Intuitive Machines‘ Odysseus lander made space history today — becoming the first commercial spacecraft to survive a descent to the moon‚ and the first U.S.-built spacecraft to do so since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. But it wasn’t a trouble-free landing. Ground controllers had a hard time establishing contact with the robotic lander just after the scheduled touchdown time of 6:23 p.m. ET (2323 UTC). Several minutes passed‚ and then Intuitive Machines mission director Tim Crain reported that there was a faint signal coming from Odysseus’ high-gain antenna. “We’re not dead yet‚” he said. Your order was delivered… to the Moon! ?@Int_Machines' uncrewed lunar lander landed at 6:23pm ET (2323 UTC)‚ bringing NASA science to the Moon's surface. These instruments will prepare us for future human exploration of the Moon under #Artemis. pic.twitter.com/sS0poiWxrU— NASA (@NASA) February 22‚ 2024 A few minutes later‚ the IM-1 mission team decided that the signal was evidence enough that Odysseus was still operating. “What we can confirm without a doubt is our equipment is on the surface of the moon‚ and we are transmitting‚” Crain said. “So‚ congratulations‚ IM team‚ we’ll see how much more we can get from that.” As mission team members applauded‚ Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus radioed in with his congratulations. “I know this was a nail-biter‚ but we are on the surface and we are transmitting‚” he said. “Welcome to the moon.” “Houston‚ Odysseus has found its new home‚” Crain replied. What Odysseus was designed to do Odysseus‚ which is named after a seafaring hero in Greek mythology‚ was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 15. The mission’s objective was to deliver payloads from NASA and commercial customers to a spot near Malapert A crater in the lunar south polar region. That area of the moon is of high interest because its cratered terrain is thought to hold resources of water ice that could be eventually be used to supply crewed outposts. NASA is paying Houston-based Intuitive Machines $118 million for the delivery under the terms of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The space agency’s payloads include a camera system that was designed to document the plumes of dust kicked up by the landing‚ an experimental radio navigation beacon‚ a radio-based fuel gauge‚ a laser range finder‚ a set of laser reflectors and a sensor that will study the moon’s electron plasma environment. Data from the experiments could help NASA plan for the Artemis program’s crewed lunar landings‚ which could start happening as soon as 2026. The commercial payloads range from a box of 125 marble-sized moon sculptures and a digital data storage device to a mini-observatory that could capture pictures of the lunar surface and the Milky Way above. There’s also a camera system that was designed to be dropped off during the descent to take “selfie” pictures of the touchdown. Backup systems come into play Odysseus reached lunar orbit on Feb. 21‚ and went through a series of maneuvers today to descend from an altitude of 92 kilometers (57 miles). NASA’s laser range finder‚ known as the Navigation Doppler Lidar or NDL‚ ended up playing a crucial backup role in guiding the descent. Just a couple of hours before landing‚ Intuitive Machines reported that controllers couldn’t get Odysseus’ own laser range finders to work — so they reprogrammed the lander to use NASA’s NDL system instead. In the wake of the landing‚ Intuitive Machines’ mission control team went through a series of procedures aimed at resetting equipment and boosting the signal from Odysseus. “After troubleshooting communications‚ flight controllers have confirmed Odysseus is upright and starting to send data‚” Intuitive Machines reported in a posting to X / Twitter. “Right now‚ we are working to downlink the first images from the lunar surface.” It's getting late over here‚ but #IM1 @Int_Machines landed on the moon and is alive!!!! Congratulations!??? Somewhat weaker signal than expected‚ but it's definitely there‚ switching antennas/radios and calling home. ????? pic.twitter.com/AwlQOvVQ78— AMSAT-DL (@amsatdl) February 23‚ 2024 There’s a chance that Odysseus went off track during the final stages of the descent and ended up landing askew. That’s what happened a month ago when Japan’s SLIM spacecraft tumbled into an awkward position on its lunar landing site. SLIM’s off-kilter solar arrays were able to soak up enough power for an abbreviated round of science observations. Even under the best of circumstances‚ the solar-powered Odysseus lander is expected to be in operation on the lunar surface for only seven days. The mission is slated to end when the sun drops below the lunar horizon and the circuit-chilling lunar night begins. Past and future lunar robots NASA’s deputy associate administrator for exploration‚ Joel Kearns‚ noted in advance of the landing that the odds for a completely successful commercial moon landing were slim. “This is not an easy thing we’ve asked these companies to do‚ but if they’re successful‚ the up side for American exploration is just so great we have to try it‚” Kearns said. Last month‚ Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic missed out on sending its Peregrine lander to the lunar surface‚ due to a propellant leak that was detected after launch. The past year has also seen moon landing failures by Russia and a Japanese private venture‚ as well as successes by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s SLIM team and India’s space agency. Still more commercial moon landing attempts are on NASA’s calendar: Intuitive Machines is already working on another lander that will drill for ice in the moon’s south polar region. Meanwhile‚ Astrobotic is getting set to send NASA’s VIPER rover to a spot near the south pole‚ and Firefly Aerospace is due to deliver 10 NASA payloads to Mare Crisium aboard its Blue Ghost lander. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson accentuated the positive in a pre-recorded video message that was released on the assumption that Odysseus survived its descent to the surface. “Today‚ for the first time in more than half a century‚ the U.S. has returned to the moon‚” Nelson said. “Today‚ for the first time in the history of humanity‚ a commercial company‚ an American company‚ launched and led the voyage up there. Today is a day that shows the power and promise of NASA’s commercial partnerships. … This feat is a giant leap forward for all of humanity. Stay tuned.” Stay tuned‚ indeed. The post Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Lander Sends Faint Signal From the Moon appeared first on Universe Today.

Astronomers have been on the hunt for a new kind of exoplanet in recent years – one especially suited for habitability. They’re called hycean worlds‚ and they’re characterized by vast liquid water oceans and thick hydrogen-rich atmospheres. The name was coined in 2021 by Cambridge astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan‚ whose team got a close-up look at one possible hycean world‚ K2-18b‚ using the James Webb Space Telescope in 2023. In a newly accepted paper this January‚ Madhusudhan and coauthor Frances Rigby examined what the internal structure of hycean planets might look like‚ and what that means for the possibility of finding life within. Hycean worlds are unlike anything we have seen in our own solar system‚ expanding the very definition of a habitable planet. They tend to be much bigger than Earth-like planets‚ earning them the moniker ‘mini-neptunes’. Their size makes them easier to detect than smaller rocky worlds‚ and their thick atmospheres give them a wider habitable zone. Those same properties also make them ideal candidates for spectroscopic analysis‚ where measuring the chemical composition of the atmospheres might reveal biosignatures. In order to tease out the potential characteristics of a habitable hycean world‚ Rigby and Madhusudhan used a modeling tool called HyRIS to map out possible planetary structures. They limited their models to only allow for habitable temperatures and pressures at the ocean’s surface‚ where the water meets the air. Even with those strict conditions in place‚ the results showed a wide variety of possible internal structures. The ocean depths of a habitable hycean world could range from 10s of kilometers deep to 1000s of kilometers (for comparison‚ Earth’s ocean averages about 3.7km deep). One factor that potentially limits the habitability of these worlds is that they are likely to have a thick layer of ice between the ocean floor and the rocky core of the planet. On Earth‚ the weathering of the rocky seafloor produces nutrients that are essential to life – ice might inhibit that process. Nonetheless‚ there is still the possibility that these nutrients could be transported through the ice via convection‚ or delivered to the planet in other ways‚ like via comet and asteroid impacts or atmospheric condensation. The study also looked at several real hycean world candidates‚ and among them‚ there are three that stand out as having good chances of habitability. Although these three candidates orbit red dwarf stars – known for their violent‚ hostile solar flares – these planets’ stars are comparatively calm. They are TOI-270 d‚ TOI 1468 c‚ and TOI-732 c (TOI refers to planets observed by the TESS space telescope). Each of these three planets is scheduled for observation by James Webb in its second year of observing‚ meaning we’re about to get a more detailed look at some exciting new exoplanets. Last year’s observation of K2-18b was just the beginning of hycean world research‚ and this recent paper will help astronomers constrain the possible internal structures of these worlds‚ and help determine the prospect of finding life on them. Learn More: Frances E. Rigby‚ Nikku Madhusudhan‚ “On the Ocean Conditions of Hycean Worlds‚” ArXiv preprint. “Webb Discovers Methane‚ Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b.” NASA‚ September 2023. The post If Hycean Worlds Really Exist‚ What are Their Oceans Like? appeared first on Universe Today.

