This week, the October sky is treating us to a brilliant display that you won't want to miss -- the Hunter's supermoon, a rare comet, and the Orionids meteor shower. 



Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a rare comet making its journey past Earth, offering a unique opportunity to witness its tail of icy particles glistening against the dark canvas of space.



In addition, this week features the biggest supermoon of the year, Hunter's supermoon, which will illuminate the night with a breathtaking orangish glow.



Since Tuesday, the moon has looked larger than usual, and it’ll keep that appearance through Friday. By Thursday morning, as people head out for their morning commute. Depending on the weather in your area, Thursday night being the best time to see the full Hunter's supermoon..



And let's not forget the dazzling Orionids meteor shower, where you can catch glimpses of shooting stars streaking across the sky, resulting from debris left by Halley's Comet.



There's truly something for everyone in this celestial display. So, grab a warm jacket, perhaps a pair of binoculars for a closer look.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-80-000-year-old-time-traveler">80,000-year-old time traveler</h2>



Meet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-anticipated-comet-of-2024-returns-this-weekend-after-80000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS</a>, a celestial wanderer that's been on an 80,000-year long odyssey. 



From the outermost regions of our solar system, this comet embarks on an interminable journey around the sun. The last time it paid us a visit, our ancestors were just crafting civilizations.



Although its closest Earth pass was on October 12, it remains visible for the remainder of the month. 



So, how do you spot it? An hour into the sunset, turn your sight to where the sun has sunk and voila. The elusive comet, while difficult to sight with the naked eye, could be seen with a pair of binoculars. 



Don't miss this rare chance to witness a phenomenon that won't return for another 80,000 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunter-s-supermoon">Hunter's Supermoon</h2>



Next up...mark your calendars for October 17, 2024. The night sky is all set to parade the Hunter's Moon, but this year it's not just a full moon -- <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunters-supermoon-prepares-to-illuminate-the-october-skies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it's a supermoon</a>! 



This phenomenon occurs when the moon is at its closest to Earth during its full phase, making it larger and brighter.



The Hunter’s Moon got its name from the historical practice of hunters utilizing the bright moonlight to track game and gather food in preparation for winter. This full moon rises soon after sunset, extending the period of illumination more than usual.



As it ascends, the Hunter’s Moon appears particularly large and orange, a visual effect produced by its lower position on the horizon and the scattering of light in the atmosphere.



This lunar phase holds cultural significance across various traditions, representing a time for preparation and gathering, underscoring the importance of readiness for the impending colder months.



The Hunter’s Moon is generally in October -- although once every four years it makes an appearance in November.



While contemporary life may not depend on this extra light to hunt or complete outdoor tasks, the Hunter’s Moon remains a fascinating reminder of nature’s rhythms and the cyclical changes of the seasons.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-puts-the-super-in-the-supermoon">What puts the 'super' in the supermoon?</h3>



So, you might ask, "What's so super about the supermoon?" As Anna Gammon-Ross, a seasoned astronomer from the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Museums Greenwich</a> explains, a supermoon occurs when a full moon is nearest to Earth in its orbit. 



This cosmic alignment results in a moon that's roughly 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual. On seeing the radiant orb hanging low in the sky, you'd agree that the supermoon does indeed earn its name.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shooting-stars-orionids-meteor-shower">Shooting stars: Orionids meteor shower</h2>



The Orionids meteor shower is one of the highlights of the October night sky. These meteors are actually tiny bits of dust left behind by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orionids-meteor-shower-peaks-this-weekend-heres-what-to-expect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halley's Comet</a> as it travels through the solar system. 



When Earth passes through this trail of debris, the particles slam into our atmosphere at incredible speeds -- up to 148,000 miles per hour! As they burn up, they create those bright streaks of light we love to watch.



What's cool about the Orionids is that they're known for their fast and bright meteors, often leaving glowing trails that last for a few seconds. 



The best time to catch them is in the early morning hours before dawn, when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/betelgeuse-one-of-our-brightest-stars-will-vanish-from-sight-next-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constellation Orion</a> (which gives the meteor shower its name) is high in the sky. 



Just find a comfy spot away from city lights, let your eyes adjust to the darkness, and enjoy the show -- no special equipment needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skywatching-101">Skywatching 101</h2>



All set to behold these cosmic spectacles? Here are some tips to enhance your experience:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Search for a location far from city lights to escape light pollution. </li>



<li>Always check the weather. Clear skies are your best pals for skywatching. </li>



<li>Bring your binoculars. For the supermoon, they are optional, but they'll help with the comet and make meteor watching more fun. </li>



<li>Comfort is key. Dress warmly and consider bringing a blanket or a chair. </li>



<li>Patience is a virtue. Allow around 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.</li>
</ul>



These celestial showstoppers make for some spectacular photography opportunities. 



For the supermoon, a camera with manual settings, plus a tripod for steadiness, can help capture stunning shots. 



For the meteors, a wide-angle lens with a long exposure setting can help you nab a shooting star.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-wonders-to-watch">More wonders to watch</h2>



October's skywatching doesn't end with the comet, supermoon, and meteor shower. 



Throughout the month, Venus brightly greets morning risers, while Saturn and Jupiter are earlier night visitors. 



Mars is a bit elusive but worth seeking out. Several constellations, such as Cassiopeia and Perseus, also adorn the night sky. 



If you're a novice stargazer, a smartphone app can help you navigate the starry expanse.



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Hunter's supermoon, a comet, and Orionids meteors are sharing the sky tonight

This week, the October sky is treating us to a brilliant display that you won't want to miss -- the Hunter's supermoon, a rare comet, and the Orionids meteor shower. Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a rare comet making its journey past Earth, offering a unique opportunity to witness its tail of icy particles glistening against the dark canvas of space. In addition, this week features the biggest supermoon of the year, Hunter's supermoon, which will illuminate the night with a breathtaking orangish glow. Since Tuesday, the...

A recent study into the mammalian family tree across multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-predict-a-new-mass-extinction-that-will-wipe-out-humans-and-all-mammals/">mass extinctions</a> reveals unexpected traits among the survivors, challenging the long-held belief that generalist or “boring” mammals primarily endured such catastrophic events.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survival-of-the-unspecialized-nbsp">Survival of the unspecialized&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers discovered that the mammals which persisted through mass extinctions possessed unique and advanced traits for their respective eras. This contradicts the notion of the “survival of the unspecialized.”



