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☆ Ancient DNA pulls back curtain on mysterious empire
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Analysis of ancient DNA recovered from human remains has illuminated the traits and ancestry of historic individuals — be it a mummified iceman, Chinese emperor or legendary composer. The origins of the empire and its people remained obscure until a landmark April 2022 study found they hailed from the Mongolian steppe. Carolyn Kaster/APNaturalists have spotted the first arrivals in this spring’s historic cicada dual emergence. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt.

Persons: It’s, Loki, Gerald Eichstädt, Thomas Thomopoulos, ”, Scott Bolton, Bolton, George Mallory, Andrew Irvine, Mallory, Ruth, Carolyn Kaster, haven’t, you’re, —, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, of Archaeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Múzeum, NASA, Voyager, JPL, Caltech, Southwest Research Institute, Magdalene College , Cambridge, AP Naturalists, — Boeing, — Surgeons, Hubble, CNN Space, Science Locations: Rákóczifalva, Hungary, Central, Eastern Europe, Mount, United Kingdom, Macon , Georgia, South, Midwest

☆ NASA flyby reveals lava lake, ‘Steeple Mountain’ on Jupiter’s moon Io
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Close flybys of Io, one of Jupiter’s moons and the most volcanically active world in our solar system, have revealed a lava lake and a towering feature called “Steeple Mountain” on the moon’s alien surface. “We also got some great close-ups and other data on a 200-kilometer-long (127-mile-long) lava lake called Loki Patera. Juno detected the mountain with the help of the sun shining on Io’s surface, which created dramatic shadows that revealed a very sharp peak. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSSAs an outdoors enthusiast, Bolton joked that Io’s Steeple Mountain should be one of the solar system’s skiing and snowboarding destinations. The mission team used Juno’s Microwave Radiometer instrument to create maps of Io’s surface, showing how incredibly smooth it is.

Persons: ”, Scott Bolton, “, Loki Patera, Gerald Eichstädt, Thomas Thomopoulos, ” Bolton, Bolton, Galileo Galilei, Hera Organizations: CNN, Southwest Research Institute, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Bolton, European Geophysical Union General Assembly, Juno, Science, “, Galileo Locations: Vienna, Chile

☆ Voyager 1 regains communications with NASA after inventive fix
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Voyager 1’s flight data system collects information from the spacecraft’s science instruments and bundles it with engineering data that reflects its current health status. But since November, Voyager 1’s flight data system had been stuck in a loop. By investigating the readout, the team determined the cause of the issue: 3% of the flight data system’s memory is corrupted. Members of the Voyager flight team celebrate after receiving the first coherent data from Voyager 1 in five months at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20. And younger engineers are coming onto the Voyager team and contributing their knowledge to keep the mission going.”

Persons: they’ve, ”, Linda Spilker, “, Suzanne Dodd, “ We’ve, we’ve Organizations: CNN, NASA, Voyager, JPL, Network, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech

☆ NASA is asking for help to retrieve Mars samples that could be the first evidence of alien life
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover is collecting samples that could be evidence of ancient alien life. But NASA's Mars Sample Return mission to bring them to Earth will now cost $11 billion and take two decades. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUNASA's original proposal for the Mars Sample Return is "mind-bendingly complicated," David Parker, director of space exploration at the European Space Agency, said in 2021. AdvertisementAn illustration shows a concept of how NASA's Mars Sample Return mission would launch Perseverance's samples from the surface of Mars. At the current price tag, Mars Sample Return would "cannibalize" other NASA missions, Nelson said.

Persons: —, Nicola Fox, We're, David Parker, Bill Nelson, Nelson, Fox, Lockheed Martin, Northrop, We've, that's Organizations: NASA, Service, Mars Express, ESA, JPL, Caltech, ASU, European Space Agency, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, SpaceX Locations: Berlin, Mars

☆ Blackstone hires Walmart AI whiz to supercharge its portfolio companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Private equity is ramping up its AI hiring efforts, with Blackstone snagging a key executive to oversee how AI will be applied at its some 230 portfolio companies. Mehrotra will lead Applied AI within Blackstone's data science team, Matthew Katz, Blackstone's global head of data science, told Business Insider in a written statement. Mehrotra comes to Wall Street from Walmart, where he led applied AI efforts at the retailer and managed a team of more than 400 data scientists. Related storyWhile at Walmart, Mehrotra was the vice president of applied AI, leading a team responsible for how AI was mixed into merchandising, including assortment, pricing, and inventory management. AdvertisementLike its peers, Blackstone is eager to take advantage of AI, which stands to shake up businesses across virtually all industries.

