The Solar Eclipse

       
                                                           The Solar Eclipse

     

 What is it?

     A Solar Eclipse, is a type of eclipse that occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and when the moon fully or partially blocks the Sun. There are four types of solar eclipses: Total Eclipse, Annular Eclipse, Hybrid Eclipse, and Partial Eclipse. A total eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun, only allowing a little corona of the sun to be visible. An annular eclipse is when the sun and moon are in line with the earth, but the size of the moon is smaller than the sun. Hybrid eclipses are not common and either look like a total or annular eclipse, and partial eclipses occur when the sun and moon are not in line with the earth and the moon only partially covers the sun. It’s rare that we ever get to actually see these but, on August 21, 2017, there was a solar eclipse and that was the first total solar eclipse visible across the United States since the total solar eclipse in March 1979. The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. is to be on April 8, 2024, but it will not be visible from as many U.S. locations as in 2017. 

  The Magic behind it:

     The word eclipse comes from the Greek word ecleípō meaning disappearance or abandonment. The ancient Greeks viewed the solar eclipse as an act of abandonment or some horrible crisis or treat. When a solar eclipse occurred they would think awful things like that their world would get flooded with misfortunes or that it was a sign their king would die. They would get peasants or prisoners to stand in as their king, so when the eclipse came their real king wouldn’t get hurt or die. Other cultures believed the sun was getting eaten by a demon or some animal. In ancient China, the word eclipse, shih, meant to eat and they believed the sun was being eaten by a dragon, while in Vietnam it was a frog eating the sun, or in Yugoslavia it was a werewolf, everyone had their own idea. Many other cultures like the Incas, saw the darkening of the sun as a sign that the gods were very angry and were going to punish them in some way. Another myth was that the sun and moon were a married couple and that when an eclipse occurred it was them working out their issues. However, not everyone saw the eclipse as something horrible, for some cultures the eclipse was an act of creation, the sun and moon were together creating more stars.                                          

The Science behind it:

     

     Around 130 BC Astronomers like Hipparchus used an eclipse to calculate the distance from the Earth to the Moon. Through much research and calculations other scientists like Newton were able to predict when eclipses would occur and how the planets orbit by applying the law of gravity. Many other scientists like Einstein also played a big role in discovering more about the solar eclipse and how it worked through the General Theory of Relativity. Science proved all those theories of demons and different animals eating the sun wrong showing that a solar eclipse is really just the moon passing between the Sun and Earth, resulting in the Earth falling into the shadow of the moon. Each year between 2-5 solar eclipses occur, but they are usually not able to be seen by us. Science has also shown that, due to the rate of movement of the sun, the moon, and the earth, a solar eclipse never lasts more than 7min and 31sec.

 Sources:

http://www.animescience101.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Total-solar-eclipse-diagram-1.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse

http://kidseclipse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/DragonEatingTheMoon_225.jpg

https://www.space.com/15584-solar-eclipses.html

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-solar-eclipse-definition-lesson-quiz.html

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/how-often-solar-eclipse.html

https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/13648324_f520.jpg

https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/18/16078886/total-solar-eclipse-folklore

http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/08/18/magic-mythology-solar-eclipse

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTxz_d2q7Js

Himalayan Salt Rock

Pseudoscience 

Ions are everywhere. They’re a part of the natural world, and the term simply refers to atoms or molecules which have lost or gained some electrons. Table salt is actually an ionic compound, which means that it is comprised of positive sodium ions and negative chloride ions, bound together due to opposing electric charges. The usual narrative about these lamps seems to be that heating up a chunk of salt releases ions. However, that simply isn’t possible. To break apart the ionic bond between the two chemicals comprising salt, you’d need a far greater energy input than a tiny light bulb can provide. Besides, if that did happen, the salt would emit chlorine gas, and you’d definitely notice that.

Magic?

Can tell you that many skeptics I know have practiced specific rituals of pure curiosity and have had a few surprises. At its most basic level (and there are several levels beyond this), magic is a conscious projection of our will toward a goal. It is our volitional strength, carried into incandescence and passed through energetic levels, that cause events to be modified. What relationship does this have with Himalayan Salt Lamps? By relaxing the body and the mind, these lamps help us to modify our level of awareness and our brain waves. Through the richness of their colors (directly perceived by our cerebral cortex), their subtle olfactory emanations, and their filtered light, salt they help us achieve the deeply relaxed and focused awareness that is necessary for and kind of ritual.

