Webb Detects Complex Structures in Upper Atmosphere of Saturn

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope have detected a series of dark, bead-like and asymmetric star-shaped features in the ionosphere and stratosphere of Saturn.

Detections of near-infrared emissions in Saturn’s ionosphere (left) show dark bead-like features embedded within bright aurora; in the stratosphere (right), 500 km below, a lopsided star-pattern extends towards the equator.

Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Stallard et al.

“This opportunity to use Webb was the first time we have ever been able to make such detailed near-infrared observations of Saturn’s aurora and upper atmosphere. The results came as a complete surprise,” said Northumbria University’s Professor Tom Stallard.

“We anticipated seeing emissions in broad bands at the various levels.”

“Instead, we’ve seen fine-scaled patterns of beads and stars that, despite being separated by huge distances in altitude, may somehow be interconnected — and may also be linked to the famous hexagon deeper in Saturn’s clouds.”

“These features were completely unexpected and, at present, are completely unexplained.”

The researchers focused on detecting infrared emissions by a positively charged molecular form of hydrogen, H³⁺, which plays a key role in reactions in Saturn’s atmosphere and so can provide valuable insights into the chemical and physical processes at work.

Webb’s Near Infrared Spectrograph allowed the scientists to simultaneously observe H³⁺ ions from the ionosphere, 1,100 km above Saturn’s nominal surface, and methane molecules in the underlying stratosphere, at an altitude of 600 km.

In the electrically charged plasma of the ionosphere, they observed a series of dark, bead-like features embedded in bright auroral halos.

These structures remained stable over hours but appeared to drift slowly over longer periods.

Around 500 km lower, in Saturn’s stratosphere, the team discovered an asymmetric star-shaped feature.

This unusual structure extended out from Saturn’s north pole towards the equator.

Only four of the star’s six arms were visible, with two mysteriously missing, creating a lopsided pattern.

“Saturn’s upper atmosphere has proven incredibly difficult to study with missions and telescope facilities to date due to the extremely weak emissions from this region,” Professor Stallard said.

“Webb’s incredible sensitivity has revolutionized our ability to observe these atmospheric layers, revealing structures that are completely unlike anything we’ve seen before on any planet.”

The authors mapped the exact locations of the features and found that they overlaid the same region of Saturn at different levels, with the star’s arms appearing to emanate from positions directly above the points of the storm-cloud-level hexagon.

This suggests that the processes that are driving the patterns may influence a column stretching right through Saturn’s atmosphere.

“We think that the dark beads may result from complex interactions between Saturn’s magnetosphere and its rotating atmosphere, potentially providing new insights into the energy exchange that drives Saturn’s aurora,” Professor Stallard said.

“The asymmetric star pattern suggests previously unknown atmospheric processes operating in Saturn’s stratosphere, possibly linked to the hexagonal storm pattern observed deeper in Saturn’s atmosphere.”

“Tantalizingly, the darkest beads in the ionosphere appear to line up with the strongest star-arm in the stratosphere, but it’s not clear at this point whether they are actually linked or whether it’s just a coincidence.”

While both features could have significant implications for understanding atmospheric dynamics on gas giant planets, more work is needed to provide explanations for the underlying causes.

The team hopes that additional time may be granted in future to carry out follow-up observations of Saturn with Webb to further explore the features.

With the planet at its equinox, which occurs approximately every 15 Earth years, the structures may change dramatically as Saturn’s orientation to the Sun shifts and the northern hemisphere moves into autumn.

“Since neither atmospheric layer can be observed using ground-based telescopes, the need for follow-up Webb observations during this key time of seasonal change on Saturn is pressing,” said Professor Stallard, lead author of a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The authors also presented the results this month at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

• Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. JWST/NIRSpec Detection of Complex Structures in Saturn’s Sub-Auroral Ionosphere and Stratosphere. Geophysical Research Letters 52 (17): e2025GL116491; doi: 10.1029/2025GL116491
• Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. JWST’s transformational observations of Giant Planet ionospheres. EPSC Abstracts 18: EPSC-DPS2025-817; doi: 10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1438

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21-09-2025 om 20:18 geschreven door peter  

NASA onthult MEERDERE levensvormen die waarschijnlijk op Mars hebben geleefd

Sinds de landing van NASA’s Perseverance-rover op Mars in februari 2021 staat het rode planeetoppervlak volop in de schijnwerpers van wetenschappelijk onderzoek. Met de missie in het bijzonder gericht op het vinden van sporen van oud leven, heeft de rover al verschillende aanwijzingen gevonden dat Mars in het verleden gunstige omstandigheden heeft gekend voor het ontstaan en mogelijk ook het bestaan van leven. Recent wetenschappelijk onderzoek bevestigt dat Mars meerdere periodes heeft gekend waarin vloeibaar water op het oppervlak aanwezig was, met elk hun eigen chemische samenstelling en milieufactoren. Deze bevindingen brengen ons steeds dichter bij het antwoord op de vraag of Mars ooit een bewoonbare wereld was en of er mogelijk nog levensvormen hebben geleefd in het verre verleden.

De zoektocht naar water op Mars

Het belangrijkste motief achter veel van het Mars-onderzoek is de aanname dat vloeibaar water essentieel is voor het ontstaan en voortbestaan van leven zoals wij dat kennen. De afgelopen jaren heeft de Perseverance-rover talrijke bewijzen verzameld dat het oppervlak van Mars ooit gevuld was met meren, rivieren en delta’s. Zo heeft de rover onder meer sporen gevonden van oude rivierbeddingen, organische moleculen en bijzondere rotsformaties die wijzen op een rijke geologische geschiedenis.

Wetenschappers hebben sterk bewijs gevonden dat Mars meerdere keren bewoond was.

De kern van de recente ontdekkingen ligt in de analyse van de mineralen die door de rover zijn geïdentificeerd in de Jezero-krater, een gebied dat zo’n 45 kilometer in doorsnede meet en bekend staat om zijn complexe geologische structuur. Deze krater bevat een uitgestrekte delta van een oude rivier, die zich mogelijk enkele miljarden jaren geleden heeft gevormd. Door het bestuderen van de samenstelling van de mineralen in deze regio kunnen wetenschappers inzicht krijgen in de omgeving waarin ze zijn gevormd en de geschiedenis van vloeibaar water op Mars.

Hoe mineralen ons vertellen over het verleden

Om de geschiedenis van Mars en de omstandigheden waarin de planeet ooit verkeerde te kunnen interpreteren, maken wetenschappers gebruik van geavanceerde technieken en instrumenten die inzicht geven in de chemische samenstelling van rotsen en sedimenten. Mineralen vormen daarbij belangrijke bewijzen, omdat ze vaak ontstaan onder specifieke milieuprocessen en omstandigheden. Door deze mineralen te bestuderen, kunnen onderzoekers reconstructies maken van het verleden van Mars, inclusief de aanwezigheid en het verloop van vloeibaar water, het klimaat en mogelijk zelfs de voorwaarden voor het ontstaan van leven.

Een van de belangrijkste methoden die hierbij wordt toegepast, is de Mineral Identification by Stoichiometry (MIST). Dit is een geavanceerd algoritme dat chemische gegevens verzamelt en vergelijkt met een uitgebreide database van bekende mineralen. MIST analyseert de chemische samenstelling van rotsen en sedimenten op basis van hun elementaire verhoudingen, waardoor het nauwkeurig kan bepalen om welke mineralen het gaat. Deze methode is bijzonder krachtig omdat het snel en betrouwbaar grote hoeveelheden data kan verwerken en mineralen kan identificeren die met het blote oog of met eenvoudige instrumenten moeilijk te onderscheiden zijn.

Daarnaast wordt op Mars het Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) ingezet. PIXL maakt gebruik van röntgenstraling (X-ray spectroscopie) om de chemische samenstelling van gesteenten en sedimenten in detail in kaart te brengen. Het instrument is zeer nauwkeurig en kan op microniveau bepalen welke elementen aanwezig zijn en in welke verhoudingen. Hierdoor krijgen wetenschappers een gedetailleerd chemisch beeld van de onderzochte rotsen, wat essentieel is voor het interpreteren van de milieuprocessen die ze gevormd hebben.

Door het combineren van deze technieken heeft het onderzoeksteam op Mars belangrijke ontdekkingen gedaan over de geschiedenis van vloeibaar water op de planeet. Zo zijn er twee hoofdgroepen mineralen geïdentificeerd die verschillende periodes van wateractiviteit aangeven. De eerste groep bevat mineralen zoals greenalite, hisingerite en ferroaluminoceladoniet. Deze mineralen wijzen erop dat ze gevormd zijn onder omstandigheden van hoge temperatuur en zure pH, wat wijst op een omgeving die mogelijk niet erg leefvriendelijk was. De tweede groep bestaat uit mineralen die ontstaan onder meer neutrale en matig alkalische omstandigheden. Deze omstandigheden zijn gunstiger voor het ontstaan en het onderhouden van leven, en geven aan dat er gedurende bepaalde periodes op Mars water aanwezig was in een meer leefbare staat.

Door de studie van deze mineralen krijgen wetenschappers niet alleen inzicht in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars, maar ook in de mogelijke omstandigheden waarin leven zich heeft kunnen ontwikkelen. Het onderzoek naar deze mineralen is dus niet alleen een venster op het verleden van de planeet, maar kan ook bijdragen aan de zoektocht naar bewijs voor leven buiten de aarde. De combinatie van geavanceerde chemische analysemethoden en instrumenten zoals MIST en PIXL vormt daarmee een essentieel onderdeel van de missie om de mysteries van Mars te ontrafelen.

De Perseverance-rover ontdekte tweeëntwintig soorten mineralen die een dynamische geschiedenis van vulkanische rotsen tonen die zijn veranderd door interacties met vloeibaar water in de Jezero-krater.

Drie periodes van vloeibaar water

De belangrijkste conclusie uit het onderzoek is dat er in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars minstens drie aparte periodes waren waarin vloeibaar water op het oppervlak aanwezig was. Elke periode wordt gekenmerkt door verschillende chemische, fysische en milieufactoren die de potentie voor het ondersteunen van leven beïnvloeden. Deze periodes vormen een belangrijke schakel in het begrijpen van de evolutionaire geschiedenis van de planeet en bieden inzicht in de omstandigheden die mogelijk gunstig waren voor het ontstaan en de ontwikkeling van microbieel leven. Door de chemische samenstelling, mineralogische vondsten en fysische omstandigheden te bestuderen, kunnen wetenschappers een gedetailleerd beeld schetsen van de veranderingen die Mars heeft doorgemaakt en de mogelijke habiele omgevingen die zich in de loop van de tijd hebben voorgedaan.

1. Eerste episode: Hoog-temperatuur, zure wateren
De eerste periode werd gekenmerkt door lokale, hoge-temperatuur en zure wateren, vooral geconcentreerd op de bodem van bepaalde kraters. Mineralen zoals greenalite en hisingerite die in deze fase werden aangetroffen, wijzen op een omgeving met een lage pH en hoge temperaturen. Dit wijst op agressieve chemische omstandigheden die mogelijk ontstaan zijn door vulkanische activiteit of hydrothermale systemen. Zulke omstandigheden zijn doorgaans ongeschikt voor het ontstaan van leven, omdat ze organische moleculen kunnen afbreken en ongunstige chemische reacties stimuleren. Toch is het belangrijk om deze periode te erkennen, omdat ze een eerste belangrijke fase vertegenwoordigen in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars. Het feit dat er water aanwezig was onder dergelijke omstandigheden betekent dat er vroeg in de geschiedenis van de planeet al processen plaatsvonden die de basis legden voor latere, meer gunstige milieus. Bovendien kan het bestuderen van deze zure wateren meer inzicht geven in de geochemische processen en de vulkanische geschiedenis van Mars, wat essentieel is voor het begrijpen van de evolutie van de planeet.

2. Tweede episode: Gematigde, neutrale omstandigheden
De tweede periode, ondersteund door het mineraalprofiel, vond plaats onder meer gematigde en neutrale chemische condities. In deze fase was de pH meer neutraal, en de temperaturen lager dan in de eerste periode. Mineralen zoals smectieten en chlorieten wijzen op een omgeving waarin water in grotere hoeveelheden en over langere tijd aanwezig was. Dit soort omstandigheden zijn gunstiger voor het ontstaan van leven, omdat ze stabielere chemische omstandigheden bieden en organische moleculen kunnen beschermen. De aanwezigheid van mineralen die wijzen op een neutrale pH en het bewijs voor langdurige waterfaciliteiten suggereren dat Mars in deze periode een stabiele en uitgebreide waterkringloop kende. Dit zou kunnen duiden op een klimaat dat vergelijkbaar is met dat van bepaalde aardse meren of oceanen. De mogelijkheid dat deze omstandigheden lang hebben geduurd, verhoogt de kans dat micro-organismen zich in deze omgeving konden vestigen en mogelijk evolueren. De tweede fase vertegenwoordigt dus een cruciale stap in de overgang van een agressieve, chemisch veeleisende omgeving naar een meer bewoonbare en stabiele situatie.

3. Derde episode: Laag-temperatuur, alkalische omstandigheden
De meest recente en waarschijnlijk meest leefbare periode wordt gekenmerkt door de vorming van mineralen in een omgeving met lage temperaturen en alkalische pH-waarden. Mineralen zoals carbonaten en serpenten wijzen op een chemie die stabiel is en organische moleculen kan beschermen tegen afbraak. De aanwezigheid van grote watermassa’s in deze periode suggereert dat Mars mogelijk langdurige meren of oceanen had, waarin micro-organismen zich konden ontwikkelen. Alkalische omstandigheden bieden een gunstig klimaat voor het ontstaan van leven omdat ze chemisch stabiel zijn en de afbraak van organische stoffen beperken. Bovendien kunnen deze omstandigheden een meer gevarieerd ecosysteem mogelijk maken door het bieden van een stabiele voedingsbodem voor microben. Het feit dat deze periode relatief recent zou kunnen zijn, geeft ook de mogelijkheid dat er nog steeds sporen van microbieel leven aanwezig kunnen zijn in ondergrondse wateren of mineralen die in deze periode zijn gevormd. Deze fase wordt daarom beschouwd als de meest gunstige voor het ontstaan en de ontwikkeling van levensvormen op Mars.

Samenvatting en conclusie
De ontdekking van deze drie periodes benadrukt dat Mars door zijn geschiedenis heen verschillende milieus heeft gekend, elk met unieke chemische en fysische omstandigheden. Het onderzoek naar de mineralen en geochemische processen die in deze periodes plaatsvonden, helpt niet alleen bij het reconstrueren van de geologische geschiedenis van Mars, maar biedt ook belangrijke aanwijzingen voor de zoektocht naar bewijs voor voormalig leven op de planeet. De overgang van zure, hoge-temperatuur wateren naar meer stabiele, alkalische wateren wijst op een evolutie in het klimaat en de geochemie van Mars die mogelijk de voorwaarden voor het ontstaan van microbieel leven heeft gecreëerd. Het bestuderen van deze periodes biedt niet alleen inzicht in het verleden van Mars, maar vormt ook een leidraad voor toekomstige exploraties en het zoeken naar sporen van leven op Mars en mogelijk ook op andere planeten.

NASA/Caltech-JPL/MSSS

Curiosity nam deze selfie op een onderzoeklocatie die de naam ‘Mary Anning’ heeft gekregen, naar een negentiende-eeuwse Engelse paleontologe. De rover heeft op deze locatie, in de regio Glen Torridon, drie gesteentemonsters uit een stuk rots geboord. Wetenschappers denken dat de omstandigheden in dit gebied ooit geschikt waren voor levensvormen.

