A Glimpse into the Late Cretaceous

The discovery of Heleocola piceanus offers a rare glimpse into a poorly documented time in North America’s ancient history. During this period, much of what is now Colorado was submerged by the Western Interior Seaway, an expansive body of water that split North America into two landmasses. The region where the new species was found likely resembled modern-day Louisiana, with deltas, marshes, and swamps providing a rich habitat for a variety of creatures, including turtles, dinosaurs, and large crocodiles.

According to Jaelyn Eberle, lead author of the study and a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, this new species “fills a gap in our understanding of mammals living in swampy environments near the Western Interior Seaway.” The fossil assemblage, which includes a mix of terrestrial and marine species, suggests that Heleocola lived in close proximity to these water-rich habitats. “Heleocola likely lived near river channels, swamps, and deltas,” Eberle said, “and its discovery gives us a snapshot of an ancient ecosystem teeming with life.”

Among the Largest Mammals of Its Time

While most mammals from the Late Cretaceous were no larger than modern-day mice or rats, Heleocola piceanus stood out due to its relatively large size. Paleontologists estimate that the mammal weighed around 2 pounds, about the size of today’s muskrat. This makes it one of the largest known mammals from this period. As John Foster, a co-author of the study and scientist at the Utah Field House of Natural History, remarked when he first saw the jawbone fossil, “Holy cow, that’s huge.”

The teeth of Heleocola reveal important clues about its diet. Eberle and her team suggest that it was likely an omnivore, feeding primarily on plants but also possibly consuming insects and small vertebrates. “Its dental structure indicates that it had a plant-dominated diet, though it may have supplemented with small creatures from its swampy environment,” Eberle explained.

New Insights into Mammal Evolution Before the Extinction of the Dinosaurs

The discovery of Heleocola piceanus sheds new light on the evolution of mammals before the mass extinction event that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs around 66 million years ago. Traditionally, mammals during the age of dinosaurs were thought to be small, insignificant creatures that lived in the shadows of much larger reptiles. However, the Heleocola fossil challenges this assumption by showing that some mammals were larger and more ecologically diverse than previously believed.

“Mammals didn’t really get large until after the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs,” Eberle said, “but Heleocola shows that there were already some bigger mammals living alongside dinosaurs before that event.” The discovery highlights the potential for more large-bodied mammals to have existed during the Late Cretaceous, a time period that has yet to be fully explored in terms of mammalian diversity.

The study detailing the discovery of Heleocola piceanus was published in the journal PLOS ONE, where the team hopes their findings will encourage further exploration of ancient ecosystems in North America.

These findings not only deepen our understanding of lunar evolution but also provide critical clues to Earth's early solar system environment. Using advanced techniques to examine moon rocks collected over half a century ago, scientists are uncovering the moon’s geologic past and its connection to Earth's history.

Apollo 16 Samples Act As a Time Capsule of Lunar Impacts

Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of Manchester have meticulously re-analyzed lunar samples collected during the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. These samples, specifically regolith breccias, were formed when asteroid impacts fused lunar soil into rock. Acting like "geological time capsules," these breccias preserve a record of the moon's surface at the time of their formation, helping scientists reconstruct the moon’s impact history.

Using mass spectrometry to examine trapped noble gases such as argon and xenon, the team discovered how long these samples were exposed to the solar wind before being buried by subsequent asteroid impacts. Dr. Mark Nottingham, who led the research, explained, “Mass spectrometry... can help us determine how much time the samples spent exposed on or near the moon’s surface. That helps give us a clearer idea of the history of impacts on this particular area of the moon.”

The results revealed a complex history of asteroid bombardments stretching over billions of years. Some of the samples date back more than 2.5 billion years, while others appear to have been affected by impacts as recently as 1 billion years ago. These findings allow scientists to piece together how asteroid collisions shaped the moon’s landscape over time. As Dr. Nottingham noted, “The moon’s history is the Earth’s history too—the record of asteroid bombardments etched on its face can help us understand the conditions of the early solar system which formed our planet as well as its closest neighbor.”

The South Pole-Aitken Basin: A Record of the Moon’s Most Ancient Impact

On the lunar far side, the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin—the largest and oldest known impact basin—has long intrigued scientists. Spanning approximately 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) in diameter, this vast crater has helped researchers unlock some of the moon’s most ancient secrets. However, accurately dating the SPA basin has remained a challenge, with estimates ranging from 4.2 to 4.3 billion years. A new study, published in Nature Astronomy, has provided a more precise date of 4.33 billion years, making it one of the oldest confirmed lunar impacts.

This impact event, which occurred during a period of intense bombardment in the inner solar system, is believed to have been caused by a massive object—likely an asteroid around 200 kilometers (124 miles) in diameter, far larger than the impactor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth. The study, led by Professor Katherine Joy from the University of Manchester, used radiometric dating techniques to analyze a lunar meteorite, NWA 2995, believed to have originated from the SPA basin. This meteorite’s age aligns with the ancient history of the South Pole-Aitken basin, allowing scientists to pinpoint the event more accurately.

Dr. Romain Tartese, co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of this discovery: “The implications of our findings reach far beyond the Moon. We know that the Earth and the Moon likely experienced similar impacts during their early history, but rock records from the Earth have been lost.” Because Earth’s geological activity, such as plate tectonics and erosion, has erased much of its own early impact record, the relatively unchanged surface of the moon offers a crucial window into these formative events.

Implications for Future Lunar Missions and Earth’s History

These studies have far-reaching implications for future lunar exploration, particularly for NASA’s Artemis program and other upcoming missions. By better understanding the moon’s impact history, scientists can not only track its evolution but also locate valuable resources like noble gases and other elements that could aid in the sustainability of future lunar bases.

Dr. Nottingham highlighted this potential: “One of the challenges of establishing long-term habitats for humans on the moon is making decisions about how we can use the natural resources which await future missions so they don’t have to carry everything they’ll need with them from Earth.” These findings could directly inform how astronauts of the Artemis program and beyond plan long-term lunar stays, enabling them to exploit natural resources such as water and noble gases.

In addition to aiding future exploration, these studies provide critical insights into Earth’s early solar system environment. The moon’s surface offers a preserved record of asteroid impacts that shaped not only the lunar surface but also Earth’s. As Dr. Joshua Snape from the University of Manchester stated, “Constraining the age of the South-Pole Aitken basin to 120 million years earlier weakens the argument for this narrow period of impact bombardment on the Moon and instead indicates there was a more gradual process of impacts over a longer period.”

The confirmation of a 4.33-billion-year-old impact event in the SPA basin challenges the long-standing theory of a concentrated “late heavy bombardment” period between 4.2 and 3.8 billion years ago. Instead, it points to a more extended and varied history of asteroid impacts. Future lunar missions, such as China’s Chang’e-6 and NASA’s Endurance-A rover, could further refine this timeline by collecting samples from the SPA basin and conducting additional radiometric analyses.

A shared past: connecting lunar and Earth History

The findings from both the Apollo 16 samples and the SPA basin meteorites remind us that the histories of the moon and Earth are deeply intertwined. Both celestial bodies experienced a similar bombardment from asteroids during their early history. While Earth’s active geology has obscured much of its ancient past, the moon has preserved these records, offering us a glimpse into the violent processes that shaped the early solar system and influenced the conditions under which life eventually arose on Earth.

As these studies show, even decades-old lunar samples still have secrets to reveal, and ongoing lunar exploration will likely continue to expand our understanding of both our nearest celestial neighbor and our own planet.

Researchers have uncovered the smallest dinosaur egg fossil ever found, with a length of only 29 millimeters. The fossilized egg, discovered in a well-preserved nest alongside five other nearly intact eggs, dates back to the Late Cretaceous period, around 80 million years ago. This discovery has been hailed as a major breakthrough in understanding the evolution and reproductive processes of theropod dinosaurs from that era.

Smallest Dinosaur Egg on Record

The eggs were discovered at a construction site in Meilin town, Ganzhou, during an excavation in 2021. Ganzhou is renowned as one of the richest areas for dinosaur fossil discoveries in China, and this find adds to the growing collection of significant paleontological discoveries in the region. The eggs, fossilized together as a cluster, were confirmed to be dinosaur eggs after three years of meticulous study. Collaborating with the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the research team published their findings in Historical Biology in October 2024.

The smallest of these fossilized eggs, measuring just 29 millimeters, is the most complete example. This new discovery dethrones the previous smallest known dinosaur egg, which measured 45.5 mm in length. The exceptional preservation of these eggs has allowed researchers to gain fresh insights into theropod dinosaurs' reproductive methods during the Late Cretaceous period.

Significance of the Discovery

According to the research team led by Lou Fasheng, the fossils belong to an unknown dinosaur species. They have been classified into a new ootaxon named Minioolithus ganzhouensis, specifically created to categorize these diminutive eggs. The eggs are believed to be from a non-avian theropod, a group of bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs that are the ancestors of modern birds.

The discovery provides important data about the reproductive diversity of theropod dinosaurs, with researchers suggesting that these tiny eggs represent an evolutionary adaptation. As Zhao Ruinan reported in China Daily, this discovery broadens the understanding of dinosaur reproduction and offers fresh perspectives on the diversity of dinosaur eggs in the Late Cretaceous.

In addition to the analysis of the eggs, researchers hope to gain further information about the nesting behaviors of these ancient creatures. Future excavations and analyses at the site are expected to shed more light on how dinosaurs constructed their nests and the environmental factors that influenced their reproductive strategies.

Ongoing Research and Future Prospects

The research team plans to conduct further studies to identify the specific dinosaur species that laid the eggs. Using nondestructive imaging techniques, such as electron backscatter diffraction, the team has managed to study the eggs and their shells without damaging them, ensuring their preservation for future research. The fossilized eggs will also help researchers explore the developmental processes of dinosaur embryos inside the eggs, offering valuable clues about their growth before hatching.

This discovery adds to Ganzhou’s already impressive paleontological history. The region, particularly well-known for dinosaur egg finds, continues to be a hub for understanding Cretaceous ecosystems. As more fossils are uncovered and analyzed, researchers are optimistic that Ganzhou will yield even more discoveries that deepen the understanding of dinosaur life in ancient ecosystems.

Mammals, characterized by their ability to nurse their young and regulate body temperature, have evolved into a diverse array of species over millions of years. From the colossal African elephant weighing up to 6 tons to the diminutive pygmy possum barely tipping the scales at 30 grams, the size range of mammals is truly astounding.

This remarkable diversity is a testament to the adaptability of mammals. Since their emergence around 225 million years ago, these creatures have colonized nearly every habitat on Earth, from scorching deserts to icy polar regions. Their success story gained momentum after the extinction of dinosaurs about 65 million years ago, leading to an explosion of mammalian diversity.

Today, scientists recognize over 5,400 species of mammals, each uniquely adapted to its environment. This extraordinary variety continues to inspire researchers worldwide, unraveling new mysteries about evolution and adaptation.

Batodonoides vanhouteni (model pictured) lived about 50 million years ago in what is now Wyoming. It was so small that it could climb up a pencil, and weighed as little as a dollar bill! Its closest living relatives are modern-day shrews and moles. pic.twitter.com/jfBLe7bgpo

— American Museum of Natural History (@AMNH) November 19, 2017

Unveiling the world's smallest mammal

Among the myriad of mammalian species, one tiny creature stands out for its exceptionally small size. The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the pygmy shrew, holds the title of the world's smallest living mammal. Native to the Mediterranean region, this minuscule marvel has since spread to other parts of the world due to human activity.

The Etruscan shrew's dimensions are truly astounding :

• Weight : Approximately 1.8 grams (about the weight of a coin)
• Body length : 3 to 5 centimeters (no longer than a human finger)
• Size comparison : Smaller than some insects

Despite its tiny stature, the Etruscan shrew is a voracious insectivore, constantly foraging for food to support its rapid metabolism. This little powerhouse must consume a staggering eight times its body weight in food each day to survive.

Remarkable adaptations of nature's smallest mammal

The Etruscan shrew's diminutive size belies its impressive array of adaptations. These tiny predators possess lightning-fast reflexes, with a bite 12 times quicker than an average human blink. This remarkable speed makes them formidable hunters despite their size.

Maternal care in Etruscan shrews is equally fascinating. Mothers often transport their young by gripping them firmly with their teeth at the base of their tails, dragging them behind like a miniature caravan. This ingenious method allows the mothers to protect their offspring while continuing to forage and move swiftly.

The Etruscan shrew's success in various environments showcases the incredible adaptability of mammals. Their ability to thrive in diverse and often challenging conditions is a testament to the resilience of life on Earth.

The smallest mammal in history

While the Etruscan shrew holds the title for the smallest living mammal, paleontologists have unearthed evidence of an even tinier creature from the annals of Earth's history. The Batodonoides vanhouteni, an ancient insectivore that lived approximately 53 million years ago, is considered the smallest mammal to have ever existed.

Discovered through fossils in North America, B. vanhouteni belonged to an ancient group of insectivores called leptictids. These creatures lived during a time when mammals were beginning to diversify after the extinction of dinosaurs. Weighing a mere 1.3 grams, B. vanhouteni was comparable in size to some insects, demonstrating the extreme miniaturization possible in mammalian evolution.

The existence of such tiny mammals throughout history highlights the incredible diversity of life on Earth. From ancient rock paintings revealing extinct species to the discovery of fossil remains, our understanding of Earth's biological history continues to expand, revealing the wonders of evolution and adaptation.

While we marvel at the smallest mammals, it's worth noting that the animal kingdom also boasts impressive longevity records. For instance, Henry, the oldest crocodile in the world, demonstrates the remarkable lifespan potential of some species. These extremes in size and age showcase the incredible diversity of life on our planet.

As we continue to explore and study the natural world, we're bound to uncover more fascinating creatures and phenomena. The Etruscan shrew and its prehistoric counterpart remind us that sometimes, the most extraordinary marvels come in the smallest packages.

This remarkable discovery, led by researchers from the University of Maryland, challenges long-standing theories about the behavior of the planet's deep interior, specifically within the mantle transition zone. The findings suggest that remnants of an ancient tectonic plate, which sank over 100 million years ago, are influencing the mantle’s structure and dynamics today, offering a new lens through which to study the geological forces that shaped our planet.

Uncovering the Buried Seafloor: A Seismic Breakthrough

Using cutting-edge seismic imaging technology, a team led by Jingchuan Wang, a postdoctoral researcher in geology at the University of Maryland, has mapped out a mysterious portion of Earth's mantle transition zone, located approximately 410 to 660 kilometers beneath the ocean floor. This section of the mantle, spanning a vast area east of the East Pacific Rise, was found to be unusually thick and cold. The researchers believe this anomaly represents the remains of an ancient oceanic plate that subducted into the Earth’s interior during the Mesozoic era, between 250 and 120 million years ago.

Wang and his colleagues used a seismic technique known as SS precursor analysis, which involves examining the way seismic waves bounce off boundaries within Earth's deep layers before reaching the surface. Through this method, they were able to detect what Wang described as “a fossilized fingerprint of an ancient piece of seafloor that subducted into the Earth approximately 250 million years ago.” The slab, preserved in the mantle transition zone, has remained trapped for over 100 million years, providing researchers with a unique glimpse into Earth’s distant past.

The Impact on Mantle Dynamics and Plate Tectonics

One of the most intriguing aspects of the discovery is the effect the ancient sunken plate has on the Large Low Shear Velocity Province (LLSVP), a massive region of Earth's lower mantle characterized by slower-than-average seismic waves. The LLSVP, which lies beneath the Pacific Ocean, has long puzzled scientists due to its unusual structure. The team’s findings reveal that the ancient seafloor may have split the LLSVP, acting like a wedge as it descended into the mantle.

This new information not only helps explain the curious structure of the Pacific LLSVP, but also provides a deeper understanding of how mantle convection—the slow, churning movement of Earth’s interior—affects the planet’s surface over millions of years. According to Wang, “Our discovery opens up new questions about how the deep Earth influences what we see on the surface across vast distances and timescales.” The research suggests that the mantle transition zone, which separates Earth’s upper and lower mantles, acts as a barrier that can slow down the sinking of subducted plates, a finding that challenges previous models of how material moves through the planet.

The Phoenix Plate: A Relic from The Age of Dinosaurs

The researchers propose that the ancient subducted slab may belong to the Phoenix Plate, a tectonic plate that once dominated a large portion of the Pacific Ocean before it was consumed by intraoceanic subduction. This process, which occurs when one oceanic plate is forced beneath another, resulted in the plate sinking deep into Earth’s mantle. As it descended, the plate carried cooler material from the ocean floor into the hot mantle, leaving behind a cold thermal signature that is still detectable today.

This subduction event, which occurred during the age of dinosaurs, may have shaped many of the features of Earth’s mantle that scientists are only now beginning to understand. “We found that in this region, the material was sinking at about half the speed we expected,” Wang explained, “which suggests that the mantle transition zone can act like a barrier and slow down the movement of material through the Earth.” This unexpected finding indicates that some oceanic slabs may become "stuck" in the mantle transition zone for extended periods, rather than descending directly into the lower mantle.

A New Understanding of Earth’s Geological Past

The discovery of this ancient seafloor has significant implications for how scientists understand Earth's geological processes, particularly those related to subduction and mantle dynamics. Typically, subduction zones are associated with surface-level phenomena like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, but Wang’s research shows that ancient subducted plates can remain preserved deep within Earth’s interior, influencing mantle structures for hundreds of millions of years. This new information could lead to revisions in models of plate tectonics and provide a better understanding of how Earth's surface has evolved over geological timescales.

The study, published in Science Advances on September 27, 2024, marks the beginning of a new era in the study of Earth’s deep interior. The researchers plan to extend their seismic imaging work to other parts of the Pacific and beyond, with the hope of discovering additional ancient subducted structures. “This is just the beginning,” Wang noted. “We believe that there are many more ancient structures waiting to be discovered in Earth’s deep interior. Each one has the potential to reveal many new insights about our planet’s complex past—and even lead to a better understanding of other planets beyond ours.”

Wang’s work not only opens up new avenues for studying Earth’s deep mantle but also has the potential to offer clues about the geological processes of other planets. By understanding how tectonic plates have moved and interacted over Earth's history, scientists may be able to apply these models to the study of Mars, Venus, and other rocky planets in our solar system. The insights gained from this research could help explain the geological evolution of planets that lack plate tectonics, offering a broader perspective on planetary formation and behavior.

Unveiling prehistoric creatures through indigenous art

In the heart of South Africa's Karoo region, a fascinating discovery has captivated researchers. A rock painting created between 1821 and 1835 by the San people, hunter-gatherers with a rich cultural heritage, depicts an animal with curved tusks. This enigmatic creature, long thought to be a mythological representation, has now been linked to an extinct species of dicynodont.

Julien Benoit, a paleontologist from the University of Witwatersrand, proposes that this artwork is inspired by fossil remains of dicynodontes. These imposing herbivores, which roamed the Earth approximately 200 million years ago, predate even the dinosaurs. Their fossils are abundant in the Karoo, once a lush ecosystem teeming with diverse life forms.

This connection between prehistoric fossils and artistic expression raises intriguing questions about how the San interpreted these ancient remains. It suggests that indigenous communities had a profound understanding of extinct creatures long before Western science formally described them in 1845.

Rock paintings of the Horned Serpent panel.
A, general view.
B, close-up of the section depicted in plate 39 of Stow and Bleek.
C, close-up of the tusked animal.
D, close-up of the warriors painted below the Horned Serpent panel.
E, close-up of the warriors painted to the right of the panel.
© Julien Benoit, 2024

Indigenous knowledge and scientific discovery

The study, published in PLOS ONE, challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of paleontological knowledge. It demonstrates that the San people likely discovered and interpreted fossil remains decades before Richard Owen's scientific description of dicynodonts in 1845. This revelation underscores the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into scientific research.

Archaeological evidence supports this theory, with stone tools found at fossil-rich sites indicating that the San were intimately familiar with their surroundings. Their keen observational skills allowed them to incorporate these ancient remnants into their cultural and spiritual beliefs, transforming them into mythical creatures or "rain animals" - supernatural beings central to their traditions.

This integration of fossils into San art and mythology showcases their ability to interpret and derive meaning from ancient remains, long before the advent of modern paleontology. It's a testament to their deep connection with the natural world and their capacity to perceive a distant past populated by now-extinct giant creatures.

Spiritual significance and ritualistic practices

"Rain animals" play a crucial role in San beliefs and rituals, particularly in arid environments like the Karoo. These mythological creatures were thought to possess the power to traverse the realm of the dead and bring life-giving rain. Shamanic ceremonies involved entering deep trances to symbolically capture these entities and bring them back to the world of the living.

The representation of a dicynodont in San rock art could carry profound spiritual connotations. As an extinct species, it would be inherently connected to death, potentially enhancing its symbolic power as a creature from the spirit world. This connection might have imbued it with special mystical properties in San rituals.

Benoit suggests that fossil animals, in their state of eternal death, could serve as a bridge between the living and the dead - a concept deeply rooted in shamanic practices. The San likely viewed these fossils as sacred artifacts imbued with power, capable of uniting the distant past with their present through rain-making rituals.

Bridging ancient wisdom and modern science

The study conducted by Julien Benoit reveals the extent to which indigenous paleontological knowledge, particularly that of the San people, has been underestimated. Contrary to the notion that only modern researchers "discovered" these ancient creatures, the San had their own interpretation of the fossils they encountered in their environment.

This research highlights the importance of :

• Recognizing indigenous contributions to scientific understanding
• Integrating traditional knowledge into modern research methodologies
• Acknowledging the deep connection between ancient cultures and their natural surroundings
• Reexamining historical artifacts through an interdisciplinary lens

Similar cases have been documented in North America, where Native American tribes incorporated dinosaur fossils into their oral traditions and creation myths. This global pattern suggests that indigenous societies worldwide had an intuitive grasp of extinct fauna, often attributing profound cultural and spiritual significance to these discoveries.

By overlooking this type of knowledge for so long, researchers have underestimated the intelligence and curiosity of indigenous peoples. The integration of these discoveries into art and myths demonstrates the depth of their understanding of the distant past, based on keen observations of their natural environment.

As we continue to unravel the mysteries of our planet's history, it becomes increasingly clear that bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and modern scientific methods can lead to remarkable insights. The San people's rock art serves as a powerful reminder that knowledge can take many forms, and that our understanding of the world is enriched when we embrace diverse perspectives.

The Science Behind Deflecting Asteroids with Nuclear Explosions

Historically, movies like Armageddon and Deep Impact depicted the use of nuclear bombs to obliterate incoming asteroids. However, scientists now believe this approach could be dangerous, as blowing up an asteroid might break it into several lethal fragments, creating a shotgun blast effect rather than eliminating the threat. Instead of directly hitting or destroying the asteroid, recent studies suggest that detonating a nuclear warhead a mile or more away from the asteroid could produce enough X-rays to vaporize part of the asteroid’s surface. This controlled vaporization would create thrust, nudging the space rock onto a new trajectory and away from Earth.

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico have been leading this cutting-edge research. Using the lab’s Z Pulsed Power Facility, one of the most powerful pulse-generating machines on Earth, they were able to simulate the effects of a nuclear explosion on a small-scale asteroid-like object. According to Nathan Moore, a physicist involved in the research, “I started working through the logic of how I could deflect a miniature asteroid in a laboratory just like in outer space." These experiments allowed the scientists to observe how the X-ray pulse impacted the object, stripping away micrometers of material and simulating the deflection that might occur in space.

Precision is Key: Avoiding Fragmentation

One of the primary concerns with using nuclear explosions for asteroid deflection is the risk of creating dangerous fragments. A large asteroid shattered into pieces could still cause widespread destruction, possibly on a larger scale than a single impact. Moore explained this risk by saying, "The trick is to use just enough force to redirect the flying rock without splitting it into several equally deadly subsections advancing toward Earth."

To address this, the team’s research focuses on precise detonation techniques that would only vaporize a small portion of the asteroid’s surface, altering its trajectory without causing fragmentation. This is a significant advancement over previous asteroid deflection concepts, which lacked the nuance necessary to avoid creating multiple hazardous objects.

While smaller asteroids can be deflected with kinetic impacts, as demonstrated by NASA's DART mission, larger, more solid asteroids present a different challenge. X-rays generated by nuclear explosions offer a viable alternative, especially for larger asteroids, as the radiation can vaporize material without requiring direct contact with the asteroid itself.

Real-World Implications and NASA’s Role

The potential threat from asteroids is real, even if it seems remote. A National Academy of Sciences report from last year declared planetary defense a priority, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for asteroid threats. According to the NASA sky survey, about 25,000 objects near Earth are large enough to cause significant destruction, but only about a third of these have been detected and tracked. Many near-Earth asteroids remain hidden in the glare of the sun, leaving Earth vulnerable to unexpected impacts.

The danger is not merely theoretical. In 2013, a relatively small asteroid, about 20 meters across, exploded in the atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia, causing significant damage and injuries. Larger asteroids, like the one that caused the Chicxulub impact, which is linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs, could cause global devastation.

NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully demonstrated that a kinetic impact could slightly alter the course of a small asteroid, but the mission raised questions about the scalability of this method for larger or more solid asteroids. The DART spacecraft hit Dimorphos, a small moonlet orbiting the larger asteroid Didymos, causing a measurable change in its orbit. However, as promising as the results are, more research is needed before this technique can be relied upon for all asteroid types.

Scaling Up: How Nuclear Explosions Could Be Our Last Line of Defense

The experiments conducted at Sandia National Laboratories are part of ongoing efforts to understand how nuclear explosions can be adapted for planetary defense. The research team used a technique called X-ray scissors, which effectively removes the influence of gravity and friction for a few microseconds, allowing the synthetic asteroid to float freely in the laboratory environment, as it would in space. Moore's team fired bursts of X-rays at the synthetic asteroid to simulate the effect of a nuclear explosion in space. The results were promising, with the X-ray pulse vaporizing parts of the asteroid's surface and creating a measurable deflection.

While the experiments were conducted on a very small scale, the researchers believe the concept could be scaled up to move larger asteroids. In their paper, the team notes, “More detailed models, such as the radiation-hydrodynamic model illustrated here and those in other studies can be tested against experimental data acquired with this technique and used to refine the predictions for different asteroid intercept missions.”

This research provides a critical framework for future asteroid deflection missions. By simulating nuclear explosions in the lab, scientists can refine their models and predictions, ensuring that any future deployment of such technology would be both safe and effective. The goal is to develop a versatile system that can deal with different asteroid compositions, shapes, and sizes.

The Future of Planetary Defense

While no imminent asteroid threat has been identified, planetary defense experts warn that it is only a matter of time before Earth encounters a dangerous near-Earth object. The NASA sky survey continues to track potentially hazardous asteroids, and the Sandia experiments are an essential step in ensuring we are ready when the time comes. "We don’t want to wait for a large asteroid to show up and then scramble for the right method to deflect it,” Moore emphasized.

For now, the focus remains on refining the technology and gathering more data. Using nuclear explosions as a tool for asteroid deflection may seem extreme, but it could be the only option if a large asteroid is discovered on a collision course with Earth.

In the meantime, ongoing NASA missions and lab-based experiments are helping to develop a clearer picture of how we might avert such a catastrophe. Although the research is still in its early stages, the possibility of using X-ray blasts to deflect asteroids could play a key role in future planetary defense strategies.

This groundbreaking discovery suggests that volcanic eruptions may have occurred as recently as 120 million years ago, overturning long-held assumptions that the Moon has been geologically inactive for over a billion years. The results, published in Science, come from the detailed study of volcanic glass beads collected by the Chang’e 5 lander, which indicate a much younger volcanic history than previously thought.

