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Researchers, who have been studying the dramatic changes in the continental configurations of Earth over the past billions of years, have made a stunning observation: that the oldest continental crusts are disintegrating.

According to experts, the Earth's crust went through expansion and contraction and has transformed not only its positions but also the topography across the entire planet.

From the time Earth came into existence, there has been long-term stability in some cratons of the continental crust and others have gone through little destruction because of mantle convection or tectonic events.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-has-a-hidden-massive-sixth-ocean-in-a-crystal-structure-under-its-crust-heres-why-764140">Earth has a hidden massive sixth ocean in a crystal structure under its crust. Here's why</a>

In new research, scientists have investigated the reason behind the deformation of cratons and found that it has happened because of a process called decratonisation. The study has been published in Nature Geoscience.

<h2>What is the cause of decratonisation in Earth's mantle?</h2>

Some experts believe that the possible cause of decratonisation is subduction - a process in which a denser mantle is pushed beneath another - and deep mantle plumes - a process in which one of the segments of the mantle rises to the surface because of buoyancy.

However, they have failed to determine the mechanism which is pushing the deformation and destruction of Earth's cratons.

China University of Geosciences Professor Shaofeng Liu investigated the disintegration of the North China Craton (NCC) and the western Pacific Ocean, which has been taking place for&nbsp;more than 200 million years.

However, the NCC is not the only place facing decratonisation, similar conditions were found in the North American craton, South American craton and the Yangtze craton.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/are-black-holes-hiding-inside-planets-like-earth-heres-what-scientists-suggest-765215">Are black holes hiding inside planets like Earth? Here's what scientists suggest</a>

"The North American craton, South American craton and the Yangtze craton in China may have experienced similar deformation. All of these may have experienced early flat-slab subduction. However, intense subsequent rollback subduction might have occurred in the Yangtze craton. In contrast, the North American craton underwent trench retreat following flat-slab subduction but did not exhibit significant slab rollback," said Professor Liu, as reported by phys.org.&nbsp;

"Ancient lithosphere can be broken apart, and this disintegration can be caused by this special form of subduction occurring near oceanic plates, revealing how the continents evolved over Earth's history," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers, who have been studying the dramatic changes in the continental configurations of Earth over the past billions of years, have made a stunning observation: that the oldest continental crusts are disintegrating.

Researchers, who have been studying the dramatic changes in the continental configurations of Earth over the past billions of years, have made a stunning observation: that the oldest continental crusts are disintegrating. According to experts, the Earth's crust went through expansion and contraction and has transformed not only its positions but also the topography across the entire planet. From the time Earth came into existence, there has been long-term stability in some cratons of the continental crust and others have gone through little destruction because of mantle convection or tectonic events. Also Read: Earth has a hidden massive sixth ocean in a crystal structure under its crust. Here's why In new research, scientists have investigated the reason behind the deformation of cratons and found that it has happened because of a process called decratonisation. The study has been published in Nature Geoscience. What is the cause of decratonisation in Earth's mantle? Some experts believe that the possible cause of decratonisation is subduction - a process in which a denser mantle is pushed beneath another - and deep mantle plumes - a process in which one of the segments of the mantle rises to the surface because of buoyancy. However, they have failed to determine the mechanism which is pushing the deformation and destruction of Earth's cratons. China University of Geosciences Professor Shaofeng Liu investigated the disintegration of the North China Craton (NCC) and the western Pacific Ocean, which has been taking place for more than 200 million years. However, the NCC is not the only place facing decratonisation, similar conditions were found in the North American craton, South American craton and the Yangtze craton. Also Read: Are black holes hiding inside planets like Earth? Here's what scientists suggest "The North American craton, South American craton and the Yangtze craton in China may have experienced similar deformation. All of these may have experienced early flat-slab subduction. However, intense subsequent rollback subduction might have occurred in the Yangtze craton. In contrast, the North American craton underwent trench retreat following flat-slab subduction but did not exhibit significant slab rollback," said Professor Liu, as reported by phys.org. "Ancient lithosphere can be broken apart, and this disintegration can be caused by this special form of subduction occurring near oceanic plates, revealing how the continents evolved over Earth's history," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Earth's continental crust in America and China is breaking apart, researchers warn

NASA has been on an alert and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been keeping track of three asteroids which will pass at a close distance from Earth on October 9.

The asteroids, named 2018 QE, 2024 TD3, and 2024 TK3, do not pose any threat to our planet, however, their proximity has given scientists an opportunity to carry out valuable research on space rocks.&nbsp;

<h2>Asteroid 2018 QE</h2>

Asteroid 2018 QE is a bus-sized space rock which measures 32 feet wide and will fly at a distance of 415,000 kilometres from Earth.

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This is more than the distance of the Moon from Earth and scientists will be able to study such small celestial objects by its flyby.

<h2>Asteroid 2024 TD3&nbsp;</h2>

Asteroid 2024 TD3 is as big as an aeroplane and is 99 feet wide. Even though it is a large size, it will fly past our planet at a safe distance of 2,320,000 kilometres.&nbsp;

<h2>Asteroid 2024 TK3</h2>

Asteroid 2024 TK3 is a house-sized celestial object which measures 57 feet. It will make its closest approach at a safe distance of 2,350,000 kilometres.

<h2>How is NASA tracking asteroids?</h2>

NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs).&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Scientists Propose Nuclear Solution To Save Earth From Asteroid Armageddon

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/scientists-propose-nuclear-solution-to-save-earth-from-asteroid-armageddon-761817/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Even though many of the NEOs don't come very near to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids which need more attention.&nbsp;

Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth.&nbsp;

NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA has been on an alert and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been keeping track of three asteroids which will pass at a close distance from Earth on October 9.

NASA has been on an alert and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been keeping track of three asteroids which will pass at a close distance from Earth on October 9. The asteroids, named 2018 QE, 2024 TD3, and 2024 TK3, do not pose any threat to our planet, however, their proximity has given scientists an opportunity to carry out valuable research on space rocks. Asteroid 2018 QE Asteroid 2018 QE is a bus-sized space rock which measures 32 feet wide and will fly at a distance of 415,000 kilometres from Earth. Also Read: NASA issues sudden alert as two massive asteroids race towards Earth, on collision path This is more than the distance of the Moon from Earth and scientists will be able to study such small celestial objects by its flyby. Asteroid 2024 TD3 Asteroid 2024 TD3 is as big as an aeroplane and is 99 feet wide. Even though it is a large size, it will fly past our planet at a safe distance of 2,320,000 kilometres. Asteroid 2024 TK3 Asteroid 2024 TK3 is a house-sized celestial object which measures 57 feet. It will make its closest approach at a safe distance of 2,350,000 kilometres. How is NASA tracking asteroids? NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs). Watch: Scientists Propose Nuclear Solution To Save Earth From Asteroid Armageddon Even though many of the NEOs don't come very near to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids which need more attention. Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth. NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is on alert as three asteroids come hurtling towards Earth at scary speed. Will they collide?

In an unbelievable discovery, scientists have found multiple mysterious underwater structures on the seafloor of the remote area of the&nbsp;Arctic.

The international team of researchers discovered a vast range of formations that were larger than football fields.&nbsp;

These "modern" formations stood at the edge of the&nbsp;Canadian&nbsp;Beaufort Sea.

Previously, the experts have spotted many gaping craters which are filled with ice and sediment and believed that it was created due to the ancient permafrost under the waves.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-are-now-planning-to-grow-ice-and-refreeze-arctic-sea-764945">Scientists are now planning to 'grow' ice and 'refreeze' Arctic Sea</a>

According to a report published in IFL Science, between 2010 and 2022, a total of 65 newly formed craters were found by the scientists, the largest of which was said to be of the size of a city block and featuring six-storey buildings.

The team was headed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). They earlier thought that the permafrost spread over the area in the last stage of the ice age nearly 11,000 years ago.

However, when sea levels rose, the ancient permafrost on the Arctic shelf was covered.

<h2>Truth behind mysterious structure in the Arctic</h2>

In the latest research, the scientists took the help of underwater robots to collect samples from inside the newly-formed seafloor craters.

When the ice was analysed, it was found that the ice formed in present-day conditions.

Scientists found that the ice was created when deeper layers of ancient permafrost started melting under the sea and created brackish (slightly salty) groundwater which rose and sank again only to get refreeze on the seafloor.

According to a report published in IFL Science, the groundwater remains frozen at a temperature of -1.4C (29.5F) till the process starts again.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/there-is-an-ancient-underwater-stonehenge-beneath-lake-michigan-in-us-it-was-created-by-765589">There is an ancient underwater 'Stonehenge' beneath Lake Michigan&nbsp;in US. It was created by...</a>

“These findings upend our assumptions about underwater permafrost,” said the study’s lead author Charlie Paull, of the MBARI, in a&nbsp;statement.

“We previously believed all underwater permafrost was leftover from the last ice age, but we’ve learned that submarine permafrost ice is also actively forming and decomposing on the modern seafloor,” he added.

“Our work shows that permafrost ice is both actively forming and decomposing near the seafloor over widespread areas, creating a dynamic underwater landscape with massive sinkholes and large mounds of ice covered in sediment," Paull stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

In an unbelievable discovery, scientists have found multiple mysterious underwater structures on the seafloor of the remote area of the Arctic. The international team of researchers discovered a vast range of formations that were larger than football fields.

In an unbelievable discovery, scientists have found multiple mysterious underwater structures on the seafloor of the remote area of the Arctic. The international team of researchers discovered a vast range of formations that were larger than football fields. These "modern" formations stood at the edge of the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Previously, the experts have spotted many gaping craters which are filled with ice and sediment and believed that it was created due to the ancient permafrost under the waves. Also Read: Scientists are now planning to 'grow' ice and 'refreeze' Arctic Sea According to a report published in IFL Science, between 2010 and 2022, a total of 65 newly formed craters were found by the scientists, the largest of which was said to be of the size of a city block and featuring six-storey buildings. The team was headed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). They earlier thought that the permafrost spread over the area in the last stage of the ice age nearly 11,000 years ago. However, when sea levels rose, the ancient permafrost on the Arctic shelf was covered. Truth behind mysterious structure in the Arctic In the latest research, the scientists took the help of underwater robots to collect samples from inside the newly-formed seafloor craters. When the ice was analysed, it was found that the ice formed in present-day conditions. Scientists found that the ice was created when deeper layers of ancient permafrost started melting under the sea and created brackish (slightly salty) groundwater which rose and sank again only to get refreeze on the seafloor. According to a report published in IFL Science, the groundwater remains frozen at a temperature of -1.4C (29.5F) till the process starts again. Also Read: There is an ancient underwater 'Stonehenge' beneath Lake Michigan in US. It was created by... “These findings upend our assumptions about underwater permafrost,” said the study’s lead author Charlie Paull, of the MBARI, in a statement. “We previously believed all underwater permafrost was leftover from the last ice age, but we’ve learned that submarine permafrost ice is also actively forming and decomposing on the modern seafloor,” he added. “Our work shows that permafrost ice is both actively forming and decomposing near the seafloor over widespread areas, creating a dynamic underwater landscape with massive sinkholes and large mounds of ice covered in sediment," Paull stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Another world with six-storey buildings beneath the Arctic? Here's what scientists found on its seafloor

The year's biggest supermoon, the Hunter's Moon, will rise in the sky next week. Astronomers have been thrilled to see three back-to-back supermoons this year, but October's supermoon is going to be extra special.

It will be the only moon to come this close to Earth in 2024, making it appear extremely large. The supermoon will occur on October 17, reaching its fullest point merely hours after coming to its closest point. It will be 220,055 miles from Earth on this day.

The sky this month is filled with cosmic wonders. You can see two comets this month, with one of them already taking people's breath away. The second comet will visit towards the end of October.&nbsp;

A new star is also set to emerge in the sky.

<h2>When is the full moon in October 2024?</h2>

The Hunter's Moon will reach its peak brightness on October 17, as per NASA. It will rise at 6:13 pm ET in the United States and in India at 4:56 pm. On the West Coast, the full moon will rise at 6:25 pm.&nbsp;

A cloudless night will present the best opportunity to see the full moon.&nbsp;

<h2>Will there be a full moon on Halloween?</h2>

Unfortunately, the full moon isn't going to stay around that long as it will enter its last moon phase on October 24. The night of Halloween is expected to be really dark.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-reveal-mars-battery-that-can-operate-for-months-on-a-single-charge-765918">Scientists reveal Mars battery that can operate for months on a single charge</a>

As per &nbsp;EarthSky, you'll have to wait till 2039 to have the next full moon on Halloween. According to Old Farmer's Almanac, full moons on Halloween are rare, and occur once every 18-19 years. The last time it happened was in 2020.&nbsp;

<h2>Why is it called Hunter's Moon?</h2>

Full Moons are named after special occurrences during that time. The name Hunter's Moon is linked to the Algonquin Native American tribe. In many regions, this is the time when people stock up on meat for the approaching winters, and so the name Hunter's Moon.&nbsp;

Hunter's Moon occurs after a Harvest Moon, which comes around the autumnal equinox. It is also known as Corn Ripe Moon, the Falling Leaves Moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Other names linked to Native American tribes are Drying Rice Moon, Freezing Moon, and Migrating Moon.

The year's biggest supermoon, the Hunter's Moon, will rise in the sky next week. Astronomers have been thrilled to see three back-to-back supermoons this year, but October's supermoon is going to be extra special.

