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SpaceX's seventh test flight of the Starship, conducted on January 16 at 7:37 PM ET, ended in failure as the rocket exploded 8.5 minutes into its flight, with debris falling over the Turks and Caicos Islands. Initially deemed a success due to the successful recovery of the Super Heavy booster by the mechanical arms known as Mechazilla, the mission quickly turned disastrous when Starship experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly." Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, but the incident raised concerns about safety near populated areas and led to flight delays, including those by Qantas. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to investigate the incident, a standard procedure following such failures. Despite the setback, SpaceX remains committed to the Starship program, which is crucial for NASA's Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon, with further tests planned for 2025. 
Published: Jan 17 2025, 8 pm ISTeznews.inIn a thought-provoking exploration published in the Journal of Astrobiology, two University of Cambridge scientists have drawn inspiration from the fictional Silurians of *Doctor Who* to pose a compelling question: could evidence of an ancient industrial civilization be detected in the geological record? The paper, titled "The Silurian Hypothesis," does not assert that such a civilization existed but examines the potential "geological fingerprints" it might leave behind. The researchers highlight the brief duration of human industrial civilization—approximately 300 years—compared to the Earth's extensive history, raising the possibility that earlier advanced societies could have existed. They discuss markers that could indicate past civilizations, such as synthetic molecules and radioactive fallout, while cautioning that sustainable practices might leave minimal geological traces. Ultimately, the authors hope their inquiry will inspire further research into both astrobiology and the Anthropocene, enhancing our understanding of civilization's impact on Earth.
Published: Jan 16 2025, 11 pm ISTeznews.inIn a whimsical new video, xkcd cartoonist and science communicator Randall Munroe explores the intriguing concept of a swimming pool on the Moon. He explains that buoyancy would still allow astronauts to float in lunar water, as the upward force exerted by the fluid remains consistent regardless of gravity. Swimming would feel similar to Earth, but the Moon's low gravity would create larger waves and enable astronauts to leap from the water like dolphins. Additionally, Munroe references a 2012 study suggesting that humans could potentially run on water in the Moon's reduced gravity, provided they weigh under 73 kilograms (160 pounds). This would be a significant departure from Earth, where the required speed to run on water is unattainable for humans. Munroe's playful vision raises the possibility of a future where lunar leisure activities include swimming and water running, adding a new dimension to space exploration.
Published: Jan 17 2025, 5 am ISTeznews.inGoogle has unveiled its top searches for 2024, highlighting a year marked by significant global events and concerns. Extreme weather phenomena dominated search queries, reflecting growing anxieties about climate change. Notably, the most-searched terms included major sporting events like the Copa América and the UEFA European Championship, alongside public figures such as Donald Trump and Catherine, Princess of Wales, the latter likely due to her recent cancer diagnosis. In the U.S., the election cycle overshadowed other topics, with Trump leading search interest over Kamala Harris. The top news searches globally also featured excessive heat and Hurricane Milton, underscoring the impact of severe weather. Additionally, searches for recently deceased celebrities, including Liam Payne and Toby Keith, were notable. Google Maps data revealed Central Park as the most-viewed park worldwide, reflecting ongoing public interest in outdoor spaces. For more detailed insights, users can explore Google Trends.
Published: Jan 21 2025, 10 am ISTeznews.inT Coronae Borealis, known as "The Blaze Star," is set to brighten dramatically once again, with predictions suggesting a nova eruption could occur before September 2024. This recurring nova, located 3,000 light-years away, consists of a red giant and a white dwarf, the latter of which siphons material from its companion, leading to explosive outbursts approximately every 80 years. Historical records indicate previous eruptions in 1787, 1866, and 1946, with a potential earlier event noted in a medieval manuscript from 1217. Researchers, including Dr. Gerard van Belle from the Lowell Observatory, emphasize the uncertainty of the exact timing, but observations over the past eight years indicate a high likelihood of an imminent explosion. Astronomers, including those using NASA’s Fermi telescope, are closely monitoring the constellation of Corona Borealis, offering a rare opportunity for both scientists and amateur astronomers to witness this celestial phenomenon.