“The idea of the ‘survival of the unspecialized’ goes back to the 1800s, and the conventional wisdom is that generalized animals are the least likely to go extinct. But we found that the ones that survived more often only seemed generalized in hindsight, when compared with their later descendents," explained study senior author Ken Angielczyk of the Field Museum.



"They were actually pretty advanced animals for their time, with new traits that might have helped them survive and provided evolutionary flexibility."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



This revelation was supported by a massive family tree of synapsids, constructed by study co-lead author Spencer Hellert of Columbia College Chicago. Synapsids are a group of animals whose only surviving members are mammals.



“What’s been thought previously is that every time a new group of mammals evolves, you start out with a small generalist animal, since when disaster strikes, those are the guys that keep on trucking - they can hide anywhere, they can eat whatever is around,” said study co-lead author Spencer Hellert. “The kind of mammal that survives a mass extinction won’t be a specialist like a panda bear that can only eat bamboo.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-radiations-nbsp">Evolutionary radiations&nbsp;</h2>



Hellert’s extensive family tree, one of the largest of its kind, incorporated data from all previously established family trees for synapsids, providing a comprehensive and rigorous approach to summarizing information from various sources.&nbsp;



The research team examined the evolutionary radiations in synapsids over time, focusing on the species’ diets and body sizes, and discovered that the pattern of survival was not solely reliant on generalist characteristics. At certain points, larger synapsids and not just generalist insect-eaters were among the survivors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-initiated-nbsp">How the research was initiated&nbsp;</h2>



Study co-lead author David Grossnickle, assistant professor at the Oregon Institute of Technology, published a study in 2019 that highlighted how small, insect-eating mammals are often the lineages that survive challenging times. He approached Hellert and Angielczyk to see if this trend may also apply to earlier mammals and their ancestors.



“We were pretty surprised - it’s pretty well-established that those mammal radiations go from these small insectivores into the bigger taxa repeatedly, so I was kind of expecting to see that as we went back into synapsid history. And when we went back, that pattern starts to disappear,” said Grossnickle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-novel-characteristics-nbsp">Novel characteristics&nbsp;</h2>



Upon closer analysis, the researchers found that some survivor species, initially perceived as unspecialized, actually bore novel characteristics.&nbsp;



For instance, certain mammals from the dinosaur era possessed advanced teeth designed not just for cutting into prey but also for grinding, akin to a mortar and pestle. This “fancier” tooth structure might have offered a significant advantage during times of food scarcity, allowing these mammals to consume a broader range of foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-specialized-animals-nbsp">Specialized animals&nbsp;</h2>



However, the study’s findings should not be interpreted as suggesting that specialized animals, such as pandas with their bamboo-exclusive diet, are less prone to extinction than generalist species like raccoons.&nbsp;



Instead, the research highlights that the species making it through mass extinctions possessed traits that were far from generic.



“Animals with novel traits like new tooth features, or jaws that work a little better at breaking down different food items, don’t really take over ecologically until the incumbent, older lineages go extinct,” said Grossnickle.&nbsp;



“You often need an extinction event like the one that killed the dinosaurs to knock out some of those older groups, and then it allows those fancier animals to persist and diversify.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



According to the researchers, the results of their study have broader implications for scientists’ understanding of how evolution works.&nbsp;



"We don't really know if there is a consistent set of features typically possessed by the ancestors of evolutionary diversifications," said Angielczyk.&nbsp;



"The fact that we see this complexity in the diversifications of mammals and their ancient relatives means we need to examine other groups to see if the situation in mammals is an exception, or business as usual."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02200-y">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Evolutionary flexibility: Unique traits help mammals survive mass extinctions

A recent study into the mammalian family tree across multiple...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Liverpool John Moores University</a> have uncovered a fascinating link between our sense of smell and our perception of colors. According to the study, the presence of different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crabs-are-losing-their-sense-of-smell-and-vanishing-due-to-ocean-acidification/">odors</a> can directly influence how humans perceive color.



The research illuminates the unconscious “crossmodal” associations that our brain establishes among different senses, affecting our interpretation of the surrounding world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-multisensory-information-nbsp">Multisensory information&nbsp;</h2>



Our five senses are constantly bombarding us with information, and one way our brain makes sense of this is by combining information from two or more senses, explained the researchers.



"Our brain constantly combines multisensory information from our surrounding environment," wrote the study authors. "Odors for instance are often perceived with visual cues; these sensations interact to form our own subjective experience."&nbsp;



"This integration process can have a profound impact on the resulting experience and can alter our subjective reality."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-color-perception-nbsp">Color perception&nbsp;</h2>



Lead author Dr. Ryan Ward said the study demonstrates that the presence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetic-variations-smell-differently/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">different odors</a> influences how humans <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-perceive-colors-biology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perceive color</a>.



“In a previous study, we had shown that the odor of caramel commonly constitutes a crossmodal association with dark brown and yellow, just like coffee with dark brown and red, cherry with pink, red, and purple, peppermint with green and blue, and lemon with yellow, green, and pink,” he explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-sense-of-smell">Studying the sense of smell</h2>



For the current investigation, 24 adult participants, aged between 20 and 57 years, were tested for their association strength between specific odors and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/language-categorize-objects-colors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">colors</a>.&nbsp;



To ensure a controlled environment, participants were placed in a sensory-deprived room that was free of any unwanted stimuli.&nbsp;



With the absence of deodorants, perfumes, or any ambient odors, the researchers introduced one of six distinct odors: caramel, cherry, coffee, lemon, peppermint, or odorless water (as a control).



The individuals were then shown a square of random color on a screen. They were tasked with adjusting two sliders, one corresponding to the spectrum of yellow to blue and the other from green to red, to turn the color to neutral grey. Each odor was presented five times in random order.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intriguing-results">Intriguing results</h2>



The study revealed that when certain scents such as coffee were introduced, participants perceived the color grey as having a more red-brown hue than its true shade. Similarly, with the smell of caramel in the air, they perceived a blue-enriched color as grey.



When the smell of peppermint was presented, the participants’ choice of hue was different from the typical crossmodal association demonstrated for the other odors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-and-next-steps">Implications&nbsp;and next steps</h2>



“These results show that the perception of grey tended towards their anticipated crossmodal correspondences for four out of five scents, namely lemon, caramel, cherry, and coffee,” said Dr. Ward.



“This 'overcompensation' suggests that the role of crossmodal associations in processing sensory input is strong enough to influence how we perceive information from different senses, here between odors and colors.”



