<p>A potentially habitable planet which was discovered by scientists has destroyed its own atmosphere. Known as Trappist-1e, the planet is&nbsp;most likely&nbsp;inhospitable to alien life now.</p>

<p>The electric currents, which were created by the planet, have led to the stripping of the atmosphere as the planet has been racing near its red dwarf host star.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is a significant discovery since the Trappist-1 system, in which this exoplanet orbits a small red dwarf star, was one of the major targets where alien life was being hunted.</p>

<p>Among the seven Earth-like planets in the system, at least three are present in the habitable zone, which is a region around a star that is neither too hot nor too cold and lets a planet support liquid water.</p>

<p>However, if a planet lacks an atmosphere, it cannot hold on to liquid water, even if it is in the habitable zone which is called the "Goldilocks zone."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-super-earth-with-habitable-zone-this-planet-137-light-years-away-assures-687327">NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures…</a></p>

<p>The present condition proves that Trappist-1e may be the habitable zone of red dwarf Trappist-1 - which is at a distance of 40 light-years from Earth - however, its habitability may be fleeting.</p>

<p>The phenomenon which has affected the atmosphere of Trappist-1e, is also likely to have impacted the atmospheres of the other planets which are present in the habitable zone and has decreased the hope of finding life in this system.</p>

<h2><strong>What is stripping the atmosphere of exoplanets?</strong></h2>

<p>Trappist-1e is approximately the size of the Earth, however, it has around 0.7 times the mass of our planet. It is located fourth place from its star and orbits at just 0.028 times the distance between the sun and Earth, hence, completing one orbit in only 6.1 Earth days.</p>

<p>Even though Trappist-1 is in close proximity,&nbsp;it is much smaller and cooler than the sun and&nbsp;the&nbsp;habitable zone is closer to its surface in comparison to the habitable zone of our star.</p>

<p>So, the radiation from the red dwarf is not stripping the atmosphere of TRAPPIST-1e, but it is a wind of charged particles which is blowing from the star and is known as the "stellar wind."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Planet warming at an accelerating rate</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/planet-warming-at-an-accelerating-rate-691640/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"We looked at how the space weather changes through the planet's orbit, with TRAPPIST-1e transitions very rapidly between very different stellar wind conditions and pressures, leading to a sort of pulsing compression and relaxation of the planetary magnetic field," said Cecilia Garraffo, team member and an astrophysicist at Harvard &amp; Smithsonian, while speaking to Space.com.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This drives strong electric currents in the upper atmosphere — the ionosphere — that heat up the atmosphere just like an electric heater," Garraffo added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A potentially habitable planet which was discovered by scientists has destroyed its own atmosphere. Known as Trappist-1e, the planet is most likely inhospitable to alien life now.

A potentially habitable planet which was discovered by scientists has destroyed its own atmosphere. Known as Trappist-1e, the planet is most likely inhospitable to alien life now. The electric currents, which were created by the planet, have led to the stripping of the atmosphere as the planet has been racing near its red dwarf host star. This is a significant discovery since the Trappist-1 system, in which this exoplanet orbits a small red dwarf star, was one of the major targets where alien life was being hunted. Among the seven Earth-like planets in the system, at least three are present in the habitable zone, which is a region around a star that is neither too hot nor too cold and lets a planet support liquid water. However, if a planet lacks an atmosphere, it cannot hold on to liquid water, even if it is in the habitable zone which is called the "Goldilocks zone." Also Read: NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures… The present condition proves that Trappist-1e may be the habitable zone of red dwarf Trappist-1 - which is at a distance of 40 light-years from Earth - however, its habitability may be fleeting. The phenomenon which has affected the atmosphere of Trappist-1e, is also likely to have impacted the atmospheres of the other planets which are present in the habitable zone and has decreased the hope of finding life in this system. What is stripping the atmosphere of exoplanets? Trappist-1e is approximately the size of the Earth, however, it has around 0.7 times the mass of our planet. It is located fourth place from its star and orbits at just 0.028 times the distance between the sun and Earth, hence, completing one orbit in only 6.1 Earth days. Even though Trappist-1 is in close proximity, it is much smaller and cooler than the sun and the habitable zone is closer to its surface in comparison to the habitable zone of our star. So, the radiation from the red dwarf is not stripping the atmosphere of TRAPPIST-1e, but it is a wind of charged particles which is blowing from the star and is known as the "stellar wind." Watch: Planet warming at an accelerating rate "We looked at how the space weather changes through the planet's orbit, with TRAPPIST-1e transitions very rapidly between very different stellar wind conditions and pressures, leading to a sort of pulsing compression and relaxation of the planetary magnetic field," said Cecilia Garraffo, team member and an astrophysicist at Harvard & Smithsonian, while speaking to Space.com. "This drives strong electric currents in the upper atmosphere — the ionosphere — that heat up the atmosphere just like an electric heater," Garraffo added. (With inputs from agencies)

Earth-like exoplanet destroys its own atmosphere, reduces hope of existence of alien life

<p>The small W- spacecraft of Varda Space Industries , which landed at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, had a camera installed that captured its trip back to Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The camera, which was fitted inside the 90 cm- (3 ft)-wide capsule, captured the way in which the spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere of the Earth.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's a video of our capsule ripping through the atmosphere at mach 25, no renders, raw footage: <a href="https://t.co/ZFWzdjBwad">pic.twitter.com/ZFWzdjBwad</a></p>
— Varda Space Industries (@VardaSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/VardaSpace/status/1762855190292525409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Video captures eerie sounds of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere</strong></h2>

<p>The re-entry was made in steps, from separating the satellite bus in low Earth orbit (LEO) to making a fiery re-entry into&nbsp;Earth's atmosphere, to the deployment of a parachute and the bouncy landing.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/intelligent-aliens-can-also-not-beat-humans-in-space-travel-study-694664">Intelligent aliens can also not beat humans in space travel: Study</a></p>

<p>When the 5-minute video ends, a pair of legs appear wearing muddy shoes to gather the parachute and then retrieve the capsule. The video is also very unique because it contains sounds of reentry and landing.</p>

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<p>Speaking in an interview, Varda CEO Will Bruey said, "We manufacture pharmaceuticals in space. Removing gravity allows us to make medicines you otherwise couldn't on Earth. Gravity is kind of like a parameter. If you put a temperature knob on an oven, you create a whole world of new recipes and new food you can create. Similarly, if you can change gravity, you can also change the chemical process for drug formulations."</p>

<p>W-1 was integrated with a Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft (the upper stage of the Electron rocket) for eight months, which provided the capsule with power, propulsion, and navigation.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gaganyaan Mission: PM Modi introduces astronauts for India's first manned space mission</strong></p>

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<p>"This mission was a phenomenal feat and impressive display of teamwork between the Rocket Lab and Varda teams to develop a unique and highly capable spacecraft, successfully demonstrate in-space manufacturing and bring back the capsule and finished pharmaceutical product – all on the first attempt," said Rocketlab CEO Peter Beck, in a press release.</p>

<p>"The success of this reentry mission will also inform our work on developing a reentry capsule for Neutron to potentially enable human spaceflight missions," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The small W- spacecraft of Varda Space Industries , which landed at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, had a camera installed that captured its trip back to Earth.

The small W- spacecraft of Varda Space Industries , which landed at the Utah Test and Training Range on February 21, had a camera installed that captured its trip back to Earth. The camera, which was fitted inside the 90 cm- (3 ft)-wide capsule, captured the way in which the spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere of the Earth. Here's a video of our capsule ripping through the atmosphere at mach 25, no renders, raw footage: pic.twitter.com/ZFWzdjBwad — Varda Space Industries (@VardaSpace) February 28, 2024 × Video captures eerie sounds of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere The re-entry was made in steps, from separating the satellite bus in low Earth orbit (LEO) to making a fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, to the deployment of a parachute and the bouncy landing. Also Read: Intelligent aliens can also not beat humans in space travel: Study When the 5-minute video ends, a pair of legs appear wearing muddy shoes to gather the parachute and then retrieve the capsule. The video is also very unique because it contains sounds of reentry and landing. × Speaking in an interview, Varda CEO Will Bruey said, "We manufacture pharmaceuticals in space. Removing gravity allows us to make medicines you otherwise couldn't on Earth. Gravity is kind of like a parameter. If you put a temperature knob on an oven, you create a whole world of new recipes and new food you can create. Similarly, if you can change gravity, you can also change the chemical process for drug formulations." W-1 was integrated with a Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft (the upper stage of the Electron rocket) for eight months, which provided the capsule with power, propulsion, and navigation. Watch: Gaganyaan Mission: PM Modi introduces astronauts for India's first manned space mission "This mission was a phenomenal feat and impressive display of teamwork between the Rocket Lab and Varda teams to develop a unique and highly capable spacecraft, successfully demonstrate in-space manufacturing and bring back the capsule and finished pharmaceutical product – all on the first attempt," said Rocketlab CEO Peter Beck, in a press release. "The success of this reentry mission will also inform our work on developing a reentry capsule for Neutron to potentially enable human spaceflight missions," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Spacecraft captures its own re-entry into Earth from space

<p>In a never-heard climate intervention strategy, scientists are now planning to decrease the amount of water vapour present in the stratosphere. This, they think can be carried out by injecting the layer of atmosphere with ice-forming nuclei.</p>

<p>According to scientists, if the water content is reduced, more heat - in the form of infrared radiation - will leak out into space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The strategy being explored by the scientists was mentioned in a study published in Science Advances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even though greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane are the important factors driving&nbsp;human-caused climate change, water vapour is considered the most common greenhouse gas.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/january-was-worlds-warmest-on-record-eu-scientists-688348">January was world's warmest on record, EU scientists</a></p>

<p>Hence, the removal of water vapour from the atmosphere will help mitigate climate change, as per the study.</p>

<h2><strong>How does dehydration of stratosphere help fight climate change?</strong></h2>

<p>The study was carried out by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to the study, scientists suggest trying out "intentional stratospheric dehydration."</p>

<p>As per the study lead author Joshua Schwarz, who is also a research physicist at NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, this process will be carried out by seeding small particles, known as ice nuclei,&nbsp;into the stratosphere with the help of high-altitude planes.</p>

<p>Schwarz said that if such seeds can be added to the stratosphere, then some of the water vapour is likely to condense in ice and fall, which will eventually remove excess water vapour and dehydrate the stratosphere.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Antarctic sea ice depleting due to rising temperatures</strong></p>

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<p>According to the study, the strategy can plausibly work after the experts have overcome several technical barriers. Schwarz said that right now, "we don't have a plan or the technology to do this".</p>

<p>He further said that it will not counteract the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) and added that it will only cool the atmosphere 1/70th which is equal to the amount of warmth being given by CO2. It will only be "a very small shift in the other direction".</p>

<p>He added that CO2 becomes a huge problem in our atmosphere and that the new method will have a small impact, in comparison to CO2.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a never-heard climate intervention strategy, scientists are now planning to decrease the amount of water vapour present in the stratosphere. This, they think can be carried out by injecting the layer of atmosphere with ice-forming nuclei.