Wat betekent dit voor de mogelijkheid van leven?

De ontdekking dat Mars meerdere periodes van vloeibaar water heeft gekend met verschillende chemische eigenschappen, versterkt de hypothese dat de planeet mogelijk meerdere keer hospitaal- of leefbare omstandigheden heeft gekend. Vooral de laatste periode van alkalisch, laag-temperatuur water lijkt het meest geschikt voor het ondersteunen van microbieel leven, zoals dat op aarde voorkomt.

Eleanor Moreland, een promovenda aan Rice University en leidster van het onderzoek, benadrukt dat de mineralen die op Mars gevonden zijn, aangeven dat de planeet niet slechts één keer, maar meerdere keren, een bewoonbare omgeving heeft gekend. Volgens haar wijzen de chemische veranderingen in de mineralen op een dynamische en complexe geschiedenis van wateractiviteiten, die meerdere kansen bieden voor het ontstaan en overleven van leven.

De rol van de Perseverance-rover

De Perseverance-rover speelt een essentiële en veelzijdige rol in het verkennen van Mars en het uitbreiden van onze kennis over de rode planeet. Sinds haar succesvolle landing in februari 2021 op de Jezero-krater, een gebied dat wordt beschouwd als een van de meest veelbelovende locaties voor het vinden van bewijs voor oud leven, heeft de rover een breed scala aan wetenschappelijke taken uitgevoerd. Een van haar belangrijkste functies is het verzamelen van rots- en sedimentmonsters, die later in detail kunnen worden onderzocht om de geologische geschiedenis van Mars te ontrafelen.

De rover is uitgerust met een geavanceerd palet aan wetenschappelijke instrumenten, waaronder een chemisch analyserend apparaat genaamd SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) en een roterende boor genaamd the Sample Caching System. Hiermee kan Perseverance rotsmonsters boren, verzamelen en bewaren in speciale cacheeenheden die bedoeld zijn voor toekomstige terugkeer naar de aarde. Dit is een cruciale stap in het plan om Mars-monsters naar onze planeet te brengen, zodat ze op een veel gedetailleerder niveau kunnen worden onderzocht met de meest geavanceerde laboratoriumapparatuur.

Een van de voornaamste doelen van de missie is het detecteren van potentiële biosignaturen, oftewel tekenen van oud leven op Mars. Door het bestuderen van de chemische en mineralogische samenstelling van de monsters, probeert de rover te achterhalen of de omstandigheden ooit geschikt waren voor microbieel leven. Naast chemische analyses gebruikt Perseverance ook haar geologische en mineralogische instrumenten om de omgeving te interpreteren. Zo onderzoekt de rover bijvoorbeeld de aanwezigheid van mineralen die typisch zijn voor water, zoals clays en sulfaten, en bestudeert ze de stratificatie van de sedimenten om de historie van water op Mars te reconstrueren.

Daarnaast speelt Perseverance een belangrijke rol in het in kaart brengen van de geologische geschiedenis van de Jezero-krater en het bepalen van de beste locaties voor het verzamelen van monsters. Het onderzoeksteam streeft ernaar om te begrijpen onder welke omstandigheden water op Mars aanwezig was en hoe lang deze omstandigheden hebben geduurd. Dit is van groot belang omdat het inzicht kan geven in de potentiële leefbaarheid van Mars in het verleden en de vraag of microbieel leven mogelijk is geweest.

Het uiteindelijke doel van de missie is om gebieden te identificeren die het meest geschikt zijn voor het vinden van bewijs voor oud leven, en om deze monsters klaar te maken voor toekomstige sample-terugname missies. Door haar uitgebreide wetenschappelijke werkzaamheden en het verzamelen van waardevolle gegevens, levert Perseverance een onschatbare bijdrage aan onze zoektocht naar het ontstaan en de geschiedenis van het leven op Mars.

De impact van deze bevindingen

De bevindingen dat Mars verschillende periodes heeft gekend waarin vloeibaar water aanwezig was, elk met hun eigen unieke chemische en geologische samenstelling, hebben ingrijpende gevolgen voor onze interpretatie van de planeet en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van leven. Deze variaties in chemische profielen suggereren dat Mars gedurende zijn geschiedenis verschillende milieus heeft gekend, met mogelijk afwisselende omstandigheden die de ontwikkeling en het bestaan van micro-organismen zouden hebben kunnen ondersteunen. Het feit dat water niet slechts één keer, maar meerdere malen en onder verschillende chemische omstandigheden op Mars heeft voorkomen, vergroot de kans dat levensvormen zich onder verschillende omstandigheden hebben kunnen ontwikkelen en voortbestaan.

Deze bevindingen bieden bovendien nieuwe perspectieven voor het begrijpen van de geologische en biologisch-potentiële geschiedenis van Mars. Ze suggereren dat de planeet niet één enkele, statische omgeving was, maar een dynamisch werelddeel met diverse milieus die mogelijk verschillende stadia van habitabiliteit hebben doorgemaakt. Dit opent de deur naar het zoeken naar microfossielen of andere tekenen van vroegere leven in verschillende regio’s, afhankelijk van de chemische samenstelling en de leeftijd van de waterlagen.

Daarnaast helpt deze kennis bij het bepalen van de meest veelbelovende locaties voor het verzamelen van monsters die mogelijk terug naar de Aarde kunnen worden gebracht. Het is van groot belang dat deze monsters afkomstig zijn uit gebieden waar de omstandigheden het meest gunstig waren voor het ontstaan, de ontwikkeling en het behoud van leven. Dit kunnen bijvoorbeeld regio’s zijn met aanwijzingen voor langdurige waterbestendigheid, zoals oude rivierbeddingen, meren of ondergrondse waterlagen die mogelijk beschermende omstandigheden boden. Door gerichte bemonstering op deze locaties kunnen wetenschappers de kans vergroten op het vinden van bewijs voor vroegere leven op Mars, wat cruciaal is voor het beantwoorden van fundamentele vragen over de oorsprong van het leven in het universum.

NASA/Caltech-JPL/MSSS

De toekomst van Mars-onderzoek

De komende jaren wordt verwacht dat verdere analyses, nieuwe technologische ontwikkelingen en mogelijk zelfs sample terugkeermissies meer duidelijkheid zullen scheppen over de vraag of leven ooit op Mars heeft bestaan. Het sturen van robots en landers naar de Rode Planeet heeft de afgelopen decennia al veel kennis opgeleverd, maar het daadwerkelijke terughalen van monsters uit de planeetbodem biedt de ultieme mogelijkheid om de samenstelling ervan grondig te bestuderen in laboratoria op aarde. Door het analyseren van deze monsters kunnen wetenschappers onder meer de aanwezigheid van organische verbindingen en andere indicatoren van vroegere levensvormen opsporen, wat een cruciale stap is in het beantwoorden van de eeuwenoude vraag of Mars ooit bewoonbaar was.

De combinatie van mineralogische, chemische en geologische gegevens vormt daarbij een krachtig instrumentarium om de complexe geschiedenis van de Rode Planeet te ontrafelen. Zo kunnen we bijvoorbeeld inzicht krijgen in de vroegere klimaatveranderingen, de evolutie van het water op Mars, en de mogelijke omstandigheden waarin micro-organismen mogelijk hebben kunnen overleven. Geavanceerde instrumenten, zoals spectrometers en radarsystemen, worden ingezet om de samenstelling van gesteenten en mineralen te bepalen, terwijl orbiter- en lander-missies steeds meer gedetailleerde kaarten maken van het Mars-oppervlak. Deze gegevens helpen om de meest veelbelovende locaties voor verdere exploratie te identificeren en mogelijk in de toekomst ook voor menselijke aanwezigheid.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Daarnaast wordt er volop gewerkt aan technologische innovaties, zoals het ontwikkelen van autonome robots en robotarmen die in staat zijn om dieper in de bodem te boren en monsters te verzamelen. Sample terugkeermissies, zoals de geplande missie van NASA en ESA, vormen een belangrijke mijlpaal in het Mars-onderzoek. Door monsters veilig terug te brengen naar de aarde, kunnen wetenschappers ze in uitgebreide laboratoria onderzoeken met een precisie die op Mars zelf niet mogelijk is. Dit geeft niet alleen inzicht in de geologie en chemie van de planeet, maar kan ook aanwijzingen bieden over de aanwezigheid van biosignaturen.

Tot slot benadrukken deze bevindingen dat Mars nog altijd een fascinerende en dynamische wereld is, met een geologische geschiedenis die mogelijk de sporen bevat van een lang verleden vol water en misschien zelfs leven. Het onderzoek aan de Jezero-krater en andere locaties op Mars blijft van cruciaal belang voor het beantwoorden van één van de grootste vragen in de astrobiologie: waren wij niet de enige wezens in het universum? Het ontdekken van bewijs voor vroegere leven op Mars zou niet alleen de menselijke kennis over de planeten en het ontstaan van leven aanzienlijk verrijken, maar ook onze plaats in het universum herdefiniëren. De komende jaren beloven dus een spannend hoofdstuk in de menselijke verkenning van de rode planeet, waarbij elke nieuwe ontdekking ons dichter brengt bij het beantwoorden van een van de grootste mysteries van het bestaan.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Conclusie

De recente ontdekkingen van NASA en haar partners bevestigen dat Mars in het verleden meerdere periodes van vloeibaar water heeft gekend, wat een cruciale factor is voor het ontstaan en het onderhouden van leven. Deze periodes waren niet slechts kortdurende gebeurtenissen, maar omvatten uitgebreide en mogelijk leefbare omgevingen, vooral in de latere stadia van de geologische geschiedenis van de planeet. Onderzoek door de Perseverance-rover heeft bijvoorbeeld aangetoond dat er in het verleden alkalisch, laag-temperatuur water aanwezig was, wat de kans op het ontstaan van microbieel leven significant vergroot. Alkalisch water, dat een hogere pH-waarde heeft, creëert een omgeving waarin organische stoffen en mineralen zich kunnen vormen en conserveren, wat essentieel is voor het ontstaan van leven.

De geologische bewijzen die door de rover zijn verzameld, zoals mineralen die alleen onder water kunnen vormen, vertellen een complex en dynamisch verhaal. Ze tonen aan dat Mars niet slechts een droge, roestkleurige wereld was, maar een planeet die gedurende miljoenen jaren een gevarieerd landschap kende, inclusief meren, rivieren en mogelijk ondergrondse waterreservoirs. Deze bevindingen suggereren dat de omstandigheden op Mars, zeker in bepaalde periodes, vergelijkbaar kunnen zijn geweest met die op aarde tijdens de tijd dat het leven zich daar ontwikkelde. Het feit dat mineralen zoals clays en sulfaten zijn gevonden, wijst op een rijke chemische interactie tussen water en gesteente, wat de kans op chemische evolutie en mogelijk biochemische processen vergroot.

Deze ontdekkingen brengen ons een belangrijke stap dichter bij het beantwoorden van een fundamentele vraag: heeft Mars ooit micro-organismen kunnen herbergen? Het lijkt erop dat de planeet in haar geologische geschiedenis meerdere kansen heeft gehad om levensvatbare omgevingen te bieden. Hoewel er nog geen direct bewijs van leven is gevonden, vormen deze nieuwe inzichten een stevige basis voor verder onderzoek. Wetenschappers blijven zoeken naar sporen van organische stoffen, microfossielen en andere indicatoren die kunnen wijzen op het bestaan van eenvoudig leven in het verleden.

De komende jaren zullen ongetwijfeld meer verrassingen en nieuwe ontdekkingen brengen. Met de inzet van geavanceerdere instrumenten en toekomstige missies, zoals de geplande sample-return missie, hopen we nog meer informatie te verkrijgen over de chemische samenstelling van het Marsbodem en ondergrondse waterlagen. Deze gegevens kunnen ons niet alleen helpen om de geologische geschiedenis van Mars beter te begrijpen, maar ook om te bepalen of de planeet nog steeds sporen van haar vroegere leven bewaart.

Kortom, de recente ontdekkingen versterken de hoop dat Mars ooit een leefbare wereld was en mogelijk nog steeds is. Ze onderstrepen het belang van voortdurende verkenning en onderzoek naar deze intrigerende planeet. Het zoeken naar bewijs voor oud leven op Mars is niet alleen een zoektocht naar kennis over een andere wereld, maar ook een stap in de richting van het begrijpen van onze eigen oorsprong en de universele vraag of we alleen zijn. In de toekomst kunnen deze wetenschappelijke doorbraken ons misschien wel dichter brengen bij het antwoord dat velen al lang zoeken: is er elders in het universum leven ontstaan, en heeft Mars daarin ooit een rol gespeeld?

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19-09-2025 om 23:24 geschreven door peter  

Destroying Asteroid 2024 YR4 Is The Best Option To Stop It From Hitting The Moon

By Andy Tomaswick  

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

19-09-2025 om 18:42 geschreven door peter  

Living conditions in the Jezero crater have changed repeatedly throughout its history

Water and minerals in Jezero Сrater

Jezero Crater on Mars is the very location that the Perseverance rover has been studying for many years. Thanks to its operation, scientists have long argued that at the beginning of the planet’s existence, there was a lake into which small rivers flowed and, possibly, life. But recently they have been able to discover that this place is actually quite important.

The rover is equipped with X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL). It can determine the chemical composition of minerals in the surrounding rocks. Recently, scientists have developed the MIST algorithm, which allows minerals formed in the presence of water flows with different properties to be identified. 

After all, the concept of “water” in everyday life is indeed very broad. Liquids that once flowed on the surface of Mars may have had different properties. And now, thanks to an article in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, we know exactly what happened there. 

Minerals and history of Jezero Crater

In total, scientists have discovered 24 minerals in the rocks of Jezero Crater that may reveal information about the interaction between its volcanic surface and liquids. Scientists have divided them into three main groups, reflecting different types of this interaction.

The first group includes greenalite, hisingerite, and ferroaluminoceladonite. They were formed in hot and highly acidic waters. Judging by the fact that they are only present in samples from the bottom of the crater, these were local volcanic sources that were not widespread. Life on Earth can totally exist in these conditions, but they’re pretty extreme, so the chances of finding traces of organisms in this early period of Mars’ existence are pretty low. 

The second group includes minnesotaite and clinoptilolite, which formed in water flows with significantly more moderate temperatures and acidity. They are present not only at the bottom of the crater, but also in the upper fan region — where water flowed out of it. This indicates that later this depression was much more heavily covered with water and conditions in it were more favorable for life.

The third group of minerals consists of minerals formed in low-temperature, slightly alkaline environments. These include, for example, sepiolite. It is found throughout the crater and indicates that at one time it was covered by a fairly thick layer of water that was quite suitable for life.

Thus, Mars indeed had several different episodes when bodies of water existed in Jezero Crater in one form or another. Details about them will be revealed when samples of its rocks are delivered to Earth.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

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19-09-2025 om 18:23 geschreven door peter  

Earth’s core

At the center of the Earth is its hottest and densest part — the core. No one has ever seen it, but thanks to some indirect methods, it is possible to determine its condition and chemical composition. Scientists have recently made progress in this case.

At the very beginning of its cooling, the Earth’s core was rarefied and hot. But then the temperature dropped and crystallization began in the center of the planet. Gradually, the liquid part became the outer core, and the solid part became the inner core. Charged currents began to form at their boundary.

