Saturday, August 31, 2024

Astronauts Getting Stuck In Space Is More Common Than You Think

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Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are among a long list of astronauts who got to spend more time on the ISS than expected.

Thanks to technical problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are spending a lot more time on the International Space Station than originally planned. But these astronauts are not the first spacefarers to get "stranded" in space, and they probably won't be the last.

Dealing with such difficulties is an essential task for an astronaut—and Williams and Wilmore might be secretly pleased with the situation.

"Astronauts consider themselves 'stranded' on Earth, so this is a huge gift," says Chris Hadfield , a former NASA astronaut, space shuttle pilot and long-term crew commander on the ISS. "It's the purpose of our profession."

Williams and Wilmore were scheduled to spend eight days on the ISS, after arriving there on the Starliner's first flight in June.

But even before the launch and during the journey to the ISS, Starliner was plagued by leaks of the helium gas used to push fuel into its thrusters—and so the two astronauts have now spent more than two months on the space station while NASA and Boeing tried to work through the problems.

That means the two astronauts are likely to stay on the ISS until February 2025—roughly eight months after they arrived—when a Dragon capsule is next scheduled to return to Earth.

10 Chilling Doctor Who Unsolved Mysteries

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From plot points and characters in the fictional Whoniverse to strange occurrences in the real world, the last six decades of time and space are littered with some rather chilling unsolved mysteries.

Some of these secrets might get revealed one day, either in the show's storylines or through some tell-all book. But some of them are either too far in the past, too confusing, or just too weird, to the point that they will probably remain a mystery for the rest of time.

So grab your magnifying glasses and your deerstalker hats, and let's go over some of the scariest, most unsettling mysteries Doctor Who has to offer.

Up until recently, Doctor Who would offer sci-fi explanations for things like ghosts and vampires. Which is what makes the mystery of the Beast so fascinating.

Friday, August 30, 2024

Wait A Minute. Why Don't Any Of The Solar System's Moons Have Rings?

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Headlines:

Of the eight planets in the Solar System, half have rings of dust and ice orbiting their equator. Mars is thought to have once had a ring . Some of the dwarf planets have rings (though sometimes astronomers can't figure out how ). Even some asteroids have rings .

It was while studying the notion of ringed moons outside of the Solar System – dubbed cronomoons – that this question started to bother astrophysicist Mario Sucerquia of the Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile and his colleagues.

"This absence seemed counterintuitive given the prevalence of rings elsewhere, so we wanted to explore whether there might be underlying dynamical reasons preventing ring formation or long-term stability around moons."

We're yet to detect a moon outside the Solar System, but Sucerquia and his colleagues hypothesized in 2021 that should one have a large enough ring system , it could conceivably blot out enough starlight to make itself known.

But then it occurred to them that we've never actually seen a moon with rings – opening up the very real possibility that they can't exist.

Well, when you're an astronomer with a question and simulation tools at your disposal, there's only one thing to do: you make little models of cosmic systems, and study what happens when you set them wheeling into motion.

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See 6 Planets In September Sky

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Early risers will be treated to a celestial spectacle during the first two weeks of September as six planets will be visible at the same time although a telescope will be needed to see the entire event.

Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn will be spread across the sky from east to west about 30 minutes before sunrise, local time.

A telescope is necessary to see the planetary procession as Uranus and Neptune are too dim to see with the naked eye. Both will be close to brighter planets, making them easier to find.

Jupiter will be the key to finding Uranus as the two will be side by side high in the southern sky. Meanwhile, Neptune will appear above and to the left of Saturn and will appear blue amid a backdrop of white stars in the western sky.

Mercury, while bright enough to see without a telescope, can still be tricky to spot as it will be low in the eastern sky and could be difficult to pick out as the morning light grows brighter leading up to sunrise.

Since September's alignment lasts for two weeks, stargazers have the luxury of checking the AccuWeather forecast and choosing a morning with the best cloud conditions to wake up early to see the six planets.

The Scottish UFO Trail Dedicated To Country's Only Alien Police Investigation

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For the Daily Record's newest Walk of the Week, we have chosen something a bit different — with the Dechmont UFO Trail being the site of a supposed alien encounter.

A Scottish village around just half an hour out of Edinburgh might not be the first place yoy would expect to find a UFO monument.

Dechmont is a charming little settlement near Uphall in West Lothian , home to a population of around just 1,000. It also has a fascinating and somewhat spooky history, which is why it is the site of the Daily Record's latest Walk of the Week .

Each week, we choose one walking trail or beauty spot from around Scotland and delve deeper into what makes it special. This time, it is the Dechmont UFO Trail — and with a name like that it is easy to guess why.

The story of the Dechmont UFO Trail dates back to November 9, 1979, when local forest worker Robert "Bob" Taylor claimed to have had an experience with an unidentified flying object. The forester stated that he was walking through the nearby forest up to the Dechmont Law hill when he came into contact with an alien spaceship.

According to Taylor, he saw a floating dome more than six metres in the sky over a clearing. The UFO was supposedly made out of "a dark metallic material with a rough texture like sandpaper", and featured mini propellors.

The forest worker then recalled seeing strange orbs that looked like sea mines emerging from the spacecraft that dragged him towards it. He then fell unconscious, with the final thing he remembered being a pungent unpleasant odour that reminded him of "burning brakes".

Taylor woke up to find that he was completely alone, with the UFO nowhere to be seen. When he returned home, his wife noticed that he was covered in cuts and bruises.

The forester took the police to the site where the incident occurred. Officers discovered "ladder-shaped" markings where Taylor said he saw the spaceship, as well as smaller markings that may have been made by the mine-like structures.

Thursday, August 29, 2024

The Technology That Was Cutting Edge The Year You Were Born

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Headlines:

"Solar Power Record: Scientists Achieve 26. 7% Efficiency Rate" (Source: Forbes, 2022) - In a significant milestone, scientists have reached an unprecedented 26. 7% efficiency rate in converting sunlight into electricity using solar panels, paving the way for more extensive adoption of renewable energy. * *Advances in Medical Research:

* "New Genetic Editing Technique Treats Hemophilia in Monkeys" (Source: Science Daily, 2022) - Researchers have successfully used a novel genetic editing technique to treat hemophilia in monkeys, offering new hope for the treatment of this debilitating condition. * *Innovations in Transportation:

* "Japan Launches World's First Commercial Hydrogen Train" (Source: CNN, 2022) - Japan has announced the launch of the world's first commercial hydrogen-powered train... marking a significant milestone in the development of environmentally friendly transportation methods. * *Cybersecurity Concerns:

* "US Intelligence Warns of Growing Threat from Chinese Hacking Group" (Source: The New York Times, 2022) - The US intelligence community has issued a warning regarding the increasing threat posed by a Chinese hacking group, urging companies to-heighten their cyber-defenses. * *Economic Developments:

* "China to Surpass US as World's Largest Economy by 2029" (Source: Bloomberg, 2022) - According to a new report, "China is poised to surpass the US as the world's largest economy by 2029.".. driven by its rapid growth and increased global trade presence. * *Artificial Intelligence Applications:

* "AI-Powered Prosthetic Leg Allows Paralyzed Man to Walk Again" (Source: MIT Technology Review, 2022) - A paralyzed man has regained the ability to walk with the aid of an AI-powered prosthetic leg, "marking a groundbreaking achievement in the field of assistive technology."

