{ https://scientias.nl/ }

26-01-2024 om 23:30 geschreven door peter  

Although initially planned as a technology demonstration that would only conduct five test flights, Ingenuity went on to perform a remarkable 72 flights, many of which provided useful aerial reconnaissance for the Perseverance rover in advance of its movement to areas of interest for potential study.

“It is bittersweet that I must announce Ingenuity… has taken its last flight on Mars,” Nelson said in a statement.

Characterizing the small aircraft as “the little helicopter that could,” Nelson said the helicopter sustained damage to one of its rotor blades while attempting a landing.

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter takes off above Jezero crater

(Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS).

“At least one of its carbon fiber rotor blades was damaged,” Nelson said. “We’re investigating the possibility that the blade struck the ground.”

The damage occurred during a vertical flight the helicopter performed to determine its location several days ago, following an emergency landing during its previous flight.

Although the aircraft achieved a maximum altitude of 40 feet, hovering for a total of 4.5 seconds before beginning its descent, Ingenuity lost contact with Perseverance before reaching the ground. Several days later the rotor blade damage was revealed.

“What Ingenuity accomplished far exceeds what we thought possible,” Nelson said.

“Ingenuity demonstrated how flight can enhance operational missions, and it’s helping us in the search for life on Mars.”

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

26-01-2024 om 23:22 geschreven door peter  

Laura Kreidberg with the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, called the discovery of water on such a small exoplanet “a landmark discovery.”

Kreidberg, co-principal investigator in the new study that revealed the discovery, said that finding water on GJ 9827D “pushes [astronomers] closer than ever to characterizing truly Earth-like worlds.”

The new discovery represents the first time that an exoplanet of this kind has been found to exist around other stars, an observation made entirely possible through atmospheric detection of water made possible by the Hubble telescope.

“This is an important step toward determining the prevalence and diversity of atmospheres on rocky planets,” said Björn Benneke, an astronomer with the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at Université de Montréal, in a statement.

Hubble was used to observe the planet during eleven transits before its host star over three years. As the planet moves in front of its star, the light the stellar body produces is filtered through GJ 9827D’s atmosphere, which allows astronomers the ability to observe key spectra that indicated the presence of water molecules.

Right now, astronomers cannot tell whether the planet is a “water world” with an abundance of liquid, or if the atmospheric detections made possible by Hubble only point to the presence of water vapor in its hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

Pierre-Alexis Roy, also with the University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets and lead author of a new paper describing the discovery, said either of these scenarios would be exciting, “whether water vapor is dominant or just a tiny species in a hydrogen-dominant atmosphere.”

Although possessing water like Earth, GJ 9827D’s proximity to its star causes it to resemble Venus due more closely to its extreme heat. With temperatures nearing 800 degrees Fahrenheit, it seems unlikely that GJ 9827D would be a place where life could thrive, particularly if an abundance of water vapor exists in its atmosphere.

If, however, the planet still possesses an atmosphere rich in hydrogen but possesses a degree of water vapor, it could also be a mini-Neptune, or even similar to Juputer’s moon Europa, which astronomers have determined to possess roughly twice as much water as Earth has.

If there are equal parts water and rock on GJ 9827D, it could be that the water vapor exists above the planet’s smaller rock body, Benneke explains.

However, Benneke, Roy, and the team also say that if the planet initially formed farther away from its nearest star, then it could be that the water-richness of its atmosphere is residual and that the heating of the planet as it has moved closer to its stellar host has heated the water as the planet receives more radiation over time.

Thomas Greene, astrophysicist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, likened the observation of water as a “gateway” toward additional discoveries, some of which may be made with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

“JWST can see much more with additional infrared observations, including carbon-bearing molecules like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane,” Greene said.

“Once we get a total inventory of a planet’s elements, we can compare those to the star it orbits and understand how it was formed,” Greene added.

The team’s new paper, by Benneke, Roy, et al, titled “Water Absorption in the Transmission Spectrum of the Water World Candidate GJ 9827 d,” appeared in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.

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

26-01-2024 om 23:13 geschreven door peter  

David Grusch Reveals Disturbing UFO Secrets to Tucker Carlson: Claims of Death & Physical Harm in Cover-Up

David Grusch, a key figure in the UFO mystery, has participated in consecutive interviews with mainstream media regarding the concealment of UFO information. Grusch has gained prominence following the July 2023 US Congress UAP hearings, thanks to his compelling and assertive testimony about non-human intelligence. He is consistently claiming we have alien crafts in double digits and also possess non-human biologics which implies Earth is in contact with or aware of species from other planets.