Universe Today has investigated the importance of studying impact craters‚ planetary surfaces‚ exoplanets‚ and astrobiology‚ and what these disciplines can teach both researchers and the public about finding life beyond Earth. Here‚ we will discuss the fascinating field of solar physics (also called heliophysics)‚ including why scientists study it‚ the benefits and challenges of studying it‚ what it can teach us about finding life beyond Earth‚ and how upcoming students can pursue studying solar physics. So‚ why is it so important to study solar physics? Prof Maria Kazachenko‚ who is a solar astrophysicist and assistant professor in the Astrophysical &; Planetary Science Department at the University of Colorado‚ Boulder‚ tells Universe Today‚ “Solar physics studies how our Sun works‚ and our Sun is a star. We should understand how our home star works for various reasons. First‚ stars are the building blocks of our Universe.  Even we are made of stardust. Second‚ our Sun provides energy for life and affects our life here on Earth (space weather‚ digital safety‚ astronauts’ safety). So‚ to be safe we need to understand our star. Finally‚ the Sun is the only star where we could obtain high-quality maps of magnetic fields‚ which define stellar activity. To summarize‚ studying the Sun is fundamental for our space safety and for understanding the Universe.” The field of solar physics dates to 1300 BC Babylonia‚ where astronomers documented numerous solar eclipses‚ and Greek records show that Egyptians became very proficient at predicting solar eclipses. Additionally‚ ancient Chinese astronomers documented a total of 37 solar eclipses between 720 BC and 480 BC‚ along with keeping records for observing visible sunspots around 800 BC‚ as well. Sunspots were first observed by several international astronomers using telescopes in 1610‚ including Galileo Galilei‚ whose drawings have been kept to this day. Presently‚ solar physics studies are conducted by both ground- and space-based telescopes and observatories‚ including the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope located in Hawai’i and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe‚ with the latter coming within 7.26 million kilometers (4.51 million miles) of the Sun’s surface in September 2023. But with all this history and scientific instruments‚ what are some of the benefits and challenges of studying solar physics? Prof. Kazachenko tells Universe Today that some of the scientific benefits of studying solar physics include “abundant observations and many science problems to work on; benefits from cross-disciplinary research (stellar physics‚ exoplanets communities)” with some of the scientific challenges stemming from the need to use remote sensing‚ sometimes resulting in data misinterpretation. Regarding the professional aspects‚ Prof. Kazachenko tells Universe Today that some of the benefits include “small and friendly community‚ large variety of research problems relying on amazing new observations and complex simulations‚ ability to work on different types of problems (instrumentation‚ space weather operation‚ research)” with some of the professional challenges including finding permanent employment‚ which she notes is “like everywhere in science”. Image of the Sun obtained by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on June 20‚ 2013‚ with a solar flare discharging on the left side. (Credit: NASA/SDO) As noted‚ the study of solar physics involves investigating space weather‚ which is when the solar wind interacts with the Earth‚ specifically with our magnetic field‚ resulting in the beautiful auroras observed in the high northern and southern latitudes. On occasion‚ the solar wind is strong enough to wreak havoc on satellites and even knock out power grids across the Earth’s surface. This was demonstrated with the Carrington Event on September 1-2‚ 1859‚ when fires at telegraph stations were reported across the globe‚ along with several strong aurora observations‚ as well. While this event occurred with the Earth’s magnetic field largely deflecting the incoming solar wind‚ life on this planet could be doomed without our magnetic field protecting us. Therefore‚ what can solar physics teach us about finding life beyond Earth? Prof. Kazachenko tells Universe Today‚ “The Sun can tell us about stellar activity‚ including flares and coronal mass ejections that might be crucial for the creation of life on the planets. How frequent are these flares? How strong could they be? Why are some flares eruptive (leaving the star) and others confined (keeping erupted plasma on the star)? Why do we observe mostly confined flares on other stars? The Sun could also tell us about the science behind the long-term stellar evolution (stellar cycles‚ stellar dynamo).” Image of a coronal mass ejection being discharged from the Sun. (Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Solar Dynamics Observatory) Like most scientific disciplines‚ solar physics encompasses researchers from a myriad of backgrounds‚ including the aforementioned exoplanet communities‚ but also includes standard physics‚ astrophysics‚ computer science‚ plasma physics‚ and fluid dynamics‚ just to name a few. It is through constant collaborative and innovative efforts from these backgrounds that researchers can study not only our own Sun‚ but suns in other solar systems throughout the cosmos. Therefore‚ what advice can Prof. Kazachenko offer upcoming students who wish to pursue studying solar physics? “Be brave‚ ambitious‚ and work hard‚” Prof. Kazachenko tells Universe Today. “Talk to students and scientists who work in the field and do not be afraid to contact scientists you would like to work with. Work on your math and communication skills.” As noted‚ solar eclipses are an important facet of studying solar physics‚ as they have been both observed and documented for thousands of years by a myriad of civilizations across the globe. The Holy Grail of eclipses are total solar eclipses‚ which is when the Moon completely blocks out the Sun‚ offering solar physicists a rare opportunity to observe and study coronal mass ejections‚ which Prof. Kazachenko mentions could be vital to the creation of life. The upcoming total solar eclipse that will cross the United States in a couple of months will provide scientists with even greater opportunities to study the Sun’s many attributes‚ even more than the 2017 total solar eclipse. For this upcoming eclipse‚ Prof. Kazachenko plans to lead an expedition “Eclipses en la Frontera” to Eagle Pass‚ TX‚ with the National Solar Observatory’s Education &; Public Outreach Team. Prof. Kazachenko tells Universe Today‚ “We had such a wonderful time during the annular solar eclipse (in October 2023)‚ so now we are coming back for totality!”  