The latter are the source of our planet’s magnetic field. In fact, its source is the temperature of the solid inner core. It cools down, transfers energy to the outer layers, and the movement of those layers generates currents and magnetic fields.

Seismic waves

All this is fine, but in reality no one has ever seen a sample of the material, either from the outer or inner core. All scientists know about them is the results of research on meteorites, which have remained unchanged since the formation of the Solar System, and observations of the propagation of seismic waves through our planet.

The latter method was used to establish the modern boundaries of the outer and inner cores. And this is precisely where the new study focused its efforts. Knowing the sizes of these two spheres, their cooling times, and information about the outer layers of the Earth, it is possible to calculate what their temperatures are now and in the past.

This is a way to determine chemical composition, because different substances transition to a solid state at different temperatures. Studies have shown that the Earth’s core has to be 10% less dense than pure iron, while the outer layer, despite being liquid, has to be a bit denser, and only certain chemical compositions can make this happen.

Most likely, the core contains sulfur and carbon. It was formed due to the process of supercooling, when, due to certain factors, a substance remains in a liquid state even though the temperature is already below the crystallization point. It is quite possible that in the case of the Earth’s core, this value was 420°C lower. This leaves a very wide range for the carbon content values in it.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

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19-09-2025 om 18:09 geschreven door peter  

In September 2022, NASA conducted an unprecedented experiment: the DART spacecraft deliberately collided with the asteroid Didymos to change its orbit. The mission was deemed a success — the trajectory of the space object really changed. It has been demonstrated that humanity already possesses the necessary technology to deflect potentially dangerous asteroids from their course toward Earth. However, new research points to an unexpected complication: such a strike may only delay the collision, rather than prevent it permanently.

Gravitational traps

As it turns out, the main danger is gravitational traps — small areas of space where the gravity of planets can radically change the orbit of an asteroid. If, as a result of the impact, the space rock enters one of these traps, its new path could send it on a direct course toward Earth, but in the future. This makes indiscriminate use of kinetic strike technology potentially risky, merely postponing the inevitable threat.

In search of the perfect place to strike

The answer to this challenge is not to abandon the technology, but to improve it. Scientists studying data from the DART mission are proposing a new approach. Instead of simply hitting the asteroid, it is necessary to calculate the optimal point of impact with the utmost precision.To do this, detailed data about the celestial body needs to be collected in advance: its shape, mass, surface type, rotation speed, and topography.

Based on this data, detailed probability arrays can be created that will show which part of the asteroid’s surface is safest for impact. A correctly calculated impulse in the right place will not only deflect the threat, but also ensure that the asteroid does not fall into a gravitational trap and permanently leaves its dangerous course toward Earth. Thus, future planetary defense missions will transform from brute force to precise “space billiards,” where every hit has to be calibrated.

Earlier, we reported on how the catastrophic consequences of the DART collision with an asteroid were observed from Earth.

• According to eurekalert.org

• Posted in News, Science

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19-09-2025 om 17:56 geschreven door peter  

Solar storms set to batter Earth sparking blackouts and Northern Lights as NASA warns the sun is 'waking up'

• MORE: Massive 250,000-mile-long 'canyon of fire' erupts on the sun

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

Our sun has unexpectedly begun to ramp up its activity, which could lead to more severe solar storms that cause blackouts and disrupt global communications.

NASA revealed that our solar system's home star had been getting quieter and weaker for about 20 years, but that surprisingly changed in 2008 and scientists are still trying to figure out why.

Scientists found that since 2008, the sun's solar wind, which are streams of charged particles, has grown stronger, with increases in speed, density, temperature, and magnetic field strength.

This increased solar activity could lead to more powerful solar storms, which regularly hit Earth and cause disruptions.

Geomagnetic storms have the potential to damage power grids, leading to blackouts, interfere with satellites, and disrupt communication systems like GPS.

Stronger storms could also make the Northern Lights visible in more places further south of the north pole, but the risk to technology and infrastructure will require careful monitoring.

The exact timing and strength of these storms are hard to predict, but they could become more frequent as the sun's current 11-year cycle peaks between 2025 and 2026.

Lead study author Jamie Jasinski of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California said: 'All signs were pointing to the sun going into a prolonged phase of low activity. So it was a surprise to see that trend reversed. The sun is slowly waking up.'

A new study has discovered a massive shift in solar activity which scientists weren't expecting

More solar activity could cause intensified storms that disrupt power grids on Earth (Stock Image)

More activity means more sunspots, solar flares, and potentially hazardous ejections of material from the sun.

This could make the sun’s outer atmosphere, called the heliosphere, expand as the pressure from the solar wind increases.

On Earth, this could shrink our magnetosphere, the protective magnetic bubble around our planet, exposing us to more solar particles.

The increased solar particle exposure can pose a risk for astronauts, who could face higher radiation levels during space missions, potentially leading to health issues.

It could also damage satellites and spacecraft, disrupting communications and navigation systems critical for daily life.

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service suffered widespread issues during the peak of a strong geomagnetic storm late Sunday night.

The problems started just before midnight, with more than 50,000 reports from Starlink users as a fresh barrage of solar storms hit Earth.

Additionally, solar particles could interfere with Earth's upper atmosphere, potentially affecting ozone levels and increasing ultraviolet radiation reaching people outdoors. 

Solar storms striking Earth are often caused by coronal mass ejections sent out by the sun days before they affect our planet (Stock Image)

A severe solar storm could have the potential to cause power grid problems that lead to blackouts or satellite communication issues

The NASA team explained that the sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity, marked by changes in sunspots.

After a weak cycle (number 24) from 2008 to 2019, the current cycle (number 25) is showing noticeably more activity.

The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, suggested this increase in solar activity might be part of a longer 22-year cycle, and the sun is now making up for its mysterious two-decade decline rather than entering an anticipated quiet period.

Since 2008, the solar wind's speed has increased by six percent, its density rose by 26 percent, its temperature soared by 29 percent, and pressure skyrocketed by 45 percent.

This more dynamic solar environment results in increased solar storms and enhanced interactions with Earth's magnetic field.

This isn't the first time in history that the sun has seen a mysterious quiet period before ramping back up, but the cause of these declines have baffled scientists, who also don't know when they're coming.

Records show one of the quietest solar periods in recent history was a four-decade window from 1790 to 1830.

'We don't really know why the sun went through a 40-year minimum starting in 1790,' Jasinski said in a NASA statement. 'The longer-term trends are a lot less predictable and are something we don't completely understand yet.'

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

18-09-2025 om 13:46 geschreven door peter  

Waarom bestaat het universum? De reden ligt in de onvriendelijke relatie tussen materie en antimaterie

Inleiding

De vraag waarom het universum überhaupt bestaat, is een van de meest fundamentele en intrigerende vragen uit de kosmologie en de theoretische fysica. Ondanks onze uitgebreide kennis over de natuurwetten en de kosmische geschiedenis, blijft het bestaan van het universum een mysterie dat ons uitdaagt tot diepgaande reflectie en wetenschappelijke zoektocht. Een van de meest gangbare verklaringen binnen de moderne wetenschap betreft de asymmetrie tussen materie en antimaterie. In dit essay wordt onderzocht waarom het universum bestaat vanuit het perspectief dat materie en antimaterie niet ‘goede vrienden’ zijn, en hoe deze onvriendelijkheid heeft geleid tot het bestaan van de wereld zoals wij die kennen.

Het kosmische web bestaat omdat de hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie oorspronkelijk niet gelijk waren.

(Afbeelding krediet: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO BIBLIOTHEEK via Getty Images)

1. De fundamenten: Materie en antimaterie

Om te begrijpen waarom het universum bestaat zoals wij dat kennen, is het essentieel om eerst de aard van materie en antimaterie onder de loep te nemen. In de wereld van de kwantumfysica worden alle elementaire deeltjes beschreven door een aantal fundamentele eigenschappen, waaronder massa, elektrische lading en spin. Elke deeltje heeft een antimaterie-tegenhanger, die precies dezelfde massa bezit, maar tegengestelde kwantumgetallen heeft. Een duidelijk voorbeeld hiervan is het elektron en het positron: het elektron heeft een negatieve elektrische lading, terwijl het positron dezelfde massa heeft, maar een positieve lading.

Volgens de theorieën zouden, kort na de oerknal, gelijke hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie ontstaan. Bij contact tussen deze tegengestelde deeltjes zou volledige annihilatie plaatsvinden, waarbij enorme hoeveelheden energie vrijkomen. Deze energie-uitwisseling wordt beschreven door Einstein’s beroemde vergelijking E=mc², die aangeeft dat massa kan worden omgezet in energie. Als materie en antimaterie in gelijke mate zouden bestaan en volledig zouden annihileren, zou dat leiden tot een heel ander soort universum: één dat vrijwel volledig uit straling bestaat, zonder de complexe structuren zoals sterren, planeten en levende wezens.

Het feit dat ons universum niet volledig uit straling bestaat en dat er toch een lichte voorkeur lijkt te zijn voor materie, vormt een van de grootste raadsels in de fysica. Deze zogenaamde materie-antimaterie asymmetrie is de sleutel tot het bestaan van het universum zoals we dat kennen. Het begrijpen van waarom materie de overhand heeft gekregen, motiveert wetenschappers om verder te zoeken naar de fundamentele oorzaken achter deze asymmetrie, en daarmee een dieper inzicht te krijgen in het ontstaan en de evolutie van het heelal. Het is een fascinerend vraagstuk dat ons inzicht in de natuurwetten en de oorsprong van alles wat bestaat, kan veranderen.

De stervormende nevel W51 is een van de grootste 'sterfabrieken' in het Melkweg-stelsel. 'Sterfabrieken' zoals deze kunnen miljoenen jaren operationeel zijn. De grote rode regio aan de rechterkant van W51 is ouder, wat duidelijk te zien is aan de manier waarop deze al is uitgehold door de winden van generaties zware sterren (die minimaal 10 keer de massa van onze Zon hebben). Het stof en gas in de regio worden nog meer in beweging gebracht wanneer die sterren sterven en exploderen als supernova's. Aan de jongere linkerkant van de nevel beginnen veel sterren net het gas en stof op te ruimen.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

2. De asymmetrie: Waarom bestaat er meer materie dan antimaterie?

Een van de meest intrigerende vragen in de kosmologie en de natuurkunde is waarom het universum grotendeels uit materie bestaat, terwijl de theorie ervan uitgaat dat er bij de oerknal gelijke hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie werden gevormd. Dit fenomeen wordt de materie-antimaterie asymmetrie genoemd en vormt een van de grote raadsels die wetenschappers proberen op te lossen. Als de oerknal inderdaad gelijke hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie had geproduceerd, zou je verwachten dat deze zich zouden hebben annihileerd, waardoor het heelal leeg en kaal zou zijn gebleven. Toch is dat niet het geval: er bestaat een overwicht aan materie, wat heeft geleid tot de sterren, planeten en uiteindelijk het leven zoals wij dat kennen.

Wetenschappers vermoeden dat er tijdens de allereerste momenten na de oerknal een kleine asymmetrie moet zijn geweest in de omstandigheden waarin materie en antimaterie werden gevormd. Deze kleine afwijking, die zich heeft uitgedrukt in een lichte voorkeur voor materie, is cruciaal geweest voor de evolutie van het universum. Het fenomeen dat deze asymmetrie mogelijk verklaart, wordt beschreven door de zogenaamde CP-schending (Charge-Parity-schending), een concept uit de deeltjesfysica dat aangeeft dat natuurwetten niet volledig symmetrisch zijn onder bepaalde omkeringen van ladings- en pariteitspectra.

De CP-schending betekent dat de natuur op subtiele manieren verschillen laat zien tussen materie en antimaterie. In theorie zouden de natuurwetten hetzelfde moeten zijn voor deeltjes en hun antimaterie-tegenhangers, maar experimenten tonen aan dat dit niet altijd het geval is. Deze afwijkingen, hoe klein ook, kunnen een grote impact hebben gehad tijdens de eerste momenten van het universum, waardoor een lichte overproductie van materie ten opzichte van antimaterie ontstond. Het is deze kleine, maar belangrijke, asymmetrie die zich heeft uitgebreid en uiteindelijk heeft geleid tot het materie-overschot dat wij vandaag de dag waarnemen.

De theoretische modellen die proberen deze asymmetrie te verklaren, zijn onder andere ontwikkeld door de Russische natuurkundige Andrei Sakharov in 1967. Hij formuleerde drie essentiële voorwaarden waaraan voldaan moet zijn om de materie-antimaterie asymmetrie te kunnen verklaren. Ten eerste moet er sprake zijn van CP-schending: natuurwetten moeten onder bepaalde omstandigheden symmetriebreuk vertonen. Zonder deze breuk zou er geen voorkeur ontstaan voor materie of antimaterie. Ten tweede moeten er grote kwantumfluctuaties plaatsvinden, die leiden tot kleine voorkeuren voor materie in het proces van de vroege evolutie van het universum. En ten slotte moet de asymmetrie ontstaan tijdens niet-thermische processen, zoals tijdens de oerknal, wanneer het universum niet in evenwicht was en de normale regels van thermodynamica niet volledig golden.

Dus de theoretische modellen, ontwikkeld door Andrei Sakharov, geven drie voorwaarden voor het ontstaan van deze asymmetrie:

1. Bovengenoemde CP-schending: Natuurwetten moeten symmetriebreuk vertonen bij het ontstaan van materie.
2. Uitgebreide kwantumfluctuaties: Er moeten processen zijn die leiden tot een kleine voorkeur voor materie.
3. Niet-thermische processen: De asymmetrie moet ontstaan tijdens niet-evenwicht situaties, zoals tijdens de oerknal.

Dit waar-kleurbeeld toont Noord- en Zuid-Amerika zoals ze eruit zouden zien vanuit de ruimte op 22.000 mijl (35.000 km) boven de aarde. Het beeld is een combinatie van gegevens van twee satellieten. Het Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aan boord van NASA's Terra-satelliet verzamelde de landoppervlaktegegevens gedurende 16 dagen, terwijl NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) een momentopname van de aardse wolken en de maan produceerde.

Reto Stöckli, Nazmi El Saleous en Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, NASA GSFC.

Hoewel experimenten in de deeltjesfysica, zoals in de Large Hadron Collider, aanwijzingen hebben gevonden voor CP-schending, is de mate waarin dit fenomeen plaatsvindt nog niet genoeg om volledig de materie-antimaterie asymmetrie te verklaren. De waargenomen effecten zijn te klein en er blijven vragen over waarom de asymmetrie zo subtiel is, maar toch voldoende om het materie-overschot te creëren dat wij vandaag de dag zien. Onderzoekers blijven daarom actief zoeken naar nieuwe deeltjes en processen die meer inzicht kunnen geven in deze fundamentele kwestie.

Kortom, de materie-antimaterie asymmetrie is een complex en fascinerend vraagstuk dat onze kennis over de fundamentele natuurwetten uitdaagt. Het begrijpen van waarom er meer materie bestaat dan antimaterie, kan niet alleen ons inzicht in het ontstaan van het universum verdiepen, maar ook leiden tot nieuwe ontdekkingen in de fysica en kosmologie. Ondanks de vooruitgang blijven er nog veel vragen openstaan, en het onderzoek hiernaar is een van de grootste uitdagingen van de moderne wetenschap.

