NASA reveals plans to build a $20billion base on the MOON by 2033 – here's what it will look like

• READ MORE: Scientists are about to LAND on an asteroid as it skims past Earth 

By XANTHA LEATHAM, EXECUTIVE SCIENCE EDITOR

NASA has revealed plans to build a $20billion (£14.9billion) permanent base on the moon.

New chief Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency in December, has announced a 'focus shift', prioritising a lunar habitat that allows for 'long–duration human presence'.

He said NASA will spend the next seven years constructing the station at the moon's south pole over dozens of missions.

Artist impressions of the base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the moon's surface.

The station will represent the next step towards 'achieving the near–impossible', he said, and will 'ensure American leadership in space'.

'There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity's first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth, and we will take the world along with us,' Mr Isaacman told a conference at NASA headquarters in Washington.

'This time the goal is not flags and footprints,' he added.

'This time the goal is to stay.'

Artist impressions of the moon base feature futuristic rovers, communication devices, solar panels, habitat modules and launch pads on the lunar surface

Building the moon base will take place over three phases, NASA said.

The first involves a shift from infrequent missions to a 'repeatable' approach that increases the tempo of lunar activity.

Phase two will see a move towards semi–habitable infrastructure involving rovers and other forms of transportation.

Finally, for phase three, NASA 'will deliver heavier infrastructure needed for a continuous human foothold on the moon'.

This will include multi–purpose habitats created by the Italian Space Agency and lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency.

The 'habitation module' will be three metres wide and six metres long (10 feet by 20 feet) with a mass of around 15 tonnes.

It will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface. It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat for inhabitants.

The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency.

The Italian Space Agency's habitation module will safely host astronauts during their missions, support surface operations, enable scientific research experiments both with and without the presence of a human crew, and have the capability to move on the surface (artist's impression)

A concept image of a pressurised rover on the surface of the Moon. The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities

Solar array systems will help power exploration of the Moon. Pictured: An illustration of the device, which can deploy up to 32 feet high

Where will the astronauts live?

Visitors to the moon would be stationed in a 'habitation module' currently being built by the Italian Space Agency 

They are three metres wide and six metres long with a mass of 15 tonnes

Five main substations control the inner atmosphere, temperature and humidity, with an in–built water and waste management system 

The module will have wheels, allowing it to be easily moved across the moon's surface.

It is also completely self–sufficient, providing power and heat

The module has currently been designed to be able to support two astronauts for between seven and 30 days – or a larger crew for short periods in case of an emergency

NASA said its moon base plans also include a pressurised rover, which has been designed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

This is a mobile habitat that can allow astronauts to explore much further than current moonwalks allow, supporting two crew members as it traverses across the lunar surface.

The rover will boast robotics, cameras, sensors and scientific instruments, acting as a 'mobile laboratory' for exploration activities.

'The objective is clear: build the foundation for an enduring lunar base and take the next step towards Mars,' Mr Isaacman wrote on X.

In a nod to the race against China to build a permanent base on the moon, Mr Isaacman said: 'The clock is running in this great‑power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, not years.'

He added that 'building a base will seem pale in comparison to what we will be capable of accomplishing in the years ahead'.

NASA has also announced that in order to focus on the moon base project, it would be suspending plans to create Lunar Gateway – its lunar orbital space station.

'The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations,' Mr Isaacman said.

NASA said lunar utility vehicles from the Canadian Space Agency (pictured) will also be needed

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who joined the agency last year, said focus needs to 'shift' towards establishing a permanent base on the moon

The Gateway orbital lunar station was meant to serve both as a point of transfer for astronauts headed to the Moon as well as a platform for research.

The suspension of the initiative isn't entirely surprising – some had criticised it as financially wasteful or a distraction from other lunar ambitions.

Read More

• Scientists discover 45 Earth-like planets that could have the perfect conditions for ALIENS - including four that are just 40 light-years away 

Putting it on hold will allow for the redirection of efforts and resources towards the construction of the base near the strategic south lunar pole, Mr Isaacman explained, which was already a goal.

Last month, NASA said it was reshuffling its Artemis programme that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, as it aims to ensure Americans can return to the Moon's surface by 2028.

That goal remains unchanged, but the US space agency is shifting its flight lineup to include a test mission before an eventual lunar landing to improve launch 'muscle memory'.

That strategic revision came amid repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which was originally due to take off as early as February, but is now targeting early April. It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.

Artemis II: Key facts

Launch date: NASA initially identified three possible launch windows for Artemis II: From February 6 to February 11, from March 6 to March 11, and from April 1 to April 6. The space agency is now targeting the April window. 

Mission objective: To complete a lunar flyby, passing the 'dark side' of the moon and test systems for a future lunar landing.