The year's biggest supermoon, the Hunter's Moon, will rise in the sky next week. Astronomers have been thrilled to see three back-to-back supermoons this year, but October's supermoon is going to be extra special. It will be the only moon to come this close to Earth in 2024, making it appear extremely large. The supermoon will occur on October 17, reaching its fullest point merely hours after coming to its closest point. It will be 220,055 miles from Earth on this day. The sky this month is filled with cosmic wonders. You can see two comets this month, with one of them already taking people's breath away. The second comet will visit towards the end of October. A new star is also set to emerge in the sky. When is the full moon in October 2024? The Hunter's Moon will reach its peak brightness on October 17, as per NASA. It will rise at 6:13 pm ET in the United States and in India at 4:56 pm. On the West Coast, the full moon will rise at 6:25 pm. A cloudless night will present the best opportunity to see the full moon. Will there be a full moon on Halloween? Unfortunately, the full moon isn't going to stay around that long as it will enter its last moon phase on October 24. The night of Halloween is expected to be really dark. Also Read: Scientists reveal Mars battery that can operate for months on a single charge As per EarthSky, you'll have to wait till 2039 to have the next full moon on Halloween. According to Old Farmer's Almanac, full moons on Halloween are rare, and occur once every 18-19 years. The last time it happened was in 2020. Why is it called Hunter's Moon? Full Moons are named after special occurrences during that time. The name Hunter's Moon is linked to the Algonquin Native American tribe. In many regions, this is the time when people stock up on meat for the approaching winters, and so the name Hunter's Moon. Hunter's Moon occurs after a Harvest Moon, which comes around the autumnal equinox. It is also known as Corn Ripe Moon, the Falling Leaves Moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Other names linked to Native American tribes are Drying Rice Moon, Freezing Moon, and Migrating Moon.

Hunter's Moon, biggest supermoon of 2024, is coming in October. Details inside

Piercing through the pristine white snow of Antarctica is a structure that has baffled scientists. It looks like a pyramid jutting out of the ground, but is it really that or just a mountain?

The structure appears from under layers of dense frost at the Ellsworth Mountain range. People are intrigued by it since pyramids are not found in Antarctica. Egypt is one of the most famous places to spot a pyramid. Other countries where one can find a pyramid are Sudan, Mexico, Italy, Iraq and Peru.&nbsp;

Earth has been inhabited by several civilisations over millions of years. We have had a few extinction events, and not everything is known about all of them.&nbsp;

This pyramid-like structure has triggered conspiracy theories that it might be something built by one such civilisation in the past. However, most experts contend that it is merely a mountain that looks like a pyramid.

The Ellsworth Mountains is a 400-km-long range with several peaks protruding out of the snow. This pyramid-like peak is said to be one of them. It is located in an area known as the "Heritage Range" where fossils dating back to 500 million years have been previously discovered.

Professor Eric Rignot of the University of California, an expert in Earth system science, says, "This is just a mountain that looks like a pyramid," as reported by The Brighter Side of News.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/antarcticas-doomsday-glacier-might-completely-vanish-by-23rd-century-760249">Antarctica's 'doomsday glacier' might completely vanish by 23rd century</a>

He added, "Pyramid shapes are not impossible — many peaks partially look like pyramids, but they only have one to two faces like that, rarely four."

So how does one explain its pyramid-like sides? Geologists say those are just the result of erosion caused over hundreds of millions of years.&nbsp;

Dr Mitch Darcy, a geologist at the German Research Centre for Geosciences, said its pyramid-like appearance is merely a coincidence. "The pyramid-shaped structures are located in the Ellsworth Mountains, which is a range more than 400 km long, so it’s no surprise there are rocky peaks cropping out above the ice."

He added, "By definition, it is a nunatak, which is simply a peak of rock sticking out above a glacier or an ice sheet. This one has the shape of a pyramid, but that doesn’t make it a human construction."

Standing at 4,150 feet, the mountain has intrigued scientists and people alike for years.

Piercing through the pristine white snow of Antarctica is a structure that has baffled scientists. It looks like a pyramid jutting out of the ground, but is it really that or just a mountain?

Piercing through the pristine white snow of Antarctica is a structure that has baffled scientists. It looks like a pyramid jutting out of the ground, but is it really that or just a mountain? The structure appears from under layers of dense frost at the Ellsworth Mountain range. People are intrigued by it since pyramids are not found in Antarctica. Egypt is one of the most famous places to spot a pyramid. Other countries where one can find a pyramid are Sudan, Mexico, Italy, Iraq and Peru. Earth has been inhabited by several civilisations over millions of years. We have had a few extinction events, and not everything is known about all of them. This pyramid-like structure has triggered conspiracy theories that it might be something built by one such civilisation in the past. However, most experts contend that it is merely a mountain that looks like a pyramid. The Ellsworth Mountains is a 400-km-long range with several peaks protruding out of the snow. This pyramid-like peak is said to be one of them. It is located in an area known as the "Heritage Range" where fossils dating back to 500 million years have been previously discovered. Professor Eric Rignot of the University of California, an expert in Earth system science, says, "This is just a mountain that looks like a pyramid," as reported by The Brighter Side of News. Also Read: Antarctica's 'doomsday glacier' might completely vanish by 23rd century He added, "Pyramid shapes are not impossible — many peaks partially look like pyramids, but they only have one to two faces like that, rarely four." So how does one explain its pyramid-like sides? Geologists say those are just the result of erosion caused over hundreds of millions of years. Dr Mitch Darcy, a geologist at the German Research Centre for Geosciences, said its pyramid-like appearance is merely a coincidence. "The pyramid-shaped structures are located in the Ellsworth Mountains, which is a range more than 400 km long, so it’s no surprise there are rocky peaks cropping out above the ice." He added, "By definition, it is a nunatak, which is simply a peak of rock sticking out above a glacier or an ice sheet. This one has the shape of a pyramid, but that doesn’t make it a human construction." Standing at 4,150 feet, the mountain has intrigued scientists and people alike for years.

Pyramid or mountain? Perfectly shaped structure in Antarctica baffles Earthlings

The universe never fails to baffle us, with new mysteries unravelled regularly. Now a study has found something fascinating about our galaxy, the Milky Way. Home to nearly 400 billion stars, astronomers say it is only a tiny part of an even larger local structure.

Scientists say that we are part of a larger system that is&nbsp;only a tiny shred of an even bigger structure in space. Even the Andromeda Galaxy is part of this local structure, as our&nbsp;several other smaller galaxies.&nbsp;

The study, published in Nature Astronomy, further boggles your mind by stating that this local structure is not a loner. It lives on the outer edge of the Virgo Supercluster, which is itself part of a giant basin known as Laniakea. The researchers say that Laniakea also resides within another larger "basin of attraction" (BoA) which is potentially 10 times its volume.

They explain, "The entire Universe can be considered a patchwork of abutting BoA, just as the terrestrial landscape is separated into watersheds."

Explaining what BoAs are, they explain in the paper that they are "not gravitationally bound because the relative motion of distant points within it is usually dominated by cosmic expansion."

The team tried to make a "probabilistic map" of the local universe by looking at the motions of 56,000 galaxies to narrow down the possibility of the existence of these basins of attraction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/centaur-an-icy-body-in-space-is-shooting-multiple-jets-of-hot-gas-whats-going-on-764764">Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas. What's going on?</a>

“Just as water flows within watersheds, galaxies flow within cosmic basins of attraction. The discovery of these larger basins could fundamentally change our understanding of cosmic structure," astronomer R. Brent Tully at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa, explained in a statement.

Further simulations found that the BoA holds within themselves several gigantic structures, including the mysterious Great Attractor.

"Nearby, evidence emerges for a BoA centred in proximity to the highly obscured Ophiuchus cluster that lies behind the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy," the paper says.&nbsp;

"This BoA may include the so-called Great Attractor region and the entity Laniakea, including ourselves. In the extension [...] the Sloan Great Wall and the associated structure are overwhelmingly dominant."

However, despite all this, the researchers say the situation out there might be completely different. For&nbsp;eg, they believe that our own Milky Way might not be in Laniakea at all, but in the Shapley concentration. 
&nbsp;

The universe never fails to baffle us, with new mysteries unravelled regularly. Now a study has found something fascinating about our galaxy, the Milky Way. Home to nearly 400 billion stars, astronomers say it is only a tiny part of an even larger local structure.

The universe never fails to baffle us, with new mysteries unravelled regularly. Now a study has found something fascinating about our galaxy, the Milky Way. Home to nearly 400 billion stars, astronomers say it is only a tiny part of an even larger local structure. Scientists say that we are part of a larger system that is only a tiny shred of an even bigger structure in space. Even the Andromeda Galaxy is part of this local structure, as our several other smaller galaxies. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, further boggles your mind by stating that this local structure is not a loner. It lives on the outer edge of the Virgo Supercluster, which is itself part of a giant basin known as Laniakea. The researchers say that Laniakea also resides within another larger "basin of attraction" (BoA) which is potentially 10 times its volume. They explain, "The entire Universe can be considered a patchwork of abutting BoA, just as the terrestrial landscape is separated into watersheds." Explaining what BoAs are, they explain in the paper that they are "not gravitationally bound because the relative motion of distant points within it is usually dominated by cosmic expansion." The team tried to make a "probabilistic map" of the local universe by looking at the motions of 56,000 galaxies to narrow down the possibility of the existence of these basins of attraction. Also Read: Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas. What's going on? “Just as water flows within watersheds, galaxies flow within cosmic basins of attraction. The discovery of these larger basins could fundamentally change our understanding of cosmic structure," astronomer R. Brent Tully at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa, explained in a statement. Further simulations found that the BoA holds within themselves several gigantic structures, including the mysterious Great Attractor. "Nearby, evidence emerges for a BoA centred in proximity to the highly obscured Ophiuchus cluster that lies behind the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy," the paper says. "This BoA may include the so-called Great Attractor region and the entity Laniakea, including ourselves. In the extension [...] the Sloan Great Wall and the associated structure are overwhelmingly dominant." However, despite all this, the researchers say the situation out there might be completely different. For eg, they believe that our own Milky Way might not be in Laniakea at all, but in the Shapley concentration.

Our galaxy only a tiny part of a local structure living inside another gigantic cosmic entity

Astronomers are constantly keeping a tab on asteroids that might pose a danger to Earth. The Taurid swarm has been seen as a field of debris in space which might be hiding a few of these space rocks.&nbsp;

However, according to a new study, there might not be as many potentially hazardous asteroids out there as initially thought.&nbsp;

The findings were announced at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences annual meeting on October 7, 2024. Researchers, led by the University of Maryland, used the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) telescope to study a stream of space debris drifting near Earth called the Taurid swarm.

The Taurids rain down on Earth as a meteor shower in October and November. They are believed to be remnants of a large comet called Encke which broke up thousands of years ago and was possibly up to 100 kilometres&nbsp;(62 miles) wide.&nbsp;

The region has long been thought to be hiding dangerous asteroids, but there has never been any confirmation or denial about them. Researchers believed that the Taurid swarm might be harbouring a number of large, kilometre-class space rocks left behind by the comet.

However, the latest study puts all concerns to rest.

Quanzhi Ye, who supervised the project and is an assistant research scientist in UMD's Department of Astronomy, said that the swarm of asteroids was studied when it recently passed closer to Earth to check for any dangerous asteroids.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/our-galaxy-only-a-tiny-part-of-a-local-structure-living-inside-another-gigantic-cosmic-entity-765453">Our galaxy only a tiny part of a local structure living inside another gigantic cosmic entity</a>

"Our findings suggest that the risk of being hit by a large asteroid in the Taurid swarm is much lower than we believed, which is great news for planetary defence."

<h2>Large asteroids have caused devastation in the past</h2>

Scientists say it is important to learn about potentially large objects that might be on collision course with Earth, as they can cause regional damage.&nbsp;

One such incident happened when the Chelyabinsk asteroid hit Russia and injured more than 1,600 people in 2013. Asteroids can also cause extinction-level events, like the one that killed the dinosaurs over 66 million years ago.

"Fortunately, we found that it's likely there may only be a handful of asteroids—perhaps only nine to 14 of them—that fit this large size class in the swarm," Ye explained.

Scientists say the Taurid swarm is hiding information about planetary evolution, especially due to its connection to the comet Encke.

Astronomers are constantly keeping a tab on asteroids that might pose a danger to Earth. The Taurid swarm has been seen as a field of debris in space which might be hiding a few of these space rocks.

Astronomers are constantly keeping a tab on asteroids that might pose a danger to Earth. The Taurid swarm has been seen as a field of debris in space which might be hiding a few of these space rocks. However, according to a new study, there might not be as many potentially hazardous asteroids out there as initially thought. The findings were announced at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences annual meeting on October 7, 2024. Researchers, led by the University of Maryland, used the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) telescope to study a stream of space debris drifting near Earth called the Taurid swarm. The Taurids rain down on Earth as a meteor shower in October and November. They are believed to be remnants of a large comet called Encke which broke up thousands of years ago and was possibly up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) wide. The region has long been thought to be hiding dangerous asteroids, but there has never been any confirmation or denial about them. Researchers believed that the Taurid swarm might be harbouring a number of large, kilometre-class space rocks left behind by the comet. However, the latest study puts all concerns to rest. Quanzhi Ye, who supervised the project and is an assistant research scientist in UMD's Department of Astronomy, said that the swarm of asteroids was studied when it recently passed closer to Earth to check for any dangerous asteroids. Also Read: Our galaxy only a tiny part of a local structure living inside another gigantic cosmic entity "Our findings suggest that the risk of being hit by a large asteroid in the Taurid swarm is much lower than we believed, which is great news for planetary defence." Large asteroids have caused devastation in the past Scientists say it is important to learn about potentially large objects that might be on collision course with Earth, as they can cause regional damage. One such incident happened when the Chelyabinsk asteroid hit Russia and injured more than 1,600 people in 2013. Asteroids can also cause extinction-level events, like the one that killed the dinosaurs over 66 million years ago. "Fortunately, we found that it's likely there may only be a handful of asteroids—perhaps only nine to 14 of them—that fit this large size class in the swarm," Ye explained. Scientists say the Taurid swarm is hiding information about planetary evolution, especially due to its connection to the comet Encke.