In a never-heard climate intervention strategy, scientists are now planning to decrease the amount of water vapour present in the stratosphere. This, they think can be carried out by injecting the layer of atmosphere with ice-forming nuclei. According to scientists, if the water content is reduced, more heat - in the form of infrared radiation - will leak out into space. The strategy being explored by the scientists was mentioned in a study published in Science Advances. Even though greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane are the important factors driving human-caused climate change, water vapour is considered the most common greenhouse gas. Also Read: January was world's warmest on record, EU scientists Hence, the removal of water vapour from the atmosphere will help mitigate climate change, as per the study. How does dehydration of stratosphere help fight climate change? The study was carried out by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to the study, scientists suggest trying out "intentional stratospheric dehydration." As per the study lead author Joshua Schwarz, who is also a research physicist at NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, this process will be carried out by seeding small particles, known as ice nuclei, into the stratosphere with the help of high-altitude planes. Schwarz said that if such seeds can be added to the stratosphere, then some of the water vapour is likely to condense in ice and fall, which will eventually remove excess water vapour and dehydrate the stratosphere. Watch: Antarctic sea ice depleting due to rising temperatures According to the study, the strategy can plausibly work after the experts have overcome several technical barriers. Schwarz said that right now, "we don't have a plan or the technology to do this". He further said that it will not counteract the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) and added that it will only cool the atmosphere 1/70th which is equal to the amount of warmth being given by CO2. It will only be "a very small shift in the other direction". He added that CO2 becomes a huge problem in our atmosphere and that the new method will have a small impact, in comparison to CO2. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists plan to suck out water from Earth's atmosphere to fight climate change

<p>Climate change is no longer something that'll happen in the future. It has very much arrived and the effects are for everyone to see. Data from NASA has now revealed that there was an uptick in absorption of solar radiation by Earth in the year 2023. This is a crucial observation as how and how much solar radiation Earth absorbs has an ultimate effect on climate.</p>

<p>NASA's Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) Edition 4.2 has reported major fluctuations in Earth's absorption of solar radiation in 2023. There was an uptick in the months of February, March and December.</p>

<p>As the year started, there was a sharp increase in absorption of solar radiation. It peaked at 3.9 watts per square metre in the month of February and further rose to 6.2 watts per square metre in March.</p>

<p>There is a major contrast when these figures are compared with those for the corresponding months in the year 2000. This points at an upward trend in absorption.</p>

<p>NASA's CERES indicated that in December 2023, the pattern of high solar radiation absorption continued.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | World needs "Trillions" of dollars to tackle climate change: COP28 President Jaber</strong></p>

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<p>The mean absorption levels have shifted as well. They were higher in 2023 than they were at the start of the century.</p>

<p>This has implications on energy balance on the Earth and may lead to changes in climate, sea level and temperature.</p>

<p>In addition to spikes in the year 2023, the data also shows upticks during the years 2011, 2017, 2022.</p>

<p>Although it is well established that there is an upward trend, the most recent years have shown an especially pronounced upward tick. The year 2023 represented a year with an especially high mean absorbed solar radiation change.</p>

<p>This is likely to have profound effect on Earth's climate and measures to mitigate may be necessary.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Climate change is no longer something that'll happen in the future. It has very much arrived and the effects are for everyone to see. Data from NASA has now revealed that there was an uptick in absorption of solar radiation by Earth in the year 2023.

Climate change is no longer something that'll happen in the future. It has very much arrived and the effects are for everyone to see. Data from NASA has now revealed that there was an uptick in absorption of solar radiation by Earth in the year 2023. This is a crucial observation as how and how much solar radiation Earth absorbs has an ultimate effect on climate. NASA's Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) Edition 4.2 has reported major fluctuations in Earth's absorption of solar radiation in 2023. There was an uptick in the months of February, March and December. As the year started, there was a sharp increase in absorption of solar radiation. It peaked at 3.9 watts per square metre in the month of February and further rose to 6.2 watts per square metre in March. There is a major contrast when these figures are compared with those for the corresponding months in the year 2000. This points at an upward trend in absorption. NASA's CERES indicated that in December 2023, the pattern of high solar radiation absorption continued. Watch | World needs "Trillions" of dollars to tackle climate change: COP28 President Jaber × The mean absorption levels have shifted as well. They were higher in 2023 than they were at the start of the century. This has implications on energy balance on the Earth and may lead to changes in climate, sea level and temperature. In addition to spikes in the year 2023, the data also shows upticks during the years 2011, 2017, 2022. Although it is well established that there is an upward trend, the most recent years have shown an especially pronounced upward tick. The year 2023 represented a year with an especially high mean absorbed solar radiation change. This is likely to have profound effect on Earth's climate and measures to mitigate may be necessary. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA data reveals Earth is increasingly absorbing more solar radiation

<p>An unknown event occurred in a distant galaxy some eight billion years ago which sent a very powerful blast of radio waves across the universe.</p>

<p>Now, after travelling for eight billion years, the radio signals finally reached Earth on June 10 only to last less than a thousandth of a second. However, a radio telescope installed in Australia somehow was able to pick up the signal.</p>

<p>The flash, which took place in the cosmos eight billion years ago and has now been detected, was a fast radio burst (FRB), which is a little-understood phenomenon first found in 2007.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The astronomers found that this specific FRB was more powerful and came from a much farther place which has not been recorded yet. It was also determined that the cosmic event occurred when the universe was less than half its current age.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-with-no-tail-is-approaching-earth-heres-why-it-is-important-to-photograph-it-692255">Comet with no tail is approaching Earth and researchers want stargazers to photograph it</a></p>

<h2><strong>Scientists are clueless on what causes FRBs</strong></h2>

<p>Astronomers have till now not been able to find what exactly leads to FRBs, making them one of the greatest astronomical mysteries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A lot of theories have been given to scientists to explain its occurrence with a Harvard University professor even suggesting that the radio signals might be signs of alien life, CBS News reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, distant dead stars - known as magnetars - are held as prime suspects by the scientists, since they are the most magnetic objects in the universe.</p>

<p>Astrophysicist at Australia's Swinburne University, Ryan Shannon, while speaking to AFP, said that it was "mind-blowing" that the radio burst was spotted by the ASKAP radio telescope in Western Australia last year.</p>

<p>"We were lucky to be looking at that little spot in the sky for that one millisecond after the eight billion years the pulse had travelled to catch it," said Shannon, &nbsp;who was also co-author of a study which spoke about the find in the journal Science.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;This black hole eats a whole sun every day</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Radio signals released same amount of energy which sun&nbsp;emits in 30 years</strong></h2>

<p>He said that this specific FRB easily defeated the previous record holder which was only five billion light years away.</p>

<p>According to him, the radio signal's pulse was very powerful and it released the same amount of energy which the sun emits over 30 years.</p>

<p>Shannon did not deny the possibility of hundreds of thousands of FRBs flashing across the sky every day.</p>

<p>However, even though thousands of them have been detected till now, scientists have just managed&nbsp;to figure out&nbsp;where 50 of them came from.</p>

<p>The researchers decided to use the Very Large Telescope in Chile to understand where the latest radio burst, known as FRB 20220610A, came from.</p>

<p>This came from the signal which originated from a particularly clumpy galaxy which may have merged with one or two other galaxies and hence, created the bizarre magnetar.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


An unknown event occurred in a distant galaxy some eight billion years ago which sent a very powerful blast of radio waves across the universe. Now, after travelling for eight billion years, the radio signals finally reached Earth on June 10 only to last less than a thousandth of a second.

An unknown event occurred in a distant galaxy some eight billion years ago which sent a very powerful blast of radio waves across the universe. Now, after travelling for eight billion years, the radio signals finally reached Earth on June 10 only to last less than a thousandth of a second. However, a radio telescope installed in Australia somehow was able to pick up the signal. The flash, which took place in the cosmos eight billion years ago and has now been detected, was a fast radio burst (FRB), which is a little-understood phenomenon first found in 2007. The astronomers found that this specific FRB was more powerful and came from a much farther place which has not been recorded yet. It was also determined that the cosmic event occurred when the universe was less than half its current age. Also Read: Comet with no tail is approaching Earth and researchers want stargazers to photograph it Scientists are clueless on what causes FRBs Astronomers have till now not been able to find what exactly leads to FRBs, making them one of the greatest astronomical mysteries. A lot of theories have been given to scientists to explain its occurrence with a Harvard University professor even suggesting that the radio signals might be signs of alien life, CBS News reported. However, distant dead stars - known as magnetars - are held as prime suspects by the scientists, since they are the most magnetic objects in the universe. Astrophysicist at Australia's Swinburne University, Ryan Shannon, while speaking to AFP, said that it was "mind-blowing" that the radio burst was spotted by the ASKAP radio telescope in Western Australia last year. "We were lucky to be looking at that little spot in the sky for that one millisecond after the eight billion years the pulse had travelled to catch it," said Shannon, who was also co-author of a study which spoke about the find in the journal Science. Watch: This black hole eats a whole sun every day Radio signals released same amount of energy which sun emits in 30 years He said that this specific FRB easily defeated the previous record holder which was only five billion light years away. According to him, the radio signal's pulse was very powerful and it released the same amount of energy which the sun emits over 30 years. Shannon did not deny the possibility of hundreds of thousands of FRBs flashing across the sky every day. However, even though thousands of them have been detected till now, scientists have just managed to figure out where 50 of them came from. The researchers decided to use the Very Large Telescope in Chile to understand where the latest radio burst, known as FRB 20220610A, came from. This came from the signal which originated from a particularly clumpy galaxy which may have merged with one or two other galaxies and hence, created the bizarre magnetar. (With inputs from agencies)