Total distance to travel: 620,000 miles (one million km)

Mission duration: 10 days 

Estimated total cost: $44billion (£32.5billion)

- NASA Space Launch System rocket: $23.8billion (£17.6billion)

- Orion deep–space spacecraft: $20.4billion (£15billion)

Crew: 

- Commander Reid Wiseman

- Pilot Victor Glover

- Mission Specialist Christina Koch

- Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen

Mission Stages:

1. Launch from Kennedy Space Centre Launch Pad 39B

2. Manoeuvre in orbit to raise the perigee using the Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

3. Burn to raise apogee using the Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

4. Detach from Cryogenic Propulsion Stage and perform translunar injection

5. Fly to the moon over four days

6. Complete lunar flyby at a maximum altitude of 5,523 miles (8,889 km) above the moon's surface

7. Return to Earth over four days

8. Separate the crew module from the European Service Module and the crew module adapter

9. Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean  

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

25-03-2026 om 18:57 geschreven door peter  

Mysterious 'ruins' off Louisiana coast spark theories of 12,000-year-old lost city

• READ MORE: Roman artifact discovered in Americas shatters New World history as we know it 

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

An amateur archaeologist claims to have uncovered the ruins of an ancient city that once thrived off the coast of Louisiana roughly 12,000 years ago.

Retired architect George Gelé said he has found clues that 'hundreds of buildings' are buried beneath the waters near the Chandeleur Islands, a chain of uninhabited barrier islands about 50 miles east of New Orleans in the Gulf of America.

For nearly five decades, he has captured underwater sonar images that he believes reveal the remnants of major structures, including what he describes as a 280-foot-tall pyramid rising from the seafloor.

Gelé claimed the pyramid emits a surge of electromagnetic energy that has caused boat compasses to spin wildly as vessels passed overhead. 

Dubbed the city of Crescentis, Gelé told local station WWL-TV that the submerged formations, located roughly 30 feet below the water and buried beneath an additional 100 feet of sediment, appear to be 'geographically related to the Great Pyramid of Giza' in Egypt.

While his findings have not been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, Gelé argued the site may date back to the end of the last Ice Age, when rising seas about 11,700 years ago submerged vast coastal landscapes.

The foundation of his theory rests on mysterious granite mounds discovered beneath Chandeleur Sound, a material not naturally found in Louisiana, which he believes were deliberately transported and assembled.

'Somebody floated a billion stones down the Mississippi River and assembled them outside what would later become New Orleans,' Gelé said, after more than five decades studying the site.

Retired architect George Gelé said he has found clues that 'hundreds of buildings' are buried beneath the waters off the coast of Louisiana 

He claims the city was located near the Chandeleur Islands, a chain of uninhabited barrier islands about 50 miles east of New Orleans in the Gulf of America

Gelé has personally funded and conducted more than 40 underwater research expeditions in the area since 1974.

While he officially revealed his discoveries to the world in March 2022, his interview on WWL-TV has resurfaced.

During the interview, local shrimper Ricky Robin, who took Gelé to the site multiple times, claimed that the compass on his boat spun completely around near the area where the tip of the pyramids was suspected.

'Everything will go out on your boat. All your electronics like you were in the Bermuda Triangle,' said Robin. 

He added that other local fishermen have shared stories about catching strange, square rocks in their nets.

'I thought right away it was pieces of the pyramid because it was right around where that compass spun,' Robin said. 

While the idea of a lost city is captivating, several scientists have offered more conventional explanations for the mysterious underwater mounds.

Gelé himself explored alternative explanations for the granite masses during a 2014 presentation, including the possibility that the stones came from a construction dump or debris left behind by multiple shipwrecks.

For nearly five decades, he has captured underwater sonar images that he believes reveal the remnants of major structures. He has also collected granite pieces that he believes once formed the now underwater city

However, he noted that construction debris only appears on the top surface of the mounds, and granite blocks are expensive construction materials, and would not be discarded so easily. 

A separate study conducted by Texas A&M University in the late 1980s also concluded that the underwater granite likely originated from shipwreck activity, or from piles of ballast stones discarded from vessels, WWL-TV reported.

Historians believe the stones may have been dumped from Spanish or French ships to lighten their loads as they approached shallow waters on routes leading to New Orleans.

Local newspaper The Advocate later examined the mystery in 2011, speaking with LSU archaeology professor Rob Mann, who offered another explanation for the unusual formations.

He suggested the granite could be remnants of an effort to build an artificial reef in the 1940s, created by dumping construction materials into the water.

'I think simply searching underwater at this point won't give us any more answers,' Mann told the newspaper.

Gelé has personally funded and conducted more than 40 underwater research expeditions in the area since 1974. Pictured are granite pieces he pulled from the waterse

'When the historical archive work is done, looking at records and newspapers, that's when we will know what it is.'

The publication also interviewed the state's archaeologist at the time, who agreed that the formations appeared to be the result of large barge loads of stone being dumped at the site.

'But why and why there?' he said. 'Those are questions that need to be answered.'

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/index.html }

25-03-2026 om 18:34 geschreven door peter  

Story by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

The Apollo 8 crew leaves the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) during the Apollo 8 prelaunch countdown.

© Provided by NASA

Nearly 60 years ago, three Americans made history as the first humans to ever break free of Earth's orbit on their way toward the moon.