Evidence from Chang’e 5 Samples: Young Volcanic Glass on the Moon

The Chang’e 5 mission, which successfully returned lunar samples to Earth in December 2020, provided scientists with the first new material from the Moon since the 1970s. The mission retrieved 3.82 pounds (1,731 grams) of lunar soil from a region known as Oceanus Procellarum. In these samples, researchers discovered tiny glass beads, which are formed by volcanic activity. After meticulously studying around 3,000 glass beads, scientists identified three that were of volcanic origin.

The age of these beads, determined through uranium-lead dating, was the most surprising finding. The dating showed that these beads were formed just 123 million years ago, with a margin of error of 15 million years. This is relatively recent in geological terms, especially considering the Moon’s age of about 4.5 billion years. The high precision of these measurements has stunned scientists. "The fact that these volcanic glass beads were formed during the time when dinosaurs roamed Earth is astonishing," said Dr. Bi-Wen Wang, lead author from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The presence of these young volcanic beads has caused researchers to rethink their understanding of the Moon's volcanic history, suggesting that the Moon may have been volcanically active far longer than previously assumed.

Challenging Established Theories of Lunar Geology

For decades, scientists believed that the Moon had cooled and become geologically inactive over a billion years ago. Because the Moon is much smaller than Earth, it was thought to have lost its internal heat more quickly, leading to the cessation of volcanic activity by about 3 billion years ago. This assumption was supported by the age of the basaltic plains, the dark areas visible on the Moon’s surface, which were formed by lava flows during its early history. However, the discovery of much younger volcanic glass contradicts this narrative and suggests that volcanic activity persisted well into the Moon's more recent geological past.

The key to this continued volcanism might lie in the heat-generating elements present within the Moon’s mantle. Elements such as uranium, thorium, and potassium generate heat through radioactive decay, which could have kept parts of the lunar mantle hot enough to produce magma for longer than previously thought. According to Dr. Wang, "The young age of these volcanic beads shows us that the Moon may not be as different from Earth as we once thought." This discovery suggests that the Moon may have had magma chambers deep beneath its surface that remained active well into its later history, potentially fueled by these radioactive elements.

Implications for a Revised Timeline of Lunar Volcanism

This discovery significantly alters the timeline of volcanic activity on the Moon. Previous studies suggested that the Moon’s volcanic activity peaked between 3 and 3.8 billion years ago, creating the vast mare or basalt plains visible today. The Chang’e 5 findings suggest that volcanic activity did not cease abruptly but instead may have continued sporadically, with eruptions occurring as recently as 120 million years ago. This new timeline has profound implications for our understanding of how the Moon evolved over time.

Recent discoveries of irregular mare patches (IMPs), which appear to have formed less than 100 million years ago, hinted at more recent volcanic activity. These patches, observed through crater counting techniques, suggested that some form of volcanism could have occurred more recently than believed. However, until now, there had been no direct laboratory evidence to confirm these findings. The discovery of volcanic glass beads from Chang’e 5 provides definitive proof that volcanic activity occurred long after the Moon was thought to have become geologically dormant.

Dr. Yuri Amelin and Dr. Qing-Zhu Yin, who commented on the findings in a Science editorial, praised the precision and care involved in the analysis, describing it as "a needle in a haystack" search to identify volcanic material among the thousands of beads. They noted that “the effort … put into finding the volcanic ‘needle’ in the impact-generated ‘haystack’ has paid off.” This meticulous work has revealed not only the existence of young volcanic activity but also pointed to new areas of research regarding the Moon’s geological evolution.

Could the Moon Still be Volcanically Active?

The discovery of such recent volcanic activity raises the question of whether the Moon could still have active magma chambers today. Although the Moon has been cooling for billions of years, the presence of radioactive elements in its interior could continue to provide enough heat to sustain volcanic activity, albeit on a much smaller scale. Dr. Wang and his team believe that further research and modeling studies will be needed to determine whether the Moon could still be producing magma today.

"This raises the question of whether the Moon is still producing magma today," the study noted, highlighting the need for further exploration and observation. With new missions planned by NASA, including the Artemis program, and additional international lunar missions, scientists may soon have more opportunities to investigate whether volcanic activity could still be ongoing beneath the Moon’s surface.

The Future of Lunar Exploration

The discovery of recent volcanism on the Moon underscores the need for continued exploration and study of our nearest celestial neighbor. With plans to return humans to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis missions, scientists are eager to explore areas that could offer more insights into the Moon’s volcanic history. Future missions may target regions of interest, such as volcanic vents or the Oceanus Procellarum, where the Chang’e 5 mission collected its samples.

As Dr. Wang pointed out, "The Moon’s volcanic history is far more complex than we previously thought." The Chang’e 5 findings not only reshape our understanding of the Moon’s past but also open new avenues of research into how volcanic activity might still be influencing the lunar surface today. This discovery is likely to guide future missions as scientists seek to learn more about the Moon’s geological processes and how they compare to those of other rocky planets, including Earth.

This significant discovery not only sheds light on Ganymede’s ancient history but also provides new insights into the dynamic processes that have shaped the moons of Jupiter.

The Colossal Impact: A Force That Changed Ganymede Forever

Ganymede, larger than the planet Mercury and the ninth-largest object in the solar system, was struck by an asteroid so massive that its impact forever changed the moon’s orientation. The asteroid is estimated to have had a diameter of about 300 kilometers (186 miles), making it approximately 20 times larger than the asteroid responsible for the mass extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth. This collision was so powerful that it caused Ganymede’s rotational axis to shift—a phenomenon that has left observable traces on the moon’s surface.

Hirata Naoyuki, a planetologist at Kobe University, was the first to identify that the impact occurred nearly precisely on the meridian farthest from Jupiter. This finding suggested that the impact was responsible for a significant reorientation of Ganymede’s rotational axis. Hirata’s work drew parallels to a similar impact event on Pluto, which also caused a shift in the dwarf planet’s axis. By simulating the effects of such an impact, Hirata was able to estimate the scale of the asteroid and its aftermath. "We know that this feature was created by an asteroid impact about four billion years ago, but we were unsure how big this impact was and what effect it had on the moon," Hirata explained, highlighting the significance of this discovery.

Ganymede’s Geological Features: Evidence of a Violent Past

The impact left indelible marks on Ganymede, particularly in the form of furrows that cover large parts of its surface. These furrows, which form concentric circles around a specific spot, have long intrigued scientists. Initially studied in the 1980s, these features were believed to be the result of a major impact event, but the details remained unclear until Hirata’s recent work. His research confirmed that the furrows are indeed a consequence of the asteroid impact, providing a clear link between the surface features and the ancient collision.

The impact created a transient crater between 1,400 and 1,600 kilometers in diameter, a structure that profoundly influenced Ganymede's surface and internal composition. Hirata’s simulations showed that only an impact of this magnitude could have caused the redistribution of mass necessary to shift the moon’s rotational axis into its current position. This reorientation, similar to what has been observed on other celestial bodies like Pluto, underscores the immense power of such impacts and their long-lasting effects on planetary bodies.

Ganymede: A Moon of Unique Characteristics and Scientific Interest

Ganymede is not only the largest moon in the solar system but also one of the most geologically interesting. With a diameter of 5,268 kilometers (3,273 miles), it surpasses even Mercury in size. What sets Ganymede apart is its possession of both an atmosphere and a magnetic field—unique characteristics among the moons of the solar system.

The moon’s atmosphere, although thin, contains oxygen, and recent studies using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected water vapor—an indication of the possible presence of subsurface oceans beneath its icy crust. These findings make Ganymede a prime candidate for further study, particularly in the search for extraterrestrial life. The possibility of an underground ocean raises intriguing questions about the moon’s potential to harbor life, especially in light of the organic compounds and mineral salts detected on its surface during NASA's Juno mission in 2021.

The Role of Future Missions: Unlocking Ganymede’s Secrets

The significance of Ganymede’s past and its current state has not gone unnoticed by space agencies. The European Space Agency’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission, launched to study Jupiter’s moons, is set to enter orbit around Ganymede in 2034. This mission will mark the first time a spacecraft orbits a moon other than Earth’s, and it is expected to provide unprecedented insights into Ganymede’s composition, surface features, and internal structure. The JUICE mission will focus on understanding the complex interplay between Ganymede’s surface and its subsurface ocean, which may hold clues to the moon’s potential habitability.

As Hirata Naoyuki pointed out, "The giant impact must have had a significant impact on the early evolution of Ganymede, but the thermal and structural effects of the impact on the interior of Ganymede have not yet been investigated at all." The JUICE mission is expected to address these gaps in our understanding, providing data that will help scientists reconstruct the moon’s geological history and its evolution over billions of years.

The Broader Implications: Understanding Planetary Evolution in the Solar System

The discovery of the asteroid impact on Ganymede and its effects on the moon’s axis has broader implications for our understanding of planetary evolution in the solar system. Such impacts are not isolated events but are part of a larger pattern of celestial collisions that have shaped the planets and moons we observe today. The ability to study these ancient impacts provides a window into the early solar system, offering clues about the conditions that existed billions of years ago.

Hirata’s research into the impact on Ganymede is a reminder of the powerful forces at play in our solar system’s history. As future missions like JUICE continue to explore these distant worlds, we can expect to learn more about the dynamic processes that have shaped not only Ganymede but also other moons and planets throughout the solar system.

In conclusion, the massive asteroid impact on Ganymede stands as a testament to the violent and dynamic history of our solar system. As we prepare for the upcoming JUICE mission, the insights gained from this discovery will undoubtedly enhance our understanding of Ganymede and its place in the broader narrative of planetary evolution. This research underscores the importance of continued exploration and study of the outer solar system, where the secrets of our cosmic neighborhood continue to unfold.

Discovered in Brazil’s Sousa Basin and Cameroon’s Koum Basin, these footprints represent an extraordinary find that ties together the histories of two continents that were once part of the supercontinent Gondwana. The discovery suggests that dinosaurs were able to roam freely across these regions before the continents were severed by the tectonic forces that created the ocean that separates them today. Paleontologists believe that the footprints were left by a variety of dinosaurs, including theropods, sauropods, and ornithischians, who traversed the land bridge connecting Africa and South America during this prehistoric era.

A Glimpse Into Earth's Ancient Past

The discovery of these matching dinosaur footprints is not only a testament to the incredible movement of Earth's landmasses but also offers a rare glimpse into the lives of the creatures that roamed the ancient supercontinent. According to Louis L. Jacobs, a paleontologist at Southern Methodist University (SMU) who led the research, “We determined that in terms of age, these footprints were similar. In their geological and plate tectonic contexts, they were also similar. In terms of their shapes, they are almost identical.”

[caption id="attachment_7838" align="alignnone" width="516"] Two representative theropod tracks from the Koum Basin in northern Cameroon. Credit SMU[/caption]

The identical nature of the footprints on both sides of the Atlantic provides a vivid reminder of a time when Africa and South America were still connected, allowing land-dwelling dinosaurs to migrate freely between the two regions. These tracks were preserved in mud and silt deposits along ancient rivers and lakes, creating fossilized records of dinosaur movement in areas that today are separated by more than 3,700 miles of ocean.

The region where these footprints were found corresponds to a narrow land bridge that once linked northeastern Brazil with Cameroon. This ancient land bridge provided a critical pathway for dinosaurs and other species to migrate between the two continents before the final separation occurred. As the Earth’s tectonic plates continued to shift and the supercontinent began to break apart, this land bridge was submerged, and the South Atlantic Ocean was formed, permanently dividing the continents and severing the migration routes.

Geological Evidence Supports the Footprint Discovery

In addition to the footprints themselves, researchers discovered fossil pollen in the same sediment layers, further dating the tracks to around 120 million years ago. The tracks were found in geological formations known as half-graben basins, which were created as the Earth's crust began to pull apart during the continental rifting process. These basins contain layers of ancient river and lake deposits that offer a wealth of information about the environment in which these dinosaurs lived.

“These river valleys could provide specific avenues for life to travel across the continents 120 million years ago,” explained Jacobs. The rivers and lakes in these basins supported thriving ecosystems, with lush vegetation that fed herbivorous dinosaurs and other species, while muddy sediments preserved the footprints of carnivorous theropods and other creatures. These tracks are significant not only because they offer a window into the past but also because they reveal the critical role these river systems played in connecting the two landmasses.

The geological formations in which the tracks were found provide critical clues about the environment during the final days of Gondwana. As the landmasses drifted apart, magma from the Earth’s mantle began to rise, forming new oceanic crust and eventually filling the gap with water to create the South Atlantic Ocean. The footprints found in the basins are among the last physical evidence of the dinosaurs' movement between the continents before this vast ocean severed the connection forever.

The Broader Implications for Continental Drift and Dinosaur Migration

The discovery of these dinosaur footprints on opposite sides of the Atlantic offers compelling new evidence of the dramatic changes that shaped Earth’s surface over millions of years. The study, which was published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, is a tribute to the late paleontologist Martin Lockley, whose pioneering work in ichnology (the study of fossilized footprints) laid the groundwork for understanding these ancient migrations.

These footprints are not just marks in the ground; they are direct evidence of how plate tectonics and continental drift have shaped life on Earth. By studying these tracks and the geological contexts in which they were found, researchers can better understand how species adapted to and navigated changing environments over time. The fact that these tracks are almost identical on both continents suggests that the same species of dinosaurs roamed freely across the land bridge before being separated by the forming ocean.

The findings also emphasize the significance of Gondwana’s fragmentation and how the movement of Earth's tectonic plates led to the isolation of species on different continents, ultimately driving evolutionary changes. As the South Atlantic Ocean formed, species on both continents began to evolve independently, leading to the biodiversity we see today. This discovery underscores the importance of studying the fossil record to understand the dynamic forces that have shaped our planet's biological and geological history.

These ancient tracks, which were found in an area known for its rich prehistoric history, have excited paleontologists and further established Wales as a growing hotspot for dinosaur fossils.

The discovery has not only added to the region’s fossil record but has also sparked renewed interest in understanding the prehistoric creatures that once roamed the area.

An Extraordinary Find on the Welsh Coast

Tegan and her mother were enjoying a day at the beach when they came across five enormous footprints embedded in the sand. Measuring approximately 75 cm (30 inches) apart, the footprints dwarfed human feet and immediately caught the attention of the young girl and her mother. Recognizing the significance of their find, they quickly sent pictures of the tracks to the experts at the National Museum Wales.

“It’s quite a significant find—the buzz you get when someone contacts us with a definite dinosaur find, it’s amazing,” said Cindy Howells, a paleontology expert at National Museum Wales, in an interview with the BBC. The discovery is especially exciting because, for many years, Wales was not thought to have been heavily populated by dinosaurs. “We had so few dinosaur finds,” Howells continued, noting that this perception has been changing with recent discoveries.

The footprints are believed to have been left by a species known as Camelotia, an early member of the sauropod family. These large herbivores, with their long necks, tails, and small heads, are thought to have stood around 3 meters (10 feet) tall and measured 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) in length.

Camelotia, like many sauropods, were plant-eaters, and they left behind these massive footprints as they roamed the landscape in search of food. While bones of similar species have been found across the Bristol Channel, clear footprints like these have remained elusive until now.

A Growing Legacy of Fossil Discoveries in Wales

The discovery of these footprints adds to Wales’ growing reputation as a significant site for dinosaur fossils. In 2014, paleontologists uncovered the nearly complete skeleton of a 201-million-year-old dracoraptor at the same beach where Tegan found the footprints. This discovery, combined with previous fossil finds, has led scientists to reevaluate their understanding of dinosaur life in the region. “Now we’re getting a footprint or bone find every five to six years, and we now know we have a continuous sequence of dinosaurs living in Wales over 15 million years or so—it’s amazing,” Howells remarked.

The footprints also draw attention to the geological history of the area. South Wales is known as a "prehistoric hotspot" because of the abundance of fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic periods. The region’s geological conditions have preserved many ancient artifacts, allowing scientists to piece together a more detailed picture of life during the Mesozoic era. Cindy Howells explained that the footprints may even match up with the first dinosaur prints found in Wales back in 1879, suggesting that this site has long been a rich source of paleontological treasures.

Reflecting on the significance of these ancient traces, Howells expressed awe at the connection between the past and the present. "It’s hard to comprehend you’re walking on the same beach as some massive prehistoric animal did hundreds of millions of years ago," she said. For many, this connection to the distant past is both awe-inspiring and humbling, as it provides a tangible link to a world that existed long before human civilization.

Piecing Together the Dinosaur's Identity

While the discovery of the footprints has thrilled paleontologists, more work needs to be done to fully understand the significance of this find. Although the footprints appear to belong to a sauropodomorpha dinosaur, scientists are conducting further analysis to verify the exact species and to learn more about the creature that left them behind. Cindy Howells explained that the positioning of the footprints suggests they are not random holes in the ground but were likely made by a large herbivorous dinosaur walking on two legs. “If they were random holes, we’d be wary, but because we have a left foot, a right foot, and then a left and another right... there’s a consistent distance between them,” Howells highlighted.

The size and spacing of the tracks also offer clues about the dinosaur’s gait and movement. Based on the size of the footprints and the distance between them, scientists believe that the Camelotia was a relatively large dinosaur that walked primarily on two legs but could shift to all fours when grazing. “A camelotia would have stood about 3 meters tall, 4-5 meters long, and is an early sauropodomorph with a relatively long neck and tail. It walked on two legs but could walk on all four when grazing for food,” Howells described.

Although the footprints need to be scientifically verified, the discovery is already considered a significant moment in paleontological research. If verified, these tracks will join a growing list of important fossil finds that are helping scientists better understand the diversity of dinosaur species that once inhabited Wales.

A New Understanding of Wales' Prehistoric Past

Tegan’s discovery has reignited interest in Wales’ prehistoric past and has contributed to an evolving understanding of the region’s role in dinosaur history. With each new fossil discovery, paleontologists are piecing together a more complete picture of life during the Mesozoic era, a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. The footprints found by Tegan are just one of many discoveries that are helping to reshape our understanding of what life was like in Wales hundreds of millions of years ago.

As scientists continue to study the footprints and other fossils from the area, the legacy of Wales as a site for important paleontological research grows stronger. The South Wales group of the Geologists' Association believes the area could be “the best site in Britain for dinosaur tracks external to the Triassic period,” and this latest find further cements that reputation.

For now, Tegan’s footprints will remain a source of wonder and fascination for both scientists and the public alike. The story of how a little girl stumbled upon a piece of ancient history serves as a reminder that the past is never truly lost, and with each new discovery, we are able to connect more deeply with the world that came before us.

A massive six-mile-wide monster of a space rock, this C-type asteroid crashed into Earth with such force that it triggered one of the most devastating mass extinctions in our planet’s history.

This isn't your average meteorite story—no, this one came from the dark, mysterious outskirts of the solar system. Scientists, led by Mario Fischer-Gödde from the University of Cologne, have cracked the case of this ancient killer in new research published in Science.

The shocking conclusion? This asteroid was a projectile sent straight from the outer reaches of the asteroid belt, where chaos and collisions reign supreme.

The Birth of an Extinction-Level Event: How Dinosaurs Met Their Fate

66 million years ago, this monstrous asteroid didn't just crash into Earth; it created the Chicxulub Crater, an impact zone the size of a country, hidden beneath the Yucatan Peninsula. The collision sent shockwaves through the planet, blasting an unimaginable amount of debris into the atmosphere.

What followed was nothing less than planetary chaos—a nuclear winter that froze life in its tracks, with food chains collapsing and temperatures plummeting. The result? 70 percent of all species on Earth perished, including the mighty dinosaurs.

But here’s the twist: this space rock wasn’t just another wanderer from the asteroid belt—it was a rare C-type asteroid, packed with dark, carbon-rich material from the outer solar system. Fischer-Gödde’s team revealed that this specific asteroid’s composition, using advanced ruthenium isotopes, matches up with meteorites that have crashed into Earth from the far reaches of space. This was no ordinary impact; it was an extinction engineered by a rock forged in the cold, distant corners of our cosmic neighborhood.

Where did it come from?

So where did this planet-killer originate? Fischer-Gödde’s research points to the outer asteroid belt—a chaotic ring between Mars and Jupiter. Something—perhaps a collision with another asteroid or the mysterious Yarkovsky effect—gave this deadly asteroid the final push it needed to head straight for Earth. The odds? Unfathomable. But once it was on its way, nothing could stop the devastation.

The key to unraveling this mystery was buried in a thin layer of ruthenium, a rare element scattered around the globe from the impact. Researchers painstakingly analyzed these ruthenium isotopes and made a shocking discovery: nearly 100 percent of this element in the K-Pg boundary—the geological marker of the mass extinction—came from the killer asteroid.

And it wasn’t just any asteroid. The ruthenium samples match carbonaceous meteorites that also hail from beyond Jupiter. This wasn’t a coincidence; this was a cosmic sniper shot aimed right at our planet.

The Next Big One?

This discovery changes everything we thought we knew about extinction-level events. It’s a reminder that the most lethal threats to Earth come from the unknown, far beyond our usual sphere of awareness. And if it happened once, could it happen again?

ESA's Juice Spacecraft Confused with a Threatening Asteroid

On July 6, the European Space Agency (ESA) received an alarming message from the automated systems that constantly scan the skies for hazardous space objects.

The object was large, approximately 164 feet (49.99 m) in diameter, and speeding toward Earth on a trajectory that would take it dangerously close to both the Moon and our planet. Yet, to the relief of everyone monitoring the skies, the massive object wasn’t an asteroid. It was actually ESA's own juice spacecraft.

ESA's automated alert system had initially categorized the object as a potential threat. The object’s brightness and size suggested a large asteroid. Follow-up observations, however, revealed that this mysterious body wasn’t a threatening space rock.

It was the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice), a probe on a mission to study Jupiter's icy moons. The spacecraft was passing Earth to utilize a gravitational slingshot to propel itself deeper into the solar system.

While juice isn't nearly as large as the automated systems had first estimated, it’s still a substantial craft. Its impressive solar panel wings stretch 88 feet (26.82 m) across, creating a bright signature in space that led to confusion. ESA’s alert system had detected this reflection and overestimated its size, mistakenly labelling it as a menacing asteroid.

Is it an asteroid? Is it a comet? No! It’s @ESA_JUICE! Juice was briefly mistaken for a new potentially hazardous asteroid as it races towards Earth for next week’s double flyby. Fortunately, experts have confirmed that Juice poses no risk to our planet😉https://t.co/lGMBfT4hHA pic.twitter.com/FaDjKTPBmh

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) August 15, 2024

Scanning the Skies for Threats

Modern sky surveillance systems, like NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), are designed to detect potentially dangerous objects well before they approach Earth. Identifying threats is crucial for early preparation, and in the worst-case scenario, it could give humanity time to react or even evacuate areas in danger.

As Eric Christensen, director of the Catalina Sky Survey, emphasizes: “You need to know what's coming, when it's coming, and how hard it's going to hit.” Fortunately, such threats are rare, and current monitoring indicates that there are no known asteroids on a collision course with Earth for the next 100 years, according to ESA.

The Real Risks From Space Rocks

However, while the Juice spacecraft posed no danger, asteroids and space debris continue to pose real risks. Earth is constantly bombarded by space material, though most are harmless. For instance, around 100 tons of dust and sand-sized particles enter Earth's atmosphere daily, burning up upon entry.

More concerning are the rare but impactful events, like the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia. A surprise asteroid, just 56 feet (17.07 m) wide, exploded in the sky, damaging buildings and injuring hundreds.

Larger rocks, measuring 460 feet (0.14 km) across, strike Earth every 10,000 to 20,000 years, while catastrophic impacts, like those that wiped out the dinosaurs, occur only every 100 million years.

Though the odds of a major impact are slim, space agencies continue their vigilant watch, knowing that even smaller rocks can cause significant damage.

The Juice false alarm is a reminder of how crucial this work is—whether it’s identifying a potential hazard or simply monitoring our spacecraft as they journey beyond Earth.

A recent breakthrough study published in the journal Science sheds new light on the issue, revealing that the asteroid likely formed beyond Jupiter's orbit, far out in the cold, dark reaches of the solar system.

This finding marks a significant step in understanding the event that led to the mass extinction 66 million years ago and reshapes the way we view Earth's interactions with distant cosmic objects.

Tracing the Origins of the Chicxulub Asteroid

The research team, led by Mario Fischer-Godde, a geochemist at the University of Cologne, used innovative techniques to analyze sediment samples taken from the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, a geological marker left by the asteroid’s impact.

This boundary layer records the cataclysmic event that triggered the extinction of nearly 76 percent of Earth’s species, including the non-avian dinosaurs. By examining the isotopic signature of the element ruthenium, researchers were able to link the asteroid to its origins beyond Jupiter, suggesting that it was a C-type (carbonaceous) asteroid.

"Now we can, with all this knowledge, say that this asteroid initially formed beyond Jupiter," said Fischer-Godde. This marks a critical discovery, as C-type asteroids, while common in the outer solar system, rarely impact Earth. The study’s findings refute previous assumptions that the asteroid might have originated in the inner solar system or been a comet.

Advanced Isotope Analysis: A New Frontier in Asteroid Research

The team’s breakthrough came from their use of ruthenium isotopic analysis, a highly sophisticated technique performed at Fischer-Godde’s lab in Cologne. This type of analysis allows scientists to distinguish between different classes of asteroids. Ruthenium is an element found in asteroids but extremely rare on Earth. By inspecting geological layers that contain debris from the Chicxulub impact, researchers were able to confirm that the ruthenium they analyzed came directly from the asteroid itself.

Fischer-Godde’s lab is one of the few in the world equipped to conduct such precise measurements, and this was the first time the technique was used to study impact debris layers. "Our lab in Cologne is one of the rare labs that can do these measurements," Fischer-Godde explained, emphasizing the importance of this method for future planetary science research. The results were conclusive: the Chicxulub asteroid was of C-type composition, a significant revelation given that most meteorites found on Earth are S-type silicate asteroids from the inner solar system.

Ruling Out the Comet Hypothesis

One of the most intriguing aspects of the study is its dismissal of the hypothesis that the Chicxulub impactor was a comet, a theory that gained traction after a 2021 study. This previous research, based on statistical simulations, suggested that a long-period comet could have been the culprit. Comets, composed of icy rock, typically originate from the farthest reaches of the solar system, far beyond the asteroid belt, and have significantly different compositions compared to asteroids.

However, the ruthenium isotopic data collected by Fischer-Godde’s team revealed that the Chicxulub impactor did not resemble comets that have impacted Earth in the past. Instead, the chemical composition matched that of carbonaceous asteroids, effectively ruling out the comet theory. "It's unlikely that the impactor in question was a comet," Fischer-Godde stated. This shift in understanding refocuses attention on C-type asteroids, which are more common beyond Jupiter and have played a pivotal role in shaping Earth’s history.

The Asteroid's Journey: From the Outer Solar System to Earth

While the study confirmed the asteroid’s origin beyond Jupiter, the exact trajectory it took before colliding with Earth remains uncertain. C-type asteroids, which formed in the outer solar system, are known to occasionally migrate inward, passing through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This migration likely contributed to the asteroid’s collision course with Earth.

"We cannot be really sure where the asteroid was hiding just before it impacted on Earth," Fischer-Godde admitted, suggesting that the Chicxulub asteroid may have spent time in the asteroid belt before its fateful encounter with Earth. This would align with the current understanding that many meteorites originate from the asteroid belt, where gravitational interactions can send them towards the inner solar system.