Persons: Blackstone, Prakhar Mehrotra, Mehrotra, Matthew Katz, Blackstone's, Franz Edelman, Katz, Deepali Vyas, Zac Maufe, Manoj Mahenthiran, Thomas H, Lee Organizations: Service, Walmart, Twitter, CalTech, Blackstone, Blackstone . Data Locations: Boston, Blackstone

☆ Returning samples from Mars will require a new plan, NASA says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —NASA is seeking innovative methods that could help retrieve samples collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars in the future. The original design for the Mars Sample Return program, a partnership between NASA and the European Space Agency, was a complex one. Reviews of the program have recommended that the Mars Sample return should not cost more than $5 billion to $7 billion, Nelson said. “Mars Sample Return will be one of the most complex missions NASA has ever undertaken. “We are operating from the premise that this is an important national objective that we return the samples,” Nelson said.

Persons: NASA's, Bill Nelson, Nicky Fox, Nelson, “, ” Nelson, ”, Noble, Emissivity, won’t, It’s, Fox, ” Fox Organizations: CNN, NASA, European Space Agency, JPL, Caltech, Budget, Science, VERITAS, Imaging, Radio Science, Fox, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mars Locations: Mars, Pasadena , California

Editor’s note: Follow along with CNN’s live updates of the total solar eclipse. Special eclipse momentsWhile totality is considered to be the most exciting part of a total solar eclipse, there are other special phases to watch for before the big moment arrives. Amateur astronomers prepare to watch a total solar eclipse in Mazatlan, Mexico, on Monday. After the total solar eclipse ends, it’s a bit of a wait for the next such celestial sightings in the United States. Those living in Alaska will catch a glimpse of a total solar eclipse on March 30, 2033, and a partial solar eclipse will shine over most of the US during that event.

Persons: Ron Jenkins, Karen Siegel, ” Siegel, Michael Zeiler, Heinz, Peter Bader, Pons, Brooks, Fernando Llano, it’s, Don’t Organizations: CNN, NASA, Indianapolis, GPS, Reuters, JPL, Caltech, Amateur Locations: United States, North America, Texas, Maine, Kerrville , Texas, Cleveland, Newfoundland, Canada, Mazatlan, Coast, Fort Worth , Texas, Texas , Oklahoma , Arkansas , Missouri , Illinois , Kentucky , Indiana , Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York , Vermont , New Hampshire, Vermont, Missouri, Indiana, Lincoln , New Hampshire, Newton , Massachusetts, Barton , Vermont, Mexico, Alaska, North Dakota, Montana, California , Nevada , Utah , Colorado , Kansas , Oklahoma , Arkansas , Mississippi, Alabama, Florida

☆ Sam Altman's mission to increase human lifespan with a $180 million shipping container experiment at Retro Biosciences
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Called Retro Biosciences, the startup's goal is simple yet supremely ambitious: Add 10 healthy, enjoyable years onto the back end of our lifetimes. But Retro Biosciences actually fits quite neatly into Altman's futuristic worldview. Retro BiosciencesRetro Biosciences sits about 30 miles south of OpenAI's San Francisco headquarters, where ChatGPT was hatched. Joe Betts-LaCroix is the CEO of Retro Biosciences. There are things we already know work super well to improve human longevity, like exercise, diet, faith, and social support.