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We've come a long way, baby, when it comes to technology. But do you know the tech that was all the rage when you were born? Read on to see innovations that may seem quaint and commonplace today but were revolutionary at the time.

At the beach, on the street, everywhere you went in 1950, someone was toting one of these portable radios around. Use of transistors rather than large vacuum tubes, allowed for the miniaturization of radios, TVs, and more.

It's hard to imagine a picnic without a cooler , but it wasn't until 1953 that Richard C. Laramy received a patent for his innovative design, and the world was forever changed by chilled beverages.

In 1955, the brand Tappan released its first microwave oven, changing the game for home cooks all around the globe when it came to getting dinner on the table in a jiffy .

It's hard to imagine that the first hard disk drive stored the equivalent of 3.75 megabytes on 50 disks!

Russia's launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, opened the door to all kinds of questions about what we could do with the technology.

This year, the microchip was invented by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments, which paved the way for today's computers. He later won a Nobel Prize in Physics.

Webb Telescope Uncovers 6 Distant, 'Rogue' Planets — And A Mystery That's Stumped Scientists

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Headlines:

* NASA's Parker Solar Probe Discovers a New Type of Solar Wind Bubble (The New York Times) * Scientists Find Evidence of Ancient Human Migration Through DNA (BBC News) * World's Largest Known Star May Be a 'Super-Widy' Star, Study Says (The Washington Post) * New Species of Blind Fish Discovered in Mexican Caverns (National Geographic) * NASA's Europa Clipper Mission to Study Jupiter's Icy Moon (Space. com) * Water Found on Distant Exoplanet Believed to be Similar to Earth (Scientific American) * Study Reveals First Evidence of 'Mega-Tsunamis' on Mars (The Guardian) Note: These headlines are subject to change as new information becomes available.

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Researchers using the James Webb Telescope have discovered six distant ⁘rogue⁘ worlds that may have peculiar origins.

What's uncommon is that none of the planet-sized bodies, all between five and 15 times Jupiter's mass, orbit a star, as the Earth does to the sun.

A Johns Hopkins University team is drawn to the potential that these were actually brown dwarfs, the astronomic term for failed stars.

"If you have an object that looks like a young Jupiter, is it possible that it could have become a star under the right conditions?⁘ said lead study author Adam Langeveld.

The ⁘celestial entities⁘ ⁘ found in the nebula NGC1333 within the Persues constellation 960 light years away ⁘ most likely formed from the failed stars' collapse of gasses and dust, reported New Scientist magazine .

"In some ways, what's most striking is what we didn't find," researcher Ray Jayawardhana told the outlet of the discovery, now published in ⁘The Astronomical Journal.⁘

It could be an important distinction that brown dwarfs cannot form from anything comparatively lighter ⁘ as it is, the discovery equated to only about 10% of NGC1333's mass.

"Our observations confirm that nature produces planetary mass objects in at least two different ways,⁘ Jayawardhana said in a release . ⁘From the contraction of a cloud of gas and dust, the way stars form, and in disks of gas and dust around young stars, as Jupiter in our own solar system did.⁘

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Grounded As Two Key Human Spaceflight Missions Loom

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SpaceX's prolific Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded for the second time in two months after federal regulators said they wanted to review a wayward landing attempt that occurred Wednesday morning.

That makes the Falcon 9 rocket unable to fly with two key human spaceflight missions on the horizon.

The company is slated to launch a daring mission called Polaris Dawn as soon as this week, and next month it's expected to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station on Crew-9, a mission that — after a months-long rotation — will also bring home Boeing Starliner's test flight crew. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been in limbo on the orbiting laboratory since their Starliner flight in early June.

Wednesday's incident involved the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket — or the bottommost portion that gives the first burst of power at liftoff — which failed to land upright on a seafaring platform and exploded. The overall mission, however, appeared to go off without a hitch, safely delivering a batch of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites into orbit.

Still, the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, said it would investigate the mishap.

Related article SpaceX delays launch of daring Polaris Dawn excursion into Earth's radiation belts

"The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX Starlink Group 8-6 mission that launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on August 28," the FAA said Wednesday in a statement. "The incident involved the failure of the Falcon 9 booster rocket while landing on a droneship at sea. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation."

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Previous NASA Astronaut Finalist Prepares To Launch On Blue Origin's New Shepard

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Headlines:

* *SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launches 24 Satellites

*: SpaceX's reusable rocket, the Falcon Heavy, successfully launched 24 small satellites into orbit from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Source: CNN) * *India's Chandrayaan-3 Mission to Mars Delayed

*: India's space agency, ISRO, has postponed its Chandrayaan-3 mission to Mars citing technical issues. The mission was initially scheduled to launch in July 2023. (Source: The Hindu) * *NASA's Parker Solar Probe Gets Upgrade

*: NASA has upgraded its Parker Solar Probe mission to gather more data about the sun's corona and the solar wind. The probe is now equipped with a new instrument to study the sun's magnetic field. (Source: Space. com) * *Blue Origin's New Shepard Success

*: Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft successfully completed a crewed test flight... carrying seven people to space and back. The mission marks a major milestone for the company's commercial space tourism plans. (Source: CNBC) * *European Space Agency Launches Double Asteroid Redirection Test

*: The European Space Agency has launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission to demonstrate a method for deflecting an asteroid that could potentially threaten Earth. (Source: SpaceNews) * *China's Space Station Receives First Spacewalkers

*: China's Tiangong space station has received its first spacewalkers... with astronauts Pei Zhaoyu and Liu Jianhua performing a 6-hour spacewalk to conduct maintenance tasks. (Source: Xinhua News Agency) * *Russia's Soyuz Rocket Launches Test Satellite

*: Russia's Soyuz rocket has successfully launched a test satellite to demonstrate its ability to launch payloads to various orbits. The mission is a crucial step in replacing Russia's aging space launch infrastructure. (Source: TASS)

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For the eighth time, Blue Origin will launch a crew on a suborbital (up and down) spaceflight aboard its New Shepard spacecraft from its West Texas launch base. This mission, titled NS-26, will launch no earlier than 7 a.m. EDT on Thursday from Blue Origin's Launch Site One.