The Role of Asteroids in Earth's Evolution

The implications of the study extend far beyond the Chicxulub event. Fischer-Godde pointed out that understanding the nature of asteroids that have impacted Earth over the last 4.5 billion years could also shed light on how water and other essential components arrived on our planet. Some scientists believe that asteroids, particularly C-type carbonaceous asteroids, played a crucial role in delivering water to Earth during its formative years.

This new research reinforces the theory that water, along with other vital elements, may have been brought to Earth by these ancient cosmic objects. "Studying past asteroids could help solve the enigma of the origin of our planet's water," Fischer-Godde said, highlighting the broader implications of his team’s findings.

Preparing for Future Asteroid Threats

Looking to the future, Fischer-Godde emphasized that this research could be instrumental in preparing for potential asteroid impacts. While impacts like the Chicxulub event are rare, understanding the characteristics of C-type asteroids and their trajectories can help scientists predict and possibly mitigate future threats.

"If we find that earlier mass extinction events could also be related to C-type asteroid impacts, then... if there's ever going to be C-type asteroid on an Earth-crossing orbit, we have to be very careful," Fischer-Godde warned. This study not only contributes to our knowledge of Earth's past but also provides critical data that could be used to protect the planet from future disasters.

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Solar System

In a parallel study, an international team of researchers conducted further analysis on platinum-group elements like iridium, ruthenium, and osmium, found in the boundary layer sediments from five global locations. Their findings confirmed that the Chicxulub asteroid was most consistent with a carbonaceous chondrite, a rare type of asteroid originating from the outer solar system. The team’s work reinforces the conclusions drawn by Fischer-Godde’s group and highlights the importance of studying space rocks to unravel the solar system’s ancient history.

These results not only provide a clearer understanding of the Chicxulub impactor but also illustrate how Jupiter acts as a barrier, deflecting many asteroids and comets from the outer solar system and preventing them from reaching the inner planets. Occasionally, however, as was the case with the Chicxulub asteroid, some manage to slip through, leaving a lasting mark on Earth.

These sinkholes, some over 300 meters deep, are home to ancient forests and plant species adapted to the harsh, low-light conditions found at the bottom of these natural formations.

The Tiankeng: Geological Marvels and Ecological Havens

The tiankeng, or "heavenly pits," are found in China's southwestern karst landscapes, including regions like Guangxi and Hubei. These natural sinkholes are formed when the roof of an underground chamber collapses, creating vast open pits. The karst terrain, characterized by soluble rocks such as limestone, leads to the formation of various geological features including caves, underground rivers, and these remarkable sinkholes.

These giant pits are not just geological wonders; they also serve as ecological refuges. The isolation and unique environmental conditions within the tiankeng have allowed ancient forests to thrive, housing species that are rarely found elsewhere.

According to one researcher, "The scene down there was stunning: an underground pristine forest with no trace of human activities, with 40 meter-high ancient trees and a group of endangered wild plants from the times of dinosaurs." This includes modern karst forest plants such as the Nepali hog plum (Choerospondias axillaris) and the Chinese rain bell (Strobilanthes cusia). The depth and steep terrain of the tiankeng provide a natural barrier against human disturbance, preserving these ecosystems in a relatively untouched state.

Unique Adaptations of Tiankeng Flora

A recent study highlighted the distinct adaptations of plants growing within these sinkholes. Despite the limited light penetration to the depths of the tiankeng, these plants have thrived due to the abundant availability of essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Unlike their surface counterparts, these plants have developed strategies to maximize nutrient uptake, allowing them to grow tall and make efficient use of the scarce light.

The researchers noted, "Plants can adapt to adverse environments by adjusting their nutrient content." The study found that plants within the tiankeng had lower carbon content compared to those on the surface. This is attributed to the moist and humid conditions within the sinkholes, which reduce the plants' need to conserve water, thus allowing them to allocate resources differently. The high levels of nutrients in the soil, particularly those that are typically limiting in other environments, support rapid growth and high biomass production among the tiankeng flora.

Importance of Tiankeng Ecosystems

The tiankeng are significant not only for their unique plant communities but also for their potential to harbor unknown species. The isolation and specialized conditions within these sinkholes make them hotspots for biodiversity, including rare and endemic species.

According to the study's authors, "Due to the towering cliffs and steep terrain of the tiankeng, it has been less disturbed by human activities." This indicates that these ecosystems are valuable conservation areas, providing refuge for species that might otherwise be vulnerable to extinction.

Moreover, the tiankeng ecosystems offer insights into how life can adapt to extreme and isolated environments. The study of these unique habitats can inform conservation strategies and enhance our understanding of ecological resilience and adaptation in the face of environmental changes.

Future Research and Conservation Efforts

As interest in these natural formations grows, so does the importance of preserving them. The unique ecosystems within the tiankeng are vulnerable to changes in their environment, whether through climate change or increased human activity. Conservation efforts are essential to protect these natural laboratories and the species they harbor.

Future research aims to explore the full extent of biodiversity within the tiankeng, including both plant and microbial life. Understanding the genetic and ecological adaptations that allow these species to thrive in such unique conditions will be a key focus. As one researcher described, "There is also a good chance that previously unknown species will be discovered in these environments." This knowledge not only enriches our understanding of the natural world but also highlights the need for preserving these extraordinary habitats.

In summary :

• New species: Lokiceratops rangiformis, a dinosaur with asymmetrical horns, discovered in Montana.
• Unique feature: Extravagant horns reminiscent of the Norse god Loki, distinct from other ceratopsids.
• Discovery: Fossils found in 2019 near the US-Canada border, at the "Loki Quarry."
• Diversity: The find highlights the diversity and endemism of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs.
• Implications: Future studies will explore the evolution and role of Lokiceratops' unique structures.

A new addition to ceratopsia

The Lokiceratops rangiformis, discovered in the Judith River Formation of Montana, has stirred excitement among scientists. This dinosaur, a cousin of the well-known Triceratops, lived approximately 78 million years ago. Its defining feature, the elaborate and asymmetrical horns on its frill, inspired its name, drawing a parallel to the trickster god Loki from Norse mythology.

The Discovery

In 2019, the remains of this remarkable dinosaur were uncovered in the Kennedy Coulee region near the Canada-USA border. This site, now known as the "Loki Quarry," yielded a near-complete skull and partial skeleton, providing a wealth of information about this previously unknown species. The team, including Mark A. Loewen and Joseph J. W. Sertich, conducted meticulous excavation and reconstruction efforts to bring Lokiceratops to light.

Unique Features

The skull of Lokiceratops is characterized by its extraordinary horns. Unlike other ceratopsids, it had large, blade-like, asymmetrical horns on its frill and two prominent horns above its eyes. These features not only distinguish it from other species but also indicate a high degree of morphological diversity within the Ceratopsia group. The horns' unique structure suggests potential functions in sexual selection or species recognition.

Implications for Dinosaur Diversity

The discovery of Lokiceratops highlights the significant diversity and endemism among Late Cretaceous dinosaurs. This find supports the idea that regional populations of dinosaurs evolved distinct physical traits, driven by factors such as environmental pressures and sexual selection. Lokiceratops's unique horns could be a result of these evolutionary forces, offering a glimpse into the adaptive strategies of ancient ecosystems.

Geological Context

The Judith River Formation, where Lokiceratops was found, dates back to approximately 78 million years ago. This formation has been a rich source of ceratopsid fossils, providing crucial insights into the diversity and distribution of these herbivorous dinosaurs. The discovery of Lokiceratops adds a new dimension to our understanding of ceratopsid evolution and their ecological niches in the Late Cretaceous.

Future Research Directions

The identification of Lokiceratops opens new avenues for paleontological research. Future studies will aim to further investigate the reasons behind its unique horn structures and their potential roles in behavior and ecology. This discovery underscores the importance of ongoing excavations and detailed analysis in uncovering the complex history of dinosaur evolution.

Lokiceratops rangiformis stands as a testament to the incredible diversity of life that once roamed the Earth. Its unique horns, reminiscent of Loki's, not only captivate the imagination but also provide valuable insights into the evolutionary processes that shaped the dinosaurs. As researchers delve deeper into the mysteries of the past, discoveries like this remind us of the ever-evolving story of life on Earth.

This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary adaptations of these formidable predators and provides new insights into their hunting efficiency.

The Unique Iron-Tipped Teeth of Komodo Dragons

Komodo dragons, native to the islands of Indonesia, are renowned for their size and predatory skills. Weighing up to 175 pounds, these reptiles are apex predators, capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves. A recent study conducted by researchers from King's College London has uncovered that the teeth of Komodo dragons are not only serrated and curved but also coated with iron. This iron coating, particularly concentrated along the edges of their teeth, enhances their ability to cut through flesh and bone with ease, making them some of the most efficient predators on Earth.

Dr. Benjamin Tapley, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Zoological Society of London, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating, "As the world’s largest lizards, Komodo dragons are inarguably impressive animals. Having worked with them for 12 years at London Zoo, I continue to be fascinated by them, and these findings further emphasize just how incredible they are."

The study revealed that the iron deposits in the teeth are concentrated around the serrated edges, which function similarly to a serrated knife. This adaptation allows Komodo dragons to effectively dismember their prey, a critical skill for an animal that often tackles large and struggling targets.

Comparative Analysis: Reptiles and Prehistoric Predators

The discovery of iron-tipped teeth in Komodo dragons is not only a marvel of modern reptilian adaptation but also provides intriguing parallels with prehistoric creatures. Dr. Aaron LeBlanc, a paleontologist involved in the study, explained, "Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs. The iron helps keep the teeth sharp, which is crucial for their survival."

The researchers compared the teeth of Komodo dragons with those of other reptiles, including crocodiles and monitor lizards, as well as fossilized teeth of carnivorous dinosaurs. While other reptiles were found to have trace amounts of iron in their teeth, the density and visibility of iron in Komodo dragon teeth were significantly greater. This finding suggests that Komodo dragons have evolved a specialized mechanism to maintain the sharpness and durability of their teeth, similar to the adaptations seen in some dinosaur species.

Dr. LeBlanc noted the implications for paleontological research: "Unfortunately, using the technology we have at the moment, we can't see whether fossilized dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not. What we did find, though, was that larger meat-eating dinosaurs, like tyrannosaurs, did change the structure of the enamel itself on the cutting edges of their teeth." This observation hints at a potential evolutionary link between the iron-coated teeth of Komodo dragons and the thickened enamel found in some dinosaur species, both serving the purpose of enhancing tooth durability and cutting efficiency.

Implications for Evolutionary Biology and Conservation

The discovery of iron-tipped teeth in Komodo dragons has significant implications for the field of evolutionary biology. It suggests that the mechanisms for maintaining sharp, durable teeth may have evolved independently in different lineages of predators, driven by similar ecological pressures and dietary needs. This finding opens up new avenues for research into the adaptations of other reptilian species, both living and extinct.

Domenic D’Amore, a paleontologist and co-author of the study, remarked, "We've never seen iron in reptile teeth, which is very interesting. It's leading down a whole new avenue of research." The study raises questions about whether other modern or extinct reptiles might also possess similar dental adaptations and what these adaptations reveal about their lifestyles and ecological roles.

In addition to its scientific significance, the study also highlights the conservation needs of Komodo dragons, which are classified as endangered. The unique adaptations of these animals underscore their ecological importance and the need for continued conservation efforts. As Dr. Tapley pointed out, "These findings highlight the unique adaptations of Komodo dragons and underscore the importance of preserving these incredible animals."

The researchers hope that their findings will not only contribute to our understanding of Komodo dragons and their evolutionary history but also inspire efforts to protect these remarkable creatures from extinction. The study serves as a reminder of the hidden complexities within even the most well-known species and the ongoing need to study and conserve biodiversity.

Exploring the Evolutionary Pathways of Iron-Tipped Teeth

The discovery of iron-coated teeth in Komodo dragons represents a significant advancement in our understanding of reptilian adaptations and evolutionary biology. It prompts further investigation into whether similar adaptations exist in other reptilian species, both extant and extinct. The researchers are particularly interested in exploring the presence of iron in fossilized dinosaur teeth, as this could provide new insights into the feeding behaviors and ecological niches of these ancient predators.

Dr. LeBlanc and his colleagues plan to continue their research by examining more specimens and employing advanced imaging techniques to uncover additional details about the composition and function of iron in reptilian teeth. They also hope to explore the potential evolutionary pathways that led to the development of iron-tipped teeth in Komodo dragons and other species.

As the scientific community delves deeper into the mysteries of reptilian and dinosaurian adaptations, discoveries like these highlight the importance of interdisciplinary research and the continuous exploration of the natural world. The findings not only enhance our understanding of Komodo dragons but also contribute to the broader field of evolutionary biology, offering a glimpse into the complex and varied strategies animals have evolved to survive and thrive.

A Close Encounter with Two Asteroids

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), two asteroids, 2024 MK and (415029) 2011 UL21, will make their close approaches to Earth within a short time frame, offering a unique opportunity for observation and study.

Two interesting asteroids will safely pass Earth this week, a rare double flyby that is perfectly timed to coincide with this year's @AsteroidDay!https://t.co/AOznSVdxNX

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) June 24, 2024

Asteroid 2024 MK

Asteroid 2024 MK, discovered on June 16, 2024, measures between 120 and 260 meters. It is set to make a close approach to Earth on June 29, passing within 290,000 kilometers—roughly 75% of the distance to the Moon. Despite its proximity, there is no risk of impact. If an asteroid of this size were to strike Earth, it would cause considerable damage, potentially impacting large urban areas and causing widespread destruction.

The rapid discovery and subsequent tracking of 2024 MK highlight both the advancements and the current limitations in our asteroid detection capabilities. Discovering an asteroid of this size just two weeks before its closest approach underscores the necessity for improved surveillance and early-warning systems.

Due to its size and proximity, 2024 MK will be observable in clear, dark skies using small telescopes or binoculars for amateur astronomers in some parts of the world. This close encounter offers a valuable opportunity for scientists and astronomers to study the asteroid's characteristics and behavior up close.

Asteroid (415029) 2011 UL21

The larger of the two asteroids, (415029) 2011 UL21, measures 2310 meters across, making it larger than 99% of all known NEOs. On June 27, it will pass Earth at a distance more than 17 times that of the Moon. Despite its considerable size, there is no risk of collision with Earth.

This asteroid's immense size means that if it were on a collision course with Earth, the consequences would be catastrophic, causing global climate changes and mass extinctions similar to the events that likely led to the demise of the dinosaurs.

Asteroid 2011 UL21 has an orbit around the Sun that is steeply inclined compared to most large objects in the Solar System. This unusual orbit could be the result of gravitational interactions with Jupiter, which can deflect asteroids inward toward Earth.

Understanding these gravitational influences is crucial for predicting and mitigating potential asteroid threats. Scientists study these orbital patterns to better understand the dynamics of asteroid movements and to develop more accurate models for future predictions.

The Significance of Asteroid Day

Asteroid Day, observed on June 30 each year, commemorates the anniversary of the 1908 Tunguska event, the largest observed asteroid impact in recorded history. This event, which flattened approximately 80 million trees over 2,150 square kilometers in Siberia, serves as a stark reminder of the potential devastation an asteroid impact could cause. The Tunguska event's timing was a fortunate near-miss for humanity, as it occurred in a sparsely populated area rather than over a major city.

Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist and famed musician Dr. Brian May, among others, and is endorsed by the United Nations. The day aims to raise public awareness about the risks of asteroid impacts and to promote the importance of monitoring and studying NEOs. Activities on Asteroid Day include educational programs, public talks, and special observatory sessions designed to engage the public and inspire interest in planetary defense.

Enhancing Detection and Defense

The European Space Agency (ESA) has been at the forefront of planetary defense, coordinating data, information, and expertise to address asteroid hazards. Over the past two decades, ESA has focused on the detection and analysis of potentially hazardous NEOs. There are an estimated 5 million NEOs larger than 20 meters, which is the threshold above which an impact could cause significant damage.

ESA's Hera mission, set to launch later this year, is part of the world’s first test of asteroid deflection. Hera will perform a detailed survey of the asteroid Dimorphos following NASA’s DART mission impact in September 2022. This mission aims to develop a well-understood and repeatable planetary defense technique.

Back on Earth, ESA is developing a network of Flyeye telescopes inspired by insect vision. These telescopes will use their wide field of view to scan the entire sky each night, searching for new potentially hazardous asteroids. Additionally, the future NEOMIR satellite will be positioned between Earth and the Sun to use infrared light to detect asteroids approaching from regions of the sky currently obscured by the Sun’s glare.

ESA’s Planetary Defense Office continues to monitor the sky for potential threats. In May 2024, ESA's fireball camera in Cáceres, Spain, captured a meteor believed to be a small comet fragment. In June 2024, the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona discovered a small asteroid that passed very close to Earth, demonstrating the importance of continuous monitoring.

These advancements in detection and defense are critical for safeguarding our planet from potential asteroid impacts, ensuring a more secure future for Earth. As technology and international cooperation improve, so too does our ability to prevent and mitigate the dangers posed by these celestial objects.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided new insights into this event, initially detected two decades ago by the Spitzer Space Telescope. This discovery sheds light on the dynamic processes of planet formation and the evolution of young star systems.

Initial Observations and Discovery

Nearly 20 years ago, astronomers observed a massive cloud of fine dust particles around Beta Pictoris, a star system known for its youth and vibrancy. The dust cloud was initially detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope, which captured infrared emissions from the particles. At the time, these observations were crucial in understanding the early stages of planetary formation in such systems.

Fast forward to recent observations by JWST, scientists noticed that the once prominent dust cloud had mysteriously vanished. This unexpected finding prompted further investigation, leading to the hypothesis that a violent collision between large asteroids was responsible for creating the dust cloud.

Christine Chen, an astronomer at Johns Hopkins University, explained, "Beta Pictoris is at an age when planet formation in the terrestrial planet zone is still ongoing through giant asteroid collisions, so what we could be seeing here is basically how rocky planets and other bodies are forming in real time."

The Role of JWST and Spitzer in the Discovery

Using new data from JWST, scientists detected significant changes in the energy signatures emitted by the remaining dust grains around Beta Pictoris. By comparing these observations to the older data from Spitzer, they concluded that a cataclysmic collision between large asteroids occurred approximately 20 years ago.

This collision fragmented the celestial bodies into fine dust particles, smaller than powdered sugar, which subsequently dispersed. The dust likely cooled off as it moved away from the star, hence it no longer emitted the same thermal features first observed by Spitzer. This cooling and dispersal process is crucial for understanding the life cycle of dust in young planetary systems.

Co-author Cicero Lu highlighted, "Most discoveries by JWST come from things the telescope has detected directly. In this case, the story is a little different because our results come from what JWST did not see."

Implications for Planet Formation

The Beta Pictoris system is relatively young, around 20 million years old, making it an ideal candidate for studying the early stages of planetary formation. During their early years, star systems are more volatile as terrestrial planets form through giant asteroid collisions.

The dust cloud observed was 100,000 times larger than the asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth, suggesting a collision involving an asteroid the size of Vesta, which is 329 miles (530 kilometers) in diameter. This event provides a rare and valuable glimpse into how rocky planets and other celestial bodies form in real time.

The scale and impact of such collisions are pivotal for understanding planetary system evolution. Kadin Worthen, a doctoral student in astrophysics at Johns Hopkins, noted, "The question we are trying to contextualize is whether this whole process of terrestrial and giant planet formation is common or rare, and the even more basic question: Are planetary systems like the solar system that rare?"

This groundbreaking method, known as the rotating-drift-scan (RDS) charge-coupled device (CCD) technique, significantly enhances the accuracy of observing rapidly moving asteroids, thus improving the precision of their orbit determination. The successful implementation of this technique is a testament to the power of international collaboration in addressing global challenges such as planetary defense.

The Threat of Near-Earth Asteroids

Near-Earth asteroids are celestial bodies whose orbits bring them into close proximity with Earth. These asteroids pose a significant threat due to the potential for catastrophic impacts, which could have devastating consequences for the planet.

Accurate monitoring and precise orbit determination of NEAs are crucial for assessing the risk of potential collisions and for devising strategies to prevent such events. Traditional observation methods often result in streaked images when capturing fast-moving objects, thereby reducing the accuracy of positional measurements. This limitation underscores the importance of developing new techniques that can provide clearer, more precise data.

The potential impact of an asteroid on Earth could result in severe damage, including massive loss of life, environmental destruction, and long-term climatic changes.

Historical events, such as the impact that contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs, highlight the importance of monitoring and mitigating asteroid threats. As human civilization becomes more advanced and dependent on technological infrastructure, the ability to predict and prevent such catastrophic events becomes increasingly critical. This is where the collaboration between Chinese and Ukrainian astronomers has made significant strides.

Innovative Observation Technique

The rotating-drift-scan (RDS) CCD technique, pioneered by researchers from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Mykolaiv Astronomical Observatory, addresses the challenges posed by traditional observation methods.

This technique allows asteroids to be imaged as point sources even during long exposure times, effectively eliminating the streaking that typically occurs with rapidly moving objects. The RDS CCD technique involves synchronizing the telescope's movement with the asteroid's trajectory, effectively freezing the asteroid's motion and resulting in clearer, more accurate images.

This innovation is particularly important for NEAs, whose swift movements across the sky can otherwise complicate precise measurements.

The research team utilized this technique to analyze over 11,000 positional measurements of nearly 500 NEAs. These observations were captured by two 50-centimeter telescopes located in Xi'an, China, and Mykolaiv, Ukraine, over several years. The extensive dataset collected through this method has significantly contributed to the precise orbit determination of these asteroids.

By obtaining more accurate positional data, scientists can better predict the future paths of NEAs and assess their potential threat to Earth. This precision is crucial for early warning systems and for planning potential deflection missions to prevent collisions.

China and Ukraine's Role in Enhancing Global Monitoring Systems

The success of the RDS CCD technique demonstrates its potential to be integrated into a global network of small-aperture telescopes. This integration could greatly enhance the international NEA monitoring system, providing a more robust framework for detecting and tracking asteroids that pose a potential threat to Earth.

By improving the accuracy of asteroid observations, this technique helps ensure that timely and effective measures can be taken to mitigate the risks of asteroid impacts. Such a network would allow for continuous monitoring of the skies, increasing the likelihood of early detection of hazardous asteroids.

The international collaboration between Chinese and Ukrainian astronomers highlights the importance of shared scientific efforts in tackling global challenges. By pooling resources and expertise, countries can develop more effective solutions to common threats.

The implementation of the RDS CCD technique in a global monitoring system would represent a significant advancement in planetary defense, providing a model for future collaborative efforts. The ability to quickly and accurately identify potential asteroid threats would allow for more time to develop and implement strategies to protect Earth.

Publication and Future Prospects

The findings from this collaborative effort were published in the Astronomical Journal, highlighting the significant advancements in asteroid monitoring technology. The study underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing global threats and showcases the innovative solutions that can emerge from such collaborations.

The publication of these findings in a reputable scientific journal ensures that the knowledge gained from this research is accessible to the global scientific community, encouraging further study and development in this field.

Moving forward, the research team plans to continue refining the RDS CCD technique and exploring its applications in other areas of astronomical observation. The successful development and implementation of this technology mark a pivotal step in safeguarding Earth from potential asteroid impacts and enhancing our understanding of near-Earth objects.

Future research will likely focus on optimizing the technique for different types of telescopes and expanding its use to other astronomical phenomena. The continuous improvement of this method will enhance its utility and effectiveness in various observational contexts.

By leveraging advanced observational techniques and fostering international collaboration, scientists are better equipped to tackle the challenges posed by near-Earth asteroids.

The work of the China-Ukraine research team represents a significant contribution to planetary defense and sets the stage for further innovations in the field of asteroid monitoring. As more countries recognize the importance of monitoring and mitigating asteroid threats, the development of global networks and collaborative research initiatives will become increasingly important.

Jupiter: Earth's celestial shield

The AI tool developed by the research group was meticulously trained with vast amounts of sky imagery, allowing it to classify over a billion points of light and pinpoint thousands of asteroids. Many of these are located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but others are in orbit around Jupiter itself. This highlights Jupiter's role not just as a massive planet, but as a protective barrier that helps prevent more errant space rocks from threatening Earth.

Recounting the past: The dinosaur extinction

The mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, is a stark reminder of the devastation that can be wrought by asteroid impacts. About 75% of Earth's species vanished after a massive asteroid struck the Gulf of Mexico, creating the Chicxulub crater. This historical event underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and research in planetary defense.

The DART mission: Testing asteroid deflection

In an unprecedented test of human ingenuity and proactive defense, the DART mission in September 2022 successfully altered the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos. By colliding a spacecraft into Dimorphos at high speed, scientists were able to shorten its orbit by 33 minutes, proving that it's possible to change the course of an asteroid. This mission represents a critical step toward developing the capabilities necessary to protect Earth from potential asteroid threats.

Enhancing future asteroid detection

The advancement in AI and the anticipated operational start of the Vera Rubin Telescope next year promise to revolutionize our ability to detect and monitor asteroids. The more asteroids we can identify and track, the better prepared we will be to enact measures like the DART mission if and when necessary. This ongoing commitment to planetary defense signifies a crucial strategy in safeguarding our planet from the unseen dangers of space.

https://b612foundation.org/asteroid-institute-and-google-cloud-identify-27500-new-asteroids/

Today’s stories from our amazing Universe include Predicting ‘Earth-like’ planets around red dwarf stars to What an advanced alien civilization can  teach us about survival to Why Gravity is the biggest challenge to physicists, and much more.

How reality is shaped by the speed of light--“You are trapped in time. You never live in the world as it is but only as you experience it as it was,” reports Adam Frank for Big Think. “When you look at a picture of a galaxy that is 75 million light-years away, you are seeing that galaxy at a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. What you perceive as “now” is really layer after layer of light reaching your eye from many different moments in the past.

Predicting ‘Earth-like’ planets around red dwarfs, reports Nature.com –“The Earth is a rocky planet in the so-called classical habitable zone (HZ), with a surface ocean taking up just ~10–4 of its total mass. A study suggests that 5–10% of Earth-sized planets in the HZ around red dwarfs are ‘Earth-like’: rocky, with a small but non-zero amount of water on their surface.”

The Case of the “Missing Exoplanets”, reports Matt Williams for Universe Today. “The number of confirmed exoplanets stands at 5,197 in 3,888 planetary systems, with another 8,992 candidates awaiting confirmation. The majority have been particularly massive planets, ranging from Jupiter and Neptune-sized gas giants, which have radii about 2.5 times that of Earth. Another statistically significant population has been rocky planets that measure about 1.4 Earth radii(“Super-Earths”).

Inside a controversial new idea about consciousness–We are still struggling to account for consciousness. A new hypothesis by psychologist Nicholas Humphrey challenges the basis of the discussion and argues sentience isn’t what we think, reports New Scientist.

If an advanced alien civilization exists, what can they teach us about survival? asks Big Think. “How would it change us to make contact with an intelligent species from elsewhere in the Universe? For one, it would refocus the human tribe, bringing an accelerated and much needed sense of unity to our species. If intelligent aliens survived for millions of years, what are their secrets? By imagining that they do exist, we can plot our own path for survival. 

How to Prepare for Alien First Contact–If a verified signal came tomorrow—”Astrobiologist Dr. Nathalie Cabrol pointed out in her paper Alien Mindscapes—A Perspective on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Opens in a new window), “powerful evidence that our solar system is not an exception but simply one out of countless others in the universe.” So we’re not (totally) unique. But is there life out there as we know it? And does it know we’re here?”