Radio waves that took 8 billion years to reach Earth hint at signs of alien life: Expert

<p>Stars other than the Sun present in our solar system can have&nbsp;a major impact on the planets including Earth, even possibly changing their orbits, scientists have said. The gravitational pull of the stars has the ability to change the orbit of the Earth, an event that can wreak havoc on the green planet's climate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The orbital changes happened in the past, millions of years ago. When it happened, the temperature of Earth increased by 8 degrees Celsius, according to the study titled 'Passing Stars as an Important Driver of Paleoclimate and the solar system's Orbital Evolution'.</p>

<p>The study has been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.</p>

<p>The study's lead researchers are Sean Raymond and Nathan A Kaib.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/esa-releases-pics-of-dead-satellite-tumbling-to-earth-can-it-fall-on-someones-head-all-you-need-to-know-691984">ESA releases pics of dead satellite tumbling to Earth; Can it fall on someone's head? All you need to know</a></p>

<p>Perturbations are a minor deviation in the course of a celestial body, caused by the gravitational attraction of a neighbouring body&nbsp;from passing stars alter the long-term orbital evolution of the sun's planets, including Earth, explained Kaib, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, in the study.</p>

<p>"One reason this is important is because the geologic record shows that changes in the Earth's orbital eccentricity accompany fluctuations in the Earth's climate. If we want to best search for the causes of ancient climate anomalies, it is important to have an idea of what Earth's orbit looked like during those episodes," he said.</p>

<h2><strong>Scientists predict Earth's past orbital evolution</strong></h2>

<p>To understand the events which have occurred in the 4.5-billion-year lifespan of Earth, the researchers carried out extensive scientific research. They ran simulations to predict the planet's past orbital evolution.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Asteroid flew past Earth in near miss</strong></p>

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<p>The scientists then chose a single known event, which occurred 2.8 million years ago, when a Sun-like star known as HD 7977 passed through the Solar System.</p>

<p>The star passed from inside the Oort Cloud and was at a distance of some 31,000 astronomical units (1 astronomical unit is the distance between Earth and the Sun).</p>

<p>Hence, it was at a great distance to have any effect. However, it may have zoomed in as close as 4,000 astronomical units.</p>

<p>"It has already been proposed that Earth's orbital eccentricity was notably high during this event, but our results show that passing stars make detailed predictions of Earth's past orbital evolution at this time highly uncertain, and a broader spectrum of orbital behaviour is possible than previously thought," said Kaib.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Stars other than the Sun present in our solar system can have a major impact on the planets including Earth, even possibly changing their orbits, scientists have said.

Stars other than the Sun present in our solar system can have a major impact on the planets including Earth, even possibly changing their orbits, scientists have said. The gravitational pull of the stars has the ability to change the orbit of the Earth, an event that can wreak havoc on the green planet's climate. The orbital changes happened in the past, millions of years ago. When it happened, the temperature of Earth increased by 8 degrees Celsius, according to the study titled 'Passing Stars as an Important Driver of Paleoclimate and the solar system's Orbital Evolution'. The study has been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The study's lead researchers are Sean Raymond and Nathan A Kaib. Also Read: ESA releases pics of dead satellite tumbling to Earth; Can it fall on someone's head? All you need to know Perturbations are a minor deviation in the course of a celestial body, caused by the gravitational attraction of a neighbouring body from passing stars alter the long-term orbital evolution of the sun's planets, including Earth, explained Kaib, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, in the study. "One reason this is important is because the geologic record shows that changes in the Earth's orbital eccentricity accompany fluctuations in the Earth's climate. If we want to best search for the causes of ancient climate anomalies, it is important to have an idea of what Earth's orbit looked like during those episodes," he said. Scientists predict Earth's past orbital evolution To understand the events which have occurred in the 4.5-billion-year lifespan of Earth, the researchers carried out extensive scientific research. They ran simulations to predict the planet's past orbital evolution. Watch: Gravitas: Asteroid flew past Earth in near miss The scientists then chose a single known event, which occurred 2.8 million years ago, when a Sun-like star known as HD 7977 passed through the Solar System. The star passed from inside the Oort Cloud and was at a distance of some 31,000 astronomical units (1 astronomical unit is the distance between Earth and the Sun). Hence, it was at a great distance to have any effect. However, it may have zoomed in as close as 4,000 astronomical units. "It has already been proposed that Earth's orbital eccentricity was notably high during this event, but our results show that passing stars make detailed predictions of Earth's past orbital evolution at this time highly uncertain, and a broader spectrum of orbital behaviour is possible than previously thought," said Kaib. (With inputs from agencies)

Stars can change the orbit of Earth over the years, wreaking havoc on climate, say scientists

NASA is on the lookout for a second batch of volunteers to participate in its year-long simulated Mars mission called Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA).

NASA seeks volunteers for simulated Mars mission

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<p>Odysseus, the private spacecraft launched by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, has beamed its first pictures from the final frontier.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The aerospace company took to&nbsp;X on&nbsp;Feb 17 to write, "Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured shortly after separation from @SpaceX's second stage on Intuitive Machines' first journey to the moon under @NASA's CLPS initiative."</p>

<p>The Commercial Lunar Payload Service Program (CLPS) allows private robotic moon landers like Odysseus to carry agency science instruments. The Nova-C lander (Odysseus) is carrying NASA's six experiments and technology demonstrations and six private payloads on its ongoing IM-1 mission. These instruments will collect data for NASA's Artemis program, which aspires to set a crewed base near the lunar south pole by 2030.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured shortly after separation from <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a>'s second stage on Intuitive Machines’ first journey to the Moon under <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a>'s CLPS initiative. <a href="https://t.co/9LccL6q5tF">pic.twitter.com/9LccL6q5tF</a></p>
— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1758899202174685589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Odysseus' combination of liquid methane and liquid oxygen is also used by SpaceX's Raptor engines. These engines power the company's Starship rocket, which is being developed to transport people to the moon and Mars. The Starship rocket is currently being prepared for its third test flight, which may take place in the coming weeks.</p>

<p>However, IM-1 wasn't the first CLPS effort to launch. It was Peregrine, a moon lander built by Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic. They launched it atop a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket.</p>

<p><b>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</b><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/feeling-february-heat-scientists-expect-record-breaking-temperatures-this-month-691232">Feeling February heat? Scientists expect record-breaking temperatures this month</a></p>

<p>Although the launch went well, Peregrine suffered a fuel leak shortly after separating from the rocket's upper stage. The lander failed to reach the moon. The handlers conducted a destruction of the spacecraft in the Earth's atmosphere on January 18.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Odysseus's case, things have been going well so far. The moon lander is in perfect condition and communicating with mission control as it heads for its destination. Intuitive Machines has planned the touchdown attempt for February 22.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Various systems of Odysseus are also functioning normally, including the engine, which just achieved an important checkout in deep space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Intuitive Machines flight controllers successfully fired the first liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine in space, completing the IM-1 mission engine commissioning. This engine firing included a full thrust mainstage engine burn and throttle down-profile necessary to land on the moon," the company said in an X post on Friday (February 16).</p>

<p>If Odysseus succeeds in the mission, it would be historic as no private spacecraft has soft-landed on the moon.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Odysseus, the private spacecraft launched by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, has beamed its first pictures from the final frontier.

Odysseus, the private spacecraft launched by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, has beamed its first pictures from the final frontier. The aerospace company took to X on Feb 17 to write, "Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured shortly after separation from @SpaceX's second stage on Intuitive Machines' first journey to the moon under @NASA's CLPS initiative." The Commercial Lunar Payload Service Program (CLPS) allows private robotic moon landers like Odysseus to carry agency science instruments. The Nova-C lander (Odysseus) is carrying NASA's six experiments and technology demonstrations and six private payloads on its ongoing IM-1 mission. These instruments will collect data for NASA's Artemis program, which aspires to set a crewed base near the lunar south pole by 2030. Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth on February 16, 2024. The images were captured shortly after separation from @SpaceX's second stage on Intuitive Machines’ first journey to the Moon under @NASA's CLPS initiative. pic.twitter.com/9LccL6q5tF — Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) February 17, 2024 × Odysseus' combination of liquid methane and liquid oxygen is also used by SpaceX's Raptor engines. These engines power the company's Starship rocket, which is being developed to transport people to the moon and Mars. The Starship rocket is currently being prepared for its third test flight, which may take place in the coming weeks. However, IM-1 wasn't the first CLPS effort to launch. It was Peregrine, a moon lander built by Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic. They launched it atop a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket. ALSO READ | Feeling February heat? Scientists expect record-breaking temperatures this month Although the launch went well, Peregrine suffered a fuel leak shortly after separating from the rocket's upper stage. The lander failed to reach the moon. The handlers conducted a destruction of the spacecraft in the Earth's atmosphere on January 18. In Odysseus's case, things have been going well so far. The moon lander is in perfect condition and communicating with mission control as it heads for its destination. Intuitive Machines has planned the touchdown attempt for February 22. Various systems of Odysseus are also functioning normally, including the engine, which just achieved an important checkout in deep space. "Intuitive Machines flight controllers successfully fired the first liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine in space, completing the IM-1 mission engine commissioning. This engine firing included a full thrust mainstage engine burn and throttle down-profile necessary to land on the moon," the company said in an X post on Friday (February 16). If Odysseus succeeds in the mission, it would be historic as no private spacecraft has soft-landed on the moon. (With inputs from agencies)

