China has launched the Tianwen-1 mission to planet Mars. This is China's first interplanetary spacecraft. With its ambitious Tianwen 1 mission, China will attempt to orbit and land on Mars on its first attempt, subsequently deploying a rover.

WION Fineprint: Beijing's attempt to join the elite global space club | China MARS Mission

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe!&nbsp;A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs.

For clarity - all stars have an expiry date. When they die, they go out with a large explosion which is called a “supernova”. Stars usually collapse due to the weight of gravity when they run out of fuel, which produces a strong explosion. Additionally, some stars simply morph into a black hole. There are the two ways for stars to go out.

What are white dwarfs?&nbsp;

Most stars, after completing their life cycle simply become white dwarfs, which refers to the core of what once used to be a star. And now, astronomers claim that the core material is the key ingredient in all living forms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/a-massive-star-in-a-far-off-galaxy-just-disappeared-leaving-behind-no-trace-310032" hreflang="en">A massive star in a far-off galaxy just disappeared, leaving behind no trace!</a>

This core contains carbon atoms, which are the key components of every living form.&nbsp;90 per cent of all stars in the universe turn into white dwarfs after finishing their life-cycle.

<h6><img alt="These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21bbf761-b9f5-48ce-afe2-5aca63ea721a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/space%202.jpg" /> 
These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

What's in the core?

The dwarfs have a very high temperature, running as high as 99,000 degree Celsius. Over billions of years, the stars cool down and become dimmer, until only the core remains. The other remains that are shedded off by these bodies contain carbon, which is the fourth-most&nbsp;found chemical in the universe. No life can function without carbon!&nbsp;All of the carbon in the universe is released by stars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/a-blazing-fireball-produced-a-sonic-boom-in-tokyo-skies-leaving-residents-confused-311108" hreflang="en">A blazing fireball produced a sonic boom in Tokyo skies, leaving residents confused!</a>

In the study mentioned above, scientists observed stars in the Milky Way, and analysed the data of a star before they became dwarfs and in the aftermath. The bigger the star, the bigger its dwarf, ie, the core! However, scientists realised the mass of the core was much bigger than previously thought.

Based on the study, the astronomers ascertained that stars bigger than 2 solar masses contributed in the universal dissemination of carbon, while stars smaller than 1.5 solar masses did not.

Their study points to a basic and imperative conclusion, that carbon has been trapped in the universe for more than 4.6 billion years, when our Solar System was formed.

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe! A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs.

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe! A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs. For clarity - all stars have an expiry date. When they die, they go out with a large explosion which is called a “supernova”. Stars usually collapse due to the weight of gravity when they run out of fuel, which produces a strong explosion. Additionally, some stars simply morph into a black hole. There are the two ways for stars to go out. What are white dwarfs? Most stars, after completing their life cycle simply become white dwarfs, which refers to the core of what once used to be a star. And now, astronomers claim that the core material is the key ingredient in all living forms. Also read: A massive star in a far-off galaxy just disappeared, leaving behind no trace! This core contains carbon atoms, which are the key components of every living form. 90 per cent of all stars in the universe turn into white dwarfs after finishing their life-cycle. These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across | AFP What's in the core? The dwarfs have a very high temperature, running as high as 99,000 degree Celsius. Over billions of years, the stars cool down and become dimmer, until only the core remains. The other remains that are shedded off by these bodies contain carbon, which is the fourth-most found chemical in the universe. No life can function without carbon! All of the carbon in the universe is released by stars. Also read: A blazing fireball produced a sonic boom in Tokyo skies, leaving residents confused! In the study mentioned above, scientists observed stars in the Milky Way, and analysed the data of a star before they became dwarfs and in the aftermath. The bigger the star, the bigger its dwarf, ie, the core! However, scientists realised the mass of the core was much bigger than previously thought. Based on the study, the astronomers ascertained that stars bigger than 2 solar masses contributed in the universal dissemination of carbon, while stars smaller than 1.5 solar masses did not. Their study points to a basic and imperative conclusion, that carbon has been trapped in the universe for more than 4.6 billion years, when our Solar System was formed.

'We all come from star dust' is no longer just a saying, and scientists agree!

Pluto, a dwarf planet which was formerly known as the ninth planet in our solar system may have a subsurface ocean owing to its initial warm temperatures, researches posited on Monday.

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft took images of the dwarf planet’s surface in 2015, which led researchers to believe that the planet had a “hot start” 4.5 billion years ago, when Earth, along with our whole solar system was created.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/spacexs-envisioned-machinery-will-not-only-take-us-to-mars-but-reduce-travel-time-on-earth-tremendously-306615" hreflang="en">SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously!</a>

"When Pluto was forming, new material would have been coming in and impacting its surface. Each impact is like an explosion that would warm the nearby area," said Carver Bierson, University of California Santa Cruz planetary scientist and the lead author of the research published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

"If Pluto formed slowly, the surface would cool between each impact and generally stay very cold. If Pluto formed quickly, you have impact on top of impact and the surface doesn't have time to cool. We calculate that if Pluto formed in less than 30,000 years, the heat from these impacts could have been sufficient to lead to an early ocean," Bierson added.