3. Waarom is deze asymmetrie cruciaal voor het bestaan van het universum?

De asymmetrie die we in het universum waarnemen, is van fundamenteel belang voor het bestaan en de structuur ervan. Zonder deze kleine maar cruciale asymmetrie zou het universum er heel anders uitzien en zou het leven zoals wij dat kennen, niet mogelijk zijn. Om dit beter te begrijpen, moeten we teruggaan naar de oorsprong van het heelal en de processen die hebben geleid tot de vorming van materie en structuur.

In de eerste momenten na de oerknal was er een bijna perfecte gelijkheid tussen materie en antimaterie. Deze twee vormen van deeltjes zijn elkaars spiegelbeeld en zouden, als ze bij elkaar komen, volledig kunnen vernietigen. Als er geen asymmetrie was geweest, zouden materie en antimaterie in gelijke mate aanwezig zijn geweest, wat zou hebben geleid tot een universeel veld van straling zonder enige materiële structuur. In dat scenario zou er geen vorming van sterren, planeten of leven mogelijk zijn. De universele materie zou simpelweg zijn verdwenen in een gigantische explosie van energie en straling, waardoor een leeg en uniform heelal overbleef.

De kleine asymmetrie die daadwerkelijk heeft bestaan, gaf echter een kleine overtolligheid aan materie ten opzichte van antimaterie. Deze afwijking mag dan klein lijken, maar het was voldoende om het verschil te maken. Door deze ongelijkheid konden de meeste antimateriedeeltjes worden vernietigd, terwijl de materie overbleef en zich begon te clusteren. Deze overgebleven materie vormde uiteindelijk de eerste atomen, die later samensmolten tot sterren, melkwegstelsels en planeten. Zonder deze asymmetrie zou het heelal dus niet de complexe en gevarieerde structuur hebben ontwikkeld die wij nu zien.

Het is alsof een klein verschil in de beginvoorwaarden een kettingreactie heeft veroorzaakt die zich heeft uitgebreid tot het hele universum. Deze kleine asymmetrie fungeert als de katalysator voor alles wat wij ervaren: de sterrenhemel, de aarde en zelfs het bestaan van leven zelf. Het benadrukt ook hoe kwetsbaar en gevoelig het ontstaan van het universum was voor kleine veranderingen, die uiteindelijk grote gevolgen hadden. Zonder deze asymmetrie zou ons heelal niet de rijkdom en complexiteit bezitten die wij nu kennen. Het is dus van onschatbare waarde dat de eerste momenten van het universum niet perfect symmetrisch waren, omdat deze asymmetrie de fundamenten heeft gelegd voor alles wat wij kennen en ervaren.

In deze grafiek wordt een antimaterie-uitbarsting die door een onweersbui in de atmosfeer van de aarde is vrijgegeven, gedetecteerd door een NASA-ruimtevaartuig.

(Afbeelding krediet: NASA)

4. Het belang van de ‘onvriendelijkheid’: materie en antimaterie als slechte vrienden

De metafoor dat materie en antimaterie ‘niet goede vrienden’ zijn, biedt een krachtige en visueel aansprekende manier om hun fundamentele interactie te begrijpen. In werkelijkheid zijn materie en antimaterie elkaars ‘tegenpolen’, die, wanneer ze elkaar ontmoeten, onmiddellijk een vernietigende reactie veroorzaken. Deze reactie resulteert in de volledige annihilatie van beide deeltjes, waarbij enorme hoeveelheden energie vrijkomen in de vorm van gammastraling. Het is deze destructieve kracht die een centrale rol speelt in de evolutie van het universum en die de basis vormt voor veel van de fundamentele processen in de kosmos.

Deze ‘onvriendelijkheid’ tussen materie en antimaterie is niet zomaar een willekeurig conflict, maar een essentieel kenmerk dat diep verweven is met de oorsprong van alles wat bestaat. Tijdens de oerknal, ongeveer 13,8 miljard jaar geleden, ontstonden gelijktijdig grote hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie. Volgens de theorieën over de vroege kosmologie was er aanvankelijk ongeveer evenveel materie als antimaterie. Echter, door een kleine asymmetrie – een minuscule onevenwichtigheid – bleef er na de annihilatie een kleine overschot aan materie over. Die overgebleven materie vormde de basis voor alle sterren, planeten, en uiteindelijk ook voor leven. Het feit dat materie en antimaterie zo ‘slechte vrienden’ waren, zorgde dus indirect voor de structuur en complexiteit van het universum zoals wij dat kennen.

Het is fascinerend om te bedenken dat deze ‘slechte relatie’ tussen materie en antimaterie essentieel was voor het ontstaan van alles. Had de natuur niet zo’n conflict tussen deze deeltjes gekend, dan had er mogelijk geen overlevende materie overgebleven na de grote vernietigingsreacties. Het zou kunnen dat het universum dan een lege, stralingsrijke ruimte was geweest zonder de complexe structuren die wij nu kennen. Deze gedachte onderstreept dat conflicten en tegenstelling niet altijd negatief hoeven te zijn; soms zijn ze juist de drijvende kracht achter ontwikkeling en evolutie.

Kortom, de ‘onvriendelijkheid’ tussen materie en antimaterie is een fundamenteel gegeven dat ons inzicht geeft in de oorsprong van het universum. Het conflict, dat op het eerste gezicht negatief lijkt, heeft juist geleid tot de schepping van alle materiële structuren en het bestaan van het heelal zoals wij dat kennen. Deze metafoor helpt ons niet alleen om de complexe fysische processen beter te begrijpen, maar benadrukt ook dat in de natuur conflicten vaak de motor zijn van verandering en groei. Zonder deze ‘slechte vriendschap’ zou er geen rijk universum zijn, geen sterrenstelsels, geen planeten en geen leven. Het is een mooi voorbeeld van hoe schijnbare tegenstellingen kunnen leiden tot het ontstaan van iets moois en waardevols.

5. De rol van de oerknal en de evolutie van het universum

De rol van de oerknal en de evolutie van het universum is essentieel om te begrijpen hoe alles begon en zich vervolgens heeft ontwikkeld tot de complexe kosmos die wij vandaag de dag waarnemen. De oerknal wordt algemeen erkend als het beginpunt van ons universum, ongeveer 13,8 miljard jaar geleden. Dit betekent dat alles wat we kennen – sterren, planeten, melkwegstelsels, en zelfs de ruimte en tijd zelf – uit deze ene gebeurtenis is voortgekomen. Het is een fascinerende en complexe theorie die onze kijk op het bestaan ingrijpend heeft veranderd.

In de allereerste fractie van een seconde na de oerknal ontstonden de eerste fundamentele deeltjes. Tijdens deze extreem korte periode, bekend als de Plancktijd, waren de omstandigheden onvoorstelbaar heet en dicht. De eerste deeltjes die gevormd werden, waren onder andere quarks en elektronen. Bovendien ontstonden antimaterie deeltjes, zoals antiprotons en positronen. Het ontstaan van antimaterie was cruciaal omdat het de basis vormde voor de latere interacties in het universum. Echter, de relatie tussen materie en antimaterie bleek niet symmetrisch. Toen de eerste deeltjes en antideeltjes elkaar ontmoetten, leidde dat tot annihilatie, waarbij enorme hoeveelheden energie vrijkwamen.

Wat deze gebeurtenissen bijzonder maakt, is dat er een kleine asymmetrie ontwikkelde tussen materie en antimaterie. Deze asymmetrie, ook wel bekend als baryon-asymmetrie, betekent dat er uiteindelijk meer materie overbleef dan antimaterie. Deze kleine maar belangrijke onevenwichtigheid was de katalysator voor de vorming van de structuren die we nu kennen. Zonder deze asymmetrie zou het universum mogelijk volledig uitgestorven zijn van materie, en zou er geen sterren, planeten of leven bestaan.

Door de tijd heen evolueerde het universum enorm. Tijdens de eerste honderden miljoenen jaren na de oerknal was het heelal nog zeer heet en dicht. Materie klonterde samen onder invloed van de zwaartekracht, waardoor er eerst gaswolken ontstonden. Deze gaswolken vormden de basis voor de eerste sterren en sterrenstelsels. Naarmate de tijd verstreek, groeiden deze structuren uit tot enorme melkwegstelsels, met daarin miljarden sterren. De complexe processen van nucleosynthese binnen sterren leidden tot de vorming van zwaardere elementen, essentieel voor de opbouw van planeten en leven.

Kortom, de oerknal en de daaropvolgende evolutie van het universum vormen de kern van onze kosmologische kennis. De asymmetrie tussen materie en antimaterie was niet zomaar een toevalligheid, maar een essentiële factor die de weg vrijmaakte voor het bestaan van alles wat we kennen. De voortdurende studie naar deze gebeurtenissen helpt ons niet alleen om onze oorsprong te begrijpen, maar ook om onze plek in het heelal beter te plaatsen. Het is een fascinerend verhaal van chaos, creatie en ontwikkeling, dat nog steeds volop in onderzoek en debat is.

Uit praktische overwegingen categoriseren mensen groepen materie op basis van hun eigenschappen. Galaxieën, sterrenclusters, planeten, dwergplaneten, rogue-planeten, manen, ringen, ringetjes, kometen, meteorieten, wasberen - het zijn allemaal verzamelingen van materie die verschillende kenmerken vertonen, maar zich aan dezelfde natuurlijke wetten houden.

6. Conclusie: het universum als resultaat van conflict en asymmetrie

De conclusie dat het universum ontstaat uit conflict en asymmetrie is zowel fascinerend als diepgaand. Het lijkt misschien tegenintuïtief dat de schepping van alles wat bestaat voortkomt uit een soort kosmisch conflict tussen deeltjes, maar deze gedachte wordt ondersteund door de fundamentele natuurwetten en observaties. De aanwezigheid van een kleine maar belangrijke overmaat aan materie ten opzichte van antimaterie vormt namelijk de kern van ons bestaan.

In de eerste instantie waren er gelijke hoeveelheden materie en antimaterie in het vroege universum. Volgens de theorieën over de oerknal en de daaropvolgende evolutie van het heelal, zouden deze deeltjes elkaar moeten hebben vernietigd bij contact, waarbij enorme hoeveelheden energie vrijkwamen in de vorm van straling. Maar waarom bleef er dan toch een klein overschot aan materie over? Waarom was het universum niet volledig uitgewist door de antimaterie? Het antwoord ligt in een subtiele asymmetrie tussen deeltjes en antipartikels, een kleine afwijking in de symmetrie die de loop van de kosmische geschiedenis heeft veranderd.

Deze asymmetrie, ook wel bekend als CP-schending (Charge-Parity schending), betekent dat materie en antimaterie niet precies spiegelbeelden van elkaar zijn. Hierdoor ontstond er een kleine voorkeur voor materie, wat op zijn beurt leidde tot het overgrote deel van materie dat wij nu waarnemen. Zonder deze asymmetrie zou het universum er heel anders uitzien, mogelijk volledig leeg en ongeschikt voor het ontstaan van sterren en planeten.

Het conflict tussen materie en antimaterie kan dus worden gezien als een soort kosmische strijd, waarbij de onvriendelijkheid tussen deeltjes leidde tot vernietiging, maar tegelijkertijd ook tot de schepping van een complex en rijk universum. Deze strijd en asymmetrie vormden de noodzakelijke condities voor het ontstaan van de structuur van het heelal. Zonder dit conflict zou er geen sterrenstelsels, geen planeten en geen leven kunnen bestaan.

Kortom, de universele werkelijkheid is niet slechts het resultaat van een evenwichtige en harmonieuze werking van natuurwetten, maar eerder van een fundamenteel conflict en asymmetrie. Het universum zoals wij dat kennen, is ontstaan uit een delicate balans tussen vernietiging en creatie, tussen strijd en schepping. Het is juist door de onvriendelijkheid en de strijd tussen materie en antimaterie dat het mogelijk werd om een rijk en gevarieerd heelal te vormen, waarin alles bestaat. Deze inzichten maken duidelijk dat conflict en asymmetrie niet altijd negatief hoeven te zijn; ze kunnen juist de drijfveer zijn achter grote kosmische en natuurlijke ontwikkelingen.

Met behulp van de Event Horizon Telescope hebben wetenschappers een afbeelding verkregen van het zwarte gat in het centrum van de melkweg M87. Samenwerking van de Event Horizon Telescope et al.

Eindwoord

Het begrijpen waarom het universum bestaat, blijft een fascinerende zoektocht. De rol van materie en antimaterie als onvrienden die niet goed met elkaar kunnen opschieten, blijkt cruciaal te zijn voor het ontstaan van alles. Deze onvriendelijkheid, die leidt tot vernietiging in plaats van harmonie, was daarom de ultieme voorwaarde voor ons bestaan. Het is een herinnering dat conflicten en asymmetrie in de natuur soms de voorwaarden scheppen voor complexiteit en emergentie, en dat de kosmische geschiedenis wordt geschreven door de interactie van tegengestelde krachten.

Bronnen

• Sakharov, A. D. (1967). Violation of CP invariance, C asymmetry, and baryon asymmetry of the universe. Soviet Physics Uspekhi.
• Riess, A. G., et al. (1998). Observational Evidence from Supernovae for an Accelerating Universe and a Cosmological Constant. The Astronomical Journal.
• GDW. (2020). Materie en antimaterie: De strijd tussen deeltjes. Fysica in Perspectief.
• Koupelis, T., & Kuhn, F. (2014). Inleiding tot de fysica.

Literatuur en verdere lezing

• Carroll, S. M. (2004). Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity.
• Steinhardt, P. J., & Turok, N. (2007). The Cyclic Universe: An Informal Introduction. Scientific American.

Twee beelden van Hubble van de enorme sterrenstelselcluster Cl 0024+17 (ZwCl 0024+1652) worden getoond. Links is het zicht in zichtbaar licht met vreemde blauwe bogen die verschijnen tussen de geelachtige sterrenstelsels. Dit zijn de vergrote en vervormde beelden van sterrenstelsels die ver achter de cluster liggen. Hun licht wordt gebogen en versterkt door de immense zwaartekracht van de cluster in een proces dat gravitatiekracht lensing wordt genoemd. Rechts is er een blauwe schaduw toegevoegd om de locatie aan te geven van onzichtbaar materiaal dat donkere materie wordt genoemd, wat wiskundig vereist is om rekening te houden met de aard en plaatsing van de gravitatief gelensde sterrenstelsels die te zien zijn.

NASA, ESA, M.J. Jee en H. Ford (Johns Hopkins University)

{ PETER2011 }

17-09-2025 om 22:12 geschreven door peter  

Skyscraper-size asteroid previously predicted to hit us in 60 years will zoom past Earth on Thursday (Sept. 18) — and you can see it live

By Harry Baker

The "potentially hazardous" asteroid 2025 FA22 will fly close past Earth at more than 24,000 mph on Thursday (Sept. 18). The space rock was previously predicted to have a slim chance of impacting our planet in 2089, temporarily earning it the top spot on a major risk list.

A giant asteroid first spotted earlier this year will make its closest approach to Earth on Sept. 18. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A skyscraper-size, "potentially hazardous" asteroid is set to make a close approach to Earth this week — and you can see it zoom past for yourself, either by using a backyard telescope or via a free online livestream.

The asteroid, which was discovered earlier this year, was initially predicted to have a slim chance of hitting our planet in 2089 — temporarily earning it a spot at the top of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) impact risk list. But, following new observations, it is no longer considered an imminent threat.

The space rock, dubbed 2025 FA22, is somewhere between 427 and 951 feet (130 and 290 meters) across, making it large enough to wipe out a major city were it to collide with Earth. It will reach its minimum distance to us in the early hours of Thursday (Sept. 18), coming within 520,000 miles (835,000 kilometers) of our planet — just over twice as far away from us as the moon — and will be traveling at around 24,000 mph (38,600 km/h).

2025 FA22 was initially discovered in March by the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope in Hawaii. The asteroid quickly made headlines when it was revealed that it has a 0.01% chance of hitting Earth when it returns for another close flyby on Sept. 23, 2089. (This story was somewhat overshadowed by fellow asteroid 2024 YR4, which was briefly predicted to have a much higher chance of impacting our planet in 2032 at around the same time 2025 FA22 was first spotted.)

Despite the low odds of a collision, space agencies took the threat of 2025 FA22 seriously, and the asteroid was briefly bumped to the top spot on ESA’s Risk List, which monitors all near-Earth objects predicted to have a non-zero chance of impacting our planet.

"However, high-priority follow-up observations soon allowed astronomers to refine the asteroid’s trajectory and rule out any impact risk," according to a new ESA statement. Asteroid 2025 FA22 was removed from ESA's Risk List entirely in May.

Related: 

• NASA's most wanted: The 5 most dangerous asteroids to Earth

The now totally safe flyby of 2025 FA22 will be shared on a free livestream by the Virtual Telescope Project, which will track the object using a telescope in Manciano, Italy. The livestream will begin at around 23:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday (Sept. 17).

During its close approach, the asteroid could reach an apparent magnitude of 13, which will make it just bright enough to spot with a decent backyard telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars, according to IFLScience. You can find where it is in the night sky using TheSkyLive.com.

Researchers will be keeping a close eye on the asteroid from observatories across the globe, including NASA's Goldstone radar telescope in Barstow, California, which has the capability to reveal more about the space rock's true size and shape.

The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) is also taking 2025 FA22's flyby as an opportunity to practise its emergency protocols by running a practice scenario under the pretence that the asteroid will still impact us in 2089. This mock test, named the 2025 FA22 IAWN Campaign, will involve measuring as many of the asteroids' characteristics as accurately as possible, in preparation for a hypothetical mission to deflect the space rock in the future.

RELATED STORIES

• An 'invisible threat': Swarm of hidden 'city killer' asteroids around Venus could one day collide with Earth, simulations show
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• No, NASA hasn't warned of an impending asteroid strike in 2038. Here's what really happened.

"While 2025 FA22 poses no danger, practicing our ability to measure these properties is important, as they influence how an asteroid will react to any attempt to deflect it off of a collision course with Earth," ESA representatives wrote about the campaign.

In reality, 2025 FA22 will not get very close to us in 2089. The latest calculations from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory suggest that it will only come within 3.7 million miles (6 million km) of Earth, more than seven times further away than its current flyby.

However, the asteroid will return for a super close approach in 2173, when it will reach a minimum distance of around 200,000 miles (320,000 km), bringing it closer to us than the moon.

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{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

17-09-2025 om 21:19 geschreven door peter  

Lucy's Main Belt Target Has Its Features Named

By Andy Tomaswick

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

17-09-2025 om 20:55 geschreven door peter  

Earth Has Another Quasi-Satellite: The Asteroid Arjuna 2025 PN7

By Evan Gough  

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

17-09-2025 om 20:49 geschreven door peter  

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

17-09-2025 om 20:40 geschreven door peter  

Evidence of 'Doomsday comet' that wiped out forgotten civilization 12,800 years ago found in US

• READ MORE: Archaeologist says his team has finally discovered lost city of Atlantis as they unveil compelling evidence 

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

New geological evidence unearthed in the US suggests that a catastrophic cosmic event may have wiped out a once-thriving culture more than 12,800 years ago. 

Researchers analyzing sediment samples in California, Arizona and New Mexico discovered shocked quartz, tiny mineral grains deformed under extreme pressure, dating back to around 10,800 BC.

Shocked quartz forms when minerals are subjected to sudden, intense pressures such as those generated by a meteorite impact or large-scale atmospheric explosion. 

The presence of this material at the sites indicates that an airburst or impact event likely devastated large portions of the continent, igniting wildfires, destabilizing the climate and wiping out many of the massive Ice Age animals that roamed the region. 

The dating of the shocked quartz coincided with the rapid disappearance of the Clovis people, a technologically advanced hunter-gatherer culture that had dominated much of North America for centuries. 

Archaeological evidence has shown that their distinctive stone tools vanish abruptly from the record shortly after this period. 

This timing also marked the beginning of the Younger Dryas, a sudden and dramatic cooling event that lasted about 1,200 years. 

Some researchers, including well-known author Graham Hancock, have long proposed that a giant 'Doomsday comet' passed through Earth's atmosphere, which blocked sunlight, disrupted ocean currents and abruptly plunged the Northern Hemisphere into a sudden, century-long cooling.

The evidence of the cosmic collision was found in California, Arizona and New Mexico

The team identified shocked quartz (pictured) in the samples, which forms when minerals are subjected to sudden, intense pressures such as those generated by a meteorite impact or large-scale atmospheric explosion

Shocked quartz forms when the crystal lattice of minerals is irreversibly deformed under extreme pressures, often millions of times greater than normal atmospheric pressure. 

In the new study, the grains were carefully extracted from sediment layers precisely dated to the onset of the Younger Dryas. 

'The onset of the Younger Dryas (YD closely coincided with two significant events: the sudden extinction of >70% of North American megafauna (35 genera), including mammoths, camels, horses, and saber-toothed cats and the collapse of the Clovis technocomplex,' reads the study published in PLOS ONE.

The team collected sediment samples from Blackwater Draw, New Mexico, Murray Springs, Arizona and Arlington Canyon on Santa Rosa Island, California.

Blackwater Draw is a Clovis-type site where the first Clovis artifacts were found just below a 12,800-year-old black mat, marking the onset of the Younger Dryas and the end of the Clovis technocomplex.

Evidence from the site, including a nearby Clovis-butchered mammoth, suggests a major environmental disruption coinciding with megafaunal extinctions and a significant human population decline. 

Murray Springs preserves terminal Clovis artifacts and extinct megafauna remains.

Those are also under a black mat, which contained a butchered mammoth and hundreds of footprints rapidly buried after the proposed Younger Dryas event. 

Some researchers, including well-known author Graham Hancock, have long proposed that a giant 'Doomsday comet' passed through Earth's atmosphere, which blocked sunlight, disrupted ocean currents and abruptly plunged the Northern Hemisphere into a sudden, century-long cooling (stock)

Archaeological data indicate a post-Clovis human hiatus of several hundred years, supporting theories of population decline and abrupt cultural and ecological changes at the YD onset. 

Arlington Canyon yielded Clovis-era human remains beneath a black mat, showing a 600- to 800-year gap before subsequent human occupation, highlighting a post-Clovis hiatus even in potential refuges. 

The site also records the extinction of pygmy mammoths around 12,800, making it a key location for studying the impact of environmental disruptions during the Younger Dryas. 

The team used 10 different lab techniques to identify glass-filled cracks in quartz and then ran computer simulations to determine the pressures and speeds needed to produce such shocks.

They found that the shocked quartz taken from the southwest US resembled samples found at nuclear airburst sites, Meteor Crater, and other YD sites in Syria, the eastern USA, the Netherlands and Venezuela. 

Blackwater Draw is a Clovis-type site where the first Clovis artifacts were found just below a 12,800-year-old black mat, marking the onset of the Younger Dryas and the end of the Clovis technocomplex

Murray Springs preserves terminal Clovis artifacts and extinct megafauna remains. Those are also under a black mat, which contained a butchered mammoth and hundreds of footprints rapidly buried after the proposed Younger Dryas event

Arlington Canyon yielded Clovis-era human remains beneath a black mat, showing a 600- to 800-year gap before subsequent human occupation, highlighting a post-Clovis hiatus even in potential refuges

Many of these quartz grains showed signs of exposure to extremely high temperatures, above the melting point of quartz, which is 3,123 °F.

Some parts of the grains remain amorphous, and others have recrystallized. 

Previous research has shown that melted silica within shock fractures indicates airburst- or impact-related shock, meaning these YD grains can be classified as 'thermally and mechanically shocked quartz.' 

'These sites are among the best-documented in North America, each providing crucial evidence of an interrelationship between the collapse of the Clovis technocomplex and the extinction of the megafauna,' the team shared.

'The presence of airburst/impact-related materials at these key locations strengthens the temporal and spatial link between the proposed cosmic event and major ecological and cultural changes

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

17-09-2025 om 18:11 geschreven door peter  

The Moon, unlike Earth, is a cosmic time capsule. No atmosphere, no liquid water, no tectonic plates. No weather to corrode. No oceans to drag remnants beneath their waves. No wind to scatter. In fact, conditions on the Moon have remained largely unchanged for billions of years. Anything that landed there,whether a natural meteorite, a human probe, or something far stranger, could remain preserved almost indefinitely.

This fact has led some scientists and thinkers to wonder: what if something did land there? Not from Earth. Not from our time. Imagine. Just imagine.

The Oldest Surface in the Inner Solar System

The Moon formed shortly after Earth itself, around 4.5 billion years ago, likely the result of a violent collision between the early Earth and a Mars-sized body. Since then, it has served as a passive observer to the evolution of our solar system.

Its surface tells a story no other celestial body can. While Earth has erased its past with continental drift, volcanic activity, and erosion, the Moon has done none of that. It is a preserved relic. A memory. And it may be holding more than we think.

So just by using common sense, if you’re going to look for ancient, technological artifacts from a planet other than ours, look where things can survive for billions of years. And the Moon, airless, geologically dead, stable,is one of the best preservation environments in the solar system.

A Logical Target for Interstellar Probes

Now imagine a distant civilization seeding the galaxy with interstellar probes, durable, autonomous, and built to endure deep time.

We’ve done something similar with Voyager 1 and 2, and Pioneer 10. Our probes are slow and few. But a far older and more advanced species could have launched thousands, maybe millions, across space,blindly, systematically, over epochs.

If just one of those alien probes ever passed through our solar system, it might not slow down. It wouldn’t need to. But it could be pulled in, by Jupiter, by the Sun, or by the Earth-Moon system.

Here’s the thing: if a high-speed object like that struck Earth, it would almost certainly burn up in the atmosphere, disintegrate in the ocean, or be destroyed by tectonic forces and time.

But the Moon is different. No atmosphere. No oceans. No erosion. Just rock, dust, and silence.

A probe crashing into the lunar surface,even at high velocity,might break apart… but pieces could survive. Metal fragments. Unusual alloys. Embedded structures. Preserved for millions of years beneath layers of regolith. Not by design. Not by intent. Just by the nature of where it fell. It is only logical. And the best part is, we have a couple of more places to search for in the solar system. Any of the Moons of Jupiter or even Saturn possibly could have objects rashed on their surface.

Interstellar Visitors: We’ve Seen Them

Until recently, the idea of interstellar objects visiting our solar system was mostly hypothetical. But that changed in 2017.

That year, astronomers spotted a cigar-shaped object hurtling through our solar system at incredible speed. It was the first confirmed interstellar visitor, and it was named ʻOumuamua, meaning “a messenger from afar arriving first” in Hawaiian.

ʻOumuamua was strange. It didn’t behave like a comet or asteroid. It had no tail. Its acceleration was unusual. Its shape was unlike anything seen before. Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb even suggested it could be artificial,a discarded light sail or fragment of alien technology. Most scientists disagreed, favoring natural explanations. But the seed was planted.

In 2019, a second interstellar object arrived: 2I/Borisov. This time it looked more like a standard comet,though with unusual chemical composition.

And in 2014, long before these two, sensors detected an object called CNEOS 2014-01-08, now believed to have interstellar origin based on its velocity and trajectory. It crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea. If confirmed, it would be the first known interstellar object to have struck Earth. Loeb beleives this could have been a technological artifact. Since it crashed to Earth, it is almost impossible to find. However, had it crashed on the surface of the Moon, the story would be completely different. Future lunar missions could have found it.

So, as of writingh we have three interstellar objects that we have found. In less than a decade. Which raises a question: how many more have passed by, unnoticed? And how many may have struck the Moon?

Buried Beneath the Dust

The Moon is constantly bombarded by micrometeorites. Its surface, known as regolith, is a fine layer of broken rock and dust, formed by billions of years of impacts. This layer can be several meters thick in places. And beneath that dust… lies mystery. At least for now. What the apollo astronauts explored on the Moon is literally insignificant. That is why I am partifucalry excited about Artemis, and the future. Becasue if an alien probe (or any alien technology) landed or crashed on the Moon tens of millions of years ago, it’s likely that it’s now buried, shielded from further damage. It wouldn’t need to be large. A meter-wide sensor. A metallic shard. An engineered alloy. A signal recorder. Something that might not even be visible from orbit.

And that’s a problem. Because we’ve barely begun to explore the Moon’s subsurface.

We’ve Only Scratched the Surface

Between 1969 and 1972, twelve astronauts walked on the Moon. They explored just six locations, all near the equator and on the near side. Since then, lunar missions have been limited to orbiters, landers, and rovers, most of them covering small areas.

Today, the Moon is becoming a focus again. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the surface by the late 2020s, with the long-term goal of building a sustainable lunar presence. China, India, Russia, and private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin also have ambitious lunar plans.

New missions are beginning to probe the Moon in greater detail than ever before. China’s Chang’e program continues to expand its reach with successful landers, sample-return missions, and upcoming south polar expeditions. Instruments like NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have been mapping the Moon for over a decade, yet only a fraction of the surface has been studied up close, and virtually none of the subsurface.

Several upcoming efforts, including crewed missions under NASA’s Artemis program, aim to establish a long-term human presence. But until we dig, scan, and explore beneath the regolith, vast regions of the Moon,and any secrets they might hold, will remain untouched.

Though smaller than Earth, the Moon still holds over 38 million square kilometers of surface, enough terrain to hide secrets in craters, crevices, and deep beneath the dust.

The Birth of Lunar Archaeology

In time, we may develop the tools and missions necessary to search not just for water ice or minerals, but for anomalies. Artificial patterns. Unusual materials. Electro-magnetic signatures. Things that don’t belong. Things that we did not bring to the Moon.

Lunar archaeology may one day become a field of study. And it won’t just be about exploring human history (space archaeology), like the remnants of Apollo modules or robotic landers. It could become a tool for uncovering non-human history. A cosmic archaeology.

If even a single fragment of alien engineering were found, the implications would be staggering. It would mean we are not alone. That we are not the first. That others have walked, or drifted, through the stars before us.

And we might not have to go far to find them.

It’s tempting to look outward, to scan exoplanets, listen for distant radio waves, and dream of civilizations light-years away. But maybe, just maybe, the first evidence of intelligent alien life isn’t waiting in some distant galaxy. Maybe it’s beneath our feet. Or just a three-day journey away. Maybe we should stop looking only at the stars. And start digging.

{ https://curiosmos.com/category/alien-theories/ }

16-09-2025 om 22:54 geschreven door peter  

Misunderstood Science or Paranormal Activity? Bizarre Cases of Spontaneous Human Combustion

Arguably one of the strangest phenomenon of human life is spontaneous human combustion, something that has claimed many lives over the years, and left many others scared and unsettled by such bizarre encounters. Moreover, it is not simply that a person might burst into flames for no apparent reason, but these fires are so intensely hot that the respective victims are reduced to ash in a matter of moments. Deepening the mystery even further, despite this intense raging inferno, all around the victims is largely unaffected. 

Indeed, while spontaneous human combustion is still unexplained, there have been some remarkable facts and statistics revealed over the course of decades of research. Over 60 percent of victims of spontaneous human combustion, for example, are women, and over 50 percent of these bizarre occurrences take place between midnight and 6 am. Perhaps most perplexing is that despite the intensely high temperatures that victims of spontaneous human combustion burn at, and the fact that they are usually reduced to nothing but ash, there is most often a single limb or a foot that is left untouched.

While we might suspect that cases of spontaneous human combustion are a modern phenomenon, the fact is that we can find cases stretching back hundreds of years, at the very least. In the mid-1600s, for example, we can find one of the earliest documented accounts of spontaneous human combustion, most often attributed to Thomas Bartholin, who documented an incident in Milan in 1654. However, since this encounter was documented (in Latin), it has suffered terribly with inaccurate translations and interpretations. So much so that many of the finer details of the case have since become lost to history. 

We do, however, have the basics of the account. They involve a knight who was serving Queen Bona Sforza. On the night in question, after enjoying an evening of fine food and even finer brandy,  the knight sat down at the table after refilling his glass, feeling the amber liquid burn its way down his throat. A moment later, however, he claimed he could feel the burning sensation rising back up his throat from his stomach. Then, a moment later, when he opened his mouth, a surge of flames sprang from him and engulfed him almost instantly. 

Around three-quarters of a century later, a case of apparent spontaneous human combustion almost resulted in a presumed innocent man being charged with murder. In 1725 in France, Nicole Miller's remains were discovered almost completely incinerated in a chair in the house she shared with her husband. The chair itself was completely undamaged (as would become a standard detail when such cases were researched in more depth). At the time, though, such details were not widely understood, and so Nicole's husband was suspected of her murder, arrested, and charged. In fact, it was only the intervention of surgeon, Nicholas Le Cat, that saved him from the guillotine, who argued that Nicole had almost certainly been a victim of spontaneous human combustion. Although the court didn't enter such details onto the record, they did accept that the death had been caused "by a visitation of God!"

Only six years later, on the evening of April 3rd, 1731, in Verona, Italy, Countess de Bandi Cesante was at home enjoying her evening meal as usual before she retired to bed. Before she went to sleep for the evening, she talked for several hours with her maid, who later recalled that although she mentioned that she felt "dull and heavy", she appeared as she usually would, and so when she fell asleep, the maid left the room, planning to return in the morning as soon as she was called by her mistress. However, the following morning, no call came, so the maid decided to check on the countess. When she entered the room, she was confronted by a sight she was simply not prepared for. 

According to the report, around four feet from the bed, there was a "heap of ashes, two legs untouched, from the foot to the knee with their stockings on!" Even more harrowing, between them were the charred remains of the countess's head, as well as three "blackened fingers". Moreover, when the ashes were picked up to examine, they left a "stinking moisture" in the hand. Bizarrely, however, despite the brutal remains of the countess, there was no more damage to the rest of the room. Although there was an oil lamp on the side, it was unlit, as were the two candles next to it. Whether of consequence or not, the bed covers were found turned down, as if the countess had briefly left her bed at some point during the night, fully expecting to return.

As bizarre and intriguing as these details are, the eventual conclusions are even more remarkable. Not only was the oil lamp not lit but there were no signs of any accelerant in the room, and the countess was not a drinker of alcohol. However, it was suggested that the countess had risen during the night to open a window and allow fresh air into the bedroom. A short time later, it was suggested, "silent lightning" had "crept in through a crack in the window or down the fireplace!" However, this conclusion was later revised, with the amount of perfume that the countess often wore being highlighted as the likely reason she had perished in such a way.

Around a decade later, however, Paul Rolli examined the case once more, certain that the previous explanations had been too simplistic. He wrote in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London that:

"Such an effect was not produced by the light of the oil-lamp, or any candles; because common fire, even in a pile, does not consume a body to such a degree and would have besides spread itself to the goods of the chamber, more combustible than a human body!"

It was, Rolli suggested, likely a combination of factors that led to the untimely demise of the countess. He suggested that "flammable gases" mixed with the alcohol from the perfume the countess was wearing, which then created a "potent fuel" that was capable of "incinerating the body!" The reason the head and limbs had escaped such carnage from the flames was likely down to the fact that by the time the flames reached them, the fuel had likely died and burned out. 

Around 150 years later, on the other side of the Atlantic in the small farming community of Seneca in Illinois, on Christmas Eve 1885, Matilda Rooney was busy in the kitchen while her husband Patrick was in the next room. What exactly happened that evening is not entirely clear, but at some point during the evening, Matilda, essentially, "burst into flames" and was reduced to a pile of ash within moments. In a strange twist to the whole affair, Patrick was also found dead in the house, seemingly from suffocation from the fumes (even though there was no damage at all to the rest of the property). 

When investigators examined the scene, they were utterly baffled. One of the farm workers informed them that he had spent several hours at the property before leaving for the evening, and that the couple had appeared fine before he left, each enjoying a glass of whiskey and preparing for the holidays. It was ultimately determined that Matilda herself appeared to be the fuel source of the fire that consumed her. 

As we have seen, there are many historic cases of spontaneous human combustion for us to explore. Without a doubt, though, the majority of these recorded cases have unfolded in the twentieth century. 

Perhaps the most notable of these occurred in July 1951, when 67-year-old Mary Reeser from St. Petersburg, Florida, or at least what was left of her, was discovered "sitting" in a chair at her home. In fact, all that was discovered of Mary was a skull fragment, one of her feet, and a small piece of her spine, with the chair that she had been sitting on also completely reduced to ash. As was noted at the time, given the high temperatures required to reduce a human body to ash, it was a mystery why the entire property had not been engulfed in flames. 

Despite this strangeness, the FBI, which investigated the case, concluded that Mary had likely fallen asleep with a cigarette in her hand, which had then likely ignited her clothes and resulted in her death. As we might imagine, many researchers and investigators simply do not accept this explanation. In fact, some researchers have pondered just what the authorities might have known about the strange death for them to wrap it up so quickly. 

Five years later, in December 1956, another baffling spontaneous human combustion case unfolded. On the day in question, 78-year-old Sik Kim was sitting in his wheelchair reading his newspaper. As he did so, however, he suddenly noticed flames appearing around his torso. As he called out for help, the flames began to engulf him. His neighbor, Virginia Cadet, rushed over to see what the matter was. As soon as she saw Sik Kim in flames, she rushed off again to get help. By the time she returned 15 minutes later, Sik Kim was nothing but a pile of ash - except, that is, for his two feet, which remained intact. Even stranger, nothing else in the room was damaged by the flames, including papers, books, and clothes. Sik Kim's death remains a complete mystery. 

Around a decade later, on the afternoon of October 16th, 1964, 75-year-old Olga Worth Stephens met a harrowing end outside of a convenience store in Dallas, Texas. She had been in the car with her nephew when he decided he wished to purchase a cold drink and so pulled into the parking lot of the store. He left Olga in the vehicle while he went inside. He was only inside for several minutes, but when he returned, his aunt was completely enveloped in flames. Passersby eventually managed to pull her out of the car and smother the flames. However, she passed away from her injuries eight days later. 

Perhaps what made Olga's death all the more mysterious was a line from an article in the Dallas Morning News that stated she had received treatment for "burns received in mysterious circumstances!" Stranger still, when the vehicle was examined by investigators, they discovered no damage whatsoever, not even traces of an accelerant or stimulant. Ultimately, like several other cases we have examined here, it would appear that Olga herself was the fuel source of the fire that killed her.

Only several months later, on the morning of November 8th, 1964, in Upper Darby Township in Pennsylvania, the burnt-out remains of Helen Conway were discovered in her home. Interestingly, when the fire chief, Paul Haggarty, attended the scene, he declared publicly his belief that the incident was one of spontaneous human combustion. Further study, though, perhaps suggested, on this occasion, an alternative explanation for the grim discovery. It came to light that Helen was a "careless smoker" who regularly left cigarettes around the house, leading investigators to ponder if this was how she had come to such a fiery end. Indeed, it appeared that Helen's death was simply a tragic accident. However, when investigators looked deeper into the case, that appeared decidedly unlikely. 

It was discovered that Helen had asked her granddaughter for a box of matches on the morning of her death, no more than 20 minutes before her body was discovered, with her granddaughter even suggesting that she found her remains around three minutes after. The fire department had arrived at the property at 8:48 am, meaning that Helen was likely alive as late as 8:42 am - the six minutes not being enough time for her to accidentally set herself on fire and be consumed by the flames. 

We should note that several skeptics have suggested the "wick effect" (something we will explore in a little more detail later) as an explanation for Helen Conway's death. However, tests easily showed that this would have taken at least several hours, and certainly a lot longer than between six and 20 minutes. 

Only two years later, on the morning of December 5th, 1966, 92-year-old Dr. John Irving Bentley's burnt-out remains were discovered at his home. The remains were discovered by Don Gosnell, who had arrived at the property for a prearranged meeting to read the meters. He entered the property and began on his way to the basement. However, as he did so, he noticed a strange odor in the air, as well as a faint blue smoke.

When he entered the basement, he discovered a small pile of ash on the floor, which he assumed was the source of the strange odor. He then made his way to the bathroom that was directly above the basement. Upon arriving there, he discovered the remains of a lower leg and a foot, still with an undamaged slipper on it, as well as Bentley's walking frame, and a large pile of ash. Stranger still, there was a hole in the bathroom floor that allowed Gosnell to see into the room below. 

A particularly bizarre encounter unfolded at around 5 am on the morning of September 5th, 1967, in Lambeth, London, when early work commuters found themselves witnessing one of the strangest incidents they had ever seen. Inside, a local man named Robert Bailey, who was a known alcoholic, was burning to death with an unusual flame bursting forth from his stomach. After several members of the public called the fire brigade, they arrived at 5:19 am - only five minutes later - to a sight that they were not ready to witness. 

One of those in attendance later stated that when he entered the building, Bailey was lying at the bottom of the stairs, clearly contorted in pain. He stated that he could see blue flames coming from a small slit in his stomach. Despite using fire extinguishers in an effort to save the man's life, all efforts failed, with one member of the fire brigade offering that he was "literally burning from the inside out!" Even more harrowing, it is claimed that Bailey had seemingly bitten down on the bottom wooden staircase, such was the pain he was in, with his jaw having to be pried open to remove his body. 

There were plenty of other strange details. For example, despite the flames coming from his body, Bailey's clothes were largely undamaged, as was the case with the wooden floor and stairs. Moreover, there were no accelerants discovered in the property, and both the gas and the electricity had been cut off.  These details led investigators to consider whether Bailey had actually died from exposure to the fumes from the fire. Ultimately, it was determined that Bailey’s death was down to “unknown causes!” Even the wick effect explanation had to be dismissed because witnesses noted “blowtorch-like flames” originating from inside Bailey’s torso. The incident remains one of the strangest cases of spontaneous human combustion on record. 

What makes the case of Jack Angel all the more intriguing is that he survived spontaneous human combustion. On the night in question, in 1974, Angel, who was a traveling salesman, parked his motorhome outside a hotel and then ventured into the back to settle down for the night. However, several hours later, Angel awoke with severe burns to his arms and legs. In fact, one of his arms was so drastically burned that it had to be amputated. Much like other cases of spontaneous human combustion, however, there was no damage at all to the motorhome, even though, given the extent of his injuries, the motorhome should have been completely incinerated.

The case baffled investigators and researchers, not least as the flames appeared to extinguish themselves before they had a chance to reduce Angel to a pile of ash. We might ask if Angel was in a trance-like state as opposed to being asleep, similar to the report from the Robert Bailey case.  Despite an investigation by the police, there were no faults found with the motorhome, and there was no accelerant discovered. The case remains a complete mystery.

A particularly harrowing case of spontaneous human combustion unfolded on the afternoon of October 9th, 1980, in Jacksonville, Florida. On the afternoon in question, airwoman Jeanna Winchester was in a car driven by her friend Leslie Scott, when Jeanna suddenly “burst into flames!” Jeanna began screaming, “Get me out of here!” as Leslie looked on in shock. She later stated that the flames simply came out of nowhere, and after she tried to put them out with her hands, she lost control of the car and crashed into a telephone pole. 

Although she had burns to 20 percent of her body, Jeanna survived the incident, recovering in the hospital. When the vehicle was examined by investigators, there was little damage to the interior of the vehicle, with only the seat and door panel showing any signs of the sudden fire. Moreover, Jeanna herself claimed to have had no memory between setting off that afternoon and waking up in the hospital. With this in mind, we might ask if her mind had simply blocked out the incident, or if there is something more paranormal or supernatural involved in these strange cases of spontaneous human combustion. 

If we return to London for a moment, in September 1982, we can find the case of 61-year-old Jean Saffin, who was mentally disabled, and who seemingly burst into flames in front of her father. At the time of the incident, as her father was sitting at the kitchen table when a sudden “flash of light” lit up the room. The next thing he realized, Jean was completely engulfed in flames. He immediately got to his feet and attempted to drag his daughter to the sink, calling to his son as he did so. Between them, they managed to douse the flames before they contacted the emergency services. Jean was taken to the hospital, but she passed away from her injuries just over a week later. Her death, officially at least, is unsolved. Jean’s father, however, was convinced that spontaneous human combustion was the cause of his daughter’s death. Moreover, Jean’s brother-in-law, who also witnessed the incident, stated that “the flames were coming out of her mouth like a dragon, and they were making a roaring noise!” Despite this, the coroner refused to put the death down to spontaneous human combustion because, in his opinion, “no such thing existed!”

Without a doubt, one of the most thought-provoking cases of spontaneous human combustion is that of Vietnam veteran Frank Black, whose case was featured on the television program The Unexplained Files.  According to the report, in June 1985, Black and his friend, Pete Wiley, were preparing for a fishing trip and were sitting in Black’s living room. Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, Black’s arm burst into flames. He and Wiley managed to smother the flames and then sought out medical advice for the burns. Bizarrely, although very similar to other cases of spontaneous human combustion, the doctor who examined Black’s wounds stated that they appeared to have “burned from the inside out!” Although Black was not significantly injured, a second incident occurred during their fishing trip. Needless to say, Black was left deeply shaken by the experience. 

In more recent times, on the afternoon of August 24th, 1998, Agnes Philips left the nursing home where she was a resident with Alzheimer’s with her daughter Jackie, who regularly drove Agnes around to let her enjoy a change of scenery. As they were returning home, with Agnes asleep in the passenger seat, Jackie decided to stop at a grocery store to pick up some groceries for later. Several minutes later, with Jackie still inside the store, she could see smoke rising from her parked car. Then, moments later, a “burst of flames” exploded from the vehicle. 

Jackie immediately rushed out of the store. By the time she arrived at her vehicle, a passerby was dragging her mother from the car before attempting to smother the flames. Bizarrely, despite being almost completely engulfed, Agnes remained calm, almost in a trance-like state, offering only that it was “too hot!” 

The flames were eventually extinguished, and Agnes was taken to the hospital with severe burns to her entire body. Unfortunately, she passed away a week later. Much like many of the other cases we have examined here, the inquest discovered no reason for the explosion of flames. No accelerant was found anywhere in the vehicle, and as the engine was not running at the time, it was unlikely that an electrical fault was responsible. Ultimately, the inquest ruled an open verdict. 

Just short of a decade later, on the evening of December 16th, 2007, in Brazil, an unnamed woman suddenly burst into flames, becoming incinerated within seconds. By the time the flames had died down, the woman was left “beyond recognition!” Although her right leg was undamaged, her left leg, upper torso, and both arms were completely obliterated. Moreover, all of her clothing also remained undamaged from the flames. Once more, it was noted that it appeared as though her body had “burned from the inside out!”

The case fascinated many researchers and investigators, with various explanations put forward. Some people, for example, suggested that ball lightning might have been responsible for the horrific inferno, while others suggested that the young woman could have been involved in some kind of “gang initiation”. However, the lack of accelerant meant these suggestions were largely dismissed. 

Around the same time, 76-year-old Michael Faherty succumbed to a sudden burst of flames, only this time, the coroner, Ciaran McLoughlin, ruled that the death was the result of spontaneous human combustion. When Faherty’s remains were discovered in West Galway, Ireland, investigators were perplexed as to how he could have been completely consumed by the flames while everything else around him was largely unaffected. Moreover, like other suspected cases of spontaneous human combustion, there was no sign of any accelerants anywhere in the property. The only other damage to the building was the spots directly above and below where Faherty’s remains were discovered. Although McLoughlin rued the death to be a result of spontaneous human combustion, he issued a caveat that “a source of ignition” had to have been responsible for the fire, although he could offer no sound explanation. 

Several years later, in early 2013, the charred remains of 65-year-old Danny Vanzandt were discovered at his home in Muldrow, Oklahoma. Despite the intense damage to Vanzandt, his property was unscathed. It is interesting to note that Vanzandt was a heavy smoker with a history of struggles with alcohol, something some researchers into spontaneous human combustion have offered are key components of these bizarre cases. However, investigators found no evidence that a lit cigarette caused the fire, nor did they find any evidence that Vanzandt was drinking at the time of his death. Similar to the Faherty case, the only damage to the property was a few scorch marks close to where the remains were found. Furthermore, there were no signs of a struggle inside the house, almost as if Vanzandt had calmly allowed himself to succumb to the flames. Ultimately, his death remains unexplained. 

Around two years later, in November 2015, in the small town of Flensburg, near Hamburg in Germany, a local woman (although unnamed in the report) suddenly burst into flames in front of multiple witnesses in the middle of a busy park. Although several onlookers attempted to smother the flames, the fire spread so quickly that her entire body was engulfed in seconds. As we might imagine, there were several theories following the encounter, including that the woman had committed suicide. However, not only were there no signs of any accelerants, but none of the witnesses recalled seeing the woman self-immolate. In a strange twist to the affair, several witnesses reported seeing two strange men leaving the area shortly after the incident, with their identities remaining a complete mystery. 

Only several months later, in January 2016, in Novi Sad in Serbia, a video surfaced online (since removed) that appeared to show a man in a doorway with strange “white flames” emerging from his torso. The video showed the flames beginning to engulf the man, even though he remained “indifferent” to the situation. Then, without warning, the man simply got to his feet and “brushed off” the flames before walking off as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Various theories were aired following the footage's first appearance, including that the incident was some kind of hoax. 

With all of these cases in mind, it is worth turning our attention to the work and research of Joe Nickell and John F. Fischer, who conducted a two-year study into spontaneous human combustion in the mid-1980s. In total, they extensively studied 30 cases of spontaneous human combustion, with cases spanning three centuries, highlighting several points of interest about the phenomenon. 

One thing they highlighted was the fact that many of the victims had been discovered close to fireplaces or candles, possibly highlighting a source of ignition. Moreover, many of the victims had been incapacitated at the time of the incident, usually through alcohol consumption, something they stated was likely to make the respective victims somewhat careless in their final hours, as well as reducing their ability to respond to any situations unfolding around them. 

It was also Nickell and Fischer who put forward the “wick effect” explanation, stating that combustible materials close to the victims would have assisted in retaining melted fat, which would, in turn, localize the flames and cause the body to burn quicker, which also then melted more fat. At the time this explanation was put forward, it was felt spontaneous human consumption had at last been explained. However, in the decades that have followed, other researchers have dismissed the wick effect as simply not being plausible.

Nickell and Fischer also explained why clothing, papers, and furniture remained largely undamaged despite their proximity to the respective victims. They offered that this was because fire tended to “burn upwards” as opposed to sideways, further offering that this was similar to people and objects being around a campfire without catching fire. 

Although they had put forward multiple explanations for the cases they had studied, they cautioned against a “one size fits all” explanation and urged other researchers to investigate claims of spontaneous human combustion on a case-by-case basis. 

With that in mind, there have been many other explanations put forward to explain the mysteries of spontaneous human combustion. In his book Ablaze! The Mysterious Fires of Spontaneous Human Combustion, Larry E. Arnold suggested that a subatomic particle that he named “pyroton” could be responsible for the many cases on record. He offered that this particle could, under certain circumstances and in certain conditions, increase the body’s flammability, particularly if there was increased alcohol in the bloodstream. He also offered that stress could act in such a way. Moreover, according to Arnold’s research, this increased flammability used hardly any oxygen, which is why the body burned so quickly and why the flames themselves didn’t spread. We should note that Joe Nickell was highly critical of Arnold’s methods and conclusions, stating that he used “selective evidence” for his research. 

John Abrahamson suggested, after his research into spontaneous human combustion, that ball lightning was responsible, highlighting how cases of ball lightning had left similar charred and burnt marks on human limbs. Similar to Arnold, however, most people dismissed these findings as unlikely at best. 

Of course, one suggestion we should consider is whether there could be a more paranormal explanation for spontaneous human combustion, perhaps even dealings with demonic entities, or even the Devil himself. And while such considerations sound bizarre, there are several such cases on record. Perhaps one of the first researchers to suggest this was Michael Harrison, who drew comparisons between poltergeist activity and spontaneous human combustion in his 1976 book Fire From Heaven. He looked at several such cases, pondering if objects could burst into flames through poltergeist activity, then maybe human beings could too. It is certainly worth considering, and while it would be almost impossible to delve into this aspect of past cases, it would be interesting to find out how many people who were apparent victims of spontaneous human combustion might have also experienced paranormal or poltergeist activity in the weeks and months leading up to their unfortunate and untimely ends. 

It is also interesting to note that many people who have witnessed spontaneous human combustion up close report seeing a bizarre mix of red, orange, and blue. The color of the flames is, generally speaking, determined by the material being burned, as well as the heat of the flames themselves. Could it be, though, that in cases of spontaneous human combustion, the flames, or the source of them, is something supernatural? We might also consider, particularly in the case of the Tuck family, which we will explore in a moment, that a strong odor of sulfur was also noticed, something which is common in not only poltergeist cases, but also Bigfoot encounters, and cases of alien abduction. Once more, does this suggest some kind of connection between different aspects of the paranormal, and does spontaneous human combustion fit into these bizarre and mysterious encounters somehow?

If we turn our attention to the Tuck family, we can find not only one of the most intense poltergeist cases on record, but a case that featured regular blazes appearing out of nowhere. The encounters of the Tuck family – Calvin, his wife Willie Bell, and their six children – began in August 1958. The family, who were already living in absolute poverty, began experiencing small, unexplained fires around their home in Talladega, Alabama. Moreover, some of the objects that seemingly burst into flames were as strange as the incidents themselves. On one occasion, for example, a loaf of bread suddenly burst into flames, while on another, a single item of clothing was engulfed while nearby garments were strangely unaffected. Once more, it is worth noting that the family stated that the flames of these strange fires were a strange mix of red and blue, and were almost always accompanied by the smell of sulfur. 

These fires broke out at random times, and while they were small to begin with, the intensity soon increased, as did the regularity of the fires. In total, over 50 fires were reported by the Tuck family, with several people outside the family also witnessing these bizarre events. In fact, one person, a contractor working at the home, claimed to have witnessed small fires breaking out at the property every 15 minutes. Eventually, with no explanation in sight, the Tuck family sought help from the authorities, although they were equally as mystified. 

The family noted that these fires usually started at the ceiling, although, as the family didn’t have access to electricity, faulty wiring had to be dismissed as the cause. Eventually, with the fires becoming so regular, as well as threatening to spread to other properties, several neighbors stood guard outside the Tuck property with buckets of water, ready to put out any fires that might start while the Tuck family slept. This assistance worked temporarily. Then, however, the Tuck family was confronted with a day of “relentless” fires that spread so quickly that their home was burned to the ground. Fortunately, none of the Tuck family was harmed, but they, of course, were left homeless. With no insurance and even less money, there was no possibility for the Tuck family to rebuild. Ultimately, they moved to a nearby property. However, only hours after they had done so, fires began breaking out in their new abode. 

At this point, undoubtedly worn down by the constant bizarre activity, Calvin dragged all of the family’s possessions out of the new house and set fire to them, believing that they must be cursed and that by destroying them, they would stop the fires. It didn’t. The fires continued, eventually burning down their new property. Homeless once more, the Tuck family moved in with Calvin’s brother-in-law, Darnell Suttle. However, almost immediately, the fires followed them there also. 

The Tuck family and Suttle took to keeping buckets of water in each room, ready to douse any potential fires. Once more, the authorities were contacted, with police officers arriving at the home shortly afterward. When they arrived, they saw a blanket draped over a branch in a tree outside the house. To their absolute shock, the piece of material burst into flames right in front of them. Then, after several moments, the flames simply stopped. One of the officers walked over to the blanket and attempted to set it alight with his lighter. To his shock, the flames refused to take hold. 

Once the officers went inside the house, Willie Bell informed them that several items of their clothing had ignited similarly, with officers noting severe burn marks where the clothes had been. 

Ultimately, after several days, Suttle, fearing his own property would burn to the ground, asked the Tuck family to leave. With nowhere left to go and with no money, the Tuck family moved in with Calvin’s father. The fires, though, moved with them. At this point, with nowhere left to turn, the family sought the advice of a Voodoo doctor, who offered that a “fire curse” was responsible for the strange occurrences. He gave the family a strange herbal mixture that he instructed them to chew daily for three days, as well as a concoction in a bottle that they were to bury in the yard of the property. They did as instructed, but the fires continued. 

Shortly after, the authorities began a full investigation of the events, fearing not only for the Tuck family but also for other nearby residents, and an incident witnessed by the local Fire Chief gave the first clue as to what might be causing these bizarre events. The Fire Chief, as well as other officers, witnessed an old rag suddenly bursting into flames. However, after it had been incinerated in only a matter of seconds, they discovered a strange, green substance where the piece of material had been. Although they couldn’t explain how, they began to suspect that arson might be the cause of these strange events. In fact, when the Tuck family moved again, this time to a friend’s house, the authorities kept a close eye on them, treating the incidents as a crime. In part due to the strange green substance they had discovered, officers began to suspect that phosphorus had been used to somehow start the fires. However, while extremely flammable, phosphorus is also extremely volatile, and is only safe when handled by an expert, which Calvin or his family certainly was not. 

Then, things took an even stranger turn. 

Out of the blue, The Tucks’ 9-year-old son, Calvin Jr., claimed he was behind the fires, claiming he had started them using matches or by making rags “smolder” so that they burst into flames. He did this in an attempt to trick his family that the house they were living in was haunted in the hope that they would move back to Birmingham. He further stated that he only wanted to scare his family into moving and didn’t intend for the properties to burn down. He was sent for psychiatric evaluation, with the police more than certain that they had found their culprit. Some people, however, were more than skeptical about this confession. 

They asked, for example, how a young boy could have perfected the slow-burning process of a smoldering rag so that it appeared to simply burst into flames. Moreover, this didn’t explain the blanket that burst into flames on the tree, and we should recall that when the officer went to light the blanket, it simply wouldn’t ignite. Perhaps even more damning against the young boy’s confession was the fact that many of the fires occurred when he wasn’t even in the properties in question. 

We might consider, given the publicity the fires were generating, not to mention the concern among the local community, whether the police faced some kind of pressure to “get the case wrapped up!” This is pure speculation, but in other cases, particularly those of a paranormal nature, we have seen this type of action. 

Perhaps above all else, though, we might ask, if we assume for one moment that Calvin Jr. was responsible for the fires, how did he manage to control the flames to the point that one item was incinerated while items around them remained untouched, a detail, incidentally, that is also prevalent in cases of spontaneous human combustion. Ultimately, the cause of the fires remains a complete mystery. 

As we can see, then, spontaneous human combustion, whatever the cause might be, is very real and has left a trail of destruction and death in its wake. Are the encounters we have explored here simply cases of carelessness? Or might we even consider that one day science will understand what makes some people seemingly burst into flames? Or could it really be that these cases have more of a paranormal origin? As always, there are many more questions than answers.

{ https://mysteriousuniverse.org/ }

16-09-2025 om 18:47 geschreven door peter  

The moon is drifting AWAY from Earth at a rate of 1.5 inches per year – and it could mean days become 25 hours long, scientists warn

• READ MORE: NASA finds clearest sign of life on Mars yet

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

It's the reliable celestial companion that's stuck around for 4.5 billion years.

But the moon is slowly drifting away from Earth, a physicist has revealed.

Dr Stephen DiKerby, a researcher in Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University, said the moon is getting 1.5 inches (3.8cm) further away from our planet every year.

As a result, the Earth's rotation is also slowing down, he revealed. And it means that – over time – days could get longer.

The revelation helps explain why around 70 million years ago, near the end of the time of the dinosaurs, Earth's days were only 23.5 hours long.

As the moon continues to move further away, the number of seconds, minutes and eventually hours in a day will also gradually increase – but it's likely none of us alive today will be around to notice it.

'Don't worry, these effects are so small,' he wrote on The Conversation. '1.5 inches per year compared to a distance of 239,000 miles (384,000 km) is just 0.00000001 per cent per year.

'We'll keep having eclipses, tides and days that last 24 hours for millions of years.'

The moon is getting 1.5 inches further away from our planet every year, an expert revealed. Pictured: The moon over London in February 2023

Dr DiKerby explained that the moon is getting further away due to our tides.

The Earth's tides are strongly influenced by the moon's gravitational pull, which causes our oceans to slosh in two bulges.

One points towards the moon, because this is where the force of gravity is the strongest, while the other points away from the moon, where the force is weakest.

'These liquid bulges do not quite line up with the moon,' Dr DiKerby said. 'They "lead" it a little bit because the Earth is rotating and dragging them forward.

'This forward pull from the closer tidal bulge causes the moonto speed up, which causes the size of its orbit to increase.

'This means that the moongets slightly farther away from the Earth.'

However, he reassured that the effect is very gradual and is only detectable on average over years.

'If we fast–forward tens of billions of years into the future, eventually the Earth's rotation could slow down until it is tidally locked with the moon,' he said.

The Earth's tides are strongly influenced by the moon's gravitational pull, which causes our oceans to slosh in two bulges. Pictured: The moon over the Dolomites

'At this point the moon would stop getting more distant, and you would see the moon only from one side of the Earth.'

Future generations will never get to witness this phenomenon, however.

First, in around a billion years, the Sun will get brighter and boil away the oceans, meaning there are no longer tides to influence the moon's position in the sky, he explained. 

And second, a few billion years later, the Sun will expand into a red giant, likely destroying the Earth – and the moon.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

16-09-2025 om 18:38 geschreven door peter  

Chinese scientists hunt for alien radio signals in 'potentially habitable' TRAPPIST-1 system

By Mark Thompson

Researchers in China have conducted the most thorough search yet for alien radio signals in the nearby TRAPPIST-1 system, which may harbor potentially Earth-like planets.

