Stellar Measurements, Icy Moon Missions, and Meteorite Ownership Dilemmas: S04E23

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of space and

0:03 Speaker 1: astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and today we'll explore

0:06 Speaker 1: some fascinating developments in space science. From black holes to meteorites,

0:11 Speaker 1: and from lunar glass homes to groundbreaking NASA missions. A

0:16 Speaker 1: lot to cover, so let's get started. In an exciting

0:19 Speaker 1: development for our understanding of the cosmos, scientists have made

0:23 Speaker 1: significant progress in measuring the universe's expansion rate thanks to

0:28 Speaker 1: combined observations from both the Hubble and James Webb Space telescopes.

0:33 Speaker 1: These latest findings are helping to fine tune one of

0:36 Speaker 1: astronomy's most crucial measurements, the Hubble constant. The Hubble constant

0:41 Speaker 1: tells us how fast galaxies are moving away from each

0:44 Speaker 1: other as the universe expans. Think of it as the

0:47 Speaker 1: cosmic speedometer of our universe. Recent analysis from the James

0:52 Speaker 1: Webb Space Telescope has validated earlier calculations made by Hubble,

0:56 Speaker 1: providing even more precise measurements. When the research team combined

1:01 Speaker 1: all measurements from both telescopes, they found the Hubble constant

1:04 Speaker 1: to be approximately seventy two point six kilometers per second

1:08 Speaker 1: per megaparsec. This means that for every megaparsec, roughly three

1:13 Speaker 1: point two six million light years, galaxies are moving away

1:17 Speaker 1: from each other at about seventy two point six kilometers

1:19 Speaker 1: per second. This conformation is particularly significant because it helps

1:23 Speaker 1: address what scientists call the Hubble tension, a long standing

1:27 Speaker 1: disagreement between different methods of measuring the universe's expansion rate.

1:31 Speaker 1: The new data from James Web provides independent verification of

1:35 Speaker 1: Hubble's observations, giving astronomers more confidence in their understanding of

1:39 Speaker 1: this fundamental cosmic property. The team used several techniques to

1:43 Speaker 1: reach these conclusions, including studying special types of stars called

1:47 Speaker 1: Cepheid variables and explosive events known as type one A supernovae.

1:52 Speaker 1: These cosmic phenomena act like standard candles, allowing astronomers to

1:56 Speaker 1: measure vast distances across space with remarkable precision. Next up today,

2:02 Speaker 1: in one of the most intriguing quests for extraterrestrial life,

2:06 Speaker 1: scientists are turning to Earth's Arctic Ocean as a testing

2:09 Speaker 1: ground for future missions to Saturn's moon, Enceladus. This icy

2:13 Speaker 1: moon has captured the imagination of astrobiologists worldwide since the

2:17 Speaker 1: Cassini mission discovered its subsurface ocean and active geysers erupting

2:21 Speaker 1: from its south pole. The Arctic ocean serves as an

2:25 Speaker 1: excellent analog for Ensilatus's conditions, with its ice covered surface

2:29 Speaker 1: and underwater hydrothermal vents. Scientists are collecting water and ice

2:34 Speaker 1: samples searching for telltale chemical signatures like methane and hydrogen

2:37 Speaker 1: that could indicate biological activity. These same chemical markers could

2:41 Speaker 1: potentially reveal life on Enceladus. When Cassini sampled Enceladus's plumes

2:46 Speaker 1: back in two thousand and four, it detected water, ice, methane,

2:50 Speaker 1: and various carbon based molecules. The spacecraft also found molecular

2:54 Speaker 1: hydrogen and nitrogen, all the basic ingredients needed for life

2:57 Speaker 1: as we know it. The Moon's ice crust, estimated to

3:00 Speaker 1: be anywhere from a few to forty kilometers thick, conceals

3:04 Speaker 1: a global ocean that could potentially harbor life. What makes

3:07 Speaker 1: Enceladus particularly promising are its hydrothermal vents, similar to those

3:12 Speaker 1: found in Earth's oceans. These vents could provide the energy

3:15 Speaker 1: necessary to support entire ecosystems, just as they do in

3:20 Speaker 1: our planet's deepest waters. The research team has successfully demonstrated

3:24 Speaker 1: that they can detect and measure various chemical compounds in

3:27 Speaker 1: Arctic waters using the same technology planned for future Enceladus missions.

3:32 Speaker 1: These Arctic trials are crucial for perfecting the techniques and

3:35 Speaker 1: instruments that will one day explore Enceladus's mysterious ocean. By

3:40 Speaker 1: practicing here on Earth, scientists can refine their methods and

3:44 Speaker 1: ensure they're ready to detect any potential biosignatures when we

3:48 Speaker 1: finally send a dedicated mission to this fascinating Saturnian moon.