PHEW! 'Doomsday' asteroid swarm isn't hiding that many dangerous space rocks

Jason Allen, a synthetic media artist, became famous when his Midjourney-generated work "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial" won a state fair art competition. The AI piece went viral and people had several opinions about it.&nbsp;

However, the Copyright Office refused to register Allen's work. It claimed that it was entirely AI-generated and for copyright registration, more human authorship was needed "than simply plugging a prompt into Midjourney".

Allen is now appealing that decision. He alleges that "the negative media attention surrounding the Work may have influenced the Copyright Office Examiner's perception and judgment."&nbsp;

He is asking for a judicial review and claims the examiner was biased and considered "improper factors" to reach the decision, of which public backlash was a major factor. It stated that he had "no control over how the artificial intelligence tool analysed, interpreted, or responded to these prompts."

Allen says that the Copyright Office Examiner didn't take into consideration that he didn't use Midjourney for random outputs. Instead, he used it as a tool he could use to get a specific image out of his head.&nbsp;

He states in his complaint that he "initially envisioned a detailed image of women in Victorian dresses wearing space helmets" while "performing opera on stage," with "their attire presenting a juxtaposition between old-world charm and a futuristic twist."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/bennu-asteroid-sample-being-used-to-discover-possible-fifth-force-in-universe-765581">Bennu sample being used to discover possible fifth force in universe</a>

Allen said that a rule establishing a review process which says that an Examiner should determine which parts of the work are human-authored seems "entirely arbitrary".&nbsp;

He also said&nbsp;that the denial of copyright has led to confusion over all AI-generated work and not just Midjourney-generated art. He further says that as AI progresses, it will become harder for the Copyright Office to make those authorship judgement calls.

Allen hopes that the jury will reverse the denial since he says there is more human authorship in his AI-generated work than the Copyright Office considered.&nbsp;

Ars Technica reported Kit Walsh—a senior staff attorney focused on copyright law for the nonprofit the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), as saying that EFF has now commented on the matter yet "because the Copyright Office has pretty much been getting it right."

Jason Allen, a synthetic media artist, became famous when his Midjourney-generated work "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial" won a state fair art competition. The AI piece went viral and people had several opinions about it.

Jason Allen, a synthetic media artist, became famous when his Midjourney-generated work "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial" won a state fair art competition. The AI piece went viral and people had several opinions about it. However, the Copyright Office refused to register Allen's work. It claimed that it was entirely AI-generated and for copyright registration, more human authorship was needed "than simply plugging a prompt into Midjourney". Allen is now appealing that decision. He alleges that "the negative media attention surrounding the Work may have influenced the Copyright Office Examiner's perception and judgment." He is asking for a judicial review and claims the examiner was biased and considered "improper factors" to reach the decision, of which public backlash was a major factor. It stated that he had "no control over how the artificial intelligence tool analysed, interpreted, or responded to these prompts." Allen says that the Copyright Office Examiner didn't take into consideration that he didn't use Midjourney for random outputs. Instead, he used it as a tool he could use to get a specific image out of his head. He states in his complaint that he "initially envisioned a detailed image of women in Victorian dresses wearing space helmets" while "performing opera on stage," with "their attire presenting a juxtaposition between old-world charm and a futuristic twist." Also Read: Bennu sample being used to discover possible fifth force in universe Allen said that a rule establishing a review process which says that an Examiner should determine which parts of the work are human-authored seems "entirely arbitrary". He also said that the denial of copyright has led to confusion over all AI-generated work and not just Midjourney-generated art. He further says that as AI progresses, it will become harder for the Copyright Office to make those authorship judgement calls. Allen hopes that the jury will reverse the denial since he says there is more human authorship in his AI-generated work than the Copyright Office considered. Ars Technica reported Kit Walsh—a senior staff attorney focused on copyright law for the nonprofit the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), as saying that EFF has now commented on the matter yet "because the Copyright Office has pretty much been getting it right."

Artist filed copyright for this AI-generated art. It was denied. He is now appealing decision

Is it possible for scientists to recreate the moon on Earth? The answer to this question is being explored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and German Aerospace Centre who are checking the possibility of recreating the moon in their LUNA Analog Facility.&nbsp;

There are 900 tonnes of ground-up volcanic rock on the moon at this LUNA facility which is at the European Astronaut Centre near Cologne.

Scientists have planned to simulate the low-gravity environment of the moon using movable ceiling-mounted trolleys which follow the rover’s movements or a suspended astronaut.&nbsp;

Speaking about the facility in the press briefing, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst said that it will offer “most aspects that we will encounter on the moon”.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-has-hosted-mini-moons-before-and-one-of-them-will-revisit-in-27-years-764394">Earth has had two moons in the past. One of the mini-moons has visited twice and will return in 27 years</a>

“It’s the surface, it’s the lunar dust, the rocks, the lighting. We will work in spacesuits that limit our movement, limit our view," he said.

<h2>What is ESA’s Moon Mission?</h2>

The facility is known as LUNA (Lunar Analog) and it provides simulated regolith in a hall - which is spread over a 700-square-meter area.&nbsp;

The astronauts from ESA, NASA and other space agencies can practice living in conditions similar to that on the Moon in this area.

“We have about 900 tonnes of regolith simulating material in the facility to simulate the dusty environment and mobility on the surface,” said Juergen Schlutz, LUNA Facility Engineer &amp; Moon Strategy Lead at European Space Agency, while speaking at the first press briefing of the facility.&nbsp;

Scientists have made 700 square meters of artificial regolith using the volcanic soils of the Eifel region in Germany, Italy’s Mount Etna and rocks from Norway.

Watch:&nbsp;Moon's surface cooled down during strict COVID-19 lockdown: Study

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/moons-surface-cooled-down-during-strict-covid-19-lockdown-study-763314/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Astronauts Germany’s Matthias Maurer and France’s Thomas Pesquet also showed how the facility replicates the shine of the sun, which will obstruct the vision of astronauts when they come back to the moon.&nbsp;

They also showed how they would explore a crater on the moon and collect samples. In this facility, cables will be attached to the spacesuits of astronauts to pull them back as they walk and suspend them when they jump. The project has been in the prototype phase.

ESA has got three spots on the NASA-led Artemis programme which will happen in 2030. It is currently dependent on NASA and others to send its astronauts to space.

(With inputs from agencies)

Is it possible for scientists to recreate the moon on Earth? The answer to this question is being explored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and German Aerospace Centre who are checking the possibility of recreating the moon in their LUNA Analog Facility.

Is it possible for scientists to recreate the moon on Earth? The answer to this question is being explored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and German Aerospace Centre who are checking the possibility of recreating the moon in their LUNA Analog Facility. There are 900 tonnes of ground-up volcanic rock on the moon at this LUNA facility which is at the European Astronaut Centre near Cologne. Scientists have planned to simulate the low-gravity environment of the moon using movable ceiling-mounted trolleys which follow the rover’s movements or a suspended astronaut. Speaking about the facility in the press briefing, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst said that it will offer “most aspects that we will encounter on the moon”. Also Read: Earth has had two moons in the past. One of the mini-moons has visited twice and will return in 27 years “It’s the surface, it’s the lunar dust, the rocks, the lighting. We will work in spacesuits that limit our movement, limit our view," he said. What is ESA’s Moon Mission? The facility is known as LUNA (Lunar Analog) and it provides simulated regolith in a hall - which is spread over a 700-square-meter area. The astronauts from ESA, NASA and other space agencies can practice living in conditions similar to that on the Moon in this area. “We have about 900 tonnes of regolith simulating material in the facility to simulate the dusty environment and mobility on the surface,” said Juergen Schlutz, LUNA Facility Engineer & Moon Strategy Lead at European Space Agency, while speaking at the first press briefing of the facility. Scientists have made 700 square meters of artificial regolith using the volcanic soils of the Eifel region in Germany, Italy’s Mount Etna and rocks from Norway. Watch: Moon's surface cooled down during strict COVID-19 lockdown: Study Astronauts Germany’s Matthias Maurer and France’s Thomas Pesquet also showed how the facility replicates the shine of the sun, which will obstruct the vision of astronauts when they come back to the moon. They also showed how they would explore a crater on the moon and collect samples. In this facility, cables will be attached to the spacesuits of astronauts to pull them back as they walk and suspend them when they jump. The project has been in the prototype phase. ESA has got three spots on the NASA-led Artemis programme which will happen in 2030. It is currently dependent on NASA and others to send its astronauts to space. (With inputs from agencies)

Is Europe creating its own moon? Here's all about the LUNA facility

The Curiosity rover of NASA is exploring the Gale crater on Mars currently and is providing more details about how the Red Planet's climate turned from potentially suitable for life to inhospitable to terrestrial life.&nbsp;

It has been known that Mars was holding widespread liquid water in ancient times, as per the evidence.&nbsp;

Even though the surface of Mars is hostile and frigid to life, NASA's robotic explorers&nbsp;have been finding clues about whether the planet supported life in the distant past.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-spooky-smiley-face-appears-on-mars-scientists-say-its-hiding-life-forms-757191">A 'spooky smiley face' appears on Mars. Scientists say it's hiding life forms...</a>

The instruments on board Curiosity have been used by the researchers for measuring the isotopic composition of carbon-rich minerals (carbonates) which were discovered in the Gale crater and found new insights into how the ancient climate of the Red Planet transformed.

<h2>Here's what happened to ancient Mars</h2>

"The isotope values of these carbonates point toward extreme amounts of evaporation, suggesting that these carbonates likely formed in a climate that could only support transient liquid&nbsp;water," said David Burtt, who is lead author of a paper and works at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.&nbsp;

The research was&nbsp;published&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Our samples are not consistent with an ancient environment with life (biosphere) on the surface of Mars, although this does not rule out the possibility of an underground biosphere or a surface biosphere that began and ended before these carbonates formed," Burtt said.&nbsp;

Isotopes are different versions of an element which have different masses. With the evaporation of water, light versions of carbon and oxygen escaped into the atmosphere while the heavy versions remained behind, accumulated in high abundances and were eventually incorporated into the carbonate rocks.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/perseverance-spots-an-odd-rock-on-mars-with-zebra-stripes-where-did-it-come-from-761350">Perseverance spots an odd rock on Mars with zebra stripes. Where did it come from?</a>

In the paper, the researchers proposed two ways in which carbonates present at Gale were formed.

In the first case, carbonates were created in a series of wet-dry cycles that took place in the Gale Crater. In the second way, carbonates were formed in very salty water that was under cold, ice-forming (cryogenic) conditions in the Gale Crater.

"These formation mechanisms represent two different climate regimes that may present different habitability scenarios," said Jennifer Stern, who is co-author of the paper and is from NASA Goddard.

"Wet-dry cycling would indicate alternation between more-habitable and less-habitable environments, while&nbsp;cryogenic temperatures&nbsp;in the mid-latitudes of Mars would indicate a less-habitable environment where most water is locked up in ice and not available for chemistry or biology, and what is there is extremely salty and unpleasant for life," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Curiosity rover of NASA is exploring the Gale crater on Mars currently and is providing more details about how the Red Planet's climate turned from potentially suitable for life to inhospitable to terrestrial life.

The Curiosity rover of NASA is exploring the Gale crater on Mars currently and is providing more details about how the Red Planet's climate turned from potentially suitable for life to inhospitable to terrestrial life. It has been known that Mars was holding widespread liquid water in ancient times, as per the evidence. Even though the surface of Mars is hostile and frigid to life, NASA's robotic explorers have been finding clues about whether the planet supported life in the distant past. Also Read: A 'spooky smiley face' appears on Mars. Scientists say it's hiding life forms... The instruments on board Curiosity have been used by the researchers for measuring the isotopic composition of carbon-rich minerals (carbonates) which were discovered in the Gale crater and found new insights into how the ancient climate of the Red Planet transformed. Here's what happened to ancient Mars "The isotope values of these carbonates point toward extreme amounts of evaporation, suggesting that these carbonates likely formed in a climate that could only support transient liquid water," said David Burtt, who is lead author of a paper and works at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Our samples are not consistent with an ancient environment with life (biosphere) on the surface of Mars, although this does not rule out the possibility of an underground biosphere or a surface biosphere that began and ended before these carbonates formed," Burtt said. Isotopes are different versions of an element which have different masses. With the evaporation of water, light versions of carbon and oxygen escaped into the atmosphere while the heavy versions remained behind, accumulated in high abundances and were eventually incorporated into the carbonate rocks. Also Read: Perseverance spots an odd rock on Mars with zebra stripes. Where did it come from? In the paper, the researchers proposed two ways in which carbonates present at Gale were formed. In the first case, carbonates were created in a series of wet-dry cycles that took place in the Gale Crater. In the second way, carbonates were formed in very salty water that was under cold, ice-forming (cryogenic) conditions in the Gale Crater. "These formation mechanisms represent two different climate regimes that may present different habitability scenarios," said Jennifer Stern, who is co-author of the paper and is from NASA Goddard. "Wet-dry cycling would indicate alternation between more-habitable and less-habitable environments, while cryogenic temperatures in the mid-latitudes of Mars would indicate a less-habitable environment where most water is locked up in ice and not available for chemistry or biology, and what is there is extremely salty and unpleasant for life," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Mars once had water to support life. Curiosity rover now finds what made it uninhabitable

It has been a year since the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission brought back a sample of dust and rocks collected on the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Scientists aim to learn about the universe by studying the material, however, the data is also being used to find new physics.

