The purpose of this blog is the creation of an open, international, independent and free forum, where every UFO-researcher can publish the results of his/her research. The languagues, used for this blog, are Dutch, English and French.You can find the articles of a collegue by selecting his category. Each author stays resposable for the continue of his articles. As blogmaster I have the right to refuse an addition or an article, when it attacks other collegues or UFO-groupes.
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Deze blog is opgedragen aan mijn overleden echtgenote Lucienne.
In 2012 verloor ze haar moedige strijd tegen kanker!
In 2011 startte ik deze blog, omdat ik niet mocht stoppen met mijn UFO-onderzoek.
BEDANKT!!!
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UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN - DE ALLERLAATSTE NIEUWTJES
UFO's of UAP'S in België en de rest van de wereld In België had je vooral BUFON of het Belgisch UFO-Netwerk, dat zich met UFO's bezighoudt. BEZOEK DUS ZEKER VOOR ALLE OBJECTIEVE INFORMATIE , enkel nog beschikbaar via Facebook en deze blog.
Verder heb je ook het Belgisch-Ufo-meldpunt en Caelestia, die prachtig, doch ZEER kritisch werk leveren, ja soms zelfs héél sceptisch...
Voor Nederland kan je de mooie site www.ufowijzer.nl bezoeken van Paul Harmans. Een mooie site met veel informatie en artikels.
MUFON of het Mutual UFO Network Inc is een Amerikaanse UFO-vereniging met afdelingen in alle USA-staten en diverse landen.
MUFON's mission is the analytical and scientific investigation of the UFO- Phenomenon for the benefit of humanity...
Je kan ook hun site bekijken onder www.mufon.com.
Ze geven een maandelijks tijdschrift uit, namelijk The MUFON UFO-Journal.
Since 02/01/2020 is Pieter ex-president (=voorzitter) of BUFON, but also ex-National Director MUFON / Flanders and the Netherlands. We work together with the French MUFON Reseau MUFON/EUROP.
ER IS EEN NIEUWE GROEPERING DIE ZICH BUFON NOEMT, MAAR DIE HEBBEN NIETS MET ONZE GROEP TE MAKEN. DEZE COLLEGA'S GEBRUIKEN DE NAAM BUFON VOOR HUN SITE... Ik wens hen veel succes met de verdere uitbouw van hun groep. Zij kunnen de naam BUFON wel geregistreerd hebben, maar het rijke verleden van BUFON kunnen ze niet wegnemen...
23-08-2022
Congress implies UFOs have non-human origins
Congress implies UFOs have non-human origins
BY MARIK VON RENNENKAMPFF, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR-
In Congress, where legislation is drafted, debated and enacted, clear and concise definitions are of paramount importance. As military aircrews increasingly encounter unidentified flying objects (UFOs), lawmakers recently made several striking revisions to the definition of “UFO.” Key among them: The explosive implication that some UFOs have non-human origins.
As first reported by researcher Douglas Johnson, a draft bill approved unanimously by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence rebrands UFOs as “unidentified aerospace-undersea phenomena.” Expanding the definition to include objects in space and under the oceans significantly broadens the scope of a muscular new office tasked by Congress with investigating UFOs.
The revised definition of “UFO” also includes “transmedium” objects which, according to lawmakers, “transition between space and the atmosphere, or between the atmosphere and bodies of water.”
In short, members of a key national security-focused committee believe that objects of unknown origin are demonstrating remarkably advanced technology by moving seamlessly between space, air and water. A report accompanying the legislation notes that “transmedium threats to United States national security are expanding exponentially.”
It strains credulity to believe that lawmakers would include such extraordinary language in public legislation without compelling evidence. Perhaps members have seen the classified sensor data that prompted former President Trump’s director of national intelligence to state that UFOs exhibit “technologies that we don’t have [and] that we are not capable of defending against” (among several other eyebrow-raising comments).
Most strikingly, Congress’s new definition of “UFO” excludes “man-made” objects.
Over the last seven decades, most UFO sightings involved “man-made” objects, such as misidentified aircraft, balloons, satellites or drones. Yet now, according to Congress, “man-made” objects “should not be considered under the definition as unidentified aerospace-undersea phenomena.”
Moreover, in a congressional directive, objects identified by the new UFO office “as man-made…will be passed to appropriate [Department of Defense and Intelligence Community] offices” for further analysis.
Congress, in short, is forcing the government to focus on objects that are not “man-made.”
Imagine that the new UFO office identifies a highly advanced drone flying in sensitive airspace. Under the draft legislation, regardless of the drone’s origin – be it Chinese, Russian or otherwise – the UFO office must immediately stop investigating and hand the case over to another government entity.
This implies that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee believe (on a unanimous, bipartisan basis) that some UFOs have non-human origins. After all, why would Congress establish and task a powerful new office with investigating non-“man-made” UFOs if such objects did not exist?
Make no mistake: One branch of the American government implying that UFOs have non-human origins is an explosive development.
It is also part of a remarkable shift in official attitudes towards UFOs.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, many senior government officials believed that UFOs had “interplanetary” origins. But a series of still-unexplained encounters in the summer of 1952 sparked Cold War national security fears among defense and intelligence agencies. As a result, the U.S. government initiated a campaign to “debunk” and discredit all UFO sightings, no matter how credible. For decades, officials mocked any suggestion that UFOs had extraterrestrial origins.
Not anymore.
In discussions and interviews, NASA administrator Bill Nelson suggested that UFOs encountered by military aircrews in recent years have otherworldly origins. (NASA, it should be noted, is proceeding “full force” on an unprecedented scientific study of UFOs.)
Former CIA Director John Brennan stated that UFOs might “constitute a different form of life.” According to James Woolsey, a fellow ex-CIA director, “something is going on that is surprising to…experienced pilots.”
As Top Gun-trained aviators remain convinced that they observed objects “not of this world,” director of national intelligence Avril Haines – America’s top spy – has not ruled out extraterrestrial origins for UFOs.
After the customary giggles and smirks that still accompany any mention of “UFO” died down, both Clinton and Obama adopted a serious, matter-of-fact demeanor when discussing the topic. Clinton, in particular, scolded a television audience for laughing when a host asked him about UFOs. Of note, former presidents continue receiving the government’s most sensitive intelligence briefings.
Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher, for example, recently theorized that UFOs are intentionally revealing themselves to fighter pilots.
He may be on to something. The geometrically reconstructed flight path of a well-known 2015 UFO encounter off the U.S. East Coast indicates that the object reacted as a Navy fighter jet attempted to sneak up behind it. Importantly, the object’s movement did not suggest hostility as much as a desire to be observed by the aircrew, which ultimately “flew right up to the thing.”
A UFO involved in the now famous 2004 “Tic Tac” incidents appeared on radar at the precise location of a rendezvous point known only to a small group of aviators and radar operators. Ten years later, two fighter jets nearly collided with a UFO hovering at the exact location and altitude of an entrance point to a military training range.
To Maher’s point, some UFOs appear to move and position themselves in ways that make their presence obvious to nearby military aircrews.
With Congress openly suggesting that UFOs have non-human origins, this behavior is particularly intriguing.
Marik von Rennenkampff served as an analyst with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, as well as an Obama administration appointee at the U.S. Department of Defense. Follow him on Twitter @MvonRen.
The idea that agencies of government, the military and the intelligence communities of our world are actively, and secretly, monitoring alien abductees is startling. However, it's not at all outlandish. And nor is it paranoia-driven. In fact, quite the opposite is the case. There is something else, too. It's a highly controversial question: Is it possible that some UFO / alien abduction cases are really the secret creations of government / MK-Ultra type agencies? It may very well be the case. Consider the following from July 1997: an example of a case of alleged alien abduction that appears to have been part of a sophisticated military-controlled mind-control operation is described by Alison, a woman from Arizona, who lives on a ranch not too far from the town of Sedona. From the age of twenty-seven to thirty-one, Alison was subjected to at least five kidnappings that bore all the hallmarks of the classic alien abduction scenario. On each occasion, she was in her living-room, either reading or watching TV, when her two pet dogs – Lucy and Summer – began to act in a distressed fashion, pacing around the room and whimpering.
At that point, things always became a blur, and Alison would later find herself in a different part of the house with several hours of time having passed. She would always awake feel groggy, and with a pounding headache and dry mouth. For days after the weird experiences, she would dream of the moment when things would begin to go awry – which always resulted in a complete loss of electricity inside the house, a deep humming noise emanating from outside the large living-room window, and powerful and intensely bright lights enveloping the room. In her semi-conscious state, Alison would see small shadowy figures scuttling around the room. They would then carry her outside onto a small craft where she was subjected to a gynecological examination and some form of nasal probing. She would then be returned to another part of the house and the aliens would leave. It was only after the aliens had departed that the intense humming noise would cease.
On what Alison believes to have been the fifth abduction, however – July 27, 1997 - the mysterious humming sound abruptly came to a sudden halt, only a few seconds after her cosmic visitors had entered the room. At that point, Alison recalled – significantly, not in a later dream on this occasion but in real time – she began to slowly regain her senses. And, very surprisingly, so did the aliens. In their place was not a group of frail-looking bald-headed, black-eyed “Grays,” but a number of large and burly men wearing what looked like suspiciously like black military fatigues – and who quickly exited Alison’s home. This begs an important question: how many more UFO / abduction events may have been secretly staged by the military? Now, onto another outrageous, but plausible, situation of the mind-control type.
It all went down on the night of October 10, 1973. On the night in question, two men – Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker – were fishing on the banks of Mississippi’s Pascagoula River. That is, until approximately 9:00 p.m. rolled around. Parker and Hickson suddenly noticed a light in the distance. It was following the river and appeared to be coming in their direction. As the light got closer, they could see it was actually a brightly lit, somewhat egg-shaped craft, from which came a deep, throbbing hum. Such was the intensity of the hum, it provoked intense nausea in both men. Confusion quickly followed. The pair watched in horror and amazement as what was described as a “hatch” opened and a trio of very strange-looking creatures exited the hovering object. Even stranger, the three things floated from the craft, across the waters of the river, and towards Hickson and Parker.