With each passing day, David Grusch is making efforts to reach a larger audience and share his story. This drew him to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a prominent figure in American media. Carlson, with over 10.9 million followers on Elon Musk’s X (formerly named Twitter), did a bombshell interview with Grusch published on December 14, 2023.

On X, Tucker Carlson posted this 66-minute interview with Grusch with the caption: “It’s becoming obvious that the US government has made contact with nonhuman beings.”

Grusch told Tucker that the U.S. government has retrieved “biologics” (bodies) from crashed UFO sites. When asked about the nature of these biologics, Grusch states that they are “non-human.” He emphasizes that this assessment comes from individuals with direct knowledge who are still part of the program. Grusch also mentions the existence of documentary evidence but suggests that details would need to be discussed in a secure location called a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility).

Tucker expresses surprise at Grusch’s sudden public involvement in the UFO topic, given his extensive background in military intelligence. Grusch recounts how he first became interested in the topic after seeing a New York Times article in 2017 about Lou Elizondo and programs like AATIP and AWASAP. Tucker notes that the government never confirmed or denied Elizondo’s involvement, to which Grusch clarified that he knew about Elizondo’s role. He recalls hearing that Elizondo was considered somewhat erratic by some officials. Grusch’s curiosity deepened when he saw news reports about Elizondo’s involvement in a UFO program, leading him to realize that the program was indeed real.

Grusch explains that it was a unique experience during his time in UAP task force because he started uncovering disturbing facts. He had access to classified archives from previous UFO programs and came across foreign intelligence gathered by clandestine human sources overseas. These sources, according to him, noted that the U.S. had a retrieval and reverse engineering program for UFOs. Notably, these assessments were from other countries.

Tucker questions Grusch about how the Pentagon, an entity that serves elected officials, could deny an elected official access to information. He emphasizes that the Pentagon works for politicians who are accountable to the people and compares Pentagon employees to household staff, highlighting that they’re not an independent entity.

Grsuch acknowledged the issue and pointed out that this is one of the reasons he decided to blow the whistle. He explains that even in the normal black Special Access Program (SAP) community, elected leaders are treated as second-class citizens. He mentions instances where reporting is waived, and Deputy Secretaries of Defense (Dep SecDef) can sign orders limiting briefings to certain committees.

“I can sign an order saying we’re not going to fully brief certain committees on, you see, on programs that are in Public Law 10 US Code Section 119, and that is congressional oversight of SAPS, is the title of that part of Public Law. But the department, which I find in retrospect, very weird, where the legislators authorize and appropriate these programs, but they’re not afforded full access. And occasionally the Gang of Eight will get those kinds of briefings. But literally, they could withhold, besides notifying a program that stood up the entire Congress, that we’re doing some kind of clandestine activity.”

Grsuch mentioned there are approximately 40 people, many with firsthand knowledge, some at the same level as Harry Reid. He explains that after realizing the reality of the situation, he and his team conducted interviews with individuals who had privileged information, even comparable to a high-ranking figure like Harry Reid.

Grsuch recounts a conversation with Harry Reid, where the former senator expressed deep concern about the topic. Reid, then planning to discuss it with President Biden, highlighted the challenges even someone of his stature faced in accessing information. David Grusch emphasizes that past administrations had varying levels of knowledge about these programs, and even presidents were not always briefed on all aspects.

When Tucker specifically asks about any connection between the secrecy surrounding the Manhattan Project (which developed nuclear weapons) and UFO programs, Grusch clarifies that there isn’t an overt connection. However, he speculates that the development of nuclear weapons might have sparked interest in unidentified objects.

David Grusch mentions that he can’t discuss many retrievals, and the only one he has publicly mentioned is the 1933 Italian event. He chose this event to highlight that the UFO phenomenon is not exclusive to the United States but is a worldwide issue.

Grusch explains that the Italian event involved the recovery of an object that looked like an acorn in Magenta, Italy, by the Axis powers (Italy and Germany) in 1933. He notes that information about this event surfaced in the early 2000s through Italian researchers who uncovered documents sent by Mussolini to the Gestapo.