Private US moon lander Odysseus transmits first IM-1mission images to Earth

<p lang="en-US">In a new survey of the surface of Mars carried out by scientists, it was found that the volcanoes which littered the red planet are likely to resemble the rumblings which were on Earth before the formation of tectonic plates around 3 billion years ago.<br />
<br />
Scientists believe that the surprisingly violent history of Mars is likely to reveal some clues regarding the past of the Earth.<br />
<br />
The scars of volcanic activity, which were found in the Eridania region of the planet's southern hemisphere, were catalogued by planetary scientist Joseph Michalski of the University of Hong Kong and his colleagues with the use of remote sensing data from different orbiters.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/alien-life-existed-near-ancient-mile-deep-lake-active-volcanoes-on-mars-scientists-suggest-so-689875">Alien life existed near ancient mile-deep lake, active volcanoes on Mars? Scientists suggest so</a></p>

<p lang="en-US">At present, the Earth has a crust of interlocking continental plates which float above its viscous mantle and Mars is usually considered as a one-plate planet which once had active volcanoes. These volcanoes were massive in size and explosive in nature and Olympus was the largest among them – its volume being 100 times greater than Earth's biggest Mauna Loa in Hawaii.</p>

<h2 lang="en-US"><strong>Why were volcanoes on Mars so large in size?</strong></h2>

<p lang="en-US">The volcanoes on planet Mars were so large because the planet had less number of tectonic plates which help in venting the pressures of a churning mantle. Mars' geological history has not been recycled like that of our planet and can contain inklings of how Earth's crust may have been formed.<br />
<br />
"The planet Mars represents a particularly valuable puzzle piece in this regard," wrote Michalski and his colleagues in their published paper.<br />
<br />
"Though the crust is heavily impact cratered, the ancient geologic record remains largely intact and therefore provides an invaluable window into early Solar System geological conditions and clues to early crustal evolution,” the researchers explained.<br />
<br />
According to the researchers, they may be able to find hundreds more volcanoes in the Eridania region, many of which may have probably erupted beneath an ancient sea. This is likely to provide a good parallel to what happened on Earth during the Archean period when the planet was mostly constituted of water and the earliest forms of life came into existence.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk reveals 'Game Plan' to relocate millions people on Mars</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-reveals-game-plan-to-relocate-millions-people-on-mars-689583/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p lang="en-US">"It's just astonishing to think about the scale of activity in this region," said study author and planetary geologist at the Planetary Science Institute Aster Cowart, while speaking to Space.com.<br />
<br />
"Seeing a Martian landscape shaped by these processes and preserved in stasis provides us with a great opportunity to investigate planetary landscape evolution in more detail,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a new survey of the surface of Mars carried out by scientists, it was found that the volcanoes which littered the red planet are likely to resemble the rumblings which were on Earth before the formation of tectonic plates around 3 billion years ago.

In a new survey of the surface of Mars carried out by scientists, it was found that the volcanoes which littered the red planet are likely to resemble the rumblings which were on Earth before the formation of tectonic plates around 3 billion years ago. Scientists believe that the surprisingly violent history of Mars is likely to reveal some clues regarding the past of the Earth. The scars of volcanic activity, which were found in the Eridania region of the planet's southern hemisphere, were catalogued by planetary scientist Joseph Michalski of the University of Hong Kong and his colleagues with the use of remote sensing data from different orbiters. Also Read: Alien life existed near ancient mile-deep lake, active volcanoes on Mars? Scientists suggest so At present, the Earth has a crust of interlocking continental plates which float above its viscous mantle and Mars is usually considered as a one-plate planet which once had active volcanoes. These volcanoes were massive in size and explosive in nature and Olympus was the largest among them – its volume being 100 times greater than Earth's biggest Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Why were volcanoes on Mars so large in size? The volcanoes on planet Mars were so large because the planet had less number of tectonic plates which help in venting the pressures of a churning mantle. Mars' geological history has not been recycled like that of our planet and can contain inklings of how Earth's crust may have been formed. "The planet Mars represents a particularly valuable puzzle piece in this regard," wrote Michalski and his colleagues in their published paper. "Though the crust is heavily impact cratered, the ancient geologic record remains largely intact and therefore provides an invaluable window into early Solar System geological conditions and clues to early crustal evolution,” the researchers explained. According to the researchers, they may be able to find hundreds more volcanoes in the Eridania region, many of which may have probably erupted beneath an ancient sea. This is likely to provide a good parallel to what happened on Earth during the Archean period when the planet was mostly constituted of water and the earliest forms of life came into existence. Watch: Elon Musk reveals 'Game Plan' to relocate millions people on Mars "It's just astonishing to think about the scale of activity in this region," said study author and planetary geologist at the Planetary Science Institute Aster Cowart, while speaking to Space.com. "Seeing a Martian landscape shaped by these processes and preserved in stasis provides us with a great opportunity to investigate planetary landscape evolution in more detail,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Secrets of Earth’s lost past hidden in ancient volcanoes on Mars? Scientists suggest so...

An asteroid flew past earth closer than the distance to the moon. The asteroid was detected by scientists only last week. The asteroid potentially weighs 100s of tonnes. Scientists also made an interesting discovery. By decoding data from sofia infrared telescope researchers have confirmed the presence of water on two asteroids. Watch the story to find how the space is full of mysteries.

Gravitas: Asteroid flew past Earth in near miss

<p lang="en-US">In a breakthrough study, scientists have claimed that large planets like Jupiter, which were formed at a far distance from their host stars, may have once been like flattened disks and not spherical structures as they are currently.<br />
<br />
Thousands of planets have been discovered by astronomers outside the Solar System, but&nbsp;scientists have still not understood how these worlds were formed.<br />
<br />
In the latest study, computer simulations were used by scientists to create a model of the formation of planets on the basis of a theory that the protoplanets or young planets, get created in short timescales after the large rotating disks of gas which are orbiting young stars break up.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-juno-spacecraft-delivers-stunning-close-up-of-jupiters-moon-io-687489">NASA’s Juno spacecraft delivers stunning close-up picture of Jupiter’s moon Io</a></p>

<p lang="en-US">The research discovered that the protoplanets, which are most likely to have existed like flattened structures called oblate spheroids, are similar to the shape of an M&amp;M candy or a Smarties.<br />
<br />
“We have been studying planet formation for a long time but never before had we thought to check the shape of the planets as they form in the simulations. We had always assumed that they were spherical,” said study co-author Dimitris Stamatellos.<br />
<br />
“We were very surprised that they turned out to be oblate spheroids, pretty similar to smarties,” said Dr Stamatellos.</p>

<h2 lang="en-US"><strong>Scientists decode how planets turned into large gas giants</strong></h2>

<p lang="en-US">In the study, the astronomers determined the properties of the planet compared it to the known observations, and examined the creation of mechanism of gas giant planets like Saturn and Jupiter.<br />
<br />
The study also investigated the properties of planets which were formed in different conditions like gas density and varying temperature.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Migrating species crucial to planet under threat: UN report</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/migrating-species-crucial-to-planet-under-threat-un-report-wion-climate-tracker-689870/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p lang="en-US">Till now, researchers have theorised that planets are formed by either of the two processes. One of these processes called “core accretion”, is the gradual growth of dust particles which remain together to create progressively larger objects on long timescales.<br />
<br />
Planets are also likely to have been formed directly by the particles of the large rotating disks of material after they broke up around young stars in short timescales in a process known as the theory of disk instability.<br />
<br />
“The large majority of the protoplanets that form in the simulations are oblate spheroids rather than spherical, and they accrete faster from their poles,” wrote scientists.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a breakthrough study, scientists have claimed that large planets like Jupiter, which were formed at a far distance from their host stars, may have once been like flattened disks and not spherical structures as they are currently.

In a breakthrough study, scientists have claimed that large planets like Jupiter, which were formed at a far distance from their host stars, may have once been like flattened disks and not spherical structures as they are currently. Thousands of planets have been discovered by astronomers outside the Solar System, but scientists have still not understood how these worlds were formed. In the latest study, computer simulations were used by scientists to create a model of the formation of planets on the basis of a theory that the protoplanets or young planets, get created in short timescales after the large rotating disks of gas which are orbiting young stars break up. Also Read: NASA’s Juno spacecraft delivers stunning close-up picture of Jupiter’s moon Io The research discovered that the protoplanets, which are most likely to have existed like flattened structures called oblate spheroids, are similar to the shape of an M&M candy or a Smarties. “We have been studying planet formation for a long time but never before had we thought to check the shape of the planets as they form in the simulations. We had always assumed that they were spherical,” said study co-author Dimitris Stamatellos. “We were very surprised that they turned out to be oblate spheroids, pretty similar to smarties,” said Dr Stamatellos. Scientists decode how planets turned into large gas giants In the study, the astronomers determined the properties of the planet compared it to the known observations, and examined the creation of mechanism of gas giant planets like Saturn and Jupiter. The study also investigated the properties of planets which were formed in different conditions like gas density and varying temperature. Watch: Migrating species crucial to planet under threat: UN report Till now, researchers have theorised that planets are formed by either of the two processes. One of these processes called “core accretion”, is the gradual growth of dust particles which remain together to create progressively larger objects on long timescales. Planets are also likely to have been formed directly by the particles of the large rotating disks of material after they broke up around young stars in short timescales in a process known as the theory of disk instability. “The large majority of the protoplanets that form in the simulations are oblate spheroids rather than spherical, and they accrete faster from their poles,” wrote scientists. (With inputs from agencies)

Earth is round, but Jupiter was once most likely flat: Scientists

<p lang="en-US">The European Space Agency has decided to crash a failed satellite, known as the European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) satellite, back on Earth. However, the scientists are clueless about where exactly the satellite will fall.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
In April 1995, the satellite was launched into low Earth orbit and its mission of observing our planet was finished in September 2011.<br />
<br />
The satellite, along with its twin satellite ERS-1, collected valuable data from the land surfaces, oceans, and polar caps of the Earth.<br />
<br />
This was also used for monitoring natural disasters like earthquakes or severe flooding in remote parts of the world.<br />
<br />
Now, the tentative date and time of the ESA has been revealed, when it thinks the satellite will re-enter.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usas-new-intel-report-warns-of-russian-nuclear-capabilities-in-space-690379">USA's new intel report warns of anti-satellite Russian nuclear weapons in space</a></p>

