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Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully genetically modified a plant closely related to tobacco to produce nutrients found in human breast milk. This breakthrough could revolutionise infant formula by providing a source of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).

HMOs are essential components of breast milk known to promote healthy gut bacteria in infants and offer immune system benefits. Current infant formulas lack these HMOs or include only a limited variety, which limits their health benefits compared to breastfeeding.

Dr Patrick Shih, leading the research, spoke on the potential impact of the study, “Imagine being able to make all the human milk oligosaccharides in a single plant. Then you could just grind up that plant, extract all the oligosaccharides simultaneously and add that directly into infant formula. There would be a lot of challenges in implementation and commercialisation, but this is the big goal that we’re trying to move toward.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-find-proof-of-biblical-battle-between-gods-angel-and-assyrian-soldiers-in-jerusalem-732394">A Biblical battle was fought 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem, and we now have proof</a>

"While 75pc&nbsp;of infants are supplemented with or exclusively fed infant formula in the first 6 months of life, current infant formulas are either devoid of HMOs or only contain one to two of the ~200 HMOs found in human milk, limiting the health outcomes of formula-fed infants," as per the study.&nbsp;

The study, published in Nature Food, involved reprogramming the plant's sugar-making machinery by inserting genes responsible for producing enzymes needed to create various HMOs.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-spot-ancient-star-which-happens-to-be-one-of-the-oldest-in-the-milky-way-732385">Maverick star, one of the oldest in Milky Way, spotted moving at insane speed</a>

This resulted in the production of 11 different HMOs, including LNFP1, associated with reducing infections in infants.

According to Dr Shih, this approach not only holds promise for improving infant formula but also for enhancing the nutritional profile of non-dairy plant milks for adults.

<h5>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pannun-murder-plot-accused-nikhil-gupta-extradited-to-us-from-czech-republic-732530">Pannun murder plot: Accused Nikhil Gupta extradited to US from Czech Republic</a></h5>

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The scalability and potential cost-effectiveness of plant-based production make it a promising alternative to current methods, which involve microbial fermentation and are limited in scope.

Dr Shih also stressed the broader implications of the study.

“This could enable not just improved plant-based milks for infants but also for many other facets of adult diet and health. Plants have already been engineered to produce oils and fatty acids that are better for our health. These are just a few of a growing list of ways we can start making designer plants that are tailored to improve human health.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully genetically modified a plant closely related to tobacco to produce nutrients found in human breast milk.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully genetically modified a plant closely related to tobacco to produce nutrients found in human breast milk. This breakthrough could revolutionise infant formula by providing a source of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). HMOs are essential components of breast milk known to promote healthy gut bacteria in infants and offer immune system benefits. Current infant formulas lack these HMOs or include only a limited variety, which limits their health benefits compared to breastfeeding. Dr Patrick Shih, leading the research, spoke on the potential impact of the study, “Imagine being able to make all the human milk oligosaccharides in a single plant. Then you could just grind up that plant, extract all the oligosaccharides simultaneously and add that directly into infant formula. There would be a lot of challenges in implementation and commercialisation, but this is the big goal that we’re trying to move toward.” Also Read | A Biblical battle was fought 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem, and we now have proof "While 75pc of infants are supplemented with or exclusively fed infant formula in the first 6 months of life, current infant formulas are either devoid of HMOs or only contain one to two of the ~200 HMOs found in human milk, limiting the health outcomes of formula-fed infants," as per the study. The study, published in Nature Food, involved reprogramming the plant's sugar-making machinery by inserting genes responsible for producing enzymes needed to create various HMOs. Also Read | Maverick star, one of the oldest in Milky Way, spotted moving at insane speed This resulted in the production of 11 different HMOs, including LNFP1, associated with reducing infections in infants. According to Dr Shih, this approach not only holds promise for improving infant formula but also for enhancing the nutritional profile of non-dairy plant milks for adults. Watch | Pannun murder plot: Accused Nikhil Gupta extradited to US from Czech Republic × The scalability and potential cost-effectiveness of plant-based production make it a promising alternative to current methods, which involve microbial fermentation and are limited in scope. Dr Shih also stressed the broader implications of the study. “This could enable not just improved plant-based milks for infants but also for many other facets of adult diet and health. Plants have already been engineered to produce oils and fatty acids that are better for our health. These are just a few of a growing list of ways we can start making designer plants that are tailored to improve human health.” (With inputs from agencies)

Infant formula revolution? Scientists modify tobacco-like plant to produce human breast milk nutrients

Scientists have spotted an extremely rare type of tiny, ancient star which happens to be one of the oldest in the Milky Way galaxy. According to a report by ScienceAlert on Sunday (June 16), the star named CWISE J124909+362116.

Scientists have spotted an extremely rare type of tiny, ancient star which happens to be one of the oldest in the Milky Way galaxy. According to a report by ScienceAlert on Sunday (June 16), the star named CWISE J124909+362116.0 exceeds the galactic escape velocity at around 600 kilometres per second. The hypervelocity star is moving at such a speed that soon it would be thrown out into intergalactic space. The star, which is an L subdwarf, was spotted by scientists as they were combing through telescope data for signs of the mysterious Planet Nine. CWISE J124909+362116.0 (J1249+36 for short) is one of just a handful of hypervelocity stars identified in the Milky Way galaxy, the report said. The discovery of the star was announced at the 244th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The explanations for the star's velocity ScienceAlert reported on Sunday that there were many explanations for J1249+36's velocity, and scientists explored three of those. The first explanation: Scientists said that the first explanation for the star's velocity would be the expulsion from a binary system that includes a white dwarf star. Ultra-dense white dwarfs shine hotly with residual heat rather than fusion, and can be a bit unstable if they have a binary companion, they added. The second explanation: The second possibility which scientists said was of a many-body interaction that becomes unstable and meets one of the objects across the Milky Way. There are environments within the Milky Way that make these interactions more likely, namely globular clusters – dense globs that can contain millions of stars. The third explanation: The third explanation that scientists gave is that J1249+36 is not from the Milky Way at all, but one of the many satellite dwarf galaxies orbiting it. A study conducted in 2017 that examined the provenance of hypervelocity stars found an extragalactic origin plausible. Scientists pointed out that it's feasible for J1249+36, too. (With inputs from agencies)

Maverick star, one of the oldest in Milky Way, spotted moving at insane speed

Researchers have found evidence of a Biblical battle that took place some 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem. An entire archaeological site was discovered in Jerusalem, as per a report by Daily Mail, that provides clues of a battleground between God’s army and Assyrian soldiers.

As per the Bible, an angel of the Lord descended on the invading Assyrian troops when they tried to capture the Holy Land and killed about 185,000 soldiers in a single night.

The Assyrian Empire reigned from 1,365 to 609 BC. The King Sennacherib of the empire led a campaign to control all routes across the Syrian Desert that led to the Mediterranean Sea. The carvings on the walls of Sennacherib’s palace depict the conquest of Lachish, a city 42 miles south of Jerusalem. The palace also has an illustration of a military base floor plan inscribed on its walls.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-ancient-sea-sponge-fossil-providing-missing-link-in-evolution-731427">Scientists discover ancient sea sponge fossil, providing missing link in evolution</a>

These ancient engravings were scrutinised by archaeologist Stephen Compton who cross-reference the engravings with aerial photos of the alleged historical area. The site is identified in Israel’s Ammunition Hill area whose map was matched up with the ancient story.

“This appears to be the site of Sennacherib’s camp from the siege of Jerusalem, which was featured in the three books of the Bible,” Compton wrote in a June 4 press release.

The carvings pointed to ruins of a perimeter wall and buried pottery shards revealed to be at least roughly 2,600 years old, as per Compton’s analysis. The site is now believed to have been abandoned after Sennacherib’s invasion.

Researchers are keen to discover similar military bases and other ancient cities destroyed by the Assyrian Empire, using the same methods.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/are-birds-really-dinosaurs-fossils-of-largest-feathered-dinosaur-show-some-similarity-730700">Did birds evolve from dinosaurs? Fossils of largest feathered dinosaur hint at ancestry</a>

“In some cases, it has also been possible to use the newly discovered camps to locate the sites of ancient cities that were known to have been besieged by the Assyrians but whose locations were unknown or uncertain,” Compton said.

Three Biblical scriptures tell the story of God’s victory over the Assyrians in Jerusalem: Isaiah, 37:36-38; 2 Kings, 19:35; and 2 Chronicles, 32:21.

The story tells that Jerusalem’s ruler Hezekiah prayed to the Israelite deity Yahweh — who is believed to be a God among Christians, for protection and sent an angel to ambush soldiers as they slept. Other retellings of the attack cite the massacre of the Assyrian camp, while a version from Greek scripture describes an invasion of mice that chewed through the soldiers’ weaponry.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers have found evidence of a Biblical battle that took place some 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem. An entire archaeological site was discovered in Jerusalem, as per a report by Daily Mail, that provides clues of a battleground between God’s army and Assyrian soldiers.

Researchers have found evidence of a Biblical battle that took place some 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem. An entire archaeological site was discovered in Jerusalem, as per a report by Daily Mail, that provides clues of a battleground between God’s army and Assyrian soldiers. As per the Bible, an angel of the Lord descended on the invading Assyrian troops when they tried to capture the Holy Land and killed about 185,000 soldiers in a single night. The Assyrian Empire reigned from 1,365 to 609 BC. The King Sennacherib of the empire led a campaign to control all routes across the Syrian Desert that led to the Mediterranean Sea. The carvings on the walls of Sennacherib’s palace depict the conquest of Lachish, a city 42 miles south of Jerusalem. The palace also has an illustration of a military base floor plan inscribed on its walls. Also Read | Scientists discover ancient sea sponge fossil, providing missing link in evolution These ancient engravings were scrutinised by archaeologist Stephen Compton who cross-reference the engravings with aerial photos of the alleged historical area. The site is identified in Israel’s Ammunition Hill area whose map was matched up with the ancient story. “This appears to be the site of Sennacherib’s camp from the siege of Jerusalem, which was featured in the three books of the Bible,” Compton wrote in a June 4 press release. The carvings pointed to ruins of a perimeter wall and buried pottery shards revealed to be at least roughly 2,600 years old, as per Compton’s analysis. The site is now believed to have been abandoned after Sennacherib’s invasion. Researchers are keen to discover similar military bases and other ancient cities destroyed by the Assyrian Empire, using the same methods. Also Read | Did birds evolve from dinosaurs? Fossils of largest feathered dinosaur hint at ancestry “In some cases, it has also been possible to use the newly discovered camps to locate the sites of ancient cities that were known to have been besieged by the Assyrians but whose locations were unknown or uncertain,” Compton said. Three Biblical scriptures tell the story of God’s victory over the Assyrians in Jerusalem: Isaiah, 37:36-38; 2 Kings, 19:35; and 2 Chronicles, 32:21. The story tells that Jerusalem’s ruler Hezekiah prayed to the Israelite deity Yahweh — who is believed to be a God among Christians, for protection and sent an angel to ambush soldiers as they slept. Other retellings of the attack cite the massacre of the Assyrian camp, while a version from Greek scripture describes an invasion of mice that chewed through the soldiers’ weaponry. (With inputs from agencies)

A Biblical battle was fought 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem, and we now have proof

Since the beginning of time, people have been interested in finding out how long people can live and what makes a long, healthy life. A new study that was published in GeroScience has shown certain common biomarkers in adults over 90, such as glucose and cholesterol levels.

By comparing the lifelong biomarker profiles of unusually long-lived individuals with those of others who have had shorter lives to date, the study establishes a correlation between the profiles and the likelihood of reaching centenarian age.

Data from 44,000 Swedes who had health evaluations between the ages of 64 and 99 were included in the study; these individuals were a sample of the so-called Amoris cohort.

After that, these individuals were monitored for up to 35 years using data from the Swedish Register. 1,224 (or 2.7%) of these individuals lived to be 100 years old. Eighty-five percent of the centenarians were women.

There were twelve blood-based indicators associated with metabolism, inflammation, liver and renal function, possible malnourishment, and anemia. In earlier research, each of these has been linked to death or ageing.

According to the study, those who lived to be 100 years old often had lower&nbsp;blood levels of uric acid, creatinine, and glucose starting in their 60s. Centenarians had very high or low levels seldom, even if the median values for most biomarkers did not differ significantly between them and non-centenarians.

Both centenarians and non-centenarians exhibited levels for several of the biomarkers that were outside of the range that clinical standards deemed normal. This is most likely a result of the recommendations' reliance on data from a population that is younger and healthier.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-close-in-on-centuries-old-solar-mystery-of-suns-magnetic-field-732030">Researchers close in on centuries-old solar mystery of Sun's magnetic field</a>

All except two (albumin and alat) of the 12 biomarkers were associated with the chance of turning 100. Even after adjusting for illness burden, sex, and age, this remained the case.

Although the variations between some of the biomarkers were not very significant, they do point to a possible connection between longevity, diet, and metabolic health.

However, the study does not allow for any conclusions on whether lifestyle variables or genes are responsible for the biomarker readings.

(With inputs from agencies)

Since the beginning of time, people have been interested in finding out how long people can live and what makes a long, healthy life. A new study that was published in GeroScience has shown certain common biomarkers in adults over 90, such as glucose and cholesterol levels.