An international research team led by Los Alamos National Laboratory is using the information to study the possible existence of a fifth fundamental force of the universe.

The research has been mentioned in Communications Physics, where experts have talked about using the asteroid's tracking data to find out if a mystery force exists.

"Interpreting the data we see from tracking Bennu has the potential to add to our understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the universe, potentially revamping our understanding of the Standard Model of physics, gravity and dark matter," said Yu-Dai Tsai, lead author on the paper.

"The trajectories of objects often feature anomalies that can be useful in discovering new physics."

Near-Earth asteroids are closely tracked to monitor those that can be potentially dangerous. The information gathered before and during the OSIRIS-REx mission was applied by the team to a probe of extensions of the Standard Model of physics.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/our-galaxy-only-a-tiny-part-of-a-local-structure-living-inside-another-gigantic-cosmic-entity-765453">Our galaxy is part of a local structure living inside another gigantic cosmic entity</a>

The trajectory of Bennu has been monitored using optical and radar astrometric data since it was discovered in 1999.&nbsp;

"The tight constraints we've achieved translate readily to some of the tightest-ever limits on Yukawa-type fifth forces," Sunny Vagnozzi, assistant professor at the University of Trento in Italy, and the co-author of&nbsp;the paper, said.

He added that asteroid tracking can be "a valuable tool in the search for ultralight bosons, dark matter and several well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model."

The physics of trajectories can be used to solve the mysteries of the universe, especially when anomalies are present. The same was the case with Neptune, a planet, which was inferred by observations of irregularities in the orbit of nearby planet Uranus.

Using trajectory data and resulting modelling from the tracking of Bennu, they established constraints on a possible fifth force. Along with this, the role of a potential mediating particle, such as an ultralight boson, in that fifth force was also examined.

The presence of such a particle that might act upon a fifth force would show up in the altered orbit of an asteroid like Bennu, researchers say.&nbsp;

<h2>Apophis is next</h2>

The team now plans to track the Apophis asteroid, approaching Earth at a distance of 20,000 miles in 2029.

NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will visit the asteroid, dipping towards it and kicking up dust and rocks. The search for fifth-force physics will continue with Apophis by observing the impact of Earth's gravity on it.

It has been a year since the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission brought back a sample of dust and rocks collected on the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Scientists aim to learn about the universe by studying the material, however, the data is also being used to find new physics.

It has been a year since the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission brought back a sample of dust and rocks collected on the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Scientists aim to learn about the universe by studying the material, however, the data is also being used to find new physics. An international research team led by Los Alamos National Laboratory is using the information to study the possible existence of a fifth fundamental force of the universe. The research has been mentioned in Communications Physics, where experts have talked about using the asteroid's tracking data to find out if a mystery force exists. "Interpreting the data we see from tracking Bennu has the potential to add to our understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the universe, potentially revamping our understanding of the Standard Model of physics, gravity and dark matter," said Yu-Dai Tsai, lead author on the paper. "The trajectories of objects often feature anomalies that can be useful in discovering new physics." Near-Earth asteroids are closely tracked to monitor those that can be potentially dangerous. The information gathered before and during the OSIRIS-REx mission was applied by the team to a probe of extensions of the Standard Model of physics. Also Read: Our galaxy is part of a local structure living inside another gigantic cosmic entity The trajectory of Bennu has been monitored using optical and radar astrometric data since it was discovered in 1999. "The tight constraints we've achieved translate readily to some of the tightest-ever limits on Yukawa-type fifth forces," Sunny Vagnozzi, assistant professor at the University of Trento in Italy, and the co-author of the paper, said. He added that asteroid tracking can be "a valuable tool in the search for ultralight bosons, dark matter and several well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model." The physics of trajectories can be used to solve the mysteries of the universe, especially when anomalies are present. The same was the case with Neptune, a planet, which was inferred by observations of irregularities in the orbit of nearby planet Uranus. Using trajectory data and resulting modelling from the tracking of Bennu, they established constraints on a possible fifth force. Along with this, the role of a potential mediating particle, such as an ultralight boson, in that fifth force was also examined. The presence of such a particle that might act upon a fifth force would show up in the altered orbit of an asteroid like Bennu, researchers say. Apophis is next The team now plans to track the Apophis asteroid, approaching Earth at a distance of 20,000 miles in 2029. NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will visit the asteroid, dipping towards it and kicking up dust and rocks. The search for fifth-force physics will continue with Apophis by observing the impact of Earth's gravity on it.

Bennu asteroid sample being used to discover possible fifth force in universe

NASA issued a warning as it tracked a bus-sized&nbsp;asteroid, called 2024 TW2, which is set to make a close approach to&nbsp;Earth&nbsp;on October 7.&nbsp;

The space rock, which is almost 21 feet, is moving at a frightening speed of 60,968 km/h.&nbsp;

The asteroid's proximity to the Earth has been an issue of concern, however, NASA has assured that it will not pose any immediate danger to the planet.

According to NASA, asteroid 2024 TW2 will fly by Earth on October 7 at a distance of 288,000 kilometres, which is a little less than the average distance between the Moon and the Earth.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-issues-sudden-alert-as-two-massive-asteroids-race-towards-earth-on-collision-path-764109">NASA issues sudden alert as two massive asteroids race towards Earth, on collision path</a>

Even though it is flying at a close distance, the asteroid does not fall into the criteria of "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" (PHA).

<h2>Here's why this asteroid is not a threat to Earth</h2>

Asteroids like 2024 TW2 are part of the group of near-Earth objects (NEOs) which is monitored by NASA regularly.&nbsp;

Even though the speed and proximity of an asteroid are huge, its small size has little to no chance of causing any significant damage even if it enters the atmosphere of the Earth.&nbsp;

Such asteroids generally burn up upon entering the atmosphere of the Earth.

<h2>How is NASA tracking asteroids?</h2>

NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Watch:&nbsp;Scientists Propose Nuclear Solution To Save Earth From Asteroid Armageddon

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/scientists-propose-nuclear-solution-to-save-earth-from-asteroid-armageddon-761817/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Even though many of the NEOs don't come very near to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids that need more attention.&nbsp;

Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size, and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth. 
 
NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA issued a warning as it tracked a bus-sized asteroid, called 2024 TW2, which is set to make a close approach to Earth on October 7. The space rock, which is almost 21 feet, is moving at a frightening speed of 60,968 km/h.

NASA issued a warning as it tracked a bus-sized asteroid, called 2024 TW2, which is set to make a close approach to Earth on October 7. The space rock, which is almost 21 feet, is moving at a frightening speed of 60,968 km/h. The asteroid's proximity to the Earth has been an issue of concern, however, NASA has assured that it will not pose any immediate danger to the planet. According to NASA, asteroid 2024 TW2 will fly by Earth on October 7 at a distance of 288,000 kilometres, which is a little less than the average distance between the Moon and the Earth. Also Read: NASA issues sudden alert as two massive asteroids race towards Earth, on collision path Even though it is flying at a close distance, the asteroid does not fall into the criteria of "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" (PHA). Here's why this asteroid is not a threat to Earth Asteroids like 2024 TW2 are part of the group of near-Earth objects (NEOs) which is monitored by NASA regularly. Even though the speed and proximity of an asteroid are huge, its small size has little to no chance of causing any significant damage even if it enters the atmosphere of the Earth. Such asteroids generally burn up upon entering the atmosphere of the Earth. How is NASA tracking asteroids? NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs). Watch: Scientists Propose Nuclear Solution To Save Earth From Asteroid Armageddon Even though many of the NEOs don't come very near to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids that need more attention. Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size, and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth. NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA warns against huge asteroid dangerously flying towards Earth at 60,968 km/h

In a stunning study, astronomers have found that small&nbsp;primordial black holes&nbsp;(PBHs) are likely lurking inside the moons, asteroids or even planets like Earth.

According to the scientists, these hypothetical&nbsp;black holes were created soon after the Big Bang and resulted from pockets of subatomic matter that were so dense that they faced gravitational collapse.

Presently, scientists consider PBHs as dark matter. It is a likely source of primordial&nbsp; gravitational waves.&nbsp;

According to recent research, small PBHs are likely present in the interiors of main-sequence neutron and dwarf stars and are slowly consuming their gas supply.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-primordial-black-hole-will-pass-through-our-solar-system-after-every-10-years-will-it-harm-759740">A 'primordial' black hole will pass through our solar system every 10 years. Will it harm?</a>

A team of physicists, in a recent study, proposed the idea to include a new avenue for finding PBHs.&nbsp;

<h2>Here's how scientists are trying to find PBHs</h2>

The team planned to find them inside planets and asteroids by using large plates or slabs of metal for detecting PBHs for signs of their passage.

Scientists are finding the microchannels that these bodies would leave so that they are&nbsp;able to find the existence of PBHs.

The research was carried out by De-Chang Dai, a physicist at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan and the&nbsp;Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics&nbsp; (CERCA) at Case Western Reserve University, as well as Dejan Stojkovic, who is a physicist from the High Energy Physics and Cosmology&nbsp;group at the State University of New York, Buffalo.

In the paper, the findings were detailed and it is to be published in the journal&nbsp;Physics of the Dark Universe after the review.

For decades, scientists have been on a hunt for the PBHs since their existence was found by Russian scientists&nbsp;Igor D. Novikov and Yakov Zeldovich in 1966.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earths-mantle-is-hosting-strange-black-holes-with-mysterious-waves-heres-what-they-are-753231">Earth's mantle is hosting strange 'black holes' with mysterious waves. Here's what they are</a>

Speaking to Universe Today about why they proposed novel detection methods for PBHs through email, De-Chang and Stojkovic said, "If an&nbsp;asteroid, or a moon, or a small planet (planetoid) has a liquid core surrounded by a solid crust, then a small PBH will consume the dense liquid core relatively quickly (within weeks to months). The crust will remain intact if the material is strong enough to support gravitational stress."

"Thus, we will end up with a hollow structure. If the central&nbsp;black hole&nbsp;is ejected (due to collisions with other objects), the density will be lower than the usual density of a rocky object with a liquid core," they added.

"We found, for example, that granite can support hollow structures up to the radius of 1/10 of the Earth's radius. That is why we should concentrate on planetoids, moons, or asteroids," said Stojkovic.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a stunning study, astronomers have found that small primordial black holes (PBHs) are likely lurking inside the moons, asteroids or even planets like Earth. According to the scientists, these hypothetical black holes were created soon after the Big Bang and resulted from pockets of subatomic matter that were so dense that they faced gravitational collapse.

In a stunning study, astronomers have found that small primordial black holes (PBHs) are likely lurking inside the moons, asteroids or even planets like Earth. According to the scientists, these hypothetical black holes were created soon after the Big Bang and resulted from pockets of subatomic matter that were so dense that they faced gravitational collapse. Presently, scientists consider PBHs as dark matter. It is a likely source of primordial gravitational waves. According to recent research, small PBHs are likely present in the interiors of main-sequence neutron and dwarf stars and are slowly consuming their gas supply. Also Read: A 'primordial' black hole will pass through our solar system every 10 years. Will it harm? A team of physicists, in a recent study, proposed the idea to include a new avenue for finding PBHs. Here's how scientists are trying to find PBHs The team planned to find them inside planets and asteroids by using large plates or slabs of metal for detecting PBHs for signs of their passage. Scientists are finding the microchannels that these bodies would leave so that they are able to find the existence of PBHs. The research was carried out by De-Chang Dai, a physicist at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan and the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (CERCA) at Case Western Reserve University, as well as Dejan Stojkovic, who is a physicist from the High Energy Physics and Cosmology group at the State University of New York, Buffalo. In the paper, the findings were detailed and it is to be published in the journal Physics of the Dark Universe after the review. For decades, scientists have been on a hunt for the PBHs since their existence was found by Russian scientists Igor D. Novikov and Yakov Zeldovich in 1966. Also Read: Earth's mantle is hosting strange 'black holes' with mysterious waves. Here's what they are Speaking to Universe Today about why they proposed novel detection methods for PBHs through email, De-Chang and Stojkovic said, "If an asteroid, or a moon, or a small planet (planetoid) has a liquid core surrounded by a solid crust, then a small PBH will consume the dense liquid core relatively quickly (within weeks to months). The crust will remain intact if the material is strong enough to support gravitational stress." "Thus, we will end up with a hollow structure. If the central black hole is ejected (due to collisions with other objects), the density will be lower than the usual density of a rocky object with a liquid core," they added. "We found, for example, that granite can support hollow structures up to the radius of 1/10 of the Earth's radius. That is why we should concentrate on planetoids, moons, or asteroids," said Stojkovic. (With inputs from agencies)

Are black holes hiding inside planets like Earth? Here's what scientists suggest

Most dolphins always seem to have smiley expressions when they pop up above the water, making us wonder if they are actually smiling like us humans. Turns out, they are indeed smiling at times, and they do so with each other too, just like us.

