Belgian astronomers have paid tribute to David Bowie with a constellation of seven stars that form the ‘Aladdin Sane’ lightning bolt.
Category: space – Page 1,102
‘Space Warps’ and other citizen science projects reap major dividends for astrophysics
The astrophysics project Space Warps offers a compelling example of why citizen science has become such a popular tool and how valuable it can be. In a roundtable discussion with the Kavli Foundation, citizen science leaders and astrophysicists Chris Lintott, Anupreeta More and Aprajita Verma discuss the tremendous impact these enthusiastic volunteers are having.
Comets can’t explain weird ‘alien megastructure’ star after all
Well well well……
It looks like we just might have some neighbors after all!
Hopefully their idea of a good housewarming present DOESN’T include planetary extermination! wink
A star called KIC 8462852, or Tabby’s star, has been behaving oddly since 1890, not just recently as had been thought – and astronomers have no idea why.
Frozen Tardigrade Brought Back to Life After 30 Years
Tardigrades, or “water bears,” are renowned for their remarkable survival skills. But these microscopic creatures are far more indestructible than we thought. In a recent experiment, scientists in Japan successfully revived a tardigrade that had been frozen for more than three decades.
That’s a new record.
Tardigrades are tiny water-dwelling extremophiles that are capable of withstanding some of the most severe environmental conditions, including freezing, total dehydration, radiation, and even the vacuum of space. Much of this has to do with their extraordinary genome, of which nearly 18% is comprised of DNA from other organisms, including plants, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
Space Mining Could Set Off a Star War — By Clive Thompson | Wired
“Space is lousy with profits. Consider the asteroid Ryugu: It’s made of so many tons of nickel, iron, cobalt, and water, it’s worth an estimated $95 billion.”
Y-3 and Virgin Galactic — Shaping the future of space access
Y-3 in space! We officially announce our partnership with Virgin Galactic to create their future pilot flight-suits.
A pioneering spirit and dedication to pushing the boundaries of possibility- Y-3 announce a space-apparel partnership with Virgin Galactic.We have been developing the intersection of fashion and space, underpinned by a shared approach to design and innovation, as they create apparel system for the world’s first commercial spaceline.
The prototype pilot flight-suit and boot was unveiled at Spaceport America in New Mexico, home to Virgin Galactic’s Gateway to Space terminal.
The Y-3 design team has paired the adidas brand’s technical know-how and Y-3’s directional approach to style with the use of advanced fabrics, special techniques and bespoke specifications to ensure fit, comfort and performance. This flight-suit is being designed to fully support a pilot’s natural seating position as identified through a series of tests and trials with the Virgin Galactic pilot corps. Material engineering is key, as the flight-suit has been constructed from Nomex Meta Aramid materials through a 3D engineered pattern.
NASA to Make Major Space Station Cargo Transport Announcement Today | NASA
“NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EST regarding the future of commercial resupply launches to the International Space Station (ISS). The announcement will be made during a news conference from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency’s website at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv."
There’s Something Enormous Buried Beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
Every week, we’re bombarded with images of dazzling terrains on Mars and Pluto, but there are still geologic wonders to be discovered right here on Earth. Case in point: a new study suggests there could be a canyon system more than twice as long as the Grand Canyon buried beneath an ice sheet in Antarctica. If confirmed, the frozen chasm would be the world’s longest by a wide margin.
Faint traces of a ravine system stretching across the remote Princess Elizabeth Land in East Antarctica were first spotted by satellite images. A team of geologists then used radio-echo sounding, wherein radio waves are sent through the ice to map the shape of the rock beneath it. The results of this analysis, published recently in the journal Geology, reveal a chain of winding features over 600 miles long and half a mile deep buried beneath miles of ice.
According to the researchers, the scarred landscape was probably carved out by liquid water long before the ice sheet grew. Satellite images also suggest that the canyon might be connected to a previously undiscovered subglacial lake, one that could cover up to 480 square miles.
How to create a bill of rights for Mars colonies
Our descendants may one day live in colonies on the Moon or Mars. How will they be governed? Some are already trying to come up with a space-age constitution.