<p lang="en-US">Based on the data, the ESA has calculated that the satellite will crash on the Earth at 5:26 pm ET on February 19. The ESA emphasised that the margin of error in the scientists' prediction is little more than 1.5 days – or plus or minus 38 hours.<br />
<br />
This is mainly because of the solar activity's unpredictable influence "which affects the density of Earth’s atmosphere and therefore the drag experienced by the satellite," said the space agency.</p>

<h2 lang="en-US"><strong>Scientists started process of bringing back satellites in 2011&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p lang="en-US">According to Live Science, the preparation for the end of ERS-2 started in the summer of 2011 when 66 reorbiting manoeuvres were performed by the ESA on it.<br />
<br />
That process was aimed at using the remaining fuel of the satellite and decreasing its average altitude from 488 miles to nearly 356 miles. This helps decrease the satellite's risk of collision with space debris or other satellites.<br />
<br />
The process also helps the orbit of the satellite deteriorate fast enough so that it can re-enter the atmosphere of Earth within 15 years.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India tests high-altitude pseudo-satellite vehicle HAPS | Boost to border surveillance</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-india-tests-high-altitude-pseudo-satellite-vehicle-haps-boost-to-border-surveillance-690357/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p lang="en-US">As per the ESA, the ERS-2 "was the most sophisticated Earth-observation spacecraft ever developed and launched by Europe."<br />
<br />
When the satellite departed from Earth, it weighed only 5,547 pounds and now, without fuel, its weight is nearly 5,057 pounds.<br />
<br />
Those manoeuvres "used up the satellite's remaining fuel and lowered its average altitude from 785 km [488 miles] to about 573 km [356 miles] to greatly reduce the risk of collision with other satellites or space debris and to ensure the satellite's orbit would decay fast enough for it to reenter Earth's atmosphere within the next 15 years," said ESA officials, in an FAQ regarding the reentry.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The European Space Agency has decided to crash a failed satellite, known as the European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) satellite, back on Earth. However, the scientists are clueless about where exactly the satellite will fall.

The European Space Agency has decided to crash a failed satellite, known as the European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) satellite, back on Earth. However, the scientists are clueless about where exactly the satellite will fall. In April 1995, the satellite was launched into low Earth orbit and its mission of observing our planet was finished in September 2011. The satellite, along with its twin satellite ERS-1, collected valuable data from the land surfaces, oceans, and polar caps of the Earth. This was also used for monitoring natural disasters like earthquakes or severe flooding in remote parts of the world. Now, the tentative date and time of the ESA has been revealed, when it thinks the satellite will re-enter. Also Read: USA's new intel report warns of anti-satellite Russian nuclear weapons in space Based on the data, the ESA has calculated that the satellite will crash on the Earth at 5:26 pm ET on February 19. The ESA emphasised that the margin of error in the scientists' prediction is little more than 1.5 days – or plus or minus 38 hours. This is mainly because of the solar activity's unpredictable influence "which affects the density of Earth’s atmosphere and therefore the drag experienced by the satellite," said the space agency. Scientists started process of bringing back satellites in 2011 According to Live Science, the preparation for the end of ERS-2 started in the summer of 2011 when 66 reorbiting manoeuvres were performed by the ESA on it. That process was aimed at using the remaining fuel of the satellite and decreasing its average altitude from 488 miles to nearly 356 miles. This helps decrease the satellite's risk of collision with space debris or other satellites. The process also helps the orbit of the satellite deteriorate fast enough so that it can re-enter the atmosphere of Earth within 15 years. Watch: India tests high-altitude pseudo-satellite vehicle HAPS | Boost to border surveillance As per the ESA, the ERS-2 "was the most sophisticated Earth-observation spacecraft ever developed and launched by Europe." When the satellite departed from Earth, it weighed only 5,547 pounds and now, without fuel, its weight is nearly 5,057 pounds. Those manoeuvres "used up the satellite's remaining fuel and lowered its average altitude from 785 km [488 miles] to about 573 km [356 miles] to greatly reduce the risk of collision with other satellites or space debris and to ensure the satellite's orbit would decay fast enough for it to reenter Earth's atmosphere within the next 15 years," said ESA officials, in an FAQ regarding the reentry. (With inputs from agencies)

European satellite to crash into Earth in six days. The exact place is eerily a mystery

<p>US space agency NASA wants to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon, and the project just completed its initial phase involving creating the design of the fission reactor. ‘Power’ is the top priority of the upcoming Artemis programme of NASA, where the space agency is devising ways to provide upcoming lunar bases with non-stop electricity.</p>

<h2><strong>The first phase</strong></h2>

<p>The first phase of the project started in 2022 and involved three major companies—Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, MD, Westinghouse of Cranberry, PA, and IX of Houston, TX—to submit designs of the reactors.</p>

<p>The design was supposed to accommodate power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution.</p>

<p>NASA wants to create a nuclear reactor that can function for at least a decade without any human interference. The design, if successful on the Moon, would also be used for powering similar bases on Mars in the coming decades.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;NASA launches new climate mission to study ocean</strong></p>

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<p>"A demonstration of a nuclear power source on the Moon is required to show that it is a safe, clean, reliable option," said Trudy Kortes, programme director, Technology Demonstration Missions within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.</p>

<h2><strong>Nuclear power vs solar power</strong></h2>

<p>Surviving and thriving on the lunar surface includes overcoming several key challenges, and one of the foremost challenges is securing a sustainable power source. While solar energy is a reliable option, the extended periods of darkness during the lunar night render it ineffective for continuous power generation.</p>

<p>To address this problem, fission reactors can be taken as a pragmatic solution. These nuclear reactors can be strategically positioned in areas where sunlight is scarce or absent, such as regions experiencing prolonged shadows or craters. Remarkably, these locations often coincide with the presence of ice reservoirs, providing an additional resource for sustaining life and facilitating exploration.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-jsarwt="1" data-usg="AOvVaw1_5D5jpb9LxMAu6sI71LaH" data-ved="2ahUKEwiW5O2e86CEAxUwTWwGHYkEApYQxfQBKAB6BAgMEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/moons-serene-facade-is-hiding-a-turbulent-reality-reveals-nasa-funded-research-687981" jsname="YKoRaf">Moon`s serene facade is hiding a turbulent reality, reveals NASA-funded research</a></strong></p>

<p>Unlike solar power, which is subject to the day-night cycle, nuclear reactors offer the advantage of continuous operation regardless of sunlight availability. This uninterrupted power supply is invaluable, particularly during the extended duration of the lunar night, which spans approximately 14 Earth days. Thus, integrating fission reactors into lunar infrastructure becomes imperative for ensuring the success and longevity of human endeavours on the Moon.</p>

<p>"The lunar night is challenging from a technical perspective, so having a source of power such as this nuclear reactor, which operates independent of the Sun, is an enabling option for long-term exploration and science efforts on the Moon," said Kortes.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US space agency NASA wants to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon, and the project just completed its initial phase involving creating the design of the fission reactor.

US space agency NASA wants to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon, and the project just completed its initial phase involving creating the design of the fission reactor. ‘Power’ is the top priority of the upcoming Artemis programme of NASA, where the space agency is devising ways to provide upcoming lunar bases with non-stop electricity. The first phase The first phase of the project started in 2022 and involved three major companies—Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, MD, Westinghouse of Cranberry, PA, and IX of Houston, TX—to submit designs of the reactors. The design was supposed to accommodate power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution. NASA wants to create a nuclear reactor that can function for at least a decade without any human interference. The design, if successful on the Moon, would also be used for powering similar bases on Mars in the coming decades. Watch: NASA launches new climate mission to study ocean × "A demonstration of a nuclear power source on the Moon is required to show that it is a safe, clean, reliable option," said Trudy Kortes, programme director, Technology Demonstration Missions within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Nuclear power vs solar power Surviving and thriving on the lunar surface includes overcoming several key challenges, and one of the foremost challenges is securing a sustainable power source. While solar energy is a reliable option, the extended periods of darkness during the lunar night render it ineffective for continuous power generation. To address this problem, fission reactors can be taken as a pragmatic solution. These nuclear reactors can be strategically positioned in areas where sunlight is scarce or absent, such as regions experiencing prolonged shadows or craters. Remarkably, these locations often coincide with the presence of ice reservoirs, providing an additional resource for sustaining life and facilitating exploration. Also read: Moon`s serene facade is hiding a turbulent reality, reveals NASA-funded research Unlike solar power, which is subject to the day-night cycle, nuclear reactors offer the advantage of continuous operation regardless of sunlight availability. This uninterrupted power supply is invaluable, particularly during the extended duration of the lunar night, which spans approximately 14 Earth days. Thus, integrating fission reactors into lunar infrastructure becomes imperative for ensuring the success and longevity of human endeavours on the Moon. "The lunar night is challenging from a technical perspective, so having a source of power such as this nuclear reactor, which operates independent of the Sun, is an enabling option for long-term exploration and science efforts on the Moon," said Kortes. (With inputs from agencies)

Here is why NASA wants to put nuclear reactor on Moon and ditch solar energy

Nasa's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (Pace) mission soared into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday.

NASA launches new climate mission to study ocean, atmosphere

The global mean temperature has been breached. The average worldwide temperature rose above 1.5° Celsius for the first time, as per the European climate agency.

