To return to past, one might need a Time Machine, and that as of now, is the subject of science fiction. But scientists have now managed to find out something from the depth of time for real. They have discovered something 'really surprising' from billions of years ago that could change the way we understand the grand infinite universe.&nbsp;

The findings came from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) deployed on it. The technology allows scientists to study the earliest known galaxies in our universe.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/its-official-maisies-galaxy-is-one-of-the-earliest-known-galaxies-confirm-scientists-625852">It’s official! Maisie's Galaxy is one of the earliest known galaxies</a>

A team of researchers from Durham University have dissected data from just a few billion years after the universe was formed. For reference, our universe is about 13.7 billion years old.

This is even further back than the previous earliest-known conditions of universe observed for the period about nine billion years ago.&nbsp;

The team’s findings have been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

<h2>What does it mean?</h2>

The findings point to the presence of more settled forms of environments. They occurred despite the more chaotic nature of galaxies in their earlier gestation period.

"Galaxies in the early universe are maturing much faster than we thought," said Zoe Le Conte, a PhD researcher in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy within the Department of Physics at Durham University, who is also the lead author on the research.

"This is a real surprise because you would expect the universe at that stage to be very turbulent with lots of collisions between galaxies and a lot of gas that hasn’t yet transformed into stars."

Also watch |&nbsp;The Big Space: James Webb Telescope makes shocking discovery, shows extreme promise early on

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"However, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope we are seeing a lot of these bars much earlier in the life of the Universe which means that galaxies were at a more settled stage in their evolution than previously thought."

"This means we will have to adjust our views on early galaxy evolution."

(With inputs from agencies)

To return to past, one might need a Time Machine, and that as of now, is the subject of science fiction. But scientists have now managed to find out something from the depth of time for real.

To return to past, one might need a Time Machine, and that as of now, is the subject of science fiction. But scientists have now managed to find out something from the depth of time for real. They have discovered something 'really surprising' from billions of years ago that could change the way we understand the grand infinite universe. The findings came from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) deployed on it. The technology allows scientists to study the earliest known galaxies in our universe. Also read | It’s official! Maisie's Galaxy is one of the earliest known galaxies A team of researchers from Durham University have dissected data from just a few billion years after the universe was formed. For reference, our universe is about 13.7 billion years old. This is even further back than the previous earliest-known conditions of universe observed for the period about nine billion years ago. The team’s findings have been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. What does it mean? The findings point to the presence of more settled forms of environments. They occurred despite the more chaotic nature of galaxies in their earlier gestation period. "Galaxies in the early universe are maturing much faster than we thought," said Zoe Le Conte, a PhD researcher in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy within the Department of Physics at Durham University, who is also the lead author on the research. "This is a real surprise because you would expect the universe at that stage to be very turbulent with lots of collisions between galaxies and a lot of gas that hasn’t yet transformed into stars." Also watch | The Big Space: James Webb Telescope makes shocking discovery, shows extreme promise early on × "However, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope we are seeing a lot of these bars much earlier in the life of the Universe which means that galaxies were at a more settled stage in their evolution than previously thought." "This means we will have to adjust our views on early galaxy evolution." (With inputs from agencies)

'Surprise'! Scientists discover earliest known galaxies since about beginning of time

Are the Aliens trying to communicate with us? If they do how would they talk to us? Well, they could be sending messages that would be captured by big radio antennas but recently something amazing has happened. Watch to know more.

Laser message strikes Earth from 226 kilometers away | Mysterious transmissions strike Earth

Human activity might have changed the deep subsurface of Earth, a zone located hundreds of metres to several kilometres under the surface. According to a study published in Earth's Future, the motion of fluids in the subsurface is much higher under human activity than in natural circulation.

Human activity might have changed the deep subsurface of Earth, a zone located hundreds of metres to several kilometres under the surface. According to a study published in Earth's Future, the motion of fluids in the subsurface is much higher under human activity than in natural circulation. However, it is currently unclear what the impacts of these changes might be. The researchers looked at the extraction of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, and their replacement underground using salt water. They do it to maintain the pressure in the reservoir. Often, water is already present in these reservoirs, which has remained untouched for millions of years. Adding new water alters the composition and its movement in the subsurface. Another aspect of this process is hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, which involves the extraction of oil and gas, not from reservoirs but from deep rock formations. However, breaking the rocks leads to quakes in regions that are not seismically active. It also introduces water and bacteria to the environments underneath. Professor Jennifer McIntosh, the senior study author from the University of Arizona, told IFLScience, "We looked at how the rates of fluid production with oil and gas compared to natural background circulation of water and showed how humans have made a big impact on the circulation of fluids in the subsurface." ALSO READ | Scientists forewarn timing of 'triple whammy extinction' that will eradicate all life from Earth Professor Grant Ferguson, the study's lead author, said, "The deep subsurface is out of sight and out of mind for most people, and we thought it was important to provide some context to these proposed activities, especially our environmental impacts." Many uncertainties surrounding the subsurface raise concerns about potential solutions to the climate crisis. One solution involves storing carbon dioxide underground. However, this method requires burying the carbon dioxide beneath the Earth's surface. Lithium extraction for batteries also poses a challenge as it requires injecting a large amount of water into the subsurface. Furthermore, geothermal energy as a clean source of electricity could also impact the subsurface. Thus, it is essential to understand what is happening beneath our feet. "We need to use the deep subsurface as part of the solution for the climate crisis. Yet, we know more about the surface of Mars than we do about water, rocks and life deep beneath our feet," McIntosh said. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover evidence of human activity altering deep subsurface of Earth

The search for life beyond Earth is really just getting started, but science has an encouraging early answer: there are plenty of planets in the galaxy, many with similarities to our own. But what we don’t know fills volumes. Observations from the ground and from space have confirmed thousands of planets beyond our solar system.

Strongest sign of alien found: The search for life beyond earth

Scientists have found that an asteroid which crashed into the Earth’s atmosphere earlier this year was spinning at the highest rate ever known, which was one spin every 2.

Scientists have found that an asteroid which crashed into the Earth’s atmosphere earlier this year was spinning at the highest rate ever known, which was one spin every 2.6 seconds. The asteroid, known as 2024 BX1, is probably not more than one metre wide and entered the atmosphere of Earth on January 21 and fell into pieces over Berlin, Germany. However, some pieces survived the fireball and were later recovered. First asteroid to have been spotted before entering Earth's atmosphere It was a rare case where the scientists were able to track the fall of the asteroid and spot the celestial rock before it entered the atmosphere of the Earth. In this case, it was seen just three hours ahead of the asteroid's entry. The images of the asteroid were taken by Maxime Devogele and his colleagues at the European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre in Italy before impact. Also Read: "Hazardous asteroid" Apophis to make close flyby of Earth in five years; How are scientists prepping for it? The asteroid, which was moving at some 50,000 kilometres per hour, had an elongated shape which meant changes in its brightness due to rotation. Such changes in brightness corresponded with the rotation time of 2.588 seconds, which was roughly 30,000 rotations per day. “It’s the fastest [spin] we’ve ever observed,” Devogele said. The asteroids are known to spin due to various reasons, such as collisions they may have faced earlier in their life. The space rocks in general are bigger than a kilometre and cannot rotate more than once every 2.2 hours because they will break apart. However, smaller asteroids like 2024 BX1 can withstand much faster spins since they are more compact. “They have internal strength, so they can rotate faster,” Devogele said. Watch: Gravitas | The impact of NASA asteroid deflection Observing the spin of objects is more useful for planetary defence which helps scientists understand how strong a small asteroid is and how it is likely to survive its passage through the atmosphere of the Earth. “If it’s hard, it will react differently than if it’s a piece of snow that has no internal strength,” says Devogele. (With inputs from agencies)

Fastest-spinning asteroid recently hit Earth’s atmosphere and crashed in Berlin

A potentially hazardous asteroid will swing by Earth at an eerily close distance of less than 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometres) in about five years. On 13 April 2029, Apophis will pass by Earth, coming ten times closer than the Moon.

A potentially hazardous asteroid will swing by Earth at an eerily close distance of less than 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometres) in about five years. On 13 April 2029, Apophis will pass by Earth, coming ten times closer than the Moon. Scientists first discovered it in 2004 and have designated the 1,100-foot-wide (335 metres) near-Earth object that could impact our planet as a "hazardous asteroid." However, later observations revealed that it has no chance of crashing into Earth for at least another century. Moreover, scientists wish to take full advantage of the upcoming event and explore the asteroid. They hope to document the potential changes by comparing observations of the asteroid before and after its encounter with Earth. Some researchers believe the physical changes to the asteroids could alter its orbital path. Private space companies have proposed missions to rendezvous with Apohpus ahead of its highly-awaited flyby, SpaceNews reported. One of these companies, Blue Origins, has proposed using the Blue Ring orbital platform to deliver payloads to the asteroid. Blue Ring will make its debut by the end of 2024. It provides end-to-end services for commercial and government customers and can host payloads of up to 6,600 pounds (3,000 kilograms). ALSO READ | Ultimate cure to cancer? World’s first personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for melanoma undergoing trials Meanwhile, Exabs proposed an idea that NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) had studied previously. They said the DROID (Distributed Radar Observations of Interior Distributions) would deploy two CubeSats to perform a "CAT" scan of Apophis' interior. The mission would launch in May 2028 and arrive at Apophis in February 2029. In February, NASA held a workshop to seek ideas from the private sector on "innovative approaches to conduct missions during the Earth flyby of the asteroid Apophis in 2029." NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft is already on its way to study the asteroid after dropping off samples from the Bennu asteroid in the Utah desert. The space agency also has a spare spacecraft, Psyche, designed to visit asteroids 1996 FG3 and 1991 VH. NASA also assigned it to the Janus mission. But that did not work out. However, this is just the beginning. Many space agencies and other private companies can announce space missions around the rare event in the upcoming years. (With inputs from agencies)

"Hazardous asteroid" Apophis to make close flyby of Earth in five years; How are scientists prepping for it?

NASA achieved a historic feat after its deep space communication technology aboard the Psyche spacecraft broke all records and showcased its capabilities in transmitting messages using lasers from deep space to Earth.

NASA achieved a historic feat after its deep space communication technology aboard the Psyche spacecraft broke all records and showcased its capabilities in transmitting messages using lasers from deep space to Earth. This success has now increased the possibility of future spacecraft utilising optical communications to enable more complex and faster data transmission. NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which is currently moving towards the main asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars, has been equipped with the Deep Space Optical Communications technology and was created by the scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Also Read: Voyager 1 ends 'radio silence' thanks to NASA's software repair 15 billion miles away from Earth Although the primary communication system of the spacecraft is dependent on radio frequency, the demo of optical communications has shown that it is a potential game-changer in deep space communication. A revolution in deep space communication? The optical communications demo which took place on April 8 ended successfully as a copy of engineering data was transmitted from over 140 million miles (226 million kilometres) away, which is 1½ times the distance between Earth and the Sun. Project’s operations lead at JPL Meera Srinivasan said, “We downlinked about 10 minutes of duplicated spacecraft data during a pass on April 8. Until then, we’d been sending test and diagnostic data in our downlinks from Psyche." “This represents a significant milestone for the project by showing how optical communications can interface with a spacecraft’s radio frequency comms system,” she added. The laser communications technology used in this demo has been used for transmitting messages from deep space at a speed which is 10 to 100 times faster in comparison to the current state-of-the-art radio frequency systems which is used by deep space missions. Watch: NASA restores contact with Voyager 1 after months of silence The experiment was able to achieve a maximum data transmission rate of 267 megabits per second (Mbps) on December 11, 2023, from the near-infrared downlink laser of the light laser transceiver. This was achieved when a 15-second ultra-high-definition video was beamed by the spacecraft to Earth from 19 million miles away. The data transmission is likely to decrease as the spacecraft ventures farther away from Earth. During the April 8 test, data was being transmitted by the spacecraft at a maximum rate of 25 Mbps, which is beyond the project’s goal of transmitting at least 1 Mbps from that distance. “After receiving the data from the DSN and Palomar, we verified the optically downlinked data at JPL. It was a small amount of data downlinked over a short time frame, but the fact we’re doing this now has surpassed all of our expectations,” said Ken Andrews, who is a project flight operations lead at JPL. (With inputs from agencies)

Another message from deep space! NASA spacecraft beams laser from 140mn miles away

Space is becoming increasingly cluttered, not just with functioning spacecraft but also with the debris of those that have outlived their usefulness. As companies like SpaceX, among others, vie for supremacy in the satellite internet arena, the skies are witnessing a surge in space debris that is reportedly posing a challenge to life itself.