Since the beginning of time, people have been interested in finding out how long people can live and what makes a long, healthy life. A new study that was published in GeroScience has shown certain common biomarkers in adults over 90, such as glucose and cholesterol levels. By comparing the lifelong biomarker profiles of unusually long-lived individuals with those of others who have had shorter lives to date, the study establishes a correlation between the profiles and the likelihood of reaching centenarian age. Data from 44,000 Swedes who had health evaluations between the ages of 64 and 99 were included in the study; these individuals were a sample of the so-called Amoris cohort. After that, these individuals were monitored for up to 35 years using data from the Swedish Register. 1,224 (or 2.7%) of these individuals lived to be 100 years old. Eighty-five percent of the centenarians were women. There were twelve blood-based indicators associated with metabolism, inflammation, liver and renal function, possible malnourishment, and anemia. In earlier research, each of these has been linked to death or ageing. According to the study, those who lived to be 100 years old often had lower blood levels of uric acid, creatinine, and glucose starting in their 60s. Centenarians had very high or low levels seldom, even if the median values for most biomarkers did not differ significantly between them and non-centenarians. Both centenarians and non-centenarians exhibited levels for several of the biomarkers that were outside of the range that clinical standards deemed normal. This is most likely a result of the recommendations' reliance on data from a population that is younger and healthier. Also read: Researchers close in on centuries-old solar mystery of Sun's magnetic field All except two (albumin and alat) of the 12 biomarkers were associated with the chance of turning 100. Even after adjusting for illness burden, sex, and age, this remained the case. Although the variations between some of the biomarkers were not very significant, they do point to a possible connection between longevity, diet, and metabolic health. However, the study does not allow for any conclusions on whether lifestyle variables or genes are responsible for the biomarker readings. (With inputs from agencies)

Blood of those who live longer reveals vital differences

A star called T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), located in the constellation Corona Borealis, is expected to undergo a rare and spectacular nova explosion soon. This star system consists of two stars - a white dwarf and a red giant.

The white dwarf pulls hydrogen from the red giant and when enough hydrogen accumulates, it will cause a thermonuclear explosion. T CrB has had such explosions before, nearly every 80 years, with the last one occurring in 1946.

Based on current observations, another explosion is expected around September 2024.

Dr Koji Mukai, an astrophysics researcher at NASA Goddard, reportedly mentioned, “Recurrent novae are unpredictable and contrarian."&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-close-in-on-centuries-old-solar-mystery-of-suns-magnetic-field-732030">Researchers close in on centuries-old solar mystery of Sun's magnetic field</a>

“When you think there can’t possibly be a reason they follow a certain set pattern, they do - and as soon as you start to rely on them repeating the same pattern, they deviate from it completely. We’ll see how T CrB behaves.”

When T CrB erupts, it will shine brightly enough to be seen with the naked eye for several days.

To find the explosion, draw an imaginary line between the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus and Vega, which will lead you to Corona Borealis, where the&nbsp;T CrB nova explosion is to take place.&nbsp;

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Dr Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said,&nbsp;“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event that will create a lot of new astronomers out there, giving young people a cosmic event they can observe for themselves, ask their own questions, and collect their own data."

Watch | Study: Secret aliens could be here on Earth already

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“It’ll fuel the next generation of scientists.” This nova explosion is not just a spectacle but it is a valuable scientific opportunity.

Astronomers around the world will use a variety of telescopes and instruments, including NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, to study this event. These observations will help scientists understand the structure, energy output and evolution of novae and the life cycles of binary star systems.

(With inputs from agencies)

A star called T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), located in the constellation Corona Borealis, is expected to undergo a rare and spectacular nova explosion soon. This star system consists of two stars - a white dwarf and a red giant.

A star called T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), located in the constellation Corona Borealis, is expected to undergo a rare and spectacular nova explosion soon. This star system consists of two stars - a white dwarf and a red giant. The white dwarf pulls hydrogen from the red giant and when enough hydrogen accumulates, it will cause a thermonuclear explosion. T CrB has had such explosions before, nearly every 80 years, with the last one occurring in 1946. Based on current observations, another explosion is expected around September 2024. Dr Koji Mukai, an astrophysics researcher at NASA Goddard, reportedly mentioned, “Recurrent novae are unpredictable and contrarian." Also Read | Researchers close in on centuries-old solar mystery of Sun's magnetic field “When you think there can’t possibly be a reason they follow a certain set pattern, they do - and as soon as you start to rely on them repeating the same pattern, they deviate from it completely. We’ll see how T CrB behaves.” When T CrB erupts, it will shine brightly enough to be seen with the naked eye for several days. To find the explosion, draw an imaginary line between the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus and Vega, which will lead you to Corona Borealis, where the T CrB nova explosion is to take place. Also Read | NASA's Voyager 1 resumes full ops, transmits valuable data after overcoming malfunction Dr Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event that will create a lot of new astronomers out there, giving young people a cosmic event they can observe for themselves, ask their own questions, and collect their own data." Watch | Study: Secret aliens could be here on Earth already × “It’ll fuel the next generation of scientists.” This nova explosion is not just a spectacle but it is a valuable scientific opportunity. Astronomers around the world will use a variety of telescopes and instruments, including NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, to study this event. These observations will help scientists understand the structure, energy output and evolution of novae and the life cycles of binary star systems. (With inputs from agencies)

Star T Coronae Borealis set for rare nova explosion. Here's how to watch it

A team of international researchers is inching closer to solving a solar mystery that has puzzled scientists for centuries. Astronomers have been stuck by the sun’s magnetic field while striving to understand where it originates.

This magnetic field is crucial as it drives various solar phenomena, including sunspots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact Earth’s space weather. It also has the potention to disrupt radio transmissions and power grids on Earth.&nbsp;

The first key observations of the sun’s magnetic activity date back to the early 17th century, with Galileo Galilei’s pioneering work on sunspots. But pinpointing the exact source of the sun’s magnetic field has remained an elusive goal.

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However, in the study led by Geoffrey Vasil from Edinburgh University which involved conducting a series of calculations on a NASA supercomputer, the researchers pinpointed the origin of the sun’s magnetic field to be nearly 30,000 km below the sun's surface.&nbsp;The study was published in the journal Nature.

This finding challenges earlier theories that placed the source much deeper, around 200,000 km beneath the surface.

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The paper's co-author Daniel Lecoanet from Northwestern University, said “This work proposes a new hypothesis for how the sun’s magnetic field is generated that better matches solar observations and, we hope, could be used to make better predictions of solar activity."&nbsp;

The team developed advanced numerical simulations to model the sun's magnetic field.

<h2>Torsional oscillations</h2>

Unlike previous models, this new model included torsional oscillations, a pattern of gas and plasma movement within and around the sun.

Since the sun is not solid, its rotation varies with latitude, and both the magnetic cycle and torsional oscillations share an 11-year cycle.

Watch | Cancer rate in younger people rising sharply as per new research

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“Because the wave has the same period as the magnetic cycle, it has been thought that these phenomena were linked,” Lecoanet explained.

“However, the traditional ‘deep theory’ does not explain where torsional oscillations come from. An intriguing clue is that these are only near the surface of the sun. Our hypothesis is that the magnetic cycle and the torsional oscillations are different manifestations of the same physical process," he further said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A team of international researchers is inching closer to solving a solar mystery that has puzzled scientists for centuries. Astronomers have been stuck by the sun’s magnetic field while striving to understand where it originates.

A team of international researchers is inching closer to solving a solar mystery that has puzzled scientists for centuries. Astronomers have been stuck by the sun’s magnetic field while striving to understand where it originates. This magnetic field is crucial as it drives various solar phenomena, including sunspots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact Earth’s space weather. It also has the potention to disrupt radio transmissions and power grids on Earth. The first key observations of the sun’s magnetic activity date back to the early 17th century, with Galileo Galilei’s pioneering work on sunspots. But pinpointing the exact source of the sun’s magnetic field has remained an elusive goal. Also Read | NASA's Voyager 1 resumes full ops, transmits valuable data after overcoming malfunction However, in the study led by Geoffrey Vasil from Edinburgh University which involved conducting a series of calculations on a NASA supercomputer, the researchers pinpointed the origin of the sun’s magnetic field to be nearly 30,000 km below the sun's surface. The study was published in the journal Nature. This finding challenges earlier theories that placed the source much deeper, around 200,000 km beneath the surface. Also Read | First 'major lunar standstill' in more than 18 years to occur this year. Here's how to see it The paper's co-author Daniel Lecoanet from Northwestern University, said “This work proposes a new hypothesis for how the sun’s magnetic field is generated that better matches solar observations and, we hope, could be used to make better predictions of solar activity." The team developed advanced numerical simulations to model the sun's magnetic field. Torsional oscillations Unlike previous models, this new model included torsional oscillations, a pattern of gas and plasma movement within and around the sun. Since the sun is not solid, its rotation varies with latitude, and both the magnetic cycle and torsional oscillations share an 11-year cycle. Watch | Cancer rate in younger people rising sharply as per new research × “Because the wave has the same period as the magnetic cycle, it has been thought that these phenomena were linked,” Lecoanet explained. “However, the traditional ‘deep theory’ does not explain where torsional oscillations come from. An intriguing clue is that these are only near the surface of the sun. Our hypothesis is that the magnetic cycle and the torsional oscillations are different manifestations of the same physical process," he further said. (With inputs from agencies)

Researchers close in on centuries-old solar mystery of Sun's magnetic field

NASA's Voyager 1 has resumed full operations and ended its silence period. Notably, the spacecraft, which stopped sending usable data in November 2023, is now once again transmitting valuable information from its four scientific instruments.

Voyager 1, launched on September 5, 1977, had been sending garbled data instead of its usual binary code. It is presently more than 15 billion miles from Earth.&nbsp;

Given the spacecraft's 46-year journey, such malfunctions weren't entirely unexpected. However, Voyager 1 team traced the problem to the flight data subsystem (FDS) that was responsible for packaging and sending data back to Earth.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-major-lunar-standstill-in-more-than-18-years-to-occur-this-year-heres-how-to-see-it-731784">First 'major lunar standstill' in more than 18 years to occur this year. Here's how to see it</a>

A detailed investigation pinpointed the exact chip causing the trouble and enabled the team to develop a workaround. Voyager 1 began sending coherent data again on April 20, 2024, although initially only from two of its instruments.

But now, all four scientific instruments are operational and communicating effectively with mission control.

The primary mission of the aircraft from 1977 to 1980 was conducting flybys of Jupiter and Saturn to collect data on these planets and their moons. However, from 1980 onwards after its primary mission, Voyager 1 continued its journey towards interstellar space. It is currently providing valuable information about the outer regions of the Solar System and the interstellar medium.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-say-watery-planets-orbiting-dead-stars-may-be-hosting-alien-life-731761">Scientists say watery planets orbiting dead stars may be hosting alien life</a>

With Voyager 1 back online, the team will focus on further restoration efforts. This will include resynchronising its timekeeping software and maintaining the digital tape recorder used to measure plasma waves.

<h2>Voyager 1&nbsp;journey&nbsp;</h2>

In 1979, Voyager 1 sent back detailed images and data of Jupiter, its rings and its moons, including volcanic activity on Io. The probe in 1980 provided unprecedented close-up images and data of Saturn, its rings and its largest moon, Titan.

Watch | Study: Secret aliens could be here on Earth already

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In 1990, Voyager 1 took a famous photograph of Earth from a distance of about 6 billion kilometres that showed our planet as a tiny dot in the vastness of space. On August 25, 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space by crossing the heliopause, the boundary where the Sun's influence wanes and the interstellar medium begins.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Voyager 1 has resumed full operations and ended its silence period. Notably, the spacecraft, which stopped sending usable data in November 2023, is now once again transmitting valuable information from its four scientific instruments.

NASA's Voyager 1 has resumed full operations and ended its silence period. Notably, the spacecraft, which stopped sending usable data in November 2023, is now once again transmitting valuable information from its four scientific instruments. Voyager 1, launched on September 5, 1977, had been sending garbled data instead of its usual binary code. It is presently more than 15 billion miles from Earth. Given the spacecraft's 46-year journey, such malfunctions weren't entirely unexpected. However, Voyager 1 team traced the problem to the flight data subsystem (FDS) that was responsible for packaging and sending data back to Earth. Also Read | First 'major lunar standstill' in more than 18 years to occur this year. Here's how to see it A detailed investigation pinpointed the exact chip causing the trouble and enabled the team to develop a workaround. Voyager 1 began sending coherent data again on April 20, 2024, although initially only from two of its instruments. But now, all four scientific instruments are operational and communicating effectively with mission control. The primary mission of the aircraft from 1977 to 1980 was conducting flybys of Jupiter and Saturn to collect data on these planets and their moons. However, from 1980 onwards after its primary mission, Voyager 1 continued its journey towards interstellar space. It is currently providing valuable information about the outer regions of the Solar System and the interstellar medium. Also Read | Scientists say watery planets orbiting dead stars may be hosting alien life With Voyager 1 back online, the team will focus on further restoration efforts. This will include resynchronising its timekeeping software and maintaining the digital tape recorder used to measure plasma waves. Voyager 1 journey In 1979, Voyager 1 sent back detailed images and data of Jupiter, its rings and its moons, including volcanic activity on Io. The probe in 1980 provided unprecedented close-up images and data of Saturn, its rings and its largest moon, Titan. Watch | Study: Secret aliens could be here on Earth already × In 1990, Voyager 1 took a famous photograph of Earth from a distance of about 6 billion kilometres that showed our planet as a tiny dot in the vastness of space. On August 25, 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space by crossing the heliopause, the boundary where the Sun's influence wanes and the interstellar medium begins. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Voyager 1 resumes full ops, transmits valuable data after overcoming malfunction

Did you know, there's a rule you should follow when it comes to peeing?