According to a senior intelligence officer who briefed him, the recovered object resembled a lenticular disc, but the edges broke off when it hit the Earth, giving it an acorn or bell shape. The Italians kept custody of the artifact until the end of the war, and then the Americans recovered it. He adds that the Vatican and the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) communicated with FDR about the crash. Grusch said the 1933 Italian event is the only one he has cleared through DoD security.

Read also:

• This Woman Saw a UFO Landing & Three Aliens Abducted Calvin Parker & Charles Hickson
• Ex-US Navy Officer Saw ‘Non-human Entities’ In His Bedroom After ‘Gimbal UFO’ Encounter

Tucker questions Grusch about the timeline of the U.S. government’s knowledge of UFOs, pointing out that David mentioned the government didn’t take custody until the end of the war. David clarifies that this statement specifically refers to a particular case, but the government was aware of the UFO issue in the 1930s.

Tucker then raises a common question: Why do advanced technologies like UFOs crash so often? Grusch suggests that crashes may not necessarily be intentional. He introduces the concept of von Neumann replicating probes, where advanced civilizations might send throwaway probes that could crash accidentally. Grusch emphasizes that this is not just his theory but something discussed by scientists involved in the program.

Tucker follows up by questioning whether these objects truly come from a far distance. Grusch admits the uncertainty, highlighting that even certain directors of government agencies prefer using the term “extraterrestrial.” However, he leans towards the term NHI, meaning non-human intelligence. He notes that this term is also used in the Schumer amendment called the UAP Disclosure Act of 2023. The act is part of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act and is currently in conference. He underscores that he’s not the only one using terms like “non-human intelligence biologics” and points out that influential figures like Chuck Schumer are pushing for transparency in the matter.

Tucker questions why there is so much secrecy, and David suggests that excessive secrecy hinders national security. He draws a parallel with nuclear physics, explaining that while details about building nuclear weapons are classified, the broader study of nuclear physics is open to the public. David advocates for a similar approach to UFOs, where the subject should be “horizontally protected,” allowing broad academic study and public access to information, with only genuinely dangerous or classified aspects kept confidential. This way, he believes 95% of the subject could be open for study worldwide.

Tucker asks David about the truth behind these abduction claims. David responds by saying that he doesn’t have any first-hand knowledge on the phenomenon of abduction. He notes that, during his interviews, none of the individuals he spoke with had direct experience or knowledge about abductions.

“I don’t know. Nobody I interviewed had any firsthand knowledge of that phenomenon. I certainly believe people have experienced things like that. At least they believe it, because you look at Dr. John Mack, who was a Harvard-trained psychologist and psychiatrist. He examined the phenomenon of abduction in the early 2000s before his death and affirmed that the people he psychoanalyzed certainly experienced something real to them. But what is the abduction phenomenon? I really don’t know. I’m not sure.”

David Grusch tells Tucker Carlson about Rep. Mike Turner’s efforts to block the UAP Disclosure Act and destroy Tim Burchett’s career “Mike Rogers & Mike Turner, two of the dumbest people in Washington. Pure tools of the national security state.” Additionally on Newnation, he said, “Mike Turner probably has no business being the (House Intelligence Committee) Chairman… Mike Turner has never been an intelligence officer. He’s never served in the military.” “We need to get these people out of office.”

Physical Harm

Tucker raises a sensitive issue about the potential harm or killing of individuals connected to the U.S. government’s UFO programs. He specifically asks Grusch if he has reason to believe that the government has hurt or killed anyone, particularly American citizens, in connection to these programs.

Grusch responds by acknowledging concerns that were raised by individuals who approached him, expressing worries about potential harm. He emphasizes that he took these concerns seriously and reported them to the Inspector General of the intelligence community, directing the individuals to law enforcement.

Tucker pushes further, specifically mentioning the allegation of murder, to which Grusch confirms that the concerns included both murder and physical harm. However, he refrains from providing specific details due to the ongoing investigation and potential risks to his safety.

Grusch discloses that he felt his life was in jeopardy, and he reported the threats and surveillance to a counterintelligence element and law enforcement. He reveals that these threats not only affected him but also impacted his wife. He states that he doesn’t know the identity of those involved, ruling out the possibility of it being a foreign entity.

Previously on the Joe Rogan Experience, Grusch talked about the fundamental questions related to UFOs, such as the existence of extraterrestrial life and the nature of human consciousness. Grusch asserted with confidence, based on conversations with high-level individuals like Harry Reid, that we are not alone, and the UFO phenomenon is real.