And when they passed behind the moon to the side Earth never sees, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell (who died in August) and William Anders became the first humans in space to lose sight of their home world.

Now, similar to the Apollo 8 mission of 1968, NASA is preparing to send a new crew of astronauts on a relatively short voyage circling Earth's only natural satellite. And like their predecessors, the Artemis 2 crew members may not have the honor of making a lunar landing, but will instead pave the way for future astronauts to step foot on the lunar surface.

Here's a look at how NASA's upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission compares to the iconic Apollo 8.

When is the Artemis 2 rocket launch date?

NASA is targeting April 1 for a launch of the Artemis 2 lunar mission from NASA's Kennedy Space Center along the Atlantic Coast near Cape Canaveral, Florida.

A crew of four astronauts will hitch a ride to orbit on an Orion capsule. Built by Lockheed Martin, the Orion vehicle will be perched atop NASA's 322-foot Space Launch System rocket, built by Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

Artemis II: NASA set to launch moon mission | FOX 10 Phoenix

While no moon landing is in store for the astronauts, the mission will serve a vital role in testing the systems and hardware on the spacecraft needed for future expeditions to the lunar surface.

Apollo 8 was 1st to send astronauts around the moon and back

The impending mission will not only represent NASA's first human moon mission since the Apollo era ended in 1972, but the first since that era really began with a similar mission in 1968.

Lifting off Dec. 21, 1968, from the Kennedy Space Center, the Apollo 8 mission sent three NASA astronauts on a six-day trip orbiting the moon before making a landing Dec. 27 in the Pacific Ocean.

As a prelude to a lunar landing, the flight was an important step in testing the flight trajectory and operations before astronauts stepped foot on the moon's surface.

The mission also made history in many ways.

The crew became the first humans to orbit the moon and the first to see the Earth rising on the lunar horizon in an event known as an Earthrise. Apollo 8 was also the first crewed launch for NASA's iconic Saturn V rocket, which at 363 feet tall remains to this day of the largest rockets ever made.

©Provided by NASA

The Apollo 8 crew is seen inside the gondola during centrifuge training Nov. 1, 1968. Left to right are astronauts William A. Anders, lunar module pilot, James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander.

©Provided by NASA

The Apollo 8 Crew included James Lovell, Command Module (CM) pilot; William Anders, Lunar Module (LM) pilot; and Frank Borman, commander. The first crewed Apollo mission launched Dec. 21, 1968 aboard the Saturn V rocket, with the crew returning Dec. 27 safely to Earth.

©Provided by NASA
Astronauts William A. Anders, James A. Lovell Jr., and Frank Borman, (left to right) are Oct. 28 1968 seen inside Apollo Boilerplate 1102A during water egress training

©Provided by NASA

Recovery activities of the Apollo 8 Crew and Command Module (CM)-103 Spacecraft inspection onboard the USS Yorktown

©Provided by NASA
The Apollo 8 mission captured this photos of the moon Dec. 22, 1968.

©Provided by NASA
NASA's towering Saturn V spacecraft launches Dec. 21, 1968 on its first crewed mission, Apollo 8, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

©Provided by NASA
he Apollo 8 crew leaves the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) during the Apollo 8 prelaunch countdown.

©Provided by NASA

The Apollo 8 crew stands in front of the Apollo space vehicle as it leaves the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building on its way to Launch Complex 39A. The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower are atop a huge crawler-transporter. The Apollo 8 crew consisted of (left to right) astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot.

©Provided by NASA
The 363-foot-high Apollo Saturn V space vehicle dwarfs the Apollo 8 Astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders as it's rolled out Oct. 9, 1968 to the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

©Provided by NASA
The crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission, astronauts William A. Anders, James A. Lovell Jr. and Frank Borman, are pictured Nov. 1, 1968 suited up for centrifuge training.

Who were the Apollo 8 astronauts?

Apollo 8 was composed of a crew of three NASA astronauts, all of whom have since died:

• Frank Borman, commander of the mission who had previously flown on the Gemini 7 space orbital rendezvous mission with Gemini 6.
• Jim Lovell, pilot of the command module who would also later command the infamous Apollo 13 mission.
• William A. Anders, lunar module pilot.

Artemis 2 to go even further from Earth than Apollo mission

The crew of Artemis 2 are set to become the first humans to see parts of the far side of the moon that not even the Apollo 8 astronauts witnessed.

Traveling in the Orion capsule, the astronauts will venture up to 6,000 miles beyond the far side of the moon – the farthest humans have ever ventured in space, according to NASA. As a result, the astronauts will see the entire disk of the moon, including areas near the north and south poles.

The planned trajectory for the four-day return journey will use Earth's gravity to  naturally pull Orion back home after flying by the moon, negating the need for propulsion or much fuel.

Who is the crew of Artemis 2?

©Brooke Edwards

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stands with the Artemis II crew during an SLS rollout press briefing.