The researchers emphasized the need to investigate the extent of these crossmodal associations before making conclusions about our sense of smell and color perception.



“We need to know the degree to which odors influence color perception," said Dr. Ward. "For example, is the effect shown here still present for less commonly encountered odors, or even for odors encountered for the first time?”



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175703" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Psychology</a>.



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Our sense of smell can change our perception of colors

Scientists at Liverpool John Moores University have uncovered a fascinating...

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have discovered that people may suffer from persistent symptoms, or "long colds," following acute respiratory infections.



The study suggests that there could be long-lasting health impacts following a non-COVID respiratory infections, such as a cold or the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-flu-killed-hundreds-of-seals-in-new-england-last-year/">flu</a>, that are currently going unrecognized.



This phenomenon is similar to "long Covid," a condition in which individuals experience lingering symptoms after their initial recovery. However, it is not yet clear whether the symptoms of long colds have the same severity or duration as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-covid-linked-to-persistent-inflammation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long Covid</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasting-effects-of-respiratory-infections-nbsp">Lasting effects of respiratory infections&nbsp;</h2>



“Our findings shine a light not only on the impact of long Covid on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness - or even the lack of a common term - prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions," said study lead author Giulia Vivaldi.&nbsp;



“As research into long Covid continues, we need to take the opportunity to investigate and consider the lasting effects of other acute respiratory infections.



“These ‘long’ infections are so difficult to diagnose and treat primarily because of a lack of diagnostic tests and there being so many possible symptoms. There have been more than 200 investigated for long Covid alone.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-symptoms-of-a-long-cold">Symptoms of a long cold</h2>



The experts analyzed data from 10,171 UK adults collected by <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/covidence/about-the-covidence-uk-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVIDENCE UK</a>, Queen Mary University of London’s national study of COVID-19.&nbsp;



The researchers identified common symptoms of the long cold, including coughing, stomach pain, and diarrhea persisting for over four weeks post the initial infection.&nbsp;



The researchers found that the severity of the initial illness plays a crucial role in determining the risk of developing long-term symptoms.&nbsp;



More research is needed to clarify why some individuals suffer from prolonged symptoms while others recover quickly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The team compared the prevalence and the severity of long-term symptoms occurring after COVID-19 infections with those manifesting post non-COVID-19 respiratory infections.&nbsp;



The results showed that individuals recovering from COVID-19 were notably more prone to experiencing light-headedness, dizziness, and problems with taste and smell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-implications-for-long-colds">Future implications for "long colds"</h2>



“Our findings may chime with the experience of people who have struggled with prolonged symptoms after having a respiratory infection despite testing negative for COVID-19 on a nose or throat swab," explained Professor Adrian Martineau, chief investigator of COVIDENCE UK.



“Ongoing research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 and other acute respiratory infections is important because it can help us to get to the root of why some people experience more prolonged symptoms than others. Ultimately this could help us to identify the most appropriate form of treatment and care for affected people.”



Victoria King is the director of Funding and Impact at Barts Charity, an organization dedicated to supporting transformative healthcare research.



“Barts Charity swiftly supported COVIDENCE UK in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 to help inform of its risk factors and impacts. These findings highlight not only the long-term symptoms experienced by people after Covid infection, but by people after other acute respiratory infections as well," said King.&nbsp;



"As we learn more about long Covid symptoms and their possible treatments, studies like this help to build greater awareness around other prolonged respiratory infections that may be going unrecognized.”&nbsp;



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Scientists find possibility of "long colds" alongside "long Covid"

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have discovered that...

Watermeal, Earth's tiniest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-true-survivors-flowering-plants-lived-through-the-dinosaur-extinction/">flowering plant</a>, may become an essential astronaut food source and an efficient oxygen generator for space missions, according to a recent report from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Hypergravity_odyssey_of_Earth_s_tiniest_plant">European Space Agency</a> (ESA).



Mahidol University researchers in Thailand have tested watermeal’s space potential by subjecting the minuscule plant to 20 times Earth's normal gravity on the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hypergravity">Hypergravity</h2>



The LDC, located at ESA’s ESTEC technical center in the Netherlands, is a four-arm centrifuge which allows researchers to expose materials to hypergravity for extended periods.&nbsp;



The project, facilitated through HyperGES, is a collaboration under the <a href="https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/access2space4all/index.html">Access to Space for All</a> initiative, backed by both the ESA and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).



The centrifuge, capable of reaching up to 67 revolutions per minute, houses six gondolas along its arms, which are each able to hold 80 kilograms.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The Mahidol University team, led by Tatpong Tulyananda, placed samples of watermeal in boxes equipped with LED lights simulating natural sunlight, within these gondolas.&nbsp;



Watermeal, a tiny plant floating on Thai and Asian water bodies, does not possess roots, stems, or leaves, and has been under study using clinostats to observe its reaction to microgravity.



“We became interested in watermeal because we wanted to model how plants respond to changing gravity levels. Because watermeal doesn’t have any roots, stems or leaves, it is basically just a sphere floating on a body of water. That means we can focus directly on the effects that gravity shifts will have on its growth and development," said Tulyananda.



“In addition, it produces a lot of oxygen through photosynthesis. And watermeal is also a good protein source, which has been consumed in our country for a long time – used with fried egg to soup, or eaten as part of a salad. You consume 100% of the plant when you eat it, so it holds promise in terms of space-based agriculture.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-valuable-insights-nbsp">Valuable insights&nbsp;</h2>



The research team observed minimal differences in the plant’s growth between 1g and simulated microgravity. The short-lived nature of watermeal, with a life cycle ranging between five to ten days, allows for the examination of its entire life cycle in a short span.&nbsp;



The experiment yielded two generations of watermeal, the analysis of which Tulyananda believes will provide valuable insights into the plant’s hypergravity response.



“So far, we have seen little to no difference between plant growth at 1g and simulated microgravity, but we want to extend our observations to get an idea of how the plants react and adapt across the whole range of gravity environments," explained Tulyananda.



"Another advantage of watermeal is that it is quite a short-lived plant, so we can study its entire life cycle within five to 10 days."