“You know for humanity. Are we alone or you know what happens when we die? Well, I don’t know about that, but are we alone? Well, the answer is we’re not alone. And I know that with 100% certainty, which as an Intel officer, you never say 100%, but all things pointed towards based on the people I talked to…The phenomenon is real. It’s been going on for thousands of years. People have been seeing strange things and not everybody’s mass hallucinating. So that’s kind of my long diatribe about what’s happening.”

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASSHna9MWU

{ https://www.howandwhys.com/ }

26-01-2024 om 22:51 geschreven door peter  

The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has announced the successful test firing and downing of an aerial target using its high-powered DragonFire laser weapon. The exact power and range of the combat laser remain classified, but an official statement says DragonFire can hit a £1 coin-sized object from a kilometer away.

While there are no immediate plans to deliver the laser system to troops, the MoD says they are currently evaluating DragonFire and that this successful test was a critical next step toward actual deployment.

DRAGONFIRE JOINS GROWING LIST OF DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS

In the 1980s and 1990s, using lasers to down aerial targets remained firmly in the realm of science fiction. The U.S. Defense Department first tested a combat laser prototype in 1995, but that system required numerous buildings to operate and had limited target-destroying power.

In subsequent years more systems have been developed, with many sporting power ranges in the tens of kilowatts. Ranging from truck-mounted lasers and aircraft-mounted lasers to larger systems mounted directly on U.S. Navy ships, these lasers are not powerful enough to blast targets out of the sky. Instead, they have to stay locked on an incoming drone long enough to fry their electronics or burn off a wing.

More recently, advances in optical technology have allowed contractors like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin to steadily increase the power of these systems, with the most powerful coming in at 300kW. Dubbed the most powerful combat laser ever built, that system is currently undergoing an upgrade that will bring it up to as much as 500kW. It is possible that such a weapon could be strong enough to take down cruise missiles, something that smaller laser systems cannot do.

Perhaps the most well-known combat laser is employed by the Israeli armed forces. Dubbed Iron Beam, that system is mounted on the Israeli border to complement their Iron Dome system that uses conventional missiles to take down incoming drones and mortars. At 100kW, Iron Beam is the most potent combat laser in deployment anywhere in the world.

Now, it appears that the UK is joining the march toward adding lasers and other directed energy weapons that include powerful microwave emitters that can fry the electronics of a drone or missile to their arsenal. Along with the accuracy of these systems, the MoD is also hoping that laser systems can dramatically reduce costs.

SUCCESSFUL TEST SHOWS DRAGONFIRE IS MOVING CLOSER TO DEPLOYMENT

According to an official statement from the MoD, DragonFire is being led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) as well as industry partners. MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

DragonFire Combat Laser.

Image Credit: UK Ministry of Defense

In that same statement, the MoD says, “This milestone demonstrated the ability to engage aerial targets at relevant ranges and is a major step in bringing this technology into service.” The latest test also builds on previous work that showed how DragonFire can effectively track both air and sea targets “effectively and at range.”

“These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons,” said Dstl’s Chief Executive, Dr. Paul Hollinshead.

The MoD also notes the potential financial advantages of using lasers instead of missiles, which can cost as much as 100,000 pounds, to counter the increasing use of low-cost drones.

“Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour,” they explain. “Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term, low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than £10 per shot.”

MOD FUNDING MULTI-MILLION POUND PROGRAM TO MAKE DRAGONFIRE READY FOR THE BATTLEFIELD

Following the successful downing of an aerial threat, the MoD says they are moving ahead with funding a multi-million-pound program “to transition the technology from the research environment to the battlefield.” They also say that both the Army and navy are evaluating using DragonFire and similar technologies as part of their future Air Defense capabilities.

“With our decades of knowledge, skills, and operational experience, Dstl’s expertise is critical to helping the armed forces prepare for the future,” said Hollinshead.

“The DragonFire trials at the Hebrides demonstrated that our world-leading technology can track and engage high-end effects at range,” added Shimon Fhima, Director of Strategic Programmes for the MOD. “In a world of evolving threats, we know that our focus must be on getting capability to the warfighter, and we will look to accelerate this next phase of activity.”

• Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

LINKS VIDEOS

• https://youtu.be/azpFwRgnz0w
• https://youtu.be/sJ7zRAogXFk

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

26-01-2024 om 18:29 geschreven door peter  

(NASA)

The LRO registered light from its laser bouncing back off a tiny NASA retroreflector positioned on Vikram, confirming that the technique was a success.

Xiaoli Sun with NASA Goddard, who led the team that developed the retroreflector placed on Vikram, was enthusiastic about the achievement resulting from the cooperation between the two space agencies.

“We’ve [shown] that we can locate our retroreflector on the surface from the Moon’s orbit,” Sun said.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) successfully targeted a retroreflector on the exterior of the ISRO’s Vikram lander on December 12, 2023

(Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University).

In principle, firing lasers at an object and measuring the time required for the light to bounce back to its point of origin is nothing new, and is commonly utilized for tracking Earth-orbiting satellites using ground-based laser systems.

However, the technique NASA recently demonstrated reverses this process, firing a laser from a moving satellite at a stationary object—in this case, on the surface of the Moon—and determining its precise location.

FIRING A LASER AT A COOKIE-SIZED RETROREFLECTOR

The special retroreflector NASA designed is tiny, at just two inches across. Roughly the size of an Oreo cookie, the device is formally known as a Laser Retroreflector Array and features a pattern of eight prisms fitted within an aluminum frame shaped like a tiny dome, which allows for a simple, but effective means of reflecting light coming from almost any direction.

The device also requires no power either, meaning that its durable design allows it to function for up to several decades.

This is not the first time NASA has used retroreflectors in novel ways. Since 1969, a technique known as Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) has been used to measure the Moon’s distance from Earth-based observatories using retroreflectors that were placed on the Moon’s surface during the Apollo missions, as well as the Soviet Luna program.

However, more advanced retroreflector designs currently in use allow for a greater range of potential applications than their Apollo-era predecessors. Today, the devices are also fitted to the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS), which allows cargo-delivery spacecraft to measure their distance while approaching and autonomously dock with it.

In the years ahead, they may also provide several useful applications for Artemis astronauts working in locations where low light conditions would otherwise make landing next to existing spacecraft on the lunar surface difficult.

Right now there are plans for NASA retroreflectors to be carried to space on board several public and private Moon landers, including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) SLIM lander, which powered down within just three hours of making its historic landing on the Moon over the weekend.

A LOOK AT THE LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER’S LOLA

One problem that arises from the more widespread use of this technology in space exploration is that the LRO’s altimeter—currently the only laser instrument orbiting the Moon that could be used for such applications—has been operating for thirteen years longer than its original mission intended and was never designed for such applications. Because of this, the LRO’s instrument required eight attempts before it could successfully contact the retroreflector on the Vikram lander.

The laser in question is the LRO’s Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). This instrument is primarily designed for precision measurements of topographic features on the lunar surface, which has helped NASA produce models of the Moon that are crucial for planning safe landings and lunar exploration, as well as increasing our understanding of the lunar environment overall.

LOLA functions with a small array of five laser beams, which are fired toward the Moon. The time required for each beam to bounce back to the LRO is measured, allowing the instrument to gauge the elevation of features on the lunar surface below.

Although LOLA’s capabilities are ideal for mapping the Moon’s surface features, there are large gaps between the beams it produces, meaning that the chances of hitting a cookie-sized target are fairly slim, especially when the beam is required to strike within one-hundredth of a degree of the retroreflector.

In the future, NASA plans to produce a laser that produces no gaps in coverage, and which can continuously beam against the lunar surface as it passes to ensure that it strikes any retroreflectors with maximum precision.

Until such lasers come into use, NASA’s best—and only—bet remains the simpler laser altimeter currently on board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which the December experiment has already shown to be successful when used in this manner, although it may also require a bit of trial and error.

“The next step is to improve the technique,” Xiaoli Sun said in a statement, “so that it can become routine for missions that want to use these retroreflectors in the future.”

• Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.

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

26-01-2024 om 18:06 geschreven door peter  

A Potential Source of the Milky Way’s Highest-Energy Rays Is Mystifying Physicists

Some high-energy cosmic rays may come from twin jets of matter being ejected from a smallish black hole.

BY KIONA SMITH

 

Some of the most energetic cosmic rays in the galaxy may come from a surprisingly small source.

If Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics researcher Laura Olivera-Nieto and her colleagues are right, they may have just pinpointed one of the sources of the high-energy cosmic rays that occasionally zip past Earth from the far reaches of the universe. Astrophysicists have spent years puzzling over the origin of these particles: protons carrying thousands of trillions of electron volts of energy (yes, cosmic rays are actually particles; early physicists thought they were radiation, and the name stuck). Some cosmic rays seem to come from supernova remnants, but it turns out that at least some high-energy cosmic rays may come from the twin jets of matter being ejected from a smallish black hole.

Olivera-Nieto and her colleagues published their work in the journal Science.

A COSMIC RAY CULPRIT

The astronomers used a telescope called the High Energy Stereoscopic System, or HESS, to observe gamma ray jets from SS 433, a black hole orbiting a mid-sized star at the heart of the Manatee Nebula.

Like most actively feeding black holes (whether the small ones left behind after the collapse of dying stars or the cosmic leviathans at the heart of galaxies like our Milky Way), SS 433 is ejecting twin jets of matter at nearly a quarter the speed of light. These jets glow brightly with x-rays, which is how astronomers first spotted them several years ago. But about a light year away from the black hole, in both directions, the x-ray jets seem to fade away only to reappear with a vengeance about 75 light-years away.

When Olivera-Nieto and her colleagues examined the black hole in the even shorter wavelengths of gamma rays, they saw that twin gamma ray jets flared to life at exactly the points where the x-ray jets reappeared. In other words, it looked like the jets were fizzling out somewhere between 1 and 75 light years from the black hole, and then something revved them up again.

That something, the researchers surmise, seems to be a shock wave in the gassy interstellar medium of the nebula. Shock waves act like giant cosmic versions of the Large Hadron Collider, accelerating electrons in the jets to ludicrous speeds.

The jets glow with x-rays and gamma rays because electrons crash into lower-energy photons. When that happens, the electron gives the photon part of its energy, which ramps low-energy infrared light up to the high-energy x-rays and gamma rays that light up the black hole’s jets. The faster the electrons are moving, the more energy they transfer to the photons — so fast electrons make x-rays, and even faster electrons make gamma rays.

More importantly, at least for the mystery of cosmic rays, the jets may also be accelerating protons, and even whole atomic nuclei, to the absurdly high energy that turns them into cosmic rays.

Researchers have known for a long time that “the jets of SS 433 do, in fact, contain nuclei [of elements] such as iron or nickel. And the shock that accelerates electrons would accelerate them in the same way,” Olivera-Nieto tells Inverse. However, the protons could potentially be accelerated to even higher energies than the electrons because they’re too big to shed energy in collision with photons.

Astronomers just can’t actually see these high-energy protons and nuclei because, unlike electrons, protons release radiation when they bump into dense matter, not stray photons, and there’s not a big pile of dense matter in the black hole’s jets.

A QUEST FOR MICROQUASARS

Despite having shed light on this cosmic ray mystery, black hole SS 433 isn’t actually the source of any of the cosmic rays physicists here on Earth have detected. It hasn’t been blasting its relativistic jets out into space long enough for any particles from those jets to have reached Earth. But someday, in the distant future, there’s a chance some of the protons and atomic nuclei being accelerated in those jets could reach our planet.

Meanwhile, Olivera-Nieto and her colleagues say other similar objects, called microquasars, could still be among the sources of cosmic rays that do reach Earth.

“Microquasars are intermittent sources, meaning that it is very likely that other systems were active in the past and made a contribution to what we now see,” says Olivera-Nieto.

Looking for those sources is the next step.

“Detecting gamma-ray emission from other microquasar systems and understanding how acceleration takes place in them will be critical because it will allow us to understand how common such systems are,” says Olivera-Nieto. “Answering this question will constrain how much can microquasars as a whole contribute as sources of very-high-energy cosmic rays.”

{ https://www.inverse.com/ }

26-01-2024 om 17:43 geschreven door peter  

LOOK: JAPAN’S SLIM LANDER SENT BACK THESE CHARMING IMAGES BEFORE POWERING OFF

JAXA released new images that show how SLIM is situated in its new home.

BY DORIS ELÍN URRUTIA

 

JAXA/Takara Tomy/Sony Group Corporation/Doshisha University

Last week, Japan became the fifth nation to successfully land on the Moon without crashing. Unfortunately, the historic touchdown left the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) positioned like a toy after a toddler is done playing with it: planted face down on the ground.