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY

The crew of Artemis II (from left: Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Pilot Victor Glover and Commander Reid Wiseman) answer questions at a press conference as their Space Launch System rocket is transported to Pad 39B January 17, 2026. Artemis II is tentatively scheduled to launch on a mission to th Moon in early February. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman answers questions during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center, FL January 17, 2026. The Artemis II crew is tentatively scheduled to launch in early February. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover answers questions during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center, FL January 17, 2026. The Artemis II crew is tentatively scheduled to launch in early February. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen answers questions during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center, FL January 17, 2026. The Artemis II crew is tentatively scheduled to launch in early February. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©NASA/Robert Markowitz
The Artemis II crew poses in front of an Orion simulator Jan. 23, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

©Provided by NASA
Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA's path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The 10-day flight will help confirm systems and hardware needed for early human lunar exploration missions.

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
The crew of Artemis II (from left) Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman leave crew quarters December 20, 2025 during their pre-launch rehearsal. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch talks with spectators as the crew leaves crew quarters December 20, 2025 during their pre-launch rehearsal. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY
The astronauts of Artemis II (from left) Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch leave crew quarters December 20, 2025 during their pre-launch rehearsal. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

©NASA/Kim Shiflett
Artemis 2 crew members, shown Aug. 8, 2023 inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, walk toward their Orion crew module.

Here's a look at the four-member crew of Artemis 2:

• NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, a Baltimore native and the mission's commander who last flew to space in 2014 on a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station.
• NASA astronaut Victor Glover, the pilot from Pomona, California, who flew to space in 2020 on a SpaceX mission to the space station.
• NASA astronaut Christina Koch, a mission specialist from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who holds several space agency records and who flew in 2019 on a Soyuz ISS mission.
• Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, another mission specialist who will fly to space for the first time.

Koch and Glover represent the first woman and first African American, respectively, assigned to a NASA lunar mission. Additionally, Hansen is set to become the first Canadian to fly close to the moon, according to Reuters.

Both Apollo 8, Artemis 2 missions to precede a moon landing

Like Apollo 8 before it, Artemis 2 is meant to precede a moon landing attempt in the years ahead.

In the case of Apollo 8, two more missions came before astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to step foot on the moon in July 1969 during Apollo 11. That included Apollo 9 in March 1969 – during which two astronauts piloted a lunar module in Earth orbit – and Apollo 10 later in May, which was another moon-orbiting mission.

NASA had originally planned for a moon landing mission to follow Artemis 2 before leaders at the space agency announced an overhaul to the program at the end of February.

Before a moon landing is now attempted during Artemis 4 in 2028, astronauts in the Orion capsule are due to meet and dock in Earth orbit with at least one of the lunar landers being developed by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX. That new mission, targeted for 2027, is known as Artemis 3.

• Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
• This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Artemis 2 is most similar to Apollo 8. What the missions had in common

{ USA TODAY }

 

25-03-2026 om 18:20 geschreven door peter  

Theorieën over wat er gebeurt na onze dood

©Getty Images

Theorieën over wat er gebeurt na onze dood
De angst voor de dood heeft vaak te maken met het onbekende. Wat gebeurt er na onze dood? Gaan we naar de hemel, reïncarneren we of resetten we ons in een simulatie? Hindoeïstische, Rastafariaanse of boeddhistische theorieën proberen allemaal uit te leggen wat er daarna komt. Om de verschillende theorieën over de dood te verkennen, zijn hier 30 filosofieën over het hiernamaals!

©Shutterstock

De simulatie theorie
Heb je ooit het gevoel dat alles in ons leven al vaststaat? Wat als zelfs de dood volgens een vooraf geschreven script verloopt? Volgens de simulatietheorie zijn onze levens gewoon cijfers in een videogame van een hogere entiteit. Iets wat lijkt op het concept van de filmreeks 'The Matrix'.

©Shutterstock

De boeddhistische theorie
Boeddhisten omarmen het concept van reïncarnatie na de dood. Na de dood kan iemand opnieuw geboren worden in verschillende rijken, zoals die van goden, halfgoden, mensen, dieren of geesten.

©Shutterstock

De parallelle universumtheorie
Het idee van parallelle universums is in talloze sciencefictionfilms en stripboeken afgebeeld, wat de vraag oproept hoe aannemelijk het is. Volgens deze theorie gaat ons bestaan door na de dood, maar dan in een ander deel van ruimte en tijd binnen hetzelfde universum dat we eerder bewoonden.

©Shutterstock

De theorie van het nooit eindigende leven
De theorie van het nooit eindigende leven is zeker een van de meest unieke op de lijst. Volgens deze theorie, wanneer je sterft, word je meteen opnieuw geboren in je eigen leven, zonder enige herinnering aan het leven dat je net had geleefd.

©Shutterstock

De nietsheidstheorie
Wat als na de dood alles in totale duisternis vervalt en je gewoon ophoudt te bestaan? Niet bepaald een geruststellende gedachte.

©Shutterstock

De Rastafari-theorie
Rastafari geloven dat het leven eeuwig is. Alleen degenen die deugdzaamheid afwijzen, sterven echt. Daarom worden begrafenissen in hun cultuur eigenlijk niet gevierd.