3:53 Speaker 1: And In other news, in a groundbreaking development, the Event

3:56 Speaker 1: Horizon telescope team has revealed that M eighty seven in Star,

4:00 Speaker 1: the first black hole ever photographed, is showing remarkable signs

4:04 Speaker 1: of change. The latest analysis, combining data from twenty seventeen

4:09 Speaker 1: and twenty eighteen observations, gives us an unprecedented look at

4:13 Speaker 1: how these cosmic giants evolve over time. The most striking

4:17 Speaker 1: change is in the black hole's luminous ring. While the

4:20 Speaker 1: ring's diameter remains consistent at about forty three micro arc seconds,

4:25 Speaker 1: exactly what we'd expect from a black hole weighing six

4:27 Speaker 1: point five billion solar masses, its brightest region has shifted

4:31 Speaker 1: by thirty degrees counterclockwise. This movement isn't random, It's exactly

4:36 Speaker 1: what theoretical models predicted, caused by turbulence in the hot

4:39 Speaker 1: gas swirling around the black hole. Perhaps even more fascinating

4:44 Speaker 1: is what these observations tell us about M eighty seven

4:46 Speaker 1: stars orientation. The fact that the ring consistently appears brightest

4:51 Speaker 1: on its bottom side confirms that the black hole's rotational

4:54 Speaker 1: axis is tilted away from Earth. This persistent feature helps

4:58 Speaker 1: scientists better understand the three dimensional structure of the environment

5:02 Speaker 1: around this massive cosmic object. Think of it like watching

5:06 Speaker 1: clouds move around a mountain peak while the mountain itself

5:09 Speaker 1: stays the same. The changing patterns of clouds can tell

5:13 Speaker 1: us about wind directions and atmospheric conditions. Similarly, these subtle

5:18 Speaker 1: changes in M eighty seven stars appearance reveal crucial information

5:22 Speaker 1: about how matter behaves in the most extreme environments in

5:25 Speaker 1: our universe. The EHT team isn't stopping here. They're already

5:30 Speaker 1: analyzing data from twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two,

5:33 Speaker 1: working toward their ultimate goal creating the first ever time

5:37 Speaker 1: lapse video of a black hole. This ongoing monitoring of

5:40 Speaker 1: m eighty seven Star promises to revolutionize our understanding of

5:44 Speaker 1: these cosmic giants and the fundamental physics that governs our universe. Okay,

5:50 Speaker 1: here are some statistics that may stagger you. Every day,

5:53 Speaker 1: Earth receives about forty eight point five tons of visitors

5:56 Speaker 1: from space in the form of meteorites. While most of

5:59 Speaker 1: these as cosmic rocks disappear into our oceans never to

6:03 Speaker 1: be found, the ones that land on solid ground often

6:06 Speaker 1: spark fascinating debates about who has the right to keep them.

6:09 Speaker 1: The meteorite hunting business has evolved into a lucrative global enterprise,

6:14 Speaker 1: with space rocks being traded online and shipped between countries

6:17 Speaker 1: like precious commodities. While these celestial souvenirs captivate collectors, they're

6:22 Speaker 1: also invaluable to scientists studying the mysteries of our universe. Unfortunately,

6:27 Speaker 1: many significant specimens are being lost to private collections, potentially

6:31 Speaker 1: depriving researchers of crucial data. Take New Zealand's recent Tacopo

6:35 Speaker 1: meteorite discovery, for example. This apple sized space rock, weighing

6:40 Speaker 1: eight hundred and ten grams, sparked an interesting legal discussion

6:43 Speaker 1: about ownership rights. While it was found on public land,

6:47 Speaker 1: the citizen science group that discovered it became its legal

6:50 Speaker 1: owner under the finders keeper's principle. Fortunately, they chose to

6:55 Speaker 1: donate it for scientific study. Not all cases are so straightforward.

7:00 Speaker 1: Entries handle meteorite ownership in vastly different ways. Some nations

7:04 Speaker 1: allow private ownership, while others mandate state ownership without compensation.

7:10 Speaker 1: When meteorites land on private property, they typically belong to

7:13 Speaker 1: the landowner, but public land findings can get complicated, leading

7:17 Speaker 1: to various legal interpretations and disputes. The commercial value of

7:21 Speaker 1: meteorites has skyrocketed, with some specimens fetching millions of dollars.

7:25 Speaker 1: High profile collectors, including celebrities and tech entrepreneurs, have helped

7:30 Speaker 1: turn meteorite collecting into a glamorous hobby. This has led

7:34 Speaker 1: some countries to implement strict regulations on meteorite exports, recognizing

7:38 Speaker 1: these space rocks as protected objects of scientific and cultural significance.

7:44 Speaker 1: These regulations aim to balance private collection rights with scientific needs.

7:48 Speaker 1: But as the market value of meteorites continues to rise,

7:52 Speaker 1: the tension between collectors and researchers grows. It raises an

7:55 Speaker 1: important question, should we prioritize scientific study over private ownership

8:00 Speaker 1: when it comes to these ancient messengers from space. NASA's

8:04 Speaker 1: latest mission to study our Sun is making exciting progress

8:08 Speaker 1: as four compact satellites part of the PUNCH mission have

8:12 Speaker 1: arrived at their launch site in California. These specialized satellites

8:16 Speaker 1: will work together like pieces of a puzzle to study

8:18 Speaker 1: something we've never fully understood, how the Sun's outer atmosphere

8:22 Speaker 1: transforms into the solar wind that flows through our solar system.