The Most Important Discovery of 2022 Is Our Best Bet at Finding Extraterrestrial Life--Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, our view of the universe includes evidence of amazing phenomena, including water on an exoplanet, reports Popular Mechanics.

How an Astrophysicist Spends Her Sundays–Jackie Faherty is a people person, but the sky is a “familiar and safe friend,” too, reports The New York Times. “Jackie Faherty knew she wanted to be an astronomer after she saw “Contact,” the 1997 movie based on the novel by the uber-famous astronomer Carl Sagan. “I walked into the theater my freshman year at Notre Dame one person, and walked out a different person,” she said.

Harvard Astrophysicists Confirm Existing Theories of Composition, Expansion of the Universe, reports The Harvard Crimson. ““We’ve essentially doubled our ability to constrain dark energy and the acceleration of the universe compared to the next best analysis of this kind.”

We tested Einstein’s theory of gravity on the scale of the universe – here’s what we found, reports The Conversation. “Everything in the universe has gravity – and feels it too. Yet this most common of all fundamental forces is also the one that presents the biggest challenges to physicists. Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity has been remarkably successful in describing the gravity of stars and planets, but it doesn’t seem to apply perfectly on all scales.”

What would actually happen if we discovered a message from an alien planet? reports Stuart Clark for BBC Science Focus. “I’m optimistic. I’m quite certain that there’s no point in sending a signal that you don’t want to be understood. So it’ll be understandable,” says Sheri Wells-Jensen, associate professor of linguistics at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, and a board member of the Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) organization.

Earth’s Oldest Stromatolites And The Search For Life On Mars, reports Astrobiology.com –“An article released Friday in the Geological Society of America journal Geology uses a range of advanced two- and three-dimensional analytical techniques to establish the biological origins of Earth’s oldest stromatolites from the 3.48-billion-year-old Dresser Formation, Pilbara, Western Australia.”

‘Overweight’ neutron star defies a black hole theory, say astronomers, reports The Guardian. “Gamma-ray burst from colliding stars unexpectedly gave way to day-long sight of hypermassive body.”

Body found in Chilean desert after search for missing UK astronomer–Prof Tom Marsh, 60, who had been missing since 16 September, described as ‘inspirational academic and mentor’, reports The Guardian. In a statement, Warwick University said no formal identification of the body has yet been made.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

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This weekend’s stories include The Universe Is Not Locally Real to Largest Asteroid to Hit Earth was Twice as Big as the Rock that Killed off the Dinosaurs to Dormant Bacterial Cells Might Help Us Wake Up Extraterrestrial Life, and much more.

The Universe Is Not Locally Real, and the Physics Nobel Prize Winners Proved It, reports Scientific American. Elegant experiments with entangled light have laid bare a profound mystery at the heart of reality. “the evidence shows objects are not influenced solely by their surroundings and they may also lack definite properties prior to measurement. As Albert Einstein famously bemoaned to a friend, “Do you really believe the moon is not there when you are not looking at it?”

A Black Hole’s Orbiting Ring of Light Could Encrypt Its Inner Secrets–Physicists have discovered that the ring of photons orbiting a black hole exhibits a special kind of symmetry, hinting at a deeper meaning, reports Thomas Lewton for Quanta.com. “The photon ring, which glows orange in this visualization of light flowing around a black hole, contains a succession of images of the entire universe.”

Eerie Implications of Hawking Points –“Corpses of Black Holes from Before the Big Bang”

We May Finally Have Evidence of The First Stars in The Universe, reports Science Alert. “The very first stars might have appeared when the Universe was only 100 million years old, or less than 1 percent of its current age. Since then, the rapid expansion of space has stretched their light into oblivion, leaving us to seek clues about their existence in cosmic sources closer to home.”

Largest asteroid ever to hit Earth was twice as big as the rock that killed off the dinosaurs, reports Harry Baker for Live Science. “The destructive space rock was somewhere between 12.4 and 15.5 miles wide.”

The Chicxulub Impact -Did an ‘Impossible’ Magnitude-12 Earthquake Change Our World?

Did extraterrestrials visit ancient Sumer?, asks Big Think. “Astrophysicist Carl Sagan considered the possibility that ancient humans may have recorded visitations from extraterrestrials. One account from ancient Sumer, of the fish-like creature Oannes,” deserves more careful study,” he wrote.

The Political Repercussions Of Detecting Alien Intelligence, reports IFL Science. “In 2020, a paper by Kenneth Wisian and John Traphagan suggested that a risk existed regarding a SETI detection that had not been previously investigated enough. Wisian and Traphagen argued that the danger of discovery was not from the aliens but that the real or perceived advantage of having access to this message would lead to Earthly issues such as espionage, escalating conflicts between nations, and could even end up in all-out war.”

“Coming Attractions” –Alien Intelligence as Physics

Quantum physics forces us to make really weird choices. Einstein always loses in the quantum realm, reports Big Think. “Reality really is “spooky,” as Einstein feared. But what is that spookiness telling us? No one really knows. Every interpretation of quantum mechanics is forced to accept something about reality that seems really, really weird. “

The Thinking Undead: How Dormant Bacteria Calculate Their Return to Life, reports UC San Diego. Unexpected activity in dormant bacterial cells offers lessons for understanding life in extreme states on Earth and perhaps other planets. “When conditions become favorable, spores that may have been dormant for years can wake up in minutes and spring back to life.

These Undead Bacterial Cells Might Help Us Wake Up Extraterrestrial Life, reports The Daily Beast. “Dormant spores can exist for thousands of years and “count” without using any energy.”

A physicist explains the science of Einstein’s ‘spooky action at a distance’, reports The Conversation. “The 2022 Nobel Prize in physics recognized three scientists who made groundbreaking contributions in understanding one of the most mysterious of all natural phenomena: quantum entanglement.”

Chinese scientists call for plan to destroy Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites, reports Ben Turner for Live Science. “Chinese military researchers say Starlink could threaten China’s national security.”

“New Inflation” and the Many Worlds of the Multiverse

Why the multiverse is the movie fantasy for our times –Highly-disputed quantum physics theories rarely receive airtime. But the idea that multiple, even infinite, universes co-exist has taken hold in movie theaters everywhere, reports CNN.

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The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

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Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

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Today’s stories include Earth’s Crust Grew Faster when Our Planet Passed through the Milky Way’s Spiral Arms, to Death from the Clouds–The Hunt for Big Hail, to Do the Past, Present, and Future Exist All at Once? and much more.

Aliens, SETI, and the legacy of Frank Drake: 1930-2022 –Remembering Frank Drake, who transformed the search for alien life and extraterrestrial intelligence into a full-fledged scientific endeavor, reports Big Think.

How mammals won the dinosaurs’ world, reports BBC Future. “Sixty-six million years ago, our distant ancestors lived through perhaps the most violent event in Earth’s history. How did a band of small, insignificant mammals scuffling in the shadows survive the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs?”

“Death from the Clouds” –The Hunt for Big Hail. Hailstones of record size are falling left and right, and hailstorm damage is growing. But there is surprisingly little research to explain why, reports the New York Times. “The hailstone Mr. Scott collected in 2010, which measured eight inches across and weighed nearly two pounds, was no longer the largest ever recorded. Some people in Canada had found a bigger one, the clerk said.  On Wednesday, a hailstorm killed a toddler in the Catalonia region of Spain.”

Our universe has antimatter partner on the other side of the Big Bang, say physicists. “Our universe could be the mirror image of an antimatter universe extending backwards in time before the Big Bang. So claim physicists in Canada, who have devised a new cosmological model positing the existence of an “antiuniverse” which, paired to our own, preserves a fundamental rule of physics called CPT symmetry.”

Time: Do the past, present, and future exist all at once? –The concept is so complex that scientists still argue whether it exists or if it is an illusion, reports Big Think. “In this video, astrophysicist Michelle Thaller, science educator Bill Nye, author James Gleick, and neuroscientist Dean Buonomano discuss how the human brain perceives of the passage of time, the idea in theoretical physics of time as a fourth dimension, and the theory that space and time are interwoven.”

Earth’s crust grew faster when our planet passed through the Milky Way’s spiral arms, study suggests, reports Physics World. “The rate at which Earth’s continental crust builds up goes through cycles, peaking around every 200 million years when the solar system travels through one of the Milky Way’s spiral arms.”

JWST has spotted sandy clouds on a distant alien world –Brown dwarfs are too massive to be a planet but not large enough to be a star, giving them features of both. Now, astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found clouds on one of these cosmic objects, reports New Scientist.

The messages that survived civilization’s collapse, reports BBC Future. “The Sumerians, Maya and other ancient cultures created texts that have lasted hundreds and even thousands of years. Here’s what they can teach us about crafting an immortal message.”

The Curious Hole in My Head–Born without my left temporal lobe, a brain region thought to be critical for language, I’ve been a research subject for much of my life, writes Helen Santoro for The New York Times.

Fighting flat-Earth theory –Physicists will find it shocking, but there are plenty of people around the world who genuinely believe the Earth is flat. Rachel Brazil explores why such views are increasingly taking hold and how the physics community should best respond, reports Physics World.

A Long-Lost Branch of the Nile Helped in Building Egypt’s Pyramids –“Ancient architects somehow transported 2.3 million limestone and granite blocks, each weighing an average of more than two tons, across miles of desert from the banks of the Nile to the pyramid site on the Giza Plateau.” A new study confirms a long-held theory that builders used the river to transport the heavy blocks that make up the ancient wonders, reports  Jack Tamisiea for the New York Times. 

The stunning space phenomenon ‘diamond rain’ may be more common than once thought, reports Interesting Engineering. Diamonds are forever, but they might not be that rare. “Scientists have used common plastic to recreate the process that leads to diamond rain on Uranus and Neptune in the lab. They found that it is likely diamonds actually form in these planets’ atmospheres.”

An A.I.-Generated Picture Won an Art Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy. –“I won, and I didn’t break any rules,” the artwork’s creator says, reports the New York Times. “Jason M. Allen of Pueblo West, Colo., didn’t make his entry with a brush or a lump of clay. He created it with Midjourney, an artificial intelligence program that turns lines of text into hyper-realistic graphics.”

Stressed out about climate change? 4 ways to tackle both the feelings and the issues, reports NPR. “Climate change has caused more intense wildfires, heat waves, floods and hurricanes, lengthened allergy seasons and inflicted other forms of tangible harm. But an oft-overlooked consequence — one that warrants urgent attention and creative problem-solving — is worsening mental health.”

The Amazon rainforest has already reached a crucial tipping point –About 26 per cent of the Amazon rainforest has already been lost or badly degraded and without intervention the rest could transform into savannah, reports New Scientist.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy editorial staff.

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories include Extraterrestrial Life –Is Earth the ‘Standard Model’ for the Universe? to The Radio-Wave Mystery That Changed Astronomy to NASA’s UFO Study Isn’t Really Looking for Space Aliens, and much more.

Is dark matter real? Astronomy’s multi-decade mystery –The key problem with the dark matter hypothesis is that nobody knows what form dark matter might take, reports Don Lincoln for Big Think. “Despite recent advances in astrophysics and astronomy, scientists still don’t understand exactly how galaxies can exist. The most common explanation for this observational conundrum is a so-far undiscovered form of matter: dark matter.  Still, dark matter has yet to be directly observed by scientists.”

Extraterrestrial Life –Is Earth the ‘Standard Model’ for the Universe? asks The Daily Galaxy. “By the end of this century, says astrophysicist Martin Rees, we should be able to ask whether or not we live in a multiverse, and how much variety of the laws of physics its constituent ‘universes’ display. The answer to this question, says Rees, “will determine how we should interpret the ‘biofriendly’ universe in which we live (sharing it with any aliens with whom we might one day make contact).”

Underwater snow gives clues about Europa’s habitability, reports the University of Texas at Austin–“The underwater snow is much purer than other kinds of ice, which means Europa’s ice shell could be much less salty than previously thought. That’s important for mission scientists preparing NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will use radar to peek beneath the ice shell to see if Europa’s ocean could be hospitable to life.”

The Radio Wave Mystery That Changed Astronomy, reports NPR Short Wave program.. “Pulsar is an abbreviation for pulsating radio star. I’m Jocelyn Bell Burnell. I discovered the first pulsar in 1967 and the second one and the third and fourth in 1968. Today on the show, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s story – how her astronomical discovery revolutionized an entire field of science.

NASA’s UFO Study Isn’t Really Looking for Space Aliens –A new investigation of unidentified aerial phenomena could have bigger impacts on atmospheric science than on astrobiology, reports Sarah Scoles for Scientific American.

Has a Superintellect Tweaked Our Universes’ Physics? asks Mind Matters. “Philosopher Steve Meyer talks about the significance of Francis Crick’s sequence hypothesis that showed that DNA is a language of life. What sort of speaker can utter a language that produces living beings? Is it a fluctuation of a multiverse or an intelligence that underlies nature?”

The Seven most terrifying things in space–From megacomets to rogue black holes, these formidable phenomena make the universe a truly dangerous place, reports Jamie Carter for Live Science. 

Do Ultra-Massive Black Holes Threaten Their Host Galaxies? asks The Daily Galaxy. “We do know that black holes are extraordinary phenomena,” said Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo, professor in the Department of Physics at Université de Montréal about the ultra-massive behemoths lurking at most galaxy centers. “So it’s no surprise that the most extreme specimens defy the rules that we have established up until now.”

How our ancestors survived the doomsday asteroid, reports BBC Future –“How did a band of small, insignificant mammals scuffling in the shadows survive the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs?”

Massive Black Holes Existed Before the First Stars of the Universe, reports The Daily Galaxy. “Supermassive black holes formed very, very quickly in the early Universe over very, very short periods of time and then suddenly, they stop.”

Physicists work out how many moons Earth could have -Simulations suggest that Earth could theoretically host two more moons the size of the one we’ve got now, or several smaller moons, reports New Scientist.

Hubble Space Telescope Spies a Scintillating Globular Cluster, reports ScTechDaily. “This mage, which was captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys, showcases the globular cluster NGC 6540 in the constellation Sagittarius 

We were wrong: all stars don’t have planets, after all–Unless you have a critical mass of heavy elements when your star first forms, planets, including rocky ones, are practically impossible, reports Big Think.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories include Scientists are Unraveling the Mystery of Time to Gladiators were the Superstars of the Roman Empire to Scientists Discover ‘Uncontaminated Extraterrestrial Materials’ in an Ancient Asteroid Sample, and much more.

‘There are 80 trillion people yet to come. They need us to start protecting them’, reports philosopher William MacAskill for The Guardian. “MacAskill is a proponent of what’s known as longtermism – the view that the deep future is something we have to address now. How long we last as a species and what kind of state of wellbeing we achieve, says MacAskill, may have a lot to do with what decisions we make and actions we take at the moment and in the foreseeable future. That, in a nutshell, is the thesis of his new book, What We Owe the Future: A Million-Year View. 

This logarithmic view of the Universe will blow your mind, reports Big Think. As we look to larger cosmic scales, we get a broader view of the expansive cosmic forest, eventually revealing the grandest views of all. “Rather than a linear scale, which would take several quintillions of Earths lined end-to-end to reach the limits of the observable Universe, a logarithmic scale holds far more cosmic insights to an onlooker.”

The messages that survived civilization’s collapse–“The Sumerians, Maya and other ancient cultures created texts that have lasted hundreds and even thousands of years. Here’s what they can teach us about crafting an immortal message,” reports BBC Future.

Scientists Discover ‘Uncontaminated Extraterrestrial Materials’ In Ancient Asteroid Sample, reports Vice Science. “Samples from the potentially hazardous asteroid Ryugu contain never-before-seen features that contain important clues about the evolution of the solar system and the origin of life on Earth.” 

Mystery crater potentially caused by relative of dinosaur-killing asteroid reports Uisdean Nicholson, Sean Gulick and Veronica Bray for The Conversation. “Intriguingly, the crater, named “Nadir” after the nearby volcano Nadir Seamount, is of the same age as the Chicxulub impact caused by a huge asteroid at the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago, which wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species.”

Asteroid Bigger than Pyramid Set for Closest Approach to Earth for a Century, reports Newsweek.”The asteroid, named 2019 AV13, is estimated to measure between around 330 feet and 750 feet in diameter—making it about the size of the 455-foot Great Pyramid.”

Planta Sapiens –extraterrestrials in the garden. “A mind-expanding exploration of botanical intelligence argues that plants can remember, learn and even plan ahead, reports The Guardian about Paco Calvo’s remarkable book, the result of “two decades of passionate exploration into a rich and alternate world that exists alongside our own” – the world of plants. The subject of his exploration is startlingly radical: the question of whether plants can be regarded as possessing intelligence.”

Scientists are unraveling the mystery of the arrow of time reports the CUNY Graduate Center Initiative for the Theoretical Sciences (ITS)–“The flow of time from the past to the future is a central feature of how we experience the world. But precisely how this phenomenon, known as the arrow of time, arises from the microscopic interactions among particles and cells is a mystery.”

Scientists Discover New Trigger for Mass Extinction of All Deep Ocean Life. The movement of continents over millions of years plays a surprising role in the survival of marine life, reports Becky Ferreira for Vice Science.

Wave created by Tonga volcano eruption reached 90 meters – nine times taller than 2011 Japan tsunami–New research reveals more about the magnitude of January eruption, as researchers call for better preparedness, reports the University of Bath. 

A New Cold War Could Slow the Advance of Science, reports Michael Riordan for the New York Times.  Dr. Riordan is a physicist who writes about science, technology and public policy. He is the author of “The Hunting of the Quark” and a co-author of “Tunnel Visions: The Rise and Fall of the Superconducting Super Collider.”

Gladiators were the superstars of the Roman Empire -More than mindless bloodshed, the gladiatorial games were organized sports. Gladiators were treated as world-class athletes, receiving superior diets and medical care, reports Big Think.

Electric Fish Genomes Reveal How Evolution Repeats Itself, reports Joanna Thompson for Quanta. By studying how electric organs arose in different lineages of fish, scientists gain new insights into a long-standing question of evolutionary biology. “When several species share an ability as unusual as generating electricity, it’s because they’re closely related. But the electric fish in the rivers of South America and Africa span six distinct taxonomic groups, and there are three other marine lineages of electric fish beyond them.”

NASA Studies Find Previously Unknown Loss of Antarctic Ice. “The greatest uncertainty in forecasting global sea level rise is how Antarctica’s ice loss will accelerate as the climate warms. Two studies published Aug. 10 and led by researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California reveal unexpected new data about how the Antarctic Ice Sheet has been losing mass in recent decades.”

The metaverse isn’t here yet, but it already has a long history, reports The Conversation. “The contemporary metaverse is overwhelmingly owned and developed by corporations whose profit models demand focus on the Next Big Thing. This typically sidelines history – with massive financial and social implications. At its core, the metaverse is defined by the concept of the virtual world.”

How ‘living architecture’ could help the world avoid a soul-deadening digital future, reports Tim Gorichanaz for The Conversation. “Over the past 60 years, the architectural theorist Christopher Alexander who died in March 2022 at age 85, developed a theory of design that has made inroads in architecture. Translated to the technology field, this theory can provide the principles and process for creating technologies that unlock people’s humanity rather than suppress it.”

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Ancient source of oxygen for life discovered hidden deep in the Earth’s crust to A biochemist’s view of life’s origin reframes cancer and aging, and much more.

Ancient source of oxygen for life hidden deep in the Earth’s crust, reports Newcastle University. “Scientists at Newcastle University have uncovered a source of oxygen that may have influenced the evolution of life before the advent of photosynthesis.”

A Biochemist’s View of Life’s Origin Reframes Cancer and Aging, reports Quanta. –“The biochemist Nick Lane,  a professor of evolutionary biochemistry at University College London, thinks life first evolved in hydrothermal vents where precursors of metabolism appeared before genetic information. What if life arose in a geological environment where electrochemical gradients across tiny barriers occurred naturally, supporting a primitive form of metabolism while cells as we know them evolved?” His ideas could lead us to think differently about aging and cancer. See the Nick Lane video below.

Salt Might Be the Key to Extraterrestrial Life, reports SciTech Daily. ” Purdue University researchers led by Stephanie Olson, assistant professor of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, have discovered that the presence of salt in seawater can also have a significant impact on the habitability of Earth and other planets.”

Newly Discovered Super-Earth ‘Ross 508b’, Located Just 37 Light-Years Away, May Possess Potential to Support Life, reports Weather.com. “Tthis ‘super-Earth’ is a rocky world with a mass around four times that of our Earth. And a year on Ross 508b lasts for just 11 Earth-days! This, of course, means that its orbit is not very large — which is understandable because red dwarfs are a lot smaller than the Sun that centers our solar system

A.I. Is Not Sentient. Why Do People Say It Is? “Robots can’t think or feel, despite what the researchers who build them want to believe,” reports  Cade Metz for New York Times Technology.

The Human Brain Did Not Shrink 3,000 Years Ago –In new paper, UNLV-led anthropology team balks at a widely held belief that modern humans experienced an evolutionary decrease in brain size. 

This Robot Dog Has an AI Brain and Taught Itself to Walk in Just an Hour, reports Singularity Hub.

When the Surgeon Was an Uneducated Barber–-A medical student confronts the history of surgery, reports Michael Denham for Nautilus.

NASA on UFOs –In the three decades since the discovery of the first exoplanets, science has gradually been overtaking science fiction. As noted recently at Scientific American, thinking about UFOs is no longer presumptive evidence of membership in the lunatic fringe, reports Mind Matters.

Earth broke the record for the shortest day since atomic clocks were invented, reports Megan Marples for CNN. “The atomic clock is a standardized unit of measurement that has been used since the 1950s to tell time and measure the Earth’s rotation, said Dennis McCarthy, retired director of time at the US Naval Observatory.”

An Interstellar Object May Have Struck Earth. Scientists Plan to Search The Ocean, reports Science Alert. “Back in 2014, an object crashed into the ocean just off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Data collected at the time indicated that the meteorite just might be an interstellar object, and if that’s true, then it’s only the third such object known (after ‘Oumuamua and Borisov), and the first known to exist on Earth.”

How the Ocean Sustains Complex Life –Detailed data about a host of physical and chemical forces are shaping a new view of the sea, reports Scientific American.

Scientists Invent a Paper Battery—Just Add Water, reports Scientific American. A new disposable battery is made of paper and other sustainable materials and is activated with a few drops of water

What Science Says About the Exercise Habits That Slow Aging–Want to slow aging? Make your body and brain 10 years younger with these exercise tips, reports Eat This Not That.

Is Earth getting closer to the sun, or farther away? asks Charles Q. Choi for LiveScience. And will this change in distance affect our planet’s climate?

The Guardian view on accelerating global heating: follow the science. “The scientists behind a new database of more than 400 extreme weather attribution studies have performed an essential service. This piece of work, drawing together every study of this type, ought to galvanize a greater sense of urgency around policymaking and campaigning. It spells out the alarming unpredictability as well as the extent of global heating’s consequences.

‘What a Horrible Place This Would Have Been’ –Archaeologists found the remains of 14 soldiers who died in a pivotal Revolutionary War battle — a fresh reminder of the violence of war, reports New York Times Science. “On Oct. 22, 1777, the army repelled a major assault by Hessian forces. Little-known today, the Battle of Red Bank was brief and ferocious, marking one of the worst defeats the Hessians suffered in the war.”

A brief history of Esperanto, the 135-year-old language hated by Hitler and Stalin–Can a shared language promote peace? Some people think so, reports Big Think.

How Darkness Can Illuminate the Insect Apocalypse –Insects may have been evolving to avoid light. So maybe we need to look harder for them, reports Nautilus.

The unexpected evolutionary benefits of celibacy--While becoming a monk is an evolutionary dead end for the individual, celibacy reaps benefits for the group as a whole, reports Big Think. “A new study in Tibet finds that men with monk brothers have more children and more wealth. The authors propose that sending some children into the abbey reduces sibling competition for resources and improves outcomes for the group.”

The Mysterious Dance of the Cricket Embryos--A team of biologists and mathematicians studied hours of video to learn how insects take shape in the egg. The secret is geometry, reports New York Times Science.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories include Why Do Humans Die to The Moon Stole Something From Deep Inside Earth Eons Ago and How is it that  a Nuclear Weapon Never Accidentally Detonated? The Planet Earth Report brings you news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and the future of our planet.Why Do Humans Die? asks the BBC Future. “Certain jellyfish and their relatives offer tantalizing clues as to whether immortality is possible – so why does death become the rest of us?”

The Big Bang didn’t happen –What do the James Webb images really show? reports iAi TV. “The Big Bang Hypothesis – which states the universe has been expanding since it began 14 billion years ago in a hot and dense state – is contradicted by the new James Webb Space Telescope images, writes Eric Lerner. Why do the JWST’s images inspire panic among cosmologists? And what theory’s predictions are they contradicting?”

The Moon Stole Something From Deep Inside Earth Eons Ago, and Scientists Can Prove It, reports Science Alert. “Earth and its Moon are unique in the Solar System. Earth is the only planet with just one moon, and that Moon is pretty influential. In fact, without the Moon, life on Earth may not have emerged, some research suggests.” 

Researchers discover an immense hydrocarbon cycle in the world’s ocean –Hydrocarbons that trace their origin to biological sources may play a large role in ocean ecology, reports the National Science Foundation. 

The language that doesn’t use ‘no’, reports BBC Future– “Nepal’s Kusunda language has no known origin and a number of quirks, like no words for “yes” or “no”. It also has only one fluent speaker left, something linguists are racing to change.”

The power of quiet: The mental and physical health benefits of silence –In an increasingly noisy world, neuroscientists are discovering exactly what kind of silence has the most dramatic impact on your mental health – from flotation tanks to guided meditation – and how much you really need, reports New Scientist.

The Boy Bosses of Silicon Valley Are on Their Way Out--They rode their unicorns to fame and fortune. In a rocky market, it got a little less fun, reports New York Times Technology.

The crab invading the Mediterranean Sea, reports BBC Future. “Almost a thousand alien, or non-native species have been listed in Mediterranean waters. Some of these pests are becoming a surprising source of opportunity.”

Wildlife under stress as dry spell shrinks rivers, reports The BBC. nic species such as the salmon, kingfisher and otter, are of particular concern, according to the Rivers Trust

Interstellar meteorite may be awaiting discovery on the sea floor –A pair of astronomers say that classified US government sensors detected an interstellar meteor hitting Earth in 2014. Now they want to mount a $1.6 million expedition to find fragments of it on the sea floor, reports New Scientist.

How has a nuclear weapon never accidentally detonated? –reports Ross Pomeroy for Big Think. “They’re called “broken arrows“: unexpected events involving nuclear weapons that result in “accidental launching, firing, detonating, theft, or loss.” Ever since nuclear weapons came into existence over 75 years ago, there have been at least 32 such events, yet none has resulted in a calamitous atomic explosion. This begs the simple question: how? Because there certainly have been close calls.”

Ice core taken in Antarctica contains sample of atmosphere from five million years ago, reports Bob Yirka for Phys.org.

Compared with the lightning that is recorded over the continents, only about one-tenth as many strikes occur at sea. One of nature’s most intense spectacles can be tamed with humble sea salt, the same stuff that graces some dinner tables. Researchers recently found that the frequency of lightning decreases by up to 90 percent in the presence of salty sea spray, reports Katherine Cornei for the New York Times.

Giant yellow crustacean in an aquarium turns out to be new species –A new species of creamy-yellow isopod was hiding in plain sight in Japan’s Enoshima Aquarium. It was first found in the Gulf of Mexico and mistaken for another species, reports New Scientist.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from NASA Seeks the Science behind UFOs to The Origins of the Universe may be Hidden in the Voids of Space, and much more.  The Planet Earth Report connects you to headline news on the science, technology, discoveries, people and events changing our planet and the future of the human species.