Explanation

This day and age we are bombarded by the electromagnetic radiations that are emitted by the endless amount of electronic devices. No one knows what the longer term effects are yet. Although it is proven that they can cause chronic fatigue, decreases the bodes immune system response. As the negative ions cancel out positive ions to counteract the electromagnetic radiation minimally. Also known to purify the air by absorbing water molecules in the air. This property is known to occur in salt is called hygroscopic even though a small rock in the room would make a difference filtering through microscopic mold mildew and dust. Thereby increasing your bodies ciliary activity that helps filter through microorganisms and bacteria in the air

International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 80: Non-Ionizing Radiation, Part 1: Static and Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) Electric and Magnetic Fields. 2002. 

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars

Science? Magic? Both?

What is a Shooting Star?

A "shooting" star or "falling" star is actually not a star. The appearance of a falling star is caused by chunks of dust and rock falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up. These are called meteoroids. The trail of light that we see in the night sky are commonly called "shooting stars." If a meteoroid were to survive the fall to Earth and hit the Earth's surface, it is then called a meteor. 

During certain times of the year, there are several meteors in the sky. These events are called meteor showers, which happens when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet as it orbits the Sun. Typically, meteors are smaller than a grain of sand, so they disintegrate and usually do not hit the Earth's surface. Intense or unusual meteor showers are known as meteor storms, which can produce more than 1000 meteors an hour. Meteor showers are named based on the constellation of stars present in the sky from which they appear to originate. Although meteoroids do not originate from the constellations or any of the stars in the constellations, they are named after stars to uphold the term "shooting star." Also, associating the shower name with the region of the sky they come from helps for further investigation when seeking out a shooting star.





Myths about Shooting Stars

Stories have it that shooting stars posses magic and symbolize good luck. Wishing upon one or even seeing one, has been said to grant you good luck. This superstition dates back to around AD 127-151 when Greek astronomer Ptolemy wrote that occasionally, out of curiosity or boredom, the Gods peer down at the Earth from between the spheres. He said while this happens, stars sometimes slip out of this gap and plummet towards the Earth. From this, shooting stars can be seen as an indication that the Gods are paying attention to your wishes and prayers.

Other cultures believe that fallen stars represent souls that have been released from purgatory and are beginning the journey to heaven and peace. On the other hand, some say a shooting star can represent the soul of a new baby falling to Earth, ready to begin a new life. 

Another recognized belief is that even regular stars can bring luck to you, as well, according to folklore. One story found, the first star that shines in the night sky possesses special magic and if you settle your gaze on the first star that appears after dark and make a wish, it will come true. In other cultures, you must recite the "Star Light, Star Bright" nursery rhyme as you focus on your wish and it come true. 

Although there are several myths and magical explanations to shooting stars, unfortunately, there is no real proof or factual evidence published anywhere (at least that I could find) that says meteoroids falling to the Earth have the power to grants our wishes or makes any magical predictions.

                                     

Works Cited:

“Meteor Shower.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteor_shower.

Staff, SPACE.com. “Meteor Showers and Shooting Stars: Formation, Facts and Discovery.” Space.com, www.space.com/15353-meteor-showers-facts-shooting-stars-skywatching-sdcmp.html.

“StarChild Question of the Month for August 1999.” NASA, NASA, starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question12.html.

Turner, Bambi. “10 Superstitions About Stars.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 30 Jan. 2017, science.howstuffworks.com/10-superstitions-about-stars1.htm.

The Seven Planes of Existence

What are the Seven Planes of Existence? 