Now, experts are reportedly warning of a potential threat to Earth's magnetic field.&nbsp; 
 
Dr Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is highlighting the alarming rate at which companies are deploying satellite constellations, projecting a potential surge to 100,000 satellites within the next decade.

The rapid expansion of these mega-constellations could inundate Earth's plasma environment with hazardous trash and may jeopardise the delicate balance of the magnetosphere.

The influx of metallic debris from defunct rockets could disrupt the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Both of these are essential systems that play important roles in protecting our atmosphere and sustaining life on Earth. These dynamic layers of Earth's upper atmosphere interact with the solar wind and cosmic radiation and creates a shield against harmful particles and radiation from space.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/devil-comet-makes-spectacular-return-after-7-decades-graces-australian-skies-713033">Devil Comet makes spectacular return after 7 decades, graces Australian skies</a>

Current estimates are likening the menace to multiple Eiffel Towers' worth of metallic ash annually. This influx also poses the risk of ozone depletion and atmospheric erosion.

The ionosphere, located roughly 48 to 965 kilometres above the Earth's surface is a region of the atmosphere where atoms and molecules become ionised by solar radiation. This process creates a layer of charged particles that reflects radio waves and enables long-distance communication via radio signals.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hubbles-latest-marvel-twin-jet-nebula-stuns-everyone-713001">Hubble's latest marvel: Twin Jet Nebula stuns everyone!</a>

This Ionosphere helps to protect life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which can cause skin cancer and other health issues if it reaches the Earth's surface in large quantities.

Watch | Study says climate change to shrink global GDP by $38 trillion by 2050

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The lack of comprehensive studies on the impact of space pollution on the magnetosphere is concerning.

(With inputs from agencies)

Space is becoming increasingly cluttered, not just with functioning spacecraft but also with the debris of those that have outlived their usefulness. As companies like SpaceX, among others, vie for supremacy in the satellite internet arena, the skies are witnessing a surge in space debris that is reportedly posing a challenge to life itself.

Space is becoming increasingly cluttered, not just with functioning spacecraft but also with the debris of those that have outlived their usefulness. As companies like SpaceX, among others, vie for supremacy in the satellite internet arena, the skies are witnessing a surge in space debris that is reportedly posing a challenge to life itself. Now, experts are reportedly warning of a potential threat to Earth's magnetic field. Dr Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is highlighting the alarming rate at which companies are deploying satellite constellations, projecting a potential surge to 100,000 satellites within the next decade. The rapid expansion of these mega-constellations could inundate Earth's plasma environment with hazardous trash and may jeopardise the delicate balance of the magnetosphere. The influx of metallic debris from defunct rockets could disrupt the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Both of these are essential systems that play important roles in protecting our atmosphere and sustaining life on Earth. These dynamic layers of Earth's upper atmosphere interact with the solar wind and cosmic radiation and creates a shield against harmful particles and radiation from space. Also Read | Devil Comet makes spectacular return after 7 decades, graces Australian skies Current estimates are likening the menace to multiple Eiffel Towers' worth of metallic ash annually. This influx also poses the risk of ozone depletion and atmospheric erosion. The ionosphere, located roughly 48 to 965 kilometres above the Earth's surface is a region of the atmosphere where atoms and molecules become ionised by solar radiation. This process creates a layer of charged particles that reflects radio waves and enables long-distance communication via radio signals. Also Read | Hubble's latest marvel: Twin Jet Nebula stuns everyone! This Ionosphere helps to protect life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which can cause skin cancer and other health issues if it reaches the Earth's surface in large quantities. Watch | Study says climate change to shrink global GDP by $38 trillion by 2050 × The lack of comprehensive studies on the impact of space pollution on the magnetosphere is concerning. (With inputs from agencies)

Space trash threatens Earth's magnetic field

Elon Musk's Starlink satellites vaunt of their efficiency but it appears that the company is doing more harm to the planet than good. A former physicist associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) claimed that Musk's company is exposing everyone on Earth to deadly cosmic rays.&nbsp;

SpaceX has launched multiple Starlink satellites into space over the past few years. The company says that its satellites operate in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), claiming that it results in lower latency and faster data transfer rates. The company says it has over 5,500 Starlink satellites in orbit. Notably, Musk is planning to launch thousands more in the future.&nbsp;

But the physicist, Dr Sierra Solter-Hunt, warned that cheap satellite megaconstellations like Musk's Starlink could disrupt Earth's magnetosphere.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/devil-comet-makes-spectacular-return-after-7-decades-graces-australian-skies-713033">Devil Comet makes spectacular return after 7 decades, graces Australian skies</a>&nbsp;

She mentioned in a study, submitted December 6, 2023, that as per estimates, Musk's space company is burning up over 2,755 lbs (1.3 tons) of wireless internet satellite junk into Earth's atmosphere per hour. This will lead to the formation of a metal layer known as "conductive particulate" in orbit.&nbsp;

The study mentioned that the mass of such particles left behind from the worldwide distribution of re-entry satellites is already billions of times greater than the mass of the Van Allen radiation belt, which is a zone of energetic charged particles.&nbsp;

Most of the particles originate from the solar wind, that are captured by and held around a planet by that planet's magnetosphere. Earth has two such belts, and sometimes others may be temporarily created.&nbsp;

The magnetic field holds Earth's atmosphere together. It also protects from harmful cosmic radiation and charged solar particles.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/alien-life-may-be-hiding-in-purple-hue-of-universe-scientists-712945">Alien life may be hiding in purple hue of universe: Scientists</a>&nbsp;

"I was very surprised. No one has given much research to the accumulation of metal dust from the space industry," Dr Solter-Hunt told Daily Mail.&nbsp;

The absence of a magnetic field is the reason why Mars is inhabitable. In her study, she said that the accumulation of highly conductive metal trash could lead to "atmospheric stripping". This is the phenomenon with Mars and Mercury.&nbsp;

According to Dr Solter-Hunt, there are around 10,000 satellites, and the number is likely to increase in 10 to 15 years. She warned, "By the time we get to 100,000 I think it could be too late."&nbsp;

The study said, "Satellite re-entries may create a global band of plasma dust with a charge higher than the rest of the magnetosphere. Therefore, perturbation of the magnetosphere from conductive satellites and their plasma dust layer should be expected and should be a field of intensive research."&nbsp;

The study added that human activity is not only impacting the atmosphere, it is clearly impacting the ionosphere.&nbsp;

This is not the first study which questioned Starlink satellites in orbit, another study published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics on August 10, 2023, claimed that the satellites are also creating a hurdle for humans to explore space.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's Starlink satellites vaunt of their efficiency but it appears that the company is doing more harm to the planet than good. A former physicist associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) claimed that Musk's company is exposing everyone on Earth to deadly cosmic rays.

Elon Musk's Starlink satellites vaunt of their efficiency but it appears that the company is doing more harm to the planet than good. A former physicist associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) claimed that Musk's company is exposing everyone on Earth to deadly cosmic rays. SpaceX has launched multiple Starlink satellites into space over the past few years. The company says that its satellites operate in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), claiming that it results in lower latency and faster data transfer rates. The company says it has over 5,500 Starlink satellites in orbit. Notably, Musk is planning to launch thousands more in the future. But the physicist, Dr Sierra Solter-Hunt, warned that cheap satellite megaconstellations like Musk's Starlink could disrupt Earth's magnetosphere. Also read: Devil Comet makes spectacular return after 7 decades, graces Australian skies She mentioned in a study, submitted December 6, 2023, that as per estimates, Musk's space company is burning up over 2,755 lbs (1.3 tons) of wireless internet satellite junk into Earth's atmosphere per hour. This will lead to the formation of a metal layer known as "conductive particulate" in orbit. The study mentioned that the mass of such particles left behind from the worldwide distribution of re-entry satellites is already billions of times greater than the mass of the Van Allen radiation belt, which is a zone of energetic charged particles. Most of the particles originate from the solar wind, that are captured by and held around a planet by that planet's magnetosphere. Earth has two such belts, and sometimes others may be temporarily created. The magnetic field holds Earth's atmosphere together. It also protects from harmful cosmic radiation and charged solar particles. Also read: Alien life may be hiding in purple hue of universe: Scientists "I was very surprised. No one has given much research to the accumulation of metal dust from the space industry," Dr Solter-Hunt told Daily Mail. The absence of a magnetic field is the reason why Mars is inhabitable. In her study, she said that the accumulation of highly conductive metal trash could lead to "atmospheric stripping". This is the phenomenon with Mars and Mercury. According to Dr Solter-Hunt, there are around 10,000 satellites, and the number is likely to increase in 10 to 15 years. She warned, "By the time we get to 100,000 I think it could be too late." The study said, "Satellite re-entries may create a global band of plasma dust with a charge higher than the rest of the magnetosphere. Therefore, perturbation of the magnetosphere from conductive satellites and their plasma dust layer should be expected and should be a field of intensive research." The study added that human activity is not only impacting the atmosphere, it is clearly impacting the ionosphere. This is not the first study which questioned Starlink satellites in orbit, another study published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics on August 10, 2023, claimed that the satellites are also creating a hurdle for humans to explore space. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites could be harming Earth’s magnetic field

NASA announced on Tuesday (April 16) that its Ingenuity Mars helicopter has sent its last transmission to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the surface of the red planet.

This aircraft, about the size of a tissue box, made history by completing the first powered flight on another celestial body. It accomplished this feat by hitching a ride under the Perseverance rover, which initially departed the Martian surface on April 19, 2021.

"A long goodbye," NASA said on social media site X.

"Ingenuity's team received their final message from the #MarsHelicopter, which will now serve as a stationary testbed, collecting data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet," it further wrote.

Originally intended only to prove flight was possible in the ultra-thin Martian atmosphere through five test runs, Ingenuity defied all expectations.

Throughout its deployment, it took to the skies a total of 72 times, accumulating over two hours of flight time through brief hops. It navigated through challenges including dust storms, difficult terrain, a malfunctioning sensor, and extreme cold conditions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/tiny-moon-big-ocean-this-is-how-a-huge-ocean-was-created-on-saturns-death-star-moon-mimas-712562">Tiny moon, big ocean: THIS is how a huge ocean was created on Saturn's 'Death Star' moon Mimas</a>

Its role evolved into that of an aerial scout, aiding its wheeled companion in the exploration for evidence of ancient microbial life from a time when Mars was significantly wetter and warmer than it is today.

Especially designed to operate in springtime, its solar-powered heating system was unable to remain on throughout the night in winter. That led to the flight computer freezing over and forced engineers to devise new protocols.

NASA was trying to bring Martian rocks collected by the rover back to Earth faster and more cheaply, amid the agency facing mounting criticism for going massively over budget.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-humans-lived-in-this-vast-lava-tube-in-saudi-arabia-7000-years-ago-712474">Ancient humans lived in THIS vast lava tube in Saudi Arabia 7,000 years ago</a>.&nbsp;

The effort comes as China is making progress towards a simpler "grab-and-go" sample return mission to the red planet "around 2030," according to state media, which would make it the first nation to achieve the feat.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA announced on Tuesday (April 16) that its Ingenuity Mars helicopter has sent its last transmission to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the surface of the red planet.