“Our two weeks of experimentation give us access to two generations of watermeal overall. What we do next is examine the plants directly, then render extracts into a solid pellet form that we will take home to study. Then we can put these samples through detailed chemical analysis to gain insights into the broad spectrum of watermeal’s hypergravity response.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-watermeal-nbsp">More about watermeal&nbsp;</h2>



Watermeal, scientifically known as Wolffia, is recognized as the smallest flowering plant on Earth. Belonging to the duckweed family (Lemnaceae), this tiny plant is aquatic, predominantly floating on the surface of water bodies.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-size-and-appearance-nbsp">Size and appearance&nbsp;</h3>



Each individual watermeal plant is extremely small, roughly the size of a pinhead. It has a simple, globular, and rootless structure, often appearing like minute green grains on the water. Unlike typical plants, watermeal lacks stems, leaves, and roots.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-habitat">Habitat</h3>



Watermeal thrives in quiet, nutrient-rich freshwater environments like ponds, lakes, and marshes.



The plant is found globally, with a significant presence in Asia and Thailand.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutritional-value">Nutritional value</h3>



Watermeal is known to be a rich source of protein, making it a nutritious foodstuff. It has been a part of the diet in some countries, consumed in various forms like in soups, salads, or with fried eggs.



Because you consume 100% of the plant when you eat it, it offers maximum nutritional benefits per serving.



Image Credit: ESA



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Watermeal may become an essential food for astronauts

Watermeal, Earth's tiniest flowering plant, may become an essential astronaut...

The presence of space aliens up there in the cosmos is one of the biggest scientific fictions. But in reality, we have higher chances of finding extrasolar microbial life first than these legendary aliens. The question is, how soon?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-life-is-closer-than-we-think">Microbial life is closer than we think</h2>



Scientists have previously reported the existence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/does-exoplanet-k2-18-have-the-right-conditions-to-support-alien-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earth-like exoplanets</a> around sun-like stars, and also the possible existence of life on these planets. But we may now be able to estimate how near we can find them.



According to a new research by Piero Madau, a renowned professor of astrophysics at the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>, earthlike planets orbiting G and K spectral-type stars may serve as home to microbial life within 326 light-years of the sun.



"Within 326 light years of the Sun, there may be as many as 10,000 rocky planets in the habitable zone--the region around a star where conditions are right for liquid water on a world's surface, also called 'temperate terrestrial planets' or TTPs," Madau said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-star-formation-and-microbial-life">Early star formation and microbial life</h2>



We can break the formation of TTPS in the solar vicinity into different events. The first was a burst of star formation about 10-11 billion years ago. This was followed by another event that peaked about 5 billion years ago, giving rise to the solar system.&nbsp;



With three documented incidents where the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittarius_Dwarf_Spheroidal_Galaxy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy</a> entered the Milky Way's stellar disk, we can say that our own solar system was formed due to the first passing of the Sagittarius.



Madau also observed in his paper, which is appearing in <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.11927" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>, that although most TTPs are older than 4.5 billion years (older than the solar system), it remains unclear what part of these planets could support microbial life.&nbsp;



"If microbial life did arise as soon as it did on Earth in greater than 1 percent of TTPs around K spectral type stars, then the closest ‘life-harboring Earth-like planet’ would be 65 light years away," he added.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-frequency-of-abiogenesis-is-crucial">Frequency of abiogenesis is crucial</h2>



We can define abiogenesis as the origin of life from non-living matter. If we assume that abiogenesis is fast and we ultimately record simple life in every existing temperate terrestrial planet, then Madau's population study predicts that we are just 16 light years away from the closest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-discover-earth-sized-exoplanet-covered-in-volcanoes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earth-like planet</a> where life exists.



While this is a mere prediction, the failure to discover biosignatures at this volume in the future may necessitate the reassessment of these assumptions. However, Madau suggests some "cautious optimism" in the quest to unmask habitability markers and biosignatures using next-generation technologies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drake-s-equation-and-madau-s-approach">Drake's equation and Madau's approach&nbsp;</h2>



If there is one thing the renowned <a href="https://www.seti.org/drake-equation-index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frank Drake's 1961 equation</a> has achieved, it is providing probabilistic parameters on the number of intelligent civilizations that might exist and relate over interstellar distances.&nbsp;



But Madau believes Drake's equation is not the full story. This is why he is proposing a mathematical model that he believes can answer questions about when the TTPs in the local neighborhood were formed, the abundance of microbial life, and whether it arrived before or after the birth of life on Earth.



If we can obtain better stats from near-term ground- and space-based telescopes, we may be closer than ever to detecting the presence of nearby extraterrestrial intelligent life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-temperate-terrestrial-planets-ttps">More about temperate terrestrial planets (TTPs)</h2>



Temperate terrestrial planets, often hailed as the best candidates for finding life outside our solar system, captivate astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. As mentioned previously, these worlds are similar in size and composition to Earth. They also lie within a star's habitable zone where conditions might just be right for liquid water -- a key ingredient for life as we know it.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-location-matters">Location matters</h3>



The term "habitable zone" refers to the range of distances from a star where a planet's surface can potentially maintain liquid water. Planets too close to their star boil away any surface water, while those too far freeze solid. Temperate terrestrial planets reside within this 'Goldilocks' zone, making them prime targets for study.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-composition-and-atmosphere">Composition and atmosphere</h3>



Like Earth, these planets primarily consist of rocky materials. They might have iron cores, silicate mantles, and a solid or liquid water surface. Their atmospheres, if present, play a crucial role in regulating their climate. While Earth's atmosphere contains oxygen and nitrogen, temperate terrestrial planets might have different atmospheric compositions, influencing their potential to support life.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-search-and-discovery">Search and discovery</h3>



Telescopes like the Kepler Space Telescope revolutionized our search for these distant worlds. By monitoring the brightness of stars, astronomers detect the minute dimming when a planet transits in front of its star. This transit method, combined with other techniques like radial velocity, has unveiled numerous temperate terrestrial planets in recent years.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-and-future-exploration">Significance and future exploration</h3>



Finding these planets doesn't only boost our hopes of discovering extraterrestrial life. They also offer insights into planetary formation, evolution, and the intricacies of planetary atmospheres and climates. As technology advances, new missions like the James Webb Space Telescope aim to further scrutinize the atmospheres of these worlds, searching for bio-signatures or other markers of habitability.



In summary, temperate terrestrial planets represent some of the most promising locales in our quest to find life beyond Earth. Every discovery brings us one step closer to answering the age-old question: Are we alone in the universe?



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Microbial life that's 8 billion years old may exist on nearby exoplanets

The presence of space aliens up there in the cosmos...

