Dit is ons nieuw hondje Kira, een kruising van een waterhond en een Podenko. Ze is sinds 7 februari 2024 bij ons en druk bezig ons hart te veroveren. Het is een lief, aanhankelijk hondje, dat zich op een week snel aan ons heeft aangepast. Ze is heel vinnig en nieuwsgierig, een heel ander hondje dan Noleke.
This is our new dog Kira, a cross between a water dog and a Podenko. She has been with us since February 7, 2024 and is busy winning our hearts. She is a sweet, affectionate dog who quickly adapted to us within a week. She is very quick and curious, a very different dog than Noleke.
DEAR VISITOR,
MY BLOG EXISTS NEARLY 13 YEARS AND 4 MONTH.
ON /30/09/2024 MORE THAN 2.230.520
VISITORS FROM 135 DIFFERENT NATIONS ALREADY FOUND THEIR WAY TO MY BLOG.
THAT IS AN AVERAGE OF 400GUESTS PER DAY.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND HOPE YOU ENJOY EACH TIME.
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.
Druk op onderstaande knop om te reageren in mijn forum
Zoeken in blog
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!!!
Een interessant adres?
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...
12-09-2023
Mysterious moonquake traced to Apollo 17 lunar lander base
Mysterious moonquake traced to Apollo 17 lunar lander base
The Apollo 17 lunar lander base is creating small-scale moonquakes on a daily basis.
Dr. Maurice Ewing, professor of geophysics of the University of Texas at Galveston, studies seismometer readings from the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Packages (ALSEP) on the moon in 1972.
(Image credit: NASA)
When they went to the moon, Apollo astronauts placed seismometers on the surface. Those instruments strikingly revealed that the moon experiences moonquakes, just as the Earth experiences earthquakes. In fact, scientists have since determined there are four types of moonquakes: Deep, shallow, thermal and the kind stemming from meteoriteimpacts.
But a new look at thermal earthquake data recorded by instruments from the Apollo 17 mission has unveiled a fifth and unexpected type of moonquake — one that emanates from the Apollo 17 lunar lander base itself.
During the Apollo 17 mission, scientists calibrated three seismometers to record thermal earthquakes on the moon. Placed on the lunar surface, these devices recorded data from October 1976 to May 1977. Such thermal quakes are caused by intense temperature changes that occur on the moon as it transitions from the lunar day to lunar night, which can swing from 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius) to -208 degrees Fahrenheit (-133 degrees Celsius).
Using modern techniques, including machine learning, researchers from the California Institute of Technology reanalyzed the data, determining that thermal quakes occur with very precise regularity the day. But, they also found new tremors in the data that weren't linked to the thermal quakes — ones that only occurred in the morning.
Triangulating the origin of the mystery quakes, researchers surprisingly realized they came from the Apollo 17 lunar lander base, which expands and vibrates each morning as it becomes heated by the sun.
"Every lunar morning when the sun hits the lander, it starts popping off," Allen Husker, a Caltech research professor of geophysics who worked on the project, said in a statement. "Every five to six minutes another one, over a period of five to seven Earth hours. They were incredibly regular and repeating."
So while these new moonquakes might not be moon-generated quakes, they're still contributing to our seismic knowledge of the celestial body — and that's particularly important for future lunar development.
"It's important to know as much as we can from the existing data so we can design experiments and missions to answer the right questions," said Husker. "The Moon is the only planetary body other than the Earth to have had more than one seismometer on it at a time. It gives us the only opportunity to thoroughly study another body."
A new seismic instrument just landed on the moon last month with India's Chandrayaan 3 Lander, and it managed to record its own evidence of moonquakes. The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), comprising six high-sensitivity accelerometers, recorded a seemingly natural moonquake on August 26, 2023 — though the source is being investigated. Chandrayaan-3 entered sleep mode on Sept. 2 in preparation for the lunar night.
Through further lunar seismic research, "[w]e will hopefully be able to map out the subsurface cratering and to look for deposits," said Husker. "There are also certain regions in craters at the Moon's South Pole that never see sunlight; they are permanently shadowed. If we could put up a few seismometers there, we could look for water ice that may be trapped in the subsurface; seismic waves travel slower through water."
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
On July 27, 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope released an image of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot using one of its infrared cameras. The image contains a cylindrical-shaped object floating high above Jupiter’s atmosphere that appears to be more than a thousand miles long. The image corroborates claims of giant spacecraft recently arriving in our solar system and parking in the vicinity of Jupiter.
Space.com was among the first news outlets to release the new Webb image of Jupiter and explained that it was taken using the Near Infrared Camera. In addition to the Great Red Spot, Webb was also studying bands in the gas giant’s atmosphere. However, the Webb image also caught a very large cylindrical-shaped object whose direction of motion could be traced directly to the Giant Red Spot.
The object appears white in the filter, as does the Giant Red Spot. Also, the thing seems to be very close to Jupiter, which makes possible an estimate of it being several thousand miles in length. If the object is closer to the Webb telescope, which is one million miles away from Earth, facing away from the sun, then that would make it harder to estimate the object’s true size. Importantly, the object is unlike any of the smaller objects making up Jupiter’s bands or near the Giant Red Spot.
One of my sources, JP, who currently serves with the US Army, sent me the above Webb picture of Jupiter and believes it is a mothership drawing energy from the Red Spot. This is what he told me via Skype:
The red spot is hotter than most areas.
Atmospheric gravity waves and lightning-driven acoustic waves.
A great source of energy for the ships
This is amazing you can [can’t] see if the ship is heading towards the storm or coming out from the storm but you can see the direction.
JP traveled to Jupiter’s moon Ganymede in September 2021 for a covert assignment to meet with representatives of an incoming extraterrestrial fleet. JP said that US Space Command has been setting up facilities on Ganymede to meet and liaise with members of the extraterrestrial fleet, some of whom he met during his assignment.
JP subsequently told me “that we were going to be shown soon all these ships and that people were going to see them” and, incredibly, some of these motherships are 6,000 miles long according to JP. This suggests that the Webb image is part of a disclosure initiative to reveal the truth about extraterrestrial visitation.
This is supported by NASA’s current program to use the Webb Telescope to study the distant universe and our solar system, with Jupiter being a particular focus of attention.
If the cylindrical object is a mothership that is several thousand miles in length, as JP contends, then its size would make it capable of accommodating millions of people and thousands of smaller spacecraft.
The Webb image and JP’s data about Jupiter corroborates information previously released by Elena Danaan concerning the composition of the extraterrestrial fleets she described as belonging to the Seeder races (aka Intergalactic Confederation). She provided an illustration of the different craft and beings that belonged to the Seeder fleets, one of which had a cylindrical design.
In an August 31 Skype conversation, Danaan said that the cylindrical shaped scout craft of the Intergalactic Confederation are 20 miles long and that the saucer-shaped mother ships are far bigger than that.
This is the second Webb image of Jupiter that shows a very large anomaly high above its atmosphere. The first image from July 13 showed a massive moon-sized dark area between Europa and Jupiter. According to information Danaan received from her contact Oona (a member of the Intergalactic Confederation), the object was a mix of large rocks and spacecraft parked in Jupiter’s orbit.
In conclusion, estimating the size of the cylindrical-shaped object photographed above Jupiter is difficult as we can’t be sure whether it’s closer to Jupiter or the Webb telescope. If the object is close to Jupiter, then it’s likely to be thousands of miles in length, as claimed by JP. If the object is closer to the Webb Telescope, then it could be a 20-mile-long cylinder shaped Intergalactic Confederation scout craft as described by Elena Danaan.
If JP is correct, we can expect to learn the truth soon about that and many other extraterrestrial spacecraft that have recently arrived in our solar system, as the Webb Telescope is releasing images that are part of an official disclosure initiative. The disclosure of a newly arrived extraterrestrial space fleet with giant mother ships parked around Jupiter would have an enormous impact on global politics, science and technology, and world religions.
To learn more about the role of extraterrestrial civilizations in historically shaping human society especially in relation to historic texts from around the world describing creator gods and their return, I highly recommend my August 13, 2022 webinar, “World Religions and Extraterrestrial Contact.”