NASA announced on Tuesday (April 16) that its Ingenuity Mars helicopter has sent its last transmission to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the surface of the red planet. This aircraft, about the size of a tissue box, made history by completing the first powered flight on another celestial body. It accomplished this feat by hitching a ride under the Perseverance rover, which initially departed the Martian surface on April 19, 2021. "A long goodbye," NASA said on social media site X. "Ingenuity's team received their final message from the #MarsHelicopter, which will now serve as a stationary testbed, collecting data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet," it further wrote. Originally intended only to prove flight was possible in the ultra-thin Martian atmosphere through five test runs, Ingenuity defied all expectations. Throughout its deployment, it took to the skies a total of 72 times, accumulating over two hours of flight time through brief hops. It navigated through challenges including dust storms, difficult terrain, a malfunctioning sensor, and extreme cold conditions. Also read: Tiny moon, big ocean: THIS is how a huge ocean was created on Saturn's 'Death Star' moon Mimas Its role evolved into that of an aerial scout, aiding its wheeled companion in the exploration for evidence of ancient microbial life from a time when Mars was significantly wetter and warmer than it is today. Especially designed to operate in springtime, its solar-powered heating system was unable to remain on throughout the night in winter. That led to the flight computer freezing over and forced engineers to devise new protocols. NASA was trying to bring Martian rocks collected by the rover back to Earth faster and more cheaply, amid the agency facing mounting criticism for going massively over budget. Also read: Ancient humans lived in THIS vast lava tube in Saudi Arabia 7,000 years ago. The effort comes as China is making progress towards a simpler "grab-and-go" sample return mission to the red planet "around 2030," according to state media, which would make it the first nation to achieve the feat. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter sends last message to Earth

Radar images of a 2,000-foot-wide asteroid were captured by NASA astronomers as the "potentially hazardous" asteroid safely passed by Earth on April 15.

The asteroid, which has been named 2013 NK4, was snapped by scientists using the Goldstone Radar in California on April 13.

"Radar narrow echoes probably establish that 2013 NK4 rotates very slowly, and the shape is bifurcated," said NASA.

According to the observations, asteroid 2013 NK4 is most likely a binary contact, which means the asteroid is made up of two bodies or asteroids which gravitated towards each other till they touched and hence, created the elongated shape.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/car-sized-asteroid-has-super-close-encounter-with-earth-flies-30-times-closer-than-moon-710374">Car-sized asteroid comes eerily close to Earth, much closer than even the Moon</a>

The closest approach to the Earth was made by the space rock at 10:50 am&nbsp;EDT on Monday (April 15), when the asteroid was just around 2 million miles (3.2 million kilometres) away from our planet, as per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).&nbsp;

<h2>What's new about the asteroid?</h2>

This "city-killer" asteroid, which safely passed across Earth after making its closest approach, was classified as "potentially hazardous" because of its size, even though it did not pose any threat to our planet.&nbsp;

The asteroid, which has been named 2013 NK4, is nearly 2,000 feet (610 meters) wide which makes it twice the size of the "god of chaos" asteroid Apophis which is expected to make a super-close approach to Earth in 2029.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas | The impact of NASA asteroid deflection

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The asteroid is so large that it can destroy a large city and also lead to serious environmental impacts if it hits the Earth.

However, as per NASA's calculations, this asteroid will never have an impact on the Earth. The new thing about the asteroid is that for the first time, it is visible through amateur telescopes from April 15 to April 17.

One does not need a professional astronomer to see the space rock zooming in space. Anyone, who has a decent astronomy telescope, will be able to see the asteroid till April 17.

However, because of the asteroid's orientation relative to Earth, it will be more clearly seen on April 16 and April 17, according to EarthSky.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Radar images of a 2,000-foot-wide asteroid were captured by NASA astronomers as the "potentially hazardous" asteroid safely passed by Earth on April 15. The asteroid, which has been named 2013 NK4, was snapped by scientists using the Goldstone Radar in California on April 13.

Radar images of a 2,000-foot-wide asteroid were captured by NASA astronomers as the "potentially hazardous" asteroid safely passed by Earth on April 15. The asteroid, which has been named 2013 NK4, was snapped by scientists using the Goldstone Radar in California on April 13. "Radar narrow echoes probably establish that 2013 NK4 rotates very slowly, and the shape is bifurcated," said NASA. According to the observations, asteroid 2013 NK4 is most likely a binary contact, which means the asteroid is made up of two bodies or asteroids which gravitated towards each other till they touched and hence, created the elongated shape. Also Read: Car-sized asteroid comes eerily close to Earth, much closer than even the Moon The closest approach to the Earth was made by the space rock at 10:50 am EDT on Monday (April 15), when the asteroid was just around 2 million miles (3.2 million kilometres) away from our planet, as per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). What's new about the asteroid? This "city-killer" asteroid, which safely passed across Earth after making its closest approach, was classified as "potentially hazardous" because of its size, even though it did not pose any threat to our planet. The asteroid, which has been named 2013 NK4, is nearly 2,000 feet (610 meters) wide which makes it twice the size of the "god of chaos" asteroid Apophis which is expected to make a super-close approach to Earth in 2029. Watch: Gravitas | The impact of NASA asteroid deflection The asteroid is so large that it can destroy a large city and also lead to serious environmental impacts if it hits the Earth. However, as per NASA's calculations, this asteroid will never have an impact on the Earth. The new thing about the asteroid is that for the first time, it is visible through amateur telescopes from April 15 to April 17. One does not need a professional astronomer to see the space rock zooming in space. Anyone, who has a decent astronomy telescope, will be able to see the asteroid till April 17. However, because of the asteroid's orientation relative to Earth, it will be more clearly seen on April 16 and April 17, according to EarthSky. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA snaps 2,000-foot-wide asteroid, visible through amateur telescopes, as it zips past Earth

Are there extra-terrestrials on Jupiter's moon? NASA's probe has its destination set for one of Jupiter's moon Europa. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Life beyond Earth? NASA probe bound for Jupiter's moon

Scientists spotted a massive, car-sized asteroid two days before it had an extremely close shave with Earth on Thursday (April 11).&nbsp;

To everyone's relief, the 9.4-foot space rock, although came very close to Earth, made a harmless pass by the planet.

The newly-discovered asteroid 2024 GJ2 is around the size of a car and after it was spotted by astronomers they calculated that the space rock would pass by Earth at a mere distance of 19.3 thousand kilometres from Earth.&nbsp;

This is just three per cent of the distance between the Moon and the Earth. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), 2024 GJ2 measures between 2.5 and 5 metres (8.2 and 16 feet).

Its size means that it is an asteroid with a weight class which would have burned up in the atmosphere of the Earth if its orbit intersected with ours more directly.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-blasts-an-asteroid-in-space-it-now-fears-its-debris-may-collide-with-mars-707195">NASA blasted an asteroid in space. It now fears boulders may collide with Mars</a>

As per the astronomers, the asteroid made its closest approach at 2:28:42 p.m. EDT, when it was at a distance of 12,298 kilometres from Earth on Thursday (April 11).

The asteroid will not return&nbsp;till 2093, as per the near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre of the ESA. However, at that time, the asteroid will not fly as close as it did this time.

In 2093, asteroid GJ2 is expected to fly as close as 205,947 kilometres from us, which is 10 times farther than the distance at which it flew this time.&nbsp;

Around 35,000 near-Earth asteroids have been catalogued by NASA to date, although very few of them threaten&nbsp;our planet.

<h2>What are asteroids and how does NASA track them?</h2>

As per the scientists, asteroids are space rocks and some of them are also made of metal and orbit around the Sun.

Some asteroids are tiny and some are as huge as boulders. The asteroids can also fly even hundreds of kilometres across.&nbsp;

These asteroids have remained preserved in the solar system from the time it came into existence some 4.6 billion years ago.

The asteroids can also cause massive damage and hence, the space agencies track them. A range of instruments are used by the US space agency NASA to track the asteroids.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas | The impact of NASA asteroid deflection

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-impact-of-nasa-asteroid-deflection-707437/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

NASA has observatories which are equipped with powerful telescopes that are capable of scanning the skies from Earth.&nbsp;

NASA has these observatories at different places across the world such as Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii and Lowell Observatory in Arizona.

Similar observatories have also been opened by NASA in space to better understand the asteroids' trajectories properly.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists spotted a massive, car-sized asteroid two days before it had an extremely close shave with Earth on Thursday (April 11). To everyone's relief, the 9.4-foot space rock, although came very close to Earth, made a harmless pass by the planet.

Scientists spotted a massive, car-sized asteroid two days before it had an extremely close shave with Earth on Thursday (April 11). To everyone's relief, the 9.4-foot space rock, although came very close to Earth, made a harmless pass by the planet. The newly-discovered asteroid 2024 GJ2 is around the size of a car and after it was spotted by astronomers they calculated that the space rock would pass by Earth at a mere distance of 19.3 thousand kilometres from Earth. This is just three per cent of the distance between the Moon and the Earth. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), 2024 GJ2 measures between 2.5 and 5 metres (8.2 and 16 feet). Its size means that it is an asteroid with a weight class which would have burned up in the atmosphere of the Earth if its orbit intersected with ours more directly. Also Read: NASA blasted an asteroid in space. It now fears boulders may collide with Mars As per the astronomers, the asteroid made its closest approach at 2:28:42 p.m. EDT, when it was at a distance of 12,298 kilometres from Earth on Thursday (April 11). The asteroid will not return till 2093, as per the near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre of the ESA. However, at that time, the asteroid will not fly as close as it did this time. In 2093, asteroid GJ2 is expected to fly as close as 205,947 kilometres from us, which is 10 times farther than the distance at which it flew this time. Around 35,000 near-Earth asteroids have been catalogued by NASA to date, although very few of them threaten our planet. What are asteroids and how does NASA track them? As per the scientists, asteroids are space rocks and some of them are also made of metal and orbit around the Sun. Some asteroids are tiny and some are as huge as boulders. The asteroids can also fly even hundreds of kilometres across. These asteroids have remained preserved in the solar system from the time it came into existence some 4.6 billion years ago. The asteroids can also cause massive damage and hence, the space agencies track them. A range of instruments are used by the US space agency NASA to track the asteroids. Watch: Gravitas | The impact of NASA asteroid deflection NASA has observatories which are equipped with powerful telescopes that are capable of scanning the skies from Earth. NASA has these observatories at different places across the world such as Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii and Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Similar observatories have also been opened by NASA in space to better understand the asteroids' trajectories properly. (With inputs from agencies)

Car-sized asteroid comes eerily close to Earth, much closer than even the Moon

Harvard professor Avi Loeb, who is known for investigating the existence of aliens, in&nbsp;fresh claims has stated that&nbsp;aliens are likely to be present 300 feet below Earth's surface.

Notably, the United States government has never confirmed any mysterious sightings of UFOs. Avi Loeb has said that aliens have been using hidden dimensions created by researchers at the CERN particle accelerator to enter Earth.

The accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), blasts particles at the speed of light to recreate a situation similar to that of the Big Bang, with hopes of finding hidden dimensions which will reveal how the universe was formed.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/alien-art-or-earthly-stunt-mysterious-toblerone-shaped-monolith-appears-in-wales-baffling-locals-699280">Alien art or earthly stunt? Mysterious Toblerone-shaped monolith appears in Wales, baffling locals</a>

Speaking about the hidden aliens, Loeb said that the extra-terrestrial creatures have most likely spent billions of years developing dimension-hopping technology.

<h2>Only particle accelerators such as CERN can detect these dimensions: Loeb</h2>

The physicist further claimed that the aliens may have been using theoretical quantum gravity engineering to travel through 'curled' dimensions which&nbsp;humans can detect only in particle accelerators such as CERN.

In the documentary, 'The Paranormal UFO Connection', the Harvard scientist says that if some day alien technology reaches us,&nbsp;we will be completely dumbfounded.