The Seven Planes of Existence are the belief that our world is composed of seven different planes of consciousness that help make up the universe. These seven planes are given many different names depending on the teachings or the beliefs of the individuals, but are commonly known by these names in order of lowest to highest level: 

• The physical plane - the plane where living beings reside, bounded to physical bodies.
• The astral plane - where the consciousness goes after death, and begins the transition from the physical to mental states of existence.
• The mental plane - plane where the conscious mind becomes sheer thought, unbounded by the capacities of the human brain.
• The unity plane - plane of pure consciousness where the mind develops to deal with issues of ego or selfishness.
• The spiritual plane - plane for highly intelligent spiritual beings who seek knowledge.
• The divine plane - the plane where all souls are born from, & then descend downwards from.
• The monadic plane- highest plane of existence; at the level of god.

Each of these planes contains a different state of being that differs from each other. For example, the spiritual plane is said to contain spiritual beings with extremely advanced intelligence's and pursue the power of spiritual knowledge. While the astral plane is where your consciousness goes to after your death, and is a transitional plane for a person to move on to the mental plane. The planes serve as a way to provide knowledge of higher forms of human existence, and that we currently reside at the lowest level of the physical plane, but that our presence can evolve into something much greater than just a mortal physical body. 

The Magical Solution

Magical reasoning claims that these planes of existence are simply a part of the human conscious mind, and that each level ascends into a sense of greater being, like climbing a ladder to reach the top.  However, as the diagram showed at the top of this post, each of the respective planes is displayed as a circle, which represents the concept that each of the individual circles compose one giant loop, at they are each contained within another in order form full living existence. Conscious growth begins to evolve and take new forms and advance beyond normal comprehension. Living beings go through these various stages of living in order to obtain the highest form of our own existence. How the soul must works its way through each level and grow past what the physical plane had imprinted on them into a living force rather than a living vessel. These 7 planes help build the foundation for us living beings to become a part of the life itself. 

The Scientific Solution

The scientific side of this claim believes that the 7 planes of existence don't so much exist on that of a spiritual level, but as different forms of energy or atoms. The planes are referred to as dimensions that have a different frequency of energy and atoms, where the physical plane resides at the lowest with the most stable and consistent amount of atoms and energy in its range. So when a living being say moves from the physical plane to the astral plane, they transition into a completely new set of rules and attributes that are none like that of the previous dimension's. And this is a cycle that can continue to occur for as long as the energies with the dimensions continue to transform and evolve into new states of energy. However, the scientific side also views each of these different planes/dimensions has separate from one another, in contrast to the interlinked loop of the magical side, as each plane exists at different frequencies and contains many different qualities from one another, despite all having the same general direction they each go in. 

Work Cited:

• “Plane (Esotericism).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Jan. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(esotericism)#The_planes. 
• Gregg, David. “7 Planes of Existence.” The Michael Teachings, www.michaelteachings.com/7planes.html.
• Knowledge, Delightful. “The Different Planes of Existence in the Universe.” Delightful Knowledge, 4 Nov. 2014, www.delightfulknowledge.com/different-planes-existence-universe.
• “10a - An Introduction to the Seven Planes.” The Seven 7 Planes of Existence, esotericscience.org/article10a.htm.

Salem Witch Trials

 The Salem Witch Trials: Witchcraft or Toxicology? 

The Puritan colony of Salem, Massachusetts was an insular and highly theocratic society. The Puritans believed that the devil who was incarnate and who’s goal was to temp them away from their path of righteousness. They believe the devil was constantly tests people with temptations, which were only resisted by adhering strictly to a set of laws which governed behavior and order within the society. Witchcraft was a commonly recognized phenomenon of the time period stemming from the acquisition of witches throughout Europe, such as the Spanish Inquisition which began with the establishment of the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in 1478, which was not officially disbanded until July 15 1834 and resulted in up to 150,000 people tried and an estimated two to five thousand executed.

The Magical Explanation

The “symptoms” or manifestations of bewitchment were well established and had numerous stages characterized. The first stage was characterized by intense spirituality, leading to onsets of fainting’s and disordered speech. The following stage included visual delusions and hallucinatory meetings with spectral witches, or the devil presenting himself in the form of an animal. The bewitched often exhibited sensations of pricking, burning or pinching on the skin, animal imitation, odd contortions, simulated flying or diving paralysis, physical assaults and verbal insults among others. Starting in 1961, numerous girls were determined to be under the control of a witch. There is a critical distinction between those effected by bewitchment and those causing it. After fasting and prayer did not rectify the burning poking and pinching of the skin, odd gestures, convulsive gestures and disordered speech of the victims, 3 women were taking into custody accused of witchcraft. The clergy determined that proof in the form of spectral evidence, where the victim would see the ghost of the accused bewitcher poking and harming them, and critical touch, where spasms of the victim would stop if they were in contact with the bewitcher. To the Puritans, these events were directly caused by the action of the devil giving witches the magical power to effect the bewitched through a supernatural mechanism.  The Salem Trials concluded in September 1962 with the execution of 20 accused women and 150 imprisoned.