Trappist-1, seen here in this illustration with the Sun for scale, has been the target of the search for extra-terrestrial signals. 

(Image credit: CactiStaccingCrane)

TRAPPIST-1 is a red dwarf star located about 40 light years away that hosts seven Earth sized rocky planets, with at least three orbiting in the habitable zone where liquid water could potentially exist. This makes it one of the most Solar System like exoplanet systems discovered, with TRAPPIST-1e considered among the best potentially habitable exoplanets. The system's proximity and multiple potentially habitable worlds make it an ideal target for searching for technological civilizations.

The research team conducted their search using the Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) to exploit its unprecedented sensitivity. The observations consisted of five independent L-band pointings, each with a 20 minute integration, for a total time of 1.67 hours. The frequency coverage spanned 1.05 to 1.45GHz with a spectral resolution of ~7.5Hz allowing them to detect extremely weak radio signals that might indicate alien technology.

The team led by Guang-Yuan Song from the Dezhou University in China looked for very precise radio frequencies that slowly changed over time due to planetary motion.

Related: 

• Will the James Webb telescope lead us to alien life? Scientists say we're getting closer than ever.

Such signals would be virtually impossible to produce naturally and would strongly suggest artificial origin from an advanced civilization. Based on the configuration of FAST, the researchers had the ability to detect radio signals as weak as 2.04×10^10 watts. This means they were able to detect fainter signals than any previous studies. If there were aliens transmitting radio signals regularly on a specific frequency, this study would be more likely to find them than earlier attempts.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Alas, the search found no convincing evidence of alien technology. However, rather than being disappointing, this result still provides valuable scientific information. It places upper limits on the presence of certain types of alien transmitters in the TRAPPIST-1 system and demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of modern SETI searches.

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• Potentially habitable planet TRAPPIST-1b may have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere
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• Cosmic rays could help support alien life on worlds outside the 'Goldilocks zone'

It may be some years or even decades before we can completely rule out life in the TRAPPIST-1 system but at least for now, it remains a compelling target for future SETI efforts. The team plans to expand their search to look for other types of signals, including periodic or transient transmissions that might be missed by current methods.

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence remains one of our most profound scientific endeavors, with the potential to fundamentally transform our understanding of our place in the universe. As we continue to peer out into space with ever greater precision, we're not just looking for aliens, we're taking the first steps toward what may be the most significant moment in human history.​​​​​​​​​​

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{ https://www.livescience.com/space/extraterrestrial-life }

15-09-2025 om 22:27 geschreven door peter  

Scientists measure the 'natal kick' that sent a baby black hole careening through space for the first time

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"It's a remarkable demonstration of what gravitational waves can do," study co-author Koustav Chandra, an astrophysicist at Pennsylvania State University said in a statement.

Collision signals

When black holes careen toward one another they produce gravitational waves. But when one black hole is much more massive than the other, the gravitational waves produced look very different depending on the angle from which they are observed.

By looking from different angles, researchers can find the direction of the kick. Then, the kick’s speed can be determined by measuring the mass ratio and spin of the two original black holes — information that can also be determined from studying gravitational waves.

Related: 

• Scientists detect most massive black hole merger ever — and it birthed a monster 225 times as massive as the sun

If the recoil from the collision is strong enough to slingshot the merged black hole from its star cluster, this prevents this new black hole from subsequently merging with other black holes and potentially forming a supermassive black hole — which can be 100,000 to 50 billion times the mass of the sun. This makes understanding the speed and direction of kicks essential for tracking the formation of supermassive black holes.

In 2018, study co-author Juan Calderón Bustillo and his colleagues figured out exactly how to measure the natal kick based on these gravitational wave signals. But their model had to rely on simulations, as no black hole merger resulting in a recoil had been detected at that point.

Then, on April 12, 2019, the Advanced LIGO detectors in Louisiana and Washington State and the Virgo detector in Italy recorded the GW190412 picked up a signal resulting from two stellar-mass black holes merging: One 29.7 times as massive as the sun and the other 8.4 times as massive.

Despite taking place more than 2.4 billion light-years away from Earth, the researchers used two angles relative to Earth to determine where the kick sent the newborn black hole. It raced away from its birth site, likely a dense grouping of stars called a globular cluster, at an astonishing 111,600 miles per hour (179,600 kilometers per hour). This speed would be more than enough to enable it to escape the cluster and become a runaway black hole.

"This is one of the few phenomena in astrophysics where we're not just detecting something," Chandra said. "We're reconstructing the full 3D motion of an object that's billions of light-years away, using only ripples in spacetime."

The team’s next steps will be to look for more black hole mergers to measure with both gravitational waves and visible light, a search that could yield deeper insights into how the cosmic monsters grow.

{ https://www.livescience.com/space }

15-09-2025 om 22:14 geschreven door peter  

Scientists reveal exactly what will happen if the Earth continues to spin faster - including devastating earthquakes and catastrophic flooding

• READ MORE: Experts blame climate change for the record–breaking summer

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

You may already feel as if there’s not enough time in the day. 

But it's not just your imagination – the days have been getting shorter. 

According to scientists, July 9, July 22 and August 5 this year were between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24-hour day. 

Although the exact reason is still a mystery, there could be several causes, such as changes in the atmosphere, the melting of glaciers, motion in the Earth's core, and a weakening magnetic field.

While the loss of a few milliseconds is not a cause for too much concern, a frightening new book imagines a world literally 'spinning out of control'.

In 'Circular Motion' by Alex Foster, days on Earth last 23 hours, then 20 hours, and then eventually two hours.

Like a supercharged spinning top, the planet spins so fast that even gravity loses its grip, as the sun rises and sets ever faster. 

Now, experts reveal the real implications of such a terrifying scenario, from large-scale disasters, floods and earthquakes. 

A new novel called 'Circular Motion' by Alex Foster imagines a world literally spinning out of control, until a day last just two hours 

In Foster's new novel, Earth's rotation speeds up due to a network of massive aircraft that orbit the Earth at 30,000 feet, revolutionising global transportation. 

The acceleration of Earth’s spin begins gradually, and days are just a few seconds shorter than normal, so nobody initially notices. 

However, Earth’s spin progressively gets faster and faster until a day lasts just two hours – triggering a global catastrophe. 

If Earth's spin really did get faster, experts say it cause a 'centrifugal effect' where the things start to swing away from the planet's axis, much like the hanging chairs on a spinning carousel ride.

Earth's oceans would start to bulge around the equator, giving the planet more of a diamond shape, with sloping northern and southern hemispheres. 

Water pulled from the polar regions (where centrifugal force is low) would cause the Arctic Ocean to become shallower and send the equatorial region underwater. 

Even land around the equator that's not underwater could have a greatly increased chance of tsunamis and flooding. 

Duncan Agnew, professor of geophysics at the University of California San Diego, said the 'largest changes would be in the ocean tides'. 

This long-exposure photo of the northern night sky above the Nepali Himalayas shows the apparent paths of the stars as Earth rotates. If Earth spun fast enough, is this what we would see?

According to scientists, July 9, July 22 and August 5 this year were between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24-hour day . Although the exact reason is still a mystery, there could be several causes, such as changes in the atmosphere, the melting of glaciers, motion in the Earth's core, and a weakening magnetic field (stock image)

Could the world keep going faster?

It is unlikely that the world will start to spin faster. In fact, the world is actually slowing down over time.

About 4.4 billion years ago, the planet was spinning so fast that days lasted four minutes. But this slowed down after a large object hit Earth and created the moon.

The only way Earth could speed up is if a large object hits at just the right angle. But this would likely liquify the planet's crust, so no humans would survive to see the results.  

As any beach-goer knows, in coastal areas around the world there are high tides and low tides, which are due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, combined with the rotation of Earth.  

The daily rotation of the Earth produces two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes. 

'Change that by 10 per cent and the tides in some places would get larger and in others smaller,' Professor Agnew told the Daily Mail. 

Also, the faster the Earth's spin, the faster tectonic plates would move, would could add to more geological stress and 'a lot of earthquakes', the academic added. 

It’s worth remembering that the equator (where Earth’s circumference is the widest) spins faster than elsewhere, such as the tropics or the poles. 

The equator spins at about 1,025 miles (1,650km) per hour, while the poles spin barely above zero miles per hour. 

As Earth spins and we go around with it, we are held into place by gravity, but if the Earth spun fast enough, centrifugal force would overcome gravity, causing objects to be flung into space. 

'The faster Earth turns, the more gravity will be canceled out and the lighter you’ll feel,' said Foster in a piece for New Scientist. 

Hurricanes will spin faster and carry more energy if the world's spin greatly increases, researchers claim. In this picture from space, a swirling hurricane forms

The faster Earth's spin, the faster tectonic plates would move, would could add to more geological stress and 'a lot of earthquakes'. Pictured, damage from Afghanistan earthquake, September 4, 2025

NASA astronomer Dr Sten Odenwald also warned that weather phenomena would become more extreme, capable of causing more damage. 

As the planet spins faster, an apparent force known as the Coriolis effect, which gives hurricanes their spin, intensifies. 

'Hurricanes will spin faster and carry more energy,' Dr Odenwald said.

If Earth’s spin increased, there would of course also be both less sunlight in the day and less time to sleep at night, which might make humans less productive. 

People would have keep putting their clocks back as the days shortened, or come up with a whole new time-keeping system.

Humans have a 'circadian rhythm' – an internal clock that is closely attuned to the 24-hour day – which can cause physical and mental issues if disrupted (by factors like plane travel).

Additionally, many satellites would no longer be positioned correctly, which could disrupt satellite communications, internet, TV broadcasting and more.

Luckily, Professor Agnew said the idea of Earth's rotation speeding up to the extent portrayed in the new novel is a 'particularly absurd premise'. 

Each day on Earth contains 86,400 seconds, but the rotation isn't uniform, which means over the course of a year, each day has a fraction of a second more or less

'This cannot happen and nothing like it has ever been observed for any planet or star,' Professor Agnew told the Daily Mail. 

In actual fact, the Earth has been rotating more and more slowly over the long-term, but this change has been very gradual.

'A billion years ago the day was maybe 19 hours long,' he told the Daily Mail. 

'If you went back to when there were dinosaurs and didn't have a clock you wouldn't probably notice that the day was 30 minutes shorter.' 

Dr Judah Levine, Fellow of the US government's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland, also questioned how close the book's premise is to 'real physics'. 

'If the story is loosely connected to reality, then the speed-up of Earth had to be accompanied by something else losing angular momentum, maybe the orbit of the moon,' he told the Daily Mail. 

'This is a fundamental principle.'

Maybe the orbit of the moon losing angular momentum could cause the speed-up of Earth, he added.  

'If that is what happens, the moon gets a lot closer, and the tidal effects become much stronger and more frequent because the periods are driven by the length of the day.' 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

15-09-2025 om 20:51 geschreven door peter  

Earth has another moon! Hidden 'quasi-moon' has been following our planet for decades, astronomers reveal

• READ MORE:  NASA finds clearest sign of life on Mars

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

For the last 4.5 billion years our planet has had a reliable celestial companion – the moon.

Its orbit around the Earth has a profound effect on life here, from influencing the tides to stabilising our seasons.

But astronomers have now discovered another sidekick that may have been following our planet around for some time.

Experts at the Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii have spotted a quasi-moon, called ‘2025 PN7’, that has been tagging along after Earth since the 1960s.

This cosmic body is actually an asteroid, they explained, and – rather than orbit the Earth – it is orbiting the Sun on a similar trajectory to our planet.

The astronomers made the discovery after analysing orbital data from the asteroid, which is just 19 metres (62ft) wide.

They determined it has been in a quasi-orbit for around 60 years and would likely be nearby for another 60 years or so before departing.

It joins the six other known quasi-moons in Earth-like orbits - but boasts the title of the ‘smallest and the least stable’.

Experts have spotted a quasi-moon, an asteroid called ‘2025 PN7’, that has been tagging along after Earth since the 1960s

(stock image)

Scientists have been aware of quasi-satellites since 1991 when they first discovered ‘1991 VG’ – which some believed to be an alien probe at the time.

‘Over three decades later, it is now widely accepted that such objects are natural and constitute a secondary asteroid belt that occupies the region in which the Earth-moon system orbits around the sun,’ the researchers wrote.

Unlike our moon, which can usually been seen with the naked eye, this quasi-moon is only visible through good telescopes.

And although it may appear to be orbiting Earth it is not gravitationally bound to our planet.

While it may sound like this neighbour has been ‘following’ Earth for quite some time, it’s relatively short compared to another famous quasi-moon, Kamo’oalewa, which has an Earth-related orbit lasting around 381 years.

Quasi-moons are part of a special category of space objects called Arjunas, that move in sync with our planet’s journey around the sun.

2025 PN7 maintains a wide range of distances from Earth – anywhere between around 2.8 million miles (4.5 million km) and 37 million miles (59 million km).

These quasi-moons in Earth-like orbits are ‘full of surprises’ co-author Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, from the Complutense University of Madrid, told Live Science.

Earth's orbit around the Sun (blue) contrasted with that of its quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa (yellow, labeled with its provisional designation 2016 HO3). The large yellow circle traces just one of the quasi-moon's orbits around the Sun. Over many orbits, it also traces the series of loops around Earth shown to the right

This new quasi-moon is ‘small, faint and visibility windows from Earth are rather unfavourable, so it is not surprising that it went unnoticed for that long,’ he explained.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which recently became operational, can scan for other quasi-moons and ‘may uncover many more’.

The latest discovery was recently published in Research Notes of the AAS.

Alongside quasi-moons the Earth is sometimes joined by ‘minimoons’ – objects that do orbit our planet but only temporarily.

Only four have ever been discovered, and none are still orbiting Earth.

Experts from The Planetary Society said: ‘Quasi-moons and minimoons are pieces of our neighbourhood in space, and they carry information about where they come from. They might originate in the main asteroid belt, from impacts on the Moon, or from the break-up of larger objects on similar orbits — scientists don’t know for sure.

‘Answering that question, and finding out what these almost-moons are made of, can help researchers learn more about asteroids and how they threaten Earth.’

The phases of the moon

Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates. 

The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we are able to see of that illuminated half changes as the Moon travels through its orbit.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the phases of the moon are:

1. New Moon

This is the invisible phase of the Moon, with the illuminated side of the Moon facing the Sun and the night side facing Earth.

2. Waxing crescent

This silver sliver of a Moon occurs when the illuminated half of the Moon faces mostly away from Earth, with only a tiny portion visible to us from our planet.

3. First Quarter 

The Moon is now a quarter of the way through its monthly journey and you see half of its illuminated side. 

4. Waxing Gibbous

Now most of the Moon's dayside has come into view, and the Moon appears brighter in the sky. 

5. Full Moon

This is as close as we come to seeing the Sun's illumination of the entire day side of the Moon.

6. Waning Gibbous

As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the opposite side of the Moon now reflects the Moon’s light. 

7. Last Quarter

The Moon looks like it’s half illuminated from the perspective of Earth, but really you’re seeing half of the half of the Moon that’s illuminated by the Sun ― or a quarter. 

8. Waning Crescent

The Moon is nearly back to the point in its orbit where its dayside directly faces the Sun, and all that we see from our perspective is a thin curve. 

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{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

15-09-2025 om 20:38 geschreven door peter