THE SOLAR SYSTEM: DISTANCES & TRAVEL TIMES

by | May 21, 2025 | Life

THE SOLAR SYSTEM – TRAVEL NUMBERS

When I was 10 years old, my entire universe was something we call Planet Earth. It is made up of continents, islands, and oceans. That was all I knew, and at that point in my young life, I thought I knew everything I needed to know.

But my life changed forever when our 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Seligson, took our class on a trip to the fantastic Hayden Planetarium. I was both stunned and impressed to learn the planet earth was just one of 9 planets, which orbit around a star we call the Sun. The Sun and those 8 planets make up the Solar System.

Note: Many scientists don’t consider Pluto a planet. They describe Pluto as a “Dwarf Planet”.

That fascinating new information rocked my world, but what I would learn next, was absolutely stunning. I also learned during our trip to the Hayden Planetarium, the Solar system, as large as it is, makes up just a tiny fraction of something much larger, called the Universe. Wow!

Prior to that trip, I had no idea that our planet, along with the entire Solar System, make up just tiny part of that amazing, but impossible to imagine Universe. From that point on, I read every book I could find in the public library about the Universe.

I quickly learned the Solar System resides in something called a Galaxy, and our galaxy is called the Milky Way. I will write about mind-boggling numbers on the Milky Way Galaxy in another article. But just for now, you need to know there are billions of other solar systems just in our galaxy.

What does that tell you about the odds of finding human life on other planets?

It’s been a long time since I was a fifth grader, but even today, there are still many unanswered questions about the Universe. But thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, we continue to learn so much that is literally mind boggling. That telescope will continue to reveal more information for years to come.

I’m happy to say I’m just as excited today, learning about the Universe, as I was as a 5th grader during that first visit to the Hayden Planetarium. Thank you, Mrs. Seligson, for changing my life forever.

Before we move on to some mind-boggling numbers, let me say the following. Here is the best scientific estimate, which tells us the Universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old. Please don’t ask me what was there before the universe. One interesting theory is the concept of parallel universes.

The James Webb Space Telescope has definitely helped us understand, to some extent, the size and magnitude of the Universe. However, there is still so much we don’t know and will never know. But there is a lot we’ve learned recently, and some of those facts are mind boggling. If you’re interested, keep reading my future articles.

Before we get into the truly incredible numbers you will learn about in my next article, let’s start with trying to comprehend numbers just for the Solar System. Please keep in mind, we are using manned spacecraft numbers. Unmanned rockets can travel much faster.

In addition, the numbers posted below are all estimates, which can vary, depending on where the planets are in their orbits. It also depends on the source and methodology used to calculate the time. Therefore, the numbers can vary by a wide margin, depending on who is making the calculations and when the trip is made.

However, these approximate numbers will give you a pretty good idea of how far away the other planets are from earth. Remember, the planets are always orbiting the sun, so their distance from earth is changing non-stop.

Even though the Solar System makes up just a tiny fraction of the Universe, the numbers are still massive.

SOLAR SYSTEM NUMBERS

  • As most of you probably already know, the earth is approximately 94 million miles from the Sun.
  • It takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight, obviously traveling at the speed of light, to travel from the Sun to Earth. 
  • Even though it appears as if you could travel in a helicopter to the moon, the journey would take 3 Days in a manned spacecraft.
  • The 2 closest planets to Earth are Mercury and Venus.
  • MERCURY: Although it’s actually far more complex, in theory, it would take a manned spacecraft 7-9 months to travel approximately 49 million miles from earth to Mercury.
  • VENUS: It is approximately 38 million miles from earth to Venus. The trip would take about 3-5 months in a manned spacecraft.
  • MARS: It is approximately 51 million miles from earth. It would take about 7-9 months to travel from Earth to Mars in a manned spacecraft.
  • JUPITER: It is about 367 million miles from earth. It would take approximately 4-6 years to travel from Earth to Jupiter in a manned spacecraft.
  • SATURN: It is about 750 million miles from earth. It would take about 5-7 years to travel from Earth to Saturn in a manned spacecraft.
  • Uranus: It is about 7 billion Miles from earth. It would take about 9.5 years to travel from Earth to Uranus in a manned spacecraft.
  • NEPTUNE: It is about 7 billion miles from earth. It would take about 11-12 years to travel from Earth to Neptune in a manned spacecraft.
  • PLUTO: It is about 2 billion miles from earth. It would take approximately 12-15 years to travel from Earth to Pluto in a manned spacecraft.