Does life on Earth have a purpose? –The answer is both disappointing and exciting, reports Marcelo Gleiser for Big Think. “Is the incredible diversity of species a random accident? Or does life on Earth follow a plan of becoming ever more complex? Those who think there is such a plan believe the apex of this process would, of course, be us. The answer is both disappointing and exciting, given that we are the ones asking the question.”

Footprints Discovery Suggests Ancient ‘Ghost Tracks’ May Cover the West–The set of 88 prints is about 12,000 years old, scientists say, and was found in the military’s Utah Test and Training Range, reports The New York Times.

Why We Need to Study Nothing –-The origins of the universe may be hidden in the voids of space, reports Paul Sutter for Nautil.us.

Chinese and US scientists build bridges with cutting-edge Hale telescope project, reports South China MOrning Post. “Work to build an advanced spectrograph – which will help explore distant corners of the universe – is a rare example of cooperation between the two countries”

With New Study, NASA Seeks the Science behind UFOs –Although modest in scope, a NASA research project reflects shifting attitudes toward the formerly taboo subject of UFOs, reports Scientific American.

When Will the Next Supernova in Our Galaxy Occur? –-Scientists have new tools at their disposal to detect and study the dramatic explosion of a star, reports The Smithsonian. “It’s been a long wait—418 years since we’ve seen a star explode in our galaxy. So are we overdue for a bright, nearby supernova?”

Earth is spinning faster than usual and had its shortest day ever, reports CBS News.  “Since 2016 the Earth started to accelerate,” said  Leonid Zotov, who works at works for Lomonosov Moscow State University and recently published a study on what might cause the changes in Earth’s rotation. “This year it rotates quicker than in 2021 and 2020.”

‘Gigantic jet’ lightning is a mystery. These researchers are solving it--The extreme electrical discharges can tower 50 miles above a thunderstorm, reports the Washington Post.

This Map Lets You Plug in Your Address to See How It’s Changed Over the Past 750 Million Years, reports The Smithsonian. “The interactive tool enables users to home in on a specific location and visualize how it has evolved between the Cryogenian Period and the present.”

A China-Taiwan conflict could lead to a catastrophic semiconductor shortage in the world –Taiwan manufactures roughly 50 percent of all the world’s semiconductors, reports Interesting Engineering.

Horror stories of cryonics: The gruesome fates of futurists hoping for immortality–For decades people have arranged to freeze their bodies after death, dreaming of resurrection by advanced future medicine. Many met a fate far grislier than death, reports Big Think.

How the secrets of ancient cuneiform texts are being revealed by AI--“Much of the world’s first writing, carved into clay tablets, remains undeciphered. Now AI is helping us piece together this ancient Mesopotamian script, revealing the incredible stories of men, women and children at the dawn of history,” reports New Scientist.

Hubble’s Future in the Webb Era –-“We believe that we can keep Hubble doing the ground-breaking science it is known for through the latter part of this decade and possibly into the next,” says public affairs officer Claire Andreoli (NASA Goddard).

Citizen future: Why we need a new story of self and society, reports BBC Future. “Are you a ‘subject’, a ‘consumer’… or a ‘citizen’? The authors Jon Alexander and Ariane Conrad argue that our societies need a new narrative, and it starts by ditching the stories sold by authoritarianism and consumerism.”

The Crypto Market Crashed. They’re Still Buying Bitcoin –Hard-core Bitcoin evangelists are making the case that Bitcoin differs from the unstable crypto projects that sent the market into a tailspin, reports The New York Times. Cory Klippsten started issuing warnings about the cryptocurrency market in March. The digital coin Luna, Mr. Klippsten tweeted, was a scam, run by an entrepreneur with “major Elizabeth Holmes vibes.” The newfangled crypto bank Celsius Network was a “massive blowup risk,” he said.

Semiotics of dogs –In all its baroque and sometimes cruelly overbred forms, the dog is a paramount symbol of both human hopes and foibles, reports Aeon. “After millennia of domestication, we gave our pets family trees, and named them as breeds. They acquired an identity reflecting human projection, and symbolized our own increased focus on lineage and breeding. Lady is purebred, Tramp is a mutt.”

New algorithm aces university math course questions –Researchers use machine learning to automatically solve, explain, and generate university-level math problems at a human level, reports MIT News. “a multidisciplinary team of researchers from MIT and elsewhere, led by Iddo Drori, a lecturer in the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), has used a neural network model to solve university-level math problems in a few seconds at a human level.”

North Korea-backed hackers have a clever way to read your Gmail, reports Ars Technica. SHARPEXT has slurped up thousands of emails in the past year and keeps getting better.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from As the Large Hadron Collider Revs Up, Physicists’ Hopes Soar to Four Things Physicists Still Wonder about the Higgs Boson, and much more.

Knowing if you’re awake seems simple. Why has it vexed philosophers for centuries?, asks Aeon.com. “this TED-Ed animation tackles how thinkers from Al-Ghazali in medieval Persia, to René Descartes and Thomas Hobbes in 17th-century France and England, to neuroscientists today have approached the question of whether we can ever truly know we’re awake.”

As the Large Hadron Collider Revs Up, Physicists’ Hopes Soar –The particle collider at CERN will soon restart. “There could be a revolution coming,” scientists say, reports Dennis Overbye for the New York Times Science. “Even before its renovation, the collider had been producing hints that nature could be hiding something spectacular. Mitesh Patel, a particle physicist at Imperial College London who conducts an experiment at CERN, described data from his previous runs as “the most exciting set of results I’ve seen in my professional lifetime.”

Google’s AI Spotlights a Human Cognitive Glitch: Mistaking Fluent Speech for Fluent Thought, reports Singularity Hub. “It is perhaps unsurprising that a former Google engineer recently claimed that Google’s AI system LaMDA has a sense of self because it can eloquently generate text about its purported feelings.”

Mystery Of What Triggered The Last Ice Age May Have Been Solved, reports IFL Science. “Two mysteries have been a head-scratcher for many paleoclimate experts: Where did the last ice age’s ice sheets come from, and how did they grow so fast? A new study published in Nature Geoscience may have solved these mysteries, proposing an explanation. These findings could also be applied to other historic glacial periods.”

A geomagnetic storm hit Earth at a million miles an hour and nobody saw it coming, reports Interesting Engineering. “Solar scientists have been watching the skies with anticipation of solar activity after a sunspot grew enormously earlier last week, and then a huge coronal mass ejection (CME) was spotted on the solar surface. A big solar storm was expected due to the latter, but scientists were not very sure if it was heading towards the Earth. 

Why do tortoises live so long? It’s the shell, reports Big Think. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that cold-blooded animals age slowly, but until now, no one has studied this on a large scale in the wild. Researchers debunked this, finding that some cold-blooded animals (like tortoises) didn’t seem to age at all, whereas others age much quicker than warm-blooded animals. The cold-blooded animals that aged the slowest often had protective traits, such as a shell or poison.”

A longevity diet that hacks cell ageing could add years to your life –-A new diet based on research into the body’s ageing process suggests you can increase your life expectancy by up to 20 years by changing what, when and how much you eat, reports New Scientist.

The story of the Higgs boson defies normal narratives –Finding the Higgs boson is the compelling story behind Elusive: How Peter Higgs solved the mystery of mass. But Frank Close’s book lives up to its title as both the man and his particle ultimately slip through the net, reports New Scientist.

Four things physicists still wonder about the Higgs boson, reports Symmetry Magazine. Does the Higgs boson interact with itself? How does the Higgs couple to other particles? Are there other Higgs particles? and, Is the Higgs connected to dark matter or other unusual particles?

Solve the impossible ‘100 Prisoners Riddle’ that has the internet puzzled. It seems impossible, but it’s actually not, reports Interesting Engineering. First proposed by the Danish computer scientist Peter Bro Miltersen in 2003, it’s a mathematical problem in probability theory and combinatorics that seems completely impossible to solve. 

The haunted city –The city, for all its mechanical speed, artificial light and industrialization, is the most uncanny of human habitats, reports Aeon.com. “Our lives in cities are shaped by invisible hands, body-less voices and an eerie automation of infrastructure. 

Controversy Grows Over Whether Mars Samples Endanger Earth –Planetary scientists are eager to bring Red Planet rocks, soil and even air to Earth, but critics fear the risk of contaminating our world’s biosphere, reports Scientific American.

They Uncover New Fossils, but They Also Bite –Harvester ants in Nebraska unearthed thousands of fossilized teeth and jaw bones, leading scientists to the discovery of 10 new species, reports The New York Times.

Tonga Volcano Blasted Out Pressure Waves “Very Close to The Theoretical Limit” –-The massive eruption from the underwater Tonga volcano in the Pacific earlier this year generated a blast so powerful, it sent massive pressure waves rippling through the atmosphere and around the globe.

After The Largest Extinction Event on Earth, These Animals Were The First to Recover. reports Science Alert. “The Permian–Triassic extinction event, which happened roughly 252 million years ago, is colloquially known as the Great Dying because of the way it obliterated life on Earth – almost ending it completely. It’s the most severe extinction event in history.”

The nation where your ‘faceprint’ is already being tracked, reports BBC Future. “Australia’s unique use of facial recognition technology has caused controversy and stoked privacy fears, but there is a chance that it could become a world leader in regulating its use.”

Earliest Pacific seafarers were matrilocal society, study suggests –DNA analysis of 164 individuals from 2,800 to 300 years ago shows men would move to be with their wives, reports The Guardian.

Ancient ‘bear dog’ found in France named after child-murdering cyclops, reports Jennifer Nalewicki for Live Science. “Researchers have unearthed the jawbone of one of these extinct carnivores in the Pyrenees mountain range in Europe, shedding light on just how deadly bear dogs were, and confirming how widely they were distributed around the world.”

The race to reclaim the dark –“Some 200 places around the world have now achieved Dark Sky status. Frankie Adkins explores the benefits nights without light pollution can bring.”

The mystery of how dinosaurs had sex, reports BBC Future. “The sordid details of how dinosaurs got it on have long eluded scientists. Now there’s a new idea emerging – could their most eccentric features tell us how they did it?”

A huge comet will make its closest approach to Earth in July. Here’s how to watch it live, reports Space.com. One of the farthest active comets ever spotted will make its closest approach to Earth on July 14, and you can catch the action live online.

Whale-Sized Marine Reptiles Once Ruled the Seas –Paleontologists are beginning to learn how and why ichthyosaurs evolved into giants, reports The Smithsonian.

Dogs May Have Evolved From Two Different Wolf Populations –A massive new wolf family tree dating back 100,000 years could help researchers understand where dogs were first domesticated, reports Smithsonianmag.com

Scientific American: The Supreme Court’s Latest Decision Is a Blow to Stopping Climate Change –By deciding in favor of fossil-fuel interests and limited regulatory authority, the Court has hampered the EPA’s ability to mitigate power-plant carbon pollution.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from When did genetic variations that make us human emerge to What human-made structures can be seen from space to Tardigrades could teach us how to handle the rigors of space travel, and much more. The Planet Earth Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

Did Nature Heal During the Pandemic ‘Anthropause’? asks New York Times Science. Covid precautions created a global slowdown in human activity — and an opportunity to learn more about the complex ways we affect other species.

Meet the Giant Sequoia, the ‘Super Tree’ Built to Withstand Fire–Mammoth redwood trees have evolved along with fire, but humans are disrupting that delicate balance, reports Scientific American. “When the Grizzly Giant sprouted from the ground in what is now Yosemite National Park, the Roman Republic was nearly two centuries away from forming, Buddhism would not develop for at least more than a century, and the geoglyphs making up the Nazca Lines of southern Peru would not be etched for around 200 years.”

Tardigrades could teach us how to handle the rigors of space travel –These tiny eight-legged creatures are an inspiration, reports Science News. “No beast on Earth is tougher than the tiny tardigrade. It can survive being frozen at -272° Celsius, being exposed to the vacuum of outer space and even being blasted with 500 times the dose of X-rays that would kill a human.”

What Is Marburg? What You Need To Know About The Deadly Virus Detected In Ghana, reports Forbes. “Ghana confirmed the country’s first outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus on Sunday, placing it and neighboring countries on high alert as experts scramble to contain the highly infectious Ebola-like disease for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.”

Ghana confirms first cases of deadly Marburg virus, reports The BBC. “Ghana has confirmed its first two cases of the deadly Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. It says both patients died recently in hospital in the southern Ashanti region.”

Signals of Extinct Extraterrestrial Civilizations –“Echo Throughout the Milky Way” reports The Daily Galaxy. “A signal reaching Earth could thus be as old as about 90,000 years, that is the time it takes for electromagnetic waves to cover the distance between us and the opposite edge of our galaxy, and this time span becomes even larger if we take into account signals from other galaxies. It is thus not unreasonable to think that, at the time we receive a signal, the emitting civilization no longer exist. 

When Does the Clean-Energy Infinity Loop Start? –Digging up minerals for rechargeable batteries has a high initial cost, but eventually those minerals can be recycled indefinitely, reports The Atlantic Science.

This Pioneering Economist Says Our Obsession With Growth Must End, reports the New York Times. “That possibility — that prioritizing growth is ultimately a losing game — is one that the lauded economist Herman Daly has been exploring for more than 50 years. In so doing, he has developed arguments in favor of a steady-state economy.”

Antarctic bacteria reveal an evolutionary limit to dealing with heat-Some bacteria living in the Southern Ocean can only adapt to temperatures about 2°C above what they usually live in, and other organisms could face similar limits adapting to higher temperatures, reports New Scientist.

Octopus and Human Brains Share the Same “Jumping Genes”, reports SciTechDaily. “According to a new study, the neural and cognitive complexity of the octopus could originate from a molecular analogy with the human brain.”

Connectivity of Language Areas Unique in the Human Brain, reports Neuroscience. Researchers shed new light on how the human brain evolved to be language-ready. Compared to the brains of chimps, the patterns of connections of language areas in the human brain expanded more than was previously thought.

The Human Brain Runs Way Hotter Than We Ever Realized, Scientists Find–“From the engine in your car to the components in your laptop, mechanical systems tend to heat up when they’re working harder. Now new research has revealed that the same can be said of the brain – and it runs hotter than was previously thought,” reports Science Alert. 

Why Do Humans Sleep? Scientists Find Clues for Solving This Age-Old Mystery, reports SciTechDaily. ” This issue has been debated by scientists for hundreds of years, but a recent study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers that was carried out in collaboration with experts from Brown University, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and several other institutions adds new clues for solving this mystery.”

The Mind of a Bee: Can a bee have a form of consciousness? –A radical new book argues that a bee may have a mind of its own, awareness of the world, basic emotions and intelligence. It is a bold and brave claim – but is it true? reports New Scientist.

Why the Arctic Is Warming 4 Times as Fast as the Rest of Earth –The loss of sea ice is exposing darker waters, which absorb more of the sun’s energy. It’s a devastating feedback loop with major consequences for the planet, reports Wired.

What human-made structures can be seen from space? reports Joe Phelan for Live Science. Can astronauts see the Great Wall of China? What about the pyramids? “On a clear day, would someone at the Kármán line be able to see the Great Wall of China or the Great Pyramid of Giza, for example? “

Meet the Woman Who Makes the James Webb Space Telescope Work–Jane Rigby, Webb’s operations project scientist, discusses how NASA plans to wring as much science as possible from the $10-billion observatory, reports Lee Billings for Scientific American..

Earth-like planets in dead star ‘cosmic graveyards’ get stranger, reports Robert Lea for Space.com. The first world found orbiting a pulsar is rarer than previously believed, deepening the mystery of how planets survive around violent dead stars.

The Webb telescope: a source of wonder that is both aesthetic and technological, reports Monica Grady for The Guardian. 

Saturn’s Titan has more oil than Earth, reports Space.com.”Titan has hundreds of times more natural gas and other liquidhydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gas reserves on Earth, scientists say.

When did genetic variations that make us human emerge, reports Mirage. “Two moments in which mutations accumulated: one around 40,000 years ago, associated with the growth of the Homo sapiens population and its departure from Africa, and an older one, more than 100,000 years ago, related to the time of the greatest diversity of types of Homo sapiens in Africa.”

They Couldn’t Believe Their Eyes: The Ocean Was Glowing. –Satellites previously detected a giant bioluminescent bloom in the Java Sea. Researchers found a boat crew that sailed through it, reports New York Times Science.

These 4 Factors Can Explain Why So Many People Are Rejecting Science, reports Science Alert. Distrust of science is a massive problem. In our current environment, it’s directly leading to people’s deaths. Much of the misinformation we face is intentional and organized, and even worse, research has found lies seem to spread faster online and are often stickier than the truth.

Large Hadron Collider ‘Beauty Experiment’ Discovers 3 New Particles –It’s a boom era for discovering new exotic particles that make up our reality, reports Vice Science.

Antarctica bathed in dazzling colors in afterglow of Tonga eruption–Scientists say aerosols thrown into stratosphere in January responsible for volcanic twilight ‘afterglows.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s Fourth-of -July-Holiday stories range from Antarctica’s Only Native Insect Could Be Destined For Extinction to The Surprising Similarity Between The Brains of Humans to Octopuses to 1,000 New Microbes Unknown to Science Found Trapped in Tibetan glaciers, and much more.

Game Changer in the Search for Life –“An innovative scientific instrument developed by University of Hawaii at Mānoa researchers is expected to be a game changer in the search for life — existing or extinct — on Earth and other planets. The instrument, called a Compact Color Biofinder, uses specialized cameras to scan large areas for fluorescence signals of biological materials like amino acids, fossils, sedimentary rocks, plants, microbes, proteins and lipids.”

NASA is right to examine UFOs, writes the Washington Post editorial board. “Senior Pentagon officials in May testified in a historic congressional hearing about their own efforts to track sightings of mysterious flying objects. And the director of national intelligence issued a report last year documenting more than 140 of these perplexing events.”

By Exploring Virtual Worlds, AI Learns in New Ways--Intelligent beings learn by interacting with the world. Artificial intelligence researchers have adopted a similar strategy to teach their virtual agents new skills, reports Quanta.com

Ten years on from the Higgs boson, what is next for physics? –New particles beckon as the Large Hadron Collider returns to life. “I was actually shaking,” said Mitesh Patel, a particle physicist at Imperial College, London, as he describes the moment he saw the results. “I realized this was probably the most exciting thing I’ve done in my 20 years in particle physics.”

Explosion of life on Earth linked to heavy metal act at planet’s center –Formation of solid iron core 550m years ago restored magnetic field and protected surface, reports The Guardian. “At the center of the Earth, a giant sphere of solid iron is slowly swelling. This is the inner core and scientists have recently uncovered intriguing evidence that suggests its birth half a billion years ago may have played a key role in the evolution of life on Earth.”

95% of your behavior is primate behavior –-Frans de Waal studied apes for 50 years – here’s what most people get wrong, reports this Big Think video. “Some of his many important observations center around the evolution of morality and just how much we have in common with the animal kingdom. The idea that animals are always in conflict with one another and competing for resources is “totally wrong,” de Waal says.”

Exclusive: Sir David Attenborough Discusses The Importance Of Plants In First Look At ‘The Green Planet’ Documentary, reports ET Canada. “Yet they are as aggressive, competitive and dramatic as animals — locked in life-and-death struggles for food and light, taking part in fierce battles for territory and desperately trying to reproduce and scatter their young.”

Antarctica’s Only Native Insect Could Be Destined For Extinction as Winters Warm–“Over tens of millions of years, the wingless midge Belgica antarctica has perfected the art of freezing itself to push through the darkest and coldest of Antarctica’s winter months, carving out an exclusive niche as the continent’s only native insect,” reports Mike McCrae for Science Alert.

Life Helps Make Almost Half of Earth’s Minerals –A new origins-based system for classifying minerals reveals the huge geochemical imprint that life has left on Earth. It could help us identify other worlds with life too, reports Joanna Thompson Quanta.com –“The impact of Earth’s geology on life is easy to see, with organisms adapting to environments as different as deserts, mountains, forests and oceans. The full impact of life on geology, however, can be easy to miss.

There’s a Surprising Similarity Between The Brains of Humans And Octopuses–Scientists have already established that octopuses are smarter than your average invertebrate, but a new discovery suggests one of the reasons why: a specific molecular analogy with the human brain,” reports David Nield for Science Alert.

Nearly 1,000 new microbes unknown to science found trapped in Tibetan glaciers –-Release of ‘potentially hazardous bacteria’ could affect China and India, say scientists, reports  The Independent.

Aphelion 2022: Earth will be farthest from the sun on the Fourth of July, reports Daisy Dobrijevic for space.com At aphelion, Earth will be 94.51 million miles (152.1 million kilometers) away from the sun.

Where is Attila the Hun’s tomb? reports Owen Jarus for Live Science. “Attila was leader of the Huns, a non-Christian people who lived on the Great Hungarian Plain and who eventually took over a large swath of Central Europe. Attila was sometimes referred to as “Flagellum Dei” in Latin, which is often translated as “scourge of God” but can also be called “whip of God.” He threatened, but didn’t actually sack Rome and Constantinople.”

A Refreshing Look at Egypt’s Ancient Pyramids –A downpour, a dust storm and an encounter with a lively dig team offered a photographer a new perspective on the country’s celebrated tombs. “Mark Lehner, a renowned Egyptologist, at his dig site in Giza. Dr. Lehner lives in Egypt, and his work in the field spans nearly 40 years. The New York Times.

By Exploring Virtual Worlds, AI Learns in New Ways–Intelligent beings learn by interacting with the world. Artificial intelligence researchers have adopted a similar strategy to teach their virtual agents new skills, reports Allison Whitten for Quanta.com

Perennial philosophy –Aldous Huxley argued that all religions in the world were underpinned by universal beliefs and experiences. Was he right? asks Jules Evans for Aeon.com. What if his philosophy isn’t true?

A Roman-era ‘superhighway’ is disappearing. Italy has a plan to save it. –The Appian Way symbolized the Roman Empire’s might. Now Italy is restoring the ancient road, hoping to create a pilgrimage route through history, reports National Geographic. 

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Microbial Dark Matter – Thousands of Unknown Bacterial Species Discovered in Hawaiian Lava Caves to Scientists Uncover the Largest Asteroid Crater on Earth under 100,000 years old to China Plans to Turn the Moon into an Outpost for Defending Us from Asteroids, and much more.

Ancient Microbial “Dark Matter” – Thousands of Unknown Bacterial Species Discovered in Hawaiian Lava Caves. This research investigates the variety and interactions within these microbial ecosystems, which illustrate how life may have existed on Mars and the early Earth in the past,” reports SciTechDaily.

China plans to turn the moon into an outpost for defending the Earth from asteroids, say scientists–Two optical telescopes would be built on the moon’s south and north poles to survey the sky for threats evading the ground-base early warning network. Test satellites could also help protect China’s national security by having the telescopes and sensors pointed towards the Earth, say researchers,” reported The South China Post.

Ancient Microbes May Help Us Find Alien Life Forms, reports Science. “Scientists have reconstructed what life was like for some of Earth’s earliest organisms by using light-capturing proteins in living microbes. These endeavors could help us recognize signs of alien life on other planets, whose atmospheres may more closely resemble our early, pre-oxygen planet.”

A new genetic analysis explains how penguins lost the ability to fly, headed south, and became excellent swimmers, reports Insider. “Penguins lost their ability to fly before the formation of the polar ice sheets, as getting off the ground took too much effort for birds that were becoming expert swimmers.”

In her short life, mathematician Emmy Noether changed the face of physics –Noether linked two important concepts in physics: conservation laws and symmetries, reports Science News. “It’s been a century since the July 23, 1918, unveiling of Noether’s famous theorem. Yet its importance persists today. ‘That theorem has been a guiding star to 20th and 21st century physics,’ says theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek of MIT.

NASA wants to turn satellites into alien hunters–Asked why the space agency is embarking on such a seemingly ‘fringe’ subject, it said one of its remits is to look for life outside Earth, reports The Telegraph. “Speaking to journalists in London this week, Col Pam Melroy, the deputy administrator of Nasa, said: “This team is going to be looking at questions like: ‘do we have sensors that can see things, you know, take another look at the evidence?’.

Scientists Contemplate Alien Contact (The Daily Galaxy Archive)

Consciousness isn’t just the brain: The body shapes your sense of self–“Electrical signals coming from your heart and other organs influence how you perceive the world, the decisions you take, your sense of who you are and consciousness itself,” reports New Scientist.

Scientists uncover the largest crater on Earth under 100,000 years old. The impact crater is the second discovered in China. “The Yilan crater measures about 1.15 miles (1.85 kilometers) across and likely formed about 46,000 to 53,000 years ago, based on radiocarbon dating of charcoal and organic lake sediments from the site, the NASA statement says. Researchers collected these sediment samples by extracting a drillcore from the center of the crater,” Forbes reported.

The Unsolved Mystery of the Earth Blobs. “In 2019, researchers peering into Earth’s interior found two continent-sized structures that upend our picture of the mantle. Some 2,000 kilometers beneath our feet, there are enormous masses of hot mantle material that have baffled scientists for the last 4 decades. What could their existence mean for us back on Earth’s surface?” asks Eos.

Reaching Closer to Earth’s Core, One Lava Scoop at a Time–A 2021 eruption in Iceland gave researchers rare and illuminating access to the mantle, one of the Earth’s layers, reports The New York Times. “on the first day of the eruption, a helicopter flew out to the site and scooped up a bit of lava. Some samples were distributed to labs, which, after testing, sent back unexpected results: The lava was full of crystals.” Here’s what they revealed.

50 years ago, the dinosaurs’ demise was still a mystery  –Excerpt from the July 22, 1972 issue of Science News. “Dinosaurs might have been endothermic, or warm-blooded…. The combination of large size, endothermy and naked skin may explain the extinction of dinosaurs. About 65 million years ago there was a sharp drop in temperature…. Dinosaurs, lacking skin insulation and too large to burrow underground … could not survive. 

A Tool for Fighting Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Has Been Found Deep in the Desert-– “Scientists believe that organisms that live in tough environments could help combat the urgent and ever-growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are becoming increasingly deadly,” reports Wired.

The Unsolved Mystery Attack on Internet Cables in Paris--As new details about the scope of the sabotage emerge, the perpetrators—and the reason for their vandalism—remain unknown, reports Wired. “On April 27, an unknown individual or group deliberately cut crucial long-distance internet cables across multiple sites near Paris, plunging thousands of people into a connectivity blackout. The vandalism was one of the most significant internet infrastructure attacks in France’s history and highlights the vulnerability of key communications technologies.”

‘Universal language network’ identified in the brain, reports Nicoletta Lanese for Live Science.”Japanese, Italian, Ukrainian, Swahili, Tagalog and dozens of other spoken languages cause the same “universal language network” to light up in the brains of native speakers. This hub of language processing has been studied extensively in English speakers, but now neuroscientists have confirmed that the exact same network is activated in speakers of 45 different languages representing 12 distinct language families.”

Dreaming up new proteins, AI churns out possible medicines and vaccines –” new AI software that can “paint” or “hallucinate” structures for proteins that don’t yet exist in nature. The software has already created original compounds for potential use in industrial reactions, cancer treatment, and even a vaccine candidate aimed at preventing RSV infections,” reports Science.

