Latest news with #Earth-based
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Moon dust less harmful to human lungs than city pollution
Researchers have made a stunning new analysis of lunar dust as countries across the world prepare to send humans to live and work on the at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) has found that lunar dust is less harmful to human lung cells than previously feared. They added that it is significantly less toxic than common Earth-based air latest research comes as the US, China, and Russia prepare to mount major manned missions to the Moon in a bid to colonise Earth's lone natural satellite. The latest study provides reassuring data for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon. The study, published in Life Sciences in Space Research, investigated the impact of the most accurate, new-generation lunar dust simulants on human lung cells in the lab. 'Our findings suggest that while lunar dust may cause some immediate irritation to the airways, it does not appear to pose a risk for chronic, long-term diseases like silicosis, which is caused by materials like silica dust,' lead researcher and UTS PhD candidate Michaela B. Smith study found that while the sharp, abrasive lunar dust can act as a physical irritant, it did not cause the severe cellular damage or inflammation seen from the urban Earth dust. 'It's important to distinguish between a physical irritant and a highly toxic substance,' Smith is worth mentioning that during the Apollo lunar missions, when astronauts landed on the Moon, lunar dust was a big health the Apollo missions, the primary route of exposure occurred after extravehicular activity. 'When astronauts re-entered their landing module, fine dust that had clung to their spacesuits became airborne in the confined cabin and was subsequently inhaled, leading to respiratory issues, sneezing, and eye irritation,' said research focused on fine dust particles (2.5 micrometres), which are small enough to bypass the body's natural defences and penetrate deep into the lower airways of the analysis revealed that dust found on Earth had a greater inflammatory response and was more toxic to the cells than the lunar dust the lunar simulants did not trigger significant oxidative stress, a key chemical damage pathway often associated with fine particle the findings reduce a critical risk factor, Nasa is still taking the threat of dust exposure seriously. Must Watch
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Oh Great, Starlink Might Be Blocking Signals That Are Basically From the Dawn of Time
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: SpaceX's Starlink satellites were known to interfere with visible light astronomical observations, but many have now been found to be interfering with radio observations by leaking radio emissions. While this is unintentional, unchecked leakage of radio waves could block observations that go back to when the universe was only a billion years old. Starlink needs to intervene as soon as possible, before the emissions end up blocking faint light from the Epoch of Reionization—when neutral hydrogen was reionized by light from the first stars. Mega-constellations of satellites are connecting more and more of the world to the internet, beaming it down to Earth on an unprecedented scale. Unfortunately, in that process, they seem to be putting other scientific efforts at risk. With over 7,600 small satellites hovering in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and a total of 12,000 (with an extension to a possible 36,000) planned, SpaceX's Starlink is without a doubt the largest satellite mega-constellation bringing internet to the masses. But it comes at a cost—while Starlink is in compliance with regulations intended to keep it from interfering with scientific observations, unintentional leakage of radio waves from thousands of its satellites has reached a level that could severely interfere with observations of faint radio sources going back to the early days of the universe. SpaceX has managed to prevent some interference by switching off beams that transmit internet when their satellites pass over telescopes, but that hasn't cancelled out the entire problem. Astronomer Steven Tingay of Curtin University's International Center for Radio Astronomy Research in Australia is concerned. He and colleagues Dylan Grigg and Marcin Sokolowski investigated the types of emissions that were leaking from Starlink satellites, how much of these emissions were being released, and in what ways the mega-constellation could have a negative impact on Earth-based radio observations. He previously used the SKA-Low prototype station to analyze satellite constellation impacts on radio astronomy. 'A small fraction of the radio spectrum across the SKA-Low's bandwidth has protection for radio astronomy,' Tingay, Grigg, and Sokolowski said in a study recently posted to the preprint server arXiv. 