There are many ways to take care of our bodies, and this simple trick will help you monitor your bladder and keep it healthy.

Your pee can already be an indicator that something is wrong - for example, if there's blood in it, or if it's looking particularly cloudy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-italian-mps-throw-punches-at-each-other-in-parliament-as-country-hosts-g7-summit-731598">Watch: Italian MPs throw punches at each other in parliament&nbsp;as country hosts G7 Summit</a>

But this hack pertains to the duration of your urination, rather than what your urine looks like.

This rule was inspired by a study conducted by a group of mechanical engineering students at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

For the study, the team of researchers analysed high-speed videos of animals of all various sizes peeing and introduced the concept calling it ‘The Law of Urination'.

The study found that animals that are over three kilogrammes (6.6 pounds) empty their bladders in about 21 seconds, while smaller animals such as rats took just a fraction of a second to empty their tiny bladders.

Based on these findings, researchers confirmed that urination duration is not solely determined by bladder pressure; it is also influenced by gravity, as explained by IFL Science.

The team wrote in the paper, which was published back in 2014, "How can bladders of both 0.5 kg and 100 kg be emptied in nearly the same duration? Larger animals have longer urethras, and so greater gravitational force driving flow.

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"These elongated urethras enhance the flow rate in larger animals, allowing them to efficiently empty their sizable bladders in a relatively consistent duration."

As to how the study relates to humans, it has provided us with a general rule of thumb to follow in terms of how long we should be urinating.

The optimal time is around 21 seconds, and if you're peeing for much longer or much quicker, it could signify that you're either relieving yourself too often or holding in for too long.

If you pee too often, it could lead to you having what's known as an 'overactive bladder', while holding in your pee for too long can cause you to develop a UTI.&nbsp;

However, there's also an increased risk of kidney disease if you're an occasional toilet-goer, in addition to bladder rupture and your bladder becoming enlarged.

In addition to aiming for a duration of around 21 seconds when urinating, another ballpark figure to note is that we should be peeing around eight times a day if we drink eight cups of water, urologist Nicole Eisenbrown says.

(With inputs from agencies)

Did you know, there's a rule you should follow when it comes to peeing? There are many ways to take care of our bodies, and this simple trick will help you monitor your bladder and keep it healthy.

Did you know, there's a rule you should follow when it comes to peeing? There are many ways to take care of our bodies, and this simple trick will help you monitor your bladder and keep it healthy. Your pee can already be an indicator that something is wrong - for example, if there's blood in it, or if it's looking particularly cloudy. Watch: Italian MPs throw punches at each other in parliament as country hosts G7 Summit But this hack pertains to the duration of your urination, rather than what your urine looks like. This rule was inspired by a study conducted by a group of mechanical engineering students at the Georgia Institute of Technology. For the study, the team of researchers analysed high-speed videos of animals of all various sizes peeing and introduced the concept calling it ‘The Law of Urination'. The study found that animals that are over three kilogrammes (6.6 pounds) empty their bladders in about 21 seconds, while smaller animals such as rats took just a fraction of a second to empty their tiny bladders. Based on these findings, researchers confirmed that urination duration is not solely determined by bladder pressure; it is also influenced by gravity, as explained by IFL Science. The team wrote in the paper, which was published back in 2014, "How can bladders of both 0.5 kg and 100 kg be emptied in nearly the same duration? Larger animals have longer urethras, and so greater gravitational force driving flow. Also read: Remote Australian community unites to kill crocodile and prepare a grand meal out of it "These elongated urethras enhance the flow rate in larger animals, allowing them to efficiently empty their sizable bladders in a relatively consistent duration." As to how the study relates to humans, it has provided us with a general rule of thumb to follow in terms of how long we should be urinating. The optimal time is around 21 seconds, and if you're peeing for much longer or much quicker, it could signify that you're either relieving yourself too often or holding in for too long. If you pee too often, it could lead to you having what's known as an 'overactive bladder', while holding in your pee for too long can cause you to develop a UTI. However, there's also an increased risk of kidney disease if you're an occasional toilet-goer, in addition to bladder rupture and your bladder becoming enlarged. In addition to aiming for a duration of around 21 seconds when urinating, another ballpark figure to note is that we should be peeing around eight times a day if we drink eight cups of water, urologist Nicole Eisenbrown says. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientifically speaking, THIS is how much time one should spend peeing

The latest study has confirmed that the Earth’s inner core is slowing down in relation to the surface of the planet. The decrease in speed started over 10 years ago - around 2010. This apparently happened for the first time since scientists developed the capacity to measure it.&nbsp;

The inner core is solid and made up of iron and nickel. It is a very hot and dense centre of our planet, with temperatures up to 5,500 degrees Celsius. The liquid iron-nickel outer core surrounds a solid iron-nickel spherical within it. The inner core is roughly the size of the moon and rests more than 3,000 miles beneath our feet.&nbsp;

Researchers can't visit or view it but they can study it using the seismic waves of earthquakes.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-supernova-remained-brilliantly-bright-40-years-after-its-explosion-731437">This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion</a>&nbsp;

Scientists at the University of Southern California have proven that the Earth's inner core is backtracking, meaning slowing down. The study, titled, "Inner core backtracking by seismic waveform change reversals", was published in Nature on Wednesday (Jun 12).&nbsp;

"The pattern of matches, together with previous studies, demonstrates that the inner core gradually super-rotated from 2003 to 2008, and then from 2008 to 2023 sub-rotated two to three times more slowly back through the same path," the researchers said.&nbsp;

John Vidale, Dean's Professor of Earth Sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, said as quoted by the official site: "When I first saw the seismograms that hinted at this change, I was stumped."&nbsp;

"But when we found two dozen more observations signaling the same pattern, the result was inescapable. The inner core had slowed down for the first time in many decades. Other scientists have recently argued for similar and different models, but our latest study provides the most convincing resolution," Vidale added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-species-of-pterosaur-discovered-using-100-million-year-old-fossilised-bones-731232">New species of pterosaur discovered using 100-million-year-old fossilised bones</a>&nbsp;

The official release mentioned that the inner core is considered to be reversing and backtracking relative to the planet's surface as a result of moving somewhat slower than the Earth's mantle for the first time in about 40 years.&nbsp;

This could eventually alter the entire planet's rotation, prolonging our days, but if there are any noticeable consequences, they will most likely be on the geomagnetic field.&nbsp;

Vidale also said that the backtracking of the inner core may alter the length of a day by fractions of a second. As quoted, he said, "It's very hard to notice, on the order of a thousandth of a second, almost lost in the noise of the churning oceans and atmosphere."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The latest study has confirmed that the Earth’s inner core is slowing down in relation to the surface of the planet. The decrease in speed started over 10 years ago - around 2010.

The latest study has confirmed that the Earth’s inner core is slowing down in relation to the surface of the planet. The decrease in speed started over 10 years ago - around 2010. This apparently happened for the first time since scientists developed the capacity to measure it. The inner core is solid and made up of iron and nickel. It is a very hot and dense centre of our planet, with temperatures up to 5,500 degrees Celsius. The liquid iron-nickel outer core surrounds a solid iron-nickel spherical within it. The inner core is roughly the size of the moon and rests more than 3,000 miles beneath our feet. Researchers can't visit or view it but they can study it using the seismic waves of earthquakes. Also read: This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion Scientists at the University of Southern California have proven that the Earth's inner core is backtracking, meaning slowing down. The study, titled, "Inner core backtracking by seismic waveform change reversals", was published in Nature on Wednesday (Jun 12). "The pattern of matches, together with previous studies, demonstrates that the inner core gradually super-rotated from 2003 to 2008, and then from 2008 to 2023 sub-rotated two to three times more slowly back through the same path," the researchers said. John Vidale, Dean's Professor of Earth Sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, said as quoted by the official site: "When I first saw the seismograms that hinted at this change, I was stumped." "But when we found two dozen more observations signaling the same pattern, the result was inescapable. The inner core had slowed down for the first time in many decades. Other scientists have recently argued for similar and different models, but our latest study provides the most convincing resolution," Vidale added. Also read: New species of pterosaur discovered using 100-million-year-old fossilised bones The official release mentioned that the inner core is considered to be reversing and backtracking relative to the planet's surface as a result of moving somewhat slower than the Earth's mantle for the first time in about 40 years. This could eventually alter the entire planet's rotation, prolonging our days, but if there are any noticeable consequences, they will most likely be on the geomagnetic field. Vidale also said that the backtracking of the inner core may alter the length of a day by fractions of a second. As quoted, he said, "It's very hard to notice, on the order of a thousandth of a second, almost lost in the noise of the churning oceans and atmosphere." (With inputs from agencies)

Earth's inner core rotation slowed for over a decade. It might impact your days

Skywatchers are in for a treat in the upcoming months. A “major lunar standstill” is all set to grace&nbsp;our night skies this year. The celestial event is happening after 18 long years as the last major lunar standstill was seen in 2006.&nbsp;

During this event, the moon will rise and set at its most extreme northerly and southerly positions on the horizon reaching its highest and lowest points in the 18.6-year lunar cycle. This happens because the moon does not follow the same path as the sun. Its rising and setting positions on the horizon change constantly due to the movements of the Earth and the moon.&nbsp;

Earth rotates on an axis tilted by 23.4 degrees with respect to this ecliptic, causing the sun to rise and set within almost 47 degrees — a range it gradually covers over an entire year. The moon's orbit, on the other hand, is tilted by 5.1 degrees relative to the ecliptic, allowing it to rise and set within a 57-degree range in any given month.

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This causes the moon to rise and set at points on the horizon farther north and south than the sun can.

<h2>How a ‘major lunar standstill’ is formed</h2>

A major lunar standstill, also known as lunistice, occurs when the tilts of both Earth and the moon are at their maximum.&nbsp;

During this period, the moon rises and sets at the extremes of its range. It rises at its very highest northeasterly point and sets at its very highest northwesterly point. It also rises at its most southeasterly point and sets at its most southwesterly point at this time.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-say-watery-planets-orbiting-dead-stars-may-be-hosting-alien-life-731761">Scientists say watery planets orbiting dead stars may be hosting alien life</a>

Historical sites such as Stonehenge, Callanish and Newgrange appear to be aligned with moonrise and moonset points during a major lunar standstill, indicating the celestial event’s past importance.

<h2>When can we expect a ‘major lunar standstill’?</h2>

This major lunar standstill will be at its most extreme around the equinoxes in September 2024 and March 2025, which will provide its best view.

However, visibility depends on the moon's phase, your location and the weather. Good times to look include when the moon rises and the sun sets, and vice versa, during a full moon.&nbsp;

This phenomenon can be best watched with a pair of stargazing binoculars or a good backyard telescope, but you can also spot the lunar standstill with the naked eye.

(With inputs from agencies)

Skywatchers are in for a treat in the upcoming months. A “major lunar standstill” is all set to grace our night skies this year. The celestial event is happening after 18 long years as the last major lunar standstill was seen in 2006.

Skywatchers are in for a treat in the upcoming months. A “major lunar standstill” is all set to grace our night skies this year. The celestial event is happening after 18 long years as the last major lunar standstill was seen in 2006. During this event, the moon will rise and set at its most extreme northerly and southerly positions on the horizon reaching its highest and lowest points in the 18.6-year lunar cycle. This happens because the moon does not follow the same path as the sun. Its rising and setting positions on the horizon change constantly due to the movements of the Earth and the moon. Earth rotates on an axis tilted by 23.4 degrees with respect to this ecliptic, causing the sun to rise and set within almost 47 degrees — a range it gradually covers over an entire year. The moon's orbit, on the other hand, is tilted by 5.1 degrees relative to the ecliptic, allowing it to rise and set within a 57-degree range in any given month. Also Read | Bursting winds from black holes are likely shaping galaxies: study This causes the moon to rise and set at points on the horizon farther north and south than the sun can. How a ‘major lunar standstill’ is formed A major lunar standstill, also known as lunistice, occurs when the tilts of both Earth and the moon are at their maximum. During this period, the moon rises and sets at the extremes of its range. It rises at its very highest northeasterly point and sets at its very highest northwesterly point. It also rises at its most southeasterly point and sets at its most southwesterly point at this time. Also Read | Scientists say watery planets orbiting dead stars may be hosting alien life Historical sites such as Stonehenge, Callanish and Newgrange appear to be aligned with moonrise and moonset points during a major lunar standstill, indicating the celestial event’s past importance. When can we expect a ‘major lunar standstill’? This major lunar standstill will be at its most extreme around the equinoxes in September 2024 and March 2025, which will provide its best view. However, visibility depends on the moon's phase, your location and the weather. Good times to look include when the moon rises and the sun sets, and vice versa, during a full moon. This phenomenon can be best watched with a pair of stargazing binoculars or a good backyard telescope, but you can also spot the lunar standstill with the naked eye. (With inputs from agencies)

First 'major lunar standstill' in more than 18 years to occur this year. Here's how to see it

A new study has placed the focus on the watery planets which have been orbiting dead stars for&nbsp;a long time.&nbsp; According to the study, these white dwarfs - which are remnants of stars that have run out of fuel - may be the best place where life is being harboured due to the presence of water.

The study suggests that scientists should spot the shadow of a planet against a former star which has withered in size but has its water oceans for billions of years even after facing all violent final throes.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nearly-a-trillion-earth-like-planets-exist-in-universe-nasa-on-hunt-to-find-if-we-are-not-alone-731671">Are we alone in the cosmos? NASA chief says a trillion Earth-like planets are out there</a>

Explaining the characteristics of the white dwarfs, the study's lead author and the University of Wisconsin–Madison astronomy professor Juliette Becker said, "White dwarfs are so small and so featureless, that if a terrestrial planet transited in front of them, you could actually do a much better job of characterizing its atmosphere."

"The planet's atmosphere would have a much larger, clearer signal because a larger fraction of the light you're seeing is passing through exactly what you want to study," he added.

<h2>Watery planets need to survive to host alien lives!</h2>

But for hosting any lives, such a planet needs to first survive the last days of a small- to medium-sized star, which is likely to be rough.

When the fuel of stars like our Sun is finished, it starts a fusion reaction at its core and they start to bulge enormously.

"There are two pulses, basically, during which the star grows to 100 times its normal radius. While it does that—we can call this part Destruction Phase No. 1—it will engulf any planets that are within that radius," said Becker.

If a water-harbouring planet escapes getting swallowed by its star, it has to then survive the loss of its mass and an increase in its brightness.

"The fact that the star gets so much brighter means that all planets in the system, even ones that used to be cold in the outer solar system, will suddenly have their surface temperatures increase drastically," said Becker. "That can evaporate their oceans and cost them a lot of water," he added.

Watch:&nbsp;Earth's inner core rotation slowing down; deceleration of core confirmed: study

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/earths-inner-core-rotation-slowing-down-deceleration-of-core-confirmed-study-731617/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A perfect Earth-like planet will likely be present at least roughly 5 to 6 astronomical units away from its dying star for retaining an appreciable amount of water, as per the study

After a billion or more years, the planet's once-rampaging star is likely to shrink and cool. "If you can be sufficiently far away during this dangerous time that you don't lose your surface water, that's good," said Becker.&nbsp;

"But the downside is you're going to be so far away from the star that all the water is going to be ice, and that's not great for life," he added.&nbsp;

"If we find a lot of&nbsp;white dwarfs&nbsp;that are good candidates to host potentially habitable exoplanets, they could be worth the time. And these theoretical techniques will help us separate the best targets, so we don't spend too much time on the uninteresting ones," explained the author.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new study has placed the focus on the watery planets which have been orbiting dead stars for a long time. According to the study, these white dwarfs - which are remnants of stars that have run out of fuel - may be the best place where life is being harboured due to the presence of water.

A new study has placed the focus on the watery planets which have been orbiting dead stars for a long time. According to the study, these white dwarfs - which are remnants of stars that have run out of fuel - may be the best place where life is being harboured due to the presence of water. The study suggests that scientists should spot the shadow of a planet against a former star which has withered in size but has its water oceans for billions of years even after facing all violent final throes. Also Read: Are we alone in the cosmos? NASA chief says a trillion Earth-like planets are out there Explaining the characteristics of the white dwarfs, the study's lead author and the University of Wisconsin–Madison astronomy professor Juliette Becker said, "White dwarfs are so small and so featureless, that if a terrestrial planet transited in front of them, you could actually do a much better job of characterizing its atmosphere." "The planet's atmosphere would have a much larger, clearer signal because a larger fraction of the light you're seeing is passing through exactly what you want to study," he added. Watery planets need to survive to host alien lives! But for hosting any lives, such a planet needs to first survive the last days of a small- to medium-sized star, which is likely to be rough. When the fuel of stars like our Sun is finished, it starts a fusion reaction at its core and they start to bulge enormously. "There are two pulses, basically, during which the star grows to 100 times its normal radius. While it does that—we can call this part Destruction Phase No. 1—it will engulf any planets that are within that radius," said Becker. If a water-harbouring planet escapes getting swallowed by its star, it has to then survive the loss of its mass and an increase in its brightness. "The fact that the star gets so much brighter means that all planets in the system, even ones that used to be cold in the outer solar system, will suddenly have their surface temperatures increase drastically," said Becker. "That can evaporate their oceans and cost them a lot of water," he added. Watch: Earth's inner core rotation slowing down; deceleration of core confirmed: study A perfect Earth-like planet will likely be present at least roughly 5 to 6 astronomical units away from its dying star for retaining an appreciable amount of water, as per the study After a billion or more years, the planet's once-rampaging star is likely to shrink and cool. "If you can be sufficiently far away during this dangerous time that you don't lose your surface water, that's good," said Becker. "But the downside is you're going to be so far away from the star that all the water is going to be ice, and that's not great for life," he added. "If we find a lot of white dwarfs that are good candidates to host potentially habitable exoplanets, they could be worth the time. And these theoretical techniques will help us separate the best targets, so we don't spend too much time on the uninteresting ones," explained the author. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists say watery planets orbiting dead stars may be hosting alien life

In its latest study carried out by the&nbsp;University of Wisconsin–Madison, scientists have found that gas clouds in a distant galaxy are getting pushed outwards at a speed of more than 10,000 miles per second.&nbsp;The cosmic energy which is pushing them is the radiation getting released from a supermassive black hole that is present at the centre of the galaxy.

According to the research, the winds from black holes have been influencing their galaxies by affecting star formation.&nbsp;

While investigating these black holes and their influence on the galaxies, astrophysicists Catherine Grier and Robert Wheatley looked into over eight years of data regarding quasar SBS 1408+544 which was collected by the&nbsp;Black Hole Mapper Reverberation Mapping Project of Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

<h2>Quasars - Supermassive black holes with intense light and accelerated winds</h2>

According to the scientists, black holes are present at the centre of most of our&nbsp;galaxies.

Quasars are a kind of supermassive black holes which are encircled by disks of matter. The matter gets drawn in by massive gravitational pull.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/supercharged-black-holes-birthed-and-died-in-a-split-second-after-big-bang-730729">&nbsp;'Supercharged' black holes birthed and died in a split second after Big Bang</a>

“The material in that disk is always falling into the black hole, and the friction of that pulling and pulling heats up the disk and makes it very, very hot and very, very bright,” Grier said.

“These quasars are really luminous, and because there’s a large range of temperatures from the interior to the far parts of the disk, their emission covers almost all of the electromagnetic spectrum," he added.

The intense light which is released from quasars can be as old as the universe and allows them to be seen from billions of light-years away.

The researchers observed the&nbsp;gaseous carbon winds getting released from quasar SBS 1408+544 by detecting missing light which was absorbed by the gas.&nbsp;

In the observations, it was found that the absorption shifted in the spectrum and indicated the increasing velocity of the gas.

“That shift tells us the gas is moving fast, and faster all the time. The wind is accelerating because it’s being pushed by radiation that is blasted off of the accretion disk," Wheatley said.

The latest findings have confirmed that winds, with increased velocity, were released from black hole accretion disks. These quasar winds are important because they impact the evolution of the host galaxy.

<h2>Quasar winds are shaping galaxies: experts</h2>

“If they’re energetic enough, the winds may travel all the way out into the host galaxy, where they could have a significant impact,” Wheatley said.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Scientists unveil Black Hole's plunge, bizarre region around black holes found

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/scientists-unveil-black-holes-plunge-bizarre-region-around-black-holes-found-722629/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The winds, depending on the conditions, either compress gas which increases the speed of star formation or remove gas and stop the formation of the star.

“Supermassive black holes are big, but they’re really tiny compared to their galaxies. That doesn’t mean they can’t ‘talk’ to each other, and this is a way for one to talk to the other that we will have to account for when we model the effects of these kinds of black holes," noted Grier.

(With inputs from agencies)

In its latest study carried out by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, scientists have found that gas clouds in a distant galaxy are getting pushed outwards at a speed of more than 10,000 miles per second.

In its latest study carried out by the University of Wisconsin–Madison, scientists have found that gas clouds in a distant galaxy are getting pushed outwards at a speed of more than 10,000 miles per second. The cosmic energy which is pushing them is the radiation getting released from a supermassive black hole that is present at the centre of the galaxy. According to the research, the winds from black holes have been influencing their galaxies by affecting star formation. While investigating these black holes and their influence on the galaxies, astrophysicists Catherine Grier and Robert Wheatley looked into over eight years of data regarding quasar SBS 1408+544 which was collected by the Black Hole Mapper Reverberation Mapping Project of Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Quasars - Supermassive black holes with intense light and accelerated winds According to the scientists, black holes are present at the centre of most of our galaxies. Quasars are a kind of supermassive black holes which are encircled by disks of matter. The matter gets drawn in by massive gravitational pull. Also Read: 'Supercharged' black holes birthed and died in a split second after Big Bang “The material in that disk is always falling into the black hole, and the friction of that pulling and pulling heats up the disk and makes it very, very hot and very, very bright,” Grier said. “These quasars are really luminous, and because there’s a large range of temperatures from the interior to the far parts of the disk, their emission covers almost all of the electromagnetic spectrum," he added. The intense light which is released from quasars can be as old as the universe and allows them to be seen from billions of light-years away. The researchers observed the gaseous carbon winds getting released from quasar SBS 1408+544 by detecting missing light which was absorbed by the gas. In the observations, it was found that the absorption shifted in the spectrum and indicated the increasing velocity of the gas. “That shift tells us the gas is moving fast, and faster all the time. The wind is accelerating because it’s being pushed by radiation that is blasted off of the accretion disk," Wheatley said. The latest findings have confirmed that winds, with increased velocity, were released from black hole accretion disks. These quasar winds are important because they impact the evolution of the host galaxy. Quasar winds are shaping galaxies: experts “If they’re energetic enough, the winds may travel all the way out into the host galaxy, where they could have a significant impact,” Wheatley said. Watch: Scientists unveil Black Hole's plunge, bizarre region around black holes found The winds, depending on the conditions, either compress gas which increases the speed of star formation or remove gas and stop the formation of the star. “Supermassive black holes are big, but they’re really tiny compared to their galaxies. That doesn’t mean they can’t ‘talk’ to each other, and this is a way for one to talk to the other that we will have to account for when we model the effects of these kinds of black holes," noted Grier. (With inputs from agencies)

Bursting winds from black holes are likely shaping galaxies: study

NASA&nbsp;administrator Bill Nelson says that at least a trillion 'Earth-like' planets are there in the entire universe which increases the possibility of alien life.

He said that NASA has been planning to send back the astronauts to the lunar surface in the days ahead. Four astronauts are set to orbit the moon next year.

"We don't need to go back to the moon just for the moon. We're going back to learn new things. In order for us to go to Mars and beyond," Administrator Bill Nelson said.

The Jezero Crater&nbsp;on Mars, which once existed as a lake on the red planet, was being explored by the Perseverance Rover. According to scientists, several findings suggest that Mars once hosted life and was teeming with rivers.&nbsp;

"It's getting samples and it's drilling with this drill, creating these core samples about the size of a cigar and sealing them up in these titanium tubes," explained Nelson.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/aliens-may-be-travelling-from-one-planet-to-another-via-meteorites-study-713790">Aliens may be travelling from one planet to another via meteorites: Study</a>

"We're trying to figure out right now how we're going to go back and get them and bring them back to Earth so that we got an idea of whether or not there was life there," he added.

NASA has been working with various companies to develop a plan to bring them back which is likely to happen in the 2030s.

<h2>NASA's hunt for alien life</h2>

The agency, along with Firebird Diagnostics, has been hunting for signs of life on Mars. "NASA's mission is to go out, among other things, and discover whether or not we are alone," Firebird Diagnostics Founder Steven Benner said.

His company is selling a so-called alien DNA. The company uses synthetic properties and this has helped NASA understand the different forms of alternative DNA which might exist.

"It's a big question as to how molecular biology could be done if it was, done by an organism that does not share a common ancestor, a common origin, with you and me," said Benner.

Watch:&nbsp;Earth's inner core rotation slowing down; deceleration of core confirmed: study

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/earths-inner-core-rotation-slowing-down-deceleration-of-core-confirmed-study-731617/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Nelson said that they have been hunting for life on other planets. "If you ask me directly, do I think that there are aliens here&nbsp;on Earth? I don't think so. I don't absolutely know. And I don't think the US&nbsp;government is hiding anything from anybody. But if you ask me, 'do I think there's life out there in the cosmos?'"

