BOC#012 Box of Chocolates

Solar Nucleosynthesis, The South Atlantic Anomaly, & The Union Jack.

Mar 24, 2025

4 MINUTE MUNCH

THE IDEA THAT WE’RE MADE FROM STARDUST…

…dates back to astronomer Fred Hoyle, who famously coined the term ‘the big bang’ on a BBC radio broadcast in 1949, but his contribution to astronomy went much further…

Hoyle developed his theory of solar nucleosynthesis in 1954, which recognized that elements heavier than hydrogen were created in the bellies of stars. Stars are, after all, fuelled by nuclear fusion, that energy rich mechanism involving the fusion of hydrogen nuclei under immense heat and pressure, giving birth to new, heavier elements in the process. When a massive star runs out of fuel and dies, it explodes, ejecting all of this newly synthesised material out into the universe in a process known as a supernova. This essentially means that the very carbon, oxygen, and iron atoms that make you possible began their journey as humble hydrogen atoms in the stellar ovens of the distant universe!

THERE IS A SORT OF BERMUDA TRIANGLE IN SPACE…

…known as the the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), or more loosely termed the ‘Bermuda Triangle of Space’. The no-go zone is located 300 miles above earth, somewhere over Brazil. The anomaly is caused by a dent, or weakness, in the earth’s magnetic field, allowing charged particles to travel closer to the earth than they otherwise would elsewhere. Due to the increased presence of radiation and charged particles in the area, electronics are often severely affected, with the Hubble telescope unable to collect data, astronauts on the ISS unable to conduct spacewalks, and satellites malfunctioning as charged protons make contact with sensitive electronics.

THE WORD JACK WAS BEING USED BY 1600…

…to describe a small flag being flown from a small mast. Sooner or later, it had become standard practice to fly the Union Flag from a particular mast now known as a jack, hence the term ‘Union Jack’. Up until 1801 the Union Flag was a combination of the Cross of St George and the ‘X’ shaped cross of St Andrew, signifying the union of the English and Scottish kingdoms in 1707. The union between Great Britain and Ireland in 1801 saw the addition of the Cross of St Patrick. The thin white stripes around the red ‘X’ shaped cross are known as fimbrations, and function as a barrier between the red X and the Scottish blue background. Ireland became an independent country in 1922, but the cross remained in honour of Northern Ireland who remained a part of the union. With England, Scotland and Ireland all featured on the Union Jack, you might be wondering about Welsh representation on the flag. When Henry VIII united England and Wales in the Laws in Wales Act 1532-42, it was deemed a principality, not a state, and thus wasn’t added to the flag.

BOOK PASSAGE #1: THE CALL OF THE WIND BY JACK LONDON

“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive.”

ON THIS DAY:

On the evening of 24th of March 1944, lead by RAF officer Roger Bushell, 200 men of Stalag Luft III in present day Poland were preparing to escape the prison camp to which they had long been confined. Dubbed the ‘Great Escape’, 77 men managed to breakout via the 9 meter deep tunnels aptly named Tom, Dick, and Harry. Of those killed or recaptured, only three were successful including one Dutch pilot, and two Norwegians. For anyone interested in the real story, The Real Great Escape by Guy Walters is a fascinating read.

Did you know: March is named after Mars, the Roman god of war?