Video Version of this article is available on YouTube & Rumble.
Podcast version available on Apple, Spotify and Google.
Many thanks to Elena Danaan for permission to include her drawing of different spacecraft and extraterrestrials comprising the Intergalactic Confederation fleet parked around Jupiter.
[Update Aug 4, 2022 – A higher resolution version of the JSWT image of Jupiter found in the Space.com article is available here or click image below to expand]
[Update Aug 2, 2022 – Below is a close up of the object floating above Jupiter in JWST photo I discussed in the above article. Notice shadow it casts. Shows object is very close to Jupiter, rather than something closer to the JWST, or dust on the camera lens. Clear evidence of a giant mothership parked around Jupiter.]
Since the Cassini spacecraft discovered plumes of water vapor erupting from geysers on Enceladus nearly 20 years ago, Saturn's ice-covered ocean moon has been a hot topic.
The James Webb Space Telescope has now caught sight of the largest plume yet. The telescope's astonishingly sensitive eye measured an eruption of water vapor punching at least 10,000 kilometers (over 6,000 miles) out into space. That's around 20 times the size of Enceladus itself, and it has given scientists an unprecedented glimpse at how the moon's geysers supply material to Saturn's icy rings.
"When I was looking at the data, at first, I was thinking I had to be wrong, it was just so shocking to map a plume more than 20 times the diameter of the moon," says planetary scientist Geronimo Villanueva of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
"The plume extends far beyond what we could have imagined."
The geysers Cassini detected in 2005 changed everything we thought about the cold moon: They were proof that Enceladus wasn't a solid, frozen ball, as previously thought, that under its shell of thick ice lurks a global liquid ocean, kept liquid by the heat created by the constant push-pull of its gravitational interaction with Saturn.
That's still an open question since getting through kilometers of ice on an alien world to look for what might be no more than microbes is not exactly simple. But Enceladus is intriguing for other reasons, too – not least of which is its contribution to Saturn's ring system.
In 2011, scientists using the Herschel infrared observatory discovered that Enceladus isn't just actively spewing water out randomly into space. Its geysers generate a diffuse and fuzzy donut-shaped ring, or torus, of microscopic frozen particles, mostly water ice, with some traces of silicates, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. It's centered around the same location as Saturn's E ring, the second-outermost of Saturn's rings, and Enceladus's orbit.
"The orbit of Enceladus around Saturn is relatively quick, just 33 hours. As it whips around Saturn, the moon and its jets are basically spitting off water, leaving a halo, almost like a donut, in its wake," Villanueva explains. "In the Webb observations, not only was the plume huge, but there was just water absolutely everywhere."
Water vapor is hard to find in space because it tends to be transparent at most wavelengths. In infrared, however, water vapor fluoresces, and that's why the infrared Herschel observatory could detect the torus in 2011. The JWST is an infrared telescope that is significantly more powerful than Herschel.
In November 2022, the JWST collected just 4.5 minutes' worth of data on Enceladus. That was sufficient to capture the largest plume anyone had ever seen erupting from the moon – providing direct evidence for how the plumes feed into the torus.
Animation contextualizing JWST's observations with the torus and its position around Saturn. (Leah Hustak/STScI)
Based on this data, the team could ascertain the plume's ejection rate. At the time of the observations, Enceladus was spewing out water vapor at 300 liters (79 gallons) per second. That's roughly two bathtubs' worth of water. Imagine the water pressure required to fill your bathtub in half a second. You probably wouldn't have a bathtub after that.
The researchers also calculated that roughly 30 percent of the water vapor would stay in the torus. The remaining 70 percent supplies the rest of the Saturn system, including the icy rings and Saturn's upper atmosphere.
Sadly, it seems the plumes are probably too diffuse to detect possible molecular signs of life that scientists hoped might be collected by flying through them. But this helps narrow down where and how to look for biomolecules when astrobiology missions reach the icy moon.
And, on the surface of Enceladus, the team detected something that could be cyanide compounds. Although cyanide is poisonous, it could have played a key role in the emergence of life on Earth, and if it is on the surface of Enceladus, its presence would be very intriguing.
In its second round of observations, JWST will return to Enceladus for a longer look. Scientists hope this will yield more clues about the possibility of life on Enceladus. In particular, the researchers will look for hydrogen peroxide, a biomolecule with a wide range of functions.
"Enceladus is one of the most dynamic objects in the Solar System and is a prime target in humanity's search for life beyond Earth," says geochemist Christopher Glein of the Southwest Research Institute.
"In the years since NASA's Cassini spacecraft first looked at Enceladus, we never cease to be amazed by what we find is happening on this extraordinary moon."
The research has been accepted into Nature Astronomy, and a preprint is available via the NASA website.
Researchers have shown that if the James Webb Space Telescope was pointed at Earth from a distant star, it could detect the signatures of intelligent life in our planet's atmosphere.
A new study suggests that the James Webb Space Telescope could detect Earth's human civilization from across the galaxy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would be able to spot the signs of our civilization on Earth if it was spying on us from another star system in the Milky Way, a new study shows. The finding raises hopes that the state-of-the-art spacecraft could detect alien civilizations as it stares out toward distant worlds in our galaxy.
Since launching in late 2021, JWST has been predominantly peering out into the deepest reaches of the cosmos in search of clues about how the early universe formed. But one of the telescope's secondary objectives is to analyze the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets, or planets beyond the solar system, to look for gases produced by biological life, known as biosignatures, and chemicals produced by advanced alien civilizations, known as technosignatures.
But despite being the most advanced telescope currently in operation, it is still unclear how well JWST will be able to spot the tell-tale signs of intelligent life. To answer this question, researchers decided to test whether the space telescope could successfully detect intelligent life from the only planet in the universe that is known to be both habitable and currently inhabited — Earth.
In the new study, uploaded to the pre-print server arXiv on Aug. 28, researchers took a spectrum of Earth's atmosphere and deliberately decreased the quality of the data to mimic how it would look to an observer dozens of light-years away. The team then used a computer model, which replicated JWST's sensor capabilities, to see if the spacecraft could detect the key biosignatures and technosignatures from the dataset, such as methane and oxygen, produced by biological life, and nitrogen dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are produced by humans.
The results, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, show that JWST could likely detect all the key markers of non-intelligent and intelligent life in our planet's atmosphere.
This graph shows the raw atmospheric data used in the new study. Specific biosignatures and technosignatures are highlighted in different colors. (Image credit: Lustig-Yaeger, et al)
The researchers noted that the quality of the altered dataset is roughly equivalent to JWST observations of planets from TRAPPIST-1 — a star system containing seven exoplanets that orbit a red dwarf star around 40 light-years from Earth. This suggests the telescope should be able to detect life or alien civilizations on exoplanets within 40 light-years of Earth. But the team believes JWST could possibly detect signs of extraterrestrial life up to 50 light-years from Earth.
Only around 20 exoplanets have been officially discovered within a 50-light-year radius of Earth, but based on the number of suspected stars in this region of space, experts predict that there may actually be as many as 4,000 exoplanets within JWST's reach, according to Project EDEN, an international astronomical collaboration dedicated to finding potentially habitable planets close to Earth.
However, this doesn't guarantee that JWST would be able to detect life on other planets.
An artist's interpretation of what the TRAPPIST-1 system might look like. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Detecting biosignatures and technosignatures on other worlds "may prove challenging to interpret without contextual knowledge about the habitable environment," the researchers wrote. In this study, the team already knew which markers to look for, but on an exoplanet with different conditions and alternate potential life forms or technologies those life-signatures may not be as obvious, they added.
“Op aarde kunnen enkel levende organismen dit gas maken”: heeft James Webb ruimtetelescoop eerste teken van leven gevonden op exoplaneet?
NASA’s James Webb ruimtetelescoop (JWST) heeft tijdens het bestuderen van K2-18b, een exoplaneet die 8,6 keer zo massief is als de aarde, de aanwezigheid van belangrijke moleculen aangetoond. Het gaat hier om koolstofhoudende moleculen, waaronder methaan en koolstofdioxide, en dimethylsulfide. Deze bevinding suggereert niet alleen dat K2-18b een met water bedekte planeet zou kunnen zijn, maar ook dat er mogelijk levende organismen aanwezig zijn.
