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Universe Today
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Rover Finds the Shoreline of an Ancient Beach on Mars
- Data from the Chinese rover Zhurong provides evidence for ancient oceans on Mars through radar scans of buried structures resembling ocean shorelines.
- Zhurong's ground-penetrating radar found thick layers of material similar to beach deposits, suggesting past wave action along the shore of an ocean on Mars.
- Scientists are studying the Utopia Planitia region where Zhurong landed to investigate Mars's ancient warm, wet past and potential existence of long-gone seas.
- Findings indicate ice-free oceans on Mars, implying a warmer climate in the past, with potential habitable environments and river flows.
- The presence of shoreline structures on Mars suggests a hydrologically active period allowing for the accumulation of sediments and potential nutrients.
- Past missions like Viking also hinted at the presence of water bodies on Mars, with shorelines showing evidence of Martian oceans.
- Changes in Mars's rotation due to volcanic activity in the Tharsis region are believed to have altered the shape of ancient shorelines on the planet.
- The buried shorelines tell a story of the last days of oceans on Mars, lasting tens of millions of years before drying up and being covered by regolith.
- The Zhurong data provides a unique dataset of pristine shoreline deposits under the Martian subsurface, offering insights into Mars's past climate.
- These findings deepen our understanding of Mars's geological history and potential for past habitability, revealing intriguing evidence of ancient shorelines.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Did a supernova 6 million years ago kickstart evolution in Africa? New study offers a clue.
- Radiation from an ancient supernova may have influenced the evolution of life on Earth, according to a new study.
- The study suggests a possible link between the rapid explosion in diversity of viruses infecting fish in Africa's Lake Tanganyika and cosmic rays from the supernova.
- Lake Tanganyika witnessed a surge in virus diversity at the same time that Earth was impacted by cosmic rays from the ancient supernova.
- The researchers found high levels of iron-60 isotope in core samples, indicating presence of supernova debris and supporting the hypothesis.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Crew Explores Cellular Immunity, Digestion and Waits for Cargo Mission
- Cellular immunity and digestion were the main research topics on Wednesday as the Expedition 72 crew explored space biology aboard the International Space Station.
- NASA Flight Engineer Nick Hague collected blood and saliva samples for the Immunity Assay investigation, aiming to understand space-caused cellular stress and tissue damage.
- NASA Flight Engineers Don Pettit and Butch Wilmore performed spacesuit maintenance, cleaning water cooling loops and checking the communications system.
- The Roscosmos Progress 91 cargo craft is scheduled to dock to Zvezda’s aft port, delivering three tons of food, fuel, and supplies to the Expedition 72 crew.
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Livescience
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Chinese scientists reveal plans for near-invisible stealth missiles that could 'redefine modern warfare'
- Chinese scientists claim to have made a breakthrough in rocket propulsion for stealth missiles, inspired by faults in the Boeing spacecraft last year.
- The technology uses helium injection to mix with fuel, enhancing efficiency and reducing the chances of a leak.
- The new rocket design can potentially change speed midair, making it harder to track or intercept.
- Researchers say the engine can generate over three times the thrust of using fuel alone.
- The engine's exhaust plume is claimed to be cooler, making missiles nearly invisible to early-warning systems.
- The technology could be applied to stealth weaponry and significantly lower the cost of sending rockets into space.
- The advancements may support China's satellite constellation project and plans for a moon base by 2035.
- China aims to launch reusable rockets and leverage new technology to reduce costs and achieve lunar ambitions.
- This technology could redefine modern warfare and space travel, with potential global implications.
- The helium injection idea could revolutionize rocket propulsion and aid in avoiding countermeasures.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
'Planet parade' 2025: See the ultra-rare planetary alignment peak this week, before Saturn gets swallowed by the sunset
- Seven planets in the solar system will line up in a rare 'planetary parade' in the night sky on February 28.
- Mercury will join the parade for a few days, before Saturn gets obscured by the sunset in early March.
- Five of the planets will be visible to the naked eye, while a good telescope is needed to view the others.
- The best time to view all seven planets in the Northern Hemisphere will be after sunset on February 28.
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Universe Today
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Image Credit: Universe Today
As Expected, the Threat from 2024 YR4 has Essentially Dropped to Zero
- Initial estimates of Asteroid 2024 YR4's chance of striking Earth in 2032 has decreased from 2.8% to 0.001% according to the European Space Agency.
- Being discovered post-Christmas by ATLAS telescope in Chile, 2024 YR4's impact probability triggered our planetary defense.
- While small in size (40-90 meters), the asteroid could still cause significant damage if it hit a populated area.
- Observations initially showed a spike in the asteroid's impact probability, which then decreased significantly over time.
- Advanced telescopes like the ESO's Very Large Telescope struggled to observe the asteroid due to its size and darkness.
- Close monitoring by the ESA's Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre helped refine 2024 YR4's orbit and threat assessment.
- The asteroid's elliptical orbit crosses Earth's path, bringing it close to our planet periodically.
- The rise and fall of impact probabilities due to gravitational interactions with Earth and the Moon is a common pattern in asteroid monitoring.
- Efforts are ongoing to detect and track potentially hazardous asteroids, with future missions aiming at asteroid deflection strategies.
- While the threat from 2024 YR4 has decreased, it highlights the ongoing need for planetary defense measures and understanding space risks.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 to Discuss Space Station Mission, Upcoming Return
- NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts will discuss their space station mission and upcoming return on Tuesday, March 4.
- The crew members, including NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will participate in a news conference from the International Space Station.