NASA’s <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/2023/09/29/initial-curation-of-nasas-osiris-rex-sample/">OSIRIS-REx team</a> is diligently working through the initial curation of samples retrieved from asteroid Bennu.&nbsp;



Despite the process moving at a slower pace than initially expected, the delay comes as a positive surprise for the scientific community: the sample is significantly more abundant than anticipated.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-abundant-asteroid-material-nbsp">Abundant asteroid material&nbsp;</h2>



As the science canister lid was removed earlier this week, researchers discovered more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dart-mission-released-boulders-with-the-explosive-capacity-of-an-atomic-bomb/">asteroid</a> material than they expected.&nbsp;



This prompted a careful and methodical start to disassembling the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head, where the majority of the Bennu material is stored.



“The very best ‘problem’ to have is that there is so much material, it’s taking longer than we expected to collect it,” said deputy OSIRIS-REx curation lead Christopher Snead of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “There’s a lot of abundant material outside the TAGSAM head that’s interesting in its own right. It’s really spectacular to have all that material there.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quick-look-analysis-nbsp">Quick-look analysis&nbsp;</h2>



This abundant material has drawn keen interest from the scientists, with the first sample collected from outside the TAGSAM head currently undergoing initial analysis.&nbsp;



This "quick-look" analysis is expected to shed light on the nature of the Bennu material and set expectations for the findings likely to emerge once the bulk sample is unveiled for study.



“We have all the microanalytical techniques that we can throw at this to really, really tear it apart, almost down to the atomic scale,” said Lindsay Keller, OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team member from Johnson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-used-for-the-analysis">Tools used for the analysis</h2>



The experts will use various instruments for the analysis, including a scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared measurements, and x-ray diffraction (XRD).&nbsp;



These instruments will provide invaluable data, offering insights into the chemical and morphological composition of the sample, the presence of hydrated minerals and organic-rich particles, and an inventory and potential proportion of different minerals present.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revealing-the-rest-of-the-sample">Revealing the rest of the sample</h2>



With a treasure trove of asteroid material in their hands, researchers anticipate that the forthcoming weeks will be busy as they carefully move the TAGSAM head into a specialized glovebox for disassembly. This intricate process aims to reveal the bulk sample within, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the collected material.



The OSIRIS-REx mission, the first of its kind to successfully collect samples from an asteroid, has garnered significant attention since delivering rocks and dust from asteroid Bennu to Earth on September 24, 2023.&nbsp;



The pristine samples, originally collected in 2020, offer an unparalleled opportunity for scientists to peer back into the formative era of the Sun and planets approximately 4.5 billion years ago.&nbsp;



Following its historic sample delivery, the spacecraft, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX (OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer), has embarked on a new mission to explore asteroid Apophis.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-bennu-special">What makes Bennu special?</h2>



Bennu is not just another asteroid. Its potential for scientific discovery is enormous.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-solar-system-insights">Early solar system insights</h3>



Because Bennu is an ancient asteroid, scientists believe it has remained relatively unchanged since the early days of our solar system.&nbsp;



Studying its composition can give researchers insight into the conditions of the early solar system and how planets like Earth formed.&nbsp;



Additionally, because it's rich in carbon, studying Bennu can also provide clues about the origins of life.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-characteristics">Characteristics</h3>



Asteroid Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid in the Apollo group discovered by the LINEAR Project on September 11, 1999. It is a near-Earth object, which means it has an orbit that brings it close to our planet.&nbsp;



Bennu has a roughly spheroidal shape, resembling a spinning top with a diameter of about 490 meters (1,600 feet).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-may-contain-clues-about-the-origins-of-life">May contain clues about the origins of life</h3>



Bennu is a B-type asteroid, which means it's rich in carbon and other volatile materials. This makes it incredibly valuable for scientific study as it might contain organic molecules, amino acids, or other prebiotic molecules that are essential for life.



One of the reasons Bennu is of interest to scientists is that it has a relatively high probability (though still quite low in absolute terms) of impacting Earth in the late 22nd century. However, further observations and studies are required to refine these predictions.



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What will asteroid Bennu samples reveal about the origins of life?

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team is diligently working through the initial curation...

Scientists utilizing the H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia have identified the most energetic gamma rays ever recorded from a pulsar, a type of dead <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-stars-scientists-discover-a-new-type-of-star-powered-by-dark-matter/">star</a>. 



Clocking in at a staggering 20 tera-electronvolts, these gamma rays possess energy approximately ten trillion times greater than that of visible light. These observations present a challenge to existing theories concerning the genesis of such intense pulsed gamma rays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-pulsars">Understanding pulsars</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-mystery-solved-the-puzzling-behavior-of-a-pulsar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pulsars</a> are remnants of stars that have undergone a massive explosion termed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a>. This cataclysmic event leaves behind a minuscule, dead star, roughly 20 kilometers in diameter, spinning at incredible speeds and possessing a potent magnetic field. 



"These dead stars are almost entirely made up of neutrons and are incredibly dense: a teaspoon of their material has a mass of more than five billion tons, or about 900 times the mass of the Great Pyramid of Giza,” explained H.E.S.S. scientist Emma de Oña Wilhelmi. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-radiation-flashes">Radiation flashes</h2>



Resembling cosmic lighthouses, pulsars emit rotating beams of electromagnetic radiation. When these beams pass through our solar system, we witness regular intervals of radiation flashes.&nbsp;



Scientists believe that the origin of this radiation is the swift electrons that are generated and propelled in the pulsar’s magnetosphere as they move toward its outer boundary. The magnetosphere, filled with plasma and electromagnetic fields, revolves with the star.&nbsp;



“On their outward journey, the electrons acquire energy and release it in the form of the observed radiation beams,” said Bronek Rudak from the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center (CAMK PAN) in Poland.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gamma-rays-from-the-vela-pulsar">Gamma rays from the Vela pulsar</h2>



Located in the Southern sky within the Vela constellation, the Vela pulsar is notably the most radiant pulsar in the radio band of the electromagnetic spectrum.&nbsp;



It also stands as the brightest continuous cosmic gamma-ray source in the giga-electronvolts (GeV) range, with a rotation frequency of around eleven times every second.&nbsp;



However, its radiation abruptly halts beyond a few GeV, presumably when electrons surpass the magnetosphere's confines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultra-high-energy-emissions-nbsp">Ultra-high-energy emissions&nbsp;</h2>