Martijn Peters
K2-18b is een exoplaneet die rond een koele dwergster draait, genaamd K2-18 op 12 lichtjaren afstand van de aarde in het sterrenbeeld Leeuw. De planeet bevindt zich in de ‘Goldilocks zone’, de omgeving rond een ster waar leven mogelijk is. Wetenschappers vermoeden dat K2-18b een ‘Hycean’ zou kunnen zijn, een planeet met water op het oppervlak en waterstof in de atmosfeer. Dit maakt deze exoplaneet een interessant doelwit in de zoektocht naar leven in het universum.
“Traditioneel concentreerde de zoektocht naar leven op exoplaneten zich vooral op kleinere rotsachtige planeten zoals de aarde. Maar de grotere Hycean-werelden zijn even interessant en gemakkelijker om atmosferische waarnemingen op te doen”, legt Nikku Madhusudhan (astronoom aan de Universiteit van Cambridge). “Ons onderzoek onderstreept het belang van de zoektocht naar leven op een andere planeet te durven verbreden.”
De wetenschappers toonden met hun nieuwe studie in ‘The Astrophysical Journal Letters’ aan dat er zich een overvloed aan methaan en koolstofdioxide in de atmosfeer van K2-18b bevindt. Dit deden ze door spectra te nemen van de exoplaneet met de ‘Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph’ en ‘Near-Infrared Spectrograph’ van de James Webb ruimtetelescoop. Het waarnemen van methaan en koolstofdioxide en het tekort aan ammoniak ondersteunen de hypothese dat er zich op K2-18b mogelijk een oceaan bevindt samen met een waterstofrijke atmosfeer.
Minstens even bijzonder is de mogelijke ontdekking van een molecuul genaamd dimethylsulfide (DMS) in de atmosfeer van de planeet door de ruimtetelescoop. Op aarde kunnen enkel levende organismen dit gas produceren. Specifiek is het fytoplankton in zeeën en oceanen dat hiervoor verantwoordelijk is. We kennen geen enkel ander proces dat DMS maakt. Het signaal van DMS is echter minder uitgesproken en vereist nog bevestiging. “Toekomstige JWST observaties van deze exoplaneet kunnen de aanwezigheid van DMS in significante hoeveelheden bevestigen”, legt Madhusudhan uit.
Hoewel K2-18b zich in de bewoonbare zone bevindt en het nu bekend is dat het koolstofhoudende moleculen herbergt, betekent dit niet noodzakelijk dat de planeet leven kan ondersteunen. De grote omvang van de K2-18b, met een straal die 2,6 keer groter is dan die van de aarde, betekent dat het binnenste van de planeet waarschijnlijk een grote mantel van ijs bevat zoals Neptunus. Daarbovenop bevindt zich dan een dunnere waterstofrijke atmosfeer en oceaanoppervlak. Het is echter mogelijk dat de oceaan te heet is om bewoonbaar of vloeibaar te zijn.
“Ons ultieme doel is het waarnemen van leven op een bewoonbare exoplaneet. Dit zou een ongeziene impact hebben op hoe wij naar onszelf kijken en onze rol in het universum”, concludeert Madhusudhan. “Deze bevindingen zijn alvast een eerste stap in de juiste richting.”
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The Hubble Imaged Some Globular Clusters in an Unusual Place: Near the Milky Way’s Centre
Most globular clusters are found in the Milky Way's halo. But some, like the glittering globular cluster Terzan 12, are near the galactic centre. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Cohen (Rutgers University)
The Hubble Imaged Some Globular Clusters in an Unusual Place: Near the Milky Way’s Centre
Our galaxy has about 200 Globular Clusters (GCs,) and most of them are in the galaxy’s halo. Astronomers think most GCs were taken from dwarf galaxies and merged with the Milky Way due to the galaxy’s powerful gravity. That explains why so many of them are on the outskirts of the galaxy. But they’re not all in the halo. Some are towards the Milky Way’s galactic bulge. What are globular clusters doing there?
Globular Clusters (GCs) are spherical associations of stars bound together by gravity. The smaller ones have tens of thousands of stars, and the more massive ones can hold millions of stars. Their stars are typically older and have low metallicity, and in our galaxy, most of them are in the galactic halo.
Most globular clusters are in the Milky Way’s halo, but some are near the center. Image Credit: Left: NASA/JPL-Caltech; right: ESA; layout: ESA/ATG medialab
Globular clusters are ancient. They likely formed between 10 and 13 billion years ago when the Universe was much younger. They’re found in all types of galaxies, and the Milky Way has something like 200 of them. They’re some of the Milky Way’s building blocks, and it’s the same in other galaxies.
Stars in GCs all formed from the same gas cloud. Since the stars are old, many of them are red and bloated and have left the main sequence behind. Any short-lived stars that formed in GCs—like blue giants—are no longer prominent.
Much about globular clusters is still mysterious, though astronomers continue to make progress in understanding them. The Hubble Space Telescope has made a large contribution to our growing understanding of GCs since it first gained its vantage point in low-Earth orbit over 30 years ago.
One Hubble observing program was directed at GCs near the galaxy’s center. It was called “Opening the Window on Galaxy Assembly: Ages and Structural Parameters of Globular Clusters Towards the Galactic Bulge.” The title explains the program. The idea is to understand what role GCs played in the formation and evolution of the Milky Way.
But gazing toward the galactic center is challenging. The region is shrouded in gas and dust that blocks some light and diffuses some light. Fortunately, infrared light is less affected, and this is where the Hubble comes in. The observing program combined images from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Wide-Field Camera 3, which both sense near-infrared (NIR) light, with other pre-existing images.
The program gave us great images of these clusters and has led to a number of papers examining GCs near the Milky Way’s center.
This Hubble image shows Terzan 1, a globular cluster that lies about 22,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. It’s the closest GC to the galactic center, at only 4200 light-years distant. Image Credit: By ESA/Hubble, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=135405328
Djorgovski 1 is another GC that’s found its way into the galactic bulge, close to the Milky Way’s center. Djorgovski 1’s stars contain hydrogen and helium, but not much else, and the cluster is one of the most metal-poor clusters in the inner galaxy.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope imaged the globular star cluster Djorgovski 1, which was only discovered in 1987. Djorgovski 1 is located close to the centre of our Milky Way Galaxy, within the bulge. Globular clusters like Djorgovski 1 formed early in the Milky Way’s history, and as such, may hold clues about the inner galaxy’s early evolution. Image Credit: By ESA/Hubble & NASA – http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1126a/, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15645577
The Hubble observing program and the papers it spawned taught us a few things about the GC in the galactic center or bulge. One of the papers showed that two GCs, Djorgovski 1 and Terzan 10, are not actually part of the bulge. Instead, they follow typical halo orbits and are just near the bulge at this time. That paper called the pair of GC ‘Halo intruders.’ Both of these GCs are faint, and research suggests that’s due to mass loss as their trajectories take them repeatedly across the bulge and disk over many orbits.
This is the globular cluster called Palomar 6, or ESO 520-21. This sparkling starfield was also captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys. This densely packed cluster is also close to the centre of the Milky Way, where interstellar gas and dust absorb starlight and make observations more challenging. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA, R. Cohen – https://esahubble.org/images/potw2138a/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110253296
Palomar 6 has another back story.
At least some of the GCs in the galactic center formed there. A 2021 paper showed that Palomar 6 shares the same metallicity as some other GCs in the region, including M62. That paper concluded that Palomar 6 is about 12.5 billion years old and probably formed in the bulge in the Milky Way’s early days, along with several other GCs.
Globular clusters look every bit like nature is a jeweller that arranged all these stars just so we could be enchanted by them. That’s nonsense, of course. We’re natural beings, and we find natural patterns pleasing.