This less-than-ideal situation forced the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to power down the lander and save precious battery life. But before it did, SLIM was able to send some data back to Earth. Today, JAXA released new images that show how SLIM is situated in its new home.

The new data also confirmed Japan’s biggest hope for its SLIM project: a precise landing on the Moon within 100 meters of its target, confirming proof of concept.

SLIM was designed to last just a few Earth days, JAXA officials wrote in a statement. But the mission will be drawn out for a month at least, to see if the angle of sunlight changes over time and perhaps strike SLIM’s landing site to sufficiently power its solar cells from its unintended westward orientation. The sunlight does a sort of angular reset on the Moon each Earth month (a day on the Moon lasts about one month on Earth).

While JAXA awaits those solar-cell results, SLIM’s Multi-Band Camera took a slanted image of Moon rocks nearby. In an annotated image, their names appear and seem to follow a canine theme. They have names like “St. Bernard,” “Bulldog,” “Toy Poodle,” plus Japanese breed-inspired names like “KAIKEN,” “AKITAINU,” “SHIBAINU.”

There’ll be more, hopefully, if SLIM’s solar cells absorb enough energy, JAXA officials wrote. “Based on this landscape image, the team is sorting out rocks of interest, assigning a nickname to each of them, with the intent of communicating their relative sizes smoothly by the names,” the space agency shared. JAXA added that preparations are underway to “promptly conduct” high-resolution spectroscopy, a technique that extracts information from light, of Moon rocks once “SLIM recovers by the power generated by the solar array.”

SLIM’s peculiar position on the Moon’s surface appeared in imagery from one of its two tiny robotic passengers. Photo evidence came from JAXA’s collaboration with toy company Takara Tomy. Along with two other partners, Sony and Doshisha University in Kyoto, they created Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2 (LEV-2).

Also known as SORA-Q, LEV-2 looks like a rolling ball. It comes from the minds behind the popular toy Transformers and would easily sit in the palm of your hand. This small robot and SLIM’s other rover, LEV-1, are Japan’s first rovers on the Moon. LEV-1 also has other laurels, too. It achieved successful direct communication with Earth from the Moon, according to JAXA. “This is considered as the world's smallest and lightest case of direct data transmission from approximately 380,000 kilometers away,” space agency officials wrote in a recent statement.

JAXA will likely publish more updates in the near future to report the ongoing saga of SLIM’s solar cells.

{ https://www.inverse.com/ }

26-01-2024 om 17:35 geschreven door peter  

US Congressmen Claim Bible Has ‘Pretty Clear’ Evidence of UFOs: Vatican Knows Aliens Are 

The Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) is not what many think it is. The reality of UAPs goes beyond mere flying machines and space aliens; it is turning into a rabbit hole. Every year, UFO enthusiasts and whistleblowers put more effort into unveiling the secrecy. However, instead of revealing the truth, a new branch of mystery unfolds, adding another chapter to the UFO enigma.

Missouri Republican Eric Burlison attended a classified UAP briefing this month but mentioned that it did not change his beliefs. He said, “There’s nothing that’s been said that’s changed my worldview.” He also added that he believes the claims of people who testified in public but thinks there might be more to the story.

Rep. Burlison has said that UFOs might be angels sent by God. Burlison, who heard secret information about UFOs, shared this idea on “That UFO Podcast.” He said, “They may not fit exactly the Biblical narrative, but whenever I use the term ‘angels,’ to me, it’s synonymous with an extradimensional being.”

In a podcast, Burlison shared his thoughts on UFOs, offering a detailed perspective on various theories surrounding these unidentified phenomena. Burlison discussed a theory he read in a public report by UFO whistleblower David Grusch who alleged that the government secretly recovered alien spacecraft and even dead “pilots” inside them. According to Grusch’s report, one theory suggests that what we are encountering might be beings that exist in higher dimensions, beyond our normal understanding of space and time.

Burlison used the analogy of living on a two-dimensional surface and being encountered by a three-dimensional object to explain the idea of encountering something from a higher dimension. In this case, he suggested that we live in a three-dimensional environment and could be encountering something from a higher dimension, where traditional concepts of distance might become irrelevant.

He expressed skepticism about the probability of being visited by an alien race from a distant planet, emphasizing the vast distances involved. Burlison questioned the likelihood of an advanced alien race traveling such long distances only to crash upon arrival on Earth. He leaned towards the idea that these phenