Universe Today has recently investigated a myriad of scientific disciplines, including impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets, astrobiology, solar physics, comets, planetary atmospheres, planetary geophysics, cosmochemistry, meteorites, radio astronomy, extremophiles, organic chemistry, black holes, cryovolcanism, planetary protection, and dark matter, and what they can teach us about how we got here, where we’re going, and whether we might find life elsewhere in the universe. Here, Universe Today discusses the explosive field of supernovae—plural for supernova—with Dr. Joseph Lyman, who is an assistant professor in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group at the University of Warwick, regarding the importance of studying supernovae, the benefits and challenges, the most intriguing aspects about supernovae he’s studied throughout his career, what supernovae can teach us about finding life beyond Earth, and any advice he can offer upcoming students who wish to pursue studying supernovae? Therefore, what is the importance of studying supernovae? “Supernovae really are a window into the universe at its most spectacular,” Dr. Lyman tells Universe Today. “We can’t hope to replicate their immense power with experiments here on Earth, and so they provide an invaluable means of studying what happens to matter under the most extreme conditions as stars explode. These conditions are so extreme that supernovae can create the most exotic objects we know of in the universe: neutron stars and black holes. Studying supernovae is therefore a means to study the production of these mysterious objects.” Dr. Lyman continues, “Supernovae are also glimpses at our own origins. During these explosions, they release huge amounts of different elements, including oxygen, iron, calcium, into their environments – elements that would otherwise remain locked up in stars. It is the dispersal of such elements by supernovae that puts in motion the building blocks for the formation of planets, and, ultimately, life as we know it.” The observations of supernovae occurring within our Milky Way Galaxy date back to 185 CE (Common Era) when Chinese astronomers during the Han dynasty observed a bright star that remained in the sky for approximately eight months, after which it faded away. While there has been speculation this observation was a comet despite the object remaining stationary, a 2006 study published in the Chinese Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics concluded this observation was most likely a supernova after comparing records of the observation with comet observation records during the same time period. While several more supernovae within our Milky Way Galaxy have been observed since that encounter, the most recent was observed on October 9, 1604, having since been identified as SN 1604. Because of this, astronomers have focused their attention on studying nebulae, which are remnants of supernovae that provide clues into the various elements and minerals that were ejected into space from the explosion, along with the star’s properties before it exploded. So, what are some of the benefits and challenges of studying supernovae? Dr. Lyman tells Universe Today, “There is a captivating nature to studying an astrophysical phenomenon that is born, and then fades into nothing, right before your eyes. Unlike the unimaginably slow procession of most of the universe, supernova science, and that of other related transients, demands highly reactive modes of working, as astronomers scramble to gather telescopes resources and observations on chance discoveries.” Dr. Lyman continues, “Studying one-off, dynamic objects is, however, also a huge challenge for these reasons. One can miss important clues on the nature of a supernova simply due to a bit of bad weather at an observatory. Some rare or fortuitous events we discover once per decade, or once per generation – the pressure is really then on to observe all we can about the object during its brief life, since once they’re gone, they’re gone.” Despite the lack of supernovae observations within our Milky Way Galaxy occurring in the last several hundred years, astronomers have successfully observed countless supernovae flashes in other galaxies. This began in 1933 by the Swiss astronomer, Dr. Fritz Zwicky, who led a team of astronomers at Palomar Observatory in discovering 12 supernovae over a three-year period, with countless other supernovae outside the Milky Way being discovered to the present day. The most recent supernova was observed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope in 2018 when it observed an exploding star in the spiral galaxy NGC 2525, which is located approximately 70 million light-years from Earth. Supernovae are classified into two types: Type I and Type II, with each being broken down into various subtypes based on their appearances or chemical compositions. Additionally, remnants of supernovae can become several types of celestial objects, including nebulae, neutron stars, or black holes, all depending on the size of the original star (progenitor) and the number of metals (metallicity) it was comprised of, as well. Therefore, what are the most intriguing aspects about supernovae that Dr. Lyman has studied throughout his career? Dr. Lyman tells Universe Today, “A real highlight over the last decade has been the advent of new wide-field sky surveys that are capable now of detecting all manner of supernova types beyond the archetypal classes known about for many decades. The true diverse nature of supernovae, from extremely long-lived and hugely energetic ‘superluminous’ supernovae to fast-and-faint events, is now being revealed. With each new discovery, we are constantly re-evaluating our understanding of how stars evolve and die.” As noted by