This particular breed of E.T. was described as humanoid, with mask-like faces, and heads from which three carrot-style points protruded. On top of that, they had large crab-like or lobster-like claws. When the things from another world were practically on top of terrified Parker and Hickson, both men were rendered into a state of paralysis. Suddenly, the entities seized the pair, who were manhandled onto the UFO. Like most abductees, Hickson and Parker were quickly reduced to the equivalents of lab rats. When the trauma-filled encounter was over, the pair was dumped back on the edge of the river. There is, however, something else.
In the latter stages of the Second World War, the U.S. military used Horn Island, Mississippi, as a place where top secret, biological-warfare research could be undertaken. Matters were brought to an end when the Second World War was over. The official line is that research in the area was cancelled. There are, however, local tales of covert operations and experiments into mind-manipulation in the region as late as the early 1970s. Could Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker have been mind-meddled by something akin to the 1950s MK-Ultra programs - but much more sophisticated? I say: "Yes."
Ready to see one of the most famous alleged alien abduction incidents questioned? It’s coming, anyway. It’s that of Betty and Barney Hill. They were a husband and wife who, on the night of September 19, 1961, and while driving home from Canada to New Hampshire after completing a fun vacation, had a significant number of hours erased from their minds. It all happened near Indian Head, New Hampshire. It was there they saw a strange light in the sky that appeared to be carefully shadowing them from above. Concern and anxiety set in, which is no surprise. Finally, they made it home. Something very strange and disturbing happened to the Hills, but such was the state of their minds, they weren’t sure what it was. But, they certainly wanted to know.
One of those who came to believe that the Hills had been subjected to an MK-Ultra-type encounter was the late Philip Coppens. He said: “It is clear that the Hills were being monitored by USAF [U.S. Air Force] Intelligence before the encounter took place, through Major James MacDonald, who had befriended them some time earlier. Betty Hill wrote to [UFO researcher / author] Donald Keyhoe who, despite the fact that he received over a hundred letters a day, homed in on this initially unremarkable case. Within twenty-four hours, Keyhoe had arranged for the Hills to be visited by top-level scientists, including C.D. Jackson, who had previously (definitely not coincidentally) worked on psychological warfare techniques for President Eisenhower [italics mine]. Stretching coincidence far beyond breaking point, Jackson already knew Major MacDonald, with whom he next interviewed the Hills.” Philip continued on: “It seems that Betty and Barney Hill were at the center of a web that involved USAF Intelligence and top military experts in psychological warfare. The evidence suggests that the Hills were the subjects – victims – of a psychological experiment [italics mine]. ”Now, let us have a look at a bizarre affair from the 1950s and that went down in Brazil.
it all concerned the almost-over-the-top tale of a young Brazilian man. His name was Antonio Villas Boas. He worked on his family’s farm at the time, but, went on to become a well-respected attorney. It was on February 22, 1958 that Villas Boas prepared for Dr. Olavo Fontes a remarkable document. Fontes, at the time, was a respected gastroenterologist at the National School of Medicine in Rio de Janeiro and a highly dedicated Flying Saucer investigator. That document told of his, Villas Boas’, close encounter with an alien on October 15, 1957. But, this was no sterile “take me to your leader”-style experience involving bug-eyed, spindly creatures. Nope. According to the then-twenty-three-year-old farmer, he went where, quite possibly, no man had ever gone before. That is, after being forcibly taken on-board a UFO by very human-like beings. Villas Boas proudly told Fontes that he did nothing less than get it on with a hot E.T. babe from the great and mysterious beyond. Or, that’s what certain people engaged in sophisticated mind-manipulation operations wanted Villas Boas and Fontes to think occurred.
For many Flying Saucer seekers now in their sixties, seventies and eighties – and who grew up with the case - the Villas Boas incident still remains a classic of its time. It’s a story that is not to be, ahem, fucked with. The fact is, though, that when we address the case carefully, we do see a body of solid data that suggests the alien encounter was actually nothing of the sort. Let’s take a look at the “UFO” that Villas Boas was taken aboard in his drugged-out state. Nedelcovic claimed it was really a military helicopter. There are very good reasons as to why we should go with Nedelcovic’s claims. If you take a careful look at what Villas Boas had to say about the craft he found himself on-board, you’ll see what I mean. Villas Boas said the craft was shaped “like a large elongated egg.” He described it further, stating that “on the upper part of the machine there was something which was revolving at great speed and also giving off a powerful reddish light.”
When the vehicle left the scene, said Villas Boas, it moved “slowly into the air until it had reached a height of some 30 to 50 meters…The whirring noise of the air being displaced became much more intense and the revolving dish began to turn at a fearful speed…At that moment, the machine suddenly changed direction, with an abrupt movement, making a louder noise, a sort of beat.” Contrary to what has been said, Villas Boas was never taken on-board a Flying Saucer-shaped craft. Villas Boas’ own words demonstrate that. On top of that same machine was something that was “revolving at great speed.” Rotor-blades? What else? Nothing, that’s what. Then, there was the noise coming from the craft: “a sort of beat.” You certainly don’t have to be an aviation expert to realize that Villas Boas, even in his druggy state, had seen – and had been taken on – a helicopter. And, not on a UFO. Or, a Flying Saucer, as they were termed way back then.
Much the same could be said about the near-legendary Rendlesham Forest "UFO landing" of December 1980. In my book on the case, The Rendlesham Forest UFO Conspiracy: A Close Encounter Exposed as a Top Secret Government Experiment, I wrote the following promo ad: "In the final days of December 1980, strange encounters and bizarre incidents occurred in the heart of Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England. Based upon their personal encounters, many of the military personnel who were present at the time believed that something extraterrestrial came down in those dark woods. What if, however, there was another explanation for what happened four decades ago? What if that explanation, if revealed, proved to be even more controversial than the theory that aliens arrived from a faraway world? The ramifications for the field of Ufology would be immense. In his new, sensational book, Nick Redfern reveals that one of the most famous UFO cases of all time was really a series of top secret experiments using holograms, mind-control programs, deception, disinformation, conspiracies and cover-ups. The shocking truth of a 40-year-old mystery is now revealed."
The reason for all of this weirdness? It's simple: to test new mind-altering technology. And to hide that same technology behind a huge UFO banner. If you think that such a thing could never happen, just read this article again and let the story sink into you. The whole scenario that I have laid out is far more likely than a situation involving black-eyed, little aliens from faraway worlds. Yes, I know that might destroy the cherished belief-systems of many people in Ufology. However, when it comes to the heart of the alien abduction issue, we must go where the facts take us, rather than where the the cool stories go.
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- Gemiddelde waardering: 0/5 - (0 Stemmen) Categorie:ALIEN LIFE, UFO- CRASHES, ABDUCTIONS, MEN IN BLACK, ed ( FR. , NL; E )
Spain's Stonehenge revealed: Prehistoric circle of 150 stones 2,000 years older than Britain's famed monument emerges from the depths of a reservoir after drought causes water to drop to a quarter of its usual level
Spain's Stonehenge revealed: Prehistoric circle of 150 stones 2,000 years older than Britain's famed monument emerges from the depths of a reservoir after drought causes water to drop to a quarter of its usual level
Spanish Stonehenge, first discovered in 1924, sits below the surface of the Valdecañas Reservoir
An intense drought plaguing Spain drained the reservoir to just 28 percent capacity, revealing the stone circle for just the fifth time
The monument consists of 150 standing granite stones, some more than six feet tall, which was constructed more than 7,000 years ago - at least 2,000 years before Stonehenge
Experts fear it will be destroyed if submerged again for a prolonged time and are petitioning the government to have it moved to a new location
A prehistoric circle of 150 standing stones dubbed the Spanish Stonehenge has re-emerged from a reservoir for the only the fifth time since its discovery after the worst drought in 60 years left the waterbody at a quarter of its usual level.
The Dolmen of Guadalperal, a circle of granite stones dating from 5,000 BC, in the Valdecañas Reservoir in central Spain has only been seen four times since it was discovered in 1924. Nearly 20 years later, in 1963, the valley was deliberately flooded on the order of the Spanish dictator Franco, only emerging at periods of intense drought in the following years.
The stones, which are at least 2,000 years older than Stonehenge in England, have wavy details that are believed to represent the nearby Tagus River. Some theories suggest the prehistoric structure was either used as a solar temple or laid over tombs when it was built by Celtic people 7,000 years ago.
It is not as famous as Stonehenge in England, but the theories to their purposes are similar - the monument in Wiltshire is also thought to serve as an ancient solar calendar.
The Spanish Stonehenge stones could disappear completely if they endure another prolonged submersion because the granite rocks are prone to erosion.
Scroll down for video
The Dolmen of Guadalperal, a circle of granite stones dating from 5,000 BC, in Spain's Valdecañas Reservoir has re-emerged for the only the fifth time since its discovery after the worst drought in 60 years left the waterbody at a quarter of its usual level
The standing granite stones - some as tall as 6ft - were discovered in 1924. Nearly 20 years later, in 1963, the valley was deliberately flooded on the order of the Spanish dictator Franco, only emerging at periods of intense drought in the following years
Similar to Stonehenge in England, theories suggest the so-called Spanish Stonehenge was used as a solar temple or laid over tombs when it was built by Celtic people more than 7,000 years ago
Archaeologists fear the stones could disappear completely if they endure another prolonged submersion, because the granite rocks are prone to erosion
Ancient 'Spanish Stonehenge' emerges from drought-hit dam
The site was thought to be condemned to the history books in the 1960s when a Spanish general ordered the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Peraleda de la Mata, near Cáceres in Extremadura
Ángel Castaño, president of the Peraleda Cultural Association, recently started a petition to move the prehistoric monument out of its watery location and to somewhere it will survive.
The monoliths are already showing significant signs of wear, Castaño said in 2019 when the stones were last above water, and if they are not saved now, it may be too late.
Not much is known about Spanish Stonehenge because it typically sits at the bottom of the 14,108 square-mile deep reservoir, however the recent rise of the stones could let archeologists finally unravel its ancient secrets.
'It's a surprise, it's a rare opportunity to be able to access it,' said archaeologist Enrique Cedillo from Madrid's Complutense University, one of the experts racing to study the circle before it gets submerged again.
The site was discovered by Hugo Obermaier, a German priest and amateur archaeologist, in 1925.
In 1963, Francisco Franco Bahamonde, who ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975, ordered the valley boarding the Tagus river to be flooded and this area included the stone circle.
But before its rediscovery and subsequent demise, it is thought the stones would have centered around a central chamber for sun worship.
Dolmens are vertically arranged stones usually supporting a flat boulder.
When the reservoir is filled (pictured), the Stonehenge is submerged and impossible to see or visit
Although there are many scattered across Western Europe, little is known about who erected them. Human remains found in or near many have led to an often-cited theory that they are tombs.
Local historical and tourism associations have advocated moving the Guadalperal stones to a museum or elsewhere on dry land.
Their presence is also good news for Ruben Argentas, who owns a small boat tours business. 'The dolmen emerges and the dolmen tourism begins,' he told Reuters after a busy day spent shuttling tourists to the site and back.
However, more than 80,000 tourists flock to England's Stonehenge each year to see a circle of enormous rocks that are up to 30 feet high, dwarfing the six-foot tall single monoliths uncovered in Spain.
The stones have wavy details that are believed to represent the nearby Tagus River, which is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula
Spain's circle is made up of 150 granite stones, with some standing six feet tall. Experts fear another prolonged submersion could destroy the prehistoric monument
Radiocarbon dating of the rocks found they range in age from around 7,000 years old, which is about 2,000 years older than Stonehenge
There are more stones at the Spanish site. Stonehenge has only has 93.
However, Stonehenge's monument covers 10,800 square feet, making it a far bigger area than the Spanish site that is only 16 feet in diameter.
Radiocarbon dating of the rocks found they range in age from around 7,000 years old, which is about 2,000 years older than Stonehenge.
Neolithic people, often prone to building monolithic structures, emerged throughout time across Europe.
It is widely accepted Stonehenge's bluestones were quarried from Preseli Hills in Wales and moved to the current location, but how the idea for Stonehenge arrived on British shores remains a mystery.
Archaeologists have uncovered Roman remains at Dolmen of Guadalperal, along with other artifacts like coins, ceramic fragments and a grinding stone, along with an entire settlement nearby.
Although the structure was used for religious purposes, experts say it also had an economic purpose by acting as a trading hub.
There are hundreds of stone circles similar to Stonehenge in other European countries.
To erect a just one of the massive stones, people had to dig a large hole with a sloping side. The back of the hole was lined with a row of wooden stakes. The stone was then moved into position and pulled to the upright position using plant fiber ropes and likely a wooden frame for support.
Spain's Stonehenge is not as famous as the monument in England (pictured), but the theories to their purposes are similar -the are both believed to have served as ancient solar calendars
The recent appearance allows visitors and researchers to get up close to the stones. Archaeologists hope to learn more about who built the structure and why
The Stonehenge monument standing today was the final stage of a four part building project that ended 3,500 years ago
Stonehenge is one of the most prominent prehistoric monuments in Britain. The Stonehenge that can be seen today is the final stage that was completed about 3,500 years ago.
According to the monument's website, Stonehenge was built in four stages:
First stage: The first version of Stonehenge was a large earthwork or Henge, comprising a ditch, bank and the Aubrey holes, all probably built around 3100 BC.
The Aubrey holes are round pits in the chalk, about one metre (3.3 feet) wide and deep, with steep sides and flat bottoms.
Stonehenge (pictured) is one of the most prominent prehistoric monuments in Britain
They form a circle about 86.6 metres (284 feet) in diameter.
Excavations revealed cremated human bones in some of the chalk filling, but the holes themselves were likely not made to be used as graves, but as part of a religious ceremony.
After this first stage, Stonehenge was abandoned and left untouched for more than 1,000 years.
Second stage: The second and most dramatic stage of Stonehenge started around 2150 years BC, when about 82 bluestones from the Preseli mountains in south-west Wales were transported to the site. It's thought that the stones, some of which weigh four tonnes each, were dragged on rollers and sledges to the waters at Milford Haven, where they were loaded onto rafts.
They were carried on water along the south coast of Wales and up the rivers Avon and Frome, before being dragged overland again near Warminster and Wiltshire.
The final stage of the journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then the Salisbury Avon to west Amesbury.
The journey spanned nearly 240 miles, and once at the site, the stones were set up in the centre to form an incomplete double circle.
During the same period, the original entrance was widened and a pair of Heel Stones were erected. The nearer part of the Avenue, connecting Stonehenge with the River Avon, was built aligned with the midsummer sunrise.
Third stage: The third stage of Stonehenge, which took place about 2000 years BC, saw the arrival of the sarsen stones (a type of sandstone), which were larger than the bluestones.
They were likely brought from the Marlborough Downs (40 kilometres, or 25 miles, north of Stonehenge).
The largest of the sarsen stones transported to Stonehenge weighs 50 tonnes, and transportation by water would not have been possible, so it's suspected that they were transported using sledges and ropes.
Calculations have shown that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone, with an extra 100 men needed to lay the rollers in front of the sledge.
These stones were arranged in an outer circle with a continuous run of lintels - horizontal supports.
Inside the circle, five trilithons - structures consisting of two upright stones and a third across the top as a lintel - were placed in a horseshoe arrangement, which can still be seen today.
Final stage: The fourth and final stage took place just after 1500 years BC, when the smaller bluestones were rearranged in the horseshoe and circle that can be seen today.
The original number of stones in the bluestone circle was probably around 60, but these have since been removed or broken up. Some remain as stumps below ground level.
Mysterious Spanish Stonehenge Emerges as Lake Disappears -- and Neither is Good News
Mysterious Spanish Stonehenge Emerges as Lake Disappears -- and Neither is Good News
Paul Seaburn
A recent report looked at the impact of climate change on Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and other cryptids whose potentially hidden existence could finally be revealed as global warming drives them north to colder climates (Bigfoot), droughts shrink their lakes and rivers (Loch Ness monster), and cutbacks in farming shrink their food sources (Chupacabra). That same climate change is affecting paleontology, as the melting permafrost reveals more frozen carcasses in Siberia, and archeology, as lakes and rivers recede to free bodies (Lake Mead) and lost towns. It is that last consequence that has allowed an ancient megalith known as the Spanish Stonehenge to emerge from a reservoir and remind the world that England is not the only country with stone circles and mysterious monuments. And, while the appearance of the ancient monolith is good for archeology and local tourism, it could be bad for the granite stones themselves.
"It's a surprise, it's a rare opportunity to be able to access it."
That sentiment expressed by archaeologist Enrique Cedillo from Madrid's Complutense University to Reuters is shared by many, but they shouldn’t be surprised because humans are the reason why the Dolmen of Guadalperal, also known as the treasure of Guadalperal, disappeared in the first place. Located in Peraleda de la Mata, a town in the region of Campo Arañuelo in eastern Extremadura on the west coast of Spain bordering Portugal. The standing stones were first discovered in 1926 by German archaeologist Hugo Obermaier on the Guadalperal estate where he was a frequent summer guest.
After the end of World War I, Obermaier moved to Spain to focus on the many Neolithic sites in that country. Shortly before finding the stones, he had worked in the Cave of Altamira (a cave filled with prehistoric rock art) and studied Neolithic rock engravings of south Oran in Algeria. On the Guadalperal estate, Obermaier uncovered 140 standing stones in an oval shape with a diameter of 5 meters (16.4 feet). He determined that the stones were dolmen – funerary megaliths or single-chamber megalithic tombs that generally consisted of two or more vertical stones supporting one flat capstone. (Current photos here.)
The dolmen of Guadalperal, also known as the Spanish Stonehenge, is seen due to the receding waters of the Valdecanas reservoir in the outskirts of El Gordo, Spain, August 3, 2022.
REUTERS/Susana Vera
Ruben Argenta drives his boat towards the dolmen of Guadalperal, which can only be seen when the Valdecanas reservoir waters become low in the outskirts of El Gordo, Spain, August 3, 2022.
REUTERS/Susana Vera
Most dolmen date from the early Neolithic (4000–3000 BCE) and are often covered with earth to form a burial mound. Because of their age and unsteadiness, the capstones are usually found on the ground. That appears to be how Obermaier found the Dolmen of Guadalperal, which he dated to between 2000 and 3000 BCE. Many of the stones were engraved and Obermaier and his team made reproductions of them, which were published in 1960. This was fortunate, as we will soon see.
In addition to the standing stones, Obermaier found Roman artifacts -- a coin, ceramic fragments and a grinding stone – inside the oval, and 11 axes, ceramics, flint knives and other relics nearby. Also uncovered in the area was the remains of settlement, dating to the same time as the stones, which included houses, charcoal, pottery, mills, and sharpening stones, lending credence to the theory that the occupants were the builders of the dolmens. The total collection makes this Spanish Stonehenge an important historical site that should be worthy of protection. Unfortunately, progress overcame archeology in this case.
In 1963, Spain’s dictatorial leader Francisco Franco approved the building of the Valdecañas reservoir – the floor of the massive project included the site of the Dolmen of Guadalperal. At the time, archeologists decided that moving the stones would ruin their historical significance and opted to let the location be flooded as a way to preserve it. Thus, the Dolmen of Guadalperal were not seen again … until 2019 when a severe drought reduced the level of the Valdecañas reservoir to a point where the Spanish Stonehenge could be seen in a NASA satellite image. Eventually, most of the stones emerged, but the rains soon returned and the stones sunk back to their hiding place.
"It is a megalithic dolmen of great value that is now, for the first time, and who knows if it will be the last, fully accessible."
The Raíces de Peraleda Association launched a Change.org petition at the time to raise money to do something to save the Dolmen. They pointed out that the stones showed clear signs of deterioration as the porous granite cracks and crumbles. In addition, the waters have eroded the engravings and many are no longer visible – showing how fortunate it was that Obermaier's team made reproductions of them.
“It currently sits fully exposed in one corner of the Valdecanas reservoir, in the central province of Caceres, where authorities say the water level has dropped to 28% of capacity.”
It is now 2022 and Europe is in the midst of a record-breaking drought. Spain and Portugal have implemented restrictions on water usage because reservoirs like the Valdecañas are drying up. While that is bad news for farmers, businesses and anyone who drinks water, it is good news for the Dolmen of Guadalperal, the archeologists waiting to study them and unlock their mysterious origin, and the preservations who hope this will give them enough time to get the approvals and support to finally move the stones or figure out a way to protect them. If they need some incentive to convince local officials of the benefit to saving the Dolman, it comes from Ruben Argentas, who owns a small boat tours business.
"The dolmen emerges and the dolmen tourism begins."
Sadly, this is turning out to be a zero-sum problem. While local businesses are taking advantage of increased profits due to archeological tourism, the local farmers have no water for crops or livestock. With the reservoir down by nearly a third of its normal level, it will take a lot of rain over a long season to recover – and the dry conditions now make the ground hard for absorption and set the stage for damaging floods. For those who believe in karma, it appears payback is finally happening for the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
As of this writing, no decisions have been made concerning the future of the Dolmen of Guadalperal. Let’s hope the important historical structures can be saved. It’s too bad Franco isn’t around to get his karma payback.
'Something in our skies' | Ex-Pentagon official discusses UFO sightings in Canada, U.S.
Joy Malbon speaks with Luis Elizondo, a ex-Pentagon official, who resigned in 2017 and went public about the agency's UAP program.
Are UFOs real? South Korean, U.S. scientists analyse
UFO sightings have frequent and continuous in recent years, according to a naval intelligence officer in the United States. Unidentified Flying Objects have long been a topic that has never failed to fascinate people and provoke debate on whether these mysterious apparitions are real or not. There have certainly been testimonies but has the evidence over the years proven concrete? We delve into the issue of Unidentified Flying Objects with Avi LOEB, Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science of Harvard University, Sunglyul Maeng , Professor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Woosuk University.
Q1. Professor Loeb: It's been 50 years since congress last held a hearing on mysterious objects in the skies, are we now confident enough to say UFOs and aliens exist? Has it finally been confirmed by the hearing?
Q2. Professor Meng: Have you found any interesting remarks made at the Congressional UFO hearings?
Q3. Professor Loeb: These are the first hearings since the Air Force terminated Project Blue Book in 1969. What could be the reason to hold an open forum now, after decades of internal investigations and research?
Q4. Professor Loeb: Nowadays there's been a switch from using the term UFO to “UAP", or unidentified aerial phenonemon. How are UFOs and UAPs different in the sense of their implication?
Q5 Maeng: Now there are so many questions surrounding USOs which have largely gone unanswered. What has been made known so far?
Q6. Loeb: The Pentagon has so far confirmed that there were 11 near misses with UFOs by the U.S. military. Has there been any contact towards or from them so far?
Q7. Maeng:Many UFO witnesses speak of the unusual movement of UFOs, such as a rapid direction change or unbelievably high speed, as if they defy the limits of physics. As a scientist, what makes you think this is not human technology?
Q8. Professor Maeng:I know that you have researched UFOs for 30 years in Korea. Were there any UFOs observed by south Korean Air Force pilots?
Q9. Professor Loeb: It seems we have a long way to go until we get the answer to the ultimate question: do aliens exist? What actions are further needed from government?
Avi LOEB, Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science of Harvard University, Sunglyul Maeng , Professor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Woosuk University. Thank you for your time.
Pentagon Reports 400 mysterious encounters including one in San Diego
Pentagon Reports 400 mysterious encounters including one in San Diego
NASA joins hunt for UFOs, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena ( ufo sightings compilation)
NASA joins hunt for UFOs, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena ( ufo sightings compilation) NASA has announced that they will join the search for UFOs. This, after a new office was set up at the Pentagon to investigate top secret encounters between pilots and unidentified aerial phenomena flying in restricted airspace. NASA says their findings will not be classified and might even include reviews of videos captured by civilians.
US Pilot Records Mysterious UFO Lights in the Skies Above South China Sea
A video reportedly recorded by an American military pilot over the South China Sea shows a dozen unidentified flying objects (UFOs) near Hong Kong, before suddenly disappearing into the clouds. The video shows three sets of four mysterious light formations flying in the distance above the clouds. It was filmed on November 24 and has been widely shared on social media, inviting baffling reactions from users. Some of them thought the lights were “alien” aircraft and others thought the lights were “floating angels.” However, some users wondered whether it could have been a military exercise.
UFO fleet filmed at 39,000ft over the South China Sea ! - UFO News - Dec.6 👽
Coming up today : the Canadian government may be covering up sightings of UFOs, a huge crashed disc-shaped UFO was spotted on Mars, and a UFO fleet was filmed at 39,000ft over the South China Sea…
Sign the Petition to the Department of Defense to Release ALL Unclassified Data/Photos/Videos to the American Public ASAP, to achieve the Congressionally Mandated UFO Report we all deserve at: http://chng.it/f8SqQGqXDv
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Fleet of UFOs flying silently over the Gulf Of Mexico
I can not tell if this is a fleet of UFOs or just a single UFO but this is a pretty amazing capture.
“Observed several UFOs in the sky” – Bremerton, Washington 21-Aug-2022
“Observed several UFOs in the sky” – Bremerton, Washington 21-Aug-2022
These unidentified flying bright objects were caught in the sky above Bremerton, a city in Kitsap County, Washington. This happened on 21st August 2022.
Witness report:
While walking my dog this evening, I noticed a number of lights in the sky. I started recording about a minute after i saw them. Not sure what these are. Are you able to identify them? Captured Sunday evening August 21, 2022. At approximately 8:20 pm. Video recorded from an iPhone 8 at full digital zoom. Recorded from a neighborhood near southwestern Bremerton. Looking south, southeast across Sinclair inlet. The hill side, in the foreground, is located in Port Orchard. I have a total of 6:50 (m:s) of video, but Twitter requires me to only send a trimmed portion.
Were Phobos and Deimos Once a Single Martian Moon That Split up? Not Likely, says New Study
Were Phobos and Deimos Once a Single Martian Moon That Split up? Not Likely, says New Study
The origin of Phobos and Deimos, the two Martian moons, has been a mystery to astronomers. These two bodies are a fraction of the size and mass of the Moon, measuring just 22.7 km (14 mi) and 12.6 km (7.83 mi) in diameter. Both have a rapid orbital period, taking just 7 hours, 39 minutes, and 12 seconds (Phobos) and 30 hours, 18 minutes, and 43 seconds (Deimos) to complete an orbit around Mars. Both are also irregular in shape, leading many to speculate that they were once asteroids that got kicked out of the Main Belt and were captured by Mars’ gravity.
There’s also the theory that Phobos and Deimos were once a single moon hit by a massive object, causing it to split up (aka. the “splitting hypothesis”). In a recent paper, an international team of scientists led by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) revisited this hypothesis. They determined that a single moon in a synchronous orbit would not have produced two satellites as we see there today. Instead, they argue, the two moons would have collided before long, producing a debris ring that would have created an entirely new moon system.
The paper that describes their findings recently appeared online and will be published in The Planetary Science Journal. The research was led by Dr. Ryuki Hyodo, a researcher with the Department of Solar System Sciences at ISAS, a part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). He was joined by researchers from the Earth-Life Science Institute at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the Paris Globe Institute of Physics at the Universite de Paris, and the Orbital Dynamics and Planetary Group at Sao Paulo State University.
As noted, the subject of where Mars’ moons came from has become a hot topic of date for astronomers in recent years. Historically, astronomers have leaned towards the Capture Hypothesis, which states that Phobos and Deimos were once D-type asteroids. These are asteroids composed of organic-rich silicates, carbon, and silicates that contain no water (anhydrous) that may have water ice in their interiors. This hypothesis is largely motivated by observations that revealed similarities in spectra between D-type asteroids and these moons.
Alternately, the Giant Impact Hypothesis states that an impactor struck Mars, creating a debris ring around the planet that accreted to form two rubble-pile objects. This is similar to the most widely-accepted theory of how the Earth-Moon system formed billions of years ago due to an impact with a Mars-sized object named Theia (also called the Giant Impact Hypothesis). More recently, it has been proposed that Phobos and Deimos may not be primordial objects that resulted from capture or an impact but are the remains of a primordial moon that broke apart.
This theory has been dubbed the “Ring-Moon Recycling Hypothesis,” which was put forth in a 2021 paper by Amirhossein Bagheri et al. According to this hypothesis, this progenitor moon was ripped apart 1 to 2.8 billion years ago, either by tidal forces or an impact. The resulting debris would have formed a ring around Mars that was eventually recycled to form Phobos and Deimos. As astronomers have noted, this model presents some issues, which include the fact that Mars would still have a ring system. As Dr. Hyodo explained to Universe Today via email, he and his team noted that there are other issues:
“Studying the tidal evolution of the moons back in time, Bagheri et al. (2021) found a solution that Phobos and Deimos could once have orbits that would cross each other. This is their evidence: saying that Phobos and Deimos were once a single moon that was split to form Phobos and Deimos. Note that if you change parameters that control the tidal evolution, the orbits of Phobos and Deimos in the past do not cross each other. The idea of Bagheri et al. is based on their parameters that have resulted in orbital crossing in the past.“
To test this hypothesis, Dr. Hyodo and his colleagues began with the assumption that Phobos and Deimos were once a single body. They then conducted numerical simulations that combined geophysical and tidal-evolution models of a Mars–satellite system. From this, said Dr. Hyodo, they determined that it was highly unlikely that Phobos and Deimos originated from a single object:
“We then calculated successive orbital evolutions of the moons in the direct 3-body approach (Mars-Phobos-Deimos), which can precisely calculate close encounters, gravitational interactions, and collisions between moons. We found that the two moons would most likely (more than >90% by chance) collide with each other within a very short timescale after the splitting (<10^4 years). This impact is very destructive (i.e., high-velocity impact), and thus the two moons (Phobos and Deimos) are catastrophically destroyed.”
In short, if Phobos and Deimos were split from a single progenitor Moon (1 to 2.7 billion years ago), they would have collided within 100,000 years. This would have left Mars with another debris ring that would still be there today, rather than its two irregularly-shaped satellites that happen to be asteroid-like in composition. These findings have renewed the debate about where Mars’ moons came from and also suggest that it may not be resolved until sample-return missions are sent to explore the Martian satellites.
Several mission concepts are currently on the table. In 2008, NASA’s Glenn Research Center began studying a possible sample-return mission known as the “Hall” concept. This New Frontiers-class concept would perform a sample-return from Phobos and Deimos. In January 2013, scientists from Standford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory began collaborating on a new Phobos Surveyor mission. The mission is currently in the testing phases with a potential launch window of 2023 and 2033.
In March 2014, NASA proposed a Discovery-class mission called Phobos And Deimos & Mars Environment (PADME), which would place an orbiter in Mars orbit by 2021 to study Phobos and Deimos. A heritage concept called OSIRIS-REx 2 is being considered that would use parts from the first OSIRIS-REx mission (a sample-return mission to the asteroid Bennu) and conduct a sample-return mission from Phobos and Deimos. Beyond NASA, other space agencies also hope to send robotic spacecraft to explore the Martain satellites.
In 2015, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration (JAXA) unveiled their concept for a sample-return mission to Phobos known as the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX). This mission would conduct a Deimos flyby before landing on Phobos multiple times to obtain samples – similar to what the Hayabusa2 mission did on asteroid Ryugu. This mission is international in scope, with NASA and the ESA contributing, and is currently scheduled to launch in 2024 and return samples to Earth five years later.
Russia plans to repeat its previous attempt to send a sample-return mission to Phobos named Fobos-Grunt (Russian for “Phobos Ground”) in the late 2020s. In 2015, the ESA began assessing a sample-return mission to Phobos called Phootprint, which was planned for launch by 2024. This mission was originally conceived as a collaborative effort between the ESA and Roscosmos, which have since terminated their cooperation agreements due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
From all these proposals, it is clear that multiple space agencies intend to explore the Moons of Mars in the near future. The origin and subsequent evolution of these moons are considered part of a wider effort to explore and characterize Mars. In the meantime, the debate continues!
How Weak Will Astronauts Feel When They First set Foot on Mars After Months in Space?
How Weak Will Astronauts Feel When They First set Foot on Mars After Months in Space?
In the coming decade, in 2033, NASA and China intend to send astronauts to Mars for the first time in history. This presents numerous challenges, ranging from logistical and technical issues to ensuring that astronauts can deal with waste and have enoughfood and waterfor the months-long transit to and from Mars. But of course, there’s also the health and safety of the astronauts, who will be spending months traveling through space where they’ll be exposed to cosmic radiation and microgravity. There are even concerns that after months of exposure to microgravity, astronauts will have trouble adapting to Martian gravity.
To determine if these fears have merit, a team of space medicine experts from the Australian National University (ANU) developed a mathematical model to predict whether astronauts can safely travel to Mars and perform their duties once they arrive on the Red Planet. This model could be immensely valuable alongside all the other preparations that need to happen before astronauts set foot on Mars. It could also be used to assess the impact of short- and long-duration missions that take astronauts far beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and the Earth-Moon system in the future.
The paper that describes their mathematical model and conclusions recently appeared in npj Microgravity, a scientific journal published by Nature. The research team was led by Dr. Lex van Loon, a Research Fellow from the ANU College of Health and Medicine (CHM). As he and his colleagues note in their study, the potential hazards for missions bound for Mars are numerous, but the greatest threat is arguably the time the astronauts will spend in microgravity. Combined with damaging radiation from the Sun and cosmic sources, the experience will cause fundamental changes to their bodies.
Based on extensive research conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS), microgravity is known to cause muscle and bone density loss and affect organ function, eyesight, and the cardiopulmonary system – the heart and its ability to pump blood through the body’s system of arteries and veins. As Van Loon described in an ANU news release, their research is not only essential because of proposed missions to Mars, but for the burgeoning commercial space sector as well:
“We know it takes about six to seven months to travel to Mars and this could cause the structure of your blood vessels or the strength of your heart to change due to the weightlessness experienced as a result of zero gravity space travel. With the rise of commercial space flight agencies like Space X and Blue Origin, there’s more room for rich but not necessarily healthy people to go into space, so we want to use mathematical models to predict whether someone is fit to fly to Mars.”
Co-author Dr. Emma Tucker, an astrophysicist and emergency medicine registrar, added that prolonged exposure to zero gravity could cause the heart to become lazy because it doesn’t have to work as hard to overcome gravity and pump blood throughout the body.
“When you’re on Earth, gravity is pulling fluid to the bottom half of our body, which is why some people find their legs begin to swell up toward the end of the day. But when you go into space that gravitational pull disappears, which means the fluid shifts to the top half of your body and that triggers a response that fools the body into thinking there’s too much fluid. As a result, you start going to the toilet a lot, you start getting rid of extra fluid, you don’t feel thirsty and you don’t drink as much, which means you become dehydrated in space.
The Crew Transfer Vehicle (CTV) using its nuclear-thermal rocket engines to slow down and establish orbit around Mars.
Credit: NASA
This, says Tucker, is why astronauts returning from the ISS are seen fainting when they set foot on Earth again or need to be transported using wheelchairs. The longer they stay in space, the more likely they will collapse when they return to Earth, and the more difficult the process of readjusting to Earth’s gravity. In the case of the NASA Twins Study, Mark Kelly spent over a year in orbit and experienced terrible pain, swelling, and other symptoms upon his return (as he described in his book Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery).
When it comes to missions bound for Mars, there’s the added complication imposed by the communications delay between Earth and Mars. Depending on the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Mars, these delays can last as long as 20 minutes, which means astronauts must be able to perform their duties without immediate assistance from mission controllers or support crews (which includes medical emergencies). As Van Loon explained:
“If an astronaut faints when they first step out of the spacecraft or if there’s a medical emergency, they’ll be nobody on Mars to help them. This is why we must be absolutely certain the astronaut is fit to fly and can adapt to Mars’ gravitational field. They must be able to operate effectively and efficiently with minimal support during those crucial first few minutes.”
Their model relies on a machine learning algorithm based on astronaut data collected from past Expeditions aboard the ISS and the Apollo missions to simulate the risks associated with traveling to Mars. Testing showed that it could simulate key cardiovascular hemodynamic changes after prolonged spaceflight and under different gravitational and fluid loading conditions. And the results are encouraging, as they indicate that astronauts can function after months spent in microgravity.
While the current model is informed by data derived from middle-aged and well-trained astronauts, the researchers hope to expand its capabilities to include commercial spaceflight data. Ultimately, their goal is to create a model that can simulate the impact of prolonged space travel on relatively unhealthy individuals with pre-existing heart conditions (in other words, untrained civilians). They hope this model will provide a more holistic picture of what would happen if an “everyday” person were to travel to space.
Further refinements could be made to incorporate age-related health issues, which would make sense given the number of celebrities that have flown to space recently (Wally Funk, William Shatner, Laura Shepard, Richard Branson, etc.). Who knows? Perhaps it will be possible to simulate the effects of long-term exposure to microgravity on children and fetal development. This research is crucial if we ever want to send humans to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations to live someday.
Mars and Moon Dust can be Turned Into Geopolymer Cement. Good Enough for Landing Pads and Other Structures
Mars and Moon Dust can be Turned Into Geopolymer Cement. Good Enough for Landing Pads and Other Structures
Materials science has long taken the lead in space exploration research, and it seems to have been getting even more attention than usual lately. That is especially true for building materials. NASA has funded several new research programs to develop new building materials that can do everything from providing structure to future human habs to landing pads for future reusable rocket missions. Now that second goal is one step closer, thanks to researchers at the University of Delaware.
Their recent paper in Advances in Space Research describes a method for making a type of geopolymer out of Martian and lunar regolith simulants. Geopolymers are an advanced form of concrete that has enhanced physical properties such as compressive strength and thermal tolerance – precisely the type of properties you want to be stronger if you’re trying to build a retro rocket landing pad.
Landing a rocket on another planet (or moon, for that matter) is risky. Dust and rocks blown skyward by the downdraft of the column of flame the rocket emits could damage the rocket itself or anything that it might be carrying, such as humans. The best way to stop that potential hazard would be to build a landing pad. However, one made with regular concrete can’t withstand a rocket blast without breaking itself into the kind of chunks most dangerous to rockets. That is where geopolymers come in.
With their extreme physical and thermal properties, they are ideally suited to serve as the landing pad material for rockets. The only problem is – how do you make them off of Earth? That was the focus of the team in Delaware.
They used Martian and lunar regolith simulates as a basis for making the geopolymer, which was created using a combination of clay and a solvent with a high pH – in this case, sodium silicate. After mixing the two materials, the researchers let the resulting mixture cure for seven days before testing the new material’s properties.
Under Earth-like conditions, the materials they created had the kind of properties they were looking for. However, Maritan conditions were not as congenial. At -80 C, the reaction to form the geopolymer hardly happened at all. Additionally, in a vacuum, which is also the natural state of the moon or Mars, the formation didn’t happen as well as it did under ambient Earth conditions.
Two solutions present themselves – either future space explorers could use a system that heats up and pressurizes the extraterrestrial clay so that the reaction would happen as expected. Or further material advances could point to potential solutions that could be done at ambient temperatures on the Moon and Mars. Either way would require more research.
But there’s not only work on the material science side – sodium silicate isn’t particularly common on Mars. It would require hundreds to thousands of kilograms of the stuff to make enough geopolymer for even a single landing pad, which is expensive if launching it from Earth, though it could be done with a single rocket payload. In addition, more recent research just reported that clays might not be as common as initially thought on Mars, making the other material component of the geopolymer harder to find as well.
Either way, explorers will eventually need a landing pad to ensure their descending (or ascending) rocket isn’t blasted into shrapnel by fast-moving rocks. And geopolymers seem as good a solution as any offered so far. Material science keeps marching forward, and someone someday will find a long-term solution.
Something huge appears in front of a solar satellite
Something huge appears in front of a solar satellite
On August 20, 2022 the solar satellite SDO AIA 304 captured something huge that arrives between the solar satellite and the sun, partially obscures the sun, it slowly going down and back up.
It doesn't look like a partial solar eclipse, it's something moving between the camera and the sun.
Directly after the massive black object disappears, an anomaly passing the sun.
Elizabeth April | Astral Projection, Alien Abduction, Hybrid Species, Reincarnation
Elizabeth April | Astral Projection, Alien Abduction, Hybrid Species, Reincarnation
Elizabeth is a past life regression. She is an author, a truth seeker, and a clairvoyant. Elizabeth explains how she channels and communicates with the Galactic Federation in another dimension. She speaks to the federation about our planet, interaction with entities. It all goes back to her dad giving her a past life regression, which lead to her heightened awareness, clairvoyance, and even being abducted by aliens. Elizabeth tells us of her astro projecting journeys. Her communication with many different types of aliens. She explain how the aliens have taught her about human origins, and how Earth is headed for a new vibration.
BIZARRE ONDERWATERSNEEUW OP EUROPA VALT MOGELIJK OMHOOG: MINDER ZOUT WATER, MEER KANS OP LEVEN?
BIZARRE ONDERWATERSNEEUW OP EUROPA VALT MOGELIJK OMHOOG: MINDER ZOUT WATER, MEER KANS OP LEVEN?
Jeannette Kras
Jupiters kleinste Galileïsche maan Europa herbergt nog vele geheimen, mogelijk in de vorm van leven. Een nieuwe studie licht weer een tipje van de sluier op: er schuilt niet alleen een oceaan met vloeibaar water onder de dikke ijskorst, maar er is ook sneeuw, die omhoog valt.
De sneeuw drijft naar boven vanaf omgekeerde ijspieken en ondergedompelde ravijnen. De bizarre onderwatersneeuw kennen we ook onder ijsplaten op Aarde. Volgens het nieuwe onderzoek gebeurt dus hetzelfde op de maan van Jupiter. Daar zou de sneeuw een rol spelen bij de vorming van de ijskorst.
Onderwaterleven De onderwatersneeuw is veel puurder dan andere vormen van ijs, wat betekent dat Europa’s ijslaag mogelijk veel minder zout is dan tot nu toe werd gedacht. Dat is belangrijk voor de wetenschappers die de NASA-missie Clipper naar Europa voorbereiden. Het ruimtevaartuig gebruikt radar om onder de ijskap te gluren of er in Europa’s oceaan mogelijk leven huist. Zout dat vastzit in het ijs kan effect hebben op hoeveel en hoe diep de radar onder het ijs kan kijken. Dus als de onderzoekers beter weten waar het ijs van is gemaakt, kunnen ze de data van de missie beter begrijpen. Ze kunnen dan ook beter het zoutgehalte bepalen en de levensvatbaarheid van de oceaan.
“Als we Europa verkennen zijn we geïnteresseerd in het zoutgehalte en de samenstelling van de oceaan, omdat dit mede bepaalt in hoeverre de oceaan leven kan bevatten en zelfs waar dit leven uit bestaat”, legt onderzoeker Natalie Wolfenbarger uit van de University of Texas, wier studie in vakblad Astrobiology verscheen. De Texaanse universiteit leidt ook de ontwikkeling van het radarinstrument waarmee ruimtevaartuig Clipper onder het ijs op Europa gaat kijken.
Vergelijkbaar met Antarctica Europa is ongeveer net zo groot als onze eigen maan en is omhuld met een kilometers dikke ijslaag. Daaronder zit vermoedelijk een vloeibare oceaan. Eerdere studies wijzen uit dat de temperatuur, druk en het zoutgehalte van het gedeelte dat zich dicht tegen het ijs bevindt, vergelijkbaar is met wat je onder een ijskap op Antarctica aantreft.
Gewapend met deze kennis, is in deze nieuwe studie gekeken naar twee verschillende manieren waarop water onder ijsplaten bevriest: het ijs groeit direct onder het ijs vast of er vormen zich ijsschotsen in het ijskoude zeewater die naar boven komen drijven en zich dan vastzetten aan de onderkant van de ijsplaat. In beide gevallen ontstaat er ijs dat minder zout is dan zeewater. Als je dit uitvergroot naar Europa’s ijskorst zou het zelfs nóg minder zout ijs zijn, volgens Wolfenbarger. Haar berekeningen stellen ook vast dat de gebroken stukken ijs, die maar een fractie van het zout van zeewater bevatten, veel voorkomen op Europa. Dat betekent dat de ijskap mogelijk vele malen puurder is dan eerdere schattingen uitwezen. Dat heeft effect op alles: van de sterkte van het ijs tot hoe warmte erdoorheen beweegt en krachten werken, die de ijsplaten stuwen.
Ophopingen van ijsfragmenten onder de Antarctische ijsplaat. Volgens het Texaanse onderzoek is het ijs op Europa mogelijk van hetzelfde spul gemaakt.
De Aarde als voorbeeld “Deze studie opent een vat vol mogelijkheden voor hoe we over de oceaanwerelden denken en hoe ze werken”, zegt NASA-onderzoeker Steve Vance, die niet betrokken is bij de studie. “Het zet de toon voor hoe we ons voorbereiden op de Clipper-analyse van het ijs van Europa.”
Volgens hoofdonderzoeker van het radarinstrument van de Clipper, Donald Blankenship bevestigt het onderzoek dat de Aarde een geschikt model is om te achterhalen of Europa geschikt is voor leven. “We kunnen de Aarde gebruiken om Europa’s levensvatbaarheid te evalueren door de uitwisseling van onzuiverheden te meten tussen het ijs en de oceaan en erachter te komen waar water zich bevindt in het ijs”, zegt hij.
Europa Europa is de kleinste maan van Jupiter, maar nog altijd ongeveer even groot als de maan van de Aarde. Het is qua grootte de vijfde maan van ons zonnestelsel. Omdat de ijskorst van Europa in beweging is (tektoniek) bevindt zich onder het ijs wellicht vloeibaar water en dus mogelijk leven. Hoe dik de ijslaag is, blijft gissen. Ramingen lopen uiteen van 1 tot 30 kilometer. Hoe dunner de ijslaag, hoe groter de kans op leven.
In 2023 vertrekt de JUICE-missie van ESA naar Jupiter om daar onderzoek naar te doen en in 2024 volgt de Clipper-missie van NASA. Ze blijven in een baan rond Jupiter en bestuderen Europa van een afstand. Europa draait in 3,5 dag rond de planeet op een afstand van 665.533 kilometer. De maan heeft een ijle atmosfeer met zuurstof. De luchtdruk is er 100 miljard keer minder dan op Aarde.
By Bob Spearing, Director of International Investigations
32 Years ago, in a remote hilly area of Scotland in 1990 called Calvine, two witnesses saw and photographed a large diamond shaped object with a military plane in the lower right corner. They took 6,photos. The photos were sent to a British newspaper but they were never published as the British Ministry of Defense confiscated the photos. Photostatted facsimiles of one photo have made the rounds for decades while the MOD denied all of the photos’ existence. Why? Here is the facsimile going around UFO circles for 3 decades followed by the actual photo released this past week.
This week one actual photo has been released due to a concerted effort by Dr. David Clarke, a scientist and UFO researcher in Britain. The photo released says it is the property of Sheffield Hallam University.
The photo has gone viral and is currently making its rounds about the internet. The other 5 photos have yet to surface and it is doubtful the MOD will ever release them.
The one released is an extraordinary photo but exactly what it shows is inconclusive. It is an impressive diamond and seems to dwarf the plane in the photograph. It is believed to be a military plane that is either escorting the object or chasing it.
Additionally, a concerted effort has now been mounted by the British media to identify the two
anonymous hikers that took the half dozen series of analog photos.
The object has been estimated to be as long as 100 feet in diameter. The object has also been theorized to be the American military stealth aircraft built by Boeing and known as the Bird of Prey. Only one was built in 1996 and it is on display today in a museum. Could it have been a top-secret project 6 years prior in 1990 undergoing testing? Possible yes but likely? Here are two photos of Boeing’s Bird of Prey. What do you think?
The most important questions to ask are why find and release the photo now after 32 years of silence?
Is it military? Is it Extraterrestrial? Is it real? Was it planned? Is it legitimate?
It is, nonetheless, the most famous and intriguing photo ever to come out of the United Kingdom.
Sci-fi films and TV shows have routinely depicted a brutal race of aliens visiting Earth in their spaceships and enslaving unfortunate Earthlings.
But according to one expert, extraterrestrial life may actually be too scared of 'dangerous' and 'violent' humans to want to come here.
Dr Gordon Gallup, a biopsychologist at the University of Albany, argues that humans are 'dangerous, violent and ceaselessly engage in endless bloody conflicts and war'.
For this reason, aliens with the technological capability of making a visit to Earth – if they exist – are likely inclined to stay away for fear of death and genocide, according to Dr Gallup.
No life beyond Earth has ever been found and there is no evidence that alien life has ever visited our planet. But this may be due to extraterrestrial life being too scared of 'dangerous' and 'violent' humans
(artist's impression)
Dr Gordon Gallup (pictured) is a biopsychologist at the University at Albany
Dr Gallup has presented his argument in an open access paper published in the Journal of Astrobiology this month.
'If [alien life] exists it may have found us by now and discovered that humans are dangerous, violent and ceaselessly engage in endless bloody conflicts and war, and continually develop even more powerful weapons of mass destruction,' Dr Gallup says.
'It would also be obvious, that as a byproduct of increasing pollution, habitat destruction, coupled with endless wars, pillage, death, destruction and the desire for conquest, that humans pose an unparalleled and unprecedented risk not only to other life forms on Earth but to life on other planets.'
As an example, Dr Gallup cites 'the total destruction of the highly advanced Aztec and Inca civilizations' and the subsequent genocide of the native people, their temples and buildings destroyed and their wealth and natural resources stolen.
'If the humans of Earth became aware of advanced civilizations and desirable resources on other worlds, might these native extraterrestrial populations eventually suffer the same fate as befell the natives of Mexico and Peru?,' he writes.
'If there is intelligent life elsewhere, they may view humans as extremely dangerous. Maybe this is why there is no proof or compelling evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence: we pose too great a risk, and they do not want to be discovered.'
During his lifetime, the famous British astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking (pictured) raised concerns about the dangers posed by intelligent and hostile extraterrestrials
DOES ALIEN LIFE EXIST?
No life beyond Earth has ever been found; there is no evidence that alien life has ever visited our planet.
However, this does not mean that the universe is lifeless other than on Earth, according to NASA.
The space agency says: 'While no clear signs of life have ever been detected, the possibility of extraterrestrial biology - the scientific logic that supports it - has grown increasingly plausible.'
One popular school of thought is that our own existence is evidence that there is certainly life on other planets, as the likelihood of Earth being a 'one-off' is almost zero.
However, one argument against this is - if there is extraterrestrial life, why have we not found any evidence for it?
During his lifetime, the famous British astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking raised concerns about the dangers posed by intelligent and hostile extraterrestrials, Dr Gallup points out.
These aliens might arrive to conquer, enslave, destroy, and colonise humans to exploit the resources of our planet having exhausted those of their own.
This has long been perpetuated by TV and film – for example, 'Battlefield Earth', a 2000 film based on a novel written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, depicts a brutal race of giant aliens called 'The Psychlos' subjecting humans to slave labour.
According to Professor Hawking, the outcome might be analogous to when Columbus came to America, which did not turn out well for Native Americans, Dr Gallup says.
But the truth could be completely the opposite – it might also be possible that aliens live in fear of being found.
Overall, humans are unique because 'they have developed the technological capability to cause their own extinction'.
'Humans appear to be poised at the brink of reaching the tipping point when it comes to our dependence on fossil fuels and the resulting effects on climate change,' Dr Gallup says.
'The trajectory suggests that for the first time in the history of Earth, we are headed for a mass extinction that is occurring as a result of the actions of a single species; i.e., human.'
In 'Battlefield Earth (2000) a brutal race of giant aliens called 'The Psychlos' that have subjected humans to slave labour for 1,000 years
So far, astronomers have discovered more than 4,000 of exoplanets confirmed to be orbiting other stars in our galaxy. Pictured is an artist's rendering of an exoplanet and its moon
The paper draws on the Fermi paradox, which is the apparent contradiction between the lack of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations and various high estimates for their probability.
In other words, if there is extraterrestrial life, why have we not found any evidence for it?
According to estimates from Erik Zackrisson, an astrophysicist at Uppsala University in Sweden, there are 70 quintillion planets in the universe – that's 7 followed by 20 zeroes.
In the Milky Way galaxy alone, there many as many as six billion Earth-like planets, according to a 2020 study by University of British Columbia astronomers.
According to NASA, some 4.933 exoplanets – planets outside our own solar system – have been confirmed in 3,704 systems.
The majority of these exoplanets are gaseous, like Jupiter or Neptune, rather than terrestrial, according to NASA's online database.
As for whether intelligent life exists other than on Earth, Dr Gallup says: 'The history of biology on Earth makes it clear that intelligent, technologically sophisticated life is the exception rather than the rule.
'Despite billions of different lifeforms, the track record of intelligent life with complex tool-making capabilities and the cognitive ability to achieve self-consciousness, indicate that it has only appeared once, which makes the prospect of finding technologically sophisticated intelligent life elsewhere exponentially remote.'
WHAT IS THE FERMI PARADOX?
The Fermi Paradox questions why, given the estimated 200bn-400bn stars and at least 100bn planets in our galaxy, there have been no signs of alien life.
The contradiction is named after its creator, Italian physicist Enrico Fermi.
He first posed the question back in 1950.
Fermi believed it was too extraordinary that a single extraterrestrial signal or engineering project has yet to be detected in the universe — despite its immense vastness.
Fermi concluded there must a barrier that limits the rise of intelligent, self-aware, technologically advanced space-colonising civilisations.
This barrier is sometimes referred to as the 'Great Filter'.
Italian physicist Enrico Fermi devised the so-called Fermi Paradox in the 1950s. It explores why there is no sign of alien life, despite the 100 billions planets in our galaxy
If the main obstacle preventing the colonisation of other planets is not in our past, then the barrier that will stop humanity's prospects of reaching other worlds must lie in our future, scientists have theorised.
Professor Brian Cox believes the advances in science and engineering required by a civilisation to start conquering the stars ultimately lead to its destruction.
He said: 'One solution to the Fermi paradox is that it is not possible to run a world that has the power to destroy itself and that needs global collaborative solutions to prevent that.
‘It may be that the growth of science and engineering inevitably outstrips the development of political expertise, leading to disaster.'
Other possible explanations for the Fermi Paradox include that no other intelligent species have arisen in the universe, intelligent alien species are out there — but lack the necessary technology to communicate with Earth.
Some believe that the distances between intelligent civilsations are too great to allow any kind of two-way communication.
If two worlds are separated by several thousand light-years, it's possible that one or both civilisation will be extinct before a dialogue can be established.
The so-called Zoo hypothesis claims intelligent alien life is out there, but deliberately avoids any contact with life on Earth to allow its natural evolution.
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NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars
NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars
NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars
Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will travel farther into the solar system than humanity has ever traveled before. Their mission will be to confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space. The Artemis II flight test will be NASA’s first mission with crew and will pave the way to land the first woman and next man on the Moon on Artemis III. Building on those early missions, NASA’s Artemis program will return humans to the Moon for long-term exploration and future missions to worlds beyond, including Mars.
“The unique Artemis II mission profile will build upon the uncrewed Artemis I flight test by demonstrating a broad range of SLS and Orion capabilities needed on deep space missions,” said Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager. “This mission will prove Orion’s critical life support systems are ready to sustain our astronauts on longer duration missions ahead and allow the crew to practice operations essential to the success of Artemis III.”
Leaving Earth
The mission will launch a crew of four astronauts from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2023 on a Block 1 configuration of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The flight profile is called a hybrid free return trajectory. Orion will perform multiple maneuvers to raise its orbit around Earth and eventually place the crew on a lunar free return trajectory in which Earth’s gravity will naturally pull Orion back home after flying by the Moon.
The initial launch will be similar to Artemis I as SLS lofts Orion into space, and then jettisons the boosters, service module panels, and launch abort system, before the core stage engines shut down and the core stage separates from the upper stage and the spacecraft. With crew aboard this mission, Orion and the upper stage, called the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS), will then orbit Earth twice to ensure Orion’s systems are working as expected while still close to home. The spacecraft will first reach an initial orbit, flying in the shape of an ellipse, at an altitude of about 115 by 1,800 miles. The orbit will last a little over 90 minutes and will include the first firing of the ICPS to maintain Orion’s path. After the first orbit, the ICPS will raise Orion to a high-Earth orbit. This maneuver will enable the spacecraft to build up enough speed for the eventual push toward the Moon. The second, larger orbit will take approximately 42 hours with Orion flying in an ellipse between about 235 and 68,000 miles above Earth. For perspective, the International Space Station flies a nearly circular Earth orbit about 250 miles above our planet.
After the burn to enter high-Earth orbit, Orion will separate from the ICPS. The expended stage will have one final use before it is disposed through Earth’s atmosphere—the crew will use it as a target for a proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will monitor Orion as the astronauts transition the spacecraft to manual mode and pilot Orion’s flight path and orientation. The crew will use Orion’s onboard cameras and the view from the spacecraft’s windows to line up with the ICPS as they approach and back away from the stage to assess Orion’s handling qualities and related hardware and software. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations and docking, as well as undocking operations in lunar orbit beginning on Artemis III.
Checking Critical Systems
Following the proximity operations demonstration, the crew will turn control of Orion back to mission controllers at Johnson and spend the remainder of the orbit verifying spacecraft system performance in the space environment. They will remove the Orion Crew Survival System suit they wear for launch and spend the remainder of the in-space mission in plain clothes, until they don their suits again to prepare for reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and recovery from the ocean.
While still close to Earth, the crew will assess the performance of the life support systems necessary to generate breathable air and remove the carbon dioxide and water vapor produced when the astronauts breathe, talk, or exercise. The long orbital period around Earth provides an opportunity to test the systems during exercise periods, where the crew’s metabolic rate is the highest, and a sleep period, where the crew’s metabolic rate is the lowest. A change between the suit mode and cabin mode in the life support system, as well as performance of the system during exercise and sleep periods, will confirm the full range of life support system capabilities and ensure readiness for the lunar flyby portion of the mission.