©Shutterstock

De Azteekse theorie
In het geloofssysteem van de oude Azteken waren er drie aparte paden voor het hiernamaals: de zon, Mictlan en Tlalocan. Het hiernamaals dat iemand ervoer, hing af van de omstandigheden van de dood. Gewone soldaten en vrouwen die tijdens de bevalling stierven, zouden veranderen in kolibries die het pad van de zon volgden. Degenen die door minder eervolle oorzaken stierven, belandden in Mictlan. En mensen die door verdrinking omkwamen, gingen naar Tlalocan.

©Shutterstock

Plato's theorie
Plato was ervan overtuigd dat onze kennis beperkt is door de fysieke wereld. Hij vond dat we na de dood op een meer vervullende reis gaan, waar onze ziel haar ware bestaan kan ontdekken. Volgens zijn theorie biedt de dood dus een kans om dat te verkennen.

©Shutterstock

De onzekere theorie
Ons begrip van de dood is beperkt tot de fenomenen die het fysieke lichaam ervaart. De dubbelzinnige theorie erkent deze harde waarheid, maar laat ruimte voor discussie over de overige aspecten.

©Shutterstock

De mormoonse theorie
De Kerk van de Heiligen der Laatste Dagen gelooft dat overledene Mormonen die goed en rechtschapen zijn, goden worden. Daarentegen worden ongelovigen in het hiernamaals veroordeeld.

©Shutterstock

De Egyptische farao-theorie
Mummificatie was cruciaal voor de oude Egyptische farao's, omdat zij geloofden dat de dood niet permanent was en zij hun lichamen wilden behouden voor het hiernamaals.

©Shutterstock

De droomtheorie
Wat als alles maar een droom was? De droomtheorie beweert dat wanneer we sterven, we gewoon wakker worden uit een ontzettend verwarrende, levendige en lange droom. Knijp eens in jezelf.

©Shutterstock

De paranormale theorie
Dit concept vormt doorgaans de basis van vele horrorfilms. Voorstanders van het bovennatuurlijke beweren dat onze zielen na de dood op aarde blijven hangen. Daarnaast wordt vaak aangenomen dat communicatie met deze geesten op verschillende manieren mogelijk is.

©Shutterstock

De bevroren hoofdtheorie
Er zijn mensen die geloven dat ze hun behoud voor de toekomst kunnen garanderen door na hun overlijden cryonisch bewaard te worden. Zo stellen ze zich een bestaansvorm voor die extreem koud is, maar toch potentieel levend kan blijven.

©Shutterstock

De egocentrische theorie
Als je denkt dat alles om jou draait, dan is de egocentrische theorie over de dood misschien wel iets voor jou. Volgens deze theorie begint het universum wanneer jij geboren wordt en stopt het op het moment dat jij sterft.

©Getty Images

De 'Stranger Things'-theorie
Als je de populaire Netflix-serie Stranger Things kent, dan ben je waarschijnlijk bekend met het concept van de Upside Down. De serie suggereert dat er een alternatieve dimensie bestaat binnen ons universum, waar mensen vast kunnen komen te zitten in een soort tussenwereld tussen leven en dood.

©Getty Images

De hindoeïstische theorie
Het hindoeïsme gelooft ook in reïncarnatie, waarbij iemands toekomstige status of vorm in het volgende leven wordt bepaald door hun daden in het huidige leven.

©Shutterstock

De solipsistische theorie
Bestaat er iets buiten onze eigen gedachten dat echt is? Het concept van solipsisme geldt zowel voor het leven als de dood. De enige onbetwistbare realiteit is wat een individu waarneemt en ervaart. Hierdoor is het mogelijk dat, wanneer een individu sterft, alles om hen heen ook ophoudt te bestaan.

©Shutterstock

De excretietheorie
Volgens de excretietheorie stelt het universum een gigantisch brein binnen een menselijk lichaam voor, en zijn individuen vergelijkbaar met cellen. Net zoals een cel wordt verwijderd wanneer deze afsterft in een menselijk lichaam, zouden mensen uiteindelijk een soortgelijk lot kunnen ondergaan.

©Shutterstock

De nihilistische theorie
Het nihilisme stelt dat alle waarden betekenisloos en zonder fundament zijn. Vanuit een echt nihilistisch perspectief op de dood en het hiernamaals betekent dit dat er helemaal niets is na de dood, omdat het leven zelf al leegte bevat.

©NL Beeld

De ''Beetlejuice'-theorie
De populaire komediefilm Beetlejuice uit 1988 van Tim Burton vertelt het verhaal van een overleden stel dat hun oude huis en de nieuwe bewoners achtervolgt. Om te ontsnappen aan deze tussenwereld, moeten ze de hulp inroepen van een onconventionele exorcist. Zie jij het hiernamaals als iets dat lijkt op deze eigenzinnige film?

©Shutterstock

De christelijke theorie
Volgens het christelijk geloof bestaan zowel de hemel als de hel. Degenen die een deugdzaam en eerlijk leven leiden, worden beloond met toegang tot het paradijselijke rijk van de hemel. Daarentegen zijn degenen die zich schuldig maken aan zonden en morele misstappen voorbestemd voor de hel.