Dr, Lyman, supernovae explosions release vast amounts of elements into the cosmos, nearly all of which are found on the Earth in some form or another, including living organisms such as humans. The elements he mentions are oxygen, iron, and calcium, all of which reside within our bodies and are essential for our very survival. Also, depending on the composition of the original star, other elements might include gold, uranium, lead, mercury, tin, silver, and zinc, the last of which is also essential for our survival and the others can be used for industrial purposes around the world. Given how some of these elements are found in our bodies, this falls in line with the famous quote by the American astronomer, Dr. Carl Sagan, who said “we are made of star stuff.” Given these variables, what can supernovae teach us about finding life beyond Earth? Dr. Lyman tells Universe Today, “Stars that explode as supernovae at the end of their lives are the nuclear fusion reactors of the universe that provide the elements essential for life. Their explosions seed the material used in the next generations of stars and planets. In this sense, supernovae have been crucial to our own existence, and life on Earth. We see supernovae, and the results of the ‘chemical enrichment’ of galaxies throughout the universe. So, in this sense, we already know the conditions needed to create Earth-like planets are not unique to our own position.” Like all scientific endeavors, the study of supernovae involves a myriad of scientific disciplines, including astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear physics, computer science, and chemistry, just to name a few. It is through constant collaboration and teamwork from scientists around the world that enables the study of supernovae to teach us about the formation and evolution of stars throughout the history of the universe and what it means regarding our place in all of it. Therefore, what advice does Dr. Lyman offer upcoming students who wish to pursue studying supernovae? Dr. Lyman tells Universe Today, “Although we’ve known about supernovae for a century, it remains a very fast-moving research field and, perhaps more so than other astrophysics fields, new students may need to remain open to shifting focus and adapting in their study direction. Upcoming breakthroughs in observational facilities such as the Vera Rubin Observatory, as well as computational work now being able to routinely perform full 3D simulations of supernovae, make for an especially exciting time for the field. I see studying supernovae as a chance to enjoy the serendipity of the universe and see what new explosion it next throws at us to challenge our understanding.” How will supernovae teach us about our place in the cosmos in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science! As always, keep doing science & keep looking up! The post Supernovae: Why study them? What can they teach us about finding life beyond Earth? appeared first on Universe Today.

To get to the Moon, NASA is building a Lunar Gateway in orbit to facilitate easier access to the Moon. With construction beginning in 2028 as part of Artemis IV there will be an ongoing programme of enhancements and additions. NASA has now released a fabulous new 3D animation of the Lunar Gateway to showcase what the final Gateway will look like. It includes modules from partner nations and an Orion lunar landers dock to carry astronauts.  NASA’s Artemis program marks a historic return to lunar exploration following on from the Apollo era. It aims to land “the first woman and the next man” on the Moon by 2025 and heralds a new era of space exploration focused on sustainability and international collaboration. This ambitious project will use advanced technologies, including the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, to establish a long-term human presence on the surface of the Moon. The program also aims to develop the Lunar Gateway, a space station orbiting the Moon, to support missions and serve as a staging point for future expeditions to Mars.  Stacking SLS for Artemis 1. Credit: NASA/Cory Huston The purpose of the Lunar Gateway is to facilitate the exploration of the many scientific mysteries of deep space with Gateway’s first lunar space station. Starting with the Artemis IV mission in 2028, the international teams of astronauts will live, conducting science, and preparing for various lunar missions to the South Pole. NASA has released a fabulous computer generated video of the Gateway showing its exterior form in amazing detail. You can view the video here. The propulsion and power systems are prominent in the video and with the solar array will make the most powerful solar electric spacecraft ever flown. The array will power the station’s systems and even ionise the xenon gas that will produce thrust using an ion system to maintain the spacecrafts polar orbit.  At the hub of the spacecraft though is the Habitation and Logistics Outpost otherwise known as HALO! This element controls and commands the spacecraft and provides communication links back to Earth and the lunar surface. It has been provided by the European Space Station (ESA) and will also support life support systems, exercise equipment and science payload banks.  Another element provided by ESA with support from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the environmental control and life support systems. Without it, life on board simply would not survive.  There are a whole host of other systems on bard from a refuelling capability to ensure the power and propulsion system is topped up, a crew and science airlock system, science payloads and much more.  Source : Gateway: Up Close in Stunning Detail The post NASA Releases a New 3D Animation of the Lunar Gateway appeared first on Universe Today.