The Scientific Explanation

While the exact causes of the strange phenomenon surrounding the Salem Trials may never be known, due to the limitations of remaining evidence, one theory that explains the bizarre experiences of these bewitched people is ergotism or ergotamine poisoning. One of the causes of ergotism is the fungus Claviceps purpurea. This fungus grows on many cereals including rye. Its growth is promoted by favorable growing conditions such as cold preceding winter and cloudy, wet spring, with fog and high humidity. Newly farmed, low-lying marshland containing ergot infested wild grasses is more susceptible to ergot as well as winter rye being a better host than spring rye. The harvest of 1691, year preceding the incidents, was a cold winter followed by a warm humid summer, which creates the favorable condition for ergot contamination. Additionally, the crop failure of the year caused the Puritans to eat the freshly harvested rye, which is would contain more ergot than stored grain. three of the afflicted girls lived on a farm, where the ergot would be most common, the remaining lived along the rye supply routes into town. Ergot produced ergot alkaline which include lysergic acid derivatives such as lysergic acid amide, which is very similar chemically to LSD. Ergot alkaloids act as a alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist, which causes vasospasm, as well as stimulates receptors in the medulla oblongata causing the symptoms observed in the Salem trials including vomiting, as well as its 5-HT serotonin and dopaminergic activity accounting for the hallucinations and delusions. Symptoms of gangrenous ergotamine poisoning also include paresthesia and the burning and pain of extremities, while symptoms of convulsive ergotism include painful muscle contractions, visual and auditory hallucinations, mania and delirium. All of these symptoms as well as the circumstantial evidence point to the conclusion that ergotamine poising played a role in causing the phenomenon of bewitching seen in the Salem Witch Trials. While some evidence such the length of the trials seemingly excluding ergotism, that could be explained by hysteria among devoutly religious people who believed the devil was causing havoc in their community.

Claviceps purpurea

Lysergic acid

LSD

Works Cited

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials#/media/File:Salem_witch2.jpg

http://www.pendleton.k12.ky.us/userfiles/119/classes/401/witchcraft%20or%20mycotoxin.pdf

https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/rn/4238-84-0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysergic_acid#/media/File:Lysergic_acid_chemical_structure.svg

http://www.historypod.net/07/15/15th-july-1834-the-spanish-inquisition-disbanded/

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ergot-claviceps-purpurea-replacing-grains-in-a-ripe-wheat-ear-6206625.html

The Aurora Polaris

The Polar Lights- Aurora Polaris

About the Aurora Polaris 

The polar lights, known as aurora borealis in the north and aurora australis in the south, are impressive projections of color that swirl throughout the sky above the magnetic poles in the north and south hemispheres. Their most common color is green, but they have also been seen to be red, yellow, green, blue, and violet. They can appear in many forms such as patches, streams, arcs, rays, and other abstract shapes. The majesty of these lights has caused many cultures from all around the world to speculate about what they could mean or symbolize; could they be the doings of gods and spirits or could they simply be attributed to the science of the atmosphere?

The Magic Behind the Lights

There was a multitude of ideas from all around the world that attempted to explain the magnificent sight of the polar lights from the magical perspective before science was able to, but we will focus on a select few stories from North America. Some believed them to be guides who lit the way for spirits who just crossed into the afterlife. Others thought that the lights were the spirits of peoples’ loved ones who were attempting to communicate with them. The Algonquin’s believed that the auroras came from a fire that their creator, Nanahbozho, made in order to comfort his people with his presence. There were many other beliefs and a lot of them had to do with spirits and the afterlife. This was most likely because spirits, as well as the polar lights, were filled with great mystery, so people must have connected the two together in an attempt to explain their beliefs for life after death.