But they’re more than just visually pleasing. They’ve played a role in how the Milky Way came to be the galaxy it is today, and GCs are an ongoing research topic in astronomy. Many things we thought we knew about them have been overturned as our technology and science improve. For instance, we used to think that they contained a single population of stars that formed from the same cloud and have the same metallicities. But now we know GCs can have multiple, chemically distinct populations.
Surprisingly, astronomers have also found that there’s a mass correlation between GCs and a galaxy’s supermassive black hole (SMBH.) In lenticular and elliptical galaxies, the mass of the SMBH is often very close to the combined mass of the GCs in the galaxy. The authors of this paper aren’t sure why that is, but it might be because the growth of both SMBHs and GCs is associated with mergers. Galaxies that have undergone recent major mergers may have anomalously large SMBHs and GCs.
The science behind globular clusters is intriguing, and there are still a host of unanswered questions. What will we find out next? Who knows.
But at least they’re gorgeous, so while we wait for a better understanding of these visually stunning stellar arrangments, we can enjoy their beauty.
In a world that thrives on skepticism, the topic of UFO sightings often raises a few eyebrows. The enduring enigma has fascinated humanity for decades. But when military personnel step forward with their own UFO sightings, we’re all forced to pay attention. Are these advanced craft mere experimental technologies, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?
The Legacy of UFO Sightings
For over 70 years, reports of UFO sightings have been making headlines. Since the 1950s, Project Blue Book and other investigations have attempted to get to the bottom of these mysterious occurrences. But what’s fascinating is that these sightings aren’t limited to civilian accounts; they also include highly credible reports from military personnel.
The Astonishing Accounts You Can’t Ignore
Delbert Newhouse’s Intriguing Sighting
In 1952, Delbert Newhouse, a Navy chief photographer, reported a UFO sighting in Tremonton, Utah. The craft was said to have resembled a “silver dollar in the sky,” flying in unusual patterns and making erratic movements. Newhouse even filmed the spectacle with his camera. The sighting remains one of the most well-documented cases, backed by a military man trained to observe.
Gordon Cooper: From Outer Space to Inner Circles
In another intriguing case, Astronaut Gordon Cooper reported two UFO incidents, the most astonishing of which took place at Edwards Air Force Base in California. A film captured a flying saucer landing on three telescoping legs. Cooper personally viewed the negatives and sent the film for further analysis, but the footage mysteriously disappeared. Cooper’s credibility and high rank make this case hard to dismiss.
Bob Jacobs and the ICBM Incident
Perhaps the most unsettling account comes from Dr. Robert Jacobs. In the 1960s, while stationed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Jacobs filmed an intercontinental ballistic missile test. The film captured a UFO shooting beams of light at the missile, disabling it in mid-flight. Despite attempts to discredit him and even erasing his official military records, Jacobs remains steadfast in his account.
Why the Silence?
All these accounts share a disturbingly similar pattern: the footage and evidence are swiftly whisked away, never to be seen again. This gives rise to crucial questions: What does the U.S. government know, and why is this information being withheld?
The Call for Transparency
Christopher Mellon, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, has been vocal about the need for the U.S. government to release its UFO data. The call for transparency isn’t just for the public but also serves as validation for the military personnel who have risked their reputation by sharing their encounters.
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Chris Lehto: The US HAS UFO Video Evidence
The consistency in these military UFO sightings is compelling and warrants thorough investigation. As technology advances, so does the quality of evidence. It’s time for a renewed conversation, public disclosure, and in-depth inquiry into what could be one of the most significant discoveries of our time.
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Ross Coulthart’s statement on an alleged huge UFO buried outside the United States unleashed a storm in the UFO community. He claims that he knows the exact location of this craft. Now, UFO enthusiasts are hunting the alleged site where this gigantic immovable craft could possibly be sitting. There is no confirmation from Coulthart about the nature of this craft if it was retrieved. However, some have speculated this could be an archeological dig. Could this particular craft potentially be a remnant of a bygone civilization?
Scientists have explored the possibility of detecting ancient civilizations in Earth’s geological record. A recent paper called “The Silurian Hypothesis” discusses how traces of industrial civilizations could be found. While fossils and artifacts are unlikely to survive over millions of years, anomalous changes in chemical compositions could serve as clues. By studying geological anomalies and applying models to other planets, scientists hope to understand if civilizations existed in the distant past.
NASA has spent many years seeking the truth regarding extraterrestrial life. Furthermore, the space agency has never denied the existence of non-human life beyond Earth in any form. This is sufficient to discuss the idea of non-human life existing beyond Earth in any form, from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Avi Loeb, a professor at Harvard, has supported the idea that there may have been earlier civilizations on both Earth and Mars, and that these civilizations may have been the origin of UAPs.
He writes: “Planets like Mars or Earth could have given multiple births to technological civilizations that were a billion years apart and hence were not aware of each other. Like stable parents, the planets recovered from the environmental impact of these civilizations over time. We may have been separated in time from siblings that we never had the opportunity to meet and so we are unaware of their existence.”
Considering these two possibilities, former Pentagon UFO official Lue Elizondo shared a truly eye-opening statement in his interview with James Iandoli of Engaging The Phenomenon on June 11, 2021. They discussed crash retrievals and materials related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). Elizondo acknowledged the sensitivity of the topic and the potential consequences of discussing it openly.
However, Elizondo expressed his belief that the US government does possess exotic materials but could not provide further details due to the lack of transparency from the government. He mentioned the three layers of analysis that can be conducted on a piece of material, namely physical, chemical, and atomic or nano-level research.
He suggested that if a piece of material exhibits engineered characteristics and peculiarities outside the normal range of known materials, it raises questions about its origin and the technology used to create it. He concluded by using an analogy of finding an out-of-place object in King Tut’s tomb to illustrate the significance of finding advanced materials before our known technology existed.
“Let’s say nickel or aluminum or magnesium or bismuth. Then you have to say, ‘Okay, who created it and how?’ And at the end of the day, when you have material that has been found before, supposedly, we as a species had a technology to engineer it that way, then you’ve got to ask the question. And this is why I’ve said before, you know, a 747 isn’t uncommon to see at an international airport.
But imagine being the first guy to break into King Tut’s tomb, and of all the things you find in there, you find an intact 747 sitting in the tomb. Doesn’t make sense, does it? Because 747s weren’t around when King Tut was around. So, what the hell is a 747 doing in King Tut’s tomb? So, that’s the best analogy that I can use without going into further detail. I’ve tried to be very careful.
You know, I don’t want to be dismissive of your question because it’s an important question. I would ask the same exact question. But I also have to be very, very careful. And if you notice, other folks like Hal and Eric and others, they’re very careful to have this conversation too. Yeah, okay, yeah, it’s not just me. I’m not just being paranoid and cagey here. There’s… You’re actually the most out in the open. They’re… They still, you know…”
Many members of the UFO community interpreted Elizondo’s analogy as a subtle hint that UFOs could be considered as archaeological findings. Surprisingly, on the Joe Rogan Experience, Bob Lazar recalls hearing that at least one of the recovered UFOs was found during an archaeological dig, suggesting that it is ancient rather than simply old.
Rogan asked: “Have you ever asked anyone that has any inkling of any idea of where they got them or how they got them?” Lazar replied, “No, but something must have been said to me from Barry (his lab partner) and… but I… I can’t quite remember what was said, but it just left a seed in my mind. I think at least one of them was part of an archaeological dig, so it’s old. Something, that one at least one of them is old. I don’t know if it was the one I worked on, but I remember something to do with an archaeological dig.”
Mr. Loeb believes it is possible that some of the technological advancement devices made by early inhabitants of Mars and Earth are still operational elsewhere in the Solar System. He suggests that “in that case, old flying gadgets could be a source of some of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in reports from the Director of National Intelligence to the US Congress.” (Source)
Professor Loeb is not alone in thinking of the advanced civilization that once inhabited Mars. Physicist John E. Brandenburg explained in this 2015 study what could have happened on Mars. The planet that once had an Earthlike atmosphere faced a massive thermonuclear explosion that destroyed its atmosphere. The study considered the Cydonian Hypothesis and Fermi’s Paradox. (Source)
Wake up, step outside in the predawn hours, and take your chance on seeing newly-discovered Comet Nishimura. You might witness something spectacularly fleeting.