"Just like a cave dweller coming to a city like London or Europe, and seeing all the technological gadgets there," said Loeb.

"There will be a sense of religious awe, and we wouldn't understand it, especially if we are dealing with the effects of quantum gravity that we have any clue about," he added.

Loeb claimed that using extra-spatial dimensions to travel will mean that there is&nbsp;a 'much smaller' chance of collisions.

Watch:&nbsp;Search for aliens in Peru's Nazca attracts grave robbers

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/search-for-aliens-in-perus-nazca-attracts-grave-robbers-708972/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

At CERN, scientists have made an attempt to detect six 'extra spatial' dimensions and find particular particles as evidence in such existing dimensions.

"Quantum mechanics was discovered exactly a century ago. And all the most sophisticated technologies we currently employ, such as the Internet, artificial intelligence, and so forth, rely on our understanding of quantum mechanics," said Loeb.

"But the process of learning is incomplete - there are several major puzzles in modern physics. Within the mainstream of theoretical physics for the past decades, the prevailing paradigm is that it is possible to unify quantum mechanics and gravity unless you work with extra-spatial dimensions," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Harvard professor Avi Loeb, who is known for investigating the existence of aliens, in fresh claims has stated that aliens are likely to be present 300 feet below Earth's surface.

Harvard professor Avi Loeb, who is known for investigating the existence of aliens, in fresh claims has stated that aliens are likely to be present 300 feet below Earth's surface. Notably, the United States government has never confirmed any mysterious sightings of UFOs. Avi Loeb has said that aliens have been using hidden dimensions created by researchers at the CERN particle accelerator to enter Earth. The accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), blasts particles at the speed of light to recreate a situation similar to that of the Big Bang, with hopes of finding hidden dimensions which will reveal how the universe was formed. Also Read: Alien art or earthly stunt? Mysterious Toblerone-shaped monolith appears in Wales, baffling locals Speaking about the hidden aliens, Loeb said that the extra-terrestrial creatures have most likely spent billions of years developing dimension-hopping technology. Only particle accelerators such as CERN can detect these dimensions: Loeb The physicist further claimed that the aliens may have been using theoretical quantum gravity engineering to travel through 'curled' dimensions which humans can detect only in particle accelerators such as CERN. In the documentary, 'The Paranormal UFO Connection', the Harvard scientist says that if some day alien technology reaches us, we will be completely dumbfounded. "Just like a cave dweller coming to a city like London or Europe, and seeing all the technological gadgets there," said Loeb. "There will be a sense of religious awe, and we wouldn't understand it, especially if we are dealing with the effects of quantum gravity that we have any clue about," he added. Loeb claimed that using extra-spatial dimensions to travel will mean that there is a 'much smaller' chance of collisions. Watch: Search for aliens in Peru's Nazca attracts grave robbers At CERN, scientists have made an attempt to detect six 'extra spatial' dimensions and find particular particles as evidence in such existing dimensions. "Quantum mechanics was discovered exactly a century ago. And all the most sophisticated technologies we currently employ, such as the Internet, artificial intelligence, and so forth, rely on our understanding of quantum mechanics," said Loeb. "But the process of learning is incomplete - there are several major puzzles in modern physics. Within the mainstream of theoretical physics for the past decades, the prevailing paradigm is that it is possible to unify quantum mechanics and gravity unless you work with extra-spatial dimensions," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Aliens have likely travelled to Earth via 'curled dimensions', claims Harvard professor

For years, we have known that our Earth will one day be swallowed by the Sun as it will balloon because of its extinguishing fuel.&nbsp;

However, a new study has highlighted the death of Earth and other planets may be more chaotic and violent than ever imagined by human civilisation.

As per the researchers at the University of Warwick, even if our planet gets swallowed by the Sun, other planets are likely to be 'crushed and ground to dust'.&nbsp;

<h2>How will the Sun die?</h2>

Sun, along with other similar stars, crush the hydrogen atoms into helium which generates heat and light under the forces of gravity.

There is a limited amount of hydrogen in all stars and when this begins to run out, the forces which help in keeping the star stable lose balance.&nbsp;

After around five billion years, our Sun will begin burning in its core before it starts to inflate and grow more than 200 times its original size and the helium on its outer layers will start to burn.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-captures-creation-of-third-world-and-birth-of-moons-400-light-years-away-707585">James Webb captures creation of 'third world' and birth of potential moons 400 light-years away</a>

Once this happens, the Sun will leave behind a white dwarf which will be a remnant of the core of the Sun and will glow with residual heat as it cools down.

<h2>How will the solar system get destroyed after the Sun's death?</h2>

The University of Warwick's Professor Boris Gaensicke, speaking about the solar system's destruction, said, "The sad news is that the Earth will probably just be swallowed up by an expanding Sun before it becomes a white dwarf."

However, till now scientists do not know much about what will happen to the rest of the solar system once the sun turns into a white dwarf.&nbsp;

The researchers looked into the fate of moons, planets and asteroids which will pass close to the white dwarfs by looking into the transits.

The researchers found that around the white dwarf stars, the transits were irregular and highly chaotic, which hinted at the fact that their future is likely to be violent and catastrophic.

Moons, asteroids and planets which come close to the white dwarf's dense core are shredded when they get pulled into smaller pieces by gravity. These pieces eventually get grounded into dust as they collide with one another.

Watch:&nbsp;Pluto: A fascinating icy world beyond planetary status

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The dust continues to move around the dead star till it eventually disperses out into the universe. This is likely to be the fate of the many celestial bodies in our solar system which are not swallowed or destroyed by the expansion of the sun.

"For the rest of the solar system, some of the asteroids located between Mars and Jupiter, and maybe some of the moons of Jupiter may get dislodged and travel close enough to the eventual white dwarf to undergo the shredding process we have investigated," said Professor Gaensicke.

Meanwhile, Dr Amornrat Aungwerojwit of Naresuan University, Thailand, who headed the study, said: “Previous research had shown that when asteroids, moons and planets get close to white dwarfs, the huge gravity of these stars rips these small planetary bodies into smaller and smaller pieces.”

“Collisions between these pieces eventually grind them into dust, which finally falls into the white dwarf, enabling us to determine what type of material the original planetary bodies were made from," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

For years, we have known that our Earth will one day be swallowed by the Sun as it will balloon because of its extinguishing fuel. However, a new study has highlighted the death of Earth and other planets may be more chaotic and violent than ever imagined by human civilisation.

For years, we have known that our Earth will one day be swallowed by the Sun as it will balloon because of its extinguishing fuel. However, a new study has highlighted the death of Earth and other planets may be more chaotic and violent than ever imagined by human civilisation. As per the researchers at the University of Warwick, even if our planet gets swallowed by the Sun, other planets are likely to be 'crushed and ground to dust'. How will the Sun die? Sun, along with other similar stars, crush the hydrogen atoms into helium which generates heat and light under the forces of gravity. There is a limited amount of hydrogen in all stars and when this begins to run out, the forces which help in keeping the star stable lose balance. After around five billion years, our Sun will begin burning in its core before it starts to inflate and grow more than 200 times its original size and the helium on its outer layers will start to burn. Also Read: James Webb captures creation of 'third world' and birth of potential moons 400 light-years away Once this happens, the Sun will leave behind a white dwarf which will be a remnant of the core of the Sun and will glow with residual heat as it cools down. How will the solar system get destroyed after the Sun's death? The University of Warwick's Professor Boris Gaensicke, speaking about the solar system's destruction, said, "The sad news is that the Earth will probably just be swallowed up by an expanding Sun before it becomes a white dwarf." However, till now scientists do not know much about what will happen to the rest of the solar system once the sun turns into a white dwarf. The researchers looked into the fate of moons, planets and asteroids which will pass close to the white dwarfs by looking into the transits. The researchers found that around the white dwarf stars, the transits were irregular and highly chaotic, which hinted at the fact that their future is likely to be violent and catastrophic. Moons, asteroids and planets which come close to the white dwarf's dense core are shredded when they get pulled into smaller pieces by gravity. These pieces eventually get grounded into dust as they collide with one another. Watch: Pluto: A fascinating icy world beyond planetary status The dust continues to move around the dead star till it eventually disperses out into the universe. This is likely to be the fate of the many celestial bodies in our solar system which are not swallowed or destroyed by the expansion of the sun. "For the rest of the solar system, some of the asteroids located between Mars and Jupiter, and maybe some of the moons of Jupiter may get dislodged and travel close enough to the eventual white dwarf to undergo the shredding process we have investigated," said Professor Gaensicke. Meanwhile, Dr Amornrat Aungwerojwit of Naresuan University, Thailand, who headed the study, said: “Previous research had shown that when asteroids, moons and planets get close to white dwarfs, the huge gravity of these stars rips these small planetary bodies into smaller and smaller pieces.” “Collisions between these pieces eventually grind them into dust, which finally falls into the white dwarf, enabling us to determine what type of material the original planetary bodies were made from," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

A violent end awaits our solar system as all planets will be 'crushed' to dust one day

The story of Russian genius, Boriska Kipriyanovich, who is now around 28 years old and&nbsp;has left scientists impressed with his intelligence, is creating a buzz.&nbsp;The man from Russia’s Volgograd claims&nbsp;that he lived on Mars in his previous life and has reincarnated as a human on Earth to deliver a warning.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Boriska Kipriyanovich?</h2>

Born on January 11, 1996, Boriska who also calls himself an ‘Indigo Child,’ claims to have been a pilot on the red planet before he was “reborn” on Earth.

The man from Russia was 11 when he reportedly issued warnings in a video which quickly went viral. He also met with scientists who were left baffled by his knowledge about the planetary system at such a young age.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/have-you-ever-wondered-about-the-weight-of-the-earth-708668">Have you ever wondered about the weight of the Earth?</a>

Boriska claimed that he and his species were wiped out after a nuclear conflict broke out on Mars thousands of years ago and feared that someday Earth might suffer from the same fate.&nbsp;

While his claims sound bizarre, his intelligence has left many researchers impressed. According to reports, his mother was aware of her son’s intelligence as he was able to hold his head unsupported when he was a baby.

His mother also said that Boriska started speaking when he was just a few months old – most children start talking after nine months – and was able to read and draw when was just 18 months old.&nbsp;

As he grew up and started school, Boriska’s teachers were also reportedly amazed at his ability to read and his impressive memory.&nbsp;

According to reports, his parents say that they did not specifically teach Boriska about space when he was a child, but that he would often talk about Mars, space, and aliens.&nbsp;

<h2>His warning for humans</h2>

Boriska reportedly said that he has come to Earth on a mission to save our planet from a nuclear apocalypse which wiped out life on Mars along with “others” who miraculously survived the conflict.&nbsp;

Martians, Boriska claims, are very tall, technologically advanced and capable of interplanetary travel. He also said that those living on the red planet stop ageing after 35 and are immortal.&nbsp;

“I remember that time when I was 14 or 15 years old. The Martians were waging wars all the time so I would often have to participate in air raids with a friend of mine,” said the 28-year-old.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-creature-recovered-from-100mn-year-old-amber-might-pave-way-for-real-jurassic-park-708975">Ancient creature recovered from 100mn-year-old amber might pave way for real Jurassic Park</a>

Boriska claims that only a few survived the nuclear conflict, some of them exist even today.&nbsp;

The now 28-year-old has also claimed that many secrets are left to be uncovered on our planet, including the Great Pyramid of Giza which he said is hiding something big.

“The human life will change when the Sphinx is opened, it has an opening mechanism somewhere behind the ear; I do not remember exactly,” Boriska said.&nbsp;

According to unconfirmed reports, the Russian who would be 28 years old has disappeared along with his mother and attempts to track him down have failed.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The story of Russian genius, Boriska Kipriyanovich, who is now around 28 years old and has left scientists impressed with his intelligence, is creating a buzz. The man from Russia’s Volgograd claims that he lived on Mars in his previous life and has reincarnated as a human on Earth to deliver a warning.

The story of Russian genius, Boriska Kipriyanovich, who is now around 28 years old and has left scientists impressed with his intelligence, is creating a buzz. The man from Russia’s Volgograd claims that he lived on Mars in his previous life and has reincarnated as a human on Earth to deliver a warning. Who is Boriska Kipriyanovich? Born on January 11, 1996, Boriska who also calls himself an ‘Indigo Child,’ claims to have been a pilot on the red planet before he was “reborn” on Earth. The man from Russia was 11 when he reportedly issued warnings in a video which quickly went viral. He also met with scientists who were left baffled by his knowledge about the planetary system at such a young age. Also Read | Have you ever wondered about the weight of the Earth? Boriska claimed that he and his species were wiped out after a nuclear conflict broke out on Mars thousands of years ago and feared that someday Earth might suffer from the same fate. While his claims sound bizarre, his intelligence has left many researchers impressed. According to reports, his mother was aware of her son’s intelligence as he was able to hold his head unsupported when he was a baby. His mother also said that Boriska started speaking when he was just a few months old – most children start talking after nine months – and was able to read and draw when was just 18 months old. As he grew up and started school, Boriska’s teachers were also reportedly amazed at his ability to read and his impressive memory. According to reports, his parents say that they did not specifically teach Boriska about space when he was a child, but that he would often talk about Mars, space, and aliens. His warning for humans Boriska reportedly said that he has come to Earth on a mission to save our planet from a nuclear apocalypse which wiped out life on Mars along with “others” who miraculously survived the conflict. Martians, Boriska claims, are very tall, technologically advanced and capable of interplanetary travel. He also said that those living on the red planet stop ageing after 35 and are immortal. “I remember that time when I was 14 or 15 years old. The Martians were waging wars all the time so I would often have to participate in air raids with a friend of mine,” said the 28-year-old. Also Read | Ancient creature recovered from 100mn-year-old amber might pave way for real Jurassic Park Boriska claims that only a few survived the nuclear conflict, some of them exist even today. The now 28-year-old has also claimed that many secrets are left to be uncovered on our planet, including the Great Pyramid of Giza which he said is hiding something big. “The human life will change when the Sphinx is opened, it has an opening mechanism somewhere behind the ear; I do not remember exactly,” Boriska said. According to unconfirmed reports, the Russian who would be 28 years old has disappeared along with his mother and attempts to track him down have failed. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian genius who claims he lived on Mars in previous life leaves scientists baffled

Do you ever think about the weight of the Earth? It's a fascinating question that sparks curiosity. To know the weight of the Earth, we must first understand what we mean by weight. Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. The mass of an object determines its weight.&nbsp;

So, how do scientists determine the mass of the Earth?

One of the primary methods is by measuring the gravitational pull exerted by the Earth on objects around it. Through observations and calculations, scientists have estimated the Earth's mass to be approximately 5.9722×10^24 kilogrammes (13.1 septillion pounds).&nbsp;

This massive figure shows the sheer scale of our planet and its gravitational influence on everything within its vicinity.

However, one must know that the journey to this calculation has been arduous. Scientists earlier leveraged Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation. Newton's equation, coupled with the experiments of physicist Henry Cavendish in 1797, paved the way for understanding Earth's mass.

<h2>Cavendish's experiments</h2>

Cavendish's experiments used a torsion balance to measure gravitational forces.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/soyuz-spacecraft-brings-cosmonaut-belarusian-astronaut-and-nasa-crew-member-safely-back-to-earth-708660">Soyuz spacecraft brings cosmonaut, Belarusian astronaut, and NASA crew member safely back to Earth</a>

The setup of Cavendish's experiment was ingeniously simple. It involved a torsion balance, a device consisting of a horizontal bar suspended from a thin wire, with two small lead spheres attached to each end.

These lead spheres were positioned near larger lead spheres. It created a gravitational attraction between them and provided a crucial value - the gravitational constant (G). This value, though subject to slight variations over time, remained a cornerstone in calculating Earth's mass.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/groundbreaking-study-reveals-how-to-cut-cost-of-prostate-cancer-scans-by-half-708547">Groundbreaking study reveals how to cut cost of prostate cancer scans by half</a>

A physiologist at the University of California in San Diego, John West, reportedly told the Live Science media portal, "His work was very original and made a big impact at the time."&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/solar-eclipse-heats-up-us-tourism-rental-bookings-surge-708606">Solar eclipse heats up US tourism, Rental bookings surge</a>

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Stephan Schlamminger, a metrologist at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, said, "Sometimes it's the cracks that the universe gives us that we can apply our lever to and get more scientific understanding."

"This may be a crack the universe is offering us, and we don't want to let that opportunity pass," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Do you ever think about the weight of the Earth? It's a fascinating question that sparks curiosity. To know the weight of the Earth, we must first understand what we mean by weight.

Do you ever think about the weight of the Earth? It's a fascinating question that sparks curiosity. To know the weight of the Earth, we must first understand what we mean by weight. Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. The mass of an object determines its weight. So, how do scientists determine the mass of the Earth? One of the primary methods is by measuring the gravitational pull exerted by the Earth on objects around it. Through observations and calculations, scientists have estimated the Earth's mass to be approximately 5.9722×10^24 kilogrammes (13.1 septillion pounds). This massive figure shows the sheer scale of our planet and its gravitational influence on everything within its vicinity. However, one must know that the journey to this calculation has been arduous. Scientists earlier leveraged Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation. Newton's equation, coupled with the experiments of physicist Henry Cavendish in 1797, paved the way for understanding Earth's mass. Cavendish's experiments Cavendish's experiments used a torsion balance to measure gravitational forces. Also Read | Soyuz spacecraft brings cosmonaut, Belarusian astronaut, and NASA crew member safely back to Earth The setup of Cavendish's experiment was ingeniously simple. It involved a torsion balance, a device consisting of a horizontal bar suspended from a thin wire, with two small lead spheres attached to each end. These lead spheres were positioned near larger lead spheres. It created a gravitational attraction between them and provided a crucial value - the gravitational constant (G). This value, though subject to slight variations over time, remained a cornerstone in calculating Earth's mass. Also Read | Groundbreaking study reveals how to cut cost of prostate cancer scans by half A physiologist at the University of California in San Diego, John West, reportedly told the Live Science media portal, "His work was very original and made a big impact at the time." Watch | Solar eclipse heats up US tourism, Rental bookings surge × Stephan Schlamminger, a metrologist at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, said, "Sometimes it's the cracks that the universe gives us that we can apply our lever to and get more scientific understanding." "This may be a crack the universe is offering us, and we don't want to let that opportunity pass," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Have you ever wondered about the weight of the Earth?

Astronomers have picked up a gravitational-wave signal originating from a dramatic collision deep in the cosmos. The event, dubbed GW230529, was recorded by the LIGO Livingston detector in May 2023.&nbsp;

Gravitational waves are caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as merging black holes or neutron stars. According to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, massive objects like planets, stars, and black holes distort the fabric of spacetime around them.

When these massive objects accelerate or change speed, they create waves that propagate outward at the speed of light.&nbsp;The detection of gravitational waves opens up a new window for observing the universe, allowing scientists to study phenomena that were previously inaccessible, such as the mergers of black holes and neutron stars, as well as the nature of gravity itself.

GW230529, which happened due to the collision of a neutron star with an object falling into the "mass gap" between neutron stars and black holes, challenges prior assumptions about the prevalence of such events.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-highly-detailed-3d-map-of-universe-with-6-million-galaxies-can-unravel-mysteries-of-dark-matter-708292">New highly-detailed 3D map of universe with 6 million galaxies can unravel mysteries of dark matter</a>

Assistant&nbsp;Professor at the University of British Columbia Dr Jess McIver pointed out that the discovery "reveals that there may be a higher rate of similar collisions between neutron stars and low-mass black holes than we previously thought."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/glory-effect-rare-rainbow-like-rings-observed-on-a-planet-outside-our-solar-system-708284">Glory effect: Rare rainbow-like rings observed on a planet outside our solar system</a>

It is the first time such a gravitational wave detection involving a mass-gap object paired with a neutron star has been observed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Neutron stars</h2>

Neutron stars typically have masses ranging from about 1.4 to 2 times that of the Sun. This density means that just a teaspoonful of neutron star material would weigh billions of tonnes on Earth.

They also have incredibly strong magnetic fields, trillions of times stronger than Earth's magnetic field. These characteristics make neutron stars a focus of study for astrophysicists trying to understand extreme conditions in the universe.

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Despite the excitement surrounding GW230529, pinpointing its exact source remains elusive. The detection, made just five days into the observing run, took place at 650 million light-years from Earth
</section>

(With inputs from agencies)

Astronomers have picked up a gravitational-wave signal originating from a dramatic collision deep in the cosmos. The event, dubbed GW230529, was recorded by the LIGO Livingston detector in May 2023.

Astronomers have picked up a gravitational-wave signal originating from a dramatic collision deep in the cosmos. The event, dubbed GW230529, was recorded by the LIGO Livingston detector in May 2023. Gravitational waves are caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as merging black holes or neutron stars. According to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, massive objects like planets, stars, and black holes distort the fabric of spacetime around them. When these massive objects accelerate or change speed, they create waves that propagate outward at the speed of light. The detection of gravitational waves opens up a new window for observing the universe, allowing scientists to study phenomena that were previously inaccessible, such as the mergers of black holes and neutron stars, as well as the nature of gravity itself. GW230529, which happened due to the collision of a neutron star with an object falling into the "mass gap" between neutron stars and black holes, challenges prior assumptions about the prevalence of such events. Also Read | New highly-detailed 3D map of universe with 6 million galaxies can unravel mysteries of dark matter Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia Dr Jess McIver pointed out that the discovery "reveals that there may be a higher rate of similar collisions between neutron stars and low-mass black holes than we previously thought." Also Read | Glory effect: Rare rainbow-like rings observed on a planet outside our solar system It is the first time such a gravitational wave detection involving a mass-gap object paired with a neutron star has been observed. Neutron stars Neutron stars typically have masses ranging from about 1.4 to 2 times that of the Sun. This density means that just a teaspoonful of neutron star material would weigh billions of tonnes on Earth. They also have incredibly strong magnetic fields, trillions of times stronger than Earth's magnetic field. These characteristics make neutron stars a focus of study for astrophysicists trying to understand extreme conditions in the universe. Watch | India's Cancer treatment breakthrough | India makes a mark on global map × Despite the excitement surrounding GW230529, pinpointing its exact source remains elusive. The detection, made just five days into the observing run, took place at 650 million light-years from Earth (With inputs from agencies)

Deep space collision  650 million light-years away sends gravitational-wave signal

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have uncovered an important step in the process of transforming seafloors into towering mountains using tiny minerals called zircons.

Zircons are a type of mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. They are commonly found in igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks. Zircon crystals are typically tetragonal prisms with pyramidal ends.

These crystals, no bigger than grains of sand, have revealed a previously overlooked phase in tectonic activity. This new finding may potentially reshape our understanding of Earth's geological history.

Published in the journal Geology, the study focused on zircons extracted from the Andes mountains in Patagonia. While these zircons formed during tectonic plate collisions, their chemical composition suggested a surprising association with plates moving apart. This has defied conventional models.

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Lead author Fernando Rey, a doctoral student at UT's Jackson School of Geosciences, said that this anomaly may be explained by a previously undocumented process involving the mixing of oceanic and continental crusts in magma chambers.

Rey suggested, "If you put some oceanic basin below this magma, you have a change in the composition of this magma as it's incorporated."&nbsp;

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This theory of oceanic magma mixing could represent a critical transitional phase in the formation of back-arc basins.

Coauthor Matt Malkowski highlighted the importance of back-arc basins, stating, "This is the Earth's way of sequestering carbon."

