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☆ A miraculous little plant proves life persists after deforestation
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Amanda Schupak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —On the western slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, John L. Clark, a research botanist at Florida’s Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, happened upon what he calls a miracle. That he could see it at all, nestled there on a moss-covered rock in a remnant patch of untouched land, was impressive. Back in the lab, Clark and his team confirmed that the little plant was a species new to science, and he and his team named it Amalophyllon miraculum. That’s why we decided to call it miraculum,” research botanist John L. Clark said. To an untrained eye, it’s nearly impossible to see the plant about which he’s so excited.)

Persons: John L, Clark, ”, they’re, Clark “, Laurence Skog, Martin Schaefer, ” Schaefer, E.O, Wilson, “, ‘, ” Clark, Schaefer, Amanda Schupak Organizations: CNN, Marie, Marie Selby Botanical, Smithsonian Institution’s National, of, Jocotoco Conservation Foundation Locations: Ecuador, Marie Selby, Centinela, Washington , DC, Western Ecuador, New York City

☆ Dyson spheres: Could alien megastructures exist in the Milky Way? Scientists found 7 places to look
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Now, a new study that looked at 5 million stars in the Milky Way galaxy suggests that seven candidates could potentially be hosting Dyson spheres — a finding that’s attracting scrutiny and alternate theories. If Dyson spheres really exist, what could they be used for? “Freeman Dyson said that we should dismantle Jupiter — the whole planet (for the raw materials).”That supercolossal scale probably means that Dyson spheres, if they exist at all, are very rare. “However, contamination by circumstellar debris disks, which mimic Dyson Sphere infrared signatures, remains a concern,” he added in an email. However, he added, the radiation fingerprint of the seven Dyson sphere candidates might be explained by natural phenomena as well.

Persons: Freeman Dyson, ”, Dyson, Olaf Stapledon’s, George Dyson, ’, Freeman J, couldn’t, Matías Suazo, Suazo, “, Webb, that’s, Gabriella Contardo, NASA’s James Webb, ” Suazo, “ Freeman Dyson, Jason Wright, James Webb, —, Leslie Surginer, ” George Dyson, Tomotsugu Goto, Zaza Osmanov, ” Osmanov, George Organizations: CNN, Institute of, “, ‘, AP, Dyson, SETI Institute, Fermi, Accelerator Laboratory, Fermilab, Royal Astronomical Society, Uppsala University, NASA, Survey, JPL, ESA, European Space Agency, Micron, Sky Survey, University of Massachusetts, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, International School, Studies, Telescope, Penn State University, James Webb Space Telescope, William Press, Computer Science, University of Texas, Tsing Hua, SETI, of Physics, Free University of Tbilisi Locations: British, Princeton , New Jersey, Sweden, Trieste, Italy, Austin, Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, Georgia

☆ New pterosaur species discovered by Australian farmer
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —An amateur paleontologist has discovered a new species of pterosaur, a flying reptile that lived alongside dinosaurs around 100 million years ago. Kevin Petersen, an avocado farmer and curator of the Kronosaurus Korner fossil museum in northwest Queensland, Australia, unearthed a number of fossilized bones in western Queensland in 2021. Fewer than 25 sets of pterosaur remains belonging to four species have been found in Australia since the 1980s, while more than 100 sets have been found in Brazil and Argentina. In finding Haliskia, Petersen found the most complete specimen of any pterosaur discovered in Australia to this day, Pentland said in the statement, praising Petersen for his “careful preparation” of the remains. “I’m thrilled that my discovery is a new species, as my passion lies in helping shape our modern knowledge of prehistoric species,” he said in the statement.

Persons: Kevin Petersen, Korner, Haliskia, Adele Pentland, ” Pentland, Pentland, ”, Petersen, “, Kronosaurus Korner, “ I’m, Palaeontologists, Victoria – Organizations: CNN, Curtin University, Curtin’s School of, Planetary Sciences Locations: Queensland, Australia, Perth, Brazil, Argentina, Australian, Victoria

☆ New species of piranha relative is named after Sauron from ‘The Lord of the Rings’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Thousands of fish species — about 2,500 of them named — call the Amazon River home, but scientists estimate nearly half of the marine creatures lurking in the massive stretch of water remain undiscovered. The marks inspired the fish’s name, Myloplus sauron, according to a study published Monday in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. The confusion around pacusBesides Myloplus sauron, the researchers also discovered the species Myloplus aylan, which they described as having a slightly thicker black bar on its flank. The Myloplus genus falls within the Serrasalmidae fish family, which is made up of piranha and pacu species. Researchers hope to study Myloplus sauron and Myloplus aylan further to learn more about their evolution and relation to other species, Pereira said.

Persons: Sauron, Tolkien’s “, ”, Victória Pereira, Pereira, sauron, Myloplus, Myloplus aylan, pacus, ’ ”, Matthew Kolmann, ” Kolmann, Kolmann, “ Organizations: CNN, University of Paulista, Amazon, University of Louisville Locations: São Paulo, Brazil, piranhas, Kentucky

☆ Who were the victims of Maya sacrifice? Ancient DNA reveals an unexpected finding
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But the impact of ancient DNA, which has revolutionized archaeology in Europe and higher latitudes, has been more limited in tropical areas because DNA degrades more easily in warm conditions. However, recent advances in ancient DNA technology are expanding its reach, she said. And suddenly, we now have the ability to do these large-scale genomic studies and apply ancient DNA as a tool to help us understand the past in Mesoamerica,” Warinner said. The team compared the ancient DNA with that of 68 residents of the present-day Maya community of Tixcacaltuyub. “They were super happy to learn that they were related to the people that once inhabited Chichén Itzá,” Barquera said.

Persons: ”, Rodrigo Barquera, Max Planck, “, El, Chichén Itzá, Donald Miralle, Rubén Mendoza, wasn’t, Christina Warinner, John L, Loeb, “ We’re, ” Warinner, Vera Tiesler, Tiesler, Johannes Krause, Warinner, It’s, ” Barquera, Ermila Organizations: CNN, Max, Max Planck Institute, California State University, telltale, Social Sciences, Harvard University, Evolutionary, Boys, Autonomous University of Yucatán, ” Twins, Twins Locations: Chichén, Mexico’s Yucatán, archaeogenetics, Leipzig, Germany, El Castillo, Monterey Bay, Europe, Itzá, Tixcacaltuyub

☆ Ernest Shackleton’s ‘last ship’ Quest found on ocean floor
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Shipwreck hunters have found the vessel Quest — once captained by renowned Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton — largely intact on the ocean floor, 15 nautical miles off the coast of Canada, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society has announced. Quest carries not only the history of his voyages, but potentially artifacts from expeditions that continued until 1962, when the vessel sank, experts say. Quest sank on May 5, 1962, after being crushed by ice in the Labrador Sea off of Canada, according to the news release. The Quest sank on May 5, 1962, after being crushed by ice in the Labrador Sea off of Canada. “He’s just an excellent example of a leader who made himself and his team capable of making the impossible possible.”It is noteworthy that a handful of men on Shackleton’s Quest expedition were also on Endurance’s expedition turned survival mission, Koehn said.

Persons: —, Ernest Shackleton —, Shackleton, Sir Ernest Shackleton, ”, John Geiger, “ Shackleton, David Mearns, Quest, Ernest Shackleton, ” Geiger, Mearns, “, Ernest Shackleton’s, Nancy Koehn, “ He’s, Koehn, we’re Organizations: CNN, Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Quest, South Atlantic, Central Press, Hulton, Harvard Business School Locations: Canada, Antarctica, Georgia, South, Rowett, Cape Town, South Africa, London, Norwegian, Labrador, Weddell, South Georgia

☆ Nova: ‘New star’ will appear in the night sky after stellar explosion
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

While a supernova is the explosive death of a massive star, a nova refers to the sudden, brief explosion from a collapsed star known as a white dwarf. The dwarf star remains intact, releasing material in a repetitive cycle that can occur for thousands of years. “It’s incredibly exciting to have this front-row seat.”T Coronae Borealis, otherwise known as the “Blaze Star,” is a binary system in the Corona Borealis that includes a dead white dwarf star and an aging red giant star. The red giant becomes increasingly unstable over time as it heats up, casting off its outer layers that land as matter on the white dwarf star. Cooke recalled that the last nova he witnessed — Nova Cygni in 1975 — had a similar brightness to what is expected from T Coronae Borealis.