In a study published in iScience journal, the researchers said bottlenose dolphins exhibit a very specific facial expression when they play with each other. Seen as a form of social communication, the expression involves an open mouth, according to researchers led by evolutionary biologist Elisabetta Palagi from the University of Pisa in Italy.

Watch: Stranded Pink Dolphin rescued in Bolivia

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"We've uncovered the presence of a distinct facial display, the open mouth, in bottlenose dolphins, and we showed that dolphins are also able to mirror others' facial expression," ScienceAlert quoted Palagi as saying.

To reach this conclusion, the team studied 80 hours of footage showing 22 captive dolphins playing underwater. When the animals were in each other's line of sight, they exhibited a very specific open-mouth expression.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-120-atlantic-white-sided-dolphins-stranded-in-dangerous-mud-on-massachusetts-beach-736304">Also read: More than 120 Atlantic white-sided dolphins stranded in ‘dangerous mud’ on Massachusetts beach</a> 
 
This happened 90 per cent of the time when they saw their fellow dolphins when playfighting. The 'smile' may have been an indication that it's not aggressive behaviour but just play, according to the researchers.

And just like humans, the dolphins mirror each other's expressions. The smile was 'returned' 33 per cent of the time, the study found.&nbsp;

Similar expressions had been observed in previous studies on primates and dogs. This indicates there is a universal biological basis for smiling expression across species.

"The relaxed open mouth, seen in social carnivores, monkeys' play faces, and even human laughter, is a universal sign of playfulness, helping animals – and us – signal fun and avoid conflict," said the lead researcher.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/a-sexually-frustrated-lonely-dolphin-may-be-behind-attacks-on-humans-in-japan-over-three-years-753401">Also read: A sexually frustrated, lonely dolphin may be behind attacks on humans in Japan over three years</a> 
 
In the dolphin study, the researchers noted that the open-mouth expression was very specific when they were playing with each other, and different from when the dolphins were alone.

These expressions serve to foster social bonds and facilitate enjoyable interactions. The smile is yet another instance of the intricate ways of communication of dolphins, already known for having some of the most complex vocalisations among animals.

“Open-mouth signals and rapid mimicry appear repeatedly across the mammal family tree, which suggests that visual communication has played a crucial role in shaping complex social interactions, not only in dolphins but in many species over time,” said Palagi. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Most dolphins always seem to have smiley expressions when they pop up above the water, making us wonder if they are actually smiling like us humans. Turns out, they are indeed smiling at times, and they do so with each other too, just like us.

Most dolphins always seem to have smiley expressions when they pop up above the water, making us wonder if they are actually smiling like us humans. Turns out, they are indeed smiling at times, and they do so with each other too, just like us. In a study published in iScience journal, the researchers said bottlenose dolphins exhibit a very specific facial expression when they play with each other. Seen as a form of social communication, the expression involves an open mouth, according to researchers led by evolutionary biologist Elisabetta Palagi from the University of Pisa in Italy. Watch: Stranded Pink Dolphin rescued in Bolivia × "We've uncovered the presence of a distinct facial display, the open mouth, in bottlenose dolphins, and we showed that dolphins are also able to mirror others' facial expression," ScienceAlert quoted Palagi as saying. To reach this conclusion, the team studied 80 hours of footage showing 22 captive dolphins playing underwater. When the animals were in each other's line of sight, they exhibited a very specific open-mouth expression. Also read: More than 120 Atlantic white-sided dolphins stranded in ‘dangerous mud’ on Massachusetts beach This happened 90 per cent of the time when they saw their fellow dolphins when playfighting. The 'smile' may have been an indication that it's not aggressive behaviour but just play, according to the researchers. And just like humans, the dolphins mirror each other's expressions. The smile was 'returned' 33 per cent of the time, the study found. Similar expressions had been observed in previous studies on primates and dogs. This indicates there is a universal biological basis for smiling expression across species. "The relaxed open mouth, seen in social carnivores, monkeys' play faces, and even human laughter, is a universal sign of playfulness, helping animals – and us – signal fun and avoid conflict," said the lead researcher. Also read: A sexually frustrated, lonely dolphin may be behind attacks on humans in Japan over three years In the dolphin study, the researchers noted that the open-mouth expression was very specific when they were playing with each other, and different from when the dolphins were alone. These expressions serve to foster social bonds and facilitate enjoyable interactions. The smile is yet another instance of the intricate ways of communication of dolphins, already known for having some of the most complex vocalisations among animals. “Open-mouth signals and rapid mimicry appear repeatedly across the mammal family tree, which suggests that visual communication has played a crucial role in shaping complex social interactions, not only in dolphins but in many species over time,” said Palagi. (With inputs from agencies)

Dolphins look like they're always smiling. Yes they do smile at each other too, finds study

Space is a mysterious and dangerous place. While we know that black holes can swallow up whole planets, some things are far scarier than them.

Apart from black holes, various objects in the universe can pose a threat to not only our planet but the whole solar system.

<h2>Here are some of the most dangerous objects and phenomena in space:</h2>

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are from powerful explosions observed in distant galaxies. It is believed they can vaporise anything within 200 light-years with its beams. While GRBs hitting Earth is only a hypothesis, it could be dangerous to the atmosphere and damage the ozone layer, making life vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-saga-continues-mission-to-probe-crime-scene-on-dimorphos-ready-for-blast-off-764738">Asteroid saga continues: Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off</a>

Megacomet

A “Megacomet” is a massive comet that can be as large as 100 miles across. The biggest-ever comet C/2014 UN271 was last seen in our solar system in 2021. It is so big that it was named a minor planet initially. Luckily, it will be a billion miles away from Earth when it comes closest to Earth in 2031. However, there is a possibility of more megacomets in the universe that could come our way.

Supernovae

Supernova explosions occur when a star reaches the end of its life cycle. They are so powerful and bright that they can outshine an entire galaxy due to the energy they release. Any object within their “kill zone” could be wiped out by its intense radiation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/centaur-an-icy-body-in-space-is-shooting-multiple-jets-of-hot-gas-whats-going-on-764764">Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas. What's going on?</a>

Asteroids

There are many large objects in our solar system. There is a possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth, similar to the one that wiped out dinosaurs from Earth about 66 million years ago. According to new data from astronomers, there are over 150,000 objects that are unidentified in the solar system, and most of them are asteroids.

Cosmic collision

A collision with another galaxy can lead to deadly impact, creating new black holes and altering the galaxies due to the clashing gravitational forces. It is predicted that Andromeda galaxy, which is 2.5 million light-years away will collide with our galaxy, Milky Way, in 3 to 5 billion years.

(With inputs from agencies)

Space is a mysterious and dangerous place. While we know that black holes can swallow up whole planets, some things are far scarier than them. Apart from black holes, various objects in the universe can pose a threat to not only our planet but the whole solar system.

Space is a mysterious and dangerous place. While we know that black holes can swallow up whole planets, some things are far scarier than them. Apart from black holes, various objects in the universe can pose a threat to not only our planet but the whole solar system. Here are some of the most dangerous objects and phenomena in space: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are from powerful explosions observed in distant galaxies. It is believed they can vaporise anything within 200 light-years with its beams. While GRBs hitting Earth is only a hypothesis, it could be dangerous to the atmosphere and damage the ozone layer, making life vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Also read | Asteroid saga continues: Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off Megacomet A “Megacomet” is a massive comet that can be as large as 100 miles across. The biggest-ever comet C/2014 UN271 was last seen in our solar system in 2021. It is so big that it was named a minor planet initially. Luckily, it will be a billion miles away from Earth when it comes closest to Earth in 2031. However, there is a possibility of more megacomets in the universe that could come our way. Supernovae Supernova explosions occur when a star reaches the end of its life cycle. They are so powerful and bright that they can outshine an entire galaxy due to the energy they release. Any object within their “kill zone” could be wiped out by its intense radiation. Also read | Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas. What's going on? Asteroids There are many large objects in our solar system. There is a possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth, similar to the one that wiped out dinosaurs from Earth about 66 million years ago. According to new data from astronomers, there are over 150,000 objects that are unidentified in the solar system, and most of them are asteroids. Cosmic collision A collision with another galaxy can lead to deadly impact, creating new black holes and altering the galaxies due to the clashing gravitational forces. It is predicted that Andromeda galaxy, which is 2.5 million light-years away will collide with our galaxy, Milky Way, in 3 to 5 billion years. (With inputs from agencies)

If you think black holes are the most dangerous objects in space, you’re wrong

The annual Draconid meteor shower has started to light up the night skies from October 6 and will remain visible till October 10.

However, this year the meteor shower&nbsp;is expected to be fainter in comparison to the past years, as experts suggest&nbsp;that the 2025 meteor shower will be the strongest one to have ever occurred in history.

The people in the United States will be able to see the Draconid meteor shower in areas with less or limited air pollution.&nbsp;

They will be able to catch the Draconids, which come from the dragon constellation Draco and is a well-known shower.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/meteor-shower-linked-to-halleys-comet-has-started-here-is-when-to-watch-the-orionids-762538">Meteor shower linked to Halley's Comet has started. Here is when to watch the Orionids</a>

During the showers, the meteors are expected to be few and far from each other and they will reach their peak on October 7 and 8, when nearly 10 meteors will be visible every hour.

<h2>All about the Draconids&nbsp;</h2>

The Draconids are among the weaker showers, which fall at a speed of 21 kilometres per second.&nbsp;

Sometimes, it picks up the speed and moves at a speed of more than 1,000 meteors per hour.

It is expected that the dragon can turn very strong in 2025. But this will depend on ideal conditions like required aptitude for late nights, low light pollution and clear skies.

“The Draconids are what I call an all-or-nothing shower,” said Bill Cooke, who is the head of NASA’s&nbsp;Meteoroid Environment Office, while speaking to Smithsonian magazine.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-a3-icy-visitor-from-oort-cloud-is-becoming-brighter-here-is-when-to-watch-and-how-762534">Icy visitor from Oort Cloud is becoming brighter. When to watch and how</a>

“If there’s an outburst, it may be worth going out to see. But normal Draconid activity, they’re very faint, because they move so slowly. So, a normal Draconid year, you might see two to three meteors per hour, and that’s pretty much nothing,” he added.

The intensity will depend on the gravitational pull of the other planets, especially Jupiter, said Cooke.&nbsp;

The pull can affect the trajectory of the comet and bring it either more closer or farther away from Earth.

The constellation Draco, from which meteors fall, is easy to spot because of its proximity to the constellations Big Dipper and Little Dipper.&nbsp;

French astronomer Michel Giacobini first discovered the Draconids at the Nice University in France in 1900. It was&nbsp;then observed again&nbsp;by Ernst Zinner in 1913.

(With inputs from agencies)

The annual Draconid meteor shower has started to light up the night skies from October 6 and will remain visible till October 10. However, this year the meteor shower is expected to be fainter in comparison to the past years, as experts suggest that the 2025 meteor shower will be the strongest one to have ever occurred in history.

The annual Draconid meteor shower has started to light up the night skies from October 6 and will remain visible till October 10. However, this year the meteor shower is expected to be fainter in comparison to the past years, as experts suggest that the 2025 meteor shower will be the strongest one to have ever occurred in history. The people in the United States will be able to see the Draconid meteor shower in areas with less or limited air pollution. They will be able to catch the Draconids, which come from the dragon constellation Draco and is a well-known shower. Also Read: Meteor shower linked to Halley's Comet has started. Here is when to watch the Orionids During the showers, the meteors are expected to be few and far from each other and they will reach their peak on October 7 and 8, when nearly 10 meteors will be visible every hour. All about the Draconids The Draconids are among the weaker showers, which fall at a speed of 21 kilometres per second. Sometimes, it picks up the speed and moves at a speed of more than 1,000 meteors per hour. It is expected that the dragon can turn very strong in 2025. But this will depend on ideal conditions like required aptitude for late nights, low light pollution and clear skies. “The Draconids are what I call an all-or-nothing shower,” said Bill Cooke, who is the head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, while speaking to Smithsonian magazine. Also Read: Icy visitor from Oort Cloud is becoming brighter. When to watch and how “If there’s an outburst, it may be worth going out to see. But normal Draconid activity, they’re very faint, because they move so slowly. So, a normal Draconid year, you might see two to three meteors per hour, and that’s pretty much nothing,” he added. The intensity will depend on the gravitational pull of the other planets, especially Jupiter, said Cooke. The pull can affect the trajectory of the comet and bring it either more closer or farther away from Earth. The constellation Draco, from which meteors fall, is easy to spot because of its proximity to the constellations Big Dipper and Little Dipper. French astronomer Michel Giacobini first discovered the Draconids at the Nice University in France in 1900. It was then observed again by Ernst Zinner in 1913. (With inputs from agencies)

Draconid meteor shower to light up skies in October. Here's how skygazers can watch it

The government of the United Kingdom is likely to introduce a new 'game-changing' blood test which will be able to detect signs of the 12 most common&nbsp;cancers before patients develop any symptoms.

Health Secretary&nbsp;Wes Streeting, who is himself a cancer&nbsp;survivor, will introduce the government-funded 'universal' blood screening for treating the disease in five years.

<h2>All about the innovative blood test&nbsp;</h2>

The treatment is a type of PCR test which is used during the pandemic and it can increase survival chances and save many lives every year.