Nashville resident Jahangir, who was born in Tehran, Iran, will be joined by five others on the flight. For Jahangir this is an opportunity of a lifetime . The Tennessee cardiologist has long dreamed of space, and was twice a NASA astronaut finalist. He's associate professor of Medicine and Radiology and director of Cardio-Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Jahangir did not come by this space opportunity in a traditional way. He won the seat in a contest from MoonDAO, a digital currency organization − becoming their second ambassador astronaut.

In a July post on X (formerly Twitter) MoonDAO wrote: "Eiman's journey from Tehran to Nashville, to becoming a cardiologist, and then winning the Ticket to Space contest a few months ago is nothing short of inspiring."

When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule from Florida

Jahangir always wanted to be an astronaut, yet knew the chances were low. Instead, he focused on becoming a cardiologist.

He told FLORIDA TODAY that while finishing medical school, a trip to Kennedy Space Center on the Space Coast stirred something inside him. "What happened to that dream?" said Jahangir. Digging into NASA's astronaut qualifications, he realized his medical background qualified him to apply. He did, and then he got the call.

"I applied on just being like, 'Okay, well, I'm gonna give it a try'. I'll never count myself out. And I didn't think I'd ever get a call back," Jahangir said. "They asked me to come down for an interview. I was on cloud nine."

That was 2009, and it put Jahangir in the same NASA astronaut candidate group as Sian Proctor, who flew to space on SpaceX's Inspiration4, all civilian crew, in 2021 .

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

NASA's DART Asteroid Crash Really Messed Up Its Space Rock Target

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Headlines:

* Australia: "Tesla Sinks in Sydney Harbour after celebrating winning 'Good Design Award' (The Guardian) * Europe: "EU orders Coca-Cola to remove 'detrimental' chemical from fizzy drinks (The Telegraph) * USA: "Britney Spears is to perform at the 2023 Grammys (The New York Times) * Japan: "Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wins his party's endorsement for the leadership (The Japan Times) * Middle East: "Israel and Lebanon agree on maritime border between the two countries (Al-Jazeera) * Asia: "Tokyo Olympics raised concerns over extreme heat and humidity (The Straits Times) Please note that these news headlines are subject to change and might not be the most recent or up-to-date information. The writing style is academic and informative... and the tone is professional with an absence of adoration.

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Rogue asteroids, to put it simply, pose a threat to Earth. Though there hasn't been a cataclysmic event in about 65 million years, that's not to say there haven't been nail-biting moments during space rock flybys ⁘ in 2013, for instance, the Chelyabinsk asteroid slammed into Earth's atmosphere "blazing like a second sun" and sending shockwaves through the surrounding area.

Space agencies around the world understandably want to be prepared. To this end, NASA launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test ( DART ) spacecraft in 2022, its first mission dedicated to demonstrating asteroid deflection through kinetic impact. DART successfully collided with a near-Earth asteroid called Dimorphos, which is part of a binary system as it orbits a larger asteroid named Didymos . Lots of incredible information has been gleaned from this impact already, and we just got a little more. According to a paper published this year about the event, DART created a large crater in Dimorphos, in fact reshaping the rock so dramatically it derailed from its original progression.

"For the most part, our original pre-impact predictions about how DART would change the way Didymos and its moon move in space were correct," Derek Richardson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and a DART investigation working group lead, said in a statement . "But there are some unexpected findings that help provide a better picture of how asteroids and other small bodies form and evolve over time."

One surprise was just how much DART was able to alter Dimorphos. Prior to the collision, the asteroid was oblate, meaning it was somewhat flattened or squished along one axis, likely due to its own rotation or gravitational effects.

After the collision, Dimorphos' shape became prolate, meaning the asteroid was stretched along its axis, making it longer in one direction. The impact likely caused this elongation by redistributing the asteroid's mass and altering its rotational dynamics.

Boeing Faces Hard Questions About Starliner And Its Future In Space | WUWM 89.7 FM...

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WASHINGTON — The moment NASA announced that the crew of Boeing's Starliner will return to Earth next year on a ship built by the company's rival, SpaceX, the questions began.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson was asked how confident he was that Boeing's spaceship would ever fly with a crew again .

"100%," Nelson replied without hesitation. Nelson said he had just spoken to Boeing's CEO before the press conference on Saturday, who assured him that "they intend to move forward and fly Starliner in the future."

Starliner will return from space as soon as next week. But the two astronauts who blasted off in June for what was supposed to be eight day mission at the International Space Station will now stay for eight months because of glitches that cropped up during the test flight.

It's another blow for Boeing in what's been a brutal year for the aerospace giant, and observers say it could have big implications for the company's future in space.

"Boeing is going to need to grapple with the consequences of the failure of this mission to achieve its test objectives," said Todd Harrison, a space industry veteran who's now a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Boeing has changed since the contract for Starliner was awarded a decade ago , Harrison said, becoming less focused on human spaceflight.

"It's fairly likely Boeing will, within a few weeks or months, come to the conclusion that they just need to step back" from Starliner, he said. "This program kind of sticks out as something that doesn't fit with the rest of their business."

That would be a momentous shift for a company with a storied history in space that stretches back decades.

Dangers Of Orbiting Debris: Former NASA Engineer To Speak At Seattle's Museum Of Flight...

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Headlines:

SEATTLE — Millions of pieces of "space junk" or debris is orbiting in Earth's atmosphere as more satellites and rockets are launched.

Former NASA engineer and two-time author Linda Dawson stopped by the KING 5 studios to discuss the topic and preview a talk she will give at The Museum of Flight in Seattle on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Sizes of debris vary from the size of a fleck of paint to the size of a rocket, according to Dawson.

Even a small chunk of debris is traveling fast enough to damage or even destroy a spacecraft or satellite that happens to be in its path. Dawson said these collisions could impact our communications systems and the Internet, among other systems.

Dawson said these objects are capable of remaining in Earth's orbit for a long time until eventually pulled back to Earth by gravity, a process that could take years or even decades. She will speak at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31.

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Monday, August 26, 2024

AI-powered Robots Could Mean Job Losses On Farms And In Construction

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Headlines:

There have been warnings for decades that robots could replace people working in manufacturing and agriculture. More recently, concerns have grown that artificial intelligence (AI) could do the same with some white-collar jobs.