Now, thanks to in-depth observations with H.E.S.S., a previously undetected radiation component of even higher energies has emerged, peaking at tens of tera-electronvolts (TeV).&nbsp;



“That is about 200 times more energetic than all radiation ever detected before from this object,” said Christo Venter from the North-West University in South Africa.&nbsp;



Interestingly, these ultra-high-energy emissions appear in the same intervals as those observed in the GeV range. But to achieve such intensities, electrons might journey beyond the magnetosphere, even as the rotation emission pattern persists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



"This result challenges our previous knowledge of pulsars and requires a rethinking of how these natural accelerators work,” said Arache Djannati-Atai from the Astroparticle &amp; Cosmology (APC) laboratory in France, who led the research.&nbsp;



“The traditional scheme according to which particles are accelerated along magnetic field lines within or slightly outside the magnetosphere cannot sufficiently explain our observations."&nbsp;



"Perhaps we are witnessing the acceleration of particles through the so-called magnetic reconnection process beyond the light cylinder, which still somehow preserves the rotational pattern? But even this scenario faces difficulties to explain how such extreme radiation is produced.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Regardless of this mystery, the Vela pulsar now holds the distinction of emitting the most energetic gamma rays observed to date.&nbsp;



“This discovery opens a new observation window for detection of other pulsars in the tens of teraelectronvolt range with current and upcoming more sensitive gamma-ray telescopes, hence paving the way for a better understanding of the extreme acceleration processes in highly magnetized astrophysical objects,” said Djannati-Atai.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02052-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



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High-energy gamma rays discovered are ten trillion times greater than that of visible light

Scientists utilizing the H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia have identified the...

When seabird couples have similar personalities, they tend to be better parents, according to a recent study from the University of Liverpool.&nbsp;



The researchers also found that personality compatibility is a significant factor in the longevity of the couples' relationship.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The team investigated the breeding habits of black-legged kittiwake couples.&nbsp;



The study revealed that seabird pairs with matching personalities are less likely to lose their chicks – an event which might prompt these generally monogamous birds to contemplate starting anew with a different partner.



The research was focused on a wild kittiwake population in Svalbard, located within the Arctic Circle.&nbsp;



The goal was to analyze how personality compatibility impacted both their parenting prowess and the stability of their pair bond.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted-nbsp">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers conducted a unique personality assessment. Birds were presented with a blue plastic penguin toy to gauge their level of boldness.&nbsp;



Upon analyzing their reactions, the team compared personalities among paired birds and subsequently linked these findings to their success rates in parenting and the likelihood of them parting ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance-nbsp">Study significance&nbsp;</h2>



A greater disparity in personalities was associated with a greater likelihood of chick loss. This, in turn, increased the chances of the couples splitting up.&nbsp;



This observation is particularly significant given the breeding environment of the kittiwakes. They breed under strenuous conditions where single-parenting is hardly feasible.&nbsp;



Both parents are integral for tasks like foraging and nest safeguarding.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-similar-personalities-nbsp">Similar personalities&nbsp;</h2>



“Our findings suggest that having similar personalities within pairs makes it easier for parents to predict and respond to each other’s behavior," explained study lead author Fionnuala McCully.



“Seabird parents spend long periods of time apart when they are finding food at sea, and so they often need to make decisions without having their partner there for reference."



"If you and your partner have similar personalities, you might also make similar decisions. What would my partner do in this situation? Easy, the same thing that I would do! And when your partner is more predictable, it is easier for you to make informed choices which benefit you both.”



“After all, human relationships thrive on compatibility and our lives are easier when we can predict how our partner might react in challenging circumstances. This research suggests that animal relationships may need exactly the same thing.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-relationships">Long-term relationships</h2>



Interestingly, kittiwakes often live into their 30s and even longer. These birds usually remain with the same mate for most of their lives.&nbsp;



Swapping partners demands considerable effort and energy. The choice to "divorce" is rarely made unless prompted by significant reasons, such as the tragic loss of a chick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



This research comes at a time when kittiwakes, the world's most prevalent gull species, are witnessing a drastic plunge in their numbers.&nbsp;



Factors like climate change and human activities - most notably overfishing - jeopardize their young's survival.&nbsp;



Unless there's a decisive shift in human behavior, even the most compatible kittiwake couples may find themselves unable to tackle the challenges of the future.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eth.13405" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethology</a>.



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Compatible seabird couples are more successful parents

When seabird couples have similar personalities, they tend to be...

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered that the brain undergoes significant rewiring during pregnancy, preparing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-animals-may-acquire-mate-preferences-through-observation/">females</a> for motherhood.&nbsp;



According to the study, pregnancy hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone are instrumental in initiating these brain changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parental-behaviors">Parental behaviors</h2>



The researchers found that these hormones act upon a select group of neurons in the brain, inducing parental behaviors even before the offspring are born.&nbsp;



In mice, the activated neurons led to heightened and selective responses towards pups, which is a crucial aspect of maternal care.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormonal-changes">Hormonal changes</h2>



Traditionally, it was believed that the onset of maternal behaviors was primarily triggered by hormones released during childbirth.&nbsp;



However, earlier studies indicated that even rats who underwent Caesarean sections and virgin mice exposed to pregnancy hormones exhibited maternal behaviors.&nbsp;



This observation implied that hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy play a pivotal role in promoting maternal instincts.



The researchers observed enhanced parental behaviors in female mice during late pregnancy. Interestingly, exposure to pups was not a prerequisite for the development of these behaviors.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galanin-expressing-neurons">Galanin-expressing neurons</h2>



The study highlighted the role of galanin-expressing neurons situated in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus, a region associated with parenting. These neurons were particularly influenced by oestrogen and progesterone.



Oestrogen was found to decrease the baseline activity of these neurons while increasing their excitability.&nbsp;



Progesterone, on the other hand, altered the neurons' inputs by increasing the number of synapses, which are crucial communication points between neurons.&nbsp;



When these neurons were made insensitive to hormones, mice failed to exhibit parental behaviors, highlighting the significance of hormonal influence during pregnancy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-brain-rewiring-nbsp">Long-term brain rewiring&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers noted that some of these neuronal changes persisted for at least a month post-childbirth, with others potentially being permanent, indicating long-term brain rewiring as a result of pregnancy.