The world is ‘losing the window’ to contain monkeypox, warns Science.”Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease; thus, another critical step is to greatly reduce transmission of the virus from current rodent reservoirs and to prevent spillovers in areas of the world where monkeypox isn’t endemic. Long-term control of monkeypox will require vaccinating as many as possible of the 327 million people 40 years of age and younger living in the 11 African countries where monkeypox is endemic in an animal (rodent) reservoir.”

Meet Qikiqtania, a fossil fish with the good sense to stay in the water while others ventured onto land, reports Thomas Stewart, Assistant Professor of Biology, Penn State for The Conversation.

Architects Are Copying Nature to Make Low-Carbon Buildings –Plants and animals have adapted to their environments—and some hope biomimicry tools will help humans do the same, reports Wired. “Can a building behave like a forest—by generating its own energy, absorbing naturally available water, and producing no waste?”

Tracing Water Particles Back in Time –Every summer, a low-oxygen pool settles off Canada’s western coast. A new study uses robust modeling to track the origins of the dense water, reports Eos. “

Superfoods of the Future, reports the BBC. “For most people in Europe and the US, the idea of eating crickets and grasshoppers can seem revolting, but they are a popular snack in parts of Africa and Asia. Not only are they packed with nutrients but they are less harmful to the climate too.”

You’re astonishing!–Life can be better appreciated when you remember how wonderfully and frighteningly unlikely it is that you exist at all, reports Aeon.

“Ways of Seeing” –At the start of the first TV episode of Ways of Seeing, John Berger takes a scalpel to Botticelli’s Venus and Mars. The opening beat of the program is the audio of the incision – the blade’s rough abrasion on canvas – before the soundtrack settles into voiceover. ‘This is the first of four programs,’ Berger says, ‘in which I want to question some of the assumptions usually made about the tradition of European painting. That tradition which was born about 1400, died about 1900,’ reports Aeon.

How the ‘Diamond of the Plant World’ Helped Land Plants Evolve--Structural studies of the robust material called sporopollenin reveal how it made plants hardy enough to reproduce on dry land, reports James Dinneen for Quanta.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from  to is the Metaverse Science Fiction or Reality to Seven Spectacular Lessons from Webb’s First Image to the Quantum Theory of Consciousness Put in Doubt, and much more.

Seven spectacular lessons from James Webb’s first deep-field image –Even with only 12.5 hours of exposure time, James Webb’s first deep-field image taught us lessons we’ve never realized before, reports Big Think. “Despite devoting just 1/50th of the time that went into Hubble’s deepest image of the Universe, the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field, JWST has revealed details we’ve never seen before.”

Webb Telescope Reveals a New Vision of an Ancient Universe, reports The New York Times, “The universe was born in darkness 13.8 billion years ago, and even after the first stars and galaxies blazed into existence a few hundred million years later, these too stayed dark. Their brilliant light, stretched by time and the expanding cosmos, dimmed into the infrared, rendering them — and other clues to our beginnings — inaccessible to every eye and instrument. Until now.

Organic molecules found in a Mars rock were probably not from Martian life, reports Phil Plait for SyFy Wire. “In the last days of 1984, a team of meteorite hunters spotted a dark rock in the ice of Antarctica. Fifteen centimeters long and tipping the scale at nearly 2 kilos, it’s a big space rock, and analysis of gases trapped in bubbles in the rock showed beyond doubt that it came from Mars. “

Why we shouldn’t fear the search for alien life–But rather than hope that the extraterrestrials have launched signals our way, let’s knock on their door — and get their attention, reports Seth Shostak for NBC “Think.” 

The Metaverse: Science Fiction or Reality? –We tend to overestimate a technology’s abilities in the near term, and massively underestimate what it can do in the long term., reports Quillette.com. “In Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash, he envisaged the metaverse (meta + universe) as a 3D virtual world that existed parallel to the real world, similar to a simulation where people can use avatars or virtual humans to interact with each other.”

Imaginary numbers are real –These odd values were long dismissed as bookkeeping. Now physicists are proving that they describe the hidden shape of nature, reports Aeon.com. “Though imaginary numbers have been integral to quantum theory since its very beginnings in the 1920s, scientists have only recently been able to find their physical signatures in experiments and empirically prove their necessity.”

Are cryptocurrencies a Ponzi scheme? Here’s the view from two sides, reports Interesting Engineering. One side predicts the crypto cycle will ‘collapse instantaneously and the value will be zero.’ Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have faced a $2 trillion crash over the last six months, and some experts fear worse is to come. As Forbes points out, China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) has had its say on the current situation, calling bitcoin and cryptocurrency “the biggest Ponzi scheme in human history.”

Physicists Find The ‘Missing Link’ That Could Provide Quantum Internet Technology, reports Science Alert–“new research shows is that certain defects in the silicon – known as T centers – can act as photonic (or light-based) links between qubits.”

Quantum theory of consciousness put in doubt by underground experiment, reports Physics World. “Based on results from an experiment done under Gran Sasso mountain in Italy, the new work concludes that Roger Penrose’s and Stuart Hameroff’s Orchestrated Objective Reduction theory (Orch OR) is “highly implausible” when based on the simplest type of gravity-related wavefunction collapse – although they point out that more complex collapse models leave some wiggle room.

If Octopuses are Really Smart, Should We Eat Them, asks Mind Matters–“Extraordinary recent science discoveries re octopus intelligence have created an ethical dilemma: Octopus arms (tentacles) are gourmet delicacies in Korea, Japan, and the Mediterranean countries and many poor people make a living providing them. Factory farming is of octopuses is slowly becoming practical. But should we do to them what we wouldn’t do to dogs?

Mysterious artifacts hint at ‘another realm’ of ancient China–Bronze Age artifacts found in China were burned to commune with ‘another realm,’ reports Live Science.

40 facts about Earth to deepen your knowledge of the planet. Want to know more about planet Earth? Here are some surprising facts about it, reports Interesting Engineering. For example, “The Earth is made mostly of just four elements to The vast majority of fresh water on Earth is frozen.”

Protecting planet Earth from asteroids–“The threat of asteroids is real,” NASA scientist Elena Adams said during a panel discussion June 28 on international cooperation for planetary defense. Adams is the systems engineer for the first planetary defense mission, known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). The DART mission is a collaboration among NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency.

Robot that can perceive its body has self-awareness, claim researchers –The team claims to have given a robot self-awareness of its location in physical space, but others are skeptical, reports New Scientist.

The Case for Popularizing Ocean Science –Why Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Carlie Wiener thinks octopuses and science fiction matter to ocean conservation, reports Nautilus.

A company aims to power the world for millions of years by digging the deepest holes ever. And it utilizes a nuclear fusion technology, reports Interesting Engineering. “An MIT spinout aims to use X-rays to melt rock and repurpose coal and gas plants into deep geothermal wells – effectively transforming dirty fossil-fuel plants into clean ones.”

Why spending time near water gives us a powerful mental health boost–We have long known that connecting with nature in green spaces is great for our mental health. Now fresh research is showing that time near water – by the coast, rivers and even fountains in the park – is even more restorative, reports New Scientist.

The unseen whale killer–Ocean noise pollution is terrible for sealife. Reducing it could be an easy win. “Over the past 50 years, increased shipping has contributed to a 30-fold increase in the low-frequency noise present along major shipping routes – Lucille Chapuis.”

Astrophysicist Paul Sutter explains the world’s seeming lack of trust in science, reports astrophysicist Paul Sutter for Ars Technica. “The public has a very strange relationship with science. Perennial issues of public mistrust like evolution and climate change have recently been joined by a range of conspiracy theories about the COVID pandemic—even the shape of the Earth has become an issue.”

James Webb’s first science images: before-and-after –Now that it’s fully commissioned, the James Webb Space Telescope begins its exploration of the Universe, reports Big Think.

Webb’s Record-Breaking First Image Shows Why We Build Telescopes –A new galaxy-packed picture from the James Webb Space Telescope offers a chance to rekindle our wonder about the universe, reports  Grant Tremblay for Scientific American.

The Explosive Ambitions of Kate the Chemist –At the lecture halls of the University of Texas or on TV, Kate Biberdorf is working to catalyze more people into careers in science, reports The New York Times. “The dream is Vegas.That is not a typical aspiration of someone who teaches chemistry to undergraduates. For Dr. Biberdorf — better known as Kate the Chemist — that dream is part of her goal to capture the fun of scientific exploration and to entice children, especially girls, to consider science as their life’s calling.”

Eight Superfoods That Could Future-Proof Our Diet –These climate-resilient crops could find more prominent placement on our plates in the next few decades, reports The Smithsonian.

When does the fetus become a “person”? The philosophy of gradualism provides a moral guide. Gradualism rejects the idea of a “bright line” in the abortion debate, reports Big Think.

Here’s what we know sex with Neanderthals was like, reports BBC Future. “Scientists know a surprising amount about the titillating episode in human history when our species got together, including whether we kissed and the nature of their sexual organs.”

Microparticles could be used to deliver “self-boosting” vaccines –With particles that release their payloads at different times, one injection could provide multiple vaccine doses, reports MIT News.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Renowned Astronomers’ Insights on NASA’s New UAP/UFO Study to A Passing Star Shifting Neptune’s Orbit could Wreck the Solar System to Gravitational Waves Open New Windows on the Universe’s Deepest Secrets, and much more.

The Simulation Hypothesis Is a Dangerous Illusion, reports Marcelo Gleiser for Big Think –“The simulation hypothesis states that we are living in a simulation created by a technologically advanced species. If we are living in a simulation, so are our simulators. Only the First Simulator — namely, “God” — has any agency. The real problem we face is the reality we live in, which is reaching disastrous levels of self-destruction. It is our duty to address that reality — not escape from it.”

A passing star shifting Neptune’s orbit could wreck the solar system–If a star flying past our solar system moved Neptune’s orbit by just 0.1 per cent, it could eventually cause the other planets to smash into one another or get thrown out of the solar system entirely, reports Leah Crane for New Scientist.

World’s Astronomers Comment on NASA’s New UAP/UFO Study (Exclusive), reports The Daily Galaxy. “Albert Einstein was fond of saying: “The scientific imagination is a preview of coming attractions.” On June 9, 2022 NASA announced that it is commissioning a study team to start early in the fall to examine unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs)  Scientists from Adam Frank to  Paul Davies and Harvard’s Avi Loeb share their expectations and insights.

World’s oldest trees reveal the largest solar storm in history — reports Big Think. “One of the greatest threats to all of humanity’s electronic and electrified infrastructure is a solar storm, which has the potential to cause a multi-trillion dollar disaster. Currently, we have no sufficient protections in place to defend against an event such as the great storm of 1859: known as the Carrington event. But in the years 774-775, an even larger cosmic event occurred, striking Earth with a fury never seen before.”

Gravitational Waves Continue to Astound –Seven years after their discovery, the ripples in spacetime have opened new windows on the universe’s deepest secrets, reports Nautilus.com

The cosmos can kill us in many ways. But the James Webb Space Telescope can help save us–We don’t want to end up like the dinosaurs, reports Free Think. “Even while it was still in its commissioning period, the telescope tracked an asteroid (Tenzing 6841) — the first time a space observatory has been able to do so.”

Time loops may not be forbidden by physics after all –Physicists find that causal loops, where two events separated in time influence each other in paradoxical ways, are allowed in many theoretical universes, some of which share features with our own, reports New Scientist.

A Surprising Side of Carl Sagan –In Contact, the great science advocate posed a religious question about the cosmos, reports Nautilus.com. 

Life Helps Make Almost Half of All Minerals on Earth –A new origins-based system for classifying minerals reveals the huge geochemical imprint that life has left on Earth. It could help us identify other worlds with life too. The full impact of life on geology can be easy to miss.

Fast-Moving Star Orbits Milky Way’s Central Black Hole in Just Four Years –The newly-found star, named S4716, reaches a speed of 8,000 km/sec and comes as close as 98 astronomical units (AU) to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, reports SciNews.

Either new particles are keeping the Higgs boson light, or the universe is oddly fine-tuned for our existence. Nathaniel Craig goes down the rabbit hole of the electroweak hierarchy problem, reports the CERN Courier.

She cataloged the stars—and changed the face of astronomy –From #maidlife to #astronomerlife, Williamina Fleming devoted her life to studying and discovering stars and other space phenomena, reports National Geographic.

Backstory: Preparing the JWST for Science. The last six months for the James Webb Space Telescope have been packed full of tasks, reports The Verge.

10 Years after the Higgs, Physicists Are Optimistic for More Discoveries –The Large Hadron Collider recently reopened after upgrades and is ready to explore new territory, reports Scientific American.

Why Do Astronomers Seek the Most Distant Galaxies? By finding and studying the universe’s oldest objects, we can reveal hidden fundamental chapters of cosmic history, reports Fabio Pacucci for Scientific American.

Don’t Listen to the Myths. We Need Another Big Particle Collider, reports Ethan Siegel for Big Think. “Don’t let these 5 myths fool you. The way to understand the earliest moments of creation is to recreate those conditions and study them. Why would we stop now?”

Toxic Slime Contributed to Earth’s Worst Mass Extinction—And It’s Making a Comeback. Global warming fueled rampant overgrowth of microbes at the end of the Permian period. Such lethal blooms may be on the rise again, reports Scientific American.

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

This weekend’s stories range from Ocean Discoveries Are Revising Long-Held Truths About Life to the Town with the Cleanest air in the World, and much more.

Ocean Discoveries Are Revising Long-Held Truths about Life–New findings show that the ocean is much more intertwined with our lives than we ever imagined, reports Timothy Shank is a biologist, director of the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and co-leader of the Deep-Ocean Genomes Project for Scientific American.

‘Zoe’ Becomes the World’s First Named Heat Wave –Blistering temperatures pushing past 110 degrees Fahrenheit were ranked as a Category 3—the most severe tier—in Seville, Spain’s new heat wave system, reports Scientific American.

The town with the cleanest air in the world, reports BBC Future. “In Svalbard, there’s a village where the atmosphere is ultra-clean, Wi-Fi is banned, and all buildings go unlocked in case you need to hide from polar bears.”

Pollination first evolved in the world’s ancient oceans–Like Bees of the Seas, These Crustaceans Pollinate Seaweed. “It’s the first known case of an animal helping algae reproduce, and could suggest that pollination first evolved in the world’s ancient oceans, reports Annie Roth for The New York Times Science. “It was long thought that animals only pollinated plants on land. However, in 2016 scientists discovered that zooplankton pollinate Thalassia testudinum, a sea grass species found in the Caribbean”

Rare Earth hypothesis: Why we might really be alone in the universe–The originators of the theory, Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee, explain to Astronomy why they think the development of complex life on other worlds is likely extraordinarily rare.

Earth Has An Unexplainable, 27.5-Million-Year Cycle of Mass Extinctions –Turns out, our planet has a slow and steady heartbeat of floods and extinctions, and we don’t know why, reports Interesting Engineering.

DeepMind’s protein-folding AI cracks biology’s biggest problem –Artificial intelligence firm DeepMind has transformed biology by predicting the structure of nearly all proteins known to science in just 18 months, a breakthrough that will speed drug development and revolutionize basic science, reports New Scientist.

Indonesia’s giant capital city is sinking. Can the government’s plan save it? Indonesia has grand plans for Jakarta—a new capital on Borneo, a giant bird-shaped sea wall to protect Jakarta itself—but they don’t solve the underlying problem, reports National Geographic.

The super-clocks that define what time it is–“They’re called hydrogen masers, and they are extremely important atomic clocks. Along with around 400 others, placed all around the globe, they help the world define what time it is, right now, down to the nanosecond. Without these clocks – and the people, technology and procedures around them – the modern world would slowly drift into chaos.”

There Are Holes on the Ocean Floor. Scientists Don’t Know Why. –Similar openings on the sea floor were first spotted 18 years ago along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Their origins remain unknown. Scientists are asking the public for their thoughts, reports Christine Chung for The New York Times.

Hidden Chaos Found to Lurk in Ecosystems –-New research finds that chaos plays a bigger role in population dynamics than decades of ecological data seemed to suggest, reports Joanna Thompson for Quanta. “Physical scientists seem to find the phenomenon of chaos everywhere: in the orbits of planets, in weather systems, in a river’s swirling eddies. For nearly three decades, ecologists considered chaos in the living world to be surprisingly rare by comparison.”

AI Just Independently Discovered Alternate Physics–A new AI program developed by researchers at Columbia University has seemingly discovered its own alternative physics, reports Science Alert. “After being shown videos of physical phenomena on Earth, the AI didn’t rediscover the current variables we use; instead, it actually came up with new variables to explain what it saw.”

Scientists May Have Found a Key Shift Between The Brains of Humans And Neanderthals, reports Science Alert. “The study’s results imply that this step in the development of our neocortex (the wrinkled outer layer responsible for higher order thinking) plays a role in protecting us from disease, a feature Neanderthals appear to be missing.” 

Two skyscraper-size asteroids are barreling toward Earth this weekend, reports Brandon Specktor for Space.com. Both rocks will pass well beyond the moon’s orbit.

An AI-driven physicist may have uncovered a new form of physics--A clever new AI-driven algorithm has been developed that defines its own variables when observing physical processes, reports Christopher McFadden for Interesting Engineering.

How humans’ ability to digest milk evolved from famine and disease –Landmark study is the first major effort to quantify how lactose tolerance developed, reports Nature.

A tectonic plate collision is messing with China’s new railway in the Haba Snow Mountain region –Engineers are fighting against time and nature to complete a railway in China’s Haba Snow Mountain region, reports Interesting Engineering. 

Eerie Photo Proves the Existence of Milky Seas—A First –A night photograph taken from a sailboat near the island of Java validates a satellite image of a giant, glowing “milky sea,” reports Scientific American.

This map shows which US lakes contain brain-eating amoebas –Texas reported the most cases of the N. fowleri infection, reports Interesting Engineering.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s celebration of  James Lovelock’s life includes stories ranging from The Earth Is Just as Alive as You Are to Beyond the Anthropocene -A Mere Blink of the Geologic Eye to The Hubris of the Anthropocene, and much more.

Environmental scientist James Lovelock, whose Gaia theory sees the Earth imperiled by human activity, has died at 103, reports The SF Chronicle.

The Earth Is Just as Alive as You Are –Scientists once ridiculed the idea of a living planet. Not anymore, reported The New York Times in 2019. The essence of Lovelock’s hypothesis — “the idea that life transforms and in many cases regulates the planet — proved prescient and profoundly true. We and all living creatures are not just inhabitants of Earth, we are Earth — an outgrowth of its physical structure and an engine of its global cycles. Although some scientists still recoil at the mention of Gaia, these truths have become part of mainstream science.”

Beyond the Anthropocene -“A Mere Blink of the Geologic Eye”

“The Firstborn” –Earth’s Emerging Cyborg Epoch 

“47 Degrees Celsius” –The Death of Earth’s Ocean World and Silicon-Based Life

“Hubris of the Anthropocene” –COVID-19 Pandemic Delivers a Lost Cosmic Perspective

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Could the Blueprint for Life Have Been Generated in Asteroids to Do AI Systems Really Have Their Own Secret Language to How Plate Tectonics, Mountains, and Deep-Sea Sediments Have Maintained Earth’s ‘Goldilocks’ Climate, and much more.

Could the Blueprint for Life Have Been Generated in Asteroids? asks NASA. While it is unlikely that DNA could be formed in a meteorite, this discovery demonstrates that these genetic parts are available for delivery and could have contributed to the development of the instructional molecules on early Earth. The discovery, by an international team with NASA researchers, gives more evidence that chemical reactions in asteroids can make some of life’s ingredients, which could have been delivered to ancient Earth by meteorite impacts or perhaps the infall of dust.

Do AI Systems Really Have Their Own Secret Language? asks Singularity Hub. ” AI language models don’t read text the way you and I do. Instead, they break input text up into “tokens” before processing it.

James Webb Space Telescope Set to Study Two Strange Super-Earths –Space agency officials promise to deliver geology results from worlds dozens of light-years away, reports Elizabeth Howell, at Space.com

Is life the result of the laws of entropy? –Nearly 80 years ago, Erwin Schrödinger used the physics of the day to try to understand the origins of life. Now, Stephon Alexander and Salvador Almagro-Moreno try to do the same with modern science, reports New Scientist.

NASA is putting together a research team to study UFOs. Still not saying it’s aliens, though, reports The Verge. “The study team, to be led by astrophysicist David Spergel under NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, will attempt to identify what data is out there on UAPs and figure out how to best capture data on UAPs in the future. NASA noted that the limitations in sightings make it hard to come to logical conclusions about where UAPs come from.”

Why haven’t plastic-eating bacteria fixed the ocean plastic pollution problem? Scientists have discovered enzymes from several plastic-eating bacteria. So, why are our oceans still full of plastic pollution? asks Big THink.

Could we live without plastic? –How our lives would change if we lost access to plastic, reports BBC Future. “Of the 8,300 million tons of virgin plastic produced up to the end of 2015, 6,300 million tons has been discarded. In fact, plastic waste is now so widespread that researchers have suggested it could be used as a geological indicator of the Anthropocene.”

How the universe got its magnetic field –Where did the “seed” magnetic field come from in the first place? asks Big Think. “Professor Ellen Zweibel of the University of Wisconsin at Madison notes that “despite decades of remarkable progress in cosmology, the origin of magnetic fields in the universe remains unknown. It is wonderful to see state-of-the-art plasma physics theory and numerical simulation brought to bear on this fundamental problem.”

Can gravity batteries solve our energy storage problems? asks BBC Future. “Could a cutting-edge technology that harnesses one of the universe’s fundamental forces help solve our energy storage challenge?”

What Is It About the Human Brain That Makes Us Smarter Than Other Animals? asks Singularity Hub. “Our understanding of brain function has changed over the years. But current theoretical models describe the brain as a “distributed information-processing system.” This means it has distinct components that are tightly networked through the brain’s wiring. To interact with each other, regions exchange information though a system of input and output signal.”

How Plate Tectonics, Mountains, and Deep-Sea Sediments Have Maintained Earth’s ‘Goldilocks’ Climate, reports Singularity Hub. “New research published in Nature shows how tectonic plates, volcanoes, eroding mountains, and seabed sediment have controlled Earth’s climate in the geological past. Harnessing these processes may play a part in maintaining the “Goldilocks” climate our planet has enjoyed.”

Pandemic, war, and climate change have brought matters to a head. The world faces what the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, this week called “an unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution.”

Scientists Have Established a Key Biological Difference Between Psychopaths and Normal People, reports SciTechDaily. “The research found that the striatum region of the brain was on average ten percent larger in psychopathic individuals compared to a control group of individuals that had low or no psychopathic traits.”

Geology from 50 Light-Years: Webb Gets Ready to Study Rocky Worlds, reports NASA. “Among the investigations planned for the first year are studies of two hot exoplanets classified as “super-Earths” for their size and rocky composition: the lava-covered 55 Cancri e and the airless LHS 3844 b. Researchers will train Webb’s high-precision spectrographs on these planets with a view to understanding the geologic diversity of planets across the galaxy, and the evolution of rocky planets like Earth.”

Can humanity leave nature behind? asks BBC Future. “In the face of environmental collapse, humanity may need to turn to artificial replacements for nature – how might we avoid the most dystopian of these futures? Researcher Lauren Holt makes the case for a broader form of “offsetting” to help balance technology with natural systems.”

Notes on “E.T.,” now that we are both in our 40s. In a never-ending homage economy, the lack of a sequel doesn’t necessarily mean a story can be at rest, reports Salon.com. 

Galapagos tortoise thought extinct for 100 years has been found alive –A single female of the Fernandina Island tortoise species that was thought to be extinct for a century has been found in the Galapagos Islands, reports New Scientist. 

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from What ‘Happy the Elephant’s’ Legal Case Tells Us About the Future of Animal Rights to A Gull Flaps Its Wings and a Deadly Virus Explodes to Cryptocurrency and the “Greater Fool” Theory to Elon Musk on Alien Life, and much more.

Why the US navy is listening to shrimp –Clicks, grunts and whirrs could unveil undersea threats, reports David Hambling for BBC Future. “Military sonar can have a serious effect on some ocean animals. Could natural noises be used to locate undersea threats?”

A ‘Very Exciting’ Anomaly Detected in Major Experiment Could Be Huge News For Physics–A strange gap between theoretical predictions and experimental results in a major neutrino research project could be a sign of the elusive ‘sterile’ neutrino – a particle so quiet, it can only be detected by the silence it leaves in its wake, reports Science Alert.

What Is Life? Without a good definition of life, how do we look for it on alien planets? Steven Strogatz speaks with Robert Hazen, a mineralogist and astrobiologist, and Sheref Mansy, a chemist, to learn more on this Quanta podcast.

How Many Languages Could a Child Speak? asks The New York Times. In theory, a young person could master a broad array of tongues. But there are some inherent limits.

What Happy the Elephant’s Legal Case Tells Us About the Future of Animal Rights, reports Slate. “Happy the elephant made history on Tuesday. By arguing for her release from the Bronx Zoo, she became the first animal to have a case for animal rights decided by a court of last resort in North America. New York’s highest court, the New York Court of Appeals, unequivocally recognized that “elephants are intelligent beings deserving of proper care and compassion” and noted that under existing law “they are not the equivalent of ‘things’ or ‘objects.’”

Did Margaret Mead Think a Healed Femur Was the Earliest Sign of Civilization? asks Sapiens. An anthropologist digs into the origins of a popular story attributed to Margaret Mead about the original sign of civilization.

A Gull Flaps Its Wings and a Deadly Virus Explodes, reports Jim Robbins for The New York Times. This year’s outbreak of the H5N1 virus has resulted in the deaths of nearly 400,000 wild birds worldwide. Scientists are studying the pathways of contagion among species.

A race is afoot to make billions from the Moon’s resources. Here’s the story so far, reports BBC Science Focus. “A new space race has begun. Over the coming years, an armada of rockets will head to the Moon to hunt down precious resources, satisfy the urges of billionaire tourists and maybe do some intriguing science along the way.”

Google has not created sentient AI — yet, reports Dr. Louis B. Rosenberg is a computer scientist and current CEO of Unanimous AI for Big Think. “AI systems like Google’s LaMDA are based on large language models (LLMs), which are massive data sets of human conversations. These can make AI seem sentient, but the AI has no understanding of what it is saying.  Humans are easily fooled, and conversational AI can be used for both constructive and nefarious purposes.”

In Its Greatest Biology Feat Yet, AI Unlocks the Complex Proteins Guarding Our DNA, reports Singularity Hub. “In a mind-bending feat, a new algorithm deciphered the structure at the heart of inheritance—a massive complex of roughly 1,000 proteins that helps channel DNA instructions to the rest of the cell.”

Cryptocurrency and the “greater fool” theory of economics –An analogy explains the greater fool theory: You don’t have to run faster than the bear to get away; you just have to run faster than the other guy, reports Big Think. It’s still too early to say if cryptocurrencies are of no use and inherently overvalued.

Congo peat: The ‘lungs of humanity’ which are under threat, reports The BBC.”A giant slab of carbon-rich peat, discovered in central Africa, is under threat from uncontrolled development – posing a significant risk for future climate change, writes BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding.”

How long does evolution take? It happens on two different timescales –To make sense of the fact that adaptation can happen quickly and yet true evolutionary change seems to take forever, biologists suggest that evolution runs on two very different clocks, reports New Scientist.

Why we shouldn’t fear the search for alien life, reports Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute for NBC Think. “But rather than hope that the extraterrestrials have launched signals our way, let’s knock on their door — and get their attention.