Persons: “ It’s, ”, Rebekah Hounsell, ” Hounsell, “, Burchard, William J, Cooke, Vega, skywatchers, Elizabeth Hays, ” Hays, they’ll, Hounsell, ” Cooke, —, Koji Mukai Organizations: CNN —, NASA, Goddard Space Flight, “ Blaze, Blaze Star, Coronae, Polaris, North Star, Northern Hemisphere, Northern Crown, Northern, Corona, NASA Goddard, “ Citizen, ” Locations: Greenbelt , Maryland, Ursberg, Germany

☆ Bird flu is rampant in animals. Humans ignore it at our own peril
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Then, three healthy ferrets were placed in the same enclosures with three of the sick animals. These animals could touch, nose and lick the sick animals, and all of them became ill.Next, the CDC tested airborne transmission by putting three healthy ferrets into an enclosure where they could breathe the same air as sick animals but couldn’t touch them. In her lab, ferrets with previous exposures to seasonal flu strains didn’t get as sick when exposed to new flu viruses compared to those with no prior exposure to seasonal strains. How much help we might get from past exposures to flu viruses is difficult to predict, however, which is why vaccination would still be important to tune up our immunity. They never spread the virus to any of the other animals in the facility — including themselves.

Persons: Mark Naniot, Naniot, “, ”, It’s, Jeremy Farrar, Jesse Bloom, Fred Hutch, ” Naniot, Naniot hadn’t, Scott Weese, Weese, there’s, Covid, Rick Bright, Sanjay Gupta, Bright, Erin Sorrell, Zahl, Seema Lakdawala, hasn’t, ” Bright, Dr, Richard Webby, Jude Children’s, “ It’s, Ducks, Michael Osterholm, “ I’ve, he’s Organizations: CNN, Swiss Army, World Health Organization, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, University of Guelph, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Research, Development Authority, CNN Chief, Bright Global Health, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Getty, Emory University, STAT, Administration, Strategic Preparedness, USDA, Jude Children’s Research, Infectious Disease, University of Minnesota, CNN Health Locations: Wisconsin’s, United States, Seattle, Canada, Texas, Vadso, Finnmark, Norway, AFP, Finland, St, Wisconsin

☆ Ramesses II’s lost sarcophagus was hiding in plain sight, research suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Tucked away in the cartouche, an oval-shaped ornament often found in tombs, he found a name of a very recognizable figure: Ramesses II. “The cartouche dates back to its first usage, and contains Ramesses II’s throne name, Usermaatra. Psusennes I reused this sarcophagus that once belonged to Merneptah, the son and successor of Ramesses II. Both sarcophagi would have been inside an even larger stone sarcophagus, the source of the granite fragment Payraudeau discovered. “This also tells us when pharaohs began using more than one stone sarcophagus,” Payraudeau added.

Persons: Menkheperrê, Frédéric, Ramesses, Payraudeau, ” Payraudeau, Ramesses II, —, he’s, Psusennes, Ramesses II’s, Ramesses I, Joann Fletcher, Ramesses ’, ” Fletcher, Jean Revez, “, Merneptah, Seti I’s, Peter Brand, ” Brand, It’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Sorbonne University, National Museum of, frugality, UK’s University of York, University of Quebec, University of Memphis Locations: Paris, Egypt, Cairo, Luxor, Abydos, Merneptah, Montreal

☆ Boeing Starliner, SpaceX Starship missions hit key spaceflight goals
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-08 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Chris O'Meara/APAfter lifting off Wednesday, Starliner and its first human crew set a course for the International Space Station. “We’re just happy as can be to be up in space,” Williams said. “One could be a warning sign — you’re in our backyard, you better behave yourself. The dinosaur-discovering family returns to the site in July 2023 for the excavation, including (clockwise from upper left) Sam Fisher, Emalynn Fisher, Danielle Fisher, Liam Fisher, Kaiden Madsen and Jessin Fisher. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: Chris O'Meara, Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, We’re, ” Williams, —, ”, Philip Riris, ” Dino, Sam Fisher, Emalynn Fisher, Danielle Fisher, Liam Fisher, Kaiden Madsen, Jessin Fisher, Jessin, Liam, Genyornis newtoni, Jacob C, newtoni, George Frandsen, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, eventual, Boeing, Atlas, Cape Canaveral Space Force, International Space, NASA, Bournemouth University, Denver Museum of Nature, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, — Engineers, NASA’s Hubble, CNN Space, Science Locations: Florida, Starliner, Venezuela, Colombia, England, Australia, Williams , Arizona

☆ The largest genome ever discovered belongs to a humble fern
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Amanda Schupak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New research has identified the largest known genome of any living organism in an unassuming fern found in New Caledonia, an island chain in the South Pacific Ocean. After analyzing related samples from New Zealand and Tasmania, Pellicer homed in on the New Caledonian fork fern as a potentially interesting target for study. Genome gigantism, or genome obesity, is extremely inefficient, the experts explain. Pol Fernández I MatóPellicer and his colleagues believe that genome size may influence a plant’s chances of extinction. Could there be a plant with an even bigger genome than the fork fern?

Persons: ”, Jaume Pellicer, Pellicer, Tmesipteris, that’s, ” Pellicer, “, Oriane Hidalgo, polyploidy, Eric Schuettpelz, Fernández, “ it’s, ” Schuettpelz, It’s, David Baum, Pol Fernández, “ I’m, Amanda Schupak Organizations: CNN, Botanical Institute of Barcelona, Cell, Smithsonian, “, Genome, University of Wisconsin, Madison, International Union for Conservation of Locations: New Caledonia, Paris, Grande Terre, Oriane Hidalgo Ferns, New Zealand, Tasmania, New York City

☆ Hiking family discovers rare T. rex fossil
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, the museum has unveiled what it calls “Teen Rex,” a rare juvenile T. rex skeleton, one of only a handful in existence. We had cameras rolling while it was happening.”The dinosaur-discovering family returns to the site in July 2023 for the excavation, including (clockwise from upper left) Sam Fisher, Emalynn Fisher, Danielle Fisher, Liam Fisher, Kaiden Madsen and Jessin Fisher. A lower jaw of the T. rex skeleton is uncovered during the 11-day excavation. Courtesy Denver Museum of Nature and Science“That’s been a fiercely fought out debate, the Nanotyrannus versus Tyrannosaurus Rex,” Lyson said. “Tyrannosaurus isn’t common and juvenile dinosaurs are incredibly rare, so young T. rex are the rarest of the rare,” he said.

Persons: Liam Fisher, Sam Fisher, Jessin, Liam, Kaiden Madsen, hollered, Kaiden, ” Liam, “ Dad, ‘, Fisher, Tyler Lyson, “ Teen Rex, ”, Lyson, “, Emalynn Fisher, Danielle Fisher, Jessin Fisher, Hawk, Rex, That’s, Tyrannosaurus Rex, ” Lyson, It’s, Nick Longrich, Nanotyrannus, Longrich, I’ll Organizations: CNN, Denver Museum of Nature, Denver Museum of Nature &, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, University of Bath Locations: North Dakota, Denver, United Kingdom

☆ The Hubble Space Telescope makes a big change to keep observing the universe
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Hubble Space Telescope will transition to a new way of operating that aims to prevent the space observatory from experiencing lapses in its ability to observe the universe, according to NASA officials. The storied telescope, which has captured breathtaking images of the cosmos for 34 years, has traditionally operated using six gyroscopes. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope eyes the universe in May 2009 after one of the space shuttle missions to service the space observatory. Hubble is expected to operate into the mid-2030s, with its cosmic observations providing a complement to the work of the James Webb Space Telescope and future observatories that haven’t launched yet, Clampin said. “We do not see Hubble as being on its last legs,” Crouse said, “and we think it’s a very capable observatory.”