"We know that the female body changes during pregnancy to prepare for bringing up young. One example is the production of milk, which starts long before giving birth. Our research shows that such preparations are taking place in the brain, too," explained study co-author Jonny Kohl.&nbsp;



“We think that these changes, often referred to as ‘baby brain,' cause a change in priority - virgin mice focus on mating, so don’t need to respond to other females’ pups, whereas mothers need to perform robust parental behaviour to ensure pup survival."&nbsp;



"What’s fascinating is that this switch doesn’t happen at birth - the brain is preparing much earlier for this big life change.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-window-of-brain-plasticity-nbsp">Window of brain plasticity&nbsp;</h2>



“We’ve demonstrated that there’s a window of plasticity in the brain to prepare for future behavioral challenges," said co-first author Rachida Ammari.&nbsp;



"These neurons receive a large number of inputs from elsewhere in the brain, so now we’re hoping to understand where this new information comes from.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



The team is optimistic that their findings may have implications for understanding pregnancy and motherhood in humans, as similar hormonal changes are expected to influence the same brain regions.&nbsp;



The experts believe that these alterations in brain wiring could work in tandem with environmental and social cues to influence parental behaviors.&nbsp;



With these insights, the study sheds light on the complex interplay between hormonal changes during pregnancy and the onset of maternal instincts and behaviors.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.adi0576." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Pregnancy brain: How neurons get rewired to prepare for motherhood

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered that the...

NASA is set to embark on its first expedition to explore a metal-rich asteroid through the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psyche Mission</a>, with a launch readiness date confirmed for Thursday, October 12. The asteroid, named 16 Psyche, is estimated to be laden with precious metals valued at an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psyche-asteroid-is-worth-10000-quadrillion-and-nasa-is-sending-a-space-probe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">astounding $10,000-quadrillion</a>.



The spacecraft will traverse a remarkable distance of 2.2 billion miles from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to study one of the most intriguing objects in the main asteroid belt, Psyche.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metallic-asteroid">Metallic asteroid</h2>



The Psyche asteroid is a giant metallic asteroid situated between Mars and Jupiter. Named after the Greek goddess of the soul, Psyche was discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis on March 17, 1852.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-16-psyche-nbsp">16 Psyche&nbsp;</h2>



The object is officially designated as 16 Psyche because it was the 16th asteroid discovered. It's composed primarily of metallic iron and nickel, similar to Earth’s core, which makes it a subject of scientific interest.



Psyche is one of the largest asteroids in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/measurements-water-asteroid/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroid belt</a>, with an estimated diameter of about 226 kilometers (140 miles). 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-possible-origins-nbsp">Possible origins&nbsp;</h3>



Scientists believe that it might be the remnant core of a protoplanet that experienced large-scale melting and had its outer layer stripped away through a series of violent collisions.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-value">Economic value</h3>



In addition to its scientific importance, the asteroid has garnered attention for its potential economic value.&nbsp;



The metals contained within Psyche are estimated to be worth around $10,000 quadrillion, a sum so large it's difficult to fathom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mission">The mission</h2>



The Psyche mission aims to shed light on the formation of rocky bodies within our solar system. There are several key aspects of this exploration that are noteworthy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-system-origins">Solar system origins</h2>



Psyche offers a unique opportunity to learn about the early days of our solar system. Scientists believe that the asteroid might be a fragment of a planetesimal's metal-rich interior.&nbsp;



Through its investigation, Psyche might reveal how violent collisions and accumulation of matter led to the formation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-like-planets-may-be-more-common-than-we-ever-imagined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rocky planets</a>, providing invaluable insights impossible to obtain from Earth’s inaccessible metal core.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formation-theories">Formation theories</h2>



The asteroid’s surface noticeably lacks iron oxides found on rocky planets like Mars, Venus, and Earth. This discrepancy hints at a different formation story, potentially making Psyche a new type of primordial object never observed before.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advanced-scientific-tools">Advanced scientific tools</h2>



Psyche is equipped with three science instruments and a gravity science investigation apparatus. These tools, including a magnetometer, gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and multispectral imager, will work in tandem to analyze the asteroid’s magnetic field, chemical composition, topography, rotation, mass, and gravity field.&nbsp;



Such comprehensive data will offer deeper insights into the asteroid’s structure and history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-innovative-propulsion">Innovative propulsion</h2>



For the first time beyond the Moon, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> is employing a highly efficient propulsion system. 



This system converts energy from solar arrays to generate electric and magnetic fields, which then ionize and expel xenon atoms to produce thrust, all while emitting a striking blue glow in space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborative-endeavor">Collaborative endeavor</h2>



The mission is a collective effort involving NASA, multiple universities, and industry partners. With participants like Arizona State University, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Maxar Technologies, and over a dozen other institutions, Psyche embodies a synergistic approach to space exploration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-participation">Public participation</h2>



NASA encourages public engagement in the Psyche mission through various activities and opportunities highlighted on their “<a href="https://psyche.asu.edu/get-involved/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get involved</a>” webpage.&nbsp;



From annual internships and classroom projects to virtual launch experiences, there are many ways to participate and stay updated on the mission's progress.



Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU



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Psyche: The $10,000-quadrillion asteroid will soon reveal the secrets of our solar system

NASA is set to embark on its first expedition to...

Recently, the phenomenon of fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet light has been observed in various creatures, including birds, reptiles, insects, and fish. The prevalence of this occurrence in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hairless-mammals-evolved-at-a-faster-pace/">mammals</a>, however, remained largely unexplored. 



Now, a team of researchers led by the Western Australian Museum and Curtin University, has found that fluorescence is remarkably prevalent among mammals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The experts analyzed 125 mammalian species, both preserved and frozen, from museum collections to determine the existence of “apparent fluorescence” when exposed to UV light. They were surprised to find that every mammalian specimen exhibited at least some degree of&nbsp; fluorescence.&nbsp;



These mammals include familiar creatures like domestic cats (Felis catus), as well as polar bears, bats, mountain zebras, wombats, dwarf spinner dolphins, leopards, and even the Tasmanian devil.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-sources-of-fluorescence-nbsp">Many sources of fluorescence&nbsp;</h2>



The sources of these fluorescent compounds ranged from bones and teeth to claws, fur, feathers, and even the skin, while the range of fluorescent colors displayed was broad, encompassing hues from red and yellow to green, pink, and blue.