Global mean temperature breaches 1.5° Celsius threshold for an entire year for the first time

<p>In a new study, Australian geologists discovered the reason why Earth was enveloped in extreme ice, like a giant snowball, almost 700 million years ago.</p>

<p>This was the era when the planet was covered with glaciers, which extended from the poles to the equator.</p>

<p>The research was carried out by a group of scientists from the University of Sydney who tried to explain the natural temperature regulation mechanisms of Earth while emphasising the delicate balance of Earth's climate with respect to the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.</p>

<h2><strong>Beneath the ice of “Snowball Earth”</strong></h2>

<p>Study’s lead author and ARC Future Fellow Dr Adriana Dutkiewicz speaking about the “Snowball Earth", said, “Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over. That’s just what happened about 700 million years ago; the planet was blanketed in ice from the poles to the equator and temperatures plunged. However, just what caused this has been an open question.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-super-earth-with-habitable-zone-this-planet-137-light-years-away-assures-687327">NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures…</a></p>

<p>The team went on a geological field trip to the Ranges under the guidance of co-author Professor Alan Collins from the University of Adelaide. They were inspired and decided to use the University of Sydney's EarthByte computer models to look into the cause and study the prolonged era of the ice age.</p>

<p>The Sturtian glaciation, which was named after 19th-century European colonial explorer of central Australia Charles Sturt, spanned from 717 to 660 million years ago.</p>

<p>The ice age, which occurred long before the emergence of complex terrestrial plant life and dinosaurs, marks a significant period in Earth’s prehistoric timeline.</p>

<h2><strong>Here is what led to the ice age on Earth</strong></h2>

<p>A compelling theory has been shared by scientists, as per which the ice age, which is also called the Sturtian glaciation, primarily came into existence due to historically low volcanic carbon dioxide emissions which were compounded by the volcanic rock's weathering in present-day Canada, which were absorbing atmospheric CO2.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;NASA launches new climate mission to study ocean</strong></p>

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<p>“We now think we have cracked the mystery: historically low volcanic carbon dioxide emissions, aided by weathering of a large pile of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada; a process that absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide,” said Dr Dutkiewicz, in the study.</p>

<p>This glaciation, which stretches from 717 to 660 million years ago, was very significant. It&nbsp;occurred before the age of dinosaurs and complex terrestrial plant life&nbsp;representing&nbsp;a pivotal epoch in the history of Earth.</p>

<p>Dr Dutkiewicz said, “Various factors have been considered for the initiation and conclusion of this ice age, but its remarkable duration of 57 million years has been especially baffling.”</p>

<p lang="en-US"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a new study, Australian geologists discovered the reason why Earth was enveloped in extreme ice, like a giant snowball, almost 700 million years ago. This was the era when the planet was covered with glaciers, which extended from the poles to the equator.

In a new study, Australian geologists discovered the reason why Earth was enveloped in extreme ice, like a giant snowball, almost 700 million years ago. This was the era when the planet was covered with glaciers, which extended from the poles to the equator. The research was carried out by a group of scientists from the University of Sydney who tried to explain the natural temperature regulation mechanisms of Earth while emphasising the delicate balance of Earth's climate with respect to the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Beneath the ice of “Snowball Earth” Study’s lead author and ARC Future Fellow Dr Adriana Dutkiewicz speaking about the “Snowball Earth", said, “Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over. That’s just what happened about 700 million years ago; the planet was blanketed in ice from the poles to the equator and temperatures plunged. However, just what caused this has been an open question.” Also Read: NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures… The team went on a geological field trip to the Ranges under the guidance of co-author Professor Alan Collins from the University of Adelaide. They were inspired and decided to use the University of Sydney's EarthByte computer models to look into the cause and study the prolonged era of the ice age. The Sturtian glaciation, which was named after 19th-century European colonial explorer of central Australia Charles Sturt, spanned from 717 to 660 million years ago. The ice age, which occurred long before the emergence of complex terrestrial plant life and dinosaurs, marks a significant period in Earth’s prehistoric timeline. Here is what led to the ice age on Earth A compelling theory has been shared by scientists, as per which the ice age, which is also called the Sturtian glaciation, primarily came into existence due to historically low volcanic carbon dioxide emissions which were compounded by the volcanic rock's weathering in present-day Canada, which were absorbing atmospheric CO2. Watch: NASA launches new climate mission to study ocean “We now think we have cracked the mystery: historically low volcanic carbon dioxide emissions, aided by weathering of a large pile of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada; a process that absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide,” said Dr Dutkiewicz, in the study. This glaciation, which stretches from 717 to 660 million years ago, was very significant. It occurred before the age of dinosaurs and complex terrestrial plant life representing a pivotal epoch in the history of Earth. Dr Dutkiewicz said, “Various factors have been considered for the initiation and conclusion of this ice age, but its remarkable duration of 57 million years has been especially baffling.” (With inputs from agencies)

Mystery of why Earth was a giant snowball 700 million years ago has now been unravelled

<p>Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun is the Holy Grail for humanity as it can potentially open doors to limitless energy. Scientists in the United Kingdom have taken a step towards the ultimate goal and have set a nuclear fusion record.</p>

<p>As reported by CNN, the team of scientists was able to sustain 69 megajoules of fusion energy for five seconds. And for this, only 0.2 milligrams of fuel was needed. Imagine using fuel that'll not even fully wet your finger and being able to generate massive amounts of clean energy with near-zero carbon emissions. It's a win-win for our energy needs as well as for climate change.</p>

<h2><strong>So what was this nuclear fusion experiment?</strong></h2>

<p>The team of scientists, working near Oxford in UK used Joint European Torus (JET). It's a huge machine the shape of a donut. The machine is also called tokamak.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | World sees first 12 months above 1.5°c warming level</strong></p>

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<p>Scientists fed deuterium and tritium to the machine. These are isotopes, or in plain language variants of Hydrogen.</p>

<p>The team then raised the temperature to 150 million degrees Celsius. This is 10 times hotter than solar core. At this temperature, the Hydrogen atoms fused to become Helium and generated large amount of energy. This is basically what happens during nuclear fusion in the Sun.</p>

<p>“Our successful demonstration of operational scenarios for future fusion machines like ITER and DEMO, validated by the new energy record, instil greater confidence in the development of fusion energy,” said Ambrogio Fasoli, CEO of EUROfusion, the group behind the experiment. Fasoli was quoted by CNN.</p>

<h2><strong>So is it done? Clean energy ahead?</strong></h2>

<p>Best scientific brains in the world are indeed working towards achieving nuclear fusion on Earth ono viable basis. Clean energy is something that's going to definitely shape future. But for now, that goal may be year ahead.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/young-exoplanets-might-be-oblate-in-shape-like-smarties-rather-than-spherical-study-shows-why-688278">Young exoplanets might be oblate in shape like 'Smarties' rather than spherical. Study shows why</a></strong></p>

<p>"This is a great scientific result, but we are still a way off commercial fusion. Building a fusion power plant also has many engineering and materials challenges,” said Aneeqa Khan, research fellow in nuclear fusion at the University of Manchester.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hidden-ocean-under-crust-of-saturns-death-star-hints-at-existence-of-alien-life-scientists-688246">Another water world in solar system? Saturn’s moon ‘Death Star’ possibly hiding massive ocean</a></strong></p>

<p>“However, investment in fusion is growing and we are making real progress. We need to be training up a huge number of people with the skills to work in the field and I hope the technology will be used in the latter half of the century.”</p>

<p>Khan was quoted by CNN</p>

<p>(With input from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun is the Holy Grail for humanity as it can potentially open doors to limitless energy. Scientists in the United Kingdom have taken a step towards the ultimate goal and have set a nuclear fusion record.

Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun is the Holy Grail for humanity as it can potentially open doors to limitless energy. Scientists in the United Kingdom have taken a step towards the ultimate goal and have set a nuclear fusion record. As reported by CNN, the team of scientists was able to sustain 69 megajoules of fusion energy for five seconds. And for this, only 0.2 milligrams of fuel was needed. Imagine using fuel that'll not even fully wet your finger and being able to generate massive amounts of clean energy with near-zero carbon emissions. It's a win-win for our energy needs as well as for climate change. So what was this nuclear fusion experiment? The team of scientists, working near Oxford in UK used Joint European Torus (JET). It's a huge machine the shape of a donut. The machine is also called tokamak. Watch | World sees first 12 months above 1.5°c warming level × Scientists fed deuterium and tritium to the machine. These are isotopes, or in plain language variants of Hydrogen. The team then raised the temperature to 150 million degrees Celsius. This is 10 times hotter than solar core. At this temperature, the Hydrogen atoms fused to become Helium and generated large amount of energy. This is basically what happens during nuclear fusion in the Sun. “Our successful demonstration of operational scenarios for future fusion machines like ITER and DEMO, validated by the new energy record, instil greater confidence in the development of fusion energy,” said Ambrogio Fasoli, CEO of EUROfusion, the group behind the experiment. Fasoli was quoted by CNN. So is it done? Clean energy ahead? Best scientific brains in the world are indeed working towards achieving nuclear fusion on Earth ono viable basis. Clean energy is something that's going to definitely shape future. But for now, that goal may be year ahead. Also Read | Young exoplanets might be oblate in shape like 'Smarties' rather than spherical. Study shows why "This is a great scientific result, but we are still a way off commercial fusion. Building a fusion power plant also has many engineering and materials challenges,” said Aneeqa Khan, research fellow in nuclear fusion at the University of Manchester. Also Read | Another water world in solar system? Saturn’s moon ‘Death Star’ possibly hiding massive ocean “However, investment in fusion is growing and we are making real progress. We need to be training up a huge number of people with the skills to work in the field and I hope the technology will be used in the latter half of the century.” Khan was quoted by CNN (With input from agencies)

Clean energy: Scientists make new record in replicating solar process on Earth

<p>US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). In the shared image, the Moon appears in a crescent phase, while Earth shines below with delicate wisps of white clouds enveloping its blue surface.</p>

<p>NASA provided insight into the lunar phase, stating,&nbsp;"Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Detailing the view from the ISS, NASA elaborated, "Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon."</p>

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<p>Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!"<br />
<br />
"I really want to board ISS once in my lifetime," another user wrote.&nbsp;NASA often shares pictures like these, including the cosmic wonders of distant galaxies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA earlier also shared another striking image captured from the International Space Station, showcasing Earth's airglow casting an outline along the planet's horizon, with the Moon hovering above.</p>

<p>This stunning photo was taken on November 14, 2023, from an altitude of 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States and provided a unique perspective of our planet's nocturnal beauty.</p>

<p>NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver."</p>

<p>Airglow is a natural phenomenon in Earth's atmosphere that manifests as a faint emission of light in the night sky. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, typically at altitudes of about 80 to 100 kilometres (50 to 62 miles) above the Earth's surface, become excited by sunlight during the day and then release this energy as light at night.</p>

<p>Airglow is distinct from auroras, which occur at higher latitudes and are caused by energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. While auroras are more dramatic and visible, airglow is generally much fainter and can be observed worldwide, even in areas far from the polar regions where auroras are typically seen.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS).

