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December 17, 2013

Astronomers solve temperature mystery of planetary atmospheres
Seattle WA (SPX) Dec 16, 2013
An atmospheric peculiarity the Earth shares with Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune is likely common to billions of planets, University of Washington astronomers have found, and knowing that may help in the search for potentially habitable worlds. First, some history: It's known that air grows colder and thinner with altitude, but in 1902 a scientist named Leon Teisserenc de Bort, using instrument-equipped balloons, found a point in Earth's atmosphere at about 40,000 to 50,000 feet where the air ... read more

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