Nishimura is named after amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura, who discovered it just last month while taking 30-second exposures of the night sky with a digital camera. Comet Nishimura is a visitor from the Oort Cloud, a distant and frigid region of the Solar System. If Comet Nishimura ever traveled towards the Sun in the past, that would have been hundreds of years ago. But what makes the vibrant comet’s arrival even more special is that there’s always the risk this could be its last. Its cradle far away from the Sun means it’s made of icy material that could easily break apart as it approaches the star.
For now, it’s still holding together, and skygazers in the northern hemisphere have the best chance to see the comet on Tuesday, September 12. Southern sky observers might even get a bit longer to view the comet, until the start of October, depending on how it fares.
The comet was discovered just under a month ago by Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura using a Canon digital SLR camera with a 200-mm lense. Comet sizes are hard to gauge due to the amount of material they expel. The BBC reports that the comet is “a few hundred metres to a mile or two across,” while the Associated Press and USA Today report it to be about a half-mile in size.
Comet Nishimura seen from L'Aquila, Italy, on Friday, September 8th, 2023.
NURPHOTO/NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
HOW CAN I VIEW COMET NISHIMURA?
This visitor will require viewers to wake up early, because it's traveling in an angular direction as it approaches the Sun.
“As the days pass it will become brighter but also lower to the horizon,” according to The Planetary Society, a non-profit science outreach organization. Comet Nishimura will be just 78 million miles (about 1/3rd the distance to Mars at various points) from Earth on September 12.
The Planetary Society also offers some advice on how to spot the comet. “Observers on Earth can see Comet Nishimura with a telescope or binoculars, but may also be able to see it with the naked eye as it grows brighter throughout early September,” the society writes. “Look for it low to the horizon in the predawn eastern sky, rising between the constellations Cancer and Leo and coming close to Venus.”
On September 18, just six days after reaching its closest point to Earth, the comet reaches perihelion. This critical stage brings Comet Nishimura to its shortest distance to the Sun.
If it’s destined to break apart then, September 13 is the last time observers can see Comet Nishimura. But if it survives the stellar rendezvous, observers in the southern hemisphere will see it very low in the western sky at dusk through the end of September, according to The Planetary Society.
The next several days could be the one and only time to see this icy visitor from distant outer space.
Siberian Explosion: Exploring the Tunguska Mystery | Real Stories Full-Length Documentary
Siberian Explosion: Exploring the Tunguska Mystery | Real Stories Full-Length Documentary
In June 1908, a massive explosion in a remote part of Siberia flattened the forest with the force of 1000 Hiroshima bombs. But the area was so remote and the times so turbulent, that no one attempted to find out what had happened for 20 years.
Director, Reporter, Writer and Camera - George Carey
Exclusive Interview with Dave Grusch: Ex-Intelligence Officer Reveals UFO Secrets
Exclusive Interview with Dave Grusch: Ex-Intelligence Officer Reveals UFO Secrets
Dave Grusch, a 14-year veteran in high-ranking intelligence roles, comes forward to expose the truth behind UFOs, covert reverse engineering programs, and government secrecy.
In an explosive revelation, Dave Grusch, a former 14-year high-ranking intelligence officer, has stepped forward to lift the curtain on the enigmatic world of UFOs. Tasked in 2019 by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and Pentagon with investigating UFOs through the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon Task Force (UAPTF), Grusch gradually unearthed a secret UFO reverse engineering program concealed from civilian government.
In June 2023, Grusch publicly outed himself, and in July, testified before Congress to disclose the extent of government knowledge and involvement in UFO phenomena. Our exclusive sit-down interview with him dives deep into the history of UFOs, their connection with atomic secrecy, presidential involvement, and the mind-boggling realm of anti-gravity research.
UFO Sighting in Marrakech, Morocco: An Ominous Prelude to a Devastating Earthquake
UFO Sighting in Marrakech, Morocco: An Ominous Prelude to a Devastating Earthquake
A curious and somewhat chilling video has emerged from Marrakech, Morocco, that was filmed just hours before the catastrophic earthquake that rocked the nation. The video showcases unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in the sky, and these objects reportedly vanished soon after the seismic event. This mysterious occurrence has raised eyebrows and spawned theories about a possible link between the UFO sighting and the devastating earthquake.
The Earthquake
Before delving into the theories, it’s important to note the tragic events that unfolded on the fateful day. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The earthquake led to over 2,000 deaths and left 1,404 people in critical condition. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and international aid are working tirelessly to rescue survivors and provide assistance to the affected areas.
A Theoretical Exploration
One theory suggests that the UFO sighting could be linked to electromagnetic disturbances triggered by the tectonic movements beneath the Earth’s crust. This idea stems from the belief that rocks moving against each other in tectonic plates could generate electromagnetic consequences. Phenomena like ionized air caused by electromagnetic disturbances from such tectonic activities could potentially explain the mysterious objects seen in the sky.
Some of the examples cited to support this theory include known electromagnetic phenomena like lightning, ball lightning, and aurora borealis. The Earth itself has an electromagnetic field that varies based on different factors, including geographical features that can alter the magnetic field. Therefore, it’s conceivable, albeit not fully proven, that such phenomena could be related to tectonic activity and may serve as precursors to seismic events.
A Conspiracy and Alien Connection?
Another fascinating angle to consider is the conspiracy theory that suggests a potential alien involvement. The sudden appearance and disappearance of the UFOs in proximity to the time and location of the earthquake could provoke questions about extraterrestrial monitoring or even intervention. Could these advanced civilizations have foreknowledge of natural disasters? And if so, to what end? While these questions may sound outlandish, they continue to capture the imagination and curiosity of many.
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While the link between the UFO sighting in Marrakech and the subsequent earthquake remains speculative, the event serves as a captivating subject for scientific and extraterrestrial enthusiasts alike. Whether you ascribe to the theory of electromagnetic consequences from tectonic activity or entertain the possibility of alien involvement, it’s an occurrence that is sure to keep people talking for some time to come.
It’s crucial, however, to remember that as fascinating as these theories are, they do not lessen the tragic impact of the earthquake on the lives of thousands of individuals and communities. Our thoughts remain with those affected by this devastating event.
Navy F/A-18 jet crew’s encounter with Triangle UAP that shoots away at end, UFO Sighting News.
Navy F/A-18 jet crew’s encounter with Triangle UAP that shoots away at end, UFO Sighting News.
Date of sighting: Unknown Location of sighting: Unknown, but may be Costa D Beach, Florida
Source: US Gov archives
Navy F/A-18 jet crew’s encounter with UAP That Shoots Off, UFO Sighting News. A the bottom left corner it says POV-COSTA,D BPO...POV=point of view, but Costa D may be Costa d'Este Beach Florida. Lots of ET activity along Florida coast. I think it's a TRIANGLE shaped. Close up at end. This Navy video is 100% proof that triangle UFOs exist.
Three UFO cases exposed that the US does not want to reveal to the public
Three UFO cases exposed that the US does not want to reveal to the public
The Department of Defense recently introduced the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office Website (AARO) to provide the public with information about AARO's mission to investigate and address unidentified anomalous phenomena. This website will serve as a platform for sharing details, including images and videos, related to resolved UAP cases that have been declassified and approved for public release.
However, it's essential to note that while some 'not important' UFO/UAP cases have been resolved and made public there is no doubt they are hiding a significant amount of UFO evidence collected by the US Government and the Department of Defense since 1947 than they publicly admitting but these undisclosed UFO/UAP cases are likely to remain classified and won't be featured on the AARO website.
When we talk about UFO/UAP cases, where military officers have claimed more data and video evidence exists than has been revealed, but has been seized by official authorities, we must recall three historical cases:
First, the 1952 Tremonton, UT UFO incident, where Navy Chief Photographer Delbert Newhouse filmed strange objects maneuvering in the sky. The US Air Force analyzed the footage and couldn't identify what the things were. Newhouse said the film didn't fully show what he saw with his naked eyes.