Published: Jan 19 2025, 11 am ISTeznews.inThe Andromeda galaxy, the closest large galaxy to the Milky Way, is on a collision course with our galaxy, set to merge in several billion years. Recent observations from the Hubble Space Telescope, spanning over a decade, have produced the most detailed view of Andromeda to date, creating a 2.5 billion-pixel mosaic from 600 separate fields of view. This extensive study resolved around 200 million stars, revealing that Andromeda is more chaotic than previously thought, likely due to past collisions, including a possible interaction with its satellite, Messier 32. Researchers describe Andromeda as a transitional galaxy, exhibiting characteristics of both star-forming spirals and aging elliptical galaxies. Principal investigator Ben Williams emphasized that this detailed analysis will enhance our understanding of Andromeda's merger history, while co-researcher Daniel Weisz noted its complex stellar population and star formation history. A paper detailing these findings has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Published: Jan 17 2025, 10 pm ISTeznews.inSheep possess unique rectangular pupils, a feature that may seem unusual but serves a crucial purpose in their survival. Unlike humans, who have round pupils, sheep's horizontal pupils enhance their panoramic vision, allowing them to detect predators from nearly all angles. This adaptation is common among prey animals, such as deer and antelope, which also have eyes positioned on the sides of their heads. According to Marty Banks from UC Berkeley, the elongated shape of the pupil not only increases light intake but also sharpens horizontal contours, aiding sheep in navigating their environment while evading threats. This diversity in pupil shape across the animal kingdom highlights different survival strategies, with cats having vertical slits for ambush hunting and humans maintaining circular pupils. Interestingly, the mongoose defies these patterns, possessing a pupil shape similar to that of sheep, showcasing the complexity of evolutionary adaptations in the animal world.
Published: Jan 20 2025, 9 am ISTeznews.inThe Lord Howe Island stick insect, or "tree lobster" (_Dryococelus australis_), is a critically endangered species once thought extinct due to the introduction of black rats to Lord Howe Island in 1918. These prehistoric-looking insects, which can grow up to 20 centimeters long, were rediscovered in 2001 on Ball's Pyramid, a remote sea stack 23 kilometers away, where they had survived in a harsh environment. Following this discovery, a successful captive breeding program was initiated, resulting in nearly 19,000 individuals by 2022. Despite this success, the species remains critically endangered, with wild populations fluctuating between 9 and 35 individuals, threatened by storms, droughts, and invasive species. Conservation efforts continue, including the eradication of rats from Lord Howe Island, raising hopes for the eventual reintroduction of these unique insects to their native habitat.
Published: Jan 17 2025, 6 pm ISTeznews.inThe legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away recently, is often overshadowed by his presidency's perceived failures, yet his pivotal role in environmental protection remains largely unrecognized. Notably, Carter's early actions in the 1970s to address the dangers of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) laid the groundwork for the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which successfully phased out these ozone-depleting substances. Despite industry pushback, Carter signed amendments to the Clean Air Act, banning CFCs in certain applications, which spurred the development of safer alternatives. This proactive stance not only mitigated the risk of severe ozone depletion but also contributed significantly to the fight against climate change. Had Carter not acted, the planet could have faced catastrophic consequences, including increased UV radiation exposure and potential ecosystem collapse. As tributes pour in, many overlook this critical aspect of his legacy, which arguably saved millions of lives and preserved the planet's habitability.
Published: Jan 20 2025, 4 am ISTeznews.inFor over a billion years, Earth existed without fire, a phenomenon unique to our planet in the Solar System. While volcanic activity produced temporary "fire fountains," true combustion was absent until conditions allowed for it. Approximately 2.4 billion years ago, the Great Oxidation Event, driven by ancient cyanobacteria, began to increase atmospheric oxygen levels, yet it was still insufficient for fire. The first fossil evidence of fire dates back to the Middle Ordovician period, around 470 million years ago, when early land plants like mosses and liverworts contributed to oxygen production. However, significant wildfires did not occur until about 383 million years ago, when oxygen levels stabilized enough to support combustion. This timeline highlights the remarkable evolution of Earth's atmosphere and its impact on the development of fire, a critical element in shaping life as we know it.
Published: Jan 19 2025, 6 pm IST
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