The zircons collected from Patagonia revealed unexpected chemical signatures. While zircons from the basin's opening phase displayed anticipated characteristics, those from its closure phase exhibited an unexplained delay in chemical shifts.

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The researchers proposed a model where tectonic forces not only squeeze oceanic crust into mountains but also underthrust portions of that crust towards magma chambers. This influenced zircon signatures.

This transitional phase, where zircons are influenced by oceanic crust, might be&nbsp;a widespread phenomenon in back-arc basins worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have uncovered an important step in the process of transforming seafloors into towering mountains using tiny minerals called zircons.

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have uncovered an important step in the process of transforming seafloors into towering mountains using tiny minerals called zircons. Zircons are a type of mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. They are commonly found in igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks. Zircon crystals are typically tetragonal prisms with pyramidal ends. These crystals, no bigger than grains of sand, have revealed a previously overlooked phase in tectonic activity. This new finding may potentially reshape our understanding of Earth's geological history. Published in the journal Geology, the study focused on zircons extracted from the Andes mountains in Patagonia. While these zircons formed during tectonic plate collisions, their chemical composition suggested a surprising association with plates moving apart. This has defied conventional models. Also Read | Biden, Netanyahu hold talk - first after WCK aid workers killed in Israeli strikes Lead author Fernando Rey, a doctoral student at UT's Jackson School of Geosciences, said that this anomaly may be explained by a previously undocumented process involving the mixing of oceanic and continental crusts in magma chambers. Rey suggested, "If you put some oceanic basin below this magma, you have a change in the composition of this magma as it's incorporated." Also Read | Experts flag potential Bird Flu epidemic as '100 times worse than Covid' This theory of oceanic magma mixing could represent a critical transitional phase in the formation of back-arc basins. Coauthor Matt Malkowski highlighted the importance of back-arc basins, stating, "This is the Earth's way of sequestering carbon." The zircons collected from Patagonia revealed unexpected chemical signatures. While zircons from the basin's opening phase displayed anticipated characteristics, those from its closure phase exhibited an unexplained delay in chemical shifts. Watch | Russia and NATO are now in 'direct confrontation', says Kremlin × The researchers proposed a model where tectonic forces not only squeeze oceanic crust into mountains but also underthrust portions of that crust towards magma chambers. This influenced zircon signatures. This transitional phase, where zircons are influenced by oceanic crust, might be a widespread phenomenon in back-arc basins worldwide. (With inputs from agencies)

How do seafloors transform into towering mountains? Scientists uncover crucial step

NASA achieved a resounding success last year when it intentionally crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid. The test was a way to deflect potentially hazardous space rocks from hitting Earth. Our next story tells you how this first-of-his-kind planetary defence experiment now has unintended unintended consequences.

NASA's Dart mission asteroid: Asteroid Dimorphos debris may rain on Mars

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70&nbsp;400 light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;

The creation of the "third world" was captured under the MIRI mid-infrared Disk Survey (MINDS) project. Two planets taking shape in a disk of gas and dust had already been discovered some time back.

The scientists, with the help of JWST's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), also noticed a large spiral stream of material which was enhancing the growth of an already discovered planet PDS 70C.&nbsp;

PDS 70C, a giant planet, is surrounded by its own disk of material and the spiral stream is&nbsp;feeding it as well which will soon result in the the birth of its moons.&nbsp;

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Speaking to Space.com, MINDS team member and KU Leuven and the University of Liege postdoctoral researcher Valentin Christiaens said, "We found new evidence for the presence of a third planet in the system, which was proposed based on VLT observations."

"Furthermore, the new infrared measurements we obtained for the two known protoplanets suggest the presence of heated material around them — which may be the building blocks for moons forming around them," added Christiaens.

<h2>Astronomers' tryst with PDS 70 system&nbsp;</h2>

The astronomers have used various telescopes, which include the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the VLT, for studying the PDS 70 system.

The astronomers have remained fascinated about the system since the protostar and its protoplanetary disk are likely no older than 5.5 million years. 
&nbsp; 
"PDS 70 is special, as it is the only protoplanetary disk so far where all astronomers agree that we have found forming planets caught in the act," said Christiaens.&nbsp;

"Detailed study of this system has thus allowed us to learn a lot about planet formation," he added.

Watch:&nbsp;NASA's Dart mission asteroid: Asteroid Dimorphos debris may rain on Mars

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The researchers are not much aware of the potential third planet's properties. If the planet gets confirmed, it will be named PDS 70D and will remain shrouded in a vast amount of dust.&nbsp;

"What is interesting is that this separation places it near 1:2:4 mean-motion resonance with planets PDS 70B and PDS 70C. This means its orbit would be almost exactly twice as short as B and four times shorter than planet C, respectively," said Christiaens said.&nbsp;

"This is a situation we know in the solar system with the three innermost Galilean moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, and Ganymede," the astronomer said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70 400 light-years away from Earth.

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70 400 light-years away from Earth. The creation of the "third world" was captured under the MIRI mid-infrared Disk Survey (MINDS) project. Two planets taking shape in a disk of gas and dust had already been discovered some time back. The scientists, with the help of JWST's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), also noticed a large spiral stream of material which was enhancing the growth of an already discovered planet PDS 70C. PDS 70C, a giant planet, is surrounded by its own disk of material and the spiral stream is feeding it as well which will soon result in the the birth of its moons. Also Read: NASA blasted an asteroid in space. It now fears boulders may collide with Mars Speaking to Space.com, MINDS team member and KU Leuven and the University of Liege postdoctoral researcher Valentin Christiaens said, "We found new evidence for the presence of a third planet in the system, which was proposed based on VLT observations." "Furthermore, the new infrared measurements we obtained for the two known protoplanets suggest the presence of heated material around them — which may be the building blocks for moons forming around them," added Christiaens. Astronomers' tryst with PDS 70 system The astronomers have used various telescopes, which include the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the VLT, for studying the PDS 70 system. The astronomers have remained fascinated about the system since the protostar and its protoplanetary disk are likely no older than 5.5 million years. "PDS 70 is special, as it is the only protoplanetary disk so far where all astronomers agree that we have found forming planets caught in the act," said Christiaens. "Detailed study of this system has thus allowed us to learn a lot about planet formation," he added. Watch: NASA's Dart mission asteroid: Asteroid Dimorphos debris may rain on Mars The researchers are not much aware of the potential third planet's properties. If the planet gets confirmed, it will be named PDS 70D and will remain shrouded in a vast amount of dust. "What is interesting is that this separation places it near 1:2:4 mean-motion resonance with planets PDS 70B and PDS 70C. This means its orbit would be almost exactly twice as short as B and four times shorter than planet C, respectively," said Christiaens said. "This is a situation we know in the solar system with the three innermost Galilean moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, and Ganymede," the astronomer said. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb captures creation of 'third world' and birth of potential moons 400 light-years away

Scientists have discovered an ocean about 700 kilometres below the Earth's surface. It is triple the size of all the oceans on the Earth's surface combined.

Gravitas | Ocean found below the Earth's surface!

Standard time is the synchronisation of clocks within a geographical region to a single time standard. UTC is the time standard commonly used on the Earth. Now, the White House wants NASA to figure out how to tell time on the moon as well.

Why is NASA creating a time standard for the moon?

Moon Standard Time: The daunting task of setting up a standard time zone on the Moon has been given to the space agency NASA by the White House with the hope that people on Earth will be able to tell what time it is on the Moon.

The space agency was sent a memo by the head of the US Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on Tuesday (April 2) in which they were asked to work in coordination with other US agencies and international agencies for setting up a moon-centric time reference system.&nbsp;

NASA has been given time till the end of 2026 to set up what is known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).&nbsp;

<h2>How different is the moon's time zone from that of Earth?</h2>

The time zone on the Moon won't be very similar to the standard time zones we have on Earth. Actually, Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) will be an entire frame of time covering all the regions on the Moon.

Since the gravity on the moon is less, time shifts a bit quickly - 58.7 microseconds every day – in comparison to Earth.

Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) will also provide scientists with a time-keeping benchmark for lunar satellites and spacecraft that require extreme precision for their missions.&nbsp;

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“An atomic clock on the moon will tick at a different rate than a clock on Earth,” said Kevin Coggins, a top communications and navigation official at NASA.

“It makes sense that when you go to another body, like the moon or Mars, that each one gets its own heartbeat," he added.

<h2>Why is&nbsp;Moon Standard Time important?</h2>

In September 2026, NASA is planning to send its astronaut missions to the moon through its Artemis programme. They will also establish a scientific lunar base which can help set the stage for future missions to Mars.&nbsp;

Various spacecraft, companies and countries are part of the effort.

Speaking to Reuters, an OSTP official said that without a unified lunar time standard, the scientists will find it challenging to ensure that secured data transfers are taking place between spacecraft. It will also be difficult to synchronise communications among Earth, lunar satellites, bases and astronauts.

Watch:&nbsp;Pluto: Should 'Pluto' be a planet again? The debate rages on

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According to the official, the discrepancies in time can also result in errors in mapping the moon and locating positions on or orbiting around the natural satellite.

“Imagine if the world wasn’t syncing their clocks to the same time, how disruptive that might be and how challenging everyday things become,” said the official.

(With inputs from agencies)

Moon Standard Time: The daunting task of setting up a standard time zone on the Moon has been given to the space agency NASA by the White House with the hope that people on Earth will be able to tell what time it is on the Moon.

Moon Standard Time: The daunting task of setting up a standard time zone on the Moon has been given to the space agency NASA by the White House with the hope that people on Earth will be able to tell what time it is on the Moon. The space agency was sent a memo by the head of the US Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on Tuesday (April 2) in which they were asked to work in coordination with other US agencies and international agencies for setting up a moon-centric time reference system. NASA has been given time till the end of 2026 to set up what is known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC). How different is the moon's time zone from that of Earth? The time zone on the Moon won't be very similar to the standard time zones we have on Earth. Actually, Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) will be an entire frame of time covering all the regions on the Moon. Since the gravity on the moon is less, time shifts a bit quickly - 58.7 microseconds every day – in comparison to Earth. Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) will also provide scientists with a time-keeping benchmark for lunar satellites and spacecraft that require extreme precision for their missions. Also Read: Greenery on Moon soon? NASA to put plants on lunar surface by 2026 “An atomic clock on the moon will tick at a different rate than a clock on Earth,” said Kevin Coggins, a top communications and navigation official at NASA. “It makes sense that when you go to another body, like the moon or Mars, that each one gets its own heartbeat," he added. Why is Moon Standard Time important? In September 2026, NASA is planning to send its astronaut missions to the moon through its Artemis programme. They will also establish a scientific lunar base which can help set the stage for future missions to Mars. Various spacecraft, companies and countries are part of the effort. Speaking to Reuters, an OSTP official said that without a unified lunar time standard, the scientists will find it challenging to ensure that secured data transfers are taking place between spacecraft. It will also be difficult to synchronise communications among Earth, lunar satellites, bases and astronauts. Watch: Pluto: Should 'Pluto' be a planet again? The debate rages on According to the official, the discrepancies in time can also result in errors in mapping the moon and locating positions on or orbiting around the natural satellite. “Imagine if the world wasn’t syncing their clocks to the same time, how disruptive that might be and how challenging everyday things become,” said the official. (With inputs from agencies)

Earthlings will soon be able to calculate what time it is on the Moon. Here's how

The scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have discovered a reservoir of water that is three times the size of all of Earth's oceans, deep beneath the planet's surface. This underground water supply rests some 700 km beneath our feet.

The quest to find the origins of Earth’s water led researchers to the&nbsp;massive find—a colossal ocean ensconced within the Earth’s mantle, over 700 kilometres below the surface.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-may-have-hosted-dune-like-sandworm-more-than-500-million-years-ago-706802">Earth may have hosted ‘Dune’-like sandworm more than 500 million years ago</a>

This hidden ocean, concealed within a blue rock known as ringwoodite, dares our understanding of where Earth’s water came from. The size of this subterranean sea is triple&nbsp;the volume of all the planet’s surface oceans combined.

This new discovery not only enthrals with its scale but also proposes a new theory about Earth’s water cycle. It recommends that instead of arriving via comet impacts, as some theories have posited, Earth’s oceans may have slowly seeped out from its very core.

Science Behind The Discovery

Steven Jacobsen, a researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois and the lead author of the study, informs, “This is substantial evidence that water on Earth came from within.”&nbsp;

To uncover this underground ocean, researchers used an array of 2000 seismographs across the United States, analysing seismic waves from over 500 earthquakes. Waves&nbsp;which travel through Earth’s inner layers, including its core, slow down when passing through wet rock, allowing scientists to assume the presence of this vast water deposit.

Earth’s Water Cycle Reimagined

The possibility that water exists in the Earth's mantle and sweats between the rock grains may change our perception of the planet's water cycle. Jacobsen further emphasised&nbsp;the importance of this reservoir, pointing out that without it, water would be on the surface of the Earth and that the only visible land may be the peaks of mountains.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mars-may-have-hosted-life-for-millions-of-years-longer-than-previously-thought-706772">Mars may have hosted life for millions of years longer than previously thought</a>

Now, with this revolutionary discovery, researchers are keen on gathering more seismic data from around the world to determine if this mantle melting is a common occurrence. Their findings could revolutionise our understanding of the water cycle on Earth, offering new insights into one of our planet’s most fundamental processes.

(With inputs from agencies)

The scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have discovered a reservoir of water that is three times the size of all of Earth's oceans, deep beneath the planet's surface.

The scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have discovered a reservoir of water that is three times the size of all of Earth's oceans, deep beneath the planet's surface. This underground water supply rests some 700 km beneath our feet. The quest to find the origins of Earth’s water led researchers to the massive find—a colossal ocean ensconced within the Earth’s mantle, over 700 kilometres below the surface. Also read: Earth may have hosted ‘Dune’-like sandworm more than 500 million years ago This hidden ocean, concealed within a blue rock known as ringwoodite, dares our understanding of where Earth’s water came from. The size of this subterranean sea is triple the volume of all the planet’s surface oceans combined. This new discovery not only enthrals with its scale but also proposes a new theory about Earth’s water cycle. It recommends that instead of arriving via comet impacts, as some theories have posited, Earth’s oceans may have slowly seeped out from its very core. Science Behind The Discovery Steven Jacobsen, a researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois and the lead author of the study, informs, “This is substantial evidence that water on Earth came from within.” To uncover this underground ocean, researchers used an array of 2000 seismographs across the United States, analysing seismic waves from over 500 earthquakes. Waves which travel through Earth’s inner layers, including its core, slow down when passing through wet rock, allowing scientists to assume the presence of this vast water deposit. Earth’s Water Cycle Reimagined The possibility that water exists in the Earth's mantle and sweats between the rock grains may change our perception of the planet's water cycle. Jacobsen further emphasised the importance of this reservoir, pointing out that without it, water would be on the surface of the Earth and that the only visible land may be the peaks of mountains. Also read: Mars may have hosted life for millions of years longer than previously thought Now, with this revolutionary discovery, researchers are keen on gathering more seismic data from around the world to determine if this mantle melting is a common occurrence. Their findings could revolutionise our understanding of the water cycle on Earth, offering new insights into one of our planet’s most fundamental processes. (With inputs from agencies)

Gigantic ocean triple the volume of all of Earth's surface oceans has just been found

Earth has been impacted by multiple space phenomenon in the last few weeks.&nbsp;Numerous asteroid approaches were also witnessed lately.

While these asteroids do not pose a danger like solar storms, they pass Earth very close, making it crucial to observe them to predict any potential collision with our planet. With its advanced technology, NASA has shed light on a 150-foot asteroid that is expected to pass Earth by a narrow margin on March 27.

As per reports by NASA, Asteroid 2024 EA3 is just one of the millions of asteroids that orbit the Sun, and is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

The Center for Near-Earth Object Studies or CNEOS, an organisation that keeps a check on celestial substance like asteroids and comets, revealed that the asteroid will pass by Earth at a distance of 3.14 million kilometres.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/massive-asteroid-led-to-two-billion-craters-on-surface-of-mars-claim-scientists-705186">Massive asteroid led to two billion craters on surface of Mars, claim scientists</a>

It is travelling in its orbit around the Sun at a speed of approximately 38754 kilometres per hour, which is much faster than an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)! It is just one of the two asteroids that have been designated to pass Earth, alongside Asteroid 2024 EL4.

Asteroid 2024 EA3 fit in to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the enormous 1862 Apollo asteroid, which was found in the 1930s by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth.

How big is it?

While talking about the size, the asteroid is approximately 150 feet wide, NASA says and it can be compared to a large airplane. However, it is not expected to actually impact Earth's surface and cause any damage to life or property but it will come very close to the planet and that is why it has been named as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/surprising-images-of-black-hole-at-center-of-milky-way-alter-our-understanding-of-black-holes-705103">Surprising images of black hole at centre of Milky Way alter our understanding of black holes</a>

lt comes very close to the planet and that is why it has been named as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA).

(With inputs from agencies)

Earth has been impacted by multiple space phenomenon in the last few weeks. Numerous asteroid approaches were also witnessed lately. While these asteroids do not pose a danger like solar storms, they pass Earth very close, making it crucial to observe them to predict any potential collision with our planet.

Earth has been impacted by multiple space phenomenon in the last few weeks. Numerous asteroid approaches were also witnessed lately. While these asteroids do not pose a danger like solar storms, they pass Earth very close, making it crucial to observe them to predict any potential collision with our planet. With its advanced technology, NASA has shed light on a 150-foot asteroid that is expected to pass Earth by a narrow margin on March 27. As per reports by NASA, Asteroid 2024 EA3 is just one of the millions of asteroids that orbit the Sun, and is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The Center for Near-Earth Object Studies or CNEOS, an organisation that keeps a check on celestial substance like asteroids and comets, revealed that the asteroid will pass by Earth at a distance of 3.14 million kilometres. Also read: Massive asteroid led to two billion craters on surface of Mars, claim scientists It is travelling in its orbit around the Sun at a speed of approximately 38754 kilometres per hour, which is much faster than an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)! It is just one of the two asteroids that have been designated to pass Earth, alongside Asteroid 2024 EL4. Asteroid 2024 EA3 fit in to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the enormous 1862 Apollo asteroid, which was found in the 1930s by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth. How big is it? While talking about the size, the asteroid is approximately 150 feet wide, NASA says and it can be compared to a large airplane. However, it is not expected to actually impact Earth's surface and cause any damage to life or property but it will come very close to the planet and that is why it has been named as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA). Also read: Surprising images of black hole at centre of Milky Way alter our understanding of black holes lt comes very close to the planet and that is why it has been named as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA). (With inputs from agencies)

Trio of massive asteroids approaching earth for another close encounter: All you need to know

The razor-toothed sandworms which were seen inhabiting the deserts of Arrakis in the movie “Dune: Part Two” have stark&nbsp;similarities with something that existed as a predator on Earth nearly 500 million years ago.

These ancient Selkirkia worms, which are likely to have crawled on Earth during the Cambrian Explosion, existed inside long and cone-shaped tubes and were among the most common predators present on the seafloor.

Speaking about the worm, Karma Nanglu, a palaeontologist at Harvard University, said, “If you were a small invertebrate coming across them, it would have been your worst nightmare. It’s like being engulfed by a conveyor belt of fangs and teeth.”

However, these ravenous worms disappeared from Earth hundreds of millions of years ago.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-a-snake-like-amphibian-that-produces-milk-for-its-young-698014">Scientists discover a snake-like amphibian that produces milk for its young</a>

<h2>Analysed fossils of these worms reveal secrets hidden for years</h2>

A trove of fossils, recovered from Morocco, was recently analysed and revealed that these predators, which were only 1 or 2 inches in length, existed much longer than earlier believed.

In a paper which was published in the journal Biology Letters on Tuesday (April 2),&nbsp;Nanglu's team&nbsp;said that the new species of Selkirkia worm lived for more than 25 million years after they were believed to have gone extinct.

Nanglu and his colleagues found the tubular worms while sifting through fossils kept in the collection of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.&nbsp;

The fossils belonged to Fezouata Formation in Morocco which is a deposit that belongs to the Early Ordovician period which started around 488 million years ago and spanned across 45 million years.&nbsp;

While looking into the specimens of the museum, they noticed various fiery-hued fossils of tapering tubes, which appeared identical to Selkirkia fossils, found in ancient Cambrian deposits like the Burgess Shale.

“We don’t expect this guy to be around any more. It’s 25 million years out of place," said Nanglu. After analysing it closely, it was confirmed that these were the tubes of a new species of Selkirkia worm.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Plastic-eating worm to address plastic pollution challenges

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/plastic-eating-worm-to-address-plastic-pollution-challenges-699469/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The new species was named tsering, which means “long life” in the Tibetan language, by the researchers.

The new species not only enlarged Selkirkia worms' temporal record but also confirmed that they lived in environments which are closer to the South Pole, where Morocco was located in the Ordovician period.

As per the Royal Ontario Museum's paleontologist in Toronto Jean-Bernard Caron, who was not a part of the new paper, the discovery highlighted that few Cambrian creatures were able to exist even though diversity exploded in the Ordovician era.

“This new study adds to a growing body of evidence that many members of Cambrian communities continued to thrive during the following Ordovician period and were not quickly replaced as previous evolutionary models might have suggested,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The razor-toothed sandworms which were seen inhabiting the deserts of Arrakis in the movie “Dune: Part Two” have stark similarities with something that existed as a predator on Earth nearly 500 million years ago.

The razor-toothed sandworms which were seen inhabiting the deserts of Arrakis in the movie “Dune: Part Two” have stark similarities with something that existed as a predator on Earth nearly 500 million years ago. These ancient Selkirkia worms, which are likely to have crawled on Earth during the Cambrian Explosion, existed inside long and cone-shaped tubes and were among the most common predators present on the seafloor. Speaking about the worm, Karma Nanglu, a palaeontologist at Harvard University, said, “If you were a small invertebrate coming across them, it would have been your worst nightmare. It’s like being engulfed by a conveyor belt of fangs and teeth.” However, these ravenous worms disappeared from Earth hundreds of millions of years ago. Also Read: Scientists discover a snake-like amphibian that produces milk for its young Analysed fossils of these worms reveal secrets hidden for years A trove of fossils, recovered from Morocco, was recently analysed and revealed that these predators, which were only 1 or 2 inches in length, existed much longer than earlier believed. In a paper which was published in the journal Biology Letters on Tuesday (April 2), Nanglu's team said that the new species of Selkirkia worm lived for more than 25 million years after they were believed to have gone extinct. Nanglu and his colleagues found the tubular worms while sifting through fossils kept in the collection of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. The fossils belonged to Fezouata Formation in Morocco which is a deposit that belongs to the Early Ordovician period which started around 488 million years ago and spanned across 45 million years. While looking into the specimens of the museum, they noticed various fiery-hued fossils of tapering tubes, which appeared identical to Selkirkia fossils, found in ancient Cambrian deposits like the Burgess Shale. “We don’t expect this guy to be around any more. It’s 25 million years out of place," said Nanglu. After analysing it closely, it was confirmed that these were the tubes of a new species of Selkirkia worm. Watch: Plastic-eating worm to address plastic pollution challenges The new species was named tsering, which means “long life” in the Tibetan language, by the researchers. The new species not only enlarged Selkirkia worms' temporal record but also confirmed that they lived in environments which are closer to the South Pole, where Morocco was located in the Ordovician period. As per the Royal Ontario Museum's paleontologist in Toronto Jean-Bernard Caron, who was not a part of the new paper, the discovery highlighted that few Cambrian creatures were able to exist even though diversity exploded in the Ordovician era. “This new study adds to a growing body of evidence that many members of Cambrian communities continued to thrive during the following Ordovician period and were not quickly replaced as previous evolutionary models might have suggested,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Dune’-like sandworms crawled on Earth more than 500 million years ago

The rare Devil Comet, which is also known as the “Mother of Dragons” comet and goes by the&nbsp;scientific name Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, is now finally visible to the human eye in the northern hemisphere's night skies.