Next, astronaut Gordon Cooper's claims that he saw footage in 1957 at Edwards Air Force Base of a saucer-shaped UFO landing on a dry lake bed. The film was allegedly sent to Washington, and Cooper never saw it again.
Finally, Dr. Robert Jacobs, who was ordered in 1964 to film an ICBM test. He captured footage of a UFO firing beams of light at the warhead. Jacobs says men in gray suits confiscated the footage and ordered him to never speak of it again.
These three historical cases, analyzed by Chris Letho in the video below, provide credible evidence that the US government has more classified UFO data than it want to reveal to the public which may make you wonder what the real agenda is behind the AARO website.
Unveiling the Mysteries: America’s Top 4 Baffling UFO Sightings
Unveiling the Mysteries: America’s Top 4 Baffling UFO Sightings
Are you fascinated by UFO sightings but overwhelmed by conspiracy theories and hoaxes? Uncover the truth with our deep-dive into the most mysterious and scientifically scrutinized UFO encounters in the United States. Featuring Roswell, Navy pilots, declassified government videos, and a shocking congressional report—our comprehensive guide offers compelling evidence that will make even the skeptics reconsider.
Roswell: The Mother of All UFO Sightings
Back in 1947, Roswell became ground zero for UFO enthusiasts. A rancher named Mac Brazel stumbled upon inexplicable metallic debris in New Mexico. The military initially reported capturing a “flying saucer,” only to retract it a day later, blaming a weather balloon. Major Jesse Marcel, who was the first military officer on the scene, secretly shared with his family that the material was unlike anything he had ever seen. Why the sudden backpedal? Could this have been the starting point of a well-orchestrated government cover-up?
San Diego Skies: The Unbelievable Tic Tac Encounter
Fast forward to 2004, two Navy pilots encountered a Tic Tac-shaped object hovering off the coast of San Diego. Navy Pilot David Fraver reported that the object performed aerial stunts that defy our understanding of aerodynamics. The object had no visible means of propulsion and darted away at speeds incomprehensible to modern technology. Could this be a new form of aerial technology or perhaps something far more unworldly?
Declassified Videos: The Pentagon Opens Up
In 2017, Luis Elizondo, a former Pentagon official, brought to light three declassified Navy videos showing unidentified flying objects executing impossible maneuvers. These videos took the UFO community by storm and further intensified the demand for disclosure. The visuals are captivating and challenge our scientific understanding, paving the way for more serious inquiry into the phenomenon.
Congressional Report: The Turning Point
In June 2021, the U.S. government took an unprecedented step by releasing a nine-page report on UFOs, or “UAPs” (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). Out of 144 reported sightings, only one was explained—a deflating balloon. The report hints at the need for additional scientific research to explain these phenomena, effectively acknowledging the potential of extraterrestrial technology.
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From ranchers to Navy pilots and government reports, America’s UFO sightings have captivated global attention. These narratives aren’t just fuel for wild imaginations; they provide a basis for meaningful dialogue and scientific inquiry. As we continue to question, research, and potentially make groundbreaking discoveries, one thing is clear—UFO sightings are a subject that demands more than a cursory glance.
By unraveling these captivating incidents, we may be stepping closer to a broader understanding of our universe. If you’re intrigued by the enigma surrounding UFO sightings, stay tuned for more revelatory content.
History of Soviet/Russian UFO Crash Retrieval Operations & Relations with Non-human Civilizations
History of Soviet/Russian UFO Crash Retrieval Operations & Relations with Non-human Civilizations
Anton Anfalov, Ph.D., was born in the city of Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union in 1972 and spent decades living in Crimea before his recent departure to Canada due to the intensifying Ukraine conflict. In the mid-1980s, he became interested in the UFO phenomenon after the Soviet Union first relaxed its stringent secrecy policies during the glasnost era and the subsequent Presidency of Boris Yeltsin.
Dr. Anfalov has interviewed hundreds of Russian and Ukrainian whistleblowers and been given documents on the UFO phenomenon dating back to the early post-World War II Soviet era. He has gained much knowledge about UFO crash retrieval operations in the Soviet Union and Russia; learned about ancient underground tunnels built by extraterrestrials that the Kremlin repurposed for deep underground military bases; the capture in 1965 of several Praying Mantis Insectoids from the Inner Earth; and the existence of a Russian secret space program.
In the first of a series of Exopolitics Today interviews, Dr. Anfalov explains how he learned about Soviet and Russian secrets about extraterrestrial visitors and Inner Earth Civilizations. He asserts that the current administration of President Vladimir Putin has adopted Soviet-era KGB policies of strict secrecy and that prospects of official disclosure by Russian authorities are dim. His testimony, therefore, provides rare insight into the secret history of the Soviet Union and Russia interacting with visiting extraterrestrial life and Inner Earth civilizations, and reverse engineering captured UFO technologies.
Astronomers are racing to explain peculiar orbits of faraway objects at the edge of our solar system.
Artist's conception of the dwarf planet Sedna in the outer edges of the known solar system.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC))
Among the many mysteries that make the furthest reaches of our solar system, well, mysterious, is the exceptionally egg-shaped path of a dwarf planet called 90377 Sedna.
Its 11,400-year orbit, one of the longest of any resident of the solar system, ushers the dwarf planet to seven billion miles (11.3 billion km) from the sun, then escorts it out of the solar system and way past the Kuiper Belt to 87 billion miles (140 billion km), and finally takes it within a loose shell of icy objects known as the Oort cloud. Since Sedna's discovery in 2003, astronomers have struggled to explain how such a world could have formed in a seemingly empty region of space, where it is too far to be influenced by giant planets of the solar system and even the Milky Way galaxy itself.
Now, a new study suggests that a thus far undetected Earth-like planet hovering in that region could be deviating orbits of Sedna and a handful of similar trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), which are the countless icy bodies orbiting the sun at gigantic distances. Many TNOs have oddly inclined and egg-shaped orbits, possibly due to being tugged at by a hidden planet, astronomers say.
Two Japanese researchers used computer simulations to analyze the effects of such an undiscovered planet on the TNOs. Those simulations, which included evolutions of numerous real and model TNOs in the furthest reaches of an icy region, known as the Kuiper Belt, produced the extreme orbits observed for Sedna and other TNOs.
Such a planet would be between 1.5 to three times Earth's size and would reside somewhere between 23 billion miles (37 billion km) to 46 billion miles (74 billion km) from the sun, astronomers say.
"It is plausible that a primordial planetary body could survive in the distant Kuiper Belt, as many such bodies existed in the early solar system," researchers write in the new study.
The quest to find hidden worlds
Searching for planets lurking in the frigid edges of our solar system is not a new concept.
The so-called Planet Nine, a world 10 times more massive than Earth, is thought to be responsible for at least five strange features in the solar system including the oddly inclined orbits of a few Kuiper Belt objects. This theoretical orb has captured the attention of many, but remains undetected. But research suggests if Planet Nine exists out there, it could be residing somewhere between 37 billion miles (59 billion km) to 74 billion miles (119 billion km) from the sun.
Although the possibility of Planet Nine gained significant traction from research groups worldwide, the theory has also been controversial. Some astronomers argue that the highly eccentric orbits of TNOs, for which Planet Nine's presence was considered necessary, could occur without the hidden planet's presence.
In 2021, an independent study in fact claimed data used by the team behind the discovery paper first theorizing Planet Nine was biased, and concluded that there's a very low chance of such a planet existing.
In comparison to Planet Nine, the newly hypothesized planet —- dubbed "Kuiper Belt Planet (KBP)" — would be much closer and more influential on the orbits of Kuiper Belt's objects, especially those beyond 4 billion miles (7 billion km), according to the new study.
It is worth reiterating that the KBP has neither been directly or indirectly spotted yet. If the KBP orbits within 34 billion miles (54 billion km), the authors say there's a 90% chance of detecting it in the sky.
However, more information about the structure of objects in the edges of Kuiper Belt is needed to either reveal or rule out KBP's presence.
This research is described in a paper published Aug. 25 in The Astronomical Journal.