Persons: Mark Clampin, Hubble, Clampin, Patrick Crouse, Crouse, ” Clampin, James Webb, “, ” Crouse Organizations: CNN, Hubble, NASA, Astrophysics, NASA's Hubble, Goddard Space Flight, James Webb Space Telescope Locations: Greenbelt , Maryland

☆ SpaceX’s Starship launches for a fourth time
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Ashley Strickland | Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —SpaceX’s Starship, the most powerful launch vehicle ever built has lifted off on its fourth flight test on Thursday. The flight test comes two days after the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, gave SpaceX its approval. “The fourth flight of Starship will aim to bring us closer to the rapidly reusable future on the horizon,” according to SpaceX. After the explosive first and second Starship test flights, the company immediately sought to frame these mishaps as successes. But both the Starship spacecraft and booster made it farther into flight than the two previous tests in 2023.

Persons: CNN — SpaceX’s, “, “ We’re, Chandan Khanna, Elon Musk, Topping, Artemis —, Artemis Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, NASA’s, Program, Boeing, NASA, International Space, Super, Getty Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, Gulf, Mexico, United States, China

☆ Tiger shark regurgitates whole echidna in shocking first sighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —In what is thought to be the first encounter of its kind to be witnessed by scientists, a tiger shark has been spotted vomiting up a dead echidna whole off the coast of an Australian island. He said it is “rare” that tiger sharks throw up their food, although they can when stressed. A different shark that the team caught and tagged also made a “surprising” regurgitation, throwing up half a dugong, according to the release. Tiger sharks have gluttonous appetites, a habit of scavenging and are reputed for man-eating. Tiger sharks are found in warm oceans worldwide.

Persons: “, Nicolas Lubitz, ‘, ”, “ I’ve, Lubitz Organizations: CNN, James Cook University, Foundation Locations: Australia, North Queensland, Windward Oahu, Hawaii

☆ Boeing’s Starliner launch: Highly anticipated crewed test flight set for third launch attempt
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Boeing’s Starliner mission will make a third attempt at launching its first crewed flight test Wednesday in a milestone that has been a decade in the making. Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to ride aboard the Starliner capsule on a journey that takes them to the International Space Station. Cory S Huston/NASAIf Starliner successfully lifts off, the astronauts will spend just over 24 hours traveling to the space station. The station’s really designed to be a closed loop.”Now, the urine has to be stored onboard in containers, so Starliner’s anticipated arrival to the space station can’t come soon enough. This mission could be the final major milestone before NASA deems Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft ready for routine operations to deliver astronauts and cargo to the space station.

Persons: CNN —, Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, Bill Nelson, —, ” Nelson, Williams, Cory S Huston, Starliner, ”, Dana Weigel, Wilmore, Steve Stich, SpaceX —, Lockheed Martin, Tory Bruno, “, it’s, Bruno Organizations: CNN, Atlas, Cape Canaveral Space Force, Veteran NASA, International Space, cumulus, Weather Squadron, NASA, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, NASA’s, Space Station, SpaceX, Atlas V, United Launch Alliance, Boeing, Lockheed Locations: Florida, States, United States

☆ Mega rock engravings could be ancient borders, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Ancient rock engravings in what’s now South America — believed to be among the largest in the world — were meant to mark the boundaries of the territories inhabited by their makers, according to a new study. The rock art at Cerro Pintado, about 42 meters long, includes a giant snake, a human figure, a mask motif and a multilegged creature. Philip Riris et al. Monumental rock art of a snake tail in Colombia dwarfs the humans in this image. A close-up shows a detail of rock art on Picure Island, Venezuela.

Persons: South America —, Philip Riris et, ”, Philip Riris, —, Riris, they’re, ” Riris, weren’t, don’t, constricting, José Oliver, Natalia Lozada Mendieta —, Oliver, Lozada Mendieta, George Lau, Dr, Alexander Geurds, Geurds, doesn’t, ” Geurds, “ Organizations: CNN, Venezuela —, Cerro Pintado, Bournemouth University, University College London, Universidad de Los, Colombian, Venezuelan, University of East, University of Oxford Locations: what’s, South America, Venezuela, Colombia, Pintado, Cerro, Cerro Pintado, United Kingdom, Universidad de Los Andes, Americas, University of East Anglia, American

☆ A blue painted shrine is the latest discovery in Pompeii ‘treasure chest’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Antonia Mortensen | Jessie Gretener | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Milan, Italy CNN —Archaeologists have unearthed an intricately decorated blue room, interpreted as an ancient Roman shrine known as a sacrarium, during recent excavations in central Pompeii in Italy. Italian Ministry of CultureThe walls of the room feature female figures that are said to depict the four seasons of the year, as well as allegories of agriculture and shepherding. The new discovery came amid excavations in the Regio IX area of central Pompeii, a residential area that is currently one of the most active excavation sites for new findings. The project aims to improve the structure of the area, making the “protection of the vast Pompeiian heritage… more effective and sustainable,” the culture ministry said. Italian Ministry of CultureLast week, it was reported that archaeologists in Pompeii had uncovered children’s sketches depicting violent scenes of gladiators and hunters battling animals.