Orion will also checkout the communication and navigation systems to confirm they are ready for the trip to the Moon. While still in the elliptical orbit around Earth, Orion will briefly fly beyond the range of GPS satellites and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites of NASA’s Space Network to allow an early checkout of agency’s Deep Space Network communication and navigation capabilities. When Orion travels out to and around the Moon, mission control will depend on the Deep Space Network to communicate with the astronauts, send imagery to Earth, and command the spacecraft.
After completing checkout procedures, Orion will perform the next propulsion move, called the translunar injection (TLI) burn. With the ICPS having done most of the work to put Orion into a high-Earth orbit, the service module will provide the last push needed to put Orion on a path toward the Moon. The TLI burn will send crew on an outbound trip of about four days and around the backside of the moon where they will ultimately create a figure eight extending over 230,000 miles from Earth before Orion returns home.
To the Moon and “Free” ride home
On the remainder of the trip, astronauts will continue to evaluate the spacecraft’s systems, including including demonstrating Earth departure and return operations, practicing emergency procedures, and testing the radiation shelter, among other activities.
The Artemis II crew will travel 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon. From this vantage point, they will be able to see the Earth and the Moon from Orion’s windows, with the Moon close in the foreground and the Earth nearly a quarter-million miles in the background.
With a return trip of about four days, the mission is expected to last just over 10 days. Instead of requiring propulsion on the return, this fuel-efficient trajectory harnesses the Earth-Moon gravity field, ensuring that—after its trip around the far side of the Moon—Orion will be pulled back naturally by Earth’s gravity for the free return portion of the mission.
Two missions, two different trajectories
Following these first two test flights, Orion and a crew of four will once again travel to the Moon, this time to make history with the first woman and next man to walk on its surface. Beginning with Artemis III, NASA intends to launch crewed missions about once per year, with initial missions focused on establishing surface capabilities and building the Gateway in orbit around the Moon.
“Together, these test flights will demonstrate the capabilities we need to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and enable sustainable missions for decades to come,” said Sarafin. “We will take the experience gained exploring the Moon to prepare for the next giant leap to Mars.”
NASA is leading a return to the Moon through an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. SLS and Orion are critical backbone capabilities, along with the Gateway in lunar orbit and a modern human landing system, that will enable human missions of increasing complexity in deep space.
Pilot caught cube-shaped UFO flying over Columbia at 30,000 ft.
Pilot caught cube-shaped UFO flying over Columbia at 30,000 ft.
Pilots of a passenger plane flying over Columbia at 30,000 feet noticed a strange object with no wings and no visible propulsion that was moving in the opposite direction of the aircraft.
With all those strange objects in the sky over the last few years, we may wonder whether this possible secret man-made object is one of the latest developments referring to the infamous tic-tac UFOs.
One of the pilots managed to capture the cube-shaped UFO on February 2020.
Hubble Space Telescope Provides A Closer Look At the Rarest Metallic Asteroid Worth $10,000,000,000,000,000,000
Hubble Space Telescope Provides A Closer Look At the Rarest Metallic Asteroid Worth $10,000,000,000,000,000,000
Between Mars and Jupiter lies an incredibly rare metallic asteroid that is worth more than the entire world economy. The Hubble Space Telescope has now provided us with a closer look at the object, which is estimated to be worth $10 quadrillion dollars.
New research published this week in The Planetary Science Journal looks deeper than ever before into the secrets of the asteroid 16 Psyche, one of the solar system's most enormous objects in the main asteroid belt around Mars and Jupiter, roughly 230 million miles from Earth. It has a diameter of around 140 miles or nearly the size of Massachusetts.
The majority of asteroids consist of rock or ice. But 16 Psyche is dense and composed mostly of metal, likely the remnant core of a planet that never fully formed — a so-called "protoplanet" whose mantle was stripped away by collisions that revealed its core.
This research represents the first ultraviolet (UV) observations of the celestial body. The asteroid may be composed completely of iron and nickel, which are present in the dense cores of planets, according to new findings.
"We've seen meteorites that are mostly metal, but Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel," lead author Dr. Tracy Becker said in a statement. "Earth has a metal core, a mantle and crust. It's possible that as a Psyche protoplanet was forming, it was struck by another object in our solar system and lost its mantle and crust."
Scientists examined the asteroid at two points throughout its rotation in order to examine the UV wavelength information of both sides. They discovered that the surface may be composed mostly of iron, but cautioned that even a modest quantity of iron would dominate UV data.
"We were able to identify for the first time on any asteroid what we think are iron oxide ultraviolet absorption bands," Becker said. "This is an indication that oxidation is happening on the asteroid, which could be a result of the solar wind hitting the surface."
The solar wind is the movement of charged particles across the solar system from the sun's upper atmosphere, known as the corona. It is responsible for comet tails, aurora formations, and the putative "space weathering" of Psyche.
Researchers also reported that the asteroid grew more reflective at deeper UV wavelengths, which may indicate its age.
"This is something that we need to study further," Becker said. "This could be indicative of it being exposed in space for so long. This type of UV brightening is often attributed to space weathering."
Metal asteroids are uncommon, therefore Psyche gives a fascinating chance for scientists to examine the inside of a planet. NASA intends to send the unmanned spacecraft Psyche on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in 2022 in order to investigate the asteroid in an effort to understand its history and that of related asteroids. This will be the first time a mission will visit a fully metallic body.
In January 2026, the orbiter will arrive at the asteroid to investigate it for about two years. The head of the project at Arizona State University thinks that the iron alone would be worth $10,000 quadrillion dollars on the current market.
"What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they're considered to be the building blocks of the solar system," Becker said. "To understand what really makes up a planet and to potentially see the inside of a planet is fascinating. Once we get to Psyche, we're really going to understand if that's the case, even if it doesn't turn out as we expect. Any time there's a surprise, it's always exciting.
Weird Energy Beam Just Left A Galaxy Travelling At Five Times the Speed of Light And Hubble Caught It
Weird Energy Beam Just Left A Galaxy Travelling At Five Times the Speed of Light And Hubble Caught It
Please welcome to the stage a master illusionist. An energy beam that stabs out of galaxy M87 like a toothpick in a cocktail olive is pulling off the ultimate magic trick: seeming to move faster than the speed of light.
Almost five times faster, in fact, as measured by the Hubble Space Telescope. This feat was first observed in 1995 in galaxy M87, and has been seen in many other galaxies since. It might have you questioning your entire reality. Nothing can break the cosmic speed limit, right? You can’t just flaunt the laws of physics… can you?
If you want to just enjoy the illusion from your seat in the audience, stop reading. Otherwise, I welcome you backstage for a look at how the trick works – and how it’s helping astronomers to understand the fate of entire galaxies.
Blobs faster than light?
We’ve known about the jet of plasma shooting from the core of M87 since 1918, when astronomer Heber Curtis saw a ray of light connected to the galaxy. To be visible from so far away, it had to be huge – about 6000 light years long.
As modern astronomers now know, pretty much all galaxies have a central black hole that periodically draws in stars and gas clouds. When gas begins to swirl down the drain, it heats up and magnetic fields focus some of it into jets of hot plasma. These jets shoot out at velocities near to – but not faster than – the speed of light.
Cosmic uncertainty: Is the speed of light really constant?
If you were to aim a telescope into the sky towards M87, you would see that this lance of plasma is askew. Instead of pointing exactly into our line of sight, it’s angled a bit to the right.
To understand the illusion, picture a single glowing blob of plasma starting at the base of this path and emitting a ray of light, both of which travel towards Earth. Now wait 10 years. In that time, the blob has moved closer at a sizeable fraction of the speed of light. That gives the rays emitted from that later position a few light years’ head start on the way to us.
If you compare the first and second images from Earth’s perspective, it looks like the blob has just moved across the sky to the right. But because the second position is also closer to us, its light has had less far to travel than it appears. That means it seems to have arrived there faster than it actually did – as if the blob spent those 10 years travelling at ludicrous speed.
One among many
The jet from M87 is more than just a curiosity, says Eileen Meyer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
All over the universe, outflows of energy from massive black holes can stop or start the formation of stars throughout galaxies. But it’s unclear how these outflows work and how much energy they contain.
By appearing to move faster than light, jets such as the M87 one change visibly over just a few years, which is unusual for distant objects like galaxies. That allows astronomers to make precise estimates of how fast the plasma is moving and thus how powerful the process is.M87 is special because it is relatively close compared to other galaxies, making it easy to study. In 1999, astronomers used Hubble pictures of the jet taken over four years to see that plasma ripple outwards. In 2013, Meyer lengthened that to 13 years of images, which seemed to show that the plasma might also be moving in corkscrew-like spirals – as if it wasn’t complicated enough.
Fresh results from Meyer, now being prepared for publication, extend that baseline again to a total of more than two decades and may offer new surprises. “Over 20 years, you know, things go bump in the night,” she says.
And although the faster-than-light effect is old hat to her, she still stops to appreciate it sometimes. Most things we see travelling across the sky, such as planets and comets, are close to us. But M87 is tens of millions of light years away. “We can see, over a human lifetime, things moving,” she says. “Which is crazy.”
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Over mijzelf
Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
Ik ben een man en woon in Linter (België) en mijn beroep is Ik ben op rust..
Ik ben geboren op 18/10/1950 en ben nu dus 74 jaar jong.
Mijn hobby's zijn: Ufologie en andere esoterische onderwerpen.
Op deze blog vind je onder artikels, werk van mezelf. Mijn dank gaat ook naar André, Ingrid, Oliver, Paul, Vincent, Georges Filer en MUFON voor de bijdragen voor de verschillende categorieën...
Veel leesplezier en geef je mening over deze blog.