"I ask our NASA scientists that question. 'How many possibilities in the vastness of this universe are there, that there's another planet like Earth that would be habitable for life as something like we know it?’ They said at least a trillion," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA administrator Bill Nelson says that at least a trillion 'Earth-like' planets are there in the entire universe which increases the possibility of alien life.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson says that at least a trillion 'Earth-like' planets are there in the entire universe which increases the possibility of alien life. He said that NASA has been planning to send back the astronauts to the lunar surface in the days ahead. Four astronauts are set to orbit the moon next year. "We don't need to go back to the moon just for the moon. We're going back to learn new things. In order for us to go to Mars and beyond," Administrator Bill Nelson said. The Jezero Crater on Mars, which once existed as a lake on the red planet, was being explored by the Perseverance Rover. According to scientists, several findings suggest that Mars once hosted life and was teeming with rivers. "It's getting samples and it's drilling with this drill, creating these core samples about the size of a cigar and sealing them up in these titanium tubes," explained Nelson. Also Read: Aliens may be travelling from one planet to another via meteorites: Study "We're trying to figure out right now how we're going to go back and get them and bring them back to Earth so that we got an idea of whether or not there was life there," he added. NASA has been working with various companies to develop a plan to bring them back which is likely to happen in the 2030s. NASA's hunt for alien life The agency, along with Firebird Diagnostics, has been hunting for signs of life on Mars. "NASA's mission is to go out, among other things, and discover whether or not we are alone," Firebird Diagnostics Founder Steven Benner said. His company is selling a so-called alien DNA. The company uses synthetic properties and this has helped NASA understand the different forms of alternative DNA which might exist. "It's a big question as to how molecular biology could be done if it was, done by an organism that does not share a common ancestor, a common origin, with you and me," said Benner. Watch: Earth's inner core rotation slowing down; deceleration of core confirmed: study Nelson said that they have been hunting for life on other planets. "If you ask me directly, do I think that there are aliens here on Earth? I don't think so. I don't absolutely know. And I don't think the US government is hiding anything from anybody. But if you ask me, 'do I think there's life out there in the cosmos?'" "I ask our NASA scientists that question. 'How many possibilities in the vastness of this universe are there, that there's another planet like Earth that would be habitable for life as something like we know it?’ They said at least a trillion," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Are we alone in the cosmos? NASA chief says a trillion Earth-like planets are out there

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of pterosaur after analysing 100-million-year-old fossilised bones uncovered in western Queensland, Australia. The fossilised remains belonged to a flying reptile and it lived among the dinosaurs.&nbsp;

The latest study, titled, "Haliskia peterseni, a new anhanguerian pterosaur from the late Early Cretaceous of Australia", has been published in Scientific Reports.&nbsp;

The study, led by Curtin University, is based on fossilised remains which were unearthed in 2021 by Kevin Petersen, a curator at the Kronosaurus Korner Museum in Richmond, Australia. The remains belong to Haliskia peterseni, which is a new genus and species of anhanguerian pterosaur.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/narco-driven-deforestation-threatens-tropical-birds-reveals-study-731180">Narco-driven deforestation threatens tropical birds, reveals study</a>&nbsp;

What are pterosaurs? Previous studies have revealed that the pterosaurs were a group of flying reptiles that lived during the age of dinosaurs, from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous period.&nbsp;

From small birdlike creatures to massive predators with giant wingspans, they are known for their diverse sizes and adaptations. Several pterosaurs, including Quetzalcoatlus, which are said to be the largest flying animal ever discovered, were shown in Hollywood movies such as Jurassic Park.&nbsp;

The research team led by PhD student Adele Pentland, from Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, identified the specimen as an anhanguerian. They analysed the shape of its skull, arrangement of teeth and shape of the shoulder bone. Anhanguerian is a group of pterosaurs known to have lived worldwide, including in what is now Brazil, England, Morocco, China, Spain and the United States.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elephants-greet-each-other-using-distinctive-names-just-like-humans-study-730860">Elephants greet each other using distinctive names, just like humans: Study</a>&nbsp;

"With a wingspan of approximately 4.6 m, Haliskia would have been a fearsome predator around 100 million years ago when much of central western Queensland was underwater, covered by a vast inland sea and globally positioned about where Victoria's southern coastline is today," Pentland said.

"Careful preparation by Mr. Petersen has provided the remains of the most complete specimen of an anhanguerian, and of any pterosaur, discovered in Australia to date. Haliskia is 22 percent complete, making it more than twice as complete as the only other known partial pterosaur skeleton found in Australia.

"The specimen includes complete lower jaws, the tip of the upper jaw, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, bones from both wings and part of a leg. Also present are very thin and delicate throat bones, indicating a muscular tongue, which helped during feeding on fish and cephalopods,"&nbsp;Pentland further added.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of pterosaur after analysing 100-million-year-old fossilised bones uncovered in western Queensland, Australia. The fossilised remains belonged to a flying reptile and it lived among the dinosaurs.

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of pterosaur after analysing 100-million-year-old fossilised bones uncovered in western Queensland, Australia. The fossilised remains belonged to a flying reptile and it lived among the dinosaurs. The latest study, titled, "Haliskia peterseni, a new anhanguerian pterosaur from the late Early Cretaceous of Australia", has been published in Scientific Reports. The study, led by Curtin University, is based on fossilised remains which were unearthed in 2021 by Kevin Petersen, a curator at the Kronosaurus Korner Museum in Richmond, Australia. The remains belong to Haliskia peterseni, which is a new genus and species of anhanguerian pterosaur. Also read: Narco-driven deforestation threatens tropical birds, reveals study What are pterosaurs? Previous studies have revealed that the pterosaurs were a group of flying reptiles that lived during the age of dinosaurs, from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous period. From small birdlike creatures to massive predators with giant wingspans, they are known for their diverse sizes and adaptations. Several pterosaurs, including Quetzalcoatlus, which are said to be the largest flying animal ever discovered, were shown in Hollywood movies such as Jurassic Park. The research team led by PhD student Adele Pentland, from Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, identified the specimen as an anhanguerian. They analysed the shape of its skull, arrangement of teeth and shape of the shoulder bone. Anhanguerian is a group of pterosaurs known to have lived worldwide, including in what is now Brazil, England, Morocco, China, Spain and the United States. Also read: Elephants greet each other using distinctive names, just like humans: Study "With a wingspan of approximately 4.6 m, Haliskia would have been a fearsome predator around 100 million years ago when much of central western Queensland was underwater, covered by a vast inland sea and globally positioned about where Victoria's southern coastline is today," Pentland said. "Careful preparation by Mr. Petersen has provided the remains of the most complete specimen of an anhanguerian, and of any pterosaur, discovered in Australia to date. Haliskia is 22 percent complete, making it more than twice as complete as the only other known partial pterosaur skeleton found in Australia. "The specimen includes complete lower jaws, the tip of the upper jaw, 43 teeth, vertebrae, ribs, bones from both wings and part of a leg. Also present are very thin and delicate throat bones, indicating a muscular tongue, which helped during feeding on fish and cephalopods," Pentland further added. (With inputs from agencies)

New species of pterosaur discovered using 100-million-year-old fossilised bones

Are you facially more expressive? If yes, you are highly likely a master negotiator naturally. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have found that those who are facially more expressive are better at negotiating. They analysed muscle movements in the face, such as smiles, eyebrow raises, nose wrinkles and lip corner pulls in more than 1,500 conversations before concluding.

The researchers said people with expressive faces were more likeable and socially successful than those who prefer straight faces while conversing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj6-_zu_9iGAxUSTmwGHVkLDncQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-develops-breakthrough-technology-to-hunt-for-habitable-water-worlds-730501" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-develops-breakthrough-technology-to-hunt-for-habitable-water-worlds-730501&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj6-_zu_9iGAxUSTmwGHVkLDncQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">NASA develops breakthrough technology to hunt for habitable ‘water worlds’</a>

The study was led by Bridget Waller, professor of evolution and social behaviour at NTU’s Department of Psychology. She aimed to study the reasons behind the complex facial expressions of humans than any other species.

“Our comparisons between humans and other primates show that humans produce more facial movement on the whole and have more expressive faces," she said.

“Our research shows that being expressive makes you more likeable, which might make it easier to live in social groups, which is a clear evolutionary advantage,” she added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj6-_zu_9iGAxUSTmwGHVkLDncQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-supernova-remained-brilliantly-bright-40-years-after-its-explosion-731437" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/this-supernova-remained-brilliantly-bright-40-years-after-its-explosion-731437&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj6-_zu_9iGAxUSTmwGHVkLDncQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion</a>

The researchers made 170 people watch short videos of conversations. They were asked to say how well they could understand the emotions and expressions of the people in the videos, and also how much they liked them.

Then, the researchers watched unscripted Zoom chats between 1,456 people who didn't know each other. These chatters rated how much they liked the person they were talking to.

The researchers found that during these conversations, people made about 71 facial movements every minute on average.

They found that people who showed a lot of expression were generally liked more, both by those watching the videos and by the people they were chatting with on Zoom.

“We asked the participant to decide how to split a monetary reward between themselves and the experimenter – who was masquerading as a participant," Waller said.

“Our experimenter offered an unfair split – taking 80 per cent of the reward. We measured how well they negotiated down from this, and what they eventually agreed to," she added.

“Roughly half our participants agreed to taking less than 50 per cent (poor negotiation) and the other half split the reward equally (good negotiation).”

Are you facially more expressive? If yes, you are highly likely a master negotiator naturally. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have found that those who are facially more expressive are better at negotiating.

Are you facially more expressive? If yes, you are highly likely a master negotiator naturally. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) have found that those who are facially more expressive are better at negotiating. They analysed muscle movements in the face, such as smiles, eyebrow raises, nose wrinkles and lip corner pulls in more than 1,500 conversations before concluding. The researchers said people with expressive faces were more likeable and socially successful than those who prefer straight faces while conversing. Also read: NASA develops breakthrough technology to hunt for habitable ‘water worlds’ The study was led by Bridget Waller, professor of evolution and social behaviour at NTU’s Department of Psychology. She aimed to study the reasons behind the complex facial expressions of humans than any other species. “Our comparisons between humans and other primates show that humans produce more facial movement on the whole and have more expressive faces," she said. “Our research shows that being expressive makes you more likeable, which might make it easier to live in social groups, which is a clear evolutionary advantage,” she added. Also read: This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion The researchers made 170 people watch short videos of conversations. They were asked to say how well they could understand the emotions and expressions of the people in the videos, and also how much they liked them. Then, the researchers watched unscripted Zoom chats between 1,456 people who didn't know each other. These chatters rated how much they liked the person they were talking to. The researchers found that during these conversations, people made about 71 facial movements every minute on average. They found that people who showed a lot of expression were generally liked more, both by those watching the videos and by the people they were chatting with on Zoom. “We asked the participant to decide how to split a monetary reward between themselves and the experimenter – who was masquerading as a participant," Waller said. “Our experimenter offered an unfair split – taking 80 per cent of the reward. We measured how well they negotiated down from this, and what they eventually agreed to," she added. “Roughly half our participants agreed to taking less than 50 per cent (poor negotiation) and the other half split the reward equally (good negotiation).”

Want a better deal? Your facial expressions matter most while negotiating

Travelling to outer space is no easy task but a tough female astronaut can conquer it all.

New research by scientists intended to study the ways in which a human body reacts to the challenges in outer space has suggested that women are more resilient to the physiological stresses of space travel than men.

The study helmed by Christopher Mason, a physiology professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, also says that women space travellers quickly recover upon landing back to&nbsp;Earth as compared to men.

“Males appear to be more affected by spaceflight for almost all cell types and metrics,” the research paper mentioned.&nbsp;

Researchers examined data that they collected from over 60 astronauts (both male and female) who travelled to outer space to find out how their immune systems reacted to the spaceflight.&nbsp;

They also collected similar data from the four&nbsp;individuals who were a part of SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission and flew around Earth for three days in 2021 and compared the two.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronauts-may-suffer-permanent-kidney-damage-after-travelling-to-mars-study-731029">A trip to Mars might cost astronauts their kidneys, study on space flights reveals</a>

The results demonstrated that the men experienced more disruptions in their gene activity as compared to women and took more time to come back to normal upon returning to Earth.

“The aggregate data thus far indicates that the gene regulatory and immune response to space flight is more sensitive in males,” the scientists wrote. “More studies will be needed to confirm these trends, but such results can have implications for recovery times and possibly crew selection, for example, more females, for high-altitude, lunar, and deep space missions.”

It is not yet known why women could be more resilient to spaceflight than men, however, Mason said that one of the contributing factors to this might be a female body's power to cope up with the demands of pregnancy.

“Being able to tolerate large changes in physiology and fluid dynamics may be great for being able to manage pregnancy but also manage the stress of spaceflight at a physiological level,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

Travelling to outer space is no easy task but a tough female astronaut can conquer it all. New research by scientists intended to study the ways in which a human body reacts to the challenges in outer space has suggested that women are more resilient to the physiological stresses of space travel than men.

Travelling to outer space is no easy task but a tough female astronaut can conquer it all. New research by scientists intended to study the ways in which a human body reacts to the challenges in outer space has suggested that women are more resilient to the physiological stresses of space travel than men. The study helmed by Christopher Mason, a physiology professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, also says that women space travellers quickly recover upon landing back to Earth as compared to men. “Males appear to be more affected by spaceflight for almost all cell types and metrics,” the research paper mentioned. Researchers examined data that they collected from over 60 astronauts (both male and female) who travelled to outer space to find out how their immune systems reacted to the spaceflight. They also collected similar data from the four individuals who were a part of SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission and flew around Earth for three days in 2021 and compared the two. Also read: A trip to Mars might cost astronauts their kidneys, study on space flights reveals The results demonstrated that the men experienced more disruptions in their gene activity as compared to women and took more time to come back to normal upon returning to Earth. “The aggregate data thus far indicates that the gene regulatory and immune response to space flight is more sensitive in males,” the scientists wrote. “More studies will be needed to confirm these trends, but such results can have implications for recovery times and possibly crew selection, for example, more females, for high-altitude, lunar, and deep space missions.” It is not yet known why women could be more resilient to spaceflight than men, however, Mason said that one of the contributing factors to this might be a female body's power to cope up with the demands of pregnancy. “Being able to tolerate large changes in physiology and fluid dynamics may be great for being able to manage pregnancy but also manage the stress of spaceflight at a physiological level,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Women may be more resilient to physiological stresses of space travel than men, says study

An unusual event took place in our cosmic space in the year 1975. The binary star system HM Sagittae (HM Sge) grew 250 times brighter and captured the attention of astronomers across the world.&nbsp;

A supernova's brightness fades away within months or years, however, the brightness of HM Sge had unusually persisted for decades.

The retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and NASA’s&nbsp;Hubble Space Telescope recently observed the enigmatic&nbsp;star system and unveiled the surprising details.

A supernova happens when a gas from its companion is ingested in a white dwarf and causes a sudden increase in brightness.