In call with Twitter staff, Elon Musk muses on space aliens, company’s future, reports Reuters. “Musk appeared via video call 10 minutes late to what turned out to be a freewheeling question and answer session moderated by a Twitter executive, in which Musk mused about the existence of aliens and other space civilizations and his view that Twitter should help “civilization and consciousness.”

Mystery Dent in Earth’s Magnetic Field Set To Vanish in 300 Years, reports Newsweek. “Discovered in 1958, the South Atlantic Anomaly is located in the South Atlantic off the coast of South America. This area is far weaker than at comparable latitudes. Scientists know this due to its impact on satellites—more radiation gets through at an area where the Earth’s magnetic field is weaker. This in turn can cause technical issues for spacecraft. Scientists suspect the overall shield has gotten weaker by 10 percent over the last 180 years.

ASU chosen to help solve geologic mystery on the moon. “ASU lunar exploration instrument to reveal new details about moon’s Gruithuisen Domes. On the surface of the moon stand two large geological domes of unique composition — each similar in size to Mount St. Helens — but how they formed on the lunar terrain remains a mystery. 

The James Webb Space Telescope is finally ready to do science – and it’s seeing the universe more clearly than even its own engineers hoped for, reports The Conversation. “Marcia Rieke, an astronomer at the University of Arizona and the scientist in charge of one of Webb’s four cameras, explains what she and her colleagues have been doing to get this telescope up and running.”

Polar bear population discovered that can survive without sea ice–The group has adapted to hunting without sea ice, which suggests some members of the species might survive as the Arctic heats up, reports Nature.

NASA’s Perseverance rover captured images of its own litter, and it shows how Mars is becoming a junkyard, reports Business Insider.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from An ocean below Earth’s crust could be key to a habitable planet to Canada to share UFO info with the US to How animals perceive the World to Moore’s Law– Homo Sapiens may be the Milky Way’s first intelligent civilization, and much more.

Most major US cities are underprepared for rising temperatures, reports the University of California, Los Angeles –“This month, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix all posted record high temperatures. And across the nation, Americans are ramping up for a scorching summer. Yet despite more frequent and intense heat waves on the horizon, cities are underprepared to deal with the challenge, according to a UCLA-led research team.”

An ocean below Earth’s crust could be key to a habitable planet –A new model suggests “mantle rain” from inside Earth’s mantle ensures we will always have a surface ocean, reports PopSCi.

‘Factorian Deep,’ the new deepest point in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, mapped for the first time, reports Brandon Specktor for Space.com. The “Factorian Deep” sits more than 24,000 feet below subzero water.

Moore’s Law– Homo Sapiens May be the Milky Way’s First Intelligent Civilization, reports The Daily Galaxy. “As life has evolved its complexity has increased exponentially, just like Moore’s law, which states that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. The regression suggests that if life takes 10 billion years to evolve to the level of complexity associated with homo sapiens, then we may be among the first, if not the first, intelligent civilization in the Milky Way, negating Drake’s Equation”

One shocking fact about each and every planet in the Solar System –Do you think you know the Solar System? Here’s a fact about each planet that might surprise you when you see it! reports Big Think.

Canada’s Going to Share UFO Info With the US, Officials Say –Canadian government officials are asking their U.S. counterparts about UFOs and nuclear security, reports Vice Science.

The Incredible Journey of Three African Wild Dogs –Three sisters braved lions, crocodiles, poachers, raging rivers and other dangers on a 1,300-mile transnational effort to forge a new dynasty, reports Pulitzer-Prize winner, Natalie Angier for The New York Times.

Can we think without using language? asks Joanna Thompson for Live Science. “Science suggests that words aren’t strictly necessary for reasoning. One prominent claim is that language basically came about to allow us to think more complex thoughts,” Evelina Fedorenko, a neuroscientist and researcher at MIT’s McGovern Institute, told Live Science. This idea was championed by legendary linguists like Noam Chomsky and Jerry Fodor in the mid-20th century, but it has begun to fall out of favor in more recent years, Scientific American reported. 

Yes, size does matter: Solving the mystery of giraffe neck evolution, reports Big Think. It’s not about leaves in tall trees. “The long necks of giraffes showcase how peculiar adaptive evolution can be. Yet the question remains why they evolved in the first place. The fossil of an ancient relative of the giraffe that was discovered in China, Discokeryx xiezhi, might hold the answer. The ancient giraffe sported headgear suited for fierce head-butting, likely during male-to-male competition. This suggests that early giraffes might have butted heads for the same reason they now strike with necks: to woo mates and establish dominance.”

Chinese fossils show the human middle ear evolved from fish gills, reports the  Chinese Academy of Sciences –“Embryonic and fossil evidence proves that the human middle ear evolved from the spiracle of fishes. However, the origin of the vertebrate spiracle has long been an unsolved mystery in vertebrate evolution.”

Why ‘natural’ is not always better. Some ‘natural’ products can contain ethically questionable ingredients, reports BBC Future. “From sharks’ livers to endangered plants – some claims about “natural” products should be interpreted with caution. Anna Turns investigates whether we should be more willing to use synthetic alternatives.”

Artificial intelligence has reached a threshold. And physics can help it break new ground, reports Interesting Engineering.

How Animals Perceive the World –Every creature lives within its own sensory bubble, but only humans have the capacity to appreciate the experiences of other species. What we’ve learned is astounding, reports Ed Yong for The Atlantic.

Yellowstone flooding: Why is it happening now? –Rain falling on snow caused this week’s floods, events that will become more likely as temperatures warm, reports National Geographic.

Why are the world’s heatwaves getting more intense? asks The Guardian. -”Temperatures, which should have been cooling rapidly as the south pole’s brief summer faded, were soaring – at the Vostok station, about 800 miles from the geographic south pole, thermometers recorded a massive 15C hotter than the previous all-time record, while at Terra Nova coastal base the water hovered above freezing, unheard of for the time of year.”

NASA Will Spend $35 Million On A New Mission To Probe The Moon’s Mysterious Volcanoes, reports Jamie Carter for Forbes. “NASA has green-lit a mission to explore a region of the Moon never before visited in an effort to understand a geological mystery—and help future lunar colonists.”

Why you should want to suffer — just a little bit –There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living, reports Paul Bloom for Big Think. 

When Things Feel Unreal, Is That a Delusion or an Insight? –The psychiatric syndrome called derealization raises profound moral and philosophical questions, reports John Horgan for Scientific American.

North Korea reports ‘epidemic’ of unidentified intestinal disease after Covid wave, CNN reported on Thursday, puts further strain on the isolated country as it battles chronic food shortages and a wave of Covid-19 infections. https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/18/asia/intestinal-sickness-covid-north-korea-intl-hnk/index.htmlKorea reports ‘epidemic’ of unidentified intestinal disease after the Covid wave.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

NASA Zooms in on UFOs to Is Life the Result of Entropy?

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Enormous Impact Flash Seen Lighting Up Jupiter’s Atmosphere to Did China Just Detect Signals from an Alien Civilization to A New Place for Consciousness in Our Understanding of the Universe, and much more.

Seven solar system mysteries scientists haven’t solved yet. Why is our moon so weird? Was there ever life on Mars? Big cosmic questions lurk in our celestial backyard. The next time you look up at a bright full moon, think about this: No one knows, precisely, where the moon came from,” reports VOX. 

Enormous impact flash seen lighting up Jupiter’s atmosphere –Astronomers spotted a huge space rock slamming into Jupiter, creating a blast of light and energy equivalent to 2 million tons of TNT – the brightest such event since 1994, reports New Scientist.

This is the most important equation in cosmology –-If you want to understand the Universe, cosmologically, you just can’t do it without the Friedmann equation. With it, the cosmos is yours, reports Big Think. “Although Hubble’s law, v = Hr, was the equation that established an observational basis for the expanding Universe, the Friedmann equations, derived years prior, provided the foundation for modern cosmology. Today, the first Friedmann equation is absolutely indispensable, from the Big Bang to dark energy and everything in between.”

What is time? The mysterious essence of the fourth dimension –The nature of time is a tricky notion to pin down. But whether it is a fundamental part of our universe or just an illusion has huge implications, asks New Scientist.

Mystery Objects: The Largest Known Population of ‘Immortal’ Brown Dwarfs Revealed –“It is estimated that up to 60 billion brown dwarfs make their home in the Milky Way. Because these elusive celestial objects do not fuse hydrogen in their core, they spend their lives cooling as they lose that gravitational energy from their formation, morphing as they age from looking like a low-mass star to looking like Jupiter. Every brown dwarf that was ever created still exists because they can’t fuse hydrogen, giving them a calm, sustained existence on the vast timeframe of the cosmos.

Did China just detect signals from an alien civilization? asks Leonard David for Space.com –“One report, by the state-backed Science and Technology Daily, cited Zhang Tonjie, chief scientist of an extraterrestrial civilization search team co-founded by Beijing Normal University, the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of California, Berkeley.” China’s science ministry said this week that it picked up signs of alien life on the world’s largest radio telescope — then appeared to quickly delete a report about the discovery.

New maps of asteroid Psyche reveal an ancient world of metal and rock–The varied surface suggests a dynamic history, which could include metallic eruptions, asteroid-shaking impacts, and a lost rocky mantle, reports MIT.

Astronomers discover a multi-planet system nearby—Just 33 light years from Earth, the system appears to host two rocky, Earth-sized planets, reports MIT.

NASA is embarking on a risky mission to investigate UAPs, reports Axios. “But by launching the investigation, NASA is wading into an area rife with conspiracy and messaging that’s difficult to control, which could be a risk for the agency’s stellar public reputation.”

Is life the result of the laws of entropy? –Nearly 80 years ago, Erwin Schrödinger used the physics of the day to try to understand the origins of life. Now, Stephon Alexander and Salvador Almagro-Moreno try to do the same with modern science, reports New Scientist.

The cosmos can kill us in many ways. But the James Webb Space Telescope can help save us –-The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will study many dangerous cosmic phenomena, knowledge of which may help save humanity, reports Big Think. Ultimately, if we don’t want to end up like the dinosaurs, we need to become a multi-planetary species.”

Controversial claim that the universe is skewed could upend cosmology –Our understanding of the universe is underpinned by the cosmological principle: the assumption that, on the grandest scales, it looks more or less the same in all directions. What if that’s wrong? asks New Scientist.

Google engineer claims his AI is sentient. It definitely is not –The engineer working on Google’s AI, called LaMDA, suffers from what we could call Michelangelo Syndrome. Scientists must beware hubris, reports Big Think.

James Webb Space Telescope was hit by a tiny space rock – but it’s OK –One of the mirrors of NASA’s huge new space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, was hit by a small space rock larger than anything tests on the ground involved, reports New Scientist.

Something Strange is Impacting the Atmosphere of Venus: Is it Life? asks The Daily Galaxy. –“Researchers from the University of Cambridge have concluded: “If life was responsible for the sulphur (SO2) levels we see on Venus, it would break everything we know about Venus’s atmospheric chemistry.” 

Mysterious cold blobs may be hiding inside a distant star–A small star called AU Microscopii seems to contain strange pockets of hydrogen that are more than 1500°C cooler than the rest of the star, and astronomers aren’t sure why, reports New Scientist.

A mysterious intergalactic force is pushing against the Milky Way, reports Paul Sutter for Space.com. “The name may be a bit dorky, but it’s a very real thing. It’s also nothing to worry about — just a normal consequence of the usual process of structure formation that’s been happening in the universe for [checks watch] 13.8 billion years. Meet the dipole repeller.”

A new place for consciousness in our understanding of the universe–To make sense of mysteries like quantum mechanics and the passage of time, theorists are trying to reformulate physics to include subjective experience as a physical constituent of the world, reports New Scientist.

Astronomers Reimagine the Making of the Planets, reports Rebecca Boyle for Quanta. Observations of faraway planets have forced a near-total rewrite of the story of how our solar system came to be.

The GAIA Revolution, reports Sky & Telescope –“Astronomers will use the newest data release from the Gaia mission to explore stellar tsunamis, Milky Way history, and more.”

Record-Breaking Voyager Spacecraft Begin to Power Down--The pioneering probes are still running after nearly 45 years in space, but they will soon lose some of their instruments, reports Tim Folger for Scientific American. 

Canadian Telescope Delivers Deepest-Ever Radio View of Cosmic Web –Data from the CHIME radio observatory are a milestone in the quest to discover the hidden origins of universal structure, reports Scientific American.

Fastest-growing black hole of past 9bn years may have been found, Australian-led astronomers say –Scientists spot extremely luminous object powered by supermassive black hole, reports The Guardian. “The supermassive black hole consumes the equivalent of one Earth every second and has the mass of 3bn suns, they estimate. Scientists discovered an extremely bright quasar, a luminous object powered by a supermassive black hole, using the SkyMapper Southern Sky Survey – a 1.3-metre telescope in Coonabarabran, New South Wales.

Something Strange is Impacting the Atmosphere of Venus: Is it Life? reports The Daily Galaxy. “Researchers from the University of Cambridge have concluded: “If life was responsible for the Sulphur (SO2) levels we see on Venus, it would break everything we know about Venus’s atmospheric chemistry.”  

Physicists Rewrite the Fundamental Law That Leads to Disorder, reports Philip Ball for Quanta.The second law of thermodynamics is among the most sacred in all of science, but it has always rested on 19th century arguments about probability. New arguments trace its true source to the flows of quantum information.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Aliens could send us interstellar quantum messages using X-rays to Destroy All Samples of the Smallpox Virus, and much more.

Aliens could send us interstellar quantum messages using X-rays–Quantum communication technology may allow for information to be securely sent through interstellar space without being disrupted by gravity or solar winds, reports New Scientist.

Particle physics on Earth won’t ever destroy the Universe –Smashing things together at unprecedented energies sounds dangerous. But it’s nothing the Universe hasn’t already seen, and survived, reports Big Think. “But when it comes to the question of what actually goes on in the Universe we inhabit, nature has anything we’ve ever built, or plan to build, beat by a long shot. Here’s how we know the Universe is safe.”

China proposes an alien planet mission to hunt habitable worlds by scanning wobbling stars, reports Andrew Jones for Space.com. The mission would focus on finding “nearby” worlds with the potential to host life.

Seeing the Earth through alien eyes: an extraterrestrial view of our planet, reports Physics World. “Aliens spying on us from across interstellar space is a classic trope of science fiction. But working out what those extraterrestrials might see if they pointed their telescopes at us could help in our quest for finding life on distant Earth-like planets.”

Destroy All Samples of the Smallpox Virus. With a global alarm ringing because of an unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox, we should also consider a different but closely related viral threat, reports The Scientist. 

Giant stingray and alien doorway — May’s best science images–The month’s sharpest science shots — selected by Nature’s photo team.

First Human Genome Sequenced from Ancient Pompeii –The genome is from a male who was likely in his late thirties when the historic Mount Vesuvius eruption occurred. The analyses suggest he is related to the diverse Imperial Roman population of the time, and that he may have suffered from spinal tuberculosis, reports The Scientist.

Guardians of the brain: how a special immune system protects our grey matter–The nervous and immune systems are tightly intertwined. Deciphering their chatter might help address many brain disorders and diseases, reports Nature.com. 

Extraterrestrial civilizations may have used rogue planets to colonize new star systems, and ‘technosignatures’ on these planets could provide evidence of intelligent extraterrestrial life, reports Interesting Engineering.

A mind-blowing explanation of symmetry –a Big Think podcast with Frank Wilczek, an American theoretical physicist, mathematician and a Nobel laureate. He is currently the Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

As 2022 Hurricane Season Looms, a Current That Fuels Monster Storms Is Very Warm –The Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico has fueled major storms such as Hurricane Katrina, reports Scientific American.

Animal Divorce: When and Why Pairs Break Up –Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors, reports The Scientist.

How a hybrid tree conquered the world. –Cities have always been hostile for trees – and they’re getting worse. reports  BBC Future. “In an unremarkable corner of London’s Cheapside district, tucked away behind black wrought-iron fencing, is one of the city’s oldest residents. With a towering frame and slightly stooped posture, capped with a broad thatch of leathery, star-shaped leaves, this venerable giant is thought to have presided over the city since at least the 18th Century.”

This Tick Can Make You Allergic to Meat, and It’s Spreading. Work on genetically modified pigs might provide a solution to the strange illness, reports Scientific American.

Recent Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from Earth Has Been Many Planets to This Ancient Molecule Is The Root Cause Of All Life On Earth, And Mars to AI beats a Thousand of World’s Best Crossword Solvers, and much more.
“Spooky” quantum biology might cause your DNA to mutate–Theoretical research suggests that quantum effects could drive mutations in human DNA. This is the latest development in an emerging field called quantum biology. The mechanism involves proton transfer through quantum tunneling, a process that occurs in one-quadrillionth of a second. Cells have built-in proofreading systems that help prevent these mutations., reports Big Think.

“Is Anybody Out There?” (What if the Answer is Yes?), reports Tom Porter for Bowdoin College. “These scientists are generally very keen to find out if there is any extraterrestrial life, but they often haven’t really focused beyond that step. They asked us to consider ‘okay, if this does happen, what happens next? How do we behave? What are we missing?’ And there are several ethical concerns that we presented.”

Humans Are More Likely To Attack An Extraterrestrial Civilization Than The Other Way Around Says Scientist, reports Forbes.com.

Earth Has Been Many Planets, reports Maxwell Moe for The Daily Galaxy. ““There have been many planet Earths” says astrophysicist Adam Frank who talks about climate change from an astrobiological lens. Frank’s observation mirrors author Peter Brannen’s lens in that if 100 million years of Earth’s geological history, a span almost 10 times as long as all of recorded human history, can easily wear the Himalayas flat, what chance will San Francisco or New York have of surviving a new geological epoch of our own making: the Anthropocene.

Scientists Mull the Astrobiological Implications of an Airless Alien Planet –A rocky world devoid of atmosphere arouses debate over the habitability of the Milky Way’s most common star systems, reports Adam Mann for Scientific American.

Scientist says interstellar travel might be possible without spaceships –Forget about spaceships: Aliens could be “cosmic hitchhikers” traveling on free-floating planets, reports Salon.com. “a new research article in the International Journal of Astrobiology, in which author Irina Romanovskaya, says that interstellar travel would likely create technosignatures — such as radio waves, industrial pollution, light pollution, or anything that would suggest advanced technology is being used — when aliens engage in such travel.

AI beats a thousand of the world’s best human crossword solvers–A crossword-solving AI has beaten more than a thousand of the best human solvers at the prestigious American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, reports New Scientist

This Ancient Molecule Is The Root Cause Of All Life On Earth, And Mars. Could life on Earth and Mars have originated from similar components? Scientists have found some evidence of the same in a giant breakthrough for questions about life’s origin on Earth. According to scientists at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, ribonucleic acid (RNA), a DNA-like regulator of genetic material in humans, may have been the first genetic material for life. And now they’re assessing how this worked out favorably for life on Earth and where it originated.

Dazzling close-up images of the natural world, from flowers to flies –These are some of the winning and shortlisted entries for the Olympus Image of the Year Global Life Science Light Microscopy Award, a global photography competition showcasing the art of scientific imaging

James Webb Space Telescope Set to Study Two Strange Super-Earths –Space agency officials promise to deliver geology results from worlds dozens of light-years away, reports Scientific American. “The telescope’s scientific consortium has an ambitious agenda to study geology on these small planets from “50 light-years away”, they said in a statement Thursday (May 26). The work will be a big stretch for the new observatory, which should exit commissioning in a few weeks.”

Geology from 50 Light-Years: Webb Gets Ready to Study Rocky World–“Imagine if Earth were much, much closer to the Sun. So close that an entire year lasts only a few hours. So close that gravity has locked one hemisphere in permanent searing daylight and the other in endless darkness. So close that the oceans boil away, rocks begin to melt, and the clouds rain lava.”

How Einstein changed time forever, “Time,” says Al-Khalili. “ticks by at different rates for different people depending on your frame of reference, and it’s malleable and it’s stretchable,” reports this Big Think podcast.

From the Ancient Ashes of Vesuvius, Human DNA Genetic material recovered from a 1st-century Pompeii man reveals a spinal disorder and ancestral links to Anatolia reports New York Times.

Scientists Have Figured Out Why Childbirth Became So Complex and Dangerous, reports Science Daily. A study finds that complex human childbirth and cognitive abilities are a result of walking upright.  

Convergent Evolution Has Been Fooling Us: Most of Our Evolutionary Trees Could Be Wrong, reports Science Daily. 

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

Recent Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from We May Have to Excavate Mars to Find Alien Life Says NASA to Why There’s a Chance We Heard From Aliens Back in 1977, and much more. 

We May Have to Excavate Mars to Find Alien Life, NASA Says –Cosmic rays likely annihilate amino acids within two meters of the red planet’s surface, according to a first-of-its-kind experiment, reports Vice Science. “Life might have existed on Mars billions of years ago, when the planet was wetter and warmer. This is why NASA’s Perseverance rover is tasked with collecting samples that might contain the fossilized remains of any ancient Martians, if they existed.”

Swarm of Tiny Swimming Robots Could Look for Life on Distant Worlds, reports the JPL. “Someday, a swarm of cellphone-size robots could whisk through the water beneath the miles-thick icy shell of Jupiter’s moon Europa or Saturn’s moon Enceladus, looking for signs of alien life. Packed inside a narrow ice-melting probe that would tunnel through the frozen crust, the tiny robots would be released underwater, swimming far from their mothercraft to take the measure of a new world.”

The Gaia Mission Keeps Unlocking Secrets of the Galaxy –New data from the ESA’s probe, now eight years into its mission, adds significant detail to its portrait of nearly 2 billion objects in the Milky Way, reports Wired.

Why There’s a Chance We Heard From Aliens Back in 1977 –A loud, peculiar signal detected by scientists 45 years ago is getting a second look—and renewing hopes that we found extraterrestrial life, reports David Axe for The Daily Beast. 

How to Communicate With Aliens –Richard Carter wrote a book of poetry using a version of Lincos, a language invented in the 1960s by a mathematician to communicate with aliens, reports Becky Ferreira for Vice Science.

“Information Can Escape a Black Hole Both On the Outside and Possibly to Another Universe” (Stephen Hawking’s Paradox), reports The Daily Galaxy. “It has been said that Newton gave us answers; Stephen Hawking gave us questions. A trio of physicists appear one step closer to resolving the black-hole information paradox, one of the most intriguing physics mysteries of our time.”

Do we need a new theory of evolution? asks The Guardian. “A new wave of scientists argues that mainstream evolutionary theory needs an urgent overhaul. Their opponents have dismissed them as misguided careerists – and the conflict may determine the future of biology. Strange as it sounds, scientists still do not know the answers to some of the most basic questions about how life on Earth evolved. Take eyes, for instance. Where do they come from, exactly? The usual explanation of how we got these stupendously complex organs rests upon the theory of natural selection.”

Behold the Weird Physics of Double-Impact Asteroids. Mars is littered with craters made by binary asteroids. These collisions are as intriguing as they are powerful, reports Jonathan O’Callagan for Wired. “When an asteroid strikes a planet, it can pack a powerful punch—as the dinosaurs discovered to their detriment 66 million years ago. But what if two asteroids strike at the same time and in the same location?”

Explosive Power Beats Even Moore’s Law. The power of destructiveness is the most impressive metric of modern technology, reports Spectrum Magazine.

They Found Two New Craters on the Moon and Discovered a New Mystery –Tediously searching through imagery from a NASA spacecraft, researchers found where a discarded stage of a forgotten rocket crashed in March. But other questions remain, reports Kenneth Change for New York Times Science.

The puzzling link between star formation and radio emission in galaxies, reports Sarah Hönig for Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam. “On the 50th anniversary of the discovery of a close connection between star formation in galaxies and their infrared and radio radiation, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) have now deciphered the underlying physics.”

James Webb Space Telescope: Just a huge thermal camera –Astronomers have long used infrared technology — the same as in thermal imaging — to see deep space. “Scientists are abuzz with anticipation for the first full-color images from the James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest and most powerful infrared space-based telescope, which will be revealed in July.

Intergalactic Viral Video Takes Viewers To ‘Edge’ of Universe and Blows People’s Minds, reports Jeffrey Quiggle -for MSN.com. “A marvelous animation takes those who view it on an illuminating adventure through outer space, beyond the Milky Way and ultimately to the edge of the known universe. Included in the journey are stunning revelations about the difficult-to-comprehend nature of distances measured in light years.”

Curated by The Daily Galaxy Editorial Staff

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you twice-weekly news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

It was an epic week in the Cosmos: today’s stories range from How advanced civilizations could leave us a message of their presence to Time is not part of the fundamental structure of reality to Changes In the physics of the Universe killed off the dinosaurs, and much more. The Galaxy Report” brings you news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and adds a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Earth’s Astronomers on the Significance of the First Image of Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole, reports Maxwell Moe for The Daily Galaxy. “Several of the world’s leading astronomers and scientists emailed their thoughts to The Daily Galaxy on the significance of the fist image by the Event Horizon Collaboration of our Galaxy’s supermassive black hole. Their comments validate Albert Einstein’s observation that “the scientific imagination is a preview of coming attractions.”

We Were Here –How advanced civilizations could leave us a message of their presence. reports Sean Raymond and Matt Clement for Nautilus. “There’s a way aliens might make their mark stick. In a new paper on “SETI beacons” the authors show how advanced civilizations could leave an unmistakable trace of their presence using entire exoplanet systems. It’s forthcoming in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (and available on arXiv).

Time is not part of the fundamental structure of reality, reports Annaka Harris for Nautilus.com. “The more closely we observe the present moment, the more amorphous it becomes. “I think the flow of time is not part of the fundamental structure of reality,” theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli says. He is currently working on a theory of quantum gravity in which the variable of time plays no part.” 

A Change In The Physics Of The Universe Killed Off The Dinosaurs, reports iFL Science–“In a paper published on pre-print server Arxiv titled “Is the Hubble crisis connected with the extinction of dinosaurs?”, Leandros Perivolaropoulos suggests that a 10 percent increase in the strength of gravity took place over 100 million years, ending 50 million years ago.”

How can humans live on Saturn’s moons? –-What will it take for humans to settle Saturn’s moons someday? asks Interesting Engineering.

Was there an intelligent civilization before humans existed?-Was there an intelligent, technologically advanced species long before humans existed? Could there have been a dinosaur civilization? asks Big Think.

What’s next for Event Horizon Telescope after its black hole pictures? –Now that the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has released its image of the Milky Way’s black hole, the team is focusing on making movies of the two photographed black holes and finding other distant black holes large enough to study, reports New Scientist.

NASA Spacecraft Will Visit Apophis, Once Earth’s Deadliest Asteroid Threat –-After delivering extraterrestrial samples to Earth in 2023, OSIRIS-REx will embark on an extended mission to a potentially planet-threatening space rock, reports Scientific American.

Have we been measuring the expansion of the universe wrong all along? –For decades, measurements of the universe’s expansion have suggested a discrepancy known as the Hubble tension, which threatens to transform cosmology. But a new method suggests the tension may not exist after all, reports New Scientist.

Why astronomers are blasting Earth’s location to potential intelligent aliens –Despite warnings from scientists like Stephen Hawking, some astronomers are sending informative signals deep into space, reports Popular Science.

Stanford’s Futuristic Gravity Telescope Could Image Exoplanets – 1,000x More Powerful Than Current Technology, reports SciTechDaily. “By taking advantage of gravity’s warping effect on space-time, called gravitational lensing, scientists could potentially manipulate this phenomenon to create imaging far more advanced than any currently available.”

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse in Science –-The multiverse of pop culture owes its existence to a testable scientific hypothesis, reports Paul Sutter for Nautilus. 