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Researchers have shown that a particularly hearty strain of bacteria nicknamed “Conan the Bacterium” could survive buried on Mars for 280 million years. Previous studies indicated that Deinococcus radiodurans could survive the harsh ionizing radiation battering the surface of Mars for as many as 1 million years by hiding under the protective Marian soil. This study shatters that previous record, dramatically increasing the chances that microscopic life forms could still be alive beneath the red planet’s surface.
The researchers also note that their findings could significantly impact preparations for the potential contamination of Mars by Earth-origin life forms and the contamination of Earth by Martian life forms. Both are serious considerations for NASA, including the recent appointment of a new Planetary Protection Officer.
SEARCHING FOR MARTIAN LIFE PAST AND PRESENT
Since NASA’s first Viking landers, scientists have been searching Mars for signs of life. Some members of those initial experiments still believe they discovered living microscopic life forms way back in 1976, even though follow-up tests were unable to confirm their tantalizing signal.
In the decades since, researchers have learned much more about the harsh radiation and arid conditions on present-day Mars, as well as the likely wet and more temperate eras in the planet’s past, shifting the hunt away from currently living organisms and toward signs of ancient life. If confirmed, this latest research may shift the pendulum back from hunting for ancient Martian fossils to looking for bacteria or other microscopic life forms still living beneath the Martian soil.
CONAN THE BACTERIUM COULD SURVIVE BENEATH MARTIAN SOIL FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS
The new study’s press release says, “When Mars’ first samples return to Earth, scientists should be on the lookout for ancient sleeping bacteria.”
Led by Michael Daly, a professor of pathology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and member of the National Academies’ Committee on Planetary Protection, the new study looked at how the harsh radiation and arid environment on Mars’s surface affect the survivability of dormant bacteria.
“There is no flowing water or significant water in the Martian atmosphere, so cells and spores would dry out,” said research team co-leader Brian Hoffman, a Professor of Chemistry from Northwestern University. “It also is known that the surface temperature on Mars is roughly similar to dry ice, so it is indeed deeply frozen.”
To mirror these conditions (-80 degrees Fahrenheit) in their lab, the researchers recreated Mars’ surface’s cold and dry conditions.
Next, the team placed six different microscopic life forms, a collection of fungi and bacteria, in their simulated Mars and subjected these carefully selected life forms to blasts of either gamma rays or protons, simulating the ionizing cosmic radiation and solar protons that regularly slam into the red planet’s surface. By adjusting the intensity, researchers were able to simulate the volume of radiation these microorganisms would encounter at three levels: on Mars’s surface, at a depth of 10cm, and finally, at a depth of 10 meters.
Unsurprisingly, the surface survival rates were measured in minutes or hours, confirming that even Earth’s hardiest organisms couldn’t live for very long on Mars. However, burying one particular dried-out bacteria, a strain nicknamed Conan the bacterium for its hardiness, beneath the Martian soil dramatically changed the results.
Deinococcus radiodurans, aka Conan the Bacterium, in a lab dish. Credit: Michael J. Daly/USU
In fact, simply reducing the radiation levels to simulate bacteria shielded beneath 10cm of soil extended their ability to absorb radiation and still survive from hours to a staggering 1.2 million years. Furthermore, simulating burying these bacteria 10 meters below the surface upped their survivability to a whopping 280 million years. According to the researchers, this means that if life ever did exist on Mars, we may still find some of its living remnants today.
“Although D. radiodurans buried in the Martian subsurface could not survive dormant for the estimated 2 to 2.5 billion years since flowing water disappeared on Mars, such Martian environments are regularly altered and melted by meteorite impacts,” explained Daly. “We suggest that periodic melting could allow intermittent repopulation and dispersal.”
Daly went even further, pointing out that even if these intermittent repopulations did not occur and no bacteria have survived to the present day, there could still be significant evidence of ancient life on Mars.
“If Martian life ever existed, even if viable lifeforms are not now present on Mars, their macromolecules and viruses would survive much, much longer,” he said. “That strengthens the probability that, if life ever evolved on Mars, this will be revealed in future missions.”
FUTURE MISSIONS COULD HUNT FOR CURRENT MARTIAN LIFE WHILE AVOIDING CONTAMINATION
With results published in the journal Astrobiology, the researchers behind the new study say their findings have two significant implications. First, as noted, this may dramatically alter future missions searching for ancient signs of life and instead refocus efforts towards finding signs of organisms currently living beneath Mars’ surface.
Second, and perhaps even more significant, simply demonstrating that Earth organisms could survive for hundreds of millions of years on Mars if brought there by human astronauts should inform efforts to prevent contamination of Mars by Earth’s microbes, and vice versa.
“Our model organisms serve as proxies for both forward contamination of Mars, as well as backward contamination of Earth,” explained Daly, “both of which should be avoided.”
Professor Hoffman expanded on the significance of this point, including the likely long-lived nature of such cross-contamination.
“We concluded that terrestrial contamination on Mars would essentially be permanent — over timeframes of thousands of years. This could complicate scientific efforts to look for Martian life,” said Hoffman. “Likewise, if microbes evolved on Mars, they could be capable of surviving until present day. That means returning Mars samples could contaminate Earth.”
Sounds like the beginning of a really fun (or really scary) science fiction movie.
Connect with Author Christopher Plain on Twitter @plain_fiction
In May 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope(JWST) encountered a problem. The giant observatory, perched 1 million miles from Earth, has a honeycomb-like configuration of mirror panels to see the stars. But one of them was struck by a bigger-than-expected micrometeoroid. The agency reported in a blog post that it had “a marginally detectable effect in the data.” But a larger chunk of rock flying at unfathomable speeds could have delivered a bigger blow.
Its predecessor, Hubble, had experienced similar issues. A 1997 repair mission discovered that a micrometeroid had struck on the antenna of the space telescope, adding a new layer of difficulty to the shuttle crew’s maintenance of the observatory.
Strikes like these are a big hazard to some of the most expensive telescopes in the world. But maybe there's something that can be done. While Hubble was close enough to Earth for astronauts to service, JWST has no such luxury. But what if you could build a telescope that could repair itself?
Cosmic Backyards is an Inverse series that explores the cutting-edge research looking into the depths of the cosmos. This work is pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe, and our place in it.
Edward Balaban — a research scientst at NASA Ames — and his colleagues are exploring doing just that. But instead of creating a solid telescope mirror, they’re looking toward using liquid materials. Not only could it lead to space telescopes that can repair themselves, but it will also overcome several other hurdles of large telescopes including risky rocket flights and painstaking construction, and potentially be able to produce unfathomably large telescopes at the same time by manufacturing them in space. Called the Fluidic Telescope (FLUTE) project, the team suggests creating liquid mirrors 164 feet (50 meters) in diameter — nearly eight times the size of the mirror on JWST.
"If we are successful, we believe that large fluidic space telescopes will enable a real revolution in astronomy, allowing us to observe much fainter objects than currently possible and peer back further in time at the very early stars and galaxies," Balaban tells Inverse.
In turn, this could allow astronomers to look further back into the universe than ever, make out details of objects that appear as fuzzy points of light to even the most powerful telescopes right now, or even answer the question of if we’re alone in the universe by peering directly at alien worlds.
DRIP DRIP DRIP
So why liquid?
The molecules in liquids can stick to one another more tightly than they do to other things, making the surfaces of those liquids act like flexible membranes that can be surprisingly strong. This property, known as surface tension, is the force that compels water droplets to bead up into the most compact shapes possible, and lets insects such as water striders walk on water without sinking.
On Earth, when droplets of water grows larger than roughly 0.09 inches (2 millimeters), gravity overcomes surface tension, squashing them flat. However, in space, even large amounts of liquid can, through surface tension, bead up into spheres. Liquids may stick to surfaces due to a property called adhesion. In microgravity (like you have in space), you could take advantage of adhesion to contain liquid materials in a circular frame. The liquid will stretch across the inside of the frame and naturally form a curved shape because of surface tension.