©Shutterstock

De meerdere werelden-theorie
De veelwerelden-theorie stelt dat onze dood alleen plaatsvindt binnen dit ene, bestaande universum. Daarbuiten wachten talloze alternatieve universums op onze overgang.

©Shutterstock

De pessimistische theorie
Misschien is deze discussie zinloos, omdat we eigenlijk al dood zijn? Dat is in ieder geval wat de pessimistische theorie veronderstelt.

©Shutterstock

De illusietheorie
Volgens de illusietheorie is de wereld vooral een product van onze geest en geen concrete realiteit, wat suggereert dat alles in feite een illusie is. Vanuit dit perspectief is de dood een door mensen bedacht concept, en zelfs nadat we fysiek ophouden te bestaan, blijft een essentie van ons bestaan voortbestaan.

©Shutterstock

De kosmische theorie
Volgens de kosmische theorie is ons bewustzijn verbonden met het universum in plaats van met ons individuele lichaam. Wanneer we sterven, herenigt ons bewustzijn zich met de kosmos.

©Shutterstock

De niveautheorie
Volgens de niveautheorie gaan mensen na de dood over naar een nieuwe fase van bestaan, wat suggereert dat mens-zijn slechts het begin is binnen het grotere geheel.

©NL Beeld

De 'The Good Place'-theorie
De populaire tv-serie The Good Place introduceert een fascinerend concept van het hiernamaals. Het verhaal draait om personages die, door een speling van het lot, in de hemel belanden, liefkozend The Good Place genoemd. Met eindeloze hoeveelheden frozen yogurt, gepersonaliseerde woningen en de kans om je zielsverwant te ontmoeten, doet deze idyllische versie van het hiernamaals kijkers verlangen naar een wereld waarin dit echt zou kunnen bestaan.

©Shutterstock

De boomhypothese
Heb je ooit gehoord van het concept van de Levensboom? Sommige mensen omarmen dit idee door ervoor te kiezen hun stoffelijke resten te laten begraven in een boomcapsule. Op deze manier worden hun lichamen teruggegeven aan de aarde, met de overtuiging dat ze in een volgend bestaan kunnen transformeren tot een bloeiende boom.

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25-03-2026 om 15:51 geschreven door peter  

Israel's Stonehenge No Longer Alone: Dozens of Stone Circles Discovered

Gary Manners

A recent archaeological investigation has offered a substantive reassessment of Rujm el-Hiri, a large protohistoric stone complex in the Golan Heights frequently characterized as the "Israeli Stonehenge." Rather than interpreting the site as a unique and isolated monument, a new study proposes that it constitutes the most elaborate expression of a broader regional tradition of circular stone-built architecture, and that dozens of similar structures have been hiding in plain sight for decades.

Published in PLOS One, the research conducted by Michal Birkenfeld, Olga Khabarova, Lev V. Eppelbaum, and Uri Berger documents over 30 large circular basalt structures within a 25-kilometer radius of Rujm el-Hiri, including 28 previously unrecorded examples. The authors attribute the prior absence of these features in the archaeological record primarily to methodological constraints associated with conventional ground-based survey techniques. Employing an integrated methodological framework, combining high-resolution satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, geophysical modeling, and spatial analysis, the study identifies a consistent architectural typology across the region.

Orthophoto of Khirbet Bteha.

(Created by A. Kleiner/PLoS ONE)

Methodological Advancements Reveal Hidden Structures

The newly discovered structures are characterized by substantial outer walls constructed from basalt fieldstones, typically arranged in concentric configurations and, in many cases, interconnected by radial or orthogonal internal divisions. These recurring design elements indicate a shared constructional logic and suggest a coherent cultural or technological tradition during the protohistoric period.

Rujm el-Hiri itself, first identified in 1968 through aerial reconnaissance, comprises a central cairn encircled by multiple concentric stone rings, with an overall diameter exceeding 150 meters and containing roughly 40,000 tons of stone.

Its function has long been debated, with hypotheses ranging from funerary and ceremonial uses to defensive or astronomical purposes. However, the lack of definitive stratified material and associated settlement evidence has historically limited interpretative certainty. The present study challenges the longstanding assumption of the site's isolation by demonstrating the existence of a dense and previously under-recognized distribution of analogous structures across the basalt plateaus of the Golan Heights and adjacent regions.

"Gilgal Refaim is, of course, a very well-known site, and it was always considered to be a very unique site in the area," said lead researcher Michal Birkenfeld. "Most [of the sites we discovered] were not as elaborate and were of different sizes and levels of preservation, but they still have the same type of logic," he added.

• What's Special About Golan Heights? These 5 Fabulous Recent Archaeological Discoveries For a Start!
• Rare Rock Art in Mysterious Dolmen Discovered in the Golan

Aerial photo of Rujm el-Hiri, view to east.

