise that you know, they're having a conversation, and 591 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 1: they were like, oh, what's that like? They had to 592 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:56,239 Speaker 1: be dead silent, They had to not move in order 593 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: to hear it. And then even within his group some 594 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 1: people couldn't hear it at all because it just very 595 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:03,880 Speaker 1: low intensity. Right. But he's, like you said, been chasing 596 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: that buzz ever since. And um, finally is he figured 597 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: out I think he figured out the conditions first, right 598 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 1: or did he do that? Did he back it in afterward? 599 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: He he put two and two together. So we went 600 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,360 Speaker 1: out and he captured it one night, right the sounds, 601 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,359 Speaker 1: and then he went and looked up the UM like 602 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:29,880 Speaker 1: I guess the weather services report for that local area, 603 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: and he figured out that what what he had been 604 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 1: sitting under is called a thermal inversion layer where UM 605 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: kind of warm at least compared to the air beneath 606 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,920 Speaker 1: it on the ground. UM warm air is kind of 607 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 1: trapping the cold there below it, and as long as 608 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:53,840 Speaker 1: the conditions are super still, uh, and it's very cold, 609 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 1: they're gonna stay separate, right, Yeah, it's gotta be clear, 610 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: calm and cold, right, So would just be just an 611 00:38:02,120 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: irregular aurora, Like you have to have a sub set 612 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 1: of conditions to get this crackle noise exactly right. So UM, 613 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 1: in the warm air, uh, the warm air layer, a 614 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 1: lot of UM electrons are become charged and the cold 615 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,880 Speaker 1: are below it an opposite charge built, right, So you 616 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: have this this um electrical charge just waiting to go 617 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: off and turn into a current. And apparently it's the 618 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: aurora above it that that causes the charge to actually 619 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: turn into a current. Yeah, he was pretty surprised at 620 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:39,839 Speaker 1: first because he didn't just point a microphone. He had 621 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 1: this array so he could triangulate exactly where the sound 622 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 1: was coming from, and it was just two thirty ft 623 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: above him was the sound and he was I don't 624 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:53,480 Speaker 1: know what the finished expression for holy crap is it's 625 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: a oivey. I don't think so, but uh, that's what 626 00:38:58,080 --> 00:38:59,759 Speaker 1: he said. And he was like, you know this is weird, 627 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: this so low. Um, And that's when he came up 628 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,800 Speaker 1: with his theory and it does it check out fully? 629 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: Or everybody said, you know, that's that's probably right. Yeah, 630 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:14,680 Speaker 1: they're like head the very least came up with definitive 631 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 1: proof that this was um, the sound coming from it. 632 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: But yeah, the fact that it was just overhead this 633 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,399 Speaker 1: in the thermal and vision layer explained how you could 634 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: conceivably hear the Northern Lights. Amazing, Yeah, pretty amazing. You 635 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:35,359 Speaker 1: got anything else? I got nothing else. I'm just disappointed now, Yeah, 636 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,520 Speaker 1: for real, I'm disappointed in the Northern Lights and our 637 00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:42,719 Speaker 1: episode on the Northern Lights. Uh if you yeah, man, 638 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 1: the sun, anytime the sun comes into play, it's a curse, 639 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,560 Speaker 1: a pox on us. If you want to know more 640 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,640 Speaker 1: about the Northern Lights, go see him yourself. And if 641 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:53,960 Speaker 1: you have seen them in person and know us to 642 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 1: be incorrect. Let us know because we would like our 643 00:39:56,960 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: dreams back. Um. You can tweet to us at s 644 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:03,879 Speaker 1: SK podcast or josh um Clark. You can hang out 645 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,880 Speaker 1: with us on Facebook at Stuff you Should Know or 646 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,799 Speaker 1: Charles W. Chuck Bryant. You can send us an email 647 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 1: the Stuff podcast at how Stuff works dot com. And 648 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: as always, I started this one early which goes to 649 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:23,919 Speaker 1: show again, worst episode over, It's time for listener mail. 650 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:31,160 Speaker 1: That's right, I'm gonna call this. Uh well, it's just 651 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 1: a nice email. Hey, guys, been a fan since two 652 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 1: thousand and ten, when I was a freshman in college. 653 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:38,319 Speaker 1: I don't think I've ever written in though uh this 654 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,880 Speaker 1: entire time, have been an evangelist, but to no avail. 655 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:43,319 Speaker 1: That all change A few months ago I convinced the 656 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:46,120 Speaker 1: love of my life, Meredith, to give you guys a shot, 657 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: And now she is fun too. She's an outstanding woman 658 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,200 Speaker 1: and mother and has courageously struck out a loan for 659 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:54,879 Speaker 1: a job offer she couldn't refuse. So now we live 660 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:57,520 Speaker 1: four hundred miles apart, and having your podcast to talk 661 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 1: about keeps a conversation alive on day some weird feeling 662 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,840 Speaker 1: a bit down? Uh, I know, it's nice. In addition, 663 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,399 Speaker 1: I will also listen to you guys in the long 664 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 1: car rides to visit her. There's a way to distract 665 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:11,600 Speaker 1: myself from my own excitement about getting to see her again, 666 00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 1: and it helps the time pass faster. Uh. I know 667 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 1: it's not the first time someone's written to tell you 668 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,040 Speaker 1: the same thing, and I promise I would never be 669 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: that listener. But I get it now, and when you 670 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:24,040 Speaker 1: find it true love, you just cannot help yourself. Sometimes 671 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,600 Speaker 1: this does get the coveted shout out. Tell Meredith to 672 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,399 Speaker 1: keep up the good work and Happy Mother's Day. Keep 673 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 1: up the good work, guys. You were the first podcast 674 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: I ever listened to and still my favorite. Sleep well 675 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:38,840 Speaker 1: tonight knowing that you are fostering love and real human 676 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: connections out here in podcast land. That was a great email. 677 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:46,320 Speaker 1: That was nice. That is from Sam Martin and oh maha, 678 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,720 Speaker 1: he's a medical student and a bar trivia master. Thanks 679 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 1: to us, he said, nice. Well, thanks a lot, Sam, Yes, Sam, 680 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:56,320 Speaker 1: and Mereth, thanks a lot Meredith for giving us a shot. 681 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:58,840 Speaker 1: We're glad it paid off. It reminds me of me 682 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:01,520 Speaker 1: and youm do long distance for a while. It can 683 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:05,600 Speaker 1: really really suck. Remember that you guys got through that 684 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:08,200 Speaker 1: like a champ, though we did like two chaps. Yeah, 685 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 1: we've petted each other on the backs. If you want 686 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:13,799 Speaker 1: to get in touch with us, you already know how 687 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,080 Speaker 1: because I said it prematurely. Uh. And in the meantime 688 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: you can hang out with us. Uh. It's stuff you 689 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:27,440 Speaker 1: should know. Dot com for more on this and thousands 690 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:40,279 Speaker 1: of other topics. Is it how stuff works? Dot com