8:27 Speaker 1: The mission, whose full name is the Polarimeter to Unify

8:30 Speaker 1: the Corona and Heliosphere, isn't traveling alone. It's hitching a

8:34 Speaker 1: ride on a SpaceX Falcon nine rocket alongside another fascinating

8:38 Speaker 1: piece of technology, the SPHEREx space telescope. The launch is

8:42 Speaker 1: scheduled for the end of February from Vandenberg Space Force Space.

8:45 Speaker 1: What makes PUNCH particularly interesting is its innovative approach. Instead

8:50 Speaker 1: of using one large satellite, it employs four smaller ones,

8:53 Speaker 1: each about the size of a suitcase. These satellites will

8:56 Speaker 1: work in perfect harmony, combining their views to create a

8:59 Speaker 1: comprehensive map of the region where the Sun's corona transitions

9:03 Speaker 1: into solar wind. Think of it like having four cameras

9:07 Speaker 1: positioned around a sports field, each capturing a different angle

9:11 Speaker 1: to give viewers the complete picture. The satellites are currently

9:15 Speaker 1: undergoing their final preparations at Astrotech Space Operations teams are

9:19 Speaker 1: meticulously testing every component, particularly the solar arrays that will

9:24 Speaker 1: power each satellite. These tests are crucial to ensure everything

9:28 Speaker 1: functions perfectly once they're in space, as there won't be

9:31 Speaker 1: any opportunity for repairs after launch. This mission represents a

9:36 Speaker 1: significant step forward in our understanding of solar physics. By

9:40 Speaker 1: studying how the Sun's atmosphere becomes solar wind, scientists hope

9:43 Speaker 1: to better predict space weather events that can affect our satellites,

9:47 Speaker 1: power grids, and communication systems here on Earth. It's another

9:51 Speaker 1: example of how studying the Cosmos isn't just about satisfying

9:54 Speaker 1: our curiosity. It's about protecting our technological infrastructure and better

9:59 Speaker 1: understand our place in the Solar System. Finally, today, let's

10:04 Speaker 1: take a look into NASA's Crystal Ball. NASA's NIAC program

10:08 Speaker 1: has just unveiled its visionary concepts for twenty twenty five,

10:11 Speaker 1: and they're pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible

10:14 Speaker 1: in space exploration with a substantial investment of two point

10:18 Speaker 1: six two five million dollars in grants, NASA is backing

10:22 Speaker 1: fifteen groundbreaking ideas that could revolutionize how we explore and

10:26 Speaker 1: inhabit space. One of the most intriguing concepts comes from

10:30 Speaker 1: Holicity Space in Pasadena, where they're developing what they call

10:33 Speaker 1: the Holicity Drive, a compact fusion propulsion system. Imagine spacecraft

10:39 Speaker 1: powered by the same process that fuels our Sun, enabling

10:42 Speaker 1: faster and more efficient exploration of our Solar system and beyond.

10:46 Speaker 1: This technology could be a game changer for future Mars

10:49 Speaker 1: missions and deep space exploration. Another fascinating proposal focuses on

10:54 Speaker 1: building homes on the Moon, but not the way you

10:57 Speaker 1: might expect. Scientists at Skyports have pose creating large scale

11:01 Speaker 1: habitats made entirely from lunar glass. This innovative approach, nicknamed lungs,

11:06 Speaker 1: involves melting lunar materials to create massive spherical structures. It's

11:11 Speaker 1: a perfect example of in situ resource utilization, using what's

11:14 Speaker 1: already available on the Moon rather than shipping building materials

11:17 Speaker 1: from Earth. For those interested in the search for extraterrestrial life,

11:22 Speaker 1: there's an exciting robot concept called leap designed specifically for

11:27 Speaker 1: exploring Saturn's moon Enceladus. These jumping robots would hop between

11:31 Speaker 1: the moon's famous geysers, collecting samples of ocean derived materials

11:36 Speaker 1: shot into space through these icy jets. Other selected projects

11:40 Speaker 1: include everything from new ways to explore Venus using electrolysis

11:44 Speaker 1: to advanced propulsion systems for sustainable aviation. There's even a

11:48 Speaker 1: proposal for using fungi to grow space habitats and developing

11:52 Speaker 1: inflatable star shades for studying distant exoplanets. These concepts might

11:57 Speaker 1: sound like science fiction, but they represent serious scientific endeavors

12:01 Speaker 1: that could shape the future of space exploration. While they're

12:05 Speaker 1: all still in early development stages and aren't official NASA

12:09 Speaker 1: missions yet, they demonstrate the incredible creativity and innovation driving

12:14 Speaker 1: our journey to the stars. Just remember where you heard

12:16 Speaker 1: about them first. Thank you for joining me today on

12:20 Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, and I hope you've enjoyed exploring

12:24 Speaker 1: these fascinating developments in space science with me. For more

12:28 Speaker 1: astronomical discoveries in space exploration news, visit us at Astronomy

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12:38 Speaker 1: developments with our constantly updating news feed. You'll also find

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12:53 Speaker 1: tomorrowday stars. The store is the soul. Store is the

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