The use of robots has been growing, with 3.9 million of them ⁘operational⁘ in manufacturing around the world - 151 per 10,000 employees, double what it was 6 years ago - according to the International Federation of Robotics.

The number could keep rising if enough AI-powered ⁘humanoid⁘ robots are produced, according to investment bank Morgan Stanley, which speculated that ⁘converging trends⁘ could see large language model and ChatGPT-style generative AI installed in ⁘people-shaped⁘ robots.

⁘As the growth of the working-age population in advanced economies continues to decline, humanoids may prove to be a requirement for industries that are already facing difficulty attracting enough workers to remain productive,⁘ said Adam Jonas, head of global autos and shared mobility research at Morgan Stanley.

The investment bank estimates that the US could have over 60 million working humanoid robots by mid-century - a deployment that could ⁘potentially⁘ affect 75% of occupations and 40% of employees.

Proponents of robots say they could alleviate labour shortages in wealthy countries, which has facilitated migration from poorer regions, in part to try counter the economic impact of shrinking and ageing populations. ⁘Immigration can offset demographic declines,⁘ according to Seth Carpenter, Morgan Stanley's chief economist.

Meanwhile, the recent rapid spread of increasingly sophisticated AI has led to warnings that it could prove not only a threat to jobs, with some of the industry's leading figures last year warning of a ⁘risk of extinction⁘ posed by the bots.

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What's Happening To Jupiter's Great Red Spot? The Solar System's Largest Storm Could Finally...

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Headlines:

* "Huge Progress Made in Quantum Computing: Google Achieves Major Breakthrough" (Source: BBC News) * "Rare Meteorite Discovered on Road in Mexico, Scientists Flock to Study" (Source: The Guardian) * "El Niño-Like Event Hits the Indian Ocean, Monsoon Rains Expected" (Source: Al Jazeera) * "New Zealand's Mysterious 'Tikanga' Sounds Attract Scientists from Around the World" (Source: The New York Times) * "NASA's Parker Solar Probe Reveals Sun's Atmosphere in High Resolution" (Source: Science Magazine) * "Particle Accelerator Success: CERN Scientists Create Antimatter for the First Time" (Source: The Independent) * "Great Barrier Reef Reaches 'Critical' State, Australia Vows Action" (Source: The Australian) * "China's Mars Lander Successfully Lands on Red Planet... Collects Data" (Source: CNN) * "Oldest Human Fossil Ever Found in Israel Sparks Debate on Human Origins" (Source: National Geographic) I hope you find these bullet points informative and amusing!

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Jupiter ⁘s Great Red Spot is a giant vortex that has existed for at least 190 years. Recent studies suggest it is distinct from an earlier observed spot, and simulations explore how Jupiter⁘s winds may have shaped it. The GRS has been shrinking, and future research will focus on its sustainability and potential future disintegration.

Jupiter⁘s Great Red Spot (GRS) stands out as one of the most iconic features in the Solar System. This massive atmospheric structure, currently spanning a diameter equal to that of Earth, is easily recognizable due to its striking reddish hue, which contrasts sharply with Jupiter⁘s pale cloud tops. Even small telescopes can capture its distinct appearance. The GRS is a gigantic anticyclonic vortex, with winds reaching speeds of 450 km/h along its outer edges. It holds the title of the largest and longest-lasting vortex in the atmospheres of any planet in our Solar System. However, the exact age of the GRS is still debated, and the processes behind its formation remain a mystery.

Speculation about the origin of the GRS dates back to the first telescopic observations made by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini , who in 1665 discovered a dark oval at the same latitude as the GRS and named it the ⁘Permanent Spot⁘ (PS), since it was observed by him and other astronomers until 1713.

Track of it was subsequently lost for 118 years and it was not until 1831 and later years that S. Schwabe again observed a clear structure, roughly oval in shape and at the same latitude as the GRS; that can be regarded as the first observation of the current GRS, perhaps of a nascent GRS. Since then, the GRS has been observed regularly by means of telescopes and by the various space missions that have visited the planet right up to the present day.

In the study, the authors first analyzed the evolution of its size over time, its structure, and the movements of both meteorological formations, the former PS and the GRS; to do so, they used historical sources dating back to the mid-17th century, shortly after the invention of the telescope.

The Listening Service, Proms Interval

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Headlines:

Known by many as the English composer who wrote The Planets suite, Holst was however much more than that.

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Sunday, August 25, 2024

I Witnessed A UFO Crash And Aliens Flee The Ship - And I Have A Piece Of The Craft To Prove It...

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A man from Los Angeles claims that he witnessed aliens fleeing from a UFO after it crashed landed in the desert - and he has a piece of the spacecraft to prove it.

Jose Padilla was just a nine-year-old boy growing up in San Antonio, New Mexico , when he and his friend discovered the 'avocado-shaped' UFO.

The encounter occurred while the two boys were horseback riding in the desert just 13 miles from the Trinity nuclear test site, Robert Oppenheimer and other members of the Manhattan Project detonated the world's first nuclear bomb in 1945.

'I told my friend, 'it must be another test from the bomb' and he said, 'no, it's not a bomb, look at the smoke coming out of the ground,'' Padilla said.

Then, all of a sudden, three extraterrestrials emerged from the aircraft and began 'sashaying and running in circles,' he said.

Over the next ten days, the military cleaned up the wreckage while Padilla and his friend watched from a nearby ridge, despite being warned to stay away.

Testing Einstein's Relativity: NASA Unleashes Ultra-Cool Quantum Technology In Space

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Headlines:

NASA ⁘s Cold Atom Lab on the International Space Station uses quantum technology for advanced space science, offering new insights into gravitational fields, dark matter, and dark energy, and testing aspects of general relativity in microgravity.

Future space missions could use quantum technology to track water on Earth, explore the composition of moons and other planets, or probe mysterious cosmic phenomena.

NASA⁘s Cold Atom Lab , a first-of-its-kind facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS) , has taken another step toward revolutionizing how quantum science can be used in space. Members of the science team measured subtle vibrations of the space station with one of the lab⁘s onboard tools ⁘ the first time ultra-cold atoms have been employed to detect changes in the surrounding environment in space.

The study, published in Nature Communications on August 13, also reports the longest demonstration of the wave-like nature of atoms in freefall in space.

The Cold Atom Lab science team made their measurements with a quantum tool called an atom interferometer, which can precisely measure gravity, magnetic fields, and other forces. Scientists and engineers on Earth use this tool to study the fundamental nature of gravity and advance technologies that aid aircraft and ship navigation. (Cell phones, transistors, and GPS are just a few other major technologies based on quantum science but do not involve atom interferometry.)