(Photograph by Y. Shmidov and A. Wiegmann/PLoS ONE)

AI and Satellite Imagery Uncover the Past

Analysis of multi-temporal satellite datasets spanning from 2004 to 2024 enabled the identification of these features, many of which remain poorly preserved, partially dismantled, or obscured by subsequent land-use activities. Researchers processed archives from multiple satellite platforms, including Google Earth Pro and CNES/Airbus and applied AI techniques to reduce interference from shadows and seasonal vegetation, enabling the identification of features that had remained invisible in conventional surveys. The newly identified circles range from approximately 50 to 250 feet in diameter, and while smaller and more degraded than Rujm el-Hiri, they share the same fundamental architectural logic.

• Wheel of Giants: Prehistoric Rujm el-Hiri Puzzles Archaeologists
• Israel's Stonehenge Is Not an Astronomical Observatory, Researchers Say

Aerial views of the four ‘simple’ circles. (Aerial imagery provided by the survey of Israel (MAPI)- used with permission. 

(Created by M. Birkenfeld and U. Berger/PLoS ONE)

The clusters highlight repeated occupation or a long-standing use of particular locations. There is a non-random variation of structures found in spaces where most are located on gently sloping terrain or on high plateau sites, and those near seasonal water sources. The common proximity of such monuments with dolmens, tumuli, and field-wall networks tells that these were part of a large cultural landscape and may have played different roles in ritual, territory, and socio-economic affairs. Intriguingly, similar-looking sites have also been noted farther afield in Galilee and Lebanon, suggesting the tradition may have extended well beyond the immediate Golan region.

Reassessing Astronomical Alignments

The study further revisits long-standing hypotheses concerning astronomical alignments at the site. Emerging geophysical and palaeomagnetic evidence indicates that the region has experienced gradual yet measurable tectonic rotation over millennial timescales. As a result, the current orientation of architectural elements is unlikely to reflect their original spatial configuration, introducing significant uncertainty into earlier claims of deliberate celestial alignment and necessitating a more cautious interpretative approach. A previous 2025 study co-authored by Birkenfeld had already weakened the astronomical observatory theory, calculating an average rotational movement of 8 to 15 millimeters per year - meaning the stones have likely shifted several meters from their original positions.

A central contribution of the research lies in its methodological advancement, particularly in demonstrating the analytical potential of remote sensing for archaeological prospection. Through the integration of multi-temporal, high-resolution satellite imagery, the study successfully identifies subtle and degraded features that have remained undetected in traditional ground surveys. This approach not only substantially expands the regional archaeological dataset but also prompts a critical reassessment of existing interpretative models shaped by incomplete or biased observational records. "If this is not a unique structure, I find more leverage in the idea that this was an area to get together," Birkenfeld said.

The authors argue that Rujm el-Hiri should no longer be interpreted as an anomalous or isolated construction, but rather as a key locus within a broader, previously under-recognized architectural tradition in the protohistoric southern Levant. Within this framework, large circular stone structures are understood as integral components of a complex cultural landscape, likely embedded in the social organization, economic strategies, and symbolic practices of agro-pastoral communities during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Further research is required to establish a more robust chronological framework and to clarify the functional diversity of these monuments, but the study marks a substantive conceptual shift in how scholars understand protohistoric landscape use and spatial organization.

• Top image: Aerial view of the ancient Rujm el-Hiri megalithic monument in the Golan Heights.
• Source: Zeev Stein / CC BY 2.5

By Gary Manners

 { https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology }

24-03-2026 om 23:55 geschreven door peter  

Smith kept the papyrus until his death in 1906, largely unaware of its contents, as his understanding of hieratic was limited and he was unable to translate it. After Smith’s passing, many of the items in his collection, including the mysterious papyrus, were given to the New York Historical Society by his daughter, where they quietly remained for several more years.

It wasn’t until 1920 that the ancient treatise came to the attention of the classical archaeologist and Egyptologist Caroline Ransom Williams, who brought it to the attention of noted archaeologist James Henry Breasted.

“The papyrus is probably the most valuable one owned by the Society,” Williams wrote to Breasted at the time, “and I am ready to waive my interest in it, in the hope that it may be published sooner and better than I could do it.” Recognized as the first chair in Egyptology and Oriental History in the United States at the University of Chicago, Breasted was immediately fascinated by the ancient text and set to work deciphering it.

One decade later, Breasted had finally completed the task of interpreting the obscure ancient document in its entirety, a translation of which was published in 1930. The result was a fundamental shift in our understanding of the ancient history of medical science and its early beginnings, revealing evidence for advanced medical knowledge in ancient Egypt as much as 1000 years before what scholars had commonly accepted at the time.

The Edwin Smith Papyrus: Obscure Origins and a Cliffhanger Ending

The document, known today as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, was cut into one-column pages at some point in the last century. It features Egyptian hieratic written in ink of two different colors: most of the text is black, while some portions with addenda to the primary document appear in red.

Egyptologist Edwin Smith, who is credited with discovering the papyrus in 1862

(Public Domain).

Little is known about the author of the papyrus, although scholars agree that the version that exists today is likely the work of a single scholar, and probably also represents a copy of an even older manuscript from Egypt’s Old Kingdom.