The appearance of the Devil Comet gives stargazers and professional astronomers a spectacular opportunity to view the rare marvel.

The Halley-type comet, which revolves around the Sun every 71 years and has a nucleus which measures nearly 30 kilometres in diameter, is famous for its outbursts of gas and dust amid its voyages across the solar system.

<h2>All about the Devil Comet&nbsp;</h2>

The comet, which has been&nbsp;tracked for a long time, stands out because of its distinct “horned” appearance.

Like the other comets, 12P/Pons-Brooks is filled with ice, dust, and rocky material. When it reaches close to the sun, the comet goes through a transformation as the ice within it changes from solid to gas.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/devil-comet-may-appear-during-total-solar-eclipse-to-show-its-stunning-celestial-display-696285">'Devil Comet' likely to make an appearance during total solar eclipse in April</a>

In the process, gas and dust are propelled from the surface of the comet and an expansive cloud with a distinctive tail is formed.

This tail, which is shaped and driven by solar winds, works as a visible marker of the path of the comet through space.

<h2>Comet to be visible after 70 years in Australian skies</h2>

The comet will also be visible to the naked eye for a brief period of time without the help of any special equipment to the Australians.

Speaking to 7News, Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker said that this opportunity to notice a comet with the naked eye will happen during the early hours of April 22.

To catch sight of the comet, one will need to simply look upwards before sunrise. The comet will appear like a "green, fuzzy dot".

Watch:&nbsp;Trash-grabbing robot in Space helps clearing congestion caused by debris&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trash-grabbing-robot-in-space-helps-clearing-congestion-caused-by-debris-wion-world-dna-702925/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Venus is the bright star in the morning sky — if you can see where Venus is, look below, and the comet will be somewhere in that line between the sun and Venus," explained Tucker.

"If you're in a dark spot, you should be able to see it with your naked eye. But if you have a pair of binoculars, even small ones, it will make it great," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The rare Devil Comet, which is also known as the “Mother of Dragons” comet and goes by the scientific name Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, is now finally visible to the human eye in the northern hemisphere's night skies.

The rare Devil Comet, which is also known as the “Mother of Dragons” comet and goes by the scientific name Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, is now finally visible to the human eye in the northern hemisphere's night skies. The appearance of the Devil Comet gives stargazers and professional astronomers a spectacular opportunity to view the rare marvel. The Halley-type comet, which revolves around the Sun every 71 years and has a nucleus which measures nearly 30 kilometres in diameter, is famous for its outbursts of gas and dust amid its voyages across the solar system. All about the Devil Comet The comet, which has been tracked for a long time, stands out because of its distinct “horned” appearance. Like the other comets, 12P/Pons-Brooks is filled with ice, dust, and rocky material. When it reaches close to the sun, the comet goes through a transformation as the ice within it changes from solid to gas. Also Read: 'Devil Comet' likely to make an appearance during total solar eclipse in April In the process, gas and dust are propelled from the surface of the comet and an expansive cloud with a distinctive tail is formed. This tail, which is shaped and driven by solar winds, works as a visible marker of the path of the comet through space. Comet to be visible after 70 years in Australian skies The comet will also be visible to the naked eye for a brief period of time without the help of any special equipment to the Australians. Speaking to 7News, Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker said that this opportunity to notice a comet with the naked eye will happen during the early hours of April 22. To catch sight of the comet, one will need to simply look upwards before sunrise. The comet will appear like a "green, fuzzy dot". Watch: Trash-grabbing robot in Space helps clearing congestion caused by debris "Venus is the bright star in the morning sky — if you can see where Venus is, look below, and the comet will be somewhere in that line between the sun and Venus," explained Tucker. "If you're in a dark spot, you should be able to see it with your naked eye. But if you have a pair of binoculars, even small ones, it will make it great," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Devil Comet can now be spotted from Earth, but right now only in this region

Scientists in new research found a piece of rock which is likely to hold the answers to the mysteries of our planet and tell the world about its uniqueness. The researchers stumbled upon a part of the Earth’s crust which is likely to have been hidden for more than 3 billion years in Northern Europe’s oldest mountains in Finland.

Scientists in new research found a piece of rock which is likely to hold the answers to the mysteries of our planet and tell the world about its uniqueness. The researchers stumbled upon a part of the Earth’s crust which is likely to have been hidden for more than 3 billion years in Northern Europe’s oldest mountains in Finland. The discovery emphasises the formation of the continent and even suggests that the birth of Denmark and Scandinavia actually took place some 3.75 billion years ago in Greenland. “Our data suggest that the oldest part of Earth’s crust beneath Scandinavia originates in Greenland and is about 250 million years older than we previously thought,” said Professor Tod Waight, who is a geologist at the University of Copenhagen, in a statement. The traces of the ancient crust were first found in the mineral zircon by Waight and his colleagues and then its chemical fingerprint matched with some of the oldest rocks on the planet which were found in West Greenland. “The zircon crystals we found in river sand and rocks from Finland have signatures that point towards them being much older than anything ever found in Scandinavia while matching the age of Greenlandic rock sample,” said researcher Andreas Petersson, who was part of the study. “At the same time, the results of three independent isotope analyses confirm that Scandinavia’s bedrock was most likely linked to Greenland," he added. Also Read: Delving deep: Earth's crust holds more water than its ice caps, reveals study Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark sit above a section of the Earth’s crust which is called the Fennoscandian Shield, or the Baltic Shield. According to the scientists, this shield got detached from Greenland as a “seed” and moved for hundreds of millions of years till it “took root” where Finland exists today. The plate continued to develop here as new geological material accumulated near it and it slowly became Scandinavia. Earth existed like a watery planet when the crust got detached: Study The study emphasises that when the crust got detached from Greenland, the planet was very different from what it looks now. “Earth was probably a watery planet, like in the movie Waterworld, but without any oxygen in the atmosphere and without emergent crust,” said Prof Waight. “But, because that’s so far back in time, we can’t really be sure about what it actually looked like," he added. Watch: Melting polar ice is slowing earth's rotation As per his team, Earth stands out from its galactic neighbours because of the continental crust which is composed of granite. “This is unique in our solar system,” Petersson said. “And, evidence of liquid water and a granite crust are key factors when trying to identify habitable exoplanets and the possibility of life beyond Earth," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

A hidden Earth's crust suggests Scandinavia was born some 3.75 billion years ago in Greenland

Melting polar ice caps are redistributing a massive amount of water from the north and south poles across the world's oceans. This is causing the earth's rotation to significantly slow. The melting ice caused due to climate change is not just slowing earth's rotation, but its also affecting time. Watch this report to know more.

Melting polar ice is slowing earth's rotation

We've all grown up hearing that Earth is a blue planet, with the majority of its surface — a whopping 71 per cent or three quarters — covered with water.

But, is there any water in Earth's crust? If so, how much water lies underground?&nbsp;

<h2>Underground water</h2>

Yes, as per a 2021 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, there is more water underground or under the earth's surface than in the planet's ice caps and glaciers.

This underground water is held in soil or in pores in rocks, and the amount there is may shock you.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/role-reversal-humans-to-blame-shocking-study-reveals-humans-infect-animals-twice-as-much-704746">We are the infectors: Humans pass on viruses to animals twice than the other way around!</a>

Talking to Live Science, Grant Ferguson, a hydrogeologist at the University of Saskatchewan and lead author of the 2021 study, revealed that the Earth's crust holds approximately 43.9 million cubic kilometres (10.5 million cubic miles) of water.

In comparison, Antarctica's ice contains about 6.5 million cubic miles (27 million cubic km) of water, Greenland's ice holds around 720,000 cubic miles (3 million cubic km). Additionally, glaciers outside Antarctica and Greenland have about 38,000 cubic miles (158,000 cubic km) of water.

Nevertheless, the oceans on Earth's surface remain the planet's largest water reservoir, holding approximately 312 million cubic miles (1.3 billion cubic km) of water.&nbsp;

Now we know that after oceans, groundwater is the Earth's largest water reservoir.

The 2021 study has expanded previous estimates by considering groundwater within the upper 6.2 miles (9.98 kilometres) of Earth's crust, including sedimentary rocks, which are more porous than crystalline rocks. With this, our previous estimates of groundwater have more than doubled from about 2 million cubic miles (8.5 million cubic km) to 4.9 million cubic miles (20.3 million cubic km).&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/time-to-stop-in-2029-melting-polar-ice-slows-earths-rotation-scientists-warn-705093">Time to stop in 2029? Melting polar ice slows Earth's rotation, scientists warn...</a>

This new estimate, as per Live Science, is nearly as large as the 5.7 million cubic miles (23.6 million cubic km) calculated for shallow groundwater.&nbsp;

<h2>Why does this matters?</h2>

The deeper groundwater, which is mostly salty, is isolated from the rest of the planet's water and as per the scientists, has been trapped for extraordinarily long spans of time in some places. This, as per Ferguson, can offer valuable insights into Earth's history.

"We know very little about these waters at depths greater than a few kilometres, making it a frontier area for science," he said. Furthermore, he said that the water may support microbial ecosystems that are still active today, which can help ascertain how life evolved on Earth.

(With inputs from agencies)

We've all grown up hearing that Earth is a blue planet, with the majority of its surface — a whopping 71 per cent or three quarters — covered with water. But, is there any water in Earth's crust?

We've all grown up hearing that Earth is a blue planet, with the majority of its surface — a whopping 71 per cent or three quarters — covered with water. But, is there any water in Earth's crust? If so, how much water lies underground? Underground water Yes, as per a 2021 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, there is more water underground or under the earth's surface than in the planet's ice caps and glaciers. This underground water is held in soil or in pores in rocks, and the amount there is may shock you. Also read | We are the infectors: Humans pass on viruses to animals twice than the other way around! Talking to Live Science, Grant Ferguson, a hydrogeologist at the University of Saskatchewan and lead author of the 2021 study, revealed that the Earth's crust holds approximately 43.9 million cubic kilometres (10.5 million cubic miles) of water. In comparison, Antarctica's ice contains about 6.5 million cubic miles (27 million cubic km) of water, Greenland's ice holds around 720,000 cubic miles (3 million cubic km). Additionally, glaciers outside Antarctica and Greenland have about 38,000 cubic miles (158,000 cubic km) of water. Nevertheless, the oceans on Earth's surface remain the planet's largest water reservoir, holding approximately 312 million cubic miles (1.3 billion cubic km) of water. Now we know that after oceans, groundwater is the Earth's largest water reservoir. The 2021 study has expanded previous estimates by considering groundwater within the upper 6.2 miles (9.98 kilometres) of Earth's crust, including sedimentary rocks, which are more porous than crystalline rocks. With this, our previous estimates of groundwater have more than doubled from about 2 million cubic miles (8.5 million cubic km) to 4.9 million cubic miles (20.3 million cubic km). Also read | Time to stop in 2029? Melting polar ice slows Earth's rotation, scientists warn... This new estimate, as per Live Science, is nearly as large as the 5.7 million cubic miles (23.6 million cubic km) calculated for shallow groundwater. Why does this matters? The deeper groundwater, which is mostly salty, is isolated from the rest of the planet's water and as per the scientists, has been trapped for extraordinarily long spans of time in some places. This, as per Ferguson, can offer valuable insights into Earth's history. "We know very little about these waters at depths greater than a few kilometres, making it a frontier area for science," he said. Furthermore, he said that the water may support microbial ecosystems that are still active today, which can help ascertain how life evolved on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

Delving deep: Earth's crust holds more water than its ice caps, reveals study

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