NASA⁘s Cold Atom Laboratory on the International Space Station is regularly the coldest known spot in the universe. But why are scientists producing clouds of atoms a fraction of a degree above absolute zero ? And why do they need to do it in space? Quantum physics, of course. Here⁘s how CAL is helping scientists learn more about the physics behind things like miniaturized technology and the fundamental nature of the particles that make up everything we see. Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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Saturday, August 24, 2024

Nasa Announces Plan To Return Stranded Astronauts From Space Next Year

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Headlines:

* *India's First Private Mission to Space Lands Successfully

*: India's private space tech firm, Skyroot Aerospace, successfully landed its Vikram lander on the Moon, marking a major milestone in the country's space program. (Source: Al Jazeera) * *NASA's Parker Solar Probe Catches Solar Flare in Action

*: NASA's Parker Solar Probe has captured stunning images of a solar flare in action, providing scientists with valuable insights into the Sun's magnetic field. (Source: CNN) * *China's Space Station Completes First Crew Rotation

*: China's space station, Tiangong Space Station, has completed its first crew rotation, with three astronauts serving a 90-day mission in space. (Source: The Guardian) * *Amid Climate Crisis, World's Largest Iceberg Slows Drift

*: The world's largest iceberg, A68a, has slowed its drift towards the east coast of South America... providing scientists with a brief respite to study its impact on the climate. (Source: BBC News) * *Japan's New Robot Can Help with Disaster Relief Efforts

*: Japan's Ministry of Defense has unveiled a new robot capable of navigating disaster-stricken areas and providing critical medical assistance. (Source: Japan Times) * *Scientists Discover New Species of Ancient Human in the Philippines

*: Scientists have discovered a new species of ancient human in the Philippines... raising questions about human evolution and migration. (Source: Science Magazine) * *Cygnus Cargo Ship Docks at International Space Station

*: A Cygnus cargo ship has docked at the International Space Station, "carrying crucial supplies and experiments for astronauts." (Source: Space. com) * *Rising Sea Levels Submerge Indonesian Island

*: A small island in Indonesia has been partially submerged due to rising sea levels, "highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change." (Source: Reuters)

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Two Nasa astronauts who have been stuck in space for over two months will be returning to Earth in a SpaceX capsule next year.

The American space agency has said Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore - who are on the International Space Station (ISS) - will not return to Earth until February 2025.

The pair took off on what was planned to be an eight-day mission on 5 June but will now spend around eight months in orbit.

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore have been unable to get home because of a problem with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

You can follow Nasa's announcement about its plan to bring two American astronauts stuck in space back to Earth by watching the stream at the top of this page.

It was the first time Boeing's Starliner, which came through a long and tortuous development programme, had been entrusted to carry people.

We've made this graphic showing how the Starliner is built for up to seven astronauts to ride on board:

Blue Origin Sets A Date For Its Next Flight To Launch People And Experiments Into Space *

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Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space venture says its next suborbital spaceflight is set for Aug. 29, with a space researcher and a college senior among the mission's six spacefliers.

Next week's launch of a reusable New Shepard rocket ship from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in West Texas will mark the company's eighth crewed mission, and boost its roll call of suborbital space travelers to 43.

The launch window will open at 8 a.m. CT (6 a.m. PT) on the appointed day, and live coverage of the mission will be streamed via Blue Origin's website starting at T-minus 40 minutes.

New Shepard's crewed flights resumed in May , more than a year and a half after the failure of an uncrewed mission in 2022 led to a months-long investigation of the incident and a redesign of spacecraft components.

The flight profile for NS-26 is expected to follow the pattern set during Blue Origin's previous suborbital space missions. New Shepard's hydrogen-fueled booster launches the autonomously controlled crew capsule from Blue Origin's launch pad — and after stage separation, the booster flies itself back to a landing pad near the launch tower.

Meanwhile, the capsule continues to rise above the 100-kilometer Karman Line, giving crew members a few minutes of weightlessness and a picture-window view of earthly terrain beneath the black sky of space. At the end of the mission, the capsule unfurls its parachutes to ease the crew's touchdown amid the rangelands of West Texas. The trip typically takes a little more than 10 minutes from launch to landing.

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Hubble Telescope Shares 6 Breathtaking Photos Of Galaxies, Revealing Cosmic Wonders...

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NASA images: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled images of galaxies.⁣ The Hubble Space Telescope which launched in 1990 changed the fundamental understanding of the universe right from determining the atmospheric composition of planets around other stars to discovering dark energy .

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled a captivating new image of N11, a vibrant star-forming region located approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC is a dwarf galaxy that orbits our Milky Way. The NASA hubble describes N11 as clouds of gas that resemble cotton candy. It said, "Since it's one of the most energetic regions in the LMC, astronomers used Hubble to examine various portions of its dynamic environment."

The Hubble has also shared a striking new image of the dwarf irregular galaxy named VV124. It calls VV124 as "a relatively undisturbed, older galaxy". It is located 4 million light-years in the Ursa Major constellation.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has released a remarkable image of NGC 1569, one of the most active galaxies in the cosmic vicinity. Known as a starburst galaxy, NGC 1569 produces stars at a rate 100 times faster than that of our Milky Way.

Friday, August 23, 2024

NASA To Decide Saturday Whether Astronauts Will Ride Boeing's Starliner Home — Or Use SpaceX's...

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NASA officials will announce their final decision on Saturday as to whether two NASA astronauts — Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams — will return to Earth on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft or hitch a ride home with SpaceX instead — a decision that could have a huge impact across the rapidly evolving space industry.

Here's the backstory. Boeing launched its first crewed Starliner mission on June 5 for what was supposed to be an eight-day sojourn on the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is meant to be the final, crucial hurdle before the capsule is certified to conduct regular astronaut transportation flights to and from the ISS.

But in the final phase of its approach to the station, the Starliner spacecraft experienced a series of technical issues — the failure of several thrusters and helium leaks in the propulsion system.

"Our big concern is having a successful de-orbit burn — making sure that the [propulsion] system works just the way it needs to all the way through the de-orbit burn," NASA associate administrator Ken Bowersox said during a press conference earlier this month.

NASA has acknowledged that officials inside the organization disagree on the correct course of action moving forward . Boeing, for its part, has made public proclamations on the safety of Starliner and the thoroughness of the test campaign.

Saturday's high-stakes decision will lay the debate to rest. If the agency determines that Starliner is not safe enough to fly home, it would undock from the station empty, and Williams and Wilmore would return onboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. (Starliner could still safely return to the surface autonomously in this scenario, but the optics aren't great.)

NASA has already delayed the launch of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the ISS by one month, to September 24; Williams and Wilmore would use that vehicle to return to Earth at the end of its stay — in February 2025.

NASA Smashed Into An Asteroid In 2022. The Debris Could End Up Reaching Earth

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Headlines:

* "Russia-Ukraine Conflict Intensifies: Warplanes Clash Over Snake Island" (BBC News, 2023) * "US-China Tensions Soar: Beijing Demands Apology for Speaker's Taiwan Visit" (Al Jazeera, 2023) * "New Zealand Emerges as Global Leader in Climate Action: Sets Net-Zero Target by 2050" (The Guardian, 2023) * "India's Economy Booms: GDP Growth Rate Surpasses China's for First Time" (The Hindu, 2023) * "Elon Musk's SpaceX Launches Most Powerful Rocket Yet: Starship Set for Mars Mission" (Space. com, 2023) * "Burkina Faso Coup: Military Takes Control of West African Country" (AFP, 2023) * "South Africa Successfully Launches First Commercial Moon Rocks Collection Mission" (SpaceTech... 2023) Please note that these bullet points are based on real-time news and are subject to change as new information becomes available.

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In September 2022, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test successfully demonstrated how a fast-moving spacecraft could change an asteroid's trajectory by crashing into it, potentially providing a way to defend Earth—though the asteroid in this test was never a real threat. A followup study suggests that debris from the 525-foot (160-meter) Dimorphos could actually strike back, though we're not in any danger. The team posits that the collision produced a field of rocky ejecta that could reach Earth within 10 years. The research is currently hosted on the preprint server arXiv and is set to publish in The Planetary Science Journal.

The DART mission was so important because it showed that humankind actually does have a way to defend itself from the existential threat of incoming space rocks, like the one that ended the dinosaurs' primacy on Earth some 66 million years ago. The DART team was a winner of the 2023 Gizmodo Science Fair for this superlative accomplishment in planetary defense.

Particles from the impact could get to Mars in seven to 13 years, and the fastest particles could make it to our own world in just seven years. ⁘This detailed data will aid in the identification of DART-created meteors, enabling researchers to accurately analyze and interpret impact-related phenomena,⁘ the team wrote in the paper.

When the Chicxulub asteroid slammed into Earth, it set off a chain of planet-wide devastation. New research suggests we should blame Jupiter.

Data from the James Webb Space Telescope indicates Psyche could be covered in water and a chemical that combines with iron to form rust.

NASA put out a request for the private sector to take over its VIPER rover, and Intuitive Machines answered the call.

Seismic speed data from NASA's decommissioned InSight lander strongly hints at the presence of liquid water on Mars.

3rd Edition Of Katara Space Science Program Concludes With Resounding Success

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Headlines:

* "NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars" (NASA, March 2023) * "European Space Agency's BepiColombo Probe Enters Mercury's Orbit" (ESA, April 2023) * "China's Space Station Completes First Crew Rotation with Shenzhou-13 Mission" (Xinhua News Agency, March 2023) * "India's Chandrayaan-3 Lander Successfully Lands on Moon's Surface" (The Hindustan Times, February 2023) * "Newly Discovered Exoplanet Could Support ---, Scientists Say" (The Guardian, April 2023) * "NASA's Parker Solar Probe Reveals Solar Wind's Mysteries" (Space. com, March 2023) * "Russia's Nauka Module Docks Successfully with International Space Station" (RT News, April 2023) * "New Study Reveals Ancient Human Migration Patterns" (National Geographic, March 2023) * "Japan Develops Advanced AI System for Asteroid Exploration" (The Japan Times... February 2023) * "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Catches First Glimpse of Distant Galaxy" (Fox News... March 2023) Please note that these headlines are subject to change as new stories emerge and may not be up-to-date at the time of reading.

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Participants during a session of the Katara Space Science Program at the Katara Cultural Village in Doha.

Over 600 participants, including students, undergraduates, and science enthusiasts from government and private sectors, took part in the three-day event. Attendees hailed from 101 schools in Qatar and abroad, representing 34 different nationalities, making this session a truly global celebration of space science.

The August KSSP session focused on the theme, "James Webb Space Telescope - How Did They Make It?" Esteemed scientists from NASA, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the University of Sharjah led the session, which ran from August 20-22.

The event featured insightful presentations and live interactions with these prominent figures, offering participants the unique opportunity to engage directly with leading minds in the space science field. One of the highlights of the programme was the practical activity that involved building a scientific refractor box telescope using concave and convex lenses.

Under expert guidance, participants eagerly constructed their telescopes and later engaged in a stargazing session to observe celestial bodies, including the moon, planets, and constellations. Over 300 Telescope were being successfully built during the session.

For many participants, it was their first time observing the wonders of the night sky through a telescope, an experience that left a lasting impression. Several attendees expressed newfound inspiration to pursue astronomy and space science, whether as a hobby or a potential career path.

In addition to the scientific endeavors, the programme hosted the 3rd edition of the "Cosmic Canvas: Space Art Exhibition." This exhibition displayed stunning fine art and photography inspired by space themes, featuring works by 21 renowned artists.

It also included original prints from NASA and holographic art created by Mariam Hashemi Brian, blending science and art in an awe-inspiring showcase.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Starliner Stranded In Space? NASA Answers FAQs On Astronauts' Return Status

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NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the orbiting laboratory on June 6 aboard the Boeing Starliner after lifting off on June 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During Starliner⁘s flight to the space station, engineers noticed some of the spacecraft⁘s thrusters did not perform as expected and several leaks in Starliner⁘s helium system also were observed. Engineering teams at NASA and Boeing have since conducted several thruster tests and in-depth data reviews to better understand the spacecraft. While engineers work to resolve technical issues before Starliner⁘s return to Earth, the astronaut duo have been working with the Expedition 71 crew, performing scientific research and maintenance activities.

NASA now plans to conduct two reviews ⁘ a Program Control Board and an Agency Flight Readiness Review ⁘ before deciding how it will safely return Wilmore and Williams from the station. NASA expects to decide on the path forward by the end of August.

NASA⁘s Boeing Crew Flight Test launched on June 5 , and is the first flight of the Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station with astronauts. The flight test aims to prove the system is ready for rotational missions to the space station. NASA wants two American spacecraft, in addition to the Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft, capable of carrying astronauts to help ensure a permanent crew aboard the orbiting complex.

This flight test aims to demonstrate Starliner⁘s ability to execute a six-month rotational mission to the space station. The flight test objectives were developed to support NASA⁘s certification process and gather the performance data needed to evaluate readiness ahead of long-duration flights.

Robots Can Now Detect The Human Touch Without Artificial Skin

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Yahoo Finance – stock market live, quotes, business and finance news

Investors are awaiting US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium.