As Large as the above numbers are, our Solar System is just one of billions located in the Milky Way Galaxy. Human beings cannot comprehend how large our galaxy is. But as large as it is, the Milky Way Galaxy encompasses just a tiny fraction of the Universe. Wow!

A Letter to an Intelligent Female Trump Supporter

by | Nov 16, 2024 | Life, Politics

WOMEN WHO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP

This is part of an email I sent to an obviously intelligent author who recently wrote an article for “The Hill”, advising she doesn’t like Trump personally, but she was excited by his victory. Prior to sending the letter, I asked if I could in fact give her my opinion on her position. She said yes, as long as I was respectful and did not attack her personally.

The fact that any intelligent woman could possibly support a piece of human trash like Trump, who has no respect for women’s rights, is mind boggling to me. Here is the letter I wrote to her earlier today, with some minor edits. I am not going to identify the woman by using her name.

Hi:

I am not interested in disrespecting you, I am interested in trying to figure out how someone who is obviously very intelligent, could possibly get excited over a Trump election victory, which endangers our democracy and constitution.

Therefore, I hope you will take the time to read the following and give me the courtesy of a reply.

Let me start by saying I am NOT a Democrat and never was. I agree with you, the Dems do many stupid things. But unlike today’s seriously warped version of the Republican Party, despite their numerous flaws, at least

  • Democrats understand everybody is different. As long as people don’t break the law or hurt anyone else, we should accept them for who they are. In other words, everybody is a citizen who deserves respect.
  • Democrats respect our Democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law.
  • Democrats read books, they don’t ban them.
  • Democrats support Ukraine in their war against the evil Vladimir Putin and Russia.
  • Democrats want everyone to have quality health care / insurance.
  • Democrats respect Science.
  • Democrats don’t support a pathological liar, crime boss, criminal, and a traitor for President.

Now, let’s compare the above with Trump, who is the Supreme Leader of the largest and most dangerous cult since Hitler amassed power in Germany.

Trump is:

  • A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR
  • A CON ARTIST
  • A CRIME BOSS
  • A CONVICTED FELON with 91 Felony Indictments, and 34 Felony Convictions so far.
  • A MORON
  • A SEXUAL PREDATOR, who was accused of sexual assault by 26 different women.
  • A man who has no respect for women’s rights to choose what they do with their own bodies.
  • A TRAITOR who stole hundreds of Top Secret-Classified Document and refused to return them to the federal government.
  • He’s the leader of a virtually ALL WHITE PARTY!
  • Trump is loved and admired by NAZIS and the KKK! Trump admires Hitler.
  • VLADIMIR PUTIN is Trump’s Hero and Idol.
  • Trump did everything possible to help Vladimir win the war in Ukraine and to destroy our NATO alliance.
  • Trump wants to destroy our Civil Service System and replace with a TRUMP LOYALTY PROGRAM in the RED STATES
  • Trump will demand that his cabinet members swear loyalty to him instead of the Constitution.
  • Trump promised to use the Justice Dept. to imprison his political opponents. Please note, I didn’t say criminals, I said his opponents.
  • Trump repeatedly called the “FREE PRESS”, An Enemy of the People”. He sounds just like Hitler and Vladimir.
  • Eliminate-Purge Generals who might stand up for the Constitution. Sounds just like Hitler and Vladimir
  • Now that Trump has both the Senate and the House under his power, you will see the end of American Democracy and our Constitution
  • No member of the Republican Party is allowed to disagree with or challenge the head of the party.  They saw what happened to Liz Cheney, who placed the Constitution ahead of Trump. Liz Cheney had the most conservative voting record in Congress, but she was banned from the Republican Party because she didn’t click her heels and obey their Supreme Leader, Donald Trump. Sounds like Russia and Vladimir. It doesn’t sound like the American we grew up in and loved.

We can agree the Dems have numerous flaws which neither one of us likes. However, destroying our democracy and constitution we grew up loving and respecting, isn’t one of them.

Thanks for listening,

Robert

 

Link Between Alcohol and Cancer

by | Oct 24, 2024 | Health, Life, Science

Link Between Alcohol and Cancer

New studies were recently published which revealed a very strong link between alcohol consumption and several types of cancers. However, before I discuss those medical studies, allow me to relay several personal experiences and observations from my earlier years.

I vividly remember a Sunday morning when I was 12 years old, in the schoolyard playing basketball with the guys.  There was a 19-year-old guy named Jimmy, who always played with us. However, on this Sunday morning, Jimmy was sitting on the bench looking like a very depressed, sick young man. By the way, when you’re 12 years old, a 19-year-old guy seems so old.