Persons: Sam Altman, he's, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Altman, Instacart —, Joe Betts, LaCroix, isn't, Betts, Retro's, spry, Yamanaka, Shinya Yamanaka, it's, they've, Sora, Thiel, Jeff Bezos, Bezos, Yuri Milner, Billionaire Peter Thiel, He's, Aubrey de Grey, Christian Angermayer, biogerontologist Daniel Promislow, Altman's, Matt Buckley Organizations: Business, OpenAI, Biosciences, Harvard, MIT, Caltech, Extension, Apple, Stanford University, Retro, Bezos, Labs, Billionaire, Cambrian, Retro Biosciences, Bloomberg Locations: geroscience, Silicon Valley, OpenAI's San Francisco, Meta, Golden City, Retro.bio, Redwood City , California, San Diego

☆ NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will carry a poem and millions of names to ocean moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —When NASA’s Europa Clipper aims to launch on its highly anticipated mission to an icy moon in October, the spacecraft will carry a unique design etched with names, poetry and artwork symbolizing humanity. This latest mission is headed to Jupiter’s moon Europa, one of several lunar ocean worlds considered to be the best places to search for life beyond Earth. NASA/JPL-CaltechA planetary legacyEarly NASA probes such as Pioneer 10 and Voyager have continued to inspire the artwork that travels aboard other planetary science missions. “The content and design of Europa Clipper’s vault plate are swimming with meaning,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, in a statement. “We’ve packed a lot of thought and inspiration into this plate design, as we have into this mission itself,” said Robert Pappalardo, project scientist at JPL, in a statement.

Persons: Ada Limón, Ron Greeley, Drake, Frank Drake, ”, Lori Glaze, Robert Pappalardo, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Clipper, Parker, Probe, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ”, US, Arizona State University, University of California, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Planetary Science, Europa Clipper Locations: Pasadena , California, Europa, University of California Santa Cruz

☆ Jupiter's moon Europa generates enough oxygen to keep a million people alive for a day, NASA says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NASA's Juno mission found that Jupiter's icy moon Europa produces 1,000 tons of oxygen every 24 hours. That's enough oxygen to keep a million people alive for a day, NASA reported this week. Some of it may get stuck in the ice, some may escape to space, and some may travel downward into Europa's subsurface ocean. NASAWhat NASA's Juno mission has done is shed more light on the total amount of oxygen that Europa's surface generates. Measuring oxygen on EuropaTo measure how much oxygen Europa's surface generates, scientists used the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument on board Juno.

Persons: NASA's, —, Curt Niebur, JunoCam, Kevin M, Gill, it's, Michael Carroll, Niebur, JADE, Juno, Jamey Szalay, Szalay Organizations: Service, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Europa, Princeton University, Clipper, Caltech Clipper, Europa Clipper Locations: Europa, auroral

☆ The Voyager spacecraft will probably last a billion years, says a scientist on the mission for nearly five decades
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cummings started working on the Voyager mission when he was a graduate student at Caltech in 1973, about four years before the two spacecraft launched. Voyagers' enduranceThe Voyager mission has been gathering groundbreaking data and photos since the beginning. Before Voyager, Cummings was part of an experiment to measure cosmic rays using a balloon. "It was very fortunate for me," he said, because he was able to then join the Voyager mission. NASA/JPL-CaltechIn 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made spacecraft to enter interstellar space and Voyager 2 followed six years later.

Persons: —, Alan Cummings, Cummings, Alan Cummings Voyagers, Saturn, Carl Sagan, Voyagers, they'll, JPL Cummings, There's Organizations: Service, Caltech, Business, Hubble, NASA, Engineers, JPL Locations: Manitoba, Canada, Russia

☆ NASA may build giant telescopes on the moon in your lifetime. Check out the blueprints.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

One moonshot plan would build a giant radio dish spanning an entire crater on the far side of the moon. An illustration of a conceptual radio telescope within a crater on the moon. Silk argues that lunar telescopes would open the door to a new era of major space discoveries. A satellite trail streaks in front of galaxies in this image from the Hubble Space Telescope. Any radio telescope on the moon's back end would pick up the pure emissions of the universe.

