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Knowridge
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Image Credit: Knowridge
Has the universe been designed to support life? Now we have a way to test it!
- A new paper proposes ways to test the anthropic principle, which suggests that the fundamental parameters of the universe are finely tuned to support life.
- The paper, authored by Nemanja Kaloper and Alexander Westphal, presents a method to experimentally test the anthropic principle.
- The authors identify specific parameters that, if different, would have resulted in a very different universe.
- By comparing the modeled evolution of the universe to the observed cosmos, the validity of the anthropic principle can be evaluated.
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Popsci
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Image Credit: Popsci
What would happen to the human body moving at near lightspeed?
- Traveling at the speed of light, in a vacuum, in a clunky rocket is impossible, let alone moving at near lightspeed.
- Approaching light speed, a wild ride that would cause colors and brightness tweaks, besides time dilation.
- To accelerate a vessel weighing 10 metric tons to 99% of light speed, it would consume over 200 times the energy used globally.
- Moving towards an object would make it appear bluer, as its wavelength visually shortens.
- A person traveling through space at near lightspeed would age slower than humans waiting back on Earth.
- Reaching 299,792,450 m/s would result in two minutes of travel equivalent to six days passing on Earth.
- The biggest barrier would be massive acceleration that would surpass human's body capabilities and limitations.
- It would take about a year to accelerate to light speed, and exposure to levels higher than 3g could test our physical limitations.
- Warping space is a physical reality, and there's no way to force or control the warping of space to manipulate speed.
- The physical impossibility still exists as the cosmic speed limit defining the relationship between energy and matter.
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Metro
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Image Credit: Metro
‘Vermin of the sky’ asteroids the size of London buses found near Mars for first time
- 'Small' asteroids the size of buses or stadiums have been pinpointed between Mars and Jupiter for the first time.
- Scientists used a new method of tracking the space rocks, which could one day save us from getting smashed by them.
- These are mid-sized rocks as small as 10m across, roughly the size of a London bus, going up to the size of several stadiums.
- Researchers realised they could identify small asteroids while working on something else: the search for faraway planets outside our solar system which could also support life.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Storm alert Indian Ocean. Will Chido strike Madagascar?
- Tropical Storm Chido has formed in the Southwest Indian Ocean Basin and is expected to move toward Madagascar by Friday, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rain.
- According to Meteo-France, Chido is currently moving towards Madagascar at around 11mph (18km/h), which is the world’s fourth largest island nation.
- Due to warm ocean water and weakening upper-level winds, it is predicted that the storm will continue to strengthen and reach Tropical Cyclone strength, with wind speeds of up to 138km per hour (86mph) by Thursday.
- It is uncertain whether the storm will make direct landfall on Madagascar, or just come close to the island, but Meteo-France has warned of a low probability of gale force winds and wave heights of 4 meters on Friday.
- There is a discrepancy between forecasting agencies on the strength of the storm, with Meteo-France predicting Chido to become a Tropical Cyclone while another agency predicts it will remain slightly weaker due to wind shear.
- This is the fourth tropical system of the Southern Hemisphere's 2024-25 tropical storm season; the season lasts from November 15 to April 30, with 80% of storms developing from December to March.
- The Southwest Indian Ocean Cyclone Season is just beginning, with 23 names still left on the list for Cyclone season.
- It is expected that there will be more tropical cyclone development in the Southwest Indian Ocean due to warm ocean water, which fuels tropical cyclones, during the first few months of the year.
- Chido is still intensifying as it approaches Madagascar, so authorities and residents should be vigilant and prepared for strong wind and heavy rainfall this week.
- Forecast models predict uncertain strength for Chido, indicating that it could be weaker or stronger depending on various factors like wind speed and direction.
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Discover more
Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Thinking of buying a telescope? Read these tips 1st
- Buying a telescope is one thing; learning where and how to aim it is another. The wise beginner who spends a year with some simple star charts or a planisphere – and maybe a pair of binoculars – before investing in a telescope.
- The pro for binoculars is their ease of use. Most of us have already held and pointed binoculars at distant objects. Try a pair of 7×35, 8×40 or 7×50 binoculars. Binoculars are particularly useful for deep-sky observing of star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
- The con for binoculars is that, because they work so well for beginning deep-sky observing, stargazers enjoy them most when they have regular access to darker skies. Luckily, binoculars are a smaller financial investment than telescopes.
- Once you know some bright stars and constellations, you’re ready to consider buying a telescope. Telescopes are either refractors (using lenses) or reflectors (using mirrors). Both are excellent.
- If you want a refractor, consider a 3- to 4-inch (75- to 100-millimeter) long-tube achromatic refractor. Don’t confuse an achromatic refractor with an apochromatic.
- If you want a reflector, consider a 6- to 8-inch (150- to 200-millimeter) with a Dobsonian mounting. This type of mounting was popularized by John Dobson in the 1960s. It’s easy to use and more portable than classical equatorial mounts.
- A beginner should be concerned more with aperture (tube diameter) than with magnifying power. The primary purpose of an astronomical telescope is to collect light; its magnifying power is a by-product.
- Spend a year just observing, and not taking pictures. Learning to see fine detail on planets and the moon, and in the vast array of objects in the deep sky, is an art.
- Keep your expectations reasonable. A planet will not appear through your eyepiece as it looks on your wall poster! Also, forget about colorful nebulae.
- A telescope that is easy to set up and use is key to a solid beginning in amateur astronomy.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
How long does it take to travel to the moon?
- Traveling to the moon can take up to 4.5 months.
- The fastest spacecraft to pass by the moon was NASA's New Horizon probe, which took 8 hours and 35 minutes from launch.
- In 1959, the Soviet Union's Luna 1 reached the moon in 34 hours in humanity's first ever moon mission.
- The Apollo 11 crew took 109 hours and 42 minutes from liftoff to the first step on the moon.
- The amount of fuel used is a major variable in travel time, as using less fuel can take longer but still gets the job done.
- NASA's CAPSTONE probe, which took 4.5 months to reach the moon, holds the record for the longest journey.
- Most of the fuel is used to escape Earth's gravity and achieve optimal trajectory.
- Apollo 11 needed to complete a series of checks before leaving Earth's gravity and had a more precise lunar orbit trajectory, which accounted for the longer travel time.
- Mission objectives such as the type of rockets available and spacecraft sizing inform the optimal trajectory, which impacts travel time.
- Precise calculations about craft size, crew size, fuel allocation, and every other possible detail can have an impact on total travel time to the moon.
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Knowridge
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Image Credit: Knowridge
Do we really know what becomes a Type Ia Supernova
- Type Ia supernovae have a uniform maximum brightness, making them valuable in calculating distances and understanding the expansion of the Universe.
- They are believed to be caused by the collapse of a white dwarf in a binary system, crossing the Chandresekhar limit.
- However, observations have shown variations in Type Ia supernovae, suggesting the single progenitor model may be incomplete.
- Other possibilities include white dwarf collisions and accretion from a close companion, but more data is needed to determine the exact causes.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Sols 4386-4388: Powers of Ten
- On sols 4386-4388, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity conducted various observations and analyses in the Altadena quad.
- The rover examined the amount of dust clinging to its calibration target, analyzed a small float block named 'Icehouse Canyon', and studied a DRT target on bedrock.
- Curiosity also recorded the orientations of the long, linear veins in the area, observed materials on Gediz Vallis Ridge, and captured images of wind-sculpted structures called yardangs on Mount Sharp.
- Furthermore, the rover performed sky observations to assess the amount of dust, search for clouds and dust devils, and measured chemical compounds in the Martian atmosphere.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Meet Pisces the Fish, 1st constellation of the zodiac
- Pisces the Fish is a constellation of the zodiac and contains an asterism known as the Circlet.