The Science Behind the Lights

 As science developed, more information was able to be discovered about the auroras. The scientific explanation is that charged particles from the sun are thrown from the sun and blown towards the Earth, sometimes making their way through Earth’s magnetic field and into the atmosphere. There, they collide with atoms in the air. This causes the electrons in the atoms to move to higher-energy orbits and then jump back down into their normal orbits, releasing energy in the form of light. The different colors are a product of the collisions of the sun’s charged particles with different types of atoms at different altitudes. For example, yellowish-green auroras come from collisions with oxygen molecules 60 miles above the Earth, all-red auroras are produced by collisions with oxygen molecules up to 200 miles above the Earth, and blue auroras are caused by collisions with nitrogen atoms less than 60 miles above the Earth. Although their beauty seems too extravagant to not involve a higher power, this is the science that creates the majestic dancing colors in the sky that have tugged at the imaginations of people all around the world.

Sources

• http://earthsky.org/earth/what-causes-the-aurora-borealis-or-northern-lights
• https://giphy.com/gifs/sky-aurora-gif-13B9qUA69uRlJK?utm_source=media-link&utm_medium=landing&utm_campaign=Media%20Links&utm_term
• https://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html
• https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/aurora-legends
• https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/the-science-of-the-northern-lights/the-northern-lights-colours
• https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/northern-southern-lights.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVsONlc3OUY

Foxgloves

 

The Foxglove Plant

Flowers or Fairy homes?

What are Foxgloves?

"Foxglove" is the common name for the Digitalis genus (AKA Digitalis purpurea). These plants grow throughout most of Europe and in some parts of North America. Foxgloves are well known as the original source of the heart medicine Digoxin (Digitalis)--a cardiac glycoside used to help with heart arrhythmias in small doses.

What's in the name?

It is said that the prefix "fox" has most likely come from the word "folks" over time. In the fourteenth century, people used to refer to fairies as "good folk", because to explicitly use the noun "fairy" would cause them to make mischief.

 Foxglove Myth:

In old times, the constituents of the Foxgloves were used as poison. Stories have it that fairies lived in the flowers and were the cause of the good or bad effect on whoever ingested the plant. Other legends go even further to explain why Foxgloves bend and sway so gracefully. It was believed that because the flower was sacred to the fairies, it actually had the power to recognize fairies, as well. So, any spiritual being that passed by would cause the plant to move towards them. Magic!

 

 They also believed that the white spots on the

 flowers were marks left by fairies!

Explain, please!

Unfortunately, fairies are not the explanation behind the Foxglove myth. The poisonous effect that the Foxgloves caused was actually due to the medicinal properties that the plant possesses. The leaves, flowers, and seeds of the plant are all poisonous to humans. Digitalis can be highly toxic in doses that are bigger than the therapeutic range. It can negatively affect the heart and can be deadly if not used properly. 

As far as the swaying of the plant towards magical-beings goes--this was most likely due to the wind. But it could also explained by the fact that the flowers are heliotrophic and they follow/favor the light, which would explain any other movement of the plant.

Works Cited:

  

“Digitalis Purpurea.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitalis_purpurea. 

“Foxglove 'Excelsior Hybrid Mixed'Digitalis Purpurea.” Thompson & Morgan, www.thompson-morgan.com/p/foxglove-excelsior-hybrid-mixed/2843TM. 

“FOXGLOVE SEEDS.” Swallowtail Garden Seeds, www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/foxglove.html. 

Green, Theresa. “The Foxglove – of Fairytales, Myths & Medicine.” Everyday Nature Trails, 21 June 2012, theresagreen.me/2012/06/20/foxglove-fairytales-myths-medicine/. 

Muckle, Sheila. “Plant Foilklore: Myths, Magic, and Superstition.” Gardener's Path, 18 Jan. 2018, gardenerspath.com/plants/plant-folklore/. 

Sedgwick, Icy. “The Folklore of Flowers: Belladonna, Foxgloves & Angel's Trumpet.” Icy Sedgwick, 3 Feb. 2018, www.icysedgwick.com/folklore-of-flowers/.