Symbiotic stars like HM Sge have a&nbsp;white dwarf&nbsp;and a giant companion star which are placed in an eccentric orbit near each other.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/supernova-hunter-james-webb-spots-most-distant-star-explosion-731106">&nbsp;Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion</a>

The gas from the giant star was consumed by the white dwarf in this system. In this process, &nbsp;a hot disk of material was created around the white dwarf.

When the giant star's hydrogen gas accumulates on the surface of the white dwarf, it can reach a critical density and lead to the ignition in a thermonuclear&nbsp;explosion.

Such interactions between the stars give valuable insights into the processes of stellar evolution and the dynamics of binary&nbsp;star systems.

<h2>The 1975 outburst and the transformation&nbsp;</h2>

In 1975, HM Sge’s outburst happened and it transformed from an obscure star to a focal point for astronomers.

“In 1975 HM Sge went from being a nondescript star to something all astronomers in the field were looking at,” emphasised Ravi Sankrit of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).

The brightness of HM Sge did not diminish rapidly unlike typical novae. For decades, the supernova maintained its luminosity which puzzled scientists.

With the use of the Hubble Telescope and SOFIA, Steven Goldman of STScI, Sankrit as well as the collaborators revisited HM Sge in 2021. The scientists figured that the system had turned hotter but paradoxically dimmer.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Is China practicing placing payload in space?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-china-practicing-placing-payload-in-space-730610/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to Hubble's new ultraviolet (UV)&nbsp;data, a strong emission line of highly ionized magnesium was absent in earlier spectra from 1990.

“When I first saw the new data, I went – ‘wow this is what Hubble UV spectroscopy can do!’ – I mean it’s spectacular, really spectacular,” Sankrit said.&nbsp;

The star, however, became mysteriously dimmer in recent times, which has now left astronomers curious and more puzzled.

(With inputs from agencies)

An unusual event took place in our cosmic space in the year 1975. The binary star system HM Sagittae (HM Sge) grew 250 times brighter and captured the attention of astronomers across the world.

An unusual event took place in our cosmic space in the year 1975. The binary star system HM Sagittae (HM Sge) grew 250 times brighter and captured the attention of astronomers across the world. A supernova's brightness fades away within months or years, however, the brightness of HM Sge had unusually persisted for decades. The retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope recently observed the enigmatic star system and unveiled the surprising details. A supernova happens when a gas from its companion is ingested in a white dwarf and causes a sudden increase in brightness. Symbiotic stars like HM Sge have a white dwarf and a giant companion star which are placed in an eccentric orbit near each other. Also Read: Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion The gas from the giant star was consumed by the white dwarf in this system. In this process, a hot disk of material was created around the white dwarf. When the giant star's hydrogen gas accumulates on the surface of the white dwarf, it can reach a critical density and lead to the ignition in a thermonuclear explosion. Such interactions between the stars give valuable insights into the processes of stellar evolution and the dynamics of binary star systems. The 1975 outburst and the transformation In 1975, HM Sge’s outburst happened and it transformed from an obscure star to a focal point for astronomers. “In 1975 HM Sge went from being a nondescript star to something all astronomers in the field were looking at,” emphasised Ravi Sankrit of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). The brightness of HM Sge did not diminish rapidly unlike typical novae. For decades, the supernova maintained its luminosity which puzzled scientists. With the use of the Hubble Telescope and SOFIA, Steven Goldman of STScI, Sankrit as well as the collaborators revisited HM Sge in 2021. The scientists figured that the system had turned hotter but paradoxically dimmer. Watch: Gravitas: Is China practicing placing payload in space? According to Hubble's new ultraviolet (UV) data, a strong emission line of highly ionized magnesium was absent in earlier spectra from 1990. “When I first saw the new data, I went – ‘wow this is what Hubble UV spectroscopy can do!’ – I mean it’s spectacular, really spectacular,” Sankrit said. The star, however, became mysteriously dimmer in recent times, which has now left astronomers curious and more puzzled. (With inputs from agencies)

This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion

A team of researchers at Virginia Tech has discovered a 550 million-year-old sea sponge fossil, which can help fill a critical 160 million-year gap in the fossil record.&nbsp;

<h2>Million of years old sea sponge fossil</h2>

This finding provides a roadmap for palaeontologists in finding prehistoric sponges.

The sea sponge is unassuming: no brain, no gut; it can quickly be dated to seven hundred million years ago.&nbsp;Yet convincing sponge fossils only go back 540 million years. That means there is a hundred and sixty million-year gap in the fossil record.

In a paper published June 5 in the journal Nature, geobiologist Shuhai Xiao and his colleagues report finding the 550 million-year-old sea sponge fossil from the "lost years".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elephants-greet-each-other-using-distinctive-names-just-like-humans-study-730860">Elephants greet each other using distinctive names, just like humans: Study</a>

As per SciTechDaily, the mystery of the missing sea sponges rested on a paradox: molecular clock estimates, which project the history of genetic mutations back in time. These estimates suggest that sponges evolved almost 700 million years ago—much older than any known sponge fossil. This discrepancy has long puzzled zoologists and palaeontologists alike.

Xiao's find completes part of the evolutionary story for one of our earliest animals and answers Darwin's questions about the time of sponge evolution.

He first saw the fossil some five years ago when a colleague sent him an image of a specimen recovered from the Yangtze River region of China. "I had never seen anything like it before," said Xiao.&nbsp;

"Almost immediately, I realised that it was something new."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/boeing-jinx-boeing-starliner-spacecraft-carrying-sunita-williams-wont-return-to-earth-till-june-18-730995">Boeing jinx?: Starliner spacecraft carrying Sunita Williams won't return to Earth till June 18</a>

Xiao and his colleagues from the University of Cambridge and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology carefully sifted through the other likely candidates, finally proposing that it could be an ancient sea sponge.&nbsp;

The group has offered their guess on why early sponges never left fossils; these animals had not evolved spicules – the complex elements constituting the modern sea sponge skeleton by this time.

The team has been able to observe in the fossil record how much more organic and less mineralised are the spicules of older sponges.&nbsp;

"If you extrapolate back, then perhaps the first ones were soft-bodied creatures with entirely organic skeletons and no minerals at all," Xiao said.&nbsp;

Only under scarce circumstances, in which very rapid fossilisation outpaces degradation, could the organisms with such soft bodies be fossilised.

(With inputs from agencies)

A team of researchers at Virginia Tech has discovered a 550 million-year-old sea sponge fossil, which can help fill a critical 160 million-year gap in the fossil record.

A team of researchers at Virginia Tech has discovered a 550 million-year-old sea sponge fossil, which can help fill a critical 160 million-year gap in the fossil record. Million of years old sea sponge fossil This finding provides a roadmap for palaeontologists in finding prehistoric sponges. The sea sponge is unassuming: no brain, no gut; it can quickly be dated to seven hundred million years ago. Yet convincing sponge fossils only go back 540 million years. That means there is a hundred and sixty million-year gap in the fossil record. In a paper published June 5 in the journal Nature, geobiologist Shuhai Xiao and his colleagues report finding the 550 million-year-old sea sponge fossil from the "lost years". Also read | Elephants greet each other using distinctive names, just like humans: Study As per SciTechDaily, the mystery of the missing sea sponges rested on a paradox: molecular clock estimates, which project the history of genetic mutations back in time. These estimates suggest that sponges evolved almost 700 million years ago—much older than any known sponge fossil. This discrepancy has long puzzled zoologists and palaeontologists alike. Xiao's find completes part of the evolutionary story for one of our earliest animals and answers Darwin's questions about the time of sponge evolution. He first saw the fossil some five years ago when a colleague sent him an image of a specimen recovered from the Yangtze River region of China. "I had never seen anything like it before," said Xiao. "Almost immediately, I realised that it was something new." Also read | Boeing jinx?: Starliner spacecraft carrying Sunita Williams won't return to Earth till June 18 Xiao and his colleagues from the University of Cambridge and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology carefully sifted through the other likely candidates, finally proposing that it could be an ancient sea sponge. The group has offered their guess on why early sponges never left fossils; these animals had not evolved spicules – the complex elements constituting the modern sea sponge skeleton by this time. The team has been able to observe in the fossil record how much more organic and less mineralised are the spicules of older sponges. "If you extrapolate back, then perhaps the first ones were soft-bodied creatures with entirely organic skeletons and no minerals at all," Xiao said. Only under scarce circumstances, in which very rapid fossilisation outpaces degradation, could the organisms with such soft bodies be fossilised. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover ancient sea sponge fossil, providing missing link in evolution

The impossible was made possible by a father and daughter duo when they decoded an 'alien' signal from Mars.

The task which was assigned by various governments to different experts was cracked by the civilians.

The historical task was completed after the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute released an 'alien message'.

&nbsp;The company's project 'A Sign In&nbsp;Space' was a kind of intergalactic piece of 'global theatre'. And the man behind this project was Daniela de Paulis.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-for-first-time-spot-alien-type-creatures-living-in-darkest-depths-of-our-ocean-729947">Scientists for first time spot alien-type creatures living in darkest depths of our ocean</a>

"Throughout history, humanity has searched for meaning in powerful and transformative phenomena. Receiving a message from an extraterrestrial civilisation would be a profoundly transformational experience for all humankind," de Paulis was quoted as saying by media outlets.

"A Sign in Space offers the unprecedented opportunity to tangibly rehearse and prepare for this scenario through global collaboration, fostering an open-ended search for meaning across all cultures and disciplines," he added.

An encoded message was sent by the project from the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter back to Earth in May 2023.

More than a year after it was first released, the 'alien message' was finally encrypted.

<h2>What was found in the decoded signal?</h2>

De Paulis was sent the correct solution of the signal by the father and daughter duo on June 7.

The father and daughter investigated the message with the possibility that it was connected with the computation model known as the cellular automaton. 
&nbsp; 
The pair used the Unity&nbsp;video game&nbsp;engine and placed the 'alien message' through 6,625 transformations to turn the code into something tangible.

Watch: Strongest sign of alien found: The search for life beyond earth

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The two of them found that the signal was an image of five amino&nbsp;acids, all of which were represented by blocks of various pixels. For example, one block presented hydrogen, six for carbon, seven for nitrogen, and eight for oxygen.

Before the code was solved by the father and daughter duo, the message was taken up by three radio astronomy observatories - the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station Observatory, Italy, the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, West Virginia and the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array, California.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, ATA Project Scientist Dr Wael Farah said, “This experiment is an opportunity for the world to learn how the SETI community, in all its diversity, will work together to receive, process, analyse, and understand the meaning of a potential extraterrestrial signal.”

(With inputs from agencies)

The impossible was made possible by a father and daughter duo when they decoded an 'alien' signal from Mars. The task which was assigned by various governments to different experts was cracked by the civilians.

The impossible was made possible by a father and daughter duo when they decoded an 'alien' signal from Mars. The task which was assigned by various governments to different experts was cracked by the civilians. The historical task was completed after the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute released an 'alien message'. The company's project 'A Sign In Space' was a kind of intergalactic piece of 'global theatre'. And the man behind this project was Daniela de Paulis. Also Read: Scientists for first time spot alien-type creatures living in darkest depths of our ocean "Throughout history, humanity has searched for meaning in powerful and transformative phenomena. Receiving a message from an extraterrestrial civilisation would be a profoundly transformational experience for all humankind," de Paulis was quoted as saying by media outlets. "A Sign in Space offers the unprecedented opportunity to tangibly rehearse and prepare for this scenario through global collaboration, fostering an open-ended search for meaning across all cultures and disciplines," he added. An encoded message was sent by the project from the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter back to Earth in May 2023. More than a year after it was first released, the 'alien message' was finally encrypted. What was found in the decoded signal? De Paulis was sent the correct solution of the signal by the father and daughter duo on June 7. The father and daughter investigated the message with the possibility that it was connected with the computation model known as the cellular automaton. The pair used the Unity video game engine and placed the 'alien message' through 6,625 transformations to turn the code into something tangible. Watch: Strongest sign of alien found: The search for life beyond earth The two of them found that the signal was an image of five amino acids, all of which were represented by blocks of various pixels. For example, one block presented hydrogen, six for carbon, seven for nitrogen, and eight for oxygen. Before the code was solved by the father and daughter duo, the message was taken up by three radio astronomy observatories - the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station Observatory, Italy, the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, West Virginia and the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array, California. Meanwhile, ATA Project Scientist Dr Wael Farah said, “This experiment is an opportunity for the world to learn how the SETI community, in all its diversity, will work together to receive, process, analyse, and understand the meaning of a potential extraterrestrial signal.” (With inputs from agencies)

Humans decode an 'alien message' from Mars. Here's what was hidden in the signal

Cocaine trafficking is posing a severe threat to rare tropical birds as drug cartels increasingly encroach upon remote forest areas to escape law enforcement crackdowns.

This startling revelation comes from a recent study published in the journal Nature Sustainability, which highlights the devastating impact of "narco-driven" deforestation on bird habitats in Central America.

"Over half of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species had more than one quarter, and 20% of species had over half, of their global population in areas threatened by narco trafficking, suggesting the need for more holistic strategies to better protect native biodiversity," as per the study.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/anti-ageing-nerd-ceo-says-it-now-takes-him-19-months-to-get-one-year-older-731171">Anti-ageing nerd CEO says it now takes him 19 months to get one year older</a>

Indigenous populations are often coerced into accepting payments and assisting with trafficking logistics. Resistance frequently results in land seizures and violence.