The truth is out there.

Economics Down With Digital Nomads American remote workers are reshaping Europe, from visa policies to housing markets. (Wikimedia Commons) On the 200th anniversary of Lord Byron’s death, many celebrated him as the archetypal rake, romantic hero, ne’er-do-well playboy, and gifted poet. Less appreciated is the fact that he was arguably our first modern tourist. From Venice to Albania to Athens and Istanbul, Byron partied his way across the Mediterranean world, reveling in exotic sights and customs, dressing up in local finery, and chasing lovers of both genders along the way. A typical British stag party carousing through the streets of modern Budapest may be less refined, but its priorities are not appreciably different.  Byron’s example inspired waves of imitators. After the Greek War of Independence, an enterprising Scottish publisher started printing regular editions of Murray’s Handbook for Travellers in Greece to reassure distraught Victorians that the flea-infested inns and run-down tavernas they encountered were living links to the world of Pericles, Aristophanes, and Plato. Today, smartphone-wielding travelers of all nationalities have supplanted upper class Brits on continental tours, but the aim of modern tourist traps is much the same as their comparatively primitive 19th century antecedents, namely fleecing affluent foreigners as gently as possible.  Seasoned travelers go to great lengths to avoid such places, but tourist traps at least try to remind visitors, albeit in crude and over-the-top ways, that they are in a foreign country. Sometimes this leads to unfortunate misunderstandings involving novelty drink specials or garbled English menus. In Hungarian, “paraszt konyha” roughly translates to “peasant kitchen,” meaning a restaurant that serves traditional countryside dishes. Divorced from this context, “paraszt” is a serious insult, a bit like calling someone a “bastard” in English. Something to keep in mind the next time you’re looking for traditional Hungarian fare in Budapest.  Still, the occasional misunderstanding can be a useful lesson in the culture of your host country. The multi-layered connotations of “paraszt,” which, depending on the context, might mean “serf,” “farmer,” “bastard,” or an adjective to describe something traditional, actually says something interesting about Hungarians’ complicated relationship to the countryside. On the one hand, rural Hungary is still seen as the source of all things traditionally Magyar, from good wine to hearty meals. On the other hand, rural visitors to bustling, cosmopolitan Budapest sometimes resent their big city cousins. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, himself a country boy, has found a great deal of political success playing on rural Hungary’s inferiority complex.  Inadvertent crash courses on foreign taboos may soon be a thing of the past. A new mode of travel has emerged in recent years, pioneered by a wave of affluent, tech-savvy young people who seek to iron the awkwardness out of foreign sightseeing. These are the digital nomads, and the influence of their peculiar subculture can be felt everywhere from visa policy to the coffee menu at a typical Eastern European cafe.  Digital nomadism is not quite traditional tourism, nor is it the same as moving to a foreign country, learning the language, and adapting to local habits and customs. Nomads tend to stick to their own enclaves and interact mostly with fellow expatriates or well-heeled Anglophone locals. Nomads might stay in one place for a year or two, or they might quickly relocate in search of better weather, more favorable visa policies, or a different “vibe.” Anyone with a smartphone and a remote job can aspire to the lifestyle. Digital nomadism was popularized on American social media and is enabled by a suite of technologies developed by American companies.  