The development comes after a blood test was hailed by the doctors in June in which they can predict if there are chances of breast cancer relapsing before it appears on the scans.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-lifestyle-changes-that-may-help-in-lowering-the-chances-of-breast-cancer-764806">Lifestyle changes that may help in lowering the chances of breast cancer</a>

Speaking to The Mirror, Streeting said, "Just a couple of drops of blood could tell you if you had lung, breast or bladder cancer, helping end months-long waits for tests and scans. These innovations could be game changers."

This test will cost each patient £120 (approx. $157) and will check the 12 most common cancers which are lung, breast, prostate, pancreatic, colorectal, ovarian, liver, brain, oesophageal, bladder, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, and gastric.

The scheme has been provided £2.5 million ($3.28&nbsp;million) worth of funding by the UK government through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Watch:&nbsp;Kate Middleton Hugs Young Girl Battling Rare Cancer

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A startup company Xgenera has been set up by the scientists to help the scheme in rolling out, which they claimed has "potential to save millions of lives".&nbsp;

Every year, more than 320,000 people are diagnosed with prostate, breast, bowel and lung cancers.

According to experts, nearly 40,000 cancers had gone undiagnosed in the first year of the pandemic.

As of now, screening programmes are among the most effective ways of detecting early-stage cancers.

(With inputs from agencies)

The government of the United Kingdom is likely to introduce a new 'game-changing' blood test which will be able to detect signs of the 12 most common cancers before patients develop any symptoms.

The government of the United Kingdom is likely to introduce a new 'game-changing' blood test which will be able to detect signs of the 12 most common cancers before patients develop any symptoms. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is himself a cancer survivor, will introduce the government-funded 'universal' blood screening for treating the disease in five years. All about the innovative blood test The treatment is a type of PCR test which is used during the pandemic and it can increase survival chances and save many lives every year. The development comes after a blood test was hailed by the doctors in June in which they can predict if there are chances of breast cancer relapsing before it appears on the scans. Also Read: Lifestyle changes that may help in lowering the chances of breast cancer Speaking to The Mirror, Streeting said, "Just a couple of drops of blood could tell you if you had lung, breast or bladder cancer, helping end months-long waits for tests and scans. These innovations could be game changers." This test will cost each patient £120 (approx. $157) and will check the 12 most common cancers which are lung, breast, prostate, pancreatic, colorectal, ovarian, liver, brain, oesophageal, bladder, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, and gastric. The scheme has been provided £2.5 million ($3.28 million) worth of funding by the UK government through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Watch: Kate Middleton Hugs Young Girl Battling Rare Cancer A startup company Xgenera has been set up by the scientists to help the scheme in rolling out, which they claimed has "potential to save millions of lives". Every year, more than 320,000 people are diagnosed with prostate, breast, bowel and lung cancers. According to experts, nearly 40,000 cancers had gone undiagnosed in the first year of the pandemic. As of now, screening programmes are among the most effective ways of detecting early-stage cancers. (With inputs from agencies)

A new 'game-changing' blood test will detect 12 types of cancers. Here's all about it

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they".

According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts.

It was observed that concept cells get activated when the picture of someone specific is seen or when they hear or read the person's name or when they recall a specific person from the memory.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-iconic-painting-is-doing-something-with-the-brains-of-its-viewers-scientists-say-its-called-764210">&nbsp;THIS iconic painting is doing something with the brains of its viewers. Scientists say it's called...</a>

It has also been found that they get reactivated when the pronoun is used instead of the name of a person.

<h2>How was the study carried out?</h2>

The study was done on the basis of brain recordings taken from patients who suffered from intractable epilepsy. The electrodes were implanted deep inside their hippocampus to identify the origin of their seizures.

These implants also helped the scientists study how individual neurons in the hippocampus work during wakeful activity.

The participants of the study were given a picture of Shrek, and it was noticed that a particular neuron got activated on seeing the photo.

When the participant read the book "Shrek and Courtney Love", the same neuron got activated on the appearance of the name "Shrek" and the pronoun "he" which was used to refer to the central character in the later part of the book.&nbsp;

However, when the participants read the pronoun "she", the same neuron was not activated.

"We had the participants answer a question at the end of the sentences about who performed the action,"&nbsp;stated neuroscientist&nbsp;Matthew Self, who is from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience.

"We could predict whether the patients would give the correct answer based on the activity of the individual concept cells," he further explained.&nbsp;

The volunteers were also made to read sentences in which two characters shared the same pronouns. In such cases, it was observed that the person who evoked the most activity was identified with the pronoun later.

"This could be based on chance fluctuations in activity on a trial-by-trial basis or an internal preference for one of the two characters in the sentence,"&nbsp;Self said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/brains-of-humans-and-dogs-can-sync-with-each-other-study-explains-how-759032">Brains of humans and dogs can sync with each other. Study explains how</a>

In the findings, it was observed that concept cells link the brain to the information of an already existing concept.

"For example, when we read about Shrek that 'he' put on sunglasses, we can update Shrek's representation and predict his future appearance," stated the authors of the study.

"Theories about the evolving mental representation of the narrative during reading suggest that previously read words are stored in working memory so that they can be combined with new information. How brain networks implement such syntactic computations is a topic for future research, which can now be investigated," they added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they". According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts.

In a new study, neuroscientists have found that the brain's same neurons get activated when they hear a person's name or pronouns like "he", "she" or "they". According to scientists, there are these so-called concept cells that store information regarding the representations of people, objects or abstract concepts. It was observed that concept cells get activated when the picture of someone specific is seen or when they hear or read the person's name or when they recall a specific person from the memory. Also Read: THIS iconic painting is doing something with the brains of its viewers. Scientists say it's called... It has also been found that they get reactivated when the pronoun is used instead of the name of a person. How was the study carried out? The study was done on the basis of brain recordings taken from patients who suffered from intractable epilepsy. The electrodes were implanted deep inside their hippocampus to identify the origin of their seizures. These implants also helped the scientists study how individual neurons in the hippocampus work during wakeful activity. The participants of the study were given a picture of Shrek, and it was noticed that a particular neuron got activated on seeing the photo. When the participant read the book "Shrek and Courtney Love", the same neuron got activated on the appearance of the name "Shrek" and the pronoun "he" which was used to refer to the central character in the later part of the book. However, when the participants read the pronoun "she", the same neuron was not activated. "We had the participants answer a question at the end of the sentences about who performed the action," stated neuroscientist Matthew Self, who is from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. "We could predict whether the patients would give the correct answer based on the activity of the individual concept cells," he further explained. The volunteers were also made to read sentences in which two characters shared the same pronouns. In such cases, it was observed that the person who evoked the most activity was identified with the pronoun later. "This could be based on chance fluctuations in activity on a trial-by-trial basis or an internal preference for one of the two characters in the sentence," Self said. Also Read: Brains of humans and dogs can sync with each other. Study explains how In the findings, it was observed that concept cells link the brain to the information of an already existing concept. "For example, when we read about Shrek that 'he' put on sunglasses, we can update Shrek's representation and predict his future appearance," stated the authors of the study. "Theories about the evolving mental representation of the narrative during reading suggest that previously read words are stored in working memory so that they can be combined with new information. How brain networks implement such syntactic computations is a topic for future research, which can now be investigated," they added. (With inputs from agencies)

Human brains do not differentiate between names and pronouns of people: Study

The largest lake in California, the Salton Sea, has a "white gold" mine, which is a treasure&nbsp;worth nearly $540 billion, at its bottom.

Scientists were studying the largest lake as part of research funded by the Department of Energy.

The aim of the study is to discover how much lithium, also called "white gold due to its white sand-like appearance", is present at the bottom of the lake.

The lithium is present in such huge quantities that if extracted, it will be able to create batteries for as many as 382 million electric vehicles. The creation of so many batteries will make the United States the leading nation in chemical.

Speaking about the discovery, a geochemistry professor at the University of California and one of the 22 authors of the study, Michael McKibben, said, "This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China."

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-over-4000-years-apart-tibets-largest-lake-spills-into-nearby-water-body-heres-why-757726">&nbsp;After over 4,000 years apart, Tibet's largest lake spills into nearby water body. Here's why</a>

Governor of California Gavin Newsom had earlier called the Salton Lake as the "Saudi Arabia of lithium". The discovery has made the lake the world's largest source of lithium.

<h1>Will scientists be able to extract lithium from the lake?</h1>

Speaking to KJZZ radio, LA Times climate journalist Sammy Roth said, "They found that there's potentially enough lithium down there to supply batteries for 382 million electric vehicles, which is more, more vehicles than there are on the road in the United States today. So, if we could get all that lithium, that'd be huge."

However, it will not be easy to extract lithium from the lake and it will have its own dangers.

As reported by SFGATE, it will not be easy to extract lithium from the lake and it will require "geothermal production wells to extract the lithium-rich brine from thousands of feet below the earth’s surface, and once the lithium is dissolved from the brine, the liquid is pumped back underground."

The drilling can also impact 180,000 people who live near the lake. It can also affect the water supply which comes from the Colorado River.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The largest lake in California, the Salton Sea, has a "white gold" mine, which is a treasure worth nearly $540 billion, at its bottom. Scientists were studying the largest lake as part of research funded by the Department of Energy.

The largest lake in California, the Salton Sea, has a "white gold" mine, which is a treasure worth nearly $540 billion, at its bottom. Scientists were studying the largest lake as part of research funded by the Department of Energy. The aim of the study is to discover how much lithium, also called "white gold due to its white sand-like appearance", is present at the bottom of the lake. The lithium is present in such huge quantities that if extracted, it will be able to create batteries for as many as 382 million electric vehicles. The creation of so many batteries will make the United States the leading nation in chemical. Speaking about the discovery, a geochemistry professor at the University of California and one of the 22 authors of the study, Michael McKibben, said, "This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China." Also Read: After over 4,000 years apart, Tibet's largest lake spills into nearby water body. Here's why Governor of California Gavin Newsom had earlier called the Salton Lake as the "Saudi Arabia of lithium". The discovery has made the lake the world's largest source of lithium. Will scientists be able to extract lithium from the lake? Speaking to KJZZ radio, LA Times climate journalist Sammy Roth said, "They found that there's potentially enough lithium down there to supply batteries for 382 million electric vehicles, which is more, more vehicles than there are on the road in the United States today. So, if we could get all that lithium, that'd be huge." However, it will not be easy to extract lithium from the lake and it will have its own dangers. As reported by SFGATE, it will not be easy to extract lithium from the lake and it will require "geothermal production wells to extract the lithium-rich brine from thousands of feet below the earth’s surface, and once the lithium is dissolved from the brine, the liquid is pumped back underground." The drilling can also impact 180,000 people who live near the lake. It can also affect the water supply which comes from the Colorado River. (With inputs from agencies)

A giant lake has treasure worth $540 billion hidden in its bed in California. Can it be extracted?

An innovative way is being created by scientists which will help them in "growing" ice and doing the impossible job of "refreezing" the Arctic Sea as initial tests prove promising.

Scientists are aiming at pumping seawater over the frozen Arctic Ocean. They have carried out trials in the&nbsp;Canadian&nbsp;Arctic which have seen sea ice getting thickened successfully.

According to a report published in New Scientist, if no action is taken right now, the accelerating climate change will make the Arctic "ice-free in the summer in the 2030s" which will be disastrous for the planet.

According to other reports, even if measures are adopted, like sharply reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it won't stop the Arctic from turning "ice-free".

<h2>Disappearing ice in the Arctic Ocean</h2>

Every decade, the Arctic Ocean is losing nearly 13 per cent of its ice.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/antarctica-is-rising-from-ocean-and-losing-weight-heres-how-it-will-impact-earth-751995">Antarctica is rising from ocean and losing weight. Here's how it will impact Earth</a>

To stop this drastic climate change impact, there would be a need to dramatically reduce the emissions worldwide, because of which scientists have been finding ways to curb this in a short duration.&nbsp;

Amongst the ways being explored, scientists are considering pumping seawater in parts of the frozen Arctic Ocean, which they believe would be effective.

<h2>Is pumping seawater in the Arctic a good decision?</h2>

The plan is very straightforward. Pumps will be used by the engineers to cover ice with seawater, which is expected to freeze in winter and thicken the ice layer. This will ensure that the ice lasts longer during the summer.

To do this, scientists are finding a layer of thin ice, punching a hole into the surface from below, and flooding it with the hope that it will accelerate the speed of natural freezing.&nbsp;

The process has already been tested before, but it was for the first time done successfully with hydrogen, which is a renewable energy.

The tests have also been successful on a smaller scale. According to a report published in New Scientist, there could be the "risk of unintended consequences," like reduced snow cover&nbsp;negatively impacting wildlife.

Speaking to The Guardian, Hayo Hendrikse, assistant professor at Delft University of Technology,&nbsp;said that this is not a "solution" but a "sticking plaster," which could be used on a "smaller scale".

(With inputs from agencies)

An innovative way is being created by scientists which will help them in "growing" ice and doing the impossible job of "refreezing" the Arctic Sea as initial tests prove promising.