- Pisces is also known as the first constellation of zodiac, due to the Sun appearing in front of this constellation during the March equinox.
- The best time to view Pisces is when they are opposite the Sun, typically in October and following months.
- Pisces is northeast of the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer and to northwest of the constellation Cetus the Whale.
- The stars most people focus on are the ones that create the Circlet of Pisces, however, Pisces has few bright stars.
- Pisces can only claim one Messier object in its borders, that is, a face-on spiral galaxy known as Messier 74 (M74).
- According to Greek mythology, the fire-breathing monster Typhon was about to devour Aphrodite and her son Eros (the Roman Cupid), so they turned into fish and jumped into the Euphrates River to make a great escape.
- By some definitions, we'll continue to live within the Age of Pisces as long the sun shines in front of this constellation on the March equinox.
- If we accept the constellation boundaries as defined by the International Astronomical Union, the Age of Pisces started in 68 BCE and the Age of Aquarius will begin in 2597.
- Pisces the Fish is a zodiac constellation that is high in the sky on December evenings.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
- NASA astronaut Don Pettit discusses his passion for photography in space.
- He believes that images from space help tell the story of human expansion into space.
- Pettit recently captured glinting Starlink satellite images and discussed the origin of the flashes.
- He talks about the impact of microgravity conditions on photography and the tools he uses.
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TechCrunch
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Image Credit: TechCrunch
Blue Origin says New Glenn on track to launch before end of 2024
- Blue Origin is on track to launch the New Glenn vehicle before the end of 2024.
- The company is awaiting regulatory approval to conduct a final key test, called a 'hot fire,' for the massive rocket.
- The success of the hot fire test will determine the integration of the fairing and the final launch.
- New Glenn's launch is crucial for Blue Origin's vision of lowering the cost of access to space and building a profitable business.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA Awards Contract for NOAA’s Next Generation Space Weather Program
- NASA has awarded a contract to Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio to build the Next-Generation Space Weather Magnetometer for the Lagrange 1 Series project as part of NOAA's Space Weather Next program.
- The contract is valued at approximately $26.1 million and includes the development of two magnetometer instruments.
- The instruments will measure the interplanetary magnetic field carried by the solar wind and provide critical data to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
- The anticipated period of performance for the contract is from December 2024 through January 2034.
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Knowridge
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Image Credit: Knowridge
Is the universe fine-tuned for life? Scientists propose a test for the Anthropic Principle”
- Scientists have proposed a test for the Anthropic Principle to determine if the universe is perfectly set up to support life.
- The Anthropic Principle suggests that the universe's initial conditions had to be extremely specific for life to emerge.
- Physicists Nemanja Kaloper and Alexander Westphal propose using astronomical observations and physical models to test the Anthropic Principle.
- The test involves studying cosmic inflation, dark matter, and axions to determine if the initial conditions match real-world observations.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
SpaceX video shows awesome power of Starship rocket in new fire test
- SpaceX has performed a static fire test of the Super Heavy booster ahead of the seventh test flight of the Starship rocket.
- The Super Heavy booster generates 17 million pounds of thrust at launch, making it the most powerful rocket ever to fly.
- SpaceX shared footage and images of the test, which took place at the Starbase facility in Texas.
- Once the test results are analyzed, SpaceX will prepare for the seventh test flight, potentially in January 2022.
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Universe Today
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Image Credit: Universe Today
Has the Universe Been Designed to Support Life? Now We Have a Way to Test it!
- A new paper proposes ways to test the anthropic principle and bring it under scientific scrutiny.
- The anthropic principle suggests that the fundamental parameters of the Universe have been finely tuned to support life.
- The paper proposes a method to experimentally test the anthropic principle by comparing the observed universe with a modeled evolution.
- Predictions such as cosmic inflation and the nature of dark matter can be used to measure the validity of the anthropic principle.
Read Full Article
6 Likes
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