Earth’s oceans are—like space—a largely unexplored frontier. Relatively few humans have explored either place‚ using specialized life-support equipment. Unlike space‚ however‚ the oceans also have other beings that can explore them: jellyfish. They can head to places underwater that humans can never go. That makes them interesting candidates for autonomous ocean exploration. Jahn Dabiri‚ a researcher at Caltech‚ is modifying these creatures to create biohybrid robotic jellyfish. These cyborg jellies do what they’ve done since time immemorial: swim‚ eat‚ sting‚ and breed. But‚ with a few enhancements—including a little electronics pack and a prosthetic hat—these little guys now have enhanced swimming capabilities. The idea is to use the cyborg jellyfish as data-gathering robots. They will swim the ocean to collect information about temperatures‚ oxygen levels‚ and salinity. Climate change affects all these factors. This is important as we seek to understand how the buildup of carbon dioxide could affect the oceans. “It’s well known that the ocean is critical for determining our present and future climate on land‚ and yet‚ we still know surprisingly little about the ocean‚ especially away from the surface‚” said Dabiri. “Our goal is to finally move that needle by taking an unconventional approach inspired by one of the few animals that already successfully explores the entire ocean.” Recruiting Jellyfish to Solve Engineering Challenges It may seem a little odd to co-opt jellyfish into doing science data gathering‚ but it’s not a new idea. These creatures inspired Dabiri to try creating a mechanic robot that swam like one. The idea worked‚ sort of. But‚ the robotic one never did swim as well as the real thing. So‚ eventually‚ Dabiri decided to‚ in essence‚ recruit live ones for further experiments. Dabiri and colleagues first implanted electronic pacemakers into jellyfish to control their swim speeds. When that worked‚ they added an additional piece to the jelly‚ called a forebody. It looks like a little hat that sits atop the jelly’s body. The team had to do some work to adapt it. Eventually‚ they came up with a model that works with sensors and other electronics. “Much like the pointed end of an arrow‚ we designed 3D-printed forebodies to streamline the bell of the jellyfish robot‚ reduce drag‚ and increase swimming performance‚” team member Simon Anuszczyk said. “At the same time‚ we experimented with 3D printing until we were able to carefully balance the buoyancy and keep the jellyfish swimming vertically.” How Well Did the Cyborg Jellyfish Work? After much experimentation‚ the team was ready to test their cyborg partners. They built a three-story aquarium at Caltech for the tests. Why so big? “In the ocean‚ the round trip from the surface down to several thousand meters will take a few days for the jellyfish‚ so we wanted to develop a facility to study that process in the lab‚” Dabiri said. “Our vertical tank lets the animals swim against a flowing vertical current‚ like a treadmill for swimmers. We expect the unique scale of the facility—probably the first vertical water treadmill of its kind—to be useful for a variety of other basic and applied research questions.” A biohybrid jellyfish descends through the three-story tank in which swimming tests were conducted. Credit: Caltech The results are interesting. Testing showed that a cyborg jellyfish carrying an instrument payload swims up to 4.5 times faster than a “naked” one. And‚ they are hardy creatures that don’t seem to mind the work at all. “Jellyfish are the original ocean explorers‚ reaching its deepest corners and thriving just as well in tropical or polar waters‚” Dabiri says. “Since they don’t have a brain or the ability to sense pain‚ we’ve been able to collaborate with bioethicists to develop this biohybrid robotic application in a way that’s ethically principled.” The cost of a cyborg jellyfish is pretty cheap‚ compared to highly expensive ocean-going instruments. The total expense comes to about $20 per jellyfish‚ according to Dabiri. A research vessel with similar capabilities can cost upwards of $50‚000. Of course‚ the jellyfish have only been tested in a relatively shallow area. For jellies to be sent to greater depths‚ there’s more work to be done on their instrument packs. “We still need to design the sensor package to withstand the same crushing pressures‚ but that device is smaller than a softball‚ making it much easier to design than a full submarine vehicle operating at those depths‚” said Dabiri. “I’m really excited to see what we can learn by simply observing these parts of the ocean for the very first time.” Cyborg Jellies in Space? Dabiri’s work doesn’t cover any space applications. However‚ reading about these cyborgs does invoke thoughts of using similar technologies at other worlds. We can’t send cyborg jellyfish to Europa‚ really. But‚ maybe instrument designers can take a cue from their enhanced abilities to come up with advanced swimmers to ply the salty oceans of that distant moon. Who knows what they might find—and all thanks to some jellyfish research partners right here on Earth. For More Information Building Bionic Jellyfish for Ocean ExplorationBionic Jellyfish Swimg Faster and More EfficientlyElectromechanical Enhancement of Life Jellyfish for Ocean Exploration The post Cyborg Jellyfish Could Help Explore Oceans Autonomously appeared first on Universe Today.