An innovative way is being created by scientists which will help them in "growing" ice and doing the impossible job of "refreezing" the Arctic Sea as initial tests prove promising. Scientists are aiming at pumping seawater over the frozen Arctic Ocean. They have carried out trials in the Canadian Arctic which have seen sea ice getting thickened successfully. According to a report published in New Scientist, if no action is taken right now, the accelerating climate change will make the Arctic "ice-free in the summer in the 2030s" which will be disastrous for the planet. According to other reports, even if measures are adopted, like sharply reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it won't stop the Arctic from turning "ice-free". Disappearing ice in the Arctic Ocean Every decade, the Arctic Ocean is losing nearly 13 per cent of its ice. Also Read: Antarctica is rising from ocean and losing weight. Here's how it will impact Earth To stop this drastic climate change impact, there would be a need to dramatically reduce the emissions worldwide, because of which scientists have been finding ways to curb this in a short duration. Amongst the ways being explored, scientists are considering pumping seawater in parts of the frozen Arctic Ocean, which they believe would be effective. Is pumping seawater in the Arctic a good decision? The plan is very straightforward. Pumps will be used by the engineers to cover ice with seawater, which is expected to freeze in winter and thicken the ice layer. This will ensure that the ice lasts longer during the summer. To do this, scientists are finding a layer of thin ice, punching a hole into the surface from below, and flooding it with the hope that it will accelerate the speed of natural freezing. The process has already been tested before, but it was for the first time done successfully with hydrogen, which is a renewable energy. The tests have also been successful on a smaller scale. According to a report published in New Scientist, there could be the "risk of unintended consequences," like reduced snow cover negatively impacting wildlife. Speaking to The Guardian, Hayo Hendrikse, assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, said that this is not a "solution" but a "sticking plaster," which could be used on a "smaller scale". (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists are now planning to 'grow' ice and 'refreeze' Arctic Sea

A piece of seafloor that began sinking into Earth's mantle approximately 250 million years ago has been discovered, at least its fingerprints have. Scientists say they have found a "fossilised fingerprint" of the chunk of seafloor hiding under the Pacific Ocean.

A study has found that the fingerprint matches a slab of Earth's crust that started going down at the beginning of the age of dinosaurs (252 million to 66 million years ago).

It was once a part of the seafloor in the southeastern Pacific. Experts are hoping to solve the mystery of a strange gap in the lowermost sections of the mantle by learning more about the latest discovery.&nbsp;

The findings were published on Sep 27 in the journal Science Advances.

"It's giving us a glimpse into Earth's past that we've never had before," Jingchuan Wang, study lead author, a seismologist and postdoctoral associate at the University of Maryland, said in a statement.

The slab currently sits between the upper and lower mantle, in the mantle transition zone stretching between 410 to 660 kilometres deep beneath the Earth's surface. This zone expands and contracts owing to heat currents, researchers said in the statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/star-circling-two-other-stars-that-orbit-each-other-shatters-a-70-year-old-record-764421">Star circling two other stars that orbit each other shatters a 70-year-old record</a>

<h2>Exploration happened near Easter Island</h2>

The discovery was made when the researchers were exploring the mantle beneath the East Pacific Rise. This region is a mid-ocean ridge located 3,200 km off the coast of South America. &nbsp;

Seismic waves were used to examine the types of rock beneath the seafloor, after which a digital cross-section of Earth's crust and mantle was created. They noticed an unusually thick mantle transition zone beneath a portion of the East Pacific Rise around 350 km east of Easter Island. "This thickened area is like a fossilised fingerprint of an ancient piece of seafloor that subducted into the Earth," Wang said.

Subduction occurs after a collision between two tectonic plates, after which one dives beneath the other. The resulting material usually disintegrates in the mantle and turns into magma owing to high temperatures. However, the researchers say the newly discovered slab somehow escaped that fate.

"Usually, oceanic slabs of material are consumed by the Earth completely," Wang said.

A subducting plate would travel a lot faster through the mantle than what happened with this piece of slab, according to the statement. Wang said that this suggests the mantle transition zone can act as a viscous barrier and slow the movement of sinking material.

"This is just the beginning," Wang said. "We believe that there are many more ancient structures waiting to be discovered in Earth's deep interior."

A piece of seafloor that began sinking into Earth's mantle approximately 250 million years ago has been discovered, at least its fingerprints have. Scientists say they have found a "fossilised fingerprint" of the chunk of seafloor hiding under the Pacific Ocean.

A piece of seafloor that began sinking into Earth's mantle approximately 250 million years ago has been discovered, at least its fingerprints have. Scientists say they have found a "fossilised fingerprint" of the chunk of seafloor hiding under the Pacific Ocean. A study has found that the fingerprint matches a slab of Earth's crust that started going down at the beginning of the age of dinosaurs (252 million to 66 million years ago). It was once a part of the seafloor in the southeastern Pacific. Experts are hoping to solve the mystery of a strange gap in the lowermost sections of the mantle by learning more about the latest discovery. The findings were published on Sep 27 in the journal Science Advances. "It's giving us a glimpse into Earth's past that we've never had before," Jingchuan Wang, study lead author, a seismologist and postdoctoral associate at the University of Maryland, said in a statement. The slab currently sits between the upper and lower mantle, in the mantle transition zone stretching between 410 to 660 kilometres deep beneath the Earth's surface. This zone expands and contracts owing to heat currents, researchers said in the statement. Also Read: Star circling two other stars that orbit each other shatters a 70-year-old record Exploration happened near Easter Island The discovery was made when the researchers were exploring the mantle beneath the East Pacific Rise. This region is a mid-ocean ridge located 3,200 km off the coast of South America. Seismic waves were used to examine the types of rock beneath the seafloor, after which a digital cross-section of Earth's crust and mantle was created. They noticed an unusually thick mantle transition zone beneath a portion of the East Pacific Rise around 350 km east of Easter Island. "This thickened area is like a fossilised fingerprint of an ancient piece of seafloor that subducted into the Earth," Wang said. Subduction occurs after a collision between two tectonic plates, after which one dives beneath the other. The resulting material usually disintegrates in the mantle and turns into magma owing to high temperatures. However, the researchers say the newly discovered slab somehow escaped that fate. "Usually, oceanic slabs of material are consumed by the Earth completely," Wang said. A subducting plate would travel a lot faster through the mantle than what happened with this piece of slab, according to the statement. Wang said that this suggests the mantle transition zone can act as a viscous barrier and slow the movement of sinking material. "This is just the beginning," Wang said. "We believe that there are many more ancient structures waiting to be discovered in Earth's deep interior."

Chunk of seafloor lost during age of dinosaurs found hiding under Pacific

Scientists have found the oldest living microbes in a two-billion-year-old rock buried almost 50 feet below the ground. The finding suggests that a sealed rock fracture has been hosting the oldest known life in such conditions.&nbsp;

A one-foot sample was excavated beneath South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex and is 1.9 billion years older than the previous microbial record-holder.

Experts are hoping to understand the earliest stages of evolutionary life on Earth as well as Mars using the new information.

A team at the University of Tokyo’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences made the discovery and published the findings in the journal Microbial Ecology on October 2. The same team had also confirmed the previous oldest known life forms in 2020.

“We didn’t know if 2-billion-year-old rocks were habitable… so this is a very exciting discovery,” Yohey Suzuki, the study’s lead author and an associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science, said in a statement.

The researchers used previous methodologies for determining an organism’s age and origin and built upon them to find the unknown microbes. They needed to figure out whether the microbial life found was in fact as old as it presented itself, or whether it got contaminated during excavation and analysis.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-saga-continues-mission-to-probe-crime-scene-on-dimorphos-ready-for-blast-off-764738">Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off</a>

They combined three types of imaging approaches, electron microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy, to do so.

Scientists say that their habitat has likely helped them live longer than any other life form on Earth. Located in northeastern South Africa, the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) sits in a roughly 41,000-square-mile region known for rich deposits of ore. It also has an estimated 70 per cent of all mined platinum.&nbsp;

Volcanic magma cooled billions of years ago under the Earth’s surface in regions as thick as 5.6 miles. These haven't changed since then, but have tiny fissures where microbial life is packed densely. Later, clay sediment closed the gaps and trapped the tiny organisms inside. Nothing else was able to enter because of this.

This helped microbial life to continue to remain stable at an extremely slow pace without witnessing any evolutionary changes.&nbsp;

Scientists have found the oldest living microbes in a two-billion-year-old rock buried almost 50 feet below the ground. The finding suggests that a sealed rock fracture has been hosting the oldest known life in such conditions.

Scientists have found the oldest living microbes in a two-billion-year-old rock buried almost 50 feet below the ground. The finding suggests that a sealed rock fracture has been hosting the oldest known life in such conditions. A one-foot sample was excavated beneath South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex and is 1.9 billion years older than the previous microbial record-holder. Experts are hoping to understand the earliest stages of evolutionary life on Earth as well as Mars using the new information. A team at the University of Tokyo’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences made the discovery and published the findings in the journal Microbial Ecology on October 2. The same team had also confirmed the previous oldest known life forms in 2020. “We didn’t know if 2-billion-year-old rocks were habitable… so this is a very exciting discovery,” Yohey Suzuki, the study’s lead author and an associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science, said in a statement. The researchers used previous methodologies for determining an organism’s age and origin and built upon them to find the unknown microbes. They needed to figure out whether the microbial life found was in fact as old as it presented itself, or whether it got contaminated during excavation and analysis. Also Read: Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off They combined three types of imaging approaches, electron microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy, to do so. Scientists say that their habitat has likely helped them live longer than any other life form on Earth. Located in northeastern South Africa, the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) sits in a roughly 41,000-square-mile region known for rich deposits of ore. It also has an estimated 70 per cent of all mined platinum. Volcanic magma cooled billions of years ago under the Earth’s surface in regions as thick as 5.6 miles. These haven't changed since then, but have tiny fissures where microbial life is packed densely. Later, clay sediment closed the gaps and trapped the tiny organisms inside. Nothing else was able to enter because of this. This helped microbial life to continue to remain stable at an extremely slow pace without witnessing any evolutionary changes.

Oldest alive microbes are two-billion-year old and living in a rock. How did they survive?

An icy body in the outer solar system is spewing hot gas and has baffled scientists for years. Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was discovered in 1927 and undergoes highly active and quasi-periodical outbursts every six to eight weeks.

Now the James Webb Telescope has revealed fascinating details about the icy body. Using its near-infrared spectrograph instrument, a team of scientists mapped the gases it throws out. They found what it was spewing were two jets of carbon dioxide and a new jet of carbon monoxide pointed towards the Sun.

The findings were presented in a recent study published in Nature.

The discovery of the gases gives scientists an insight into how the centaur originated. Not only this but it is also expected to help them understand more about the formation of the solar system.&nbsp;

Experts think that the centaur might not be one whole piece but a combination of multiple pieces.

“The fact that Centaur 29P has such dramatic differences in the abundance of [carbon monoxide] and [carbon dioxide] across its surface suggests that 29P may be made of several pieces,” Geronimo Villanueva, co-author of the study at NASA Goddard, said in a statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-saga-continues-mission-to-probe-crime-scene-on-dimorphos-ready-for-blast-off-764738">Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off</a>

“Maybe two pieces coalesced together and made this centaur, which is a mixture between very different bodies that underwent separate formation pathways. It challenges our ideas about how primordial objects are created and stored in the Kuiper Belt.”

Centaurs fall somewhere between comets and asteroids. They possess the characteristics of both space bodies. They are icy and at one time used to orbit the Sun from beyond Neptune. However, giant planets have been casting gravitational influence on them, leading centaurs to slowly change their orbits.&nbsp;

They are now found between Jupiter and Neptune, although they are still similar to Trans-Neptunian objects, those cosmic bodies that lie beyond Neptune, and short-period comets.

"Centaurs can be considered as some of the leftovers of our planetary system’s formation," Sara Faggi, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and lead author of the study, said in a statement.&nbsp;

Using Webb's data, the team created a model of the jets and found that&nbsp;the gases were being released from different regions on the centaur’s nucleus.&nbsp;

An icy body in the outer solar system is spewing hot gas and has baffled scientists for years. Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was discovered in 1927 and undergoes highly active and quasi-periodical outbursts every six to eight weeks.

An icy body in the outer solar system is spewing hot gas and has baffled scientists for years. Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was discovered in 1927 and undergoes highly active and quasi-periodical outbursts every six to eight weeks. Now the James Webb Telescope has revealed fascinating details about the icy body. Using its near-infrared spectrograph instrument, a team of scientists mapped the gases it throws out. They found what it was spewing were two jets of carbon dioxide and a new jet of carbon monoxide pointed towards the Sun. The findings were presented in a recent study published in Nature. The discovery of the gases gives scientists an insight into how the centaur originated. Not only this but it is also expected to help them understand more about the formation of the solar system. Experts think that the centaur might not be one whole piece but a combination of multiple pieces. “The fact that Centaur 29P has such dramatic differences in the abundance of [carbon monoxide] and [carbon dioxide] across its surface suggests that 29P may be made of several pieces,” Geronimo Villanueva, co-author of the study at NASA Goddard, said in a statement. Also Read: Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off “Maybe two pieces coalesced together and made this centaur, which is a mixture between very different bodies that underwent separate formation pathways. It challenges our ideas about how primordial objects are created and stored in the Kuiper Belt.” Centaurs fall somewhere between comets and asteroids. They possess the characteristics of both space bodies. They are icy and at one time used to orbit the Sun from beyond Neptune. However, giant planets have been casting gravitational influence on them, leading centaurs to slowly change their orbits. They are now found between Jupiter and Neptune, although they are still similar to Trans-Neptunian objects, those cosmic bodies that lie beyond Neptune, and short-period comets. "Centaurs can be considered as some of the leftovers of our planetary system’s formation," Sara Faggi, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and lead author of the study, said in a statement. Using Webb's data, the team created a model of the jets and found that the gases were being released from different regions on the centaur’s nucleus.