US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). In the shared image, the Moon appears in a crescent phase, while Earth shines below with delicate wisps of white clouds enveloping its blue surface. NASA provided insight into the lunar phase, stating, "Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective." Detailing the view from the ISS, NASA elaborated, "Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon." View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!" "I really want to board ISS once in my lifetime," another user wrote. NASA often shares pictures like these, including the cosmic wonders of distant galaxies. NASA earlier also shared another striking image captured from the International Space Station, showcasing Earth's airglow casting an outline along the planet's horizon, with the Moon hovering above. This stunning photo was taken on November 14, 2023, from an altitude of 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States and provided a unique perspective of our planet's nocturnal beauty. NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver." Airglow is a natural phenomenon in Earth's atmosphere that manifests as a faint emission of light in the night sky. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, typically at altitudes of about 80 to 100 kilometres (50 to 62 miles) above the Earth's surface, become excited by sunlight during the day and then release this energy as light at night. Airglow is distinct from auroras, which occur at higher latitudes and are caused by energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. While auroras are more dramatic and visible, airglow is generally much fainter and can be observed worldwide, even in areas far from the polar regions where auroras are typically seen. (With inputs from agencies)

Space marvel! NASA's incredible shot of Moon, Earth in one frame leaves internet awestruck

<p>A potential ‘hazardous’ asteroid six times wider than the height of Delhi’s Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in the world, is expected to pass our home planet on Friday (Feb 2). The asteroid, named 2008 OS7 is believed to be between 690 and 1,570 feet in width, and as wide as the Empire State building in New York.</p>

<p>The asteroid will pass Earth at a distance of around 1.77 million miles. To put things into perspective, our planetary neighbour Venus fares around 38 million miles away from Earth at the closest point. Also, the Moon revolves around 240,000 miles away from Earth.</p>

<p>While moving by the Earth, the asteroid will cruise at the speed of 18.2km per second and will make its closest flyby in the afternoon of February 2.</p>

<h2><strong>What are Near Earth Objects (NEO) and potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA)?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Asteroids, remnants of the solar system's formation, are majorly found in the Asteroid Belt situated between Mars and Jupiter. While many are small, some, like Ceres, boast significant size, stretching approximately 600 miles across. Periodically, either through Jupiter's gravitational pull or collisions, these celestial bodies stray into the inner solar system, hurtling past Earth.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Earth braces for a close encounter with five colossal asteroids this week</strong></p>

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<p>One such asteroid, 2008 OS7, falls under the classification of both a "Near Earth Object" (NEO) and a "potentially hazardous asteroid" (PHA) due to its size and proximity to Earth. NEOs are those within 30 million miles of Earth, encompassing around 31,000 objects within the solar system. PHAs, however, lie even closer, within 4.6 million miles, and exceed 460 feet in diameter. NASA currently monitors approximately 2,350 PHAs.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-jsarwt="1" data-usg="AOvVaw1Tjm7lA8ZWqJImBr42AOsi" data-ved="2ahUKEwjuvZrA14qEAxXyxjgGHWMMAW4QxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-say-organic-matter-in-distant-asteroid-may-be-hiding-origins-of-life-685513" jsname="YKoRaf">Scientists say `organic matter` in distant asteroid may be hiding `origins of life`</a></strong></p>

<p>"A potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) is one that has an orbit intersecting the Earth's orbit around the Sun by less than 0.05 astronomical units (1 AU is the distance to the Sun), that's just over 4.5 million miles. It also has to have an absolute brightness of 22.0 or less (lower values of the magnitude are brighter = larger objects), ie. an asteroid (or comet) that would cause significant regional damage if it hit the Earth," Martin Barstow, a professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester in the UK, was quoted as saying by Newsweek.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Not all NEOs are potentially hazardous, but all hazardous objects are NEOs," he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A potential ‘hazardous’ asteroid six times wider than the height of Delhi’s Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in the world, is expected to pass our home planet on Friday (Feb 2).

A potential ‘hazardous’ asteroid six times wider than the height of Delhi’s Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in the world, is expected to pass our home planet on Friday (Feb 2). The asteroid, named 2008 OS7 is believed to be between 690 and 1,570 feet in width, and as wide as the Empire State building in New York. The asteroid will pass Earth at a distance of around 1.77 million miles. To put things into perspective, our planetary neighbour Venus fares around 38 million miles away from Earth at the closest point. Also, the Moon revolves around 240,000 miles away from Earth. While moving by the Earth, the asteroid will cruise at the speed of 18.2km per second and will make its closest flyby in the afternoon of February 2. What are Near Earth Objects (NEO) and potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA)? Asteroids, remnants of the solar system's formation, are majorly found in the Asteroid Belt situated between Mars and Jupiter. While many are small, some, like Ceres, boast significant size, stretching approximately 600 miles across. Periodically, either through Jupiter's gravitational pull or collisions, these celestial bodies stray into the inner solar system, hurtling past Earth. Watch: Earth braces for a close encounter with five colossal asteroids this week × One such asteroid, 2008 OS7, falls under the classification of both a "Near Earth Object" (NEO) and a "potentially hazardous asteroid" (PHA) due to its size and proximity to Earth. NEOs are those within 30 million miles of Earth, encompassing around 31,000 objects within the solar system. PHAs, however, lie even closer, within 4.6 million miles, and exceed 460 feet in diameter. NASA currently monitors approximately 2,350 PHAs. Also read: Scientists say `organic matter` in distant asteroid may be hiding `origins of life` "A potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) is one that has an orbit intersecting the Earth's orbit around the Sun by less than 0.05 astronomical units (1 AU is the distance to the Sun), that's just over 4.5 million miles. It also has to have an absolute brightness of 22.0 or less (lower values of the magnitude are brighter = larger objects), ie. an asteroid (or comet) that would cause significant regional damage if it hit the Earth," Martin Barstow, a professor of astrophysics and space science at the University of Leicester in the UK, was quoted as saying by Newsweek. "Not all NEOs are potentially hazardous, but all hazardous objects are NEOs," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Hazardous asteroid’ 6 times wider than Qutub Minar’s height to fly past Earth on Feb 2

This rare celestial spectacle could not be missedAs Earth is encountering five colossal asteroids. One of the asteroids is as big as a Fifa-accredited football stadium.

Earth braces for a close encounter with five colossal asteroids this week

<p>European Space Agency (ESA) in an interesting feed on its social media handle&nbsp;on Tuesday (Jan 23) spoke about&nbsp;recreating the Moon's surface on Earth!&nbsp;</p>

<p>ESA made it official back in December, pledging to roll out not one, but two cutting-edge facilities&nbsp;to simulate lunar vibes and pave the way for groundbreaking exploration technology.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The anticipation is sky-high as these futuristic spaces, set to debut in 2024, promise to catapult us into a world where the Moon's mysteries become as familiar as our own backyard.</p>

<p>ESA&nbsp;experts, teaming up from the UK and Germany, spilled the beans on their secret ingredient - terrestrial rock&nbsp;samples sourced from a Greenland mine, mirroring the very essence of lunar materials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''To do this, we needed rock samples with similar properties to materials found on the Moon. Some of our experts from the LUNA and VULCAN facilities recently travelled to Greenland, to start a collaboration with a mine that will provide us with anorthosite, an igneous, light-coloured rock that has similar properties to material found on the Moon,'' the video caption read.</p>

<h2><strong>Why ESA is recreating Moon here?</strong></h2>

<p>ESA's moon-duplication mission isn't just about creating a cosmic spectacle. It's a launchpad for training future astronauts in an immersive lunar environment, mirroring every inch of the lunar surface's activities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stellar-show-nasas-james-webb-telescope-captures-birth-of-new-suns-far-away-from-earth-683450">Stellar show! NASA's James Webb Telescope captures birth of new suns far away from Earth</a></p>

<p>''They will also be used to develop new technologies, including those that use local lunar materials to generate oxygen, water, and building materials, for instance,'' ESA added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>ESA is constructing not one but two mind-blowing testbeds at the European Astronaut Centre—one mimicking lunar mare regions and the other rocking a dusty lunar highland vibe, courtesy of a whopping 20 tonnes of anorthosite.</p>

<p>Space enthusiasts could not hold back their excitement.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Why is NASA pushing back Moon mission timelines?</strong></p>

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<p>A user quipped, "Wow, this is amazing! Will this be open to the public? I ain't no astronaut but I want to see the moon."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


European Space Agency (ESA) in an interesting feed on its social media handle on Tuesday (Jan 23) spoke about recreating the Moon's surface on Earth! ESA made it official back in December, pledging to roll out not one, but two cutting-edge facilities to simulate lunar vibes and pave the way for groundbreaking exploration technology.