The supply-side focus of domestic and international drug policies exacerbates the cycle by overlooking the impact of under-resourced rural communities that create conditions facilitating trafficking and increasing "land-based money laundering and agri-business expansion."

Empowering Indigenous communities and rural landholders to reclaim control over their territories and manage their resources effectively has proven to deter narco-trafficking. These efforts not only aid conservation but also promote peace and security, as per the study.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/supernova-hunter-james-webb-spots-most-distant-star-explosion-731106">Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion</a>

This study marks the first attempt to quantify the impact of habitat loss on bird populations.

<h2>Findings</h2>

The findings revealed that 67 species of migratory birds which breed in the US and migrate to Central America during the winter season are at more risk.

Watch | Study shows 'how microplastics are affecting the world'

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Among the most threatened are endangered golden-cheeked warblers, with 90% of their population residing in at-risk forests. Additionally, 70% of golden-winged warblers and Philadelphia vireos are affected by this habitat destruction.

According to the study, "Researchers have used remote sensing to identify unique patterns of deforestation that can be attributed to narco trafficking and found that 15–30% of annual deforestation within Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala can be attributed to the movement of cocaine alone."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Cocaine trafficking is posing a severe threat to rare tropical birds as drug cartels increasingly encroach upon remote forest areas to escape law enforcement crackdowns.

Cocaine trafficking is posing a severe threat to rare tropical birds as drug cartels increasingly encroach upon remote forest areas to escape law enforcement crackdowns. This startling revelation comes from a recent study published in the journal Nature Sustainability, which highlights the devastating impact of "narco-driven" deforestation on bird habitats in Central America. "Over half of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species had more than one quarter, and 20% of species had over half, of their global population in areas threatened by narco trafficking, suggesting the need for more holistic strategies to better protect native biodiversity," as per the study. Also Read | Anti-ageing nerd CEO says it now takes him 19 months to get one year older Indigenous populations are often coerced into accepting payments and assisting with trafficking logistics. Resistance frequently results in land seizures and violence. The supply-side focus of domestic and international drug policies exacerbates the cycle by overlooking the impact of under-resourced rural communities that create conditions facilitating trafficking and increasing "land-based money laundering and agri-business expansion." Empowering Indigenous communities and rural landholders to reclaim control over their territories and manage their resources effectively has proven to deter narco-trafficking. These efforts not only aid conservation but also promote peace and security, as per the study. Also Read | Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion This study marks the first attempt to quantify the impact of habitat loss on bird populations. Findings The findings revealed that 67 species of migratory birds which breed in the US and migrate to Central America during the winter season are at more risk. Watch | Study shows 'how microplastics are affecting the world' × Among the most threatened are endangered golden-cheeked warblers, with 90% of their population residing in at-risk forests. Additionally, 70% of golden-winged warblers and Philadelphia vireos are affected by this habitat destruction. According to the study, "Researchers have used remote sensing to identify unique patterns of deforestation that can be attributed to narco trafficking and found that 15–30% of annual deforestation within Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala can be attributed to the movement of cocaine alone." (With inputs from agencies)

Narco-driven deforestation threatens tropical birds, reveals study

Project Blueprint mastermind and tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, best known for his research on longevity, has declared that the rate of his biological ageing has significantly reduced. He said a recent analysis revealed that due to the slowing down of biological ageing, his birthday now came every 19 months. Simply put, it now takes him 19 months to get one year older, strictly biologically speaking.

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My new record: 0.64 pace-of-aging. My birthday is now every 19 months. Previously I built Braintree Venmo, now I build human, with a goal to slow and reverse aging. 
 
Nutrition is a power law of anti-aging. This is what I eat everyday. You can too. <a href="https://t.co/36tR8sXw3T">pic.twitter.com/36tR8sXw3T</a>
— Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bryan_johnson/status/1800602324475531435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In a post on the social media site X, Johnson wrote, "My new record: 0.64 pace-of-aging. My birthday is now every 19 months. Previously I built Braintree Venmo, now I build human, with a goal to slow and reverse aging. Nutrition is a power law of anti-aging. This is what I eat every day. You can too."

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiI0u2Ho9aGAxXWR2wGHUtwBwIQxfQBKAB6BAgVEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discovered-puffiest-puff-planet-phoenix-which-is-holding-onto-its-atmosphere-731077" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discovered-puffiest-puff-planet-phoenix-which-is-holding-onto-its-atmosphere-731077&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiI0u2Ho9aGAxXWR2wGHUtwBwIQxfQBKAB6BAgVEAE">Puffiest `puff planet` Phoenix is holding onto its atmosphere. Will Earth follow in its footsteps?</a>

"I've been trying to reduce my speed of ageing, and I just achieved a personal best - 0.64. That roughly means that for every 12 months that pass, I only age for 7.6 months," Johnson said in a video message.

<h2>Project Blueprint</h2>

Project Blueprint is focused on devising a rigorous daily protocol that eventually slows down the ageing process in an individual. According to the 46-year-old entrepreneur, the program costs him $2 million every year, which has been able to reverse his epigenetic age, a marker of cellular ageing.

He has to adhere to a strict diet plan, which includes 100 daily supplements and calorie-controlled food. Recently, Johnson revealed that high-flavonol, pure cocoa, free from heavy metals, are also included in his daily diet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiI0u2Ho9aGAxXWR2wGHUtwBwIQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/supernova-hunter-james-webb-spots-most-distant-star-explosion-731106" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/supernova-hunter-james-webb-spots-most-distant-star-explosion-731106&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiI0u2Ho9aGAxXWR2wGHUtwBwIQxfQBKAB6BAgSEAE">Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion</a>

So far, the entrepreneur claims, he has been able to reverse his epigenetic age by 5.1 years.

Johnson has been in the news a lot lately for his unusual ways of trying to reverse his age and stretch longevity, from risky blood transfusions with his family to trying out different hair treatments.

(With inputs from agencies)

Project Blueprint mastermind and tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, best known for his research on longevity, has declared that the rate of his biological ageing has significantly reduced.

Project Blueprint mastermind and tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, best known for his research on longevity, has declared that the rate of his biological ageing has significantly reduced. He said a recent analysis revealed that due to the slowing down of biological ageing, his birthday now came every 19 months. Simply put, it now takes him 19 months to get one year older, strictly biologically speaking. My new record: 0.64 pace-of-aging. My birthday is now every 19 months. Previously I built Braintree Venmo, now I build human, with a goal to slow and reverse aging. Nutrition is a power law of anti-aging. This is what I eat everyday. You can too. pic.twitter.com/36tR8sXw3T — Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) June 11, 2024 × In a post on the social media site X, Johnson wrote, "My new record: 0.64 pace-of-aging. My birthday is now every 19 months. Previously I built Braintree Venmo, now I build human, with a goal to slow and reverse aging. Nutrition is a power law of anti-aging. This is what I eat every day. You can too." Also read: Puffiest `puff planet` Phoenix is holding onto its atmosphere. Will Earth follow in its footsteps? "I've been trying to reduce my speed of ageing, and I just achieved a personal best - 0.64. That roughly means that for every 12 months that pass, I only age for 7.6 months," Johnson said in a video message. Project Blueprint Project Blueprint is focused on devising a rigorous daily protocol that eventually slows down the ageing process in an individual. According to the 46-year-old entrepreneur, the program costs him $2 million every year, which has been able to reverse his epigenetic age, a marker of cellular ageing. He has to adhere to a strict diet plan, which includes 100 daily supplements and calorie-controlled food. Recently, Johnson revealed that high-flavonol, pure cocoa, free from heavy metals, are also included in his daily diet. Also read: Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion So far, the entrepreneur claims, he has been able to reverse his epigenetic age by 5.1 years. Johnson has been in the news a lot lately for his unusual ways of trying to reverse his age and stretch longevity, from risky blood transfusions with his family to trying out different hair treatments. (With inputs from agencies)

Anti-ageing nerd CEO says it now takes him 19 months to get one year older

In a new study, the researchers have observed that astronauts can suffer from permanent kidney damage if they go on missions to Mars.

A review of the health impacts of space travel on the 24 astronauts who had travelled to the moon has found that many of them suffered changes to their kidneys as a result.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacebug-found-lurking-in-iss-heres-how-it-is-threatening-sunita-williams-crew-730692">'Spacebug' found lurking on ISS. Here's how it endangers Sunita Williams and crew</a>

As per the study, the astronauts can develop painful kidney stones and may even need dialysis.&nbsp;The manned missions to Mars have been planned by both the US space agency NASA and the electric car tycoon Elon Musk.

<h2>Need for drugs to protect the kidneys of astronauts&nbsp;</h2>

Till the time new drugs are not made to protect the kidneys of astronauts, the health risk "would jeopardise" all kinds of 66 million-mile round trips to the red planet planned in the future.

The drugs can also prove beneficial on Earth as a protective medication to prevent&nbsp;cancer patients from getting their kidneys harmed during radiotherapy.&nbsp;

University College London scientists carried out a study of potential health impacts on space travellers and discovered that they are likely to suffer from kidney stones and may need dialysis when they are on the return flight.&nbsp;

The study was published in Nature Communications and it was the largest analysis on kidney health in space flight till now.

Watch:&nbsp;Is China practicing placing payload in space?

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Since the 1970s, researchers have been aware that space flight leads to certain health issues. The health issues included weakening of the heart and eyesight, development of kidney stones and loss of bone mass.&nbsp;

A UCL-headed team of researchers from more than 40 institutions carried out a range of experiments and further looked into how kidneys were responding to space flight.

The authors said, "The most alarming finding, at least for any astronaut considering a three-year round trip to Mars, is that the kidneys of mice exposed to radiation simulating GCR for 2.5 years experienced permanent damage and loss of function."

Author of the study from the London Tubular Centre, based at the UCL Department of Renal Medicine Dr Keith Siew said, "If we don't develop new ways to protect the kidneys, I'd say that while an astronaut could make it to Mars they might need dialysis on the way back.&nbsp;We know that the kidneys are late to show signs of radiation damage; by the time this becomes apparent it's probably too late to prevent failure, which would be catastrophic for the mission's chances of success."

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, the researchers have observed that astronauts can suffer from permanent kidney damage if they go on missions to Mars. A review of the health impacts of space travel on the 24 astronauts who had travelled to the moon has found that many of them suffered changes to their kidneys as a result.

In a new study, the researchers have observed that astronauts can suffer from permanent kidney damage if they go on missions to Mars. A review of the health impacts of space travel on the 24 astronauts who had travelled to the moon has found that many of them suffered changes to their kidneys as a result. Also Read: 'Spacebug' found lurking on ISS. Here's how it endangers Sunita Williams and crew As per the study, the astronauts can develop painful kidney stones and may even need dialysis. The manned missions to Mars have been planned by both the US space agency NASA and the electric car tycoon Elon Musk. Need for drugs to protect the kidneys of astronauts Till the time new drugs are not made to protect the kidneys of astronauts, the health risk "would jeopardise" all kinds of 66 million-mile round trips to the red planet planned in the future. The drugs can also prove beneficial on Earth as a protective medication to prevent cancer patients from getting their kidneys harmed during radiotherapy. University College London scientists carried out a study of potential health impacts on space travellers and discovered that they are likely to suffer from kidney stones and may need dialysis when they are on the return flight. The study was published in Nature Communications and it was the largest analysis on kidney health in space flight till now. Watch: Is China practicing placing payload in space? Since the 1970s, researchers have been aware that space flight leads to certain health issues. The health issues included weakening of the heart and eyesight, development of kidney stones and loss of bone mass. A UCL-headed team of researchers from more than 40 institutions carried out a range of experiments and further looked into how kidneys were responding to space flight. The authors said, "The most alarming finding, at least for any astronaut considering a three-year round trip to Mars, is that the kidneys of mice exposed to radiation simulating GCR for 2.5 years experienced permanent damage and loss of function." Author of the study from the London Tubular Centre, based at the UCL Department of Renal Medicine Dr Keith Siew said, "If we don't develop new ways to protect the kidneys, I'd say that while an astronaut could make it to Mars they might need dialysis on the way back. We know that the kidneys are late to show signs of radiation damage; by the time this becomes apparent it's probably too late to prevent failure, which would be catastrophic for the mission's chances of success." (With inputs from agencies)

A trip to Mars might cost astronauts their kidneys, study on space flights reveals

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can be considered a cosmic detective which has been on the hunt for the explosive deaths of massive stars which occurred in the early universe.

Till now, the telescope has discovered evidence of 80 new early supernovas. Among these supernovas, they have found the earliest and furthest supernova ever discovered.

This supernova exploded at a time when the 13.8 billion-year-old universe was only 1.8 billion years old.

The team of scientists studied the data collected by the&nbsp;JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES)&nbsp;programme for finding this cluster of supernovas, which includes&nbsp;Type Ia blasts.&nbsp;

These kinds of blasts are called "standard candles" by astronomers and can be used for measuring cosmic distances.&nbsp;

<h2>Is JWST working as a supernova discovery machine?</h2>

Before the JWST started operating in the summer of 2022, just a handful of supernovas were discovered which dates back to when the universe was only 3.3 billion years old.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-detect-magnetic-massive-stars-in-neighbouring-galaxies-for-the-first-time-727473">Scientists detect massive magnetic stars in neighbouring galaxies for the first time</a>

However, the JADES sample contained various supernovas which exploded even further in the past. Some of them&nbsp;erupted when the universe was less than 2 billion years old.&nbsp;

In a statement, third-year graduate student at the Steward Observatory and the University of Arizona in Tucson and team member Christa DeCoursey said, "The JWST is a supernova discovery machine. The sheer number of detections plus the great distances to these supernovas are the two most exciting outcomes from our survey."