Centaur, an icy body in space, is shooting multiple jets of hot gas. What's going on?

Asteroids have become the biggest topic of interest to astronomers it seems. After hitting one in 2022 to test humanity's power against the space rocks, if one threatens us ever, scientists are now sending a probe to learn more about what happened to the asteroid.&nbsp;

Under the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, a spacecraft smashed into asteroid Dimorphos which was roughly 11 million kilometres (6.8 million miles) from Earth.

The impact successfully moved the asteroid out of its course, even though it did not pose any threat to us. The mission was to know if humans can defend Earth if a space rock someday gets on a collision course with us.&nbsp;

Dimorphos wasn't exactly an asteroid, but instead, a moonlet that orbits Didymos, a bigger space rock.

The DART mission was termed successful, although a lot about the asteroid remains unknown. With the aim to understand what exactly happened by Dimorphos, the European Space Agency is sending Hera to conduct a "crime scene investigation".

It is due to blast off on Monday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Monday. However, a delay might happen after the rocket suffered an anomaly during the launch of SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut mission on Saturday.

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After being launched, the window for which remains open till Oct 27, Hera will fly past Mars next year before arriving near Dimorphos in December 2026. It will carry out a six-month investigation into the space rock.

<h2>What is Dimorphos?</h2>

After the DART impact, Dimorphos underwent significant changes. It shed a lot of material and its orbit around Didymos shortened by 33 minutes. This was proof that the mission successfully deflected it.

Hera mission's principal investigator Patrick Michel says that Dimorphos is likely to be a loose pile of rubble held together by gravity. This means that it did not create a crater on it, but instead deformed it completely.

Not only did its shape change, but it also likely created a man-made meteor shower. Another study found that the debris can reach Earth in another 10 years, besides also hitting Mars.

The mission costs $400 million, and is equipped with 12 scientific instruments and two nanosatellites. The plan is to land Juventas nanosatellite on Dimorphos, a first on such a small asteroid. It will use radar to look deep into it and measure its gravity.

The Milani nanosatellite will stay far away and use cameras and other instruments to study the asteroid's composition and assess DART's impact. Later, Hera should land gently on Dimorphos or Didymos and live out its final days.

Asteroids have become the biggest topic of interest to astronomers it seems. After hitting one in 2022 to test humanity's power against the space rocks, if one threatens us ever, scientists are now sending a probe to learn more about what happened to the asteroid.

Asteroids have become the biggest topic of interest to astronomers it seems. After hitting one in 2022 to test humanity's power against the space rocks, if one threatens us ever, scientists are now sending a probe to learn more about what happened to the asteroid. Under the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, a spacecraft smashed into asteroid Dimorphos which was roughly 11 million kilometres (6.8 million miles) from Earth. The impact successfully moved the asteroid out of its course, even though it did not pose any threat to us. The mission was to know if humans can defend Earth if a space rock someday gets on a collision course with us. Dimorphos wasn't exactly an asteroid, but instead, a moonlet that orbits Didymos, a bigger space rock. The DART mission was termed successful, although a lot about the asteroid remains unknown. With the aim to understand what exactly happened by Dimorphos, the European Space Agency is sending Hera to conduct a "crime scene investigation". It is due to blast off on Monday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Monday. However, a delay might happen after the rocket suffered an anomaly during the launch of SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut mission on Saturday. Also Read: Star circling two other stars that orbit each other shatters a 70-year-old record After being launched, the window for which remains open till Oct 27, Hera will fly past Mars next year before arriving near Dimorphos in December 2026. It will carry out a six-month investigation into the space rock. What is Dimorphos? After the DART impact, Dimorphos underwent significant changes. It shed a lot of material and its orbit around Didymos shortened by 33 minutes. This was proof that the mission successfully deflected it. Hera mission's principal investigator Patrick Michel says that Dimorphos is likely to be a loose pile of rubble held together by gravity. This means that it did not create a crater on it, but instead deformed it completely. Not only did its shape change, but it also likely created a man-made meteor shower. Another study found that the debris can reach Earth in another 10 years, besides also hitting Mars. The mission costs $400 million, and is equipped with 12 scientific instruments and two nanosatellites. The plan is to land Juventas nanosatellite on Dimorphos, a first on such a small asteroid. It will use radar to look deep into it and measure its gravity. The Milani nanosatellite will stay far away and use cameras and other instruments to study the asteroid's composition and assess DART's impact. Later, Hera should land gently on Dimorphos or Didymos and live out its final days.

Asteroid saga continues: Mission to probe 'crime scene' on Dimorphos ready for blast off

Scientists are working to resurrect the woolly mammoth and it could happen in as less as four years. The ice age beast that went extinct might walk the Earth once again soon, a company backed by Paris Hilton and Chris Hemsworth, said.

Colossal Biosciences calls itself “the world’s first de-extinction company,” and is developing a method to revive “core” genes from animals that have been extinct for thousands of years. This includes not only the woolly mammoth but also the dodo and the Tasmanian tiger, The Independent reported.

“We have set a date of late 2028 for our first mammoth and we are on track for that currently, which is great,” the CEO of the company, Ben Lamm, told the Independent.&nbsp;

Lamm told Daily Mail that the entire process is like a “reverse Jurassic Park”.

According to The Intercept, the company has raised more than $235 million, thanks to its celebrity backers. PayPal co-founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel and motivational speaker Tony Robbins are pumping money into the company, besides the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to the report.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/did-woolly-mammoth-go-extinct-because-of-a-blocked-nose-study-says-they-did-764159">Did woolly mammoth go extinct because of a blocked nose? Study says they did</a>

Lamm added that mammoths have a 22-month gestation period, which means another species might return before it does.

“But given the other species have much shorter gestation, it is highly likely that we will see another species before the mammoth.”

His eyes are set on the dodo and the Tasmanian Tiger for an early revival. Notably, the Tasmanian tiger went extinct in the early 1980s, while the dodo bird was last seen in the 1600s. The former can be revived in just weeks, while the dodo will take about one month, according to Lamm.

He believes that "it is highly likely we will have a species before 2028", and it will be one of the three.

The woolly mammoth has not been around for over 4,000 years. However, it shares 99.5 per cent of its genes with the Asian elephant. The company is using gene editing and fusing stem cells with an Asian elephant egg.

According to a statement on the company's site, the resurrected mammoth will be “more specifically a cold-resistant elephant with all of the core biological traits of the woolly mammoth."

“It will walk like a woolly mammoth, look like one, sound like one," he said.

The company claims that the return of the mammoth can help the environment, by reversing global warming. "It could help in reversing the rapid warming of the climate and more pressingly, protect the Arctic’s permafrost," the company says.

Scientists are working to resurrect the woolly mammoth and it could happen in as less as four years. The ice age beast that went extinct might walk the Earth once again soon, a company backed by Paris Hilton and Chris Hemsworth, said.

Scientists are working to resurrect the woolly mammoth and it could happen in as less as four years. The ice age beast that went extinct might walk the Earth once again soon, a company backed by Paris Hilton and Chris Hemsworth, said. Colossal Biosciences calls itself “the world’s first de-extinction company,” and is developing a method to revive “core” genes from animals that have been extinct for thousands of years. This includes not only the woolly mammoth but also the dodo and the Tasmanian tiger, The Independent reported. “We have set a date of late 2028 for our first mammoth and we are on track for that currently, which is great,” the CEO of the company, Ben Lamm, told the Independent. Lamm told Daily Mail that the entire process is like a “reverse Jurassic Park”. According to The Intercept, the company has raised more than $235 million, thanks to its celebrity backers. PayPal co-founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel and motivational speaker Tony Robbins are pumping money into the company, besides the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to the report. Also Read: Did woolly mammoth go extinct because of a blocked nose? Study says they did Lamm added that mammoths have a 22-month gestation period, which means another species might return before it does. “But given the other species have much shorter gestation, it is highly likely that we will see another species before the mammoth.” His eyes are set on the dodo and the Tasmanian Tiger for an early revival. Notably, the Tasmanian tiger went extinct in the early 1980s, while the dodo bird was last seen in the 1600s. The former can be revived in just weeks, while the dodo will take about one month, according to Lamm. He believes that "it is highly likely we will have a species before 2028", and it will be one of the three. The woolly mammoth has not been around for over 4,000 years. However, it shares 99.5 per cent of its genes with the Asian elephant. The company is using gene editing and fusing stem cells with an Asian elephant egg. According to a statement on the company's site, the resurrected mammoth will be “more specifically a cold-resistant elephant with all of the core biological traits of the woolly mammoth." “It will walk like a woolly mammoth, look like one, sound like one," he said. The company claims that the return of the mammoth can help the environment, by reversing global warming. "It could help in reversing the rapid warming of the climate and more pressingly, protect the Arctic’s permafrost," the company says.

Chris Hemsworth-backed company plans to revive woolly mammoth by 2028

The JUICE probe en route to Jupiter and its moons has clicked a high-definition picture of the Earth's radiation belt. The European Space Agency's spacecraft tested its Jovian Energetic Neutrals and Ions (JENI) instrument during a flyby of Earth.&nbsp;

JUICE slingshot itself towards Venus using our planet's gravity, from where it will use Venus's gravity to travel towards the Jupiter system.&nbsp;

Between August 19 and August 20, the spacecraft clicked extremely clear images of the Earth's radiation belts. These are groups of charged particles trapped in the Earth's magnetic field.

"As soon as we saw the crisp, new images, high fives went around the room," Matina Gkioulidou, deputy lead of JENI at APL, said in a statement.&nbsp;

"It was clear we had captured the vast ring of hot plasma encircling Earth in unprecedented detail, an achievement that has sparked excitement for what is to come at Jupiter."

The probe launched on April 14, 2023, aims to study Jupiter's atmosphere and how it affects its moons Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. Some of these moons are believed to host liquid water beneath their icy crusts.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/juice-snaps-earth-with-moon-lurking-on-the-sides-as-uranus-photobombs-760410">JUICE snaps Earth, with moon lurking on the sides, as Uranus photobombs</a>

The JUICE spacecraft will study the moons to know whether they host the elements essential for life.

The picture clicked by JUICE shows plasma swirling in the radiation belt like a halo, stretching out several times the Earth's radius around the planet. Earth has two radiation belts which are also known as the Van Allen radiation belts and create a donut-like region around the planet.

They contain electrons and protons trapped by the planet's magnetic field. The two belts are situated at different altitudes. The inner radiation belt is between 600 and 7,500 miles above Earth, while the outer belt sits about 8,000 to 37,000 miles above the Earth's surface.

"The richness of the data from our deep dive through the magnetosphere is astounding. JENI's image of the entire system we just flew through was the cherry on top. It's a powerful combination we will exploit in the Jovian system."

Notably, once the probe reaches Jupiter, JENI will be used to study the magnetosphere of the largest planet in our solar system.

JUICE will undergo a second gravity assist after reaching Venus in August 2025. It will return to Earth and will have two more gravity assists in 2026 and 2029. It is scheduled to reach Jupiter in 2031.

The JUICE probe en route to Jupiter and its moons has clicked a high-definition picture of the Earth's radiation belt. The European Space Agency's spacecraft tested its Jovian Energetic Neutrals and Ions (JENI) instrument during a flyby of Earth.

The JUICE probe en route to Jupiter and its moons has clicked a high-definition picture of the Earth's radiation belt. The European Space Agency's spacecraft tested its Jovian Energetic Neutrals and Ions (JENI) instrument during a flyby of Earth. JUICE slingshot itself towards Venus using our planet's gravity, from where it will use Venus's gravity to travel towards the Jupiter system. Between August 19 and August 20, the spacecraft clicked extremely clear images of the Earth's radiation belts. These are groups of charged particles trapped in the Earth's magnetic field. "As soon as we saw the crisp, new images, high fives went around the room," Matina Gkioulidou, deputy lead of JENI at APL, said in a statement. "It was clear we had captured the vast ring of hot plasma encircling Earth in unprecedented detail, an achievement that has sparked excitement for what is to come at Jupiter." The probe launched on April 14, 2023, aims to study Jupiter's atmosphere and how it affects its moons Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. Some of these moons are believed to host liquid water beneath their icy crusts. Also Read: JUICE snaps Earth, with moon lurking on the sides, as Uranus photobombs The JUICE spacecraft will study the moons to know whether they host the elements essential for life. The picture clicked by JUICE shows plasma swirling in the radiation belt like a halo, stretching out several times the Earth's radius around the planet. Earth has two radiation belts which are also known as the Van Allen radiation belts and create a donut-like region around the planet. They contain electrons and protons trapped by the planet's magnetic field. The two belts are situated at different altitudes. The inner radiation belt is between 600 and 7,500 miles above Earth, while the outer belt sits about 8,000 to 37,000 miles above the Earth's surface. "The richness of the data from our deep dive through the magnetosphere is astounding. JENI's image of the entire system we just flew through was the cherry on top. It's a powerful combination we will exploit in the Jovian system." Notably, once the probe reaches Jupiter, JENI will be used to study the magnetosphere of the largest planet in our solar system. JUICE will undergo a second gravity assist after reaching Venus in August 2025. It will return to Earth and will have two more gravity assists in 2026 and 2029. It is scheduled to reach Jupiter in 2031.

Watch: JUICE probe clicks photo of hot plasma in radiation belts around Earth

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