Prof. Kazachenko (left of center) and CU Boulder graduate student‚ Marcel Corchado-Albelo (center)‚ participating in an educational workshop on solar research at Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School before the annular solar eclipse in October 2023 in Uvalde‚ TX. (Credit: Prof. Kazachenko) Image of the total solar eclipse August 21‚ 2017‚ above Madras‚ Oregon‚ and the same event will be occurring in April 2024‚ although in different parts of the United States. (Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) Prof. Kazachenko continues‚ “The solar eclipse on April 8‚ 2024‚ is around the corner. It is a life-changing experience. Not because I am a solar physicist‚ but because it makes you feel like you are part of the Universe. The best place to see it in the US will be in Texas (e.g. San Antonio‚ Austin‚ or Dallas)‚ as it might be cloudy in the rest of the eclipse path.” How will solar physics help us better understand our place in the cosmos in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell‚ and this is why we do science! As always‚ keep doing science &; keep looking up! The post Solar Physics: Why study it? What can it teach us about finding life beyond Earth? appeared first on Universe Today.

How is this possible?

We've long known that baleen whales sing underwater and that males sing in tropical waters to attract females for mating. What we haven't known is how they're able to do it. When humans make sound underwater‚ we expel air over through our vocal chords and the air we release rises to the surface as bubbles. But baleen whales don't have vocal chords‚ and they don't create bubbles when they vocalize. Toothed whales‚ such as sperm whales‚ beaked whales‚ dolphins and porpoises‚ have an organ in their nasal passages that allows them to vocalize‚ but baleen whales such as humpback‚ gray and blue whales don't. Whales are notoriously difficult to study because of their size and the environment they require‚ which is why the mechanism behind whale song has remained a mystery for so long. It's not like scientists can just pluck a whale out of the ocean and stick it in an x-ray machine while it's singing to see what's happening inside its body to create the sound. Scientists had theories‚ but no one really knew how baleen whales sing.Now‚ thanks to researchers at the University of Denmark‚ that mystery has been solved. To figure it out‚ a research team blew air through larynxes that had been removed from three juvenile whales that had died after being stranded—one humpback‚ one minke and one sei whale. They discovered that the design of these "voice boxes" and the mechanism they use to create sound is unique among mammals.The study‚ published in the journal Nature‚ describes a u-shaped structure with a cushion of fat and muscle that allows air to be recycled and prevents water from being inhaled. When air is pushed through it‚ part of the fatty cushion vibrates and creates the low frequency sound we call whale song."We've never seen this in any other animal‚" lead author Coen Elemans told AFP. "This is a completely novel adaptation‚ and we think this allowed these large whales to make sound in the water while basically holding their breath."The low frequency of their singing also sheds light on how human shipping activity can impact these whales' ability to communicate. Whale singing tops out at a frequency of 300 hertz‚ and whales have to be near the ocean's surface to sing. Since boat sounds range from 30 to 300 hertz and are at the surface of the water‚ our activity can interfere with whales' communication and reproductive behaviors in ways whales aren't able to adapt to."They cannot simply choose to‚ for example‚ sing higher to avoid the noise we make in the ocean‚" Elemans explained to BBC News‚ adding additional context for why it matters. "[These are some] of the most enigmatic animals that ever lived on the planet. They are amongst the biggest animals‚ they're smart and they're highly social." Whale populations have seen a positive turnaround since most countries put an end to commercial whaling‚ but now the threat is less direct. Since whales live in a mostly acoustic world under the waves‚ the noise created by boats and shipping vessels can affect their behavior. Since whales can't "outsing" our boat noises‚ we need to alter our own behavior prevent negatively impacting theirs. In February 2024‚ the U.S. Coast Guard launched a "cetacean desk" that alerts regional ferries and commercial vessels in Washington State's Salish Sea to whale sightings in an attempt to prevent collisions and reduce noise when whales are known to be present. The alert system utilizes apps where mariners and civilians can report whale sightings‚ which are then passed on to captains. Whale vocalizations are incredibly diverse and wide-ranging‚ and there's a lot we still don't know about how they communicate. We know that they vocalize to find one another in the murky depths and that males sing to attract females‚ but more research is needed to learn about the intricacies of their vocal repertoire.But at least now scientists have a better picture of the "how‚" which is one step closer to better understanding these massive‚ magnificent creatures.

There are countless hot sauces out there to choose from‚ but Mashed Bros Brian and Scott Wilson set out to find the hottest of the hot. Here are their findings.

Original KISS guitarist‚ Ace Frehley‚ has dropped his eighth solo album “10‚000 Volts.” The set features the title track‚ “Walkin’ On The Moon” and “Cherry Medicine.” “10‚000 Volts” Tracks: 01. 10‚000 Volts02. Walkin’ On The Moon03. Cosmic Heart04. Cherry Medicine05. Back Into My Arms Again06. Fightin’ For Life07. Blinded08. Constantly Cute09. Life Of A Stranger10. Up In The Sky11. Stratosphere Frehley was in KISS from 1973–1982 and 1996–2002. The post Ace Frehley’s “10‚000 Volts” Has Dropped appeared first on RockinTown.

Head of Google's 'AI Responsibility' initiative admits her own racism sparked diversity‚ equity and inclusion push. Footage out of a Google meeting shows the founder behind the company’s “AI responsibility” initiative claiming AI systems need to be more inclusive‚ as its Gemini AI comes under fire for excluding white people from generative image requests. In videos from 2021‚ the company’s Founder and Director of Responsible Innovation at Google Jen Gennai confessed she treated “Black‚ Hispanic and Latinx” employees differently than white employees‚ suggesting this was the moment that began her anti-white crusade. “It was a wake up call for me‚” Gennai says in a video posted to X by The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh. 2/ Here’s the founder of Google's "AI Responsibility" initiative‚ Jen Gennai‚ speaking in a keynote address in 2021. She openly suggests that she treats “Black‚ Hispanic and Latinx” employees differently than white employees. pic.twitter.com/snJmtSDJnn— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 22‚ 2024 Gennai goes on to say she learned from her failures and that it’s ok to make mistakes when trying to be an “anti-racist.”Introducing Next Level Foundational Energy from Dr. Jones Naturals starting at 30% off! This cutting-edge dietary supplement is designed to elevate your energy levels and support your overall well-being. 3/ Gennai also says Google’s commitment to “antiracism” is a key component of their AI work – and she insists they won’t be deterred. pic.twitter.com/T9vJ5hkGAD— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 22‚ 2024 In another video‚ Gennai‚ whose job is to ensure products operated by Google’s “fair and ethical” AI Principles‚ had difficulty explaining her use of the word “ally” without fearing she might offend someone. 4/ Jen Gennai goes on to say that she wants to avoid "othering others.” Listen to this DEI word salad. It would be comical if the stakes weren’t so high: pic.twitter.com/1B2Ubzi6Zb— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 22‚ 2024 As Walsh points out‚ Gennai is the same Google employee who in 2019 was caught by Project Veritas admitting Google was using its AI systems and censorship algorithms to manipulate the 2020 election. BREAKING @Project_Veritas: Insider Blows Whistle &; Exec Reveals Google Plan to Prevent "Trump situation" in 2020 on Hidden Cam — FULL VIDEO AND BACKUP: https://t.co/8DWus8E4ia pic.twitter.com/XWD9JKcZ2C— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) June 24‚ 2019 Hear Walsh’s comments on the matter: Hear my full thoughts here: https://t.co/Ri3DiphhUd— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 22‚ 2024 The flashback to Gennai’s comments come as Google’s AI platform Gemini (formerly Bard) is weathering criticism over its image generator refusing to create images of white people. Another project lead behind Gemini‚ Jack Krawcyzk‚ has also found himself at the center of controversy over social media posts in which he espoused anti-white racism while promoting the leftist self-hating social justice warrior notion of “white privilege.” Evidently‚ the exclusion of whites wasn’t a flaw in the Gemini system‚ but a baked-in “feature.”