Persons: —, Vladimir Vustyansky, James Webb, Dallan Porter, Roger Angel, Joseph Silk, Jack Burns, Burns, That's, Stefica Nicol, Artemis, Ronald Polidan, FarView, Jack Burns Karan Jani, LILA, Fermilab LILA, Jani, NASA's James Webb, Temim, Webb, Angel, Chris Gunn, Nick Woolf, Angel Roger, Phil, Martin Elvis, Elvis Organizations: Service, NASA, Business, Vanderbilt Lunar Labs, Telescope, University of Arizona, American Astronomical Society, Payload, University of Colorado Boulder, Hubble Space, Hubble, ESA, Radio Telescope, REUTERS, NASA JPL, Caltech, Radio Science Investigations, Houston, Lunar Resources, Resources, Inc, Vanderbilt University, Fermilab, Telescopes, CSA, Princeton University, Engineers, James Webb Space, Industry, AP Locations: New Orleans, Australia

☆ 45 years ago, NASA's Voyager spacecraft flew past Jupiter. See how the iconic video compares to photos of the planet today.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewVoyager was one of NASA's most ambitious missions, and Jupiter is arguably our solar system's most beautiful planet. Jupiter as seen by Voyager 1 (left) is far less detailed than this enhanced imaged of Jupiter captured by Juno. NASA / JPL; NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Rita Najm © (CC BY)The planet's iconic Great Red Spot is an anticyclone large enough to swallow Earth. Juno captured this close-up of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (right) in sharper detail than Voyager 1 did (left). Jupiter's reddish-orange South Temperate Belt, with the Great Red Spot, the most dominant atmospheric feature in the planet's southern hemisphere.

Persons: —, Bradford Smith, NASA Voyager, Tanya Oleksuik, Rita Najm, Gerald Eichstädt, Seán Doran Juno, Alain Mirón Velázquez, Kevin M, Gill, Navaneeth Krishnan Organizations: Service, NASA, Business, JPL, Juno, Caltech, Space Locations: Jupiter

☆ New NASA photos offer a close look at Jupiter's fiery moon with erupting volcanos that dwarf anything on Earth
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

NASA's Juno spacecraft snapped detailed images of the most volcanically active world in our solar system on Saturday. During this close fly-by, the spacecraft spotted plumes of volcanic activity erupting from Io's surface in real-time. This encounter was the second in a set of two close fly-bys designed to provide new insight into the fiery phenomena that lurk beneath Io's surface. The twin flybys are designed to provide new insight into how Io’s volcanic engine works and whether a global magma ocean exists under Io’s rocky surface. NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / ASI / INAF / JIRAMThe Juno spacecraft has orbited Jupiter every 38 days since 2016.

Persons: JunoMission, Scott Bolton, it's, Juno, Andrea Luck, Patera, Jan Dryák Organizations: NASA, JPL, Caltech Locations: Mauna Loa

☆ Mars Perseverance rover loses its trusty scout
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And it’s time to bid farewell to one of the most delightfully plucky robots ever to explore Mars. Other worldsThe Ingenuity helicopter, seen here on Mars in an image taken by the Perseverance rover on August 2, 2023, has flown for the last time. Ingenuity served as the Perseverance rover’s faithful companion and aerial scout for nearly three years since its maiden flight on April 19, 2021. A long time agoAiming to trace syphilis' origins, researchers used paleopathology techniques to study ancient human bones at the site Jabuticabeira II in Brazil's Santa Catarina state. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: ”, Theodore Roosevelt, Teddy Tzanetos, Thomas Jefferson, it’s, Jose Filippini, Samson Acoca, Pierre, Olivier Cheptou, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, European Space Agency, NASA, JPL, Caltech, University of Montpellier, Hubble, —, CNN Space, Science Locations: Pasadena , California, United States, Brazil's Santa Catarina, Brazil, France, British

☆ NASA's Mars helicopter broke during a mysterious communication blackout. Now it will never fly again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewNASA's Ingenuity helicopter, the little drone that's been flying around on the surface of Mars for three years, has finally ended its mission. During its 72nd flight, the helicopter mysteriously lost communication with NASA. This artist's concept shows the Ingenuity helicopter on the Martian surface. The Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, sitting where the Perseverance rover dropped it. Ingenuity snapped this photo of its shadow on the ground below as it flew on Mars for the first time.