- The Crew-9 mission has contributed to various scientific experiments, including studying plant growth, printing 3D medical devices, and swabbing the station's exterior for microbes.
- The upcoming departure of Crew-9 will be followed by the arrival of Crew-10, and mission teams will review weather conditions for the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.
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Universe Today
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Image Credit: Universe Today
So This is How You Get Magnetars
- Neutron stars known as magnetars have extremely powerful magnetic fields, but the process for generating these fields has been unclear.
- A recent study suggests low-field magnetars, which have weaker magnetic fields, utilize a Tayler-Spruit dynamo process.
- The Tayler-Spruit dynamo involves the differential rotation of a stellar core, transferring angular momentum to generate bursts of intense magnetic fields.
- This process is unique to low-field magnetars and provides insights into the origins of their powerful magnetic fields.
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TechCrunch
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Image Credit: TechCrunch
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: 3 days left to save up to $1,130 on passes
- Save up to $1,130 on passes for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in the last three days.
- TechCrunch Disrupt celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, happening from October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco.
- Highlights of Disrupt 2025 include AI insights, learning from industry experts, interactive sessions, and witnessing the Startup Battlefield 200 competition.
- Register now to secure the biggest ticket savings before the rates go up after February 28.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Smoke for Safe Space Travel
- NASA Stennis Space Center served as a hands-on classroom for NASA engineers to improve space shuttle main engine efficiency through rocket engine plume exhaust diagnostics from 1988 to the mid-1990s.
- The Diagnostic Test Facility at NASA Stennis conducted tests to study rocket engine exhaust, aiding in understanding engine health and operation, similar to a doctor's checkup.
- Constructed in the late 1980s, the Diagnostic Testbed Facility featured a control center, data analysis center, and allowed for testing 1,000-pound-thrust rocket engines to simulate space shuttle main engines.
- Engineers at the facility analyzed engine exhaust plumes, utilizing remote cameras, spectrometers, and microcomputers to determine the emissions of metals and elements during combustion.
- The facility played a crucial role in engine safety operations, allowing for real-time learning opportunities in exhaust diagnostics and multiple short-duration hot fire tests.
- Glenn Varner, a NASA Stennis engineer, highlighted the valuable learning experience at the Diagnostic Test Facility, involving tasks such as purging, ignition, and handling propellants.
- The facility's impact extended beyond testing, contributing to collaborations with commercial companies and paving the way for the success of the NASA Stennis E Test Complex.
- Knowledge and equipment from the Diagnostic Testbed Facility have been leveraged for two decades at NASA Stennis, supporting various aerospace projects and infrastructure development.
- Engineers who worked at the facility have transitioned to supporting E Test Complex projects, sharing their expertise in propulsion operations and contributing to the center's future infrastructure and knowledge.
- The Diagnostic Testbed Facility's legacy endures at NASA Stennis, showcasing a spirit of innovation and collaboration that continues to drive advancements in space exploration.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Lucy spacecraft eyeballs next target in exciting new images
- The Lucy spacecraft, on its mission to explore the Trojan asteroids around Jupiter, is currently focusing on the main-belt asteroid Donaldjohanson, as depicted in images shared by NASA on February 25, 2025.
- Scheduled for April 20, Lucy's encounter with the 2-mile-wide Donaldjohanson will precede its investigations of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids in 2027.
- Lucy, having previously imaged the main-belt asteroid Dinkinesh with its contact-binary moon Selam, is set to unveil new findings with Donaldjohanson.
- After launching in 2021, Lucy received a gravity assist from Earth in 2022, paving its way towards the outer solar system for further exploration.
- Jupiter's Trojan asteroids are considered remnants from the early solar system, offering valuable insights into planetary formation.
- The Lucy spacecraft's extensive voyage will provide key information about the solar system's evolution and history, akin to its fossil namesake, Lucy.
- Deputy principal investigator Cathy Olkin highlights Lucy's unique opportunity to study the diverse Trojan asteroids and their formation.
- The upcoming encounters with Trojan asteroids mark the first time a spacecraft will explore these ancient relics within Jupiter's orbit.
- By unraveling the mysteries of the Trojan asteroids, Lucy aims to enhance our understanding of the broader planetary system's development.
- The Lucy spacecraft's ultimate goal is to reach the Trojan asteroids, contributing to significant advancements in solar system exploration.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
'Utterly cataclysmic': James Webb telescope spots 2 alien planets disintegrating before our eyes
- Astronomers have directly observed two exoplanets shedding their outer layers into space for the first time.
- The first exoplanet, K2-22b, is a Neptune-size rocky world with temperatures that can melt and vaporize rock.
- The second exoplanet, BD+054868Ab, has two massive tails and is losing a moon's worth of material every million years.
- The findings provide valuable insights into the composition and behavior of exoplanets.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
New lunar lander Athena launches to the moon today
- The lunar lander Athena, Intuitive Machines' newest mission to the moon, is ready to launch today.
- Athena will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- The goal of the Athena mission is to demonstrate lunar mobility, resource prospecting, and analysis of volatile substances from subsurface materials, with the aim of uncovering water sources beyond Earth.
- Athena is expected to take about one week to reach the moon.
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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Get an exclusive peek inside NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building
- NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) is the largest single-story building in the world and one of the largest buildings in the world by volume.
- It covers eight acres (32,000 square meters) and is 525 feet (160 meters) tall and 518 feet (157 meters) wide.
- The VAB is where engineers stack the rockets before rolling them out to the launch pad.
- Artemis 2, the U.S. mission to return humans to the moon, was captured inside the VAB.
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