“We were quite curious to find out about fluorescence in mammals,” said lead author Kenny Travouillon, the Mammalogy curator at the Western Australian Museum. “By using the spectrophotometer in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University, we were able to measure the light that was emitted from each specimen when exposed to UV light.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-causes-fluorescence">What causes fluorescence?</h2>



From a scientific standpoint, fluorescence occurs when certain chemicals, like proteins or carotenoids present on a mammal’s exterior, absorb light and then re-emit it at longer and lower-energy wavelengths, resulting in glowing colors that may be pink, green, or blue.



Interestingly, the study also discovered that the iconic platypus is among the creatures that fluoresce under UV light.



“To date, reports of fluorescence among mammals have been limited to a relatively small number of species,” the authors reported. “Here, we are able to reproduce the results of these previous studies and observe apparent fluorescence in additional species: we report fluorescence for 125 mammal species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fur-color-variations">Fur color variations</h2>



Lighter-furred mammals, accounting for roughly 86 percent (107 out of 125) of the species examined, exhibited the most noticeable fluorescence. On the other hand, the fluorescent traits in dark-furred creatures like the Tasmanian devil were subdued due to melanin’s masking effect.&nbsp;



“There was a large amount of white fluorescence in the white fur of the koala, Tasmanian devil, short-beaked echidna, southern hairy-nosed wombat, quenda, greater bilby, and a cat - and while a zebra’s white hairs glowed, its dark hairs did not,” explained Travouillon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-significance-nbsp">Biological significance&nbsp;</h2>



In a notable exception, the dwarf spinner dolphin showcased no external fluorescence. Only its teeth exhibited this trait. Fluorescence was found to be most common and most intense among nocturnal species and those with terrestrial, arboreal, and fossorial habits.



While the study unequivocally confirms the prevalence of fluorescence in mammals, the scientific community continues to debate its potential biological significance, with some positing it might merely be a by-product of their surface chemistry. “For most fluorescent animals there is insufficient information to evaluate,” the authors said.



Looking ahead, the researchers noted a particular mammalian group absent from their data - the lemurs. They anticipate this group will also reveal fluorescent members due to the prevalence of white fur. However, they concluded that future studies should focus on non-preserved animals but rather on living or freshly dead creatures.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230325">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Cats glow in the dark? Fluorescence found to be very common in mammals

Recently, the phenomenon of fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet light...

The recently measured ozone hole over <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-is-experiencing-rapid-plant-growth-concerning-scientists/">Antarctica</a>, as detected by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, is one of the largest on record, according to a report from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-5P/Ozone_hole_goes_large_again">European Space Agency</a>. The hole reached an astounding 26 million square kilometers on September 16, 2023 - approximately three times the size of Brazil.&nbsp;



The Sentinel-5P satellite was launched in October 2017 as the European Union’s first Copernicus satellite dedicated to atmospheric monitoring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-resolution-imaging-nbsp">High resolution imaging&nbsp;</h2>



The satellite hosts a cutting-edge multispectral imaging spectrometer known as Tropomi. The instrument enhances atmospheric monitoring capabilities by identifying distinct "fingerprints" of various gases across different segments of the electromagnetic spectrum. This allows for more precise and higher resolution imaging of a wide array of pollutants.&nbsp;



The Tropomi's data is meticulously processed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) using algorithms co-developed by DLR and the Royal Belgium Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropomi-measurements">Tropomi measurements</h2>



“The Sentinel-5P total ozone products have an accuracy at the percentage level compared with ground-based data and this allows us to closely monitor the ozone layer and its evolution," said senior DLR scientist Diego Loyola.



"The Tropomi measurements are extending the global ozone data record of European satellite sensors covering almost three decades.”



The significant data from Sentinel-5P is provided to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) within three hours post-measurement. This rapid delivery aids CAMS in efficiently incorporating the data into their analysis and forecasting systems.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-of-the-biggest-holes-on-record-nbsp">One of the biggest holes on record&nbsp;</h2>



“Our operational ozone monitoring and forecasting service shows that the 2023 ozone hole got off to an early start and has grown rapidly since mid-August," said Antje Inness, a senior scientist at CAMS.&nbsp;



"It reached a size of over 26 million sq km on 16 September making it one of the biggest ozone holes on record. Tropomi ozone data are an important dataset for our ozone analysis.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-driving-factors">Driving factors</h2>



Understanding the reasons behind the ozone hole's substantial size is complex. Its size oscillation is closely related to the strength of strong wind bands circulating the Antarctic, a phenomenon resulting from Earth's rotation and the temperature disparity between polar and temperate latitudes.&nbsp;



Strong wind bands act as barriers, trapping and cooling air masses over polar regions, thereby affecting the ozone hole's size. The recent unusual ozone patterns might also be linked to the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption in January 2022, which introduced substantial water vapor into the stratosphere.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunga-tonga-eruption">Hunga Tonga eruption</h2>



“The eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano in January 2022 injected a lot of water vapor into the stratosphere which only reached the south polar regions after the end of the 2022 ozone hole," explained Antje.



“The water vapor could have led to the heightened formation of polar stratospheric clouds, where chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) can react and accelerate ozone depletion. The presence of water vapor may also contribute to the cooling of the Antarctic stratosphere, further enhancing the formation of these polar stratospheric clods and resulting in a more robust polar vortex.”



However, understanding the exact impacts of this eruption on the ozone hole requires further research, as there are no precedents in modern observations for such substantial water vapor injections into the stratosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sentinel-5p-monitoring-is-crucial-nbsp">Sentinel-5P monitoring is crucial&nbsp;</h2>



"The Sentinel-5P total ozone columns provide an accurate means to monitor ozone hole occurrences from space. Ozone hole phenomena cannot be used in a straightforward manner for monitoring global ozone changes as they are determined by the strength of regional wind fields that flow around polar areas,” said Claus Zehner, ESA’s mission manager for Copernicus Sentinel-5P.



Additionally, the presence of ozone-depleting substances, primarily chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), in the atmosphere still poses a significant threat to the ozone layer. These substances were prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s in various products but have since been phased out following the 1987 Montreal Protocol.&nbsp;



Although a gradual recovery of the ozone layer is anticipated, with predictions suggesting a return to normal levels by around 2050, monitoring and analysis continue to be crucial.&nbsp;



With advanced tools like the Tropomi on the Sentinel-5P satellite, scientists can now observe atmospheric changes with unprecedented accuracy and resolution, contributing valuable data to ongoing global efforts to understand and protect the Earth’s atmosphere.



Image Credit: European Space Agency 



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Antarctica's ozone hole is now one of the largest on record

The recently measured ozone hole over Antarctica, as detected by...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...