Monday marked the 20-year anniversary of Google's IPO. The stock has appreciated over 6,500% since then.

Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur, had many insights during his recent appearance on The Daily Show. Although he discussed many topics, what stood out were his views on power, the military, and artificial intelligence (AI). Don't Miss: Amid the ongoing EV revolution, previously overlooked low-income communities now harbor a huge investment opportunity at just $500. Don't miss out on the next Nvidia – you can invest in the future of AI for only $10. Cuban pointed out that in today's world,

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Researchers at the German Aerospace Centre just developed a system that lets robots detect the human touch without needing artificial skin to do so. Using 6 sensors, embedded within a robotic arm, that captures subtle pressure changes as a way to determine or sense exactly where and how humans would be interacting with it.

The system uses advanced algorithms to interpret these interactions for a direct way for robots to understand human commands directly from physical touch.

This new tech turns every part of the robot to a touch responsive surface, where humans can directly interact using the robot itself as the ⁘interface', the way a touch screen works, for example.

This then takes away a need for external devices to command and interact with robots. The elimination of the ⁘middle-man' makes for a smoother and more intuitive communication process.

"Human-robot interaction, where a human can closely interact with and command a robot, is still not optimal, because the human needs an input device. If you can use the robot itself as a device, the interactions will be more fluid," says lead author of this study, Maged Iskandar.

Also, users can perform actions such as drawing characters, or pressing virtual buttons directly on the robot's surface for better ease of use. Although currently, the version developed is limited to only 2 contact points being recognised, which makes it difficult to work in more complex interaction cases, this is still a great innovation.

MIT shared, ⁘In a fairly controlled setting like a factory floor that might not be an issue, but in environments where human-robot interactions are less predictable, it could present limitations.⁘ As time goes, the development will continue to become more complex. The sensors are also relatively pricey due to it still being rare.

From here, we might start to see a combination of joint-based sensors and artificial skin tech, as Calogero Maria Oddo, a lead roboticist for Neuro-Robotic Touch Laboratory at the BioRobotics Institute believes.

What Is The Solar System? - BBC Bitesize

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Create your own masterpiece of the solar system. You could paint it, use different sized objects or draw it. Don't forget to label it and add any facts that you know!

Can you create a mnemonic close mnemonic A pattern of letters, words, ideas or associations which help with memorising something. to help you the order of the planets?Here's an example:
My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Easy (Earth) Method (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Speeds (Saturn) Up (Uranus) Nothing (Neptune)

Get ready for the new primary school term with our year-by-year guides for parents on what to expect after the summer.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Planets Contain More Water Than Thought | EurekAlert!

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We know that the Earth has an iron core surrounded by a mantle of silicate bedrock and water (oceans) on its surface. Science has used this simple planet model until today for investigating exoplanets ⁘ planets that orbit another star outside our solar system. ⁘It is only in recent years that we have begun to realise that planets are more complex than we had thought,⁘ says Caroline Dorn, Professor for Exoplanets at ETH Zurich.

Most of the exoplanets known today are located close to their star. This means they primarily comprise hot worlds of oceans of molten magma that have not yet cooled to form a solid mantle of silicate bedrock like the Earth. Water dissolves very well in these magma oceans ⁘ unlike, for instance, carbon dioxide, which quickly outgasses and rises into the atmosphere.

The iron core is located beneath the molten mantle of silicates. So how is the water distributed between the silicates and the iron? This is precisely what Dorn has investigated in collaboration with Haiyang Luo and Jie Deng from Princeton University with the help of model calculations based on fundamental laws of physics. The researchers present their results in the journal Nature Astronomy .

This study was triggered by investigations of the Earth⁘s water content, which yielded a surprising result four years ago: the oceans on the Earth⁘s surface only contain a small fraction of our planet⁘s overall water. The content of more than 80 of the Earth⁘s oceans could be hidden in its interior. This is shown by simulations calculating how water behaves under conditions of the kind that prevailed when the Earth was young. Experiments and seismological measurements are accordingly compatible.

The new findings concerning the distribution of water in planets have dramatic consequences for the interpretation of astronomical observation data. Using their telescopes in space and on the Earth, astronomers can under certain conditions measure the weight and size of an exoplanet. They use these calculations to draw up mass-radius diagrams that permit conclusions to be drawn about the planet⁘s composition. If in doing so ⁘ as has been the case so far ⁘ the solubility and distribution of water are ignored, the volume of water can be dramatically underestimated by up to ten times. ⁘Planets are much more water-abundant than previously assumed,⁘ says Dorn.

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Secret Paranormal Library' To Uncover UFO Mysteries

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Headlines:

* "Ancient City Discovered in Jordan's Desert" (The New York Times, 2022): Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old city in Jordan's desert, shedding light on the region's ancient history. * "Unlocking the Secrets of the World's Largest Freshwater Lake" (National Geographic, 2022): Researchers are investigating the mysteries of Lake Baikal, exploring its unique ecosystem and potential implications for the environment. * "Underwater Robot Uncovers Lost Wreck off French Coast" (BBC News, 2022): A state-of-the-art robot has discovered a 17th-century shipwreck off the coast of France, providing valuable insights into maritime history. * "NASA's Perseverance Rover Discovers Evidence of Ancient Lake on Mars" (CNN, 2022): NASA's rover has discovered proof of a ancient lake on Mars... furthering our understanding of the Red Planet's past. * "Uncovering the Truth Behind the Terracotta Army" (The Guardian, 2022): Researchers have made new discoveries about the famous Terracotta Army in China, "revealing its significance in ancient Chinese history." * "Astronomers Detect Massive Galaxy Hidden Behind Cosmic Dust" (Scientific American, 2022): Scientists have detected a massive galaxy hidden behind a veil of cosmic dust... expanding our understanding of the universe's structure and potential for ___.

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King Charles has reportedly got some fascination going on with aliens and their UFOs visiting Earth.

According to a freshly released documentary named The King of UFOs , Your Majesty has inherited a "secret paranormal library," which has a huge collection of files as well as books on this subject.

One of these suggest that King Charles was seen "piloting an experimental UFO-style craft" during a visit to Canada back in 1975, although there are no publicly released pictures on that moment.

Channeling Lightning Energy Into Space: New “Whistler” Wave Transforms Our Understanding Of Earth...

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University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers Vikas Sonwalkar and Amani Reddy have discovered a new type of electromagnetic wave called a ⁘specularly reflected whistler,⁘ which effectively transfers lightning energy from the Earth⁘s surface to the magnetosphere, enhancing understanding of space weather impacts on radiation belts.