Persons: —, we'll, Teddy Tzanetos, weren't, MiMi Aung, We've, Wright, Tzanetos, we've, Bill Nelson Organizations: Service, Business, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Mars

☆ NASA Ingenuity helicopter mission on Mars ends after three years
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —After completing 72 historic flights on Mars over three years, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter mission has ended. NASA/JPL-CaltechThe NASA mission team only expected the chopper to carry out five test flights in 30 days. The chopper flew over areas of scientific interest to capture images and help the mission team determine Perseverance’s next targets for detailed analysis. “The Mars helicopter would have never flown once, much less 72 times, if it were not for the passion and dedication of the Ingenuity and Perseverance teams. History’s first Mars helicopter will leave behind an indelible mark on the future of space exploration and will inspire fleets of aircraft on Mars — and other worlds — for decades to come.”

Persons: Perseverance, ”, Bill Nelson, Wright, Laurie Leshin, Nelson, “, Teddy Tzanetos Organizations: CNN, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jet Propulsion, NASA, JPL, Caltech, “, NASA JPL, Caltech Communications, swatch, Wright Locations: Pasadena , California, Mars

☆ Brown, Yale, and Columbia are among 5 elite schools that agreed to pay $104.5 million to students after being accused of colluding to limit financial aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Five more elite schools agreed to a settlement to resolve claims they colluded on financial aid. The 2022 lawsuit accused nearly 20 top schools of working in a "price-fixing cartel" to limit aid to students. AdvertisementFive more elite schools have now agreed to a settlement to put claims they colluded to limit financial aid to rest. On Tuesday, Emory, Yale, Brown, Columbia, and Duke agreed to pay a collective fine of $104.5 million to resolve allegations against 17 top schools that concerned the way each of them allocated financial aid. The other schools named in the original lawsuit have yet to announce trial dates or progress toward reaching a settlement.

Persons: —, Duke, Brown, Brian Clark, Johns Organizations: Service, Duke, Yale, Group, University of Chicago, Columbia, Emory, UChicago, Cornell, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, CalTech, Johns Hopkins Locations: Emory, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Northwestern, Georgetown, Notre, Penn, Rice

☆ NASA hopes to get the Voyager spacecraft to their 50th anniversary with clever engineering and difficult choices
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

From close-up views of Jupiter to a stunning look a Saturn's rings , the Voyager probes have helped shape our understanding of the solar system. AdvertisementNASA's Voyager probes entered interstellar space in 2012 and 2018. It would take another 50 years for another vehicle to reach interstellar space, Dodd said. NASA tested and launched the Voyager probes in the 1970s. AdvertisementThe Voyager probes are carrying golden records that could communicate with aliens.

Persons: —, They've, Suzanne Dodd, Dodd, it's, Dodd isn't Organizations: NASA, Service, Voyager, JPL, Caltech, CalTech

☆ Something in the universe is spewing surprising amounts of high-energy radiation, and astronomers don't know what or why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The astronomers were mapping space's background glow of gamma rays, the brightest and most energetic type of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. They were surprised to find way more gamma rays coming from one part of the sky than anywhere else. AdvertisementAn artist's concept shows the entire sky in gamma rays, with the plane of our galaxy across the middle. Magenta circles indicate the area where astronomers found more high-energy gamma rays than average. Some unknown object or process out there in the universe may be producing both the gamma rays and the UHECRs.

Persons: —, Alexander Kashlinsky, NASA's, Swift, Cruz deWilde Kashlinsky, it's, Kashlinsky, Fernando Atrio, UHECRs, they're Organizations: Service, NASA, Business, University of Maryland, American Astronomical Society, NASA's Goddard Space, Fermi, Planck, ESA, University of Salamanca, JPL, Caltech Locations: New Orleans, UHECRs, Spain

☆ NASA's James Webb Space Telescope broke its own record to discover the oldest black hole yet, but it has astronomers even more confused about the beginning of the universe
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the oldest black hole ever detected, breaking its own record. It's about 40 million years older than the record-breaking black hole Webb also discovered and announced in November. AdvertisementA cosmic clue in this black hole's outsized appetiteA disk of hot gas swirls around a feeding black hole in this illustration. AdvertisementPeering at the early universe with Webb "is like upgrading from Galileo's telescope to a modern telescope overnight," Maiolino said. He added that his team hopes to search for smaller "seeds" of black holes with future Webb observing time.

