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| (Run, Goldilocks, run!) |
Once upon a time, there were three planets that were fairly alike (i.e., "formed at the same time and from similar raw materials"). These planets were Venus, Earth and Mars.
Nevertheless, Goldilocks (and her three ursine pals) only settled upon Planet Earth. That's because Mother Gaia turned out to be "not too hot, not too cold, but just right" for kids, bears, and other cuddly beings.
Scientists, by the way, are still scratching their heads over why these three planetary "siblings" are now so different from one another. This
astronomical mystery has even been called – you guessed it – the
"Goldilocks problem."
Not that Goldilocks has nothing better to do than bear the brunt of cosmological inquiries… According to lexicographer (now there's a down-to-Earth profession) Ben Zimmer, she has also been rearing her "not too this, not too that" flaxen head into such (hopefully) diverse fields as "engineering, political science and…
economics."
Resources
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304243904579198083961140464
Copyright November 17, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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