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New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
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TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
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NASA's Curiosity Rover Explores Mars' Texoli Butte Amid New Challenges
NASA's Curiosity Rover is navigating the northern end of Texoli Butte on Mars, uncovering ancient sedimentary layers. Recent challenges forced the rover to stop its drive earlier than planned, delaying some imaging tasks. Despite this, scientific efforts continued, focusing on "Avalon," a dark bedrock vein, long-range imaging, and environmental obs...
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Hubble Telescope Documents 10 Years of Dramatic Changes on Outer Planets
NASA’s Hubble Telescope has tracked atmospheric and seasonal changes on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune over ten years. Key findings include shifts in Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, Saturn’s seasonal phenomena, Uranus’ polar brightness, and Neptune’s storm activity. These insights, part of NASA’s Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) p...
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NASA’s Antarctic Balloon Campaign Launches to Study Dark Matter and Beyond
NASA’s annual Antarctic Long-Duration Balloon Campaign, launching from the Ross Ice Shelf, will carry groundbreaking experiments like GAPS, aiming to detect anti-matter particles linked to dark matter. Supporting projects include the MARSBOx experiment, which examines fungal resilience in Mars-like conditions, and SPARROW-6 for wind measurement a...
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Mars Dust Storms May Be Predictable Based on Surface Heating Patterns
A new study suggests warm days on Mars often precede dust storms, with researchers analysing data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The findings show 78% of storms correlate with increased solar heating, particularly in northern regions of the planet. Scientists have developed an algorithm predicting certain storm types with 64% confidence, ...
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NASA’s 2024 Solar Eclipse Studies Offer Key Insights on Sun-Earth Interactions
NASA’s April 8, 2024, solar eclipse studies highlight the Sun's effects on Earth’s atmosphere, including corona changes, ionospheric impacts, and atmospheric gravity waves. Data from citizen scientists and research teams deepened the understanding of these interactions, as presented during the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting. Key fi...
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X-Class Solar Flare From Sunspot 3912 Causes Radio Blackouts in Southern Africa
A powerful X-class solar flare erupted from sunspot region 3912 on December 8, disrupting high-frequency radio communications in southern Africa. The flare, accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), ionised Earth’s upper atmosphere, absorbing radio signals and causing blackouts in areas exposed to peak solar activity. Experts predict the CME ...
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Venus Never Had Oceans or Conditions to Support Life, New Study Finds
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have concluded that Venus likely never had oceans or conditions to support life. Their study, published in Nature Astronomy, analysed atmospheric chemistry and volcanic activity. They found that volcanic gases lacked significant steam, indicating the planet's interior has always been dry. This research ha...
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Solar 'Battle Zone' Could be Even Worse Than Solar Maximum, Experts Warn
Experts warn that the sun's next phase, the "battle zone," could result in increased geomagnetic activity, lasting until 2028. This period could bring heightened solar flares and coronal holes, which may cause disruptions to satellites in low-Earth orbit. Space weather experts, including Scott McIntosh from Lynker Space, have noted that this phase ...
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Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
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Plankton’s Ability To Sequester Carbon Is Influenced by Ocean Density, Study Shows
A study published in Royal Society Open Science explores how changes in ocean density influence marine plankton, particularly the foraminifera species Trilobatus trilobus, in incorporating carbon into their shells. These organisms play a key role in the carbon cycle by sequestering carbon in the ocean floor after death. The study, led by Dr Stergio...
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Environmental Impact of ISS Deorbit in 2031 Raises Concerns on Oceans and Atmosphere
The International Space Station (ISS) is set for a controlled deorbit in 2031, with plans to disintegrate over the South Pacific's remote Point Nemo. While NASA’s approach aims to reduce risks, concerns have been raised about the environmental impacts. Researchers highlight potential effects on Earth’s upper atmosphere, which remain poorly unde...
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Video: Asteroid Burns Like "Fireball" After Entering Atmosphere Above Russia
A speedy descent of a small asteroid lit up the sky in Russia's remote far eastern region of Yakutia early on Wednesday, as it burned out after entering the Earth's atmosphere.
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Watch: Asteroid On 'Collision Course' With Earth Explodes Above Russia
ESA in a post on X confirmed that Asteroid COWEPC5 entered Earth's atmosphere creating a fireball over the Yakutia region.
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New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
-
TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
-
NASA's Curiosity Rover Explores Mars' Texoli Butte Amid New Challenges
NASA's Curiosity Rover is navigating the northern end of Texoli Butte on Mars, uncovering ancient sedimentary layers. Recent challenges forced the rover to stop its drive earlier than planned, delaying some imaging tasks. Despite this, scientific efforts continued, focusing on "Avalon," a dark bedrock vein, long-range imaging, and environmental obs...
-
Hubble Telescope Documents 10 Years of Dramatic Changes on Outer Planets
NASA’s Hubble Telescope has tracked atmospheric and seasonal changes on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune over ten years. Key findings include shifts in Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, Saturn’s seasonal phenomena, Uranus’ polar brightness, and Neptune’s storm activity. These insights, part of NASA’s Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) p...
-
NASA’s Antarctic Balloon Campaign Launches to Study Dark Matter and Beyond
NASA’s annual Antarctic Long-Duration Balloon Campaign, launching from the Ross Ice Shelf, will carry groundbreaking experiments like GAPS, aiming to detect anti-matter particles linked to dark matter. Supporting projects include the MARSBOx experiment, which examines fungal resilience in Mars-like conditions, and SPARROW-6 for wind measurement a...
-
Mars Dust Storms May Be Predictable Based on Surface Heating Patterns
A new study suggests warm days on Mars often precede dust storms, with researchers analysing data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The findings show 78% of storms correlate with increased solar heating, particularly in northern regions of the planet. Scientists have developed an algorithm predicting certain storm types with 64% confidence, ...
-
NASA’s 2024 Solar Eclipse Studies Offer Key Insights on Sun-Earth Interactions
NASA’s April 8, 2024, solar eclipse studies highlight the Sun's effects on Earth’s atmosphere, including corona changes, ionospheric impacts, and atmospheric gravity waves. Data from citizen scientists and research teams deepened the understanding of these interactions, as presented during the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting. Key fi...
-
X-Class Solar Flare From Sunspot 3912 Causes Radio Blackouts in Southern Africa
A powerful X-class solar flare erupted from sunspot region 3912 on December 8, disrupting high-frequency radio communications in southern Africa. The flare, accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), ionised Earth’s upper atmosphere, absorbing radio signals and causing blackouts in areas exposed to peak solar activity. Experts predict the CME ...
-
Venus Never Had Oceans or Conditions to Support Life, New Study Finds
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have concluded that Venus likely never had oceans or conditions to support life. Their study, published in Nature Astronomy, analysed atmospheric chemistry and volcanic activity. They found that volcanic gases lacked significant steam, indicating the planet's interior has always been dry. This research ha...
-
Solar 'Battle Zone' Could be Even Worse Than Solar Maximum, Experts Warn
Experts warn that the sun's next phase, the "battle zone," could result in increased geomagnetic activity, lasting until 2028. This period could bring heightened solar flares and coronal holes, which may cause disruptions to satellites in low-Earth orbit. Space weather experts, including Scott McIntosh from Lynker Space, have noted that this phase ...
-
Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
-
Plankton’s Ability To Sequester Carbon Is Influenced by Ocean Density, Study Shows
A study published in Royal Society Open Science explores how changes in ocean density influence marine plankton, particularly the foraminifera species Trilobatus trilobus, in incorporating carbon into their shells. These organisms play a key role in the carbon cycle by sequestering carbon in the ocean floor after death. The study, led by Dr Stergio...
-
Environmental Impact of ISS Deorbit in 2031 Raises Concerns on Oceans and Atmosphere
The International Space Station (ISS) is set for a controlled deorbit in 2031, with plans to disintegrate over the South Pacific's remote Point Nemo. While NASA’s approach aims to reduce risks, concerns have been raised about the environmental impacts. Researchers highlight potential effects on Earth’s upper atmosphere, which remain poorly unde...
-
Video: Asteroid Burns Like "Fireball" After Entering Atmosphere Above Russia
A speedy descent of a small asteroid lit up the sky in Russia's remote far eastern region of Yakutia early on Wednesday, as it burned out after entering the Earth's atmosphere.
-
Watch: Asteroid On 'Collision Course' With Earth Explodes Above Russia
ESA in a post on X confirmed that Asteroid COWEPC5 entered Earth's atmosphere creating a fireball over the Yakutia region.