Persons: —, James Webb, Webb, Nick Risinger, JWST, Chandra, Daniel Holz, Roberto Maiolino, Maiolino Organizations: Service, Business, ESA, Hubble, Sky Survey, NASA, CSA, University of Chicago, New York Times, University of Cambridge, JPL, Caltech

☆ ‘Magic islands’ mystery on Saturn’s moon Titan may be solved
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The disappearing “magic islands” on Saturn’s largest moon Titan have intrigued scientists since NASA’s Cassini mission spotted them during flybys a decade ago. Titan, larger than both our moon and the planet Mercury, is the only moon in our solar system with a thick atmosphere. The sea is 50% larger than Lake Superior and is made up of liquid methane, ethane and nitrogen. An artist's illustration shows a lake at the north pole of Saturn's moon Titan, including raised rims spied by Cassini. Liquid methane slowly seeps into the frozen clumps, eventually causing them to disappear from view.

Persons: NASA’s, Cassini, Xinting Yu, ”, Yu, Stéphane Le Mouélic, Virginia Pasek, ” Yu, “ Organizations: CNN, NASA, Titan, JPL, Caltech, University of Texas, Research, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Locations: Ligeia Mare, Superior, San Antonio, Virginia

☆ A giant, boiling, shrinking planet has a tail stretching 350,000 miles into space, astronomers discover
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Astronomers have nabbed a rare opportunity to watch a planet shrink in real-time. The Jupiter-sized planet, located 160 light years away, is orbiting its host star so closely that the star is boiling the planet's atmosphere. The boiling is so intense, that the world has developed a comet-like tail stretching 350,000 miles behind it, scientists announced on Tuesday. Don't retire on this planetThe planet, called WASP-69b, circles very closely to its star, completing an orbit in under four days. Because it's so large, it takes much longer to lose its atmosphere, giving scientists plenty of time to study it.

Persons: Don't, Dakotah Tyler, Erik Petigura Organizations: Service, Business, American Astronomical Society, NASA, JPL, Caltech

☆ If you thought the planet Neptune was a deep blue color, turns out you're wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Neptune, long believed to be dark blue, is actually very pale like Uranus, scientists say. Related storiesFor decades, famous images from NASA's Voyager 2 mission have circulated showing Neptune in a deep azure tone. Side-by-side comparison of the Voyager 2 images of Neptune and Uranus as reprocessed by scientists at the University of Oxford. Voyager 2's images of Uranus, from 1986, however, were published in a form closer to "true" color, he added. Neptune is just a touch bluer, which the researchers attribute to a thinner haze layer on the planet.

Persons: —, Patrick Irwin, Neptune, Irwin Organizations: NASA's, Service, University of Oxford, Oxford, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Handout, Reuters, Guardian, Hubble, Southern

☆ NASA mission achieves most distant demo of laser communications across space
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —An innovative experiment flying aboard NASA’s Psyche mission just hit its first major milestone by successfully carrying out the most distant demonstration of laser communications. The tech demo was designed to be the US space agency’s most distant experiment of high-bandwidth laser communications, testing the sending and receiving of data to and from Earth using an invisible near-infrared laser. NASA/JPL-CaltechIt’s not the first time laser communications have been tested in space. The first test of two-way laser communication occurred in December 2021 when NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration launched and went into orbit about 22,000 miles (35,406 kilometers) from Earth. And the Artemis II spacecraft will use laser communications to return high-definition video of a crewed journey around the moon.

Persons: Psyche, DSOC, Hale, ”, Trudy Kortes, Meera Srinivasan, Artemis, DSOC won’t, Jason Mitchell Organizations: CNN, NASA, Optical Communications, California Institute of Technology’s, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, Caltech, Space Technology, Psyche’s, Hale, DSOC, NASA’s, Advanced Communications, Navigation Technologies, NASA’s Space Communications Locations: Pasadena , California, DSOC, Wrightwood , California

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