If a sufficient amount of liquid is made to adhere to the inner surface of a circular ring-like frame, By using the right volume of liquid, the surface of the liquid can curve inward instead of bulging outward. If the liquid is reflective, this inwardly curved surface can serve as a telescope mirror.
"I love innovations that push outside of the limits of how we currently implement missions," Morgan Cable, an astrochemist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who is not part of Balaban’s team, tells Inverse. "Taking advantage of the fundamental properties of liquids such as surface tension to work to our advantage is a game-changing idea."
WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER TELESCOPE
Currently, JWST is the largest and most powerful space observatory ever built. It possesses a 21.3-foot-wide (6.5 meters) mirror dwarfing that of the Hubble Space Telescope more than twice over. The main mirror is 18 hexagonal segments built of gold-plated beryllium that create the huge light-gathering area of the telescope. It had to be folded like origami to fit in the nose cone of its rocket, and successfully deploying this mirror and the tennis-court-size sunshield designed to keep it cold was a project of unprecedented complexity.
The conventional way to make the optics for telescopes is literally a grind, involving repeatedly sanding and polishing solid materials such as glass or metal to create precisely curved and smooth lenses and mirrors. Using current technologies, the upper-limit of telescope size is around 33 feet (10 meters). scaling up space telescope optics to more than roughly 33 feet (10 meters) wide isn’t economically viable.
In theory, there is little limit to the size of liquid optics. "The same physics work whether a liquid optical component is 10 centimeters in diameter or 10 kilometers in diameter," Balaban says. This could make telescopes capable of feats we only dream of right now. For instance, planets outside our Solar System (exoplanets) appear right now to be, at best, specks of light — and that’s when we can see them directly, which isn’t very often. But Balaban says a large liquid telescope could take a look at surface features of nearby exoplanets. This could also give clues to if anything is alive there.
"Discovering any type of life outside of Earth would be immensely exciting," Balaban says. "It's a question that humans have pondered for millennia."
Gallium, an element with a melting point so low it can go from liquid to solid in your hand — and which the FLUTE project has tested out.
SHUTTERSTOCK
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FLUTE
Balaban came up with the idea for this strategy after a conversation with an astronomer colleague about building telescopes even larger than JWST in space instead of launching them from Earth. Balaban’s colleague told him there is “no way” NASA or another agency would be able to construct telescopes in space with the kind of precision required with current technology. "That sort of got stuck in the back of my brain as a challenge," Balaban says.
A few months later, Balaban's long-time friend Moran Bercovici at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa came to visit him. Bercovici was working with microfluidics, but not for telescopes. Instead, it was for “lab-on-a-chip” technology where droplets of fluid get pushed around reconfigurable channels, allowing researchers to perform medical and chemistry research. "I then asked something along the lines of, 'What about using something like that to build a giant space telescope?'" Balaban says.
The two began collaborating on what would become FLUTE in 2020 just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2021, the FLUTE team flew several 1-inch test lenses on an airplane that can simulate microgravity. They followed that up in 2022 with a new design, twice the size and incorporating a gallium alloy. (Gallium is a metal with a very low melting point.) That same year, Israeli commercial astronaut Eytan Stibbe also created several 20-centimeter lenses on the International Space Station to test the tech in space
LIQUID OPTICS COME INTO THEIR OWN
The underlying idea of FLUTE — using liquid metal to build telescope mirrors — has been around for decades. Until now, though, it’s hit a series of roadblocks. For instance, researchers explored spinning reflective liquids to create curved mirrors. This shape is necessary to funnel light to a sensor that can then build the image. The process works on Earth, but in the microgravity of space, the mirrors end up flat.
But FLUTE takes advantage of the way fluids naturally behave in microgravity. An eventual mission could thus fly the liquid metals as raw material, and the telescope’s optics could actually be constructed in orbit. According to David Leisawitz, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, who is not part of the research, this could help reduce both the size and mass of the launch, making it more fuel efficient while allowing for a larger space observatory.
"The liquid used to make the mirror can be very compact when the payload is launched, and it can be turned into a large mirror in space," Leisawitz tells Inverse.
An extra benefit that liquid optics have is how they can self-repair if damaged. Like the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the telescope could heal itself. Hubble had to have astronauts repair it from time-to-time. JWST, which sits a million miles beyond Earth and has had its share of encounters with small dust and rocks striking the mirrors, has no such luxury. But a liquid optic telescope wouldn’t need this. The goal is to engineer the viscosity, thickness and other aspects of these optics so they can recover after "no more than several hours," Balaban says.
But scaling up the FLUTE project runs into the practical limitations of the size of how test experiments are flown. The plane they flew their experiments on is just a modified Boeing 727; the ISS is just about as cramped as a plane cabin. But an award from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program granted in January will allow the FLUTE team to design, fund, and launch a small demo mission to low-Earth orbit. Rather than 25 or 50 millimeters, the team will assemble a 1-meter (3.28 foot) mirror aboard a small spacecraft that will also include instruments to analyze the quality of the resulting mirror, he notes.
Although the preliminary findings are promising "in order to be successful, this telescope would have to operate in space for a very long period of time," Cable says. "It will be important to understand how liquid-based lenses age in the conditions of space — vacuum, temperature cycling, radiation, and so on."
But astronomers like Cable are hopeful that it works, as it would open up entire new areas of astronomy.
"To me, the most exciting aspect of FLUTE is the sheer scale of it," Cable says. "When it comes to telescopes and their capabilities, everything depends on size. So this is a really big deal."
In Greek mythology, a chimera is a monstrous scramble of a lion, goat, and a serpent. In genetics, the term means something only slightly more down-to-earth: an organism with cells from at least two different species. While this might sound perfect for devising something gruesome like a pigeon-rat, it’s most promising for regenerative medicine. A chimera, with a genetically engineered ability to nurture cells of another species, can grow entire organs for another creature. Researchers just used chimeras to get one step closer to growing vital human organs.
A team of researchers in China and the U.K. have used a CRISPR-modified pig-human chimera to grow a human kidney. They published their results today in the journal Cell Stem Cell. While previous studies have employed similar methods to grow human blood or skeletal muscle in pigs, this is the first time scientists have successfully cultivated a solid humanized organ inside another species.
To grow the kidney, the researchers started with a blastocyst (an early-stage embryo) from cloned pigs. Then, they used the gene-editing technique CRISPR to remove two genes from the blastocyst that contain the instructions for developing kidneys. Otherwise, pig kidney cells would outcompete human ones for available resources.
Next, the researchers used human pluripotent stem cells, which can become any kind of cell, and tweaked them to be able to seamlessly integrate with a pig embryo’s biology.
A total of 1,820 embryos were implanted in 13 surrogate sow mothers. As the chimera embryos grew over either 25 or 28 days, the team closely watched how the human kidneys’ development fared. They aimed to grow a kidney to its middle stage of development, which they marked by the development of mesonephros, which are structural pieces of human kidneys.
The team set a gestation limit of 28 days because these embryo clones had a high risk for degeneration at the one-month mark and because mesonephros appear at around 20 days in pig embryos. However, these time parameters also stemmed from ethical concerns that other tissue, including the brain, could develop. By the 28-day mark, the team collected five embryos with normally developed mesonephros.
This isn’t the first time researchers have successfully grown an organ outside a body.
A paper published in 2017 demonstrates how researchers used a mouse-rat chimera to grow a mouse pancreas, successfully transplanted into another mouse. A 2019 paper demonstrated that mouse-rat chimeras can also develop mouse kidneys.
While these mesonephros developed normally, they can’t yet be transplanted into a human. They’d need to produce a mature kidney, known as a metanephros, in order to make that leap. What’s more, they’d need to confirm that other cell types within the kidney were also of human, not pig, senior author Miguel Esteban, a regenerative medicine researcher at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Sciences, wrote to Inverse.
“We are very excited [by] having achieved this milestone, but this is only the first step,” Esteban says. Future work entails further modification to human cells, mostly to make sure the chimera’s pig cells don’t get mixed into the developing human kidney, writes senior author Liangxue Lai, a molecular biologist at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Sciences.
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Ik ben Pieter, en gebruik soms ook wel de schuilnaam Peter2011.
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