A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red. Here’s how to watch, reports WQOW. “A partial eclipse will begin at 10:27 p.m. ET Sunday, with the total lunar eclipse starting at 11:29 p.m. ET, according to EarthSky. The total eclipse will end at 12:53 a.m. ET Monday, and the partial eclipse will end at 1:55 a.m. ET Monday, the site said. 

Recent Galaxy Reports:

Humans are the Mind of the Cosmos to The Unnerving Origin of Technosignatures

Unmistakable Signal of Alien Life to What Happens if China Makes First Contact?

Clues to Alien Life to A Galaxy 100 x Size of Milky Way 

Cracks in Einstein’s Theory of Gravity to Colossal Shock Wave Bigger than the Milky Way 

Monster Comet Arriving from the Oort Cloud to Black Hole Apocalypse 

Enigmas of Stephen Hawking’s Blackboard to Why the Universe and Life Exist 

Einstein’s Critics to NASA Theologians Prepare for Alien Contact

Mind-Bending New Multiverse Theory to Dark-Matter Asteroids of the Milky Way 

Mysterious Expanding Regions of Dark Matter to Are Black Holes Holograms? 

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from what are origins of two colossal geological anomalies deep inside our planet to The spark for the molecular evolution of life as we know it to the Most dangerous volcano on the Planet, and much more. The Planet Earth  Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

NASA Is Bringing Rocks Back From Mars, But What If Those Samples Contain Alien Life? asks LAist. “NASA is planning its first-ever mission to bring dirt and rocks from Mars back to Earth — but before that momentous event happens, the space agency needs to figure out exactly how to protect our home planet from any alien microbes that might hitch a ride. This week, the agency is holding public meetings and looking for feedback on its plan to land a spacecraft carrying Martian specimens at a U.S. Air Force testing range in Utah in the early 2030s.

Scientists Use AI to Create an Enzyme That Breaks Down Plastic in a Week Instead of a Century, reports Singularity Hub. “your last toothbrush, the one you threw out a couple months ago and never thought of again, will still be slowly decomposing in a landfill in 100 years. Apply that same thought to all the plastic in your home, then all the plastic in the world, and… it’s a lot.”

Searching for What Connects Us, Carlo Rovelli Explores Beyond Physics –The physicist ranges widely — from black holes to Buddhism to climate change — in his new book, “There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness,” reports The New York Times. 

Children’s lack of time in nature is ‘appalling’, says Jane Goodall –The award-winning primatologist tells New Scientist that education programs must address the disconnect between young people and nature.

Where Do Space, Time and Gravity Come From? –Einstein’s description of curved space-time doesn’t easily mesh with a universe made up of quantum wavefunctions. Theoretical physicist Sean Carroll discusses the quest for quantum gravity with host Steven Strogatz for Quanta.

What are the mysterious continent-sized lumps deep inside Earth? –For decades, planetary scientists have been trying to understand the origins of two colossal geological anomalies inside our planet. New insights suggest they could be leftovers from a cosmic collision, reports New Scientist.

Inside the homes of the ‘new naturalists’, reports The BBC. “How the eclectic collections that combine botanical know-how and creativity are bringing nature indoors. Dominic Lutyens takes a glimpse into the collectors’ intriguing worlds.

The Ocean’s Biggest Garbage Pile Is Full of Floating Life –Researchers found that small sea creatures exist in equal number with pieces of plastic in parts of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which could have implications for cleaning up ocean pollution, reports The New York Times.

Saturn’s moon Titan is so similar to Earth. Now we know why, reports Interesting Engineering. “Now, a new study from researchers at Stanford University delves into the enigmatic mysteries of the Moon.”

 It Came from Outer Space –“The Spark for the Molecular Evolution of Life as We Know It?” reports Maxwell Moe for The Daily Galaxy. “

Vast reservoir of water discovered under the ice in Antarctica –-Ice streams in Antarctica carry ice from the continent’s center to the ocean, and there appears to be a huge amount of water buried beneath one, which may affect its flow, reports New Scientist.

50 years on, the lessons of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study still reverberate –For 40 years, researchers deceived test subjects about the true purpose of the study, reports Ars Technica.

How Can Quantum Mechanics Help Researchers Understand the Deep Earth? For Earth Day, learn about how science at its smallest scale is applied to the depths of our planet.  “Nature is quantum,” said Wentzcovitch, a professor at Columbia Engineering and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory. 

Fixing the Standard Model: The Discovery That Could Have Predicted Why the Universe Exists, reports Maxwell Moe for The Daily Galaxy. ““The Standard Model as it stands cannot possibly be right because it cannot predict why the universe exists,” said Gerald Gabrielse, the Board of Trustees Professor of Physics at Northwestern University.”

How Taipei discovered an active volcano on its doorstep, reports BBC Future. “When Taiwan’s capital discovered an active volcano on its doorstep, it found itself hastily setting up a system to monitor it for dangerous signs. This smouldering moonscape is Xiaoyoukeng, an impressive collection of steam vents in Yangmingshan National Park, an 11,000-hectare (42 sq-mile) expanse of hiking trails lying within Taipei’s city limits.

“Yellow Brick Road” Discovered In Pacific Ocean During First-Ever Exploration Of Underwater Volcanoes, reports IFLScience.” The natural brickwork was actually the result of volcanic geology which has fractured the rock in a curiously uniform way. E/V Nautilus pilots exploring the Ancient Seamounts of Liliʻuokalani Ridge as part of the Luʻuaeaahikiikekumu expedition were behind the discovery.

The world’s most polluted capital city, reports BBC Future. “In Northern India, a concoction of seven different fungi could help to thin the smog that pervades New Delhi with the worst air pollution in the world.”

This Is the Most Dangerous Volcano on the Planet, reports 24/7.Despite sometimes giving out warning signs, volcanic eruptions are unpredictable. Even relatively less explosive ones can cause significant damage and fatalities, like the Nevado del Ruiz eruption in Colombia in 1985. Perhaps the most well-known deadly eruption is Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. It is estimated the catastrophe killed as many as 15,000 people. The volcano remains active. Currently, the most dangerous volcano on the planet is Aira in Japan.

World Food Prize goes to former farmer who answers climate change question: ‘So what?’ reports NPR. “For scientist – and former farmer – Cynthia Rosenzweig, her work on climate change has always revolved around one big question: “So what? Impacts of climate change are crucially important,” she says. “If the climate changes and nothing happened, why would we care?”

Americans are moving out of major cities and opting for southeastern states, data show –Places like Sarasota, Tampa Bay and Nashville are receiving an influx of newcomers, reports Changing America.

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from How Mammals Conquered the World after the Asteroid Apocalypse to New Type of Magnetic Wave Discovered Sweeping Across Earth’s Outer Core, and much more. The Planet Earth Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

How the Brain ‘Constructs’ the Outside World –Neural activity probes your physical surroundings to select just the information needed to survive and flourish, reports Scientific American. 

Why the next big solar storm might hit Earth without warning, reports New Scientist. “A big solar storm could fry the internet, but at least space weather forecasts would give us a day or two to prepare. Or maybe not, because physicists have just discovered a new kind of solar storm that strikes without notice.”

Our Sun Could Someday Reveal the Surfaces of Alien Earths. In the far future, we could reveal detailed views of distant worlds by turning our home star into a gravitational lens, reports Allison Gasparini for Scientific American.

How Mammals Conquered the World after the Asteroid Apocalypse –They scurried in the shadows of dinosaurs for millions of years until a killer space rock created a new world of evolutionary opportunity, reports Scientific American.

Drones Are Turning Into Personal Flying Machines, reports Clive Thompson for Wired. “For eons, sci-fi illustrations depicted people zipping around cities in little flying vehicles. Now those Golden Age fliers might finally be arriving—and ‘they’re just big drones,’ says Chris Anderson, a longtime drone pioneer (and Wired’s former editor in chief). Consider this a lesson in innovation: Big breakthroughs don’t always come from where you’d expect.”

Weather’s unwanted guest: Nasty La Nina keeps popping up, reports Seth Borenstein for AP. “La Nina, the natural but potent weather event linked to more drought and wildfires in the western United States and more Atlantic hurricanes, is becoming the nation’s unwanted weather guest and meteorologists said the West’s megadrought won’t go away until La Nina does.”

A new quantum technique could enable telescopes the size of planet Earth, reports Matt Williams for Universe Today.”

Completely New Type of Magnetic Wave Discovered Sweeping Across Earth’s Outer Core, reports Science Alert. “Using information from ESA’s Swarm satellite mission, scientists have discovered a completely new type of magnetic wave that sweeps across the outermost part of Earth’s outer core every seven years.”

‘Unsustainable’: how satellite swarms pose a rising threat to astronomy –-SpaceX and other companies are still struggling to make their satellites darker in the night sky, reports Nature. 

Walmart is expanding its drone deliveries to reach 4 million households –It’s expanding to five new states reports The Verge.

Is an unknown, extraordinarily ancient civilization buried under eastern Turkey? reports The Spectator. “The entire perplexing place, known as Karahan Tepe (pronounced Kah-rah-hann Tepp-ay), which is now emerging from the dusty Plains of Harran, in eastern Turkey, is is estimated to be 11-13,000 years old. For comparison the Great Pyramid at Giza is 4,500 years old. Stonehenge is 5,000 years old. The Cairn de Barnenez tomb-complex in Brittany, perhaps the oldest standing structure in Europe, could be up to 7,000 years old.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories from our Pale Blue Dot range from A Periodic Table of All Animal Intelligence to How a Moon-Sized Deep Impact Affected Early Life on Earth, and much more. The Planet Earth  Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

The grand plan to create a periodic table of all animal intelligence –Animal minds are extraordinarily diverse, but a new attempt to categorize them aims to reveal the distinct nature of intelligence in everything from dolphins to bees – and even us, reports New Scientist.

“Simultaneously beautiful and terrifying” –Earth’s Astronomers on the Significance of the First Image of Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole, reports astrophysicist, Max Moe for The Daily Galaxy. Several of the world’s leading astronomers and scientists emailed their thoughts to The Daily Galaxy on the significance of the fist image by the Event Horizon Collaboration of our Galaxy’s supermassive black hole. Their comments validate Albert Einstein’s observation that “the scientific imagination is a preview of coming attractions.”

A new Earth rises –How did the planet replace the nation-state to become the prime political object of the 21st century? asks Aeon.com –“The so-called planetary turn marks a new way of thinking about our relationship to the environment. It also signals the emergence of a distinct governable object, which suggests that the prime political object of the 21st century is no longer the state, it’s the planet.”

How Much Is the Ocean Worth? Putting a price tag on the ocean might just save it, reports Nautilus. “In 2019, Ralph Chami, a financial economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),  co-founded Blue Green Future to advocate for market values to nature’s regenerative services, from whales to seagrass meadows. After accounting for all the services a great blue whale provides, such as the 33 tons of carbon dioxide its body captures over its lifespan of—on average—60 years, the number Chami arrived at was $2 million per whale.

Giant sinkhole with a forest inside found in China –Species unknown to science could be hiding in this gaping hole, reports Live Science. “A team of speleologists and spelunkers rappelled into the sinkhole on Friday (May 6), discovering that there are three cave entrances in the chasm, as well as ancient trees 131 feet (40 m) tall, stretching their branches toward the sunlight that filters through the sinkhole entrance.”

Technosignature from Proxima Centauri — and why astronomers rejected it –The forensic analysis of a potential signal from another civilization reveals how challenging the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is likely to become, reports Astronomy.com.

Caesar’s favorite herb was the Viagra of ancient Rome. Until climate change killed it off, reports The Guardian. “Perfume, tonic – even love potion – silphium was prized by the ancient Romans, but in its success lay the seeds of its own downfall.”

How long-term space missions change the brain –-Data from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos suggest that long durations in space cause changes in the brain, some of which are linked to vision problems, reports Big Think.

‘Elon Musk’s Crash Course’ –Watch the new documentary on Friday, May 20, at 10 p.m. on FX and Hulu. “When it came to Tesla, the electric car company he took over in 2008,  Musk “wanted to disrupt and revolutionize the auto industry,” reporter Neal Boudette said in a new documentary by The New York Times. “And Autopilot was kind of a halo.”

How long-haul travel may change –Post-Covid, airlines are rethinking long flights. 

A mind-blowing explanation of symmetry–Basic and breath-taking – Dr. Frank Wilczek addresses symmetry’s critical role in nature’s laws and what we consider to be beautiful. Dr. Frank Wilczek is the newly announced recipient of the 2022 Templeton Prize, which, valued at over $1.4 million, is one of the world’s largest annual individual awards. Dr. Wilczek is celebrated for his investigations into the fundamental laws of nature that have transformed our understanding of the forces that govern our universe. 

What’s Down the Road for Silicon? –Meet the new materials overpowering the electric economy, reports The New York Times. “Some novel, post-silicon devices are in use already, and better power electronics will become far more important in the future as much of our economy switches from fossil fuels to electricity. At a time when supply chains for silicon are severely kinked, these newer materials have boomed.”

Scientists Prove That Plants Can Grow in Soil From the Moon –The experiment is a milestone in the path to helping humans one day experience extended stays on the lunar surface, reports The Smithsonian.

What an experience! New Zealand Prof Shane Cronin has just returned from snorkeling over the Tonga underwater volcano that blew its top in January, reports BBC Science.

Puzzling Quantum Scenario Appears Not to Conserve Energy –By resolving a paradox about light in a box, researchers hope to clarify the concept of energy in quantum theory, reports Katie McCormick for Quanta.

‘Why are masks still worn in Japan and South Korea? –Covid cases are stabilizing in the countries but many may continue to wear face coverings, even if rules change, reports The Guardian.

How a Moon-Sized Deep Impact Affected Early Life on Earth, reports AASNOVA. “This story begins with a noteworthy event during the Hadean Eon: a now long-gone Mars-sized planet called Theia slammed into Earth. The massive impact blew off a large amount of debris that started to circle the new Earth–Theia merger and eventually formed the Moon.”

Six Things You Do Every Day That Science Can’t Explain, reports IFL Science. “Some of the things itcan’t explain are almost embarrassingly mundane. So here are six things you’ve almost certainly done in your daily life that, as it stands, defy science in some way.

FTX’s billionaire chief says bitcoin has no future as a payments network-“Cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s founder has said that bitcoin has no future as a payments network and criticized the digital currency for its inefficiency and high environmental costs, the Financial Times reported on Monday.”

Have Scientists Designed the Perfect Chocolate? –-Part of a burgeoning field of ‘edible metamaterials,’ Dutch physicists found that 3-D printed spiral-shaped candies give the ideal eating experience, reports The Smithsonian.

The Standard Model of Particle Physics May Be Broken – A Physicist at the Large Hadron Collider Explains, reports SciTechDaily.

Air-Conditioning Should Be a Human Right in the Climate Crisis, reports Scientific American. We need to protect vulnerable people from killer heat without destroying the environment.

Curated by The Daily Galaxy editorial Staff

The Galaxy Report newsletter brings you daily news of space and science that has the capacity to provide clues to the mystery of our existence and add a much needed cosmic perspective in our current Anthropocene Epoch.

Yes, sign me up for my free subscription.

Recent Planet Earth Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from The  Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Metaverse to ‘Extraordinary’ W Boson Particle Finding Contradicts Understanding of How Universe Works to How Ancient, Recurring Climate Changes May Have Shaped Human Evolution, and much more. The Planet Earth Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

Homo sapiens Is #9. Who Were the 8 Other Human Species? asks Big Think –“There were at least eight other human species, some of whom existed for far longer than we have. Who were they? https://bigthink.com/the-

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Metaverse, reports Boson Protocol–“When the Boson Protocol team announced the launch of Portal, the world’s first virtual lifestyle and commerce playground connecting the metaverse with the universe, we realized the term ‘metaverse’ is hard to pin down for many people.”

Pentagon official confirms an interstellar meteor likely entered our solar system eight years ago, reports USA Today. “Dr. Joel Mozer, the Chief Scientist of Space Operations Command, reviewed a report, “Discovery of a Meteor of Interstellar Origin,” about the emergence of the 2014 meteor from “an unbound hyperbolic orbit,” or interstellar space. This means the rock was not one of many objects counted within our solar system – instead, it came from beyond our known galactic territory.”

China is hatching a plan to find Earth 2.0 –-A satellite will scour the Milky Way for exoplanets orbiting stars just like the Sun, reports Nature.com. “After sending robots to the Moon, landing them on Mars and building its own space station, China is now eyeing distant solar systems. This month, scientists will release detailed plans for the country’s first mission to discover exoplanets.”

Chinese AI turns commercial satellite into a spy tracker able to follow small objects with precision, reports South China Morning Post. “An advanced artificial intelligence system developed by Chinese military researchers could turn low-cost commercial satellites already orbiting the Earth into powerful spy platforms capable of tracking moving targets as small as a car with extreme precision.

4 Billion-Year-Old Oort-Cloud Comet 1000x Mass of the Impactor that Caused the Extinction of the Dinosaurs, reports Maxwell Moe for The Daily Galaxy. “This enormous comet — approximately 80 miles across, more than twice the width of Rhode Island — is heading our way at 22,000 miles per hour from the edge of the solar system. Fortunately, it will never get closer than one  billion miles from the sun, which is slightly farther from Earth than Saturn; and that will be in 2031.”

Diverse life forms may have evolved earlier than previously thought –Diverse microbial life existed on Earth at least 3.75 billion years ago, suggests a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers that challenges the conventional view of when life began. “For the study, published in Science Advances, the research team analyzed a fist-sized rock from Quebec, Canada, estimated to be between 3.75 and 4.28 billion years old.

‘Extraordinary’ W boson particle finding contradicts understanding of how universe works –New measurement of fundamental particle of physics after decade-long study challenges theoretical rulebook in scientific ‘mystery’, reports The Guardian.

Physicists Are Closing In on the Next Breakthrough in Particle Physics – And the Search for Our Own Origins, reports SciTech Daily –“Physicists are closing in on the true nature of the neutrino — and might be closer to answering a fundamental question about our own existence.

How ancient, recurring climate changes may have shaped human evolution –Shifting habitats implicate a disputed ancestor in the rise of Homo sapiens and Neandertals, reports Science News. ” Based on how the timing of ancient climate variations matched up with the comings and goings of different fossil Homo species, researchers generated a novel — and controversial — outline of human evolution.”

Area 51: What is it and what goes on there? asks Robert Lea for Space.com–“Area 51 is synonymous with tales of UFOs, government cover-ups and potentially testing alien technology.”

Stolen Charles Darwin Notebooks Returned After 22 Years –Two of Charles Darwin’s notebooks, including one with his iconic sketch of the Tree of Life, were anonymously returned to the Cambridge University Library nearly 22 years after they were stolen.

What do aliens look like? –-We should not expect aliens to look anything like us. Creatures that resemble octopuses or birds or even robots are legitimate possibilities, reports Big Think. “Life is incredibly diverse, spanning from microscopic organisms to skyscraper-sized trees. Alien life would be just as diverse. There is little reason to believe that aliens would take on human-like forms. Perhaps an octopus- or bird-like creature is more likely. Because all lifeforms want to live as long as possible, the most advanced aliens might be fully mechanized robots.”

What if There’s an Earth-Like Planet at One of Our Closest Stars? Just over four light-years away, our Solar System’s closest neighboring stars can be found. There’s red dwarf Proxima Centauri, at a distance of 4.2 light-years; and, just a little farther, at 4.37 light-years, a binary system of Sun-like stars – Alpha Centauri AB, reports Science Alert,

Facebook Whistleblower Wars that Zuckerberg Wants to Fill Your House With Microphones.

Mongolian Wind Burial –-In this short film, the Mongolian-born, Montreal-based filmmaker Alisi Telengut uses hand-painted animation to illustrate the Mongolian postmortem ceremony known as a wind burial, in which the deceased’s body is carried on a cart until it falls off: wherever the body then lands becomes its burial ground. Telengut captures this ritual with a poetic touch, layering oil pastels in a dazzling display of ever-changing colors and textures as the form of a body ascends from the Earthly and into infinite, reports Aeon.

Read about The Daily Galaxy editorial team here

Today’s stories range from A New Place for Consciousness in Our Understanding of the Universe to Installing the World’s Highest Weather Station on Mount Everest to Military Memo Deepens Possible Interstellar Meteor Mystery, and much more. The Planet Earth Report provides descriptive links to headline news by leading science journalists about the extraordinary discoveries, technology, people, and events changing our knowledge of Planet Earth and the future of the human species.

There’s a Massive Hidden Factor in The Evolution of Humans Over 2 Million Years, reports Science Alert –The course of human evolution over the last 2 million years was shaped by habitation shifts linked to astronomically driven climate change, scientists suggest in a new study.

Discovery Dramatically Rewrites History of Life on Earth, Scientists Say –Scientists present more evidence for the oldest known fossils on Earth, which could bolster the search for alien life, reports Vice Science. 

Posing a hefty problem for physicists, a fundamental particle weighs in heavier than expected –A new measurement of the W boson suggests the Standard Model is wrong. Yet there still isn’t a “smoking gun”, reports Nicole Karlis and Keith Spencer for Salon.

Scientists Unravel How the Tonga Volcano Caused Global Tsunamis, reports Robin George Andrews for Quanta.–The Tonga eruption in January was “basically like Krakatoa 2.” This time, geophysicists could explain the tiny tsunamis that cropped up all over the planet, solving a 139-year-old mystery about Tonga’s predecessor.

Virologists Identify More Than 5,000 New Viruses in the Ocean –The new study focused on under-researched RNA viruses, which often infect animals and humans, reports The Smithsonian.

Ancient computer may have had its clock set to 23 December 178 BC –The Antikythera mechanism, often called the world’s first computer could calculate the timing of cosmic events – and now we may know the date it was calibrated to, reports New Scientist.

A new place for consciousness in our understanding of the universe--To make sense of mysteries like quantum mechanics and the passage of time, theorists are trying to reformulate physics to include subjective experience as a physical constituent of the world, reports New Scientist.

Scientists Create RNA That Evolves on Its Own. This Could Be How Life on Earth Started, reports Mike McCrae for Science Alert.”We just received more evidence that life on Earth may have started with RNA, with scientists in Japan creating RNA that can replicate, diversify, and develop complexity all on its own.”

AI Competition With China Should Be Done the American Way, reports National Interest –The United States is uniquely positioned to take advantage of a decentralized artificial intelligence model.

Installing the world’s highest weather station on the flanks of Mount Everest –Over the next two months, researchers on the National Geographic and Rolex expedition would study the effects of climate change on this part of the Himalayas, installing the world’s highest weather station on the flanks of Mount Everest. During the course of their expedition, her colleagues discovered the world’s highest evidence of microplastic pollution in snow and stream water close to the summit,” reports  Harriet Constable for BBC Future.

Military Memo Deepens Possible Interstellar Meteor Mystery –The U.S. Space Command seemed to confirm a claim that a meteor from outside the solar system had entered Earth’s atmosphere, but other scientists and NASA are still not convinced, reports The New York Times.

Area 51: What is it and what goes on there? asks Robert Lea for Space.com –Area 51 is synonymous with tales of UFOs, government cover-ups and potentially testing alien technology. “Located at Groom Lake in the middle of the barren desert of southern Nevada, Area 51 is a U.S Air Force installation that has become infamous for a speculated connection with unidentified flying objects (UFOs). “

A New Dimension to a Meaningful Life, reports Scientific American –“Studies suggest that appreciating beauty in the everyday may be just as powerful as a sense of overarching purpose.

The untold, dramatic story behind the discovery of America’s first murder hornet nest –In October 2020, after months of urgent work, researchers found an Asian giant hornet hive in Washington State. Its story was just beginning, reports National Geographic.

This Canadian river is now legally a person. It’s not the only one. From the Amazon to the Klamath, granting rivers legal rights is part of Indigenous-led efforts to protect them, reports National Geographic.

Russian hackers tried to bring down Ukraine’s power grid to help the invasion, reports Patrick Howell O’Neill for MIT Technology News. As Russia’s ground war stalls, hackers attempted to cause a blackout for two million people. “The hackers attempted to destroy computers at a Ukrainian energy company using a wiper, malware specifically designed to destroy targeted systems by erasing key data and rendering them useless. “

Time might not exist, according to physicists and philosophers, but that’s okay, reports Sam Baron for The Conversation–“Developments in physics suggest the non-existence of time is an open possibility, and one that we should take seriously.”

This hieroglyph is the oldest known record of the Maya calendar –The system is still used today, a testament to the persistence of Maya knowledge, reports Science News. “Buried within the Las Pinturas pyramid in San Bartolo, Guatemala, thousands of painted plaster mural fragments offer a window into ancient Maya civilization. Two of those fragments form the earliest known record of a Maya calendar, created between 300 and 200 B.C.”

Consciousness and higher spatial dimensions –Do higher spatial dimensions hold the key to solving the hard problem of consciousness? asks IAI News. “To gain a greater gaze into this outer space we will analyze space itself – in its relation to sentience – fracturing it into three varieties and raising it beyond three dimensions. The mind-matter mystery beckons us to explore the relations between space, matter, and mind.”

Coastal cities around the globe are sinking –The subsidence renders coastlines even more vulnerable to rising seas, reports Science News. “Manila in the Philippines is among the fastest sinking cities on the planet, with some areas subsiding up to 1.5 centimeters per year.”

Why a nuclear power plant would survive a 9/11-style airplane attack –U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak, reports Big Think.

Chinese military scientists say they have created ‘invisibility cloak’ that can help hide equipment from spy satellite radar–The researchers say their new material is light and flexible, but covered with circuits to change the pattern of the radar signal. Tanks, artillery and other items of military equipment covered with the cloaks would appear on radar as nothing more than flat ground, reports South China Morning Post.

How ending mining would change the world –-“Mining fuels the modern world, but it also causes vast environmental damage. What would happen if we tried to do without it?” reports Laura Cole for BBC Future. 

Steampunk: How this subgenre of science fiction challenges the beliefs of civilizational progress –Steampunk is a response to growing estrangement with the interpretation of modernity and the ruthless rupture from the past as the precondition for progress, reports Scroll In.

Driverless Car Appears to Flee the Scene After Being Pulled Over by Cops reports Jonathan M. Gitlin for Ars Technica. “San Francisco police stopped one of Cruise’s autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EVs. In the video, first posted to Instagram on April 2, an officer can be heard saying, ‘There’s nobody in it.’ But a few seconds later, after the officer walks back to his police car, the autonomous vehicle—perhaps deciding that the traffic stop was over—tries to drive away before pulling over to a stop a few hundred feet away.”

Twice Accused of Murder, This Writer Later Foresaw the Sinking of the Titanic –Under the pseudonym Mayn Clew Garnett, author Thornton Jenkins Hains published a maritime disaster story with eerie parallels to the real-life tragedy, reports Greg Daugherty for The Smithsonian.

Recent Reports:

James Webb Space Telescope’s Super-Secret Targets to Is Geometry a Language Only Humans Know?

Critics Horrified by World’s First Octopus Farm to Quest for Immortality

China’s One-of-a-Kind Cyber-Espionage to Multiverse of Universes All with Randomly Dialed Higgs Masses Virus from

Age of Dinosaurs Found in Human Genome to Is Earth’s Core a Weird State of Matter?

Why are NASA Spaceships Exploring Earth’s Deepest Oceans to Is Reality a Wavefunction? 

The Terrifying Message Lurking in Earth’s Ancient Record to Robots Evolving Autonomously

The Quantum Century to Events That Could Have Ended Humanity

The ‘Douglas Adams Epoch’ to Earth’s Earliest Life May Owe Existence to Viruses

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