The JWST's unparalleled&nbsp;infrared sensitivity&nbsp;means that it has been finding supernovas almost everywhere it has looked in the cosmos.

The&nbsp;Hubble Space Telescope&nbsp;had earlier allowed astronomers to see supernovas which were so distant that they existed at a time when the universe was in its "young adult" phase.

Watch:&nbsp;Boeing to send Starliner space capsule with 2 astronauts'

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With the help of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES)&nbsp;programme and the JWST telescope, astronomers are able to observe supernovas when the cosmos was in its "teens" or even "pre-teens."&nbsp;

"This is really our first sample of what the&nbsp;high-redshift universe&nbsp;looks like for transient science," said JADES team member Justin Pierel, who is also a NASA Einstein Fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland.

"We are trying to identify whether distant supernovas are fundamentally different from or very much like what we see in the nearby universe," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can be considered a cosmic detective which has been on the hunt for the explosive deaths of massive stars which occurred in the early universe.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can be considered a cosmic detective which has been on the hunt for the explosive deaths of massive stars which occurred in the early universe. Till now, the telescope has discovered evidence of 80 new early supernovas. Among these supernovas, they have found the earliest and furthest supernova ever discovered. This supernova exploded at a time when the 13.8 billion-year-old universe was only 1.8 billion years old. The team of scientists studied the data collected by the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) programme for finding this cluster of supernovas, which includes Type Ia blasts. These kinds of blasts are called "standard candles" by astronomers and can be used for measuring cosmic distances. Is JWST working as a supernova discovery machine? Before the JWST started operating in the summer of 2022, just a handful of supernovas were discovered which dates back to when the universe was only 3.3 billion years old. Also Read: Scientists detect massive magnetic stars in neighbouring galaxies for the first time However, the JADES sample contained various supernovas which exploded even further in the past. Some of them erupted when the universe was less than 2 billion years old. In a statement, third-year graduate student at the Steward Observatory and the University of Arizona in Tucson and team member Christa DeCoursey said, "The JWST is a supernova discovery machine. The sheer number of detections plus the great distances to these supernovas are the two most exciting outcomes from our survey." The JWST's unparalleled infrared sensitivity means that it has been finding supernovas almost everywhere it has looked in the cosmos. The Hubble Space Telescope had earlier allowed astronomers to see supernovas which were so distant that they existed at a time when the universe was in its "young adult" phase. Watch: Boeing to send Starliner space capsule with 2 astronauts' With the help of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) programme and the JWST telescope, astronomers are able to observe supernovas when the cosmos was in its "teens" or even "pre-teens." "This is really our first sample of what the high-redshift universe looks like for transient science," said JADES team member Justin Pierel, who is also a NASA Einstein Fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. "We are trying to identify whether distant supernovas are fundamentally different from or very much like what we see in the nearby universe," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Supernova hunter James Webb spots most distant star explosion

Researchers recently discovered a unique extrasolar planet called “Phoenix” that is capable of retaining its atmosphere by puffing itself up. Phoenix, a Neptune-sized planet, was discovered by a Johns Hopkins University-led team&nbsp;recently.&nbsp;

An extrasolar planet, also known as exoplanet, is a planet outside our Solar System. There are currently around 5630 such exoplanets in our universe that are residing in different systems, defying our expectations.&nbsp;

Puff planets, like Phoneix, are comparatively new class of exoplanets which are extremely rare- accounting for some 1 per cent of planets in our galaxy. Such puff planets or super-puff, as they are called, have a mass only a few times larger than Earth’s but have a radius larger than that of Neptune, which gives them a very low mean density.&nbsp;

<h2>Phoenix: Puffiest exoplanet holding onto its atmosphere&nbsp;</h2>

The team discovered Phoenix with the help of data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and with the radial velocity measurements obtained by the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at the Keck Observatory.&nbsp;

The data from both the satellite and observatory indicated that Phoenix is 0.55 times the size of Jupiter but only 0.06 times as massive, which orbits a red giant star with a period of approximately 4.2 days. This period is about six times closer to its star than the distance between Mercury and the Sun.

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Looking at the age and temperature of its star and the planet’s significantly low density, the researchers deduced that Phoenix’s gaseous envelopes should have been stripped away billions of years ago.&nbsp;

The team also estimates that the planet is the puffiest “puff planet”, based on its density.&nbsp;

“This planet isn’t evolving the way we thought it would. It appears to have a much bigger, less dense atmosphere than we expected for these systems. How it held on to that atmosphere despite being so close to such a large host star is the big question,” Sam Grunblatt, an astrophysicist with JHU explained in a press release.

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“It’s the smallest planet we’ve ever found around one of these red giants, and probably the lowest mass planet orbiting a [red] giant star we’ve ever seen. That’s why it looks really weird. We don’t know why it still has an atmosphere when other ‘hot Neptunes’ that are much smaller and much denser seem to be losing their atmospheres in much less extreme environments.”

Nevertheless, these findings are crucial to predict Earth's atmosphere that it may not evolve the way astronomers previously expected. Instead of our Sun blasting it away, our atmosphere may expand to become incredibly “puffy.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers recently discovered a unique extrasolar planet called “Phoenix” that is capable of retaining its atmosphere by puffing itself up. Phoenix, a Neptune-sized planet, was discovered by a Johns Hopkins University-led team recently.

Researchers recently discovered a unique extrasolar planet called “Phoenix” that is capable of retaining its atmosphere by puffing itself up. Phoenix, a Neptune-sized planet, was discovered by a Johns Hopkins University-led team recently. An extrasolar planet, also known as exoplanet, is a planet outside our Solar System. There are currently around 5630 such exoplanets in our universe that are residing in different systems, defying our expectations. Puff planets, like Phoneix, are comparatively new class of exoplanets which are extremely rare- accounting for some 1 per cent of planets in our galaxy. Such puff planets or super-puff, as they are called, have a mass only a few times larger than Earth’s but have a radius larger than that of Neptune, which gives them a very low mean density. Phoenix: Puffiest exoplanet holding onto its atmosphere The team discovered Phoenix with the help of data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and with the radial velocity measurements obtained by the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at the Keck Observatory. The data from both the satellite and observatory indicated that Phoenix is 0.55 times the size of Jupiter but only 0.06 times as massive, which orbits a red giant star with a period of approximately 4.2 days. This period is about six times closer to its star than the distance between Mercury and the Sun. Also Read | After US and Mexico, WHO confirms human case of bird flu in India Looking at the age and temperature of its star and the planet’s significantly low density, the researchers deduced that Phoenix’s gaseous envelopes should have been stripped away billions of years ago. The team also estimates that the planet is the puffiest “puff planet”, based on its density. “This planet isn’t evolving the way we thought it would. It appears to have a much bigger, less dense atmosphere than we expected for these systems. How it held on to that atmosphere despite being so close to such a large host star is the big question,” Sam Grunblatt, an astrophysicist with JHU explained in a press release. Also Read | Astronauts may suffer permanent kidney damage after travelling to Mars: study “It’s the smallest planet we’ve ever found around one of these red giants, and probably the lowest mass planet orbiting a [red] giant star we’ve ever seen. That’s why it looks really weird. We don’t know why it still has an atmosphere when other ‘hot Neptunes’ that are much smaller and much denser seem to be losing their atmospheres in much less extreme environments.” Nevertheless, these findings are crucial to predict Earth's atmosphere that it may not evolve the way astronomers previously expected. Instead of our Sun blasting it away, our atmosphere may expand to become incredibly “puffy.” (With inputs from agencies)

Puffiest 'puff planet' Phoenix is holding onto its atmosphere. Will Earth follow in its footsteps?

After multiple delays in its journey from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), now, the Boeing Starliner's return journey&nbsp;to our planet has been jinxed.

NASA and Boeing have announced a delay in the return of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on which NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams travelled to the ISS.

<h2>When will NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore come home?</h2>

As per Reuters, the return spaceflight has been pushed back to June 18.&nbsp;

Originally, Starliner was expected to undock from the ISS on Friday (June 14) and return to Earth after launching its inaugural crew of two NASA astronauts from Florida on June 5.&nbsp;

The delay comes as mission analysts examine issues that could potentially affect the spacecraft's return.

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Several factors are being considered in scheduling Starliner's return, including fixes to faulty components on the spacecraft, weather conditions, and ISS scheduling matters such as spacewalks by other astronauts aboard the station. More changes to Starliner's return date could be announced during its mission.

As of Tuesday, mission officials were targeting June 18 for Starliner's undocking from the station.&nbsp;

<h2>Where will it land?</h2>

The spacecraft would land in the desert of White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Willcox Playa in Arizona, or other similar pre-determined locations roughly six hours after undocking, pending weather conditions.

NASA's deputy programme manager for the ISS, Dina Contella, told reporters on Tuesday (June 11) that a new issue has cropped up on Starliner while it remained docked to the station - a "sticky" oxidizer valve.&nbsp;

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Furthermore, an additional helium leak on Starliner's propulsion system was mentioned in a NASA blog on Monday, on top of four already identified during its journey to the space station last week.

Despite these challenges, NASA and Boeing were able to regain four of the five manoeuvring thrusters that went dead during the flight to the ISS before docking to the orbital laboratory.&nbsp;

Starliner can stay docked to the ISS for a maximum of 45 days, according to NASA officials. This mission is a crucial test before NASA can certify Starliner for routine flights.

(With inputs from agencies)

After multiple delays in its journey from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), now, the Boeing Starliner's return journey to our planet has been jinxed.

After multiple delays in its journey from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), now, the Boeing Starliner's return journey to our planet has been jinxed. NASA and Boeing have announced a delay in the return of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on which NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams travelled to the ISS. When will NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore come home? As per Reuters, the return spaceflight has been pushed back to June 18. Originally, Starliner was expected to undock from the ISS on Friday (June 14) and return to Earth after launching its inaugural crew of two NASA astronauts from Florida on June 5. The delay comes as mission analysts examine issues that could potentially affect the spacecraft's return. Also read | Boeing Starliner suffered helium leaks before historic space station docking Several factors are being considered in scheduling Starliner's return, including fixes to faulty components on the spacecraft, weather conditions, and ISS scheduling matters such as spacewalks by other astronauts aboard the station. More changes to Starliner's return date could be announced during its mission. As of Tuesday, mission officials were targeting June 18 for Starliner's undocking from the station. Where will it land? The spacecraft would land in the desert of White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Willcox Playa in Arizona, or other similar pre-determined locations roughly six hours after undocking, pending weather conditions. NASA's deputy programme manager for the ISS, Dina Contella, told reporters on Tuesday (June 11) that a new issue has cropped up on Starliner while it remained docked to the station - a "sticky" oxidizer valve. Also read | Russian Cosmonaut makes world history by spending 1,000 days in space Furthermore, an additional helium leak on Starliner's propulsion system was mentioned in a NASA blog on Monday, on top of four already identified during its journey to the space station last week. Despite these challenges, NASA and Boeing were able to regain four of the five manoeuvring thrusters that went dead during the flight to the ISS before docking to the orbital laboratory. Starliner can stay docked to the ISS for a maximum of 45 days, according to NASA officials. This mission is a crucial test before NASA can certify Starliner for routine flights. (With inputs from agencies)

Boeing jinx?: Starliner spacecraft carrying Sunita Williams won't return to Earth till June 18

NASA's Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams along with the eight other crew members has landed in a new trouble on board the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA's Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams along with the eight other crew members has landed in a new trouble on board the International Space Station (ISS). A superbug has been detected inside the city in the International Space Station which is likely to become a problem for those currently inhabiting the orbiting station. A multi-drug resistant bacteria called 'Enterobacter bugandensis' has been found by scientists which has evolved and turned more potent in the ISS' closed environment. Also Read: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams dances sprightly on arriving at Int’l Space Station Because it is multi-drug resistant, the bacteria is often called a "superbug". How can a 'superbug' trouble astronauts? The 'superbug' bacteria can prove troublesome for the astronauts as it can affect their respiratory system. Spacebugs are not extra-terrestrial life. These bugs travel like hidden co-passengers when the astronauts go to the ISS. The superbug was discovered by scientists in samples isolated from the International Space Station. In the study, they found 13 strains of the bacterium Enterobacter bugandensis, which is said to be multidrug resistant. “In a new scientific paper funded by an Ames Space Biology grant, Principal Investigator Dr Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory strains of Enterobacter bugandensis isolated from the International Space Station (ISS) were studied. Thirteen strains of E bugandensis, a bacterium notorious for being multi-drug resistant, were isolated from the ISS,” stated NASA in a report. NASA cited Senior Research Scientist at JPL Dr Kasthuri Venkateswaran in its report as saying, "Our research uncovers how certain benign microorganisms help to adapt and survive opportunistic human pathogen, E. bugandensis, in the unfavourable conditions of the International Space Station." Watch: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams set for third space mission "The knowledge gained from this study would shed light on microbial behaviour, adaptation, and evolution in extreme, isolated environments that allow in designing novel countermeasure strategies to eradicate opportunistic pathogens, thus protecting the health of astronauts," he added. Williams along with her colleague Astronaut Barry Eugene "Butch" Wilmore boarded the new Boeing Starliner spacecraft on June 6 and is set to spend nearly a week in the low Earth orbiting laboratory before coming back to Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

'Spacebug' found lurking on ISS. Here's how it endangers Sunita Williams and crew

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