European Space Agency (ESA) in an interesting feed on its social media handle on Tuesday (Jan 23) spoke about recreating the Moon's surface on Earth! ESA made it official back in December, pledging to roll out not one, but two cutting-edge facilities to simulate lunar vibes and pave the way for groundbreaking exploration technology. The anticipation is sky-high as these futuristic spaces, set to debut in 2024, promise to catapult us into a world where the Moon's mysteries become as familiar as our own backyard. ESA experts, teaming up from the UK and Germany, spilled the beans on their secret ingredient - terrestrial rock samples sourced from a Greenland mine, mirroring the very essence of lunar materials. ''To do this, we needed rock samples with similar properties to materials found on the Moon. Some of our experts from the LUNA and VULCAN facilities recently travelled to Greenland, to start a collaboration with a mine that will provide us with anorthosite, an igneous, light-coloured rock that has similar properties to material found on the Moon,'' the video caption read. Why ESA is recreating Moon here? ESA's moon-duplication mission isn't just about creating a cosmic spectacle. It's a launchpad for training future astronauts in an immersive lunar environment, mirroring every inch of the lunar surface's activities. Also Read | Stellar show! NASA's James Webb Telescope captures birth of new suns far away from Earth ''They will also be used to develop new technologies, including those that use local lunar materials to generate oxygen, water, and building materials, for instance,'' ESA added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESA - European Space Agency (@europeanspaceagency) × ESA is constructing not one but two mind-blowing testbeds at the European Astronaut Centre—one mimicking lunar mare regions and the other rocking a dusty lunar highland vibe, courtesy of a whopping 20 tonnes of anorthosite. Space enthusiasts could not hold back their excitement. Watch | Why is NASA pushing back Moon mission timelines? × A user quipped, "Wow, this is amazing! Will this be open to the public? I ain't no astronaut but I want to see the moon." (With inputs from agencies)

WATCH | European space agency to replicate Moon's surface on Earth

Ten days after its launch, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander fell back to Earth, ending a trip to the moon’s orbital distance and back that was doomed by a propellant leak.

Doomed Peregrine Moon lander falls back to Earth

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<p>Life on Earth might have originated from hot springs billions of years ago.</p>

<p>According to a study published in the journal&nbsp;<em>Nature Communications Earth &amp; Environment</em>, key molecules required to produce life consist of inorganic materials, essential to understanding the formation of the first living systems on our planet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Researchers at Newcastle University studied how the earliest life on Earth emerged from inert geological materials more than 3.5 billion years ago. They mixed hydrogen, bicarbonate and iron-rich magnetite under conditions resembling hot springs or mild hydrothermal vents. The reaction produced a spectrum of organic molecules, notably fatty acids up to 18 carbon atoms in length.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study, funded by the United Kingdom's Natural Environmental Research Council, highlights how organic molecules needed to create life come from inorganic molecules.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lead author Dr Graham Purvis said, "Central to life's inception are cellular compartments, crucial for isolating internal chemistry from the external environment. These compartments were instrumental in fostering life-sustaining reactions by concentrating chemicals and facilitating energy production, potentially serving as the cornerstone of life's earliest moments."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="www.wionews.com/science/sex-development-disorders-existed-even-over-5000-years-ago-reveals-study-on-ancient-dna-680132">Sex-chromosome syndromes existed even 5,000 years ago, ancient&nbsp;DNA study reveals</a></p>

<p>According to the study, fatty acids (long organic molecules) might have formed in hydrothermal vents after hot water containing hydrogen-rich fluids from underwater vents combined with seawater infused with carbon dioxide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The results show that the combination of hydrogen-rich fluids from alkaline hydrothermal vents with bicarbonate-rich water on iron-based minerals formed the primal membranes of early cells at the very beginning of life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This reaction might have given rise to various types of membranes, some of which played a crucial part in the primary stages of the formation of life on Earth. The study also suggests that the process might have contributed to the genesis of specific acids in the elemental composition of meteorites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Principal Investigator Dr Jon Telling of the School of Natural Environmental Sciences said, "We think that this research may provide the first step in how life originated on our planet. Research in our laboratory now continues determining the second crucial step; how these organic molecules which are initially 'stuck' to the mineral surfaces can lift off to form spherical membrane-bounded cell-like compartments; the first potential 'protocells' that went on to create the first cellular life."</p>

<p>Furthermore, the researchers also suggest that similar processes might be occurring in the oceans or under the surfaces of icy moons in our solar systems. It also increases the probability of alternative life origins in distant worlds.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Life on Earth might have originated from hot springs billions of years ago. According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, key molecules required to produce life consist of inorganic materials, essential to understanding the formation of the first living systems on our planet.

Life on Earth might have originated from hot springs billions of years ago. According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, key molecules required to produce life consist of inorganic materials, essential to understanding the formation of the first living systems on our planet. Researchers at Newcastle University studied how the earliest life on Earth emerged from inert geological materials more than 3.5 billion years ago. They mixed hydrogen, bicarbonate and iron-rich magnetite under conditions resembling hot springs or mild hydrothermal vents. The reaction produced a spectrum of organic molecules, notably fatty acids up to 18 carbon atoms in length. The study, funded by the United Kingdom's Natural Environmental Research Council, highlights how organic molecules needed to create life come from inorganic molecules. Lead author Dr Graham Purvis said, "Central to life's inception are cellular compartments, crucial for isolating internal chemistry from the external environment. These compartments were instrumental in fostering life-sustaining reactions by concentrating chemicals and facilitating energy production, potentially serving as the cornerstone of life's earliest moments." ALSO READ | Sex-chromosome syndromes existed even 5,000 years ago, ancient DNA study reveals According to the study, fatty acids (long organic molecules) might have formed in hydrothermal vents after hot water containing hydrogen-rich fluids from underwater vents combined with seawater infused with carbon dioxide. The results show that the combination of hydrogen-rich fluids from alkaline hydrothermal vents with bicarbonate-rich water on iron-based minerals formed the primal membranes of early cells at the very beginning of life. This reaction might have given rise to various types of membranes, some of which played a crucial part in the primary stages of the formation of life on Earth. The study also suggests that the process might have contributed to the genesis of specific acids in the elemental composition of meteorites. Principal Investigator Dr Jon Telling of the School of Natural Environmental Sciences said, "We think that this research may provide the first step in how life originated on our planet. Research in our laboratory now continues determining the second crucial step; how these organic molecules which are initially 'stuck' to the mineral surfaces can lift off to form spherical membrane-bounded cell-like compartments; the first potential 'protocells' that went on to create the first cellular life." Furthermore, the researchers also suggest that similar processes might be occurring in the oceans or under the surfaces of icy moons in our solar systems. It also increases the probability of alternative life origins in distant worlds. (With inputs from agencies)

Hot springs served as catalyst for life on Earth billions of years ago, study finds

<p>The ill-fated Moon lander launched by a private US firm earlier this month will soon be entering Earth’s atmosphere, where it is expected to turn into ashes before reaching the ground, the parent company of the lander said Saturday (Jan 13).</p>

<p>Astrobotic in a post on social media shared its new assessment, dashing hopes of a hard landing on the Moon. "Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft is on a path towards Earth, where it will likely burn up in the Earth's atmosphere," the Pittsburgh-based company posted on X. "The team is currently assessing options and we will update as soon as we are able," the post added.</p>

<p>The Peregrine lander was launched by Astrobotic on January 8 on a brand new Vulcan rocket built by United Launch Alliance. However, it wasn’t long before they realised a fuel leakage had jeopardised the planned soft landing on the Moon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The spacecraft is believed to have experienced an onboard explosion soon after getting separated from the rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite these setbacks, some observers had hoped for a ‘hard landing’ on the Moon, just like other similar lunar missions sent by an Israeli nonprofit and a Japanese company.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-weibo-blocks-taiwan-election-hashtag-after-it-becomes-trending-679621"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;China’s Weibo blocks ‘Taiwan election’ hashtag after it starts trending with 163.2mn post views</strong></a></p>

<p>However, the new assessment shared by Astrobotic indicates that even the reduced target won’t be achieved.</p>

<p>The spaceship not only carries scientific equipment but also transports cargo for Astrobotic's private clients, including a sports drink can, a physical Bitcoin, as well as human and animal ashes and DNA.&nbsp;Notably, the box-shaped robot has now been faring in space for more than five days and is currently 242,000 miles (390,000 kilometres) from our planet, according to Astrobotic.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Trending on WION: Scientists welcome new antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria CRAB</strong></p>

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<p>NASA invested over $100 million in this venture through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, aiming to foster a commercial lunar economy and cut down its own expenses.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite setbacks, NASA's strategy of "more shots on goal" remains evident, with the upcoming launch by Intuitive Machines in February. Astrobotic will have another opportunity in November, sending NASA's VIPER rover with its Griffin lander to the lunar south pole.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The ill-fated Moon lander launched by a private US firm earlier this month will soon be entering Earth’s atmosphere, where it is expected to turn into ashes before reaching the ground, the parent company of the lander said Saturday (Jan 13).

The ill-fated Moon lander launched by a private US firm earlier this month will soon be entering Earth’s atmosphere, where it is expected to turn into ashes before reaching the ground, the parent company of the lander said Saturday (Jan 13). Astrobotic in a post on social media shared its new assessment, dashing hopes of a hard landing on the Moon. "Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft is on a path towards Earth, where it will likely burn up in the Earth's atmosphere," the Pittsburgh-based company posted on X. "The team is currently assessing options and we will update as soon as we are able," the post added. The Peregrine lander was launched by Astrobotic on January 8 on a brand new Vulcan rocket built by United Launch Alliance. However, it wasn’t long before they realised a fuel leakage had jeopardised the planned soft landing on the Moon. The spacecraft is believed to have experienced an onboard explosion soon after getting separated from the rocket. Despite these setbacks, some observers had hoped for a ‘hard landing’ on the Moon, just like other similar lunar missions sent by an Israeli nonprofit and a Japanese company. Also read: China’s Weibo blocks ‘Taiwan election’ hashtag after it starts trending with 163.2mn post views However, the new assessment shared by Astrobotic indicates that even the reduced target won’t be achieved. The spaceship not only carries scientific equipment but also transports cargo for Astrobotic's private clients, including a sports drink can, a physical Bitcoin, as well as human and animal ashes and DNA. Notably, the box-shaped robot has now been faring in space for more than five days and is currently 242,000 miles (390,000 kilometres) from our planet, according to Astrobotic. Watch: Trending on WION: Scientists welcome new antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria CRAB × NASA invested over $100 million in this venture through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, aiming to foster a commercial lunar economy and cut down its own expenses. Despite setbacks, NASA's strategy of "more shots on goal" remains evident, with the upcoming launch by Intuitive Machines in February. Astrobotic will have another opportunity in November, sending NASA's VIPER rover with its Griffin lander to the lunar south pole. (With inputs from agencies)

Doomed private US Moon lander now destined for Earth, to ‘burn up’ in atmosphere

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