Persons: Gennaro Sangiuliano Organizations: Italy CNN —, of Culture, Italian Ministry of, Italian Ministry of Culture Locations: Milan, Italy, Pompeii, Regio IX

☆ SpaceX Starship gets green light for fourth test flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Ashley Strickland | Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —SpaceX has received a launch license authorizing the fourth test flight of its massive moon rocket. A livestream of the flight test will be available on SpaceX’s website about 30 minutes before liftoff. “In addition, the FAA approved the mission profile that included a controlled and uncontrolled entry of the Starship vehicle. After the explosive first and second Starship test flights, the company immediately sought to frame these mishaps as successes. The nearly hour-long third test flight, conducted in March, achieved several milestones before breaking apart after reentry, rather than splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

Persons: “, “ We’re, Elon Musk Organizations: CNN, SpaceX, Federal Aviation Administration, Super, FAA, NASA Locations: Boca Chica , Texas, Gulf, Mexico, United States, China

☆ Ancient crystals reveal the earliest evidence of fresh water, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

We have discovered the earliest evidence of fresh water and representative evidence for dry land above the sea,” he added. The research indicates that the Earth’s water cycle — when water moves between land, oceans and atmosphere through evaporation and precipitation — was operating at that point in time. The earliest widely agreed upon evidence of life — and fresh water — comes from stromatolites, fossilized microbes that formed mounds in hot springs 3.5 billion years ago, Gamaleldien said. Two zircon crystals showed isotopic evidence of meteoric or fresh water; one was 4 billion years old, while the other was 3.4 billion years old, he said. What’s more, land and fresh water, which likely would have fallen as rain, would have provided the essential ingredients for the origin of life, he said.

Persons: ”, Hamed Gamaleldien, ” Gamaleldien, Gamaleldien, … landmasses, Hugo Olierook, Hamed, “, John Valley, Geochemist Beth Ann Bell, wasn’t, ” Bell Organizations: CNN, Nature, “, Curtin University’s School of, Planetary Sciences, Khalifa University, United Arab, Curtin’s School of, geoscience, University of Wisconsin Locations: Australia, United Arab Emirates, Western Australia, Jack, John, Madison

☆ Extinct ‘thunder bird’ from Australia was a giant goose, skull reveals
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For more than a century, scientists have been unsuccessfully hunting for skull fossils for the thunder bird species Genyornis newtoni. Now, the discovery of a complete G. newtoni skull has resolved this longstanding mystery, giving scientists their first face-to-face encounter with the massive mihirung. Pictured here is the skull of G. newtoni, which is helping resolve a long-standing mystery about the giant bird's face. The illustration also highlights how G. newtoni stacks up sizewise to its closest relative, Anhima cornuta (nearest to G. newtoni) and the cassowary (not related). From there, he constructed a scaffold that was consistent across multiple skull fossils.

Persons: newtoni, Larry Witmer, ” Witmer, “ It’s, ”, Witmer, Phoebe McInerney, ” McInerney, “ Genyornis, Genyornis, dromornithids, Anhima, Jacob Blokland, ” Blokland, Blokland, McInerney, Blockland, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, Flinders University G, Ohio University, “, Flinders University, Flinders Palaeontology, Flinders University Big, Scientific Locations: Australia, Australia’s, it’s, South Australia, South America, “

☆ Boeing’s Starliner crew prepares for Wednesday launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The latest attempt at an inaugural crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is on track for Wednesday after a computer issue halted the countdown just moments before liftoff on Saturday. The historic mission, called the Crew Flight Test, is set to launch at 10:52 a.m. Teams safely extracted the astronauts from the capsule, and Williams and Wilmore returned to crew quarters as fuel was drained from the rocket. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft sits atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 31. Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore (left) and Suni Williams are seen on Saturday prior to Starliner's second launch attempt.