Several clues point to this possibility: despite the document’s physical age, scholars note the inclusion of archaic forms of Egyptian words and grammar, suggesting the papyrus is a copy of a much earlier document. Equally tantalizing is that the document ends in mid-sentence, suggesting that, in addition to being a copy, the surviving version is an incomplete work.

From Ancient Magic to Medical Science

Most intriguing of all is the information the document contains. Outlined in an illustrated survey of 48 case histories, the Edwin Smith Papyrus presents a remarkable ancient Egyptian perspective on various injuries and their treatments. Each case details a different region of the body and/or a specific organ and discusses each injury systematically, even including references to the original doctor’s notes on ailments “which I will treat,” suggesting a physician logging their diagnoses of conditions afflicting their patients.

From descriptions of human anatomy to treatments for bleeding, curing infections, and closing wounds, the medical knowledge outlined in the papyrus is remarkably advanced for the period in which it is believed to have originated. Additionally, discussions of medicines featured in the document reveal a level of understanding that exceeds that previously known to have existed at the time by a significant margin, even going beyond medicinal knowledge first recorded by the Greek physician Hippocrates, close to 1000 years later.

Perhaps most significant of all, the document’s precocious discussion of medical knowledge marks a significant shift away from the use of spells and incantations, which are widely believed to have been commonly used for the treatment of a variety of ailments during Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Although the Edwin Smith Papyrus does still contain some references to magic—there are eight magic spells that appear on its “verso” (back left-hand) side—it is believed that these magical references may have represented a sort of “last effort” in cases where all forms of medical treatment had proven ineffective.

This is significant, since the Edwin Smith Papyrus could represent more than just an example of ancient Egyptian medical knowledge that was well ahead of its time: it marks a fundamental shift away from traditional magical beliefs toward practical diagnosis and treatment, making it a record of one of the earliest major medical science advancements in the ancient Egyptian world.

A Textbook by the First Doctor?

Given the advanced knowledge detailed in the papyrus, one accepted theory about the document’s purpose is that it served as an early textbook, likely the result of examinations of battlefield injuries.

Considering the information the papyrus contains, James Henry Breasted even went so far as to speculate that the enigmatic document might have been authored by none other than Imhotep, the Egyptian architect and early physician believed to have created the first step pyramid built at Saqqara, at the direction of the third-dynasty pharaoh Djoser.

Given his noted role as a high priest and Old Kingdom physician, Imhotep is often considered one of history’s earliest known doctors, making him a good fit for the kind of medical knowledge found in the Edwin Smith papyrus. Still, there is no direct evidence linking the Old Kingdom scholar with the papyrus or its contents, and Breasted noted in his evaluation of the text that such connections were purely speculative on his part.

Fundamentally, while much of the document remains a mystery, the translation of the surviving version offers a rare glimpse into the surprisingly advanced medical knowledge that existed in ancient Egypt. Today, it represents just one of the many examples of advanced knowledge in Egypt’s Old Kingdom, which, over time, has gradually helped reshape our understanding of the ancient world.

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

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{ https://thedebrief.org/category/science/ }

24-03-2026 om 23:36 geschreven door peter  

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{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

24-03-2026 om 23:20 geschreven door peter  

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24-03-2026 om 23:08 geschreven door peter  

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24-03-2026 om 23:08 geschreven door peter  

Ancient Egyptian Cat God Bastet Statue On Mars! Video, UFO Sighting News.

Date of discovery: March 23, 2026

Location of discovery: Mars

Source: NASA 

• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZR0_0209_0685498963_774ECM_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg
• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZL0_0209_0685498963_774ECM_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg
• https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020-raw-images/pub/ods/surface/sol/00209/ids/edr/browse/zcam/ZR0_0209_0685498963_774EBY_N0071836ZCAM08243_0340LMJ01_320.jpg

Hey guys, Scott here… and yeah, you already know what I’ve been doing—digging deep through the NASA Mars rover archives again. It’s what I do. And today… I found something that honestly shocked me.

This discovery connects human history directly to Mars.

I came across what appears to be an ancient sculpture—partly embedded into a collapsed wall structure on the Martian surface. And when I enhanced it, the details became clear. This isn’t random rock. This is art. Intentional. Designed.

The figure matches Bastet, the Egyptian goddess—daughter of Ra, the sun god. Same exact form we see in ancient Egypt: the head of a cat, body of a woman. Even more interesting… she appears to be holding something in her hands—just like nearly every Bastet statue found here on Earth.

That’s not coincidence.

This is the missing link.

What we’re looking at is evidence that the so-called “ancient Egyptian gods” didn’t originate on Earth. They came from Mars. Advanced beings—what many would call ancient aliens—who had the technology to travel between planets. When Mars began to die, they left… and came here, to Earth, the nearest habitable world.

And they brought their culture, their knowledge… and themselves.

This isn’t mythology anymore. This is physical evidence.

And you better believe… this is exactly the kind of truth governments don’t want getting out.

Scott C. Waring – Taiwan

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

24-03-2026 om 21:34 geschreven door peter