I asked the guys why Jimmy wasn’t playing basketball with us and what was wrong with him. They told me he went out drinking Saturday night and he has a hangover. I asked, what is a hangover? They said you’re looking at it.

I then asked, if drinking leaves you with a nasty hangover, why do people go out drinking? There was no answer, but that brings me to another experience when I was around 18 or 19 years of age. This was during the Disco era and I started going to parties on weekends, where we would dance to disco music, LOL, and have tons of fun.

At almost every dance party, I would often see 2 or 3 guys who were drunk and slobbering all over themselves. I noticed the girls were doing everything they could to avoid those drunks. Once again, if that’s what happens when you drink, I repeatedly asked myself why they were doing that to themselves. I also realized, I was having so much fun on the dance floor, without touching a single glass of alcohol, obviously, I didn’t need it. Why would I ever be dumb enough to start drinking?

In our culture, alcohol is closely related to an array of different celebrations. When you watch TV shows, when a guy meets a woman, he almost always asks her if she wants to go out for a drink? Really? I’ve never done that because I never once tried any form of alcohol, and never missed it.

As we already know, DWI is one of the leading causes of death in America. We also know that drunkenness is often related to various types of violent incidents and/or crimes, especially violence by men towards women.

When I was younger, I read many research articles on health and fitness and several of them had very strong warnings about the negative effects of alcohol on your body and your brain. I realize I’m probably only one in a million who followed that advice, but I wish more people would put their health before drinking.

I want to point out, there was a famous French study which came out in the seventies.  That study came to the conclusion that a glass of wine, once a day was actually good for the health of your heart. Unfortunately, that became a golden rule for many people who thought one or two drinks of wine was actually good for you.

Guess what? Several years ago, scientists decided to revisit that famous study where they learned the study had a serious flaw which was overlooked 50 years ago. They no longer claim that one or two glasses of wine every evening is good for you.  Drinking certain types of alcohol is beneficial for your heart? The new scientific rule, that is a myth.

OK, we can finally discuss the recent medical studies on the relationship between alcohol and cancer.

NIH tells us that alcohol increases the risk for cancers, includi8ng:

  • Oral Cancer
  • Pharynx and Larynx Cancers
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Stomach Cancer

Why does drinking alcohol increase your cancer risk?

There are many reasons why alcohol can increase your cancer risk. These include:

Acetaldehyde: Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol. When the body breaks down ethanol, it becomes acetaldehyde, which is a dangerous carcinogen. “This compound damages DNA and stops our cells from repairing the damage. This matters, because this process allows cancerous cells to grow.

Hormonal effects: Alcohol can affect the levels of hormones like estrogen. The hormones act as messengers that tell our cells to grow and divide. “The more cells divide, the more chances there are for something to go wrong and for cancer to develop.

Reduced nutrient absorption: Alcohol makes it harder for the body to absorb and use nutrients that protect it from cancer. These include vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E, K, and folate, iron and selenium. “These are just a few vitamins and minerals that are responsible for immunity, protecting cells from oxidative damage, reducing inflammation and aiding in DNA synthesis and repair.

Why would anyone want to ingest something into their body which damages their immune system?

Weight gain: Consuming more calories than your body burns leads to weight gain. Alcohol can contribute to weight gain from excess calorie intake. Excess weight is linked to over 12 types of cancers.

It increases the risk of tobacco-related cancers: If you drink and smoke, you are probably at an even higher risk for certain cancers including oral and throat cancer. Alcohol may make cells more sensitive to other substances that cause cancer. “The combination of drinking and smoking increases the risk of developing mouth or throat cancer far more than drinking or smoking alone.

What is the best thing to drink if I’m going to have alcohol?

When it comes to managing your cancer risk, there is no alcoholic drink which is better than the others. All of them, including beer, wine and whiskey contain ethanol, which, as described above, is linked to increased cancer risk. Therefore, do not believe the myth that drinking beer or wine is somehow safer than drinking more powerful forms of liquor.

Will it Help if I Stop Drinking?

Research has shown that when you stop drinking, the risk for alcohol-related cancers declines over time,

Can You Prevent Certain Types of Cancer?

by | Jul 13, 2024 | Health, Life

CAN YOU PREVENT CERTAIN TYPES of CANCER?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America. There are many different kinds of cancer, so the first question we should ask ourselves, is there something we can do to prevent some, or possibly all cancers? Obviously, we cannot prevent all cancers, but a new clinical study teaches us, there are numerous things we can do to avoid many types of cancer.

One of the leading causes of cancer deaths is colon cancer. Guess what? This is essentially almost 100% preventable, by having a colonoscopy at least once every 5-7 years.

Colon cancer starts with polyps in your colon. It takes approximately 8-10 years for a polyp to become cancerous. If you get regular colonoscopies, the doctor will remove those polyps before they become cancerous. Hence, you just virtually eliminated one of the biggest causes of death in America.

A new study by the American Cancer Society revealed that many types of cancers can be eliminated via lifestyle choices.

  • Smoking was the leading risk factor by far, the study found, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases, and nearly a third of cancer deaths.
  • Other key risk factors included
    • excess body weight
    • alcohol consumption
    • physical inactivity
    • diet
    • infections such as HPV

Here’s something else this new study is trying to teach us. Cancer grows because of DNA damage or because it has a fuel source. Other factors, such as genetics and the environment, can also create these biological conditions. However, modifiable risks explain a significantly larger share of cancer cases and deaths than any other known factor. For example, exposure to sunlight can damage DNA and lead to skin cancer, while fat cells produce hormones that essentially feed certain cancers.

With cancer, people usually believe they have no control, but that isn’t true. One of the key findings of this new study is the following. People need to feel a sense of control over many types of cancer.  Modifiable risk factors contributed to more than half of new cases for 19 of the 30 types of cancer evaluated in the study.

There were 10 types of cancer where modifiable risk factors could be attributed to at least 80% of new cases, including more than 90% of melanoma cases linked to ultraviolet radiation and nearly all cases of cervical cancer linked to HPV infection, which can be prevented with a vaccine.

Lung cancer had the largest number of cases attributable to modifiable risk factors. There were more than 104,000 cases among men and 97,000 among women, and the vast majority were obviously linked to smoking.

After smoking, excess body weight was the second largest contributor to cancer cases, linked to about 5% of new cases in men and nearly 11% of cases in women. It was associated with more than a third of deaths from cancer of the endometrium, gallbladder, esophagus, liver and kidney, the new study found.

Another recent study revealed the risk for certain cancers was significantly reduced for people taking popular weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

New studies are teaching us that obesity is emerging, in several ways, as just as big a risk for people as smoking.

Here’s something else the scientists want you to know about cancer prevention. It’s never too late to make these changes. Turning unhealthy behavior around, even later in life, can make a profound difference. And making lifestyle changes to minimize exposure to certain factors can reduce cancer risk relatively quickly, experts say.

There is another aspect of your life which can help prevent cancer from spreading throughout your body, and that is STRESS. Studies found that two people facing almost identical medical issues had very different outcomes, based on the level of stress in their body. Someone under severe stress has a significantly reduced ability for their body to fight off inflammation, or other types of threats which can cause the spread of cancer. If you can find a way to eliminate, or reduce the level of stress in your body, that will definitely help prevent several forms of cancer from spreading.

Cancer is something your body fights every single day as your cells divide. It’s a risk that you face every day, and that also means that a reduction of the risks can benefit you big time.

Personal Story

This little story isn’t specifically about cancer, but it’s definitely related to the premise of this article. About 3 or 4 years ago, I read about a professional basketball player who was in a very serious motor vehicle accident. The doctor who treated him, said he would probably die within 60-90 days at most.

Six months later, the basketball player was almost fully recovered. Reporters asked the doctor why his prediction never happened. The physician said, I didn’t factor in the very high level of fitness the patient had. He was so physically fit, his body was able to fight off the inflammation and other negative impacts of the motor vehicle accident. 

This is a critical lesson about the importance of being on a regular exercise program and how it can help fight off negative elements in your body. The above reminded me of a study I read about many years ago.

Once of the conclusions of that study was the following. Two people can have the same physical assault on their immune system, and one can survive, while the other persons succumbs to the attack. Why did one survive? Because they were so physically fit, just like the professional basketball player, they could fight off the inflammation and attacks on their immune system.

Finally, I have one more similar story. In the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans were dying in huge numbers. 60 Minutes did a report on the people who were dying from Covid-19 by visiting hospitals treating victims of the pandemic. Those seriously ill covid patients were placed on ventilators, in an attempt to keep them alive. The 60 Minutes reporter asked the doctors and nurses if there was any one thing most of the patients on ventilators had in common. The answer was, YES, obesity.