Persons: Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, Lockheed Martin, Williams, Wilmore, Joe Raedle, ”, Tory Bruno, “, it’s, Bruno, Starliner, Joe Skipper Organizations: CNN, Cape Canaveral Space Force, Veteran NASA, Atlas, United Launch Alliance, Boeing, Lockheed, NASA, Atlas V, cumulus, Weather Squadron, International Space Station, Reuters Locations: Florida, United States

☆ Boeing Starliner launch: How to watch NASA-crewed mission lift off
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Boeing’s Starliner is aiming to launch its crewed maiden voyage Saturday, a mission that has been a decade in the making. Boeing Crew Flight Test mission goalsAfter reaching orbit, the Starliner crew capsule carrying Wilmore and Williams will separate from the Atlas V rocket and fire its own engines. Starliner is expected to spend more than 24 hours traveling to the International Space Station, with docking anticipated to occur at 1:50 p.m. A series of delaysYears of development hang-ups, test flight problems and other costly setbacks have slowed Starliner’s path to the launchpad. And that’s why we determined that we could go fly with what we have.”During the launch countdown, mission teams will monitor the leak to see whether it increases.

Persons: CNN —, Mark Burger, SpaceX’s, Bill Nelson, Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, —, ” Nelson, Williams, Joe Skipper, Steve Stich, Wilmore, Stich, SpaceX —, ”, Mark Nappi, Starliner, ” Nappi, Nappi, ” Stich, Dana Weigel, ” Weigel, “, Weigel, Mike Fincke, Butch, Suni, CNN’s Deblina Chakraborty Organizations: CNN, Atlas, Cape Canaveral Space Force, 45th Weather Squadron, NASA, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Boeing, Atlas V, International, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, NASA’s, Space Station, Wilmore Locations: Florida, United States

☆ Why we need to know what time it is on the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —It’s easy to take the moon for granted as a silvery orb in the night sky, providing a soft light on most evenings. The new system of measurement that NASA and its international partners need to agree on will have to account for the fact that seconds tick by faster on the moon. But it will be crucial for astronauts living in lunar habitats and scooting around in moon buggies who need to know exactly what time it is. We are familyA digital reconstruction of a Bronze Age woman's face is on display at Scotland's Perth Museum and Art Gallery. And now, researchers know what creates their unusual fur pattern: a mutation affecting a gene called KIT, which controls hair color.

Persons: CNN —, Albert Einstein’s, Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, Joe Skipper, Chris Rynn, Julius Caesar, Gaul, Ari Kankainen, NASA’s Lucy, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, NASA, Boeing, Veteran NASA, Perth Museum, Art, Culture, Kinross, CNN Space, Science Locations: North America, Europe, Southern Hemisphere, Culture Perth, Scotland, Indre, France, Finnish, Petäjävesi, Italy

☆ ‘Devil comet’ will make its closest pass of Earth in 71 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —An unusual horned comet notable for a series of outbursts, nicknamed the “devil comet,” will make its closest approach of Earth on Sunday around 3 a.m. Given that the comet won’t pass by Earth again for decades, collective observations by astronomers could provide key insights into its true nature and behavior. Officially known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, the celestial object made its closest pass of the sun on April 21, coming within 74.4 million miles (119.7 million kilometers) of our star. The comet will make its closest pass of Earth on Sunday, but it will be more than 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) away from our planet and won’t pose a risk. An overlapping series of events likely has contributed to Pons-Brooks’ distinctive look, but it could also be due to our perspective of the comet, Kareta said.

Persons: Pons, Brooks, Gianluca Masi, Dave Schleicher, ”, Teddy Kareta, Jean, Louis Pons, William Robert Brooks, ” Schleicher, Kareta, Schleicher, “, it’s, 12P, Theodore Kareta, ” Kareta Organizations: CNN, Northern, Southern, Millennium, “, Telescope, Lowell Observatory, Lowell, Pons, ”, Lowell Discovery Telescope Locations: Italy's Tuscany, Arizona, Pons

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