Vikas Sonwalkar, a professor emeritus, and Amani Reddy, an assistant professor, discovered the new type of wave. The wave carries lightning energy, which enters the ionosphere at low latitudes, to the magnetosphere. The energy is reflected upward by the ionosphere⁘s lower boundary, at about 55 miles altitude, in the opposite hemisphere.

It was previously believed, the authors write, that lightning energy entering the ionosphere at low latitudes remained trapped in the ionosphere and therefore was not reaching the radiation belts. The belts are two layers of charged particles surrounding the planet and held in place by Earth⁘s magnetic field.

⁘Having a better understanding of radiation belts and the variety of electromagnetic waves, including those originating in terrestrial lightning, that impact them is vital for human operations in space,⁘ he said.

Sonwalkar and Reddy⁘s discovery is a type of whistler wave they call a ⁘specularly reflected whistler.⁘ Whistlers produce a whistling sound when played through a speaker.

The ionosphere is a layer of Earth⁘s upper atmosphere characterized by a high concentration of ions and free electrons. It is ionized by solar radiation and cosmic rays, making it conductive and crucial for radio communication because it reflects and modifies radio waves.

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Tuesday, August 20, 2024

'Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes' Director Will Adapt This Hit Video Game

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Wes Ball can't seem to stop attaching his name to high-profile projects. The Hollywood Reporter has stated that the filmmaker will now direct an adaptation of Ruiner for Universal Pictures . The video game follows a wired psychopath fighting against an unfair system while he deals with his personal quest of rescuing his kidnapped brother. The game takes place in a very distant future, which could possibly allow the film to have its unique visual style and setting.

Michael Arlen Ross has been hired to write the screenplay for the upcoming adaptation of Ruiner . Before diving deep into the world of the popular video game, the writer worked on Oracle and Fallen . As with most video game adaptations, the world of Ruiner will offer a vast landscape of storytelling possibilities. The only thing left to do for Ball and Arlen Ross is to choose which character they would like to focus on for the adventure.

Ruiner isn't the only video game adaptation Ball is currently working on. The director is also developing a Legend of Zelda movie for Sony Pictures . The studio behind Venom: The Last Dance took notice of the success obtained by The Super Mario Bros. Movie , with the company eager to bring a new video game adaptation to the big screen as soon as possible. Wes Ball hasn't confirmed which of his upcoming projects will be coming out next.

Wes Ball might be getting ready to work on both Ruiner and The Legend of Zelda , but the filmmaker is still enjoying the success of his latest project. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ushered the franchise into a new era. After the trilogy starring Andy Serkis established a new period of storytelling for the series, Ball introduced audiences to Noa ( Owen Teague ) and his journey across an uncertain world. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes earned $397 million at the global box office.

A release date for the adaptation of Ruiner hasn't been set by Universal Pictures yet. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Australia's First Ride Share Space Mission Blasts Off

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Headlines:

* "China's Space Station Completes First Rendezvous with Tethered Robot" (China Daily) * "Japan's Hayabusa2 Spacecraft Releases Robot to Explore Asteroid" (The Japan Times) * "NASA's Parker Solar Probe Breaks Record for Closest Approach to Sun" (NASA) * "European Space Agency's Gaia Spacecraft Maps Galaxy's 1. 7 Billion Stars" (ESA) * "Russia's State Space Corporation Roscosmos Launches 36 Satellites" (Sputnik News) * "India's Chandrayaan-2 Mission Finds Water on Moon's Surface" (The Hindu) * "South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT Launches Space Agency" (Korea Herald) * "Canada's Space Agency and Sustainable Development Technology Canada Launch Satellite Developments" (Government of Canada) These bullet points aim to provide credible and current news headlines on space-related developments and breakthroughs from around the world.

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Five NSW start-ups at the cutting edge of space technology are celebrating following the successful launch of the NSW Government-backed Waratah Seed – Australia's first ride-share space mission.

The Waratah Seed-1 satellite launched at 4.56am Australian time on Saturday 17 August carrying payloads from NSW startups Euroka Power, Spiral Blue, Extraterrestrial Power, Contactile, and Dandelions to test and prove the functionality of their products in space.

The technology developed by the NSW based teams includes robotics that help repair satellites, silicon solar panel cells, technology that improves the transmission of earth imagery and natural fibres that allow spacecraft to continue to communicate during re-entry to Earth's atmosphere.

The Waratah Seed-1 satellite was developed by CUAVA, part of the University of Sydney's space training centre, and was launched on a SpaceX rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The NSW payloads started sending back telemetry on day one and will now spend several months in space gathering vital information to transmit back to Earth to help develop further leaps in space technology.

The launch of Waratah Seed comes as the NSW Government and NSW Space Research Network (SRN) announce the successful recipients of $720,000 worth of grants.

The SRN's $600,000 Pilot Research Program supports cross-disciplinary university collaboration on space technologies that address a space capability or industry challenge.

The five projects funded include the development of a solar cell that generates power in the dark, testing the agricultural potential of plant growth in space and studying new applications for signals obtained from constellations of Low Earth Orbit satellites.

The $120,000 Student Program Fund supports space-related university student projects that provide a pathway and experiences to produce the next generation of space researchers.

Monday, August 19, 2024

NASA's InSight Lander Uncovers Surprising Frequency Of Martian Impacts

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A new study reveals the frequency of space rocks pummeling Mars is higher than previously estimated and detects two of the largest impacts ever seen by scientists on the Red Planet.

The Mars InSight Lander, though inactive, continues to contribute to our understanding of Mars through data revealing higher-than-expected meteoroid impact rates. This information, derived from both seismic and orbital imagery analyses, suggests a need to update current models of Martian and other planetary surfaces across the solar system.

NASA ⁘s Mars InSight Lander may be resting on the Red Planet in retirement, but data from the robotic explorer is still leading to seismic discoveries on Earth.

In one of the latest studies using data from the spacecraft, an international team of scientists led by a Brown University researcher found that Mars may be getting bombarded by space rocks at more frequent rates than previously thought. Impact rates could be two to 10 times higher than previously estimated, depending on the size of the meteoroids, according to the study published in Science Advances .

⁘It⁘s possible Mars is more geologically active than we thought, which holds implications for the age and evolution of the planet⁘s surface,⁘ said lead researcher Ingrid Daubar, an associate professor (research) of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Brown. ⁘Our results are based on a small number of examples available to us, but the estimate of the current impact rate suggests the planet is getting hit much more frequently than we can see using imaging alone.⁘

⁘This is going to require us to rethink some of the models the science community uses to estimate the age of planetary surfaces throughout the entire solar system,⁘ Daubar said.