<h6><img alt="The planet Pluto is pictured in a handout image made up of four images from New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) taken in July 2015 combined with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced color global view" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aee9560c-1bdf-4326-a9df-33ad0cb2548b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-4_8.jpg" /> 
The planet Pluto is pictured in a handout image made up of four images from New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) taken in July 2015 combined with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced color global view | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Pluto is situated in the region called the “Kuiper Belt”, and orbits the sun 40 times farther away than the Earth.

Additionally, the planet may have an icy outer shell spanning hundreds of kilometres. Scientists believe this layer protects an ocean of water which may be mixed with salts and ammonia. Pluto may also have a solid rocky core below.

If this is true, the cracks on Pluto’s surface would finally make sense. Water is bound to expand as it freezes, and this implies that Pluto’s oceans froze over time.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/astronomers-detect-another-mysterious-recurring-radio-burst-in-space-304417" hreflang="en">Astronomers detect another mysterious, recurring radio burst in space</a>

Pluto is a very cold planet, with temperatures running as low as minus 230 degree Celsius (minus 480 degrees F).

Water, an important ingredient of sustaining life, may point to Pluto’s ability to be able to host living organisms.

"Water could have been interacting chemically with the rocky core beneath the ocean, giving you more chemical ingredients to work with," Bierson added. "Are those the right ingredients for life? We don't know. We need to learn more about how life forms, or how life could form, to find these answers."

(With inputs from Reuters)

Pluto, a dwarf planet which was formerly known as the ninth planet in our solar system may have a subsurface ocean owing to its initial warm temperatures, researches posited on Monday.

Pluto, a dwarf planet which was formerly known as the ninth planet in our solar system may have a subsurface ocean owing to its initial warm temperatures, researches posited on Monday. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft took images of the dwarf planet’s surface in 2015, which led researchers to believe that the planet had a “hot start” 4.5 billion years ago, when Earth, along with our whole solar system was created. Also read: SpaceX's envisioned machinery will not only take us to Mars, but reduce travel time on Earth tremendously! "When Pluto was forming, new material would have been coming in and impacting its surface. Each impact is like an explosion that would warm the nearby area," said Carver Bierson, University of California Santa Cruz planetary scientist and the lead author of the research published in the journal Nature Geoscience. "If Pluto formed slowly, the surface would cool between each impact and generally stay very cold. If Pluto formed quickly, you have impact on top of impact and the surface doesn't have time to cool. We calculate that if Pluto formed in less than 30,000 years, the heat from these impacts could have been sufficient to lead to an early ocean," Bierson added. The planet Pluto is pictured in a handout image made up of four images from New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) taken in July 2015 combined with color data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced color global view | AFP Pluto is situated in the region called the “Kuiper Belt”, and orbits the sun 40 times farther away than the Earth. Additionally, the planet may have an icy outer shell spanning hundreds of kilometres. Scientists believe this layer protects an ocean of water which may be mixed with salts and ammonia. Pluto may also have a solid rocky core below. If this is true, the cracks on Pluto’s surface would finally make sense. Water is bound to expand as it freezes, and this implies that Pluto’s oceans froze over time. Also read: Astronomers detect another mysterious, recurring radio burst in space Pluto is a very cold planet, with temperatures running as low as minus 230 degree Celsius (minus 480 degrees F). Water, an important ingredient of sustaining life, may point to Pluto’s ability to be able to host living organisms. "Water could have been interacting chemically with the rocky core beneath the ocean, giving you more chemical ingredients to work with," Bierson added. "Are those the right ingredients for life? We don't know. We need to learn more about how life forms, or how life could form, to find these answers." (With inputs from Reuters)

Pluto may have been a warmer body when it was formed 4.5 billion years ago

SpaceX has made history with a manned mission to the International Space station. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report on the many firsts this American aerospace giant has achieved through its latest mission.

Gravitas: SpaceX Space Station mission | New era in space exploration

The European Space Agency has collaborated with NASA to launch a mission to study the sun. This historic mission will be the first attempt to capture photographs of the sun's poles.

NASA-ESA joint Solar Mission | Sandeep Ramanath | ESA Solar Orbiter Mission | Explains

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WION Fineprint: Beijing's attempt to join the elite global space club | China MARS Mission

'We all come from star dust' is no longer just a saying, and scientists agree!

Pluto may have been a warmer body when it was formed 4.5 billion years ago

Gravitas: SpaceX Space Station mission | New era in space exploration

NASA-ESA joint Solar Mission | Sandeep Ramanath | ESA Solar Orbiter Mission | Explains