The Starship/Super Heavy is the world’s first fully reusable launch system and the most powerful rocket in history. It is also the key to fulfilling SpaceX’s long-term vision of broadband satellite internet‚ delivering crews and cargo to the lunar surface‚ and creating the first self-sustaining city on Mars. After years of development‚ design changes‚ and “hop tests” at the company’s launch facility near Boca Chica‚ Texas‚ orbital test flights finally began in April last year. The first two flights ended in the loss of both vehicles‚ though the second flight saw the Starship prototype reach orbit. According to a recent statement from the company‚ Flight Test-3 (FT-3) could be happening as soon as Thursday‚ March 14th‚ pending approval of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The event will be covered in a live webcast streaming on the company website and SpaceX’s official X (Twitter) account. The SN25 Starship and BN9 booster on the landing pad at Boca Chica‚ Texas. Credit: SpaceX The inaugural flight test witnessed the fully-stacked SN24 and BN7 prototypes successfully lifting off from the launch pad and reaching an altitude of about 40 km (25 miles) above sea level. Unfortunately‚ the SN24 failed to separate from the BN7 a few minutes into the flight‚ causing the vehicle to fall into an uncontrolled tumble. Ground teams then activated the on-board explosives to detonate both vehicles to avoid a severe crash landing. After an investigation by the FAA‚ SpaceX upgraded its launch pad and prepared for round two. The second flight test took place the following November and saw the SN25 and BN9 prototypes successfully launch and seperate at an altitude of 70 km (43 mi). The booster stage was lost about 30 seconds later‚ exploding over the Gulf of Mexico‚ while the SN25 reached an altitude of about 148 km (92 mi) – just shy of the company’s goal of 150 km (93 mi). The SN25 also exploded after reaching space‚ reportedly because its flight termination system was activated. According to the company statement‚ the third flight will incorporate the lessons learned from their previous attempts: “Starship’s second flight test achieved a number of major milestones and provided invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship. Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test. They aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand‚ but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximize learning.” This is in keeping with SpaceX’s rapid prototyping and iterative development approach‚ where lessons from previous tests (and improvements) are incorporated along the way. According to the timeline included in the statement‚ the flight test will include “a number of ambitious objectives‚” including the successful ascent burn of both stages‚ a “flip maneuver” by the booster after separation‚ followed by the booster making a propulsive landing in the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship‘s payload door will also be opened roughly 12 minutes into the flight (and closed again about 16 minutes later) to test the spacecraft’s ability to deliver satellites and other payloads to space. Starship Flight Test-3 Version 1.0: My (unofficial) infographic – "Excitement guaranteed!" A huge thank you to Bill @LunarCaveman for all his help putting this together. If any new details are released by @SpaceX‚ watch for an updated version. pic.twitter.com/GFdiS6AhNc— Tony Bela – Infographic news (@InfographicTony) March 10‚ 2024 Other objectives include a propellant transfer demonstration and the first ever re-light of a Raptor engine in space. This will be followed by a controlled reentry of the Starship‚ which will splash down in the Indian Ocean about an hour after launch. Earlier today‚ an infographic was posted on X by space artist Tony Bela (X handle @InfographicTony) that depicts the various stages of Flight Test-3 (shown below). With the help of Bill “LunarCaveman” (@LunarCaveman)‚ the infographic provides a detailed rundown of the flight test and everything it aims to accomplish. The live webcast will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff‚ though the timetable is still subject to change. Those interested in catching it live are encouraged to check out X @SpaceX for further updates. Further Reading: SpaceX The post SpaceX is Gearing Up for the Starship’s Third Orbital Test Flight appeared first on Universe Today.

A monumental shift is taking place.

Fresh veggies are always a crispy delight‚ but marinating them can take any dish to the next level. Here are some tips for great marinated veggies.

by Matt Margolis‚ PJ Media: A great deal hinged on Joe Biden’s performance during Thursday evening’s State of the Union address. The White House knew more than anything that Biden had to dispel concerns regarding his age and cognitive decline. Naturally‚ the mainstream media did its part to help shore up this narrative affirming Biden’s […]

from The People’s Voice: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

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