Armed with ride-sharing apps, QR codes, booking websites, and sophisticated machine translation, a visitor to Paris, Berlin, or Prague can handle travel arrangements with nothing more than a smartphone and internet access. These features insulate visitors from all but the briefest scripted encounters with locals. And if your Uber driver or food delivery guy is too chatty or insufficiently deferential, you can immediately leave a negative review. Instant technological feedback is training a generation of foreign service employees on the social hang-ups of American millennials. The app that exemplifies this model is Airbnb, an online booking service that originally sold itself as a more authentic way to travel, the idea being that your host would also serve as a personalized concierge for his city or neighborhood. Now Airbnb bookings are frequently outsourced to agencies that manage multiple properties. Instead of handing you a key in person, your host is just as likely to send you a code to a dropbox. Communication is done remotely via the Airbnb app or website, which naturally includes a translation feature. All of these interactions can be conducted without a single face-to-face encounter.  Digital nomadism has spread rapidly from Phnom Penh to Perth, but its heartland is continental Europe. Indeed, traveling the European Union in the 1990s and early 2000s was a bit like being a digital nomad avant la lettre, thanks to the dissolution of internal EU border controls, cheap Eurail passes, and widespread English fluency.  Now apps and social media, in addition to making travel much easier, have exported the aesthetics of Brooklyn and San Francisco across the Old World. Go to a trendy cafe in any major European city and you’re likely to encounter the same menu of cappuccinos, iced lattes, and cortados, with oat or almond milk if you happen to be vegan. Playlists are algorithmically selected to be vaguely hip and welcoming without being objectionable (or memorable). Interior decor tends toward raw wood tables, exposed brick walls, and other features popular on Instagram. Many places don’t even bother to include the host country’s native language on the menu because their customers, even the locals, all speak English.  For young Americans, digital nomadism has certain obvious advantages. You can travel across Europe with a minimum of hassle, all while continuing to enjoy a salary that is considerably higher than what you would make if you permanently relocated. You also enjoy the many benefits of European social democracies, from cheap and reliable public transportation to free health care. For decades, wonks searched in vain for a formula that combines a generous European-style welfare state with America’s dynamic private sector. Nomads have actually cracked the code.  European tourism is already being reshaped by the practices and preferences of the nomad class. Italy, Portugal, and Croatia, all heavily dependent on foreign visitors, now offer special visas for remote workers with incomes above a certain threshold. Others are less enthused by this new mode of travel. Airbnb’s transformation from a way for locals to make a bit of extra cash to a professionalized rental racket has hollowed out entire neighborhoods, causing Florence and Barcelona to restrict online booking services.  Funnily enough, many nomads have borrowed a symbol previously associated with a less glamorous class of traveler. Once the province of sailors and other dangerous or vaguely disreputable professions, tattoos have become almost standard for younger sightseers. Inked motifs, symbols, and messages still invoke romantic notions of foreign adventure, though their bearers have done everything possible to remove friction and uncertainty from the equation. Ubiquitous tattoos bring to mind another British writer with an international background. Joseph Conrad once wrote that, to sailors, all foreign ports are identical. The same can be said of the bars, cafes, and neighborhoods that cater to digital nomads. The post Down With Digital Nomads appeared first on The American Conservative.

ICYMI: Full Speech and worth the watch. Tucker Carlson speaks Down Under from Canberra and assesses Julian Assange's release. We also answer questions from an adversarial press corps. YT Link ??Land Down Under?? Boost Us

UTL COMMENT:- Egg ? prices could rise from next week. How many millions of healthy chickens ? will they kill?

No New World Order cameras to monitor us!!!! We will never accept that!!!! UTL COMMENT:- They want to use such cameras to keep us within our 15 minute prison gulags. (All to stop the non-existent problem of man-made 'climate change'). Think of Gaza as a good example of a 15 minute city. Where do we draw the line between vandalism (which we are all against) and self defence? Comments below!!