When you hear the word “nuclear” as an American it may conjure up images of the 2011 nuclear power plant explosion in Japan, commonly referred to as the “Fukushima Accident”or even discussions of nuclear weapons or nuclear war with the United States and and foreign nations. It is true, this form of energy is the center of many controversial debates but within the political sphere, not much space has been provided to explore the processes and future implications that comes with using this form of energy. Taking a scientific approach perhaps, will help the public to better understand the why and the how behind something so often overlooked. Continue reading Exploring Nuclear Energy

 

Iceland is one of the world’s most remarkable geological wonders. Although the country is young it possesses many  unique features that are still under research. In Iceland, there is what is called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which was formed by divergent tectonic plates which are plates in the earth’s surface that move apart at a slow rate after a very long period of time, a process called sea floor spreading. ^[2]    More specifically, the ridge was formed by divergent movements between the ” Eurasian and North American, and African and South American Plates”^[2]   This continuous movement of the plates makes way for lava from  deep within the earth to be pushed upwards and creating a “new crust”. ^[2]    Although ridges exist in other parts of the world, the changes are often hidden on the sea floor while the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Iceland is visible on the surface. ^[3]   Another extraordinary aspect about visiting this site is that you will have the ability to put one foot on the North American Plate and one foot on the Eurasian Plate.^[3]   Continue reading Geothermal Energy: Powering Iceland’s Future