Exploring the Cosmos: Insights and Discoveries with the latest space news in 2024

What we’ve been up to: 

Hari and Sam share a personal encounter with US Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, emphasizing the importance of diving into science for aspiring astronauts and underscoring the invaluable experiences and advice from pioneers in space exploration.

For what’s in the sky in February, check out this link

What everyone else’s been up to:

February 2024 brings an array of fascinating discoveries and technological advancements. From the icy surfaces of distant moons to the innovative endeavours of human spaceflight, the cosmos continues to unveil its mysteries. We selected our favourite events that happened in the last month.

Highlights in Space News from February 2024 – space exploration

Earth’s Past and Present: Our planet once experienced an extreme ice age, transforming it into a frozen “snowball” around 700 million years ago. This was attributed to a significant drop in volcanic CO2 emissions. It contrasts starkly with today’s rapid, human-induced climate change, showcasing the dynamic nature of Earth’s climate. Read more.

Mars and Beyond: The red planet continues to intrigue, with the Ingenuity helicopter completing an unprecedented mission despite challenges. Send a postcard to Ingenuity and its team. Meanwhile, discovering that human gut bacteria could thrive in Martian soil poses new considerations for future missions. Discover the implications.

via GIPHY

Lunar Insights: As we prepare for the Artemis missions, the innovative use of a flywheel for astronaut exercise and the significance of Intuitive Machines’ moon landing pave the way for sustainable lunar exploration. Learn about Artemis 2’s preparations.

Cultural Connections: The introduction of an Indigenous art patch for the Artemis 2 mission by Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen highlights the integration of cultural heritage with space exploration, offering a unique perspective on our journey to the stars. Explore the design.

The Enigmatic Titan: A study has revealed that Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, likely has a subsurface ocean that is uninhabitable, diminishing hopes of finding life there. This discovery suggests reevaluating expectations for extraterrestrial life within our solar system, especially in the icy worlds of the outer planets. Despite Titan being rich in organic molecules, the small amount of organics transferred to its subsurface ocean through impacts is insufficient to support life, underscoring the complexities of life-sustaining conditions beyond Earth​​. Dive into Titan’s mysteries.

Podcasts

On Earth, Neil DeGrasse-Tyson launched his live channel on Pluto TV – the irony is not lost on many people, Seth Shostak is complaining about Luddites and Hari and Sam talk about naming Matariki correctly and what’s in the sky.

Through these explorations and discoveries, the cosmos invites us to question, learn, and dream. Each step we take, whether on the surface of Mars, the icy moons of Saturn, or beyond, brings us closer to understanding the universe and our place within it. Join us on this journey as we continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge and technology, always aiming for the stars.

A summary of space news articles we liked best in February 2024

1. Astrobiology and the search for life: A recent study published in Science Advances by an international team led by biologists from Ghent University and involving the British Antarctic Survey reveals unique evolutionary paths of microorganisms in over 200 lakes across the Arctic, sub-Antarctic, and Antarctic regions. This large-scale DNA analysis showcases distinct microbial communities at Earth’s poles, influenced by their unique geological and climatic histories. These findings emphasize the critical need to preserve these delicate ecosystems amidst increasing human impacts, particularly in Antarctica. For more detailed insights, you can read the full article on Astrobiology.com.
2. Human bacteria might survive on Mars: A study published in Astrobiology by a team from the University of Arizona and international collaborators reveals that four human-infectious bacteria can survive under Mars-like conditions. This research in a laboratory simulating the Martian environment highlights potential health risks for astronauts from microbes inadvertently carried to Mars. These bacteria’s survival and possible mutation under Martian conditions necessitate precautions for future manned missions to the Red Planet. For more information, visit Astrobiology.com.
3. Early Universe and Black Holes: The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that black holes existed at the dawn of time, playing a crucial role in forming galaxies and stars and challenging our understanding of the sequence of cosmic events [source].
4. Asteroid Water Discovery: Observations have detected molecular water on asteroids thought to be dry, suggesting a more complex distribution of water in our solar system and its implications for understanding planetary formation and potential for life [source].
5. Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: A new method, the SETI Ellipsoid technique, enhances the search for alien technosignatures by focusing on specific cosmic events and the synchronized signals that extraterrestrial civilizations might send [source].
6. Ocean Worlds: Mimas, a moon of Saturn, has been found to harbour a global ocean beneath its icy surface, indicating a more dynamic history and geology of solar system bodies than previously understood [source].
7. Mars Exploration and Ingenuity: The Ingenuity helicopter’s mission on Mars has ended after surpassing expectations and demonstrating the feasibility of powered flight on another planet, opening new avenues for future exploration [source].
8. Earth’s Snowball Era: A study suggests a severe ice age transformed Earth into a frozen “snowball” 700 million years ago, likely due to a drastic reduction in volcanic CO2 emissions. This event contrasts sharply with today’s rapid, human-induced climate change [source].
9. SpaceX Crew-8 Launch Delay: NASA’s Crew-8 mission on a SpaceX Crew Dragon to the ISS was delayed to accommodate a private moon mission, highlighting the intricate scheduling of space launches [source].
10. Mars Mission and Gut Bacteria: Research indicates that bacteria from human guts could survive on Mars, posing a potential threat to future crewed missions by potentially contaminating Martian soil [source].
11. Artemis 2 Astronaut Exercise: Astronauts preparing for the Artemis 2 moon mission will use a flywheel device for exercise, mimicking the training methods of boxers [source].
12. Intuitive Machines’ Moon Landing: NASA’s collaboration with Intuitive Machines aims to address lunar challenges such as communication and temperature, paving the way for future Artemis astronaut missions [source].
13. Artemis 2 Indigenous Art Patch: Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen introduces an Indigenous art-inspired mission patch for Artemis 2, reflecting an appreciation for Indigenous knowledge [source].
14. Solar Eclipse on Mars: NASA’s Perseverance rover captures a video of Mars’ moon Phobos crossing the sun, providing a unique view of celestial events from the Martian surface [source].
15. Orbital Resonance: A study on planets orbiting a star 100 light-years away reveals their orbits are in perfect synchrony, demonstrating orbital resonance [source].
16. Life on Mars and Volcanoes: Findings suggest Mars’ Eridania region could have supported life near active volcanoes and an ancient lake, expanding areas of interest for life evidence searches [source].
17. Speed of Light Travel: Theoretical challenges prevent objects with mass from reaching the speed of light, as their mass would infinitely increase, requiring infinite energy [source].
18. Milky Way’s Black Hole: Observations suggest the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way is warping spacetime into an oval shape, like a rugby ball, demonstrating the effect of “frame dragging” [source].
19. Ingenuity’s Final Resting Place: NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity’s last landing site was named “Valinor Hills,” inspired by “The Lord of the Rings” [source].
20. Artemis 2 Mission Delay Explanation: Astronaut Jeremy Hansen discusses the rationale behind delaying Artemis 2 to 2025, emphasizing risk management and the importance of thorough preparation [source].
21. ‘Spacewoman’ Documentary: A new film will celebrate Eileen Collins, the first female space commander, highlighting her groundbreaking career and contributions to space exploration [source].
22. Valentine’s Day 2024 Rocket Launches: A day marked by multiple rocket launches, all successful, including a private moon probe, showcasing the dynamic nature of current space exploration efforts [source].
23. Communicating with Aliens: Explorations into xenolinguistics consider the potential for sharing with extraterrestrial intelligence, inspired by constructs like the Klingon language [source].

For more in-depth explorations and the latest space news, follow the hyperlinks to delve into the wonders of our universe.