'Although these protections exist, a succession of research has shown that an increasing number of satellites are being detected transmitting unintended electromagnetic radiation (UEMR) outside their designated downlink frequencies, and sometimes at these protected frequencies.' Some of SKA-Low's bandwidth—3.7 percent, to be exact—is protected by the International Telecommunications Union's Radiocommunication. But 3.7 percent is proving not to be enough. Starlink launches were already problematic when Tingay and his team conducted the study, with 477 satellites being sent to space during the four months they were collecting data. The two frequencies being released by many of the satellites in the constellation were 137.5 MHz and 159.4 MHz, which are two of the same radio frequencies at which astronomical observations are made. Tingay's team conducted the largest survey of Starlink satellites at SKA-Low frequencies. While there are there different models of satellite producing varying emissions, most of the ones that were leaking the problematic radio waves were type v2-mini-Ku (though, some v2-mini DTC and v1.5 models were also emitting waves at these frequencies). Starlink owns 75% of the v2-mini-Ku satellites in orbit, meaning that the company has the greatest responsibility when it comes to leakage from from these particular models. Leakage may go beyond interference in certain domains, even going so far as to potentially block observations that go all the way back to the Epoch of Reionizaiton—about a billion years after the Big Bang. This was when most of the electrically neutral hydrogen in the universe was charged by rising levels of radiation from the most ancient massive stars, known as Population III or Pop III stars (no Pop III stars have been detected yet). If left unchecked, radio emissions from Starlink satellites could get in the way of monumental discoveries. 'Future mitigation of the UEMR from Starlink satellites will be key for ultra-sensitive experiments with the SKA,' the researchers said. 'SpaceX has made significant progress liaising with astronomers in the optical domain, and we hope to keep this dialogue open in the radio domain.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Time of India
4 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Moon at risk? Asteroid the size of Leaning Tower of Pisa might not hit Earth, but odds of it striking the Moon have just increased
In December 2024, astronomers discovered asteroid 2024 YR4 , a space rock that routinely crosses Earth's orbit. Observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in May 2024 have refined the asteroid's trajectory, revealing a slightly increased chance of a lunar impact on December 22, 2032, now at 4.3%. While there is no risk of the asteroid impacting Earth in the foreseeable future, scientists are closely monitoring its path and welcome a potential lunar impact as a valuable learning opportunity. Asteroid 2024 YR4 is estimated to be between 174 and 220 feet in diameter. This is about the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Early projections indicated a potential Earth collision in 2032, with impact odds peaking at 3.1% in February. Subsequent observations with JWST and ground-based telescopes reduced the Earth impact probability to zero. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Chula Vista: Stunning New 2-Bed Senior Apartments (Take A Peek Inside) Senior Apartments | Search Ads Click Here Undo The probability of a lunar impact, however, has increased. The initial JWST imaging in March reported a 3.8% chance of a lunar collision. "As data comes in, it is normal for the impact probability to evolve," NASA representatives wrote in the statement. Live Events The asteroid was observed by JWST's Near-Infrared Camera in May. These observations allowed scientists to calculate the space rock's trajectory with greater precision. The range of possible locations for 2024 YR4 on Dec. 22, 2032, has decreased as NASA gained more data. This improved the certainty of the asteroid's position. If an asteroid of this size were to impact Earth, it could cause significant damage. It could wipe out a city with the equivalent force of 500 Hiroshima bombs. A collision with the moon would create a new crater. However, it would not be devastating to Earth's satellite. Some scientists view a lunar impact as a positive event. It would provide a valuable opportunity to study asteroid impact prediction. "We've got our fingers crossed for a moon impact," Alan Fitzsimmons , a physics and math professor at Queen's University Belfast in the U.K. who was not involved in the JWST observations, told New Scientist in March. "It would have no effect on Earth, but would allow us to study the formation of a lunar crater by a known asteroid for the very first time." The asteroid is currently moving toward the outer solar system. It is beyond the view of Earth-based telescopes.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Asteroid's odds of hitting the Moon have now more than doubled
Earth is safe from asteroid 2024 YR4, but fresh looks at the space rock using Webb and other telescopes have now increased its chances of impacting the Moon. After a brief stint as the highest risk asteroid we know about, 2024 YR4 is now deemed harmless to Earth. In fact, NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) and the ESA's Near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre (NEOCC) now only give a very slim chance of any threat from it. That probability now sits at just 1 in 120,000, but in 2047, a full 15 years after the 2032 encounter that initially raised so many alarms. However, based on the newest telescopic observations of 2024 YR4, its December 22, 2032 flyby may be the last time it ever passes by our planet. The extreme sensitivity of the James Webb Space Telescope allowed astronomers to continue to observe the asteroid long after it moved beyond the capabilities of Earth-based telescopes. Using the data collected by Webb, scientists with CNEOS updated their calculations of 2024 YR4's orbital path. Back at the end of February, when NASA had ruled out any significant danger to Earth from the asteroid, they also determined there was a 1.7 per cent chance it would strike the Moon. The new data has now increased that probability to 4.3 per cent. That's more than double the initial chance of lunar impact. The latest probability of impact for asteroid 2024 YR4, as of June 3, 2025, at 4.3 per cent of striking the Moon on December 22, 2032. Along the top of the image is NASA's sequence of plots generated from Jan 27 through Feb 23 showing how the asteroid's closest approach to Earh changed as observations refined its orbit. (NASA CNEOS) A 4.3 per cent of impact still counts as a 95.7 per cent chance that it will miss the Moon. So, with it having no chance of hitting Earth on that date, 2024 YR4 could simply slip through lunar orbit with no effect at all — just a telescopic curiosity to observe as it passes by. Still, at an estimated 65-metres wide, when 2024 YR4 was still thought to be a threat to Earth, it was (unofficially) considered to be a 'city-killer' asteroid. It was highly unlikely to have hit anywhere inhabited. However, if it did, that size of asteroid would have caused extensive damage on a local level. For any city in the impact zone, the effects would have been catastrophic. An estimate of the size and shape of asteroid 2024 YR4 based on telescopic observations. (NOIRLab) For comparison, the 20-metre asteroid that exploded over Cheylabinsk on February 15, 2013 produced an airburst — a pressurized wave of air — that shattered windows across the city when it reached the ground. Tiny fragments of the asteroid rained down over the area, with the largest piece, roughly 60 cm wide and with a mass of around 300 kg, punching a hole in the frozen surface of nearby Lake Chebarkul. The airburst that would result from 65-metre 2024 YR4 exploding would be powerful enough to level buildings. While not large enough to produce a crater, the shattered asteroid would likely include several larger pieces that would cause further damage and injuries upon striking the ground. If 2024 YR4 does hit the Moon in 2032, with no atmosphere to slow it down, it would impact with full force, travelling at nearly 13 kilometres per second, or over 46,000 km/h. The Waning Gibbous phase of the Moon on the night of December 22, 2032. (NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio) If it strikes somewhere in the dark region of the surface, the impact will certainly be noticeable from Earth. It wouldn't be powerful enough to affect the Moon's orbit, or knock any significant pieces off the Moon. It would certainly leave behind a crater that an orbiting spacecraft (such as NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) would be able to find, though. According to NASA, as of now, 2024 YR4 has moved beyond even Webb's ability to observe it, as it is now too close to the Sun. The next 'encounter' with the asteroid will be in 2028, with its closest pass at that time being around 20 times farther than the Moon. Telescopes should be able to find and track it, though, adding more to our knowledge of its orbit, and potentially locking down whether it will hit or miss the Moon when it returns four years later. (Thumbnail image was produced by the author, using photo-editing software, by adding a 3D computer model of asteroid 2024 YR4 to a background image of the Moon taken during NASA's Artemis 1 mission.) Click here to view the video
NDTV
12-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Scientists Observe Light Of "Cosmic Dawn" With Telescope On Earth For The First Time Ever
Astronomers have used Earth-based telescopes to observe "Cosmic Dawn", which is the early period in the universe's history, around 800 million years after the Big Bang, when the first stars and galaxies formed, emitting light that ended the cosmic dark ages. This era was a significant milestone in the universe's evolution as massive stars and galaxies were formed and the universe's structure and composition were shaped. Scientists have used James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations of distant galaxies to get insights into the cosmic dawn. Computational models also help understand galaxy formation and evolution. "People thought this couldn't be done from the ground. Astronomy is a technology-limited field, and microwave signals from the Cosmic Dawn are famously difficult to measure," team leader and Johns Hopkins professor of physics and astronomy, Tobias Marriage, said in a statement. "Ground-based observations face additional challenges compared to space. Overcoming those obstacles makes this measurement a significant achievement," Marriage added. Cosmic dawn insights shed light on the universe's early stages, providing an understanding of the universe's origins. The scientists were able to get a new glimpse of Cosmic Dawn using the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS), which is an array of telescopes located high in the Atacama Desert region of Northern Chile. The main objective of CLASS is to observe the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which is a cosmic fossil left over from an event just after the Big Bang. The changes in the atmosphere, weather and temperature can distort the light, broadcast radio waves, radar, and satellites can access their signal on Earth. The light from Cosmic Dawn is extremely faint as the wavelength is in millimetres, which is obvious as it has travelled to us for 13 billion years and more. The signal from polarised microwave light is about a million times fainter. Polarisation means the orientation of oscillations or vibrations in a wave, such as light or electromagnetic waves. This can happen when light hits an object and scatters off it. "When light hits the hood of your car and you see a glare, that's polarization. To see clearly, you can put on polarized glasses to take away glare," said team member Yunyang Li, who was a PhD student at Johns Hopkins. "Using the new common signal, we can determine how much of what we're seeing is cosmic glare from light bouncing off the hood of the Cosmic Dawn, so to speak," added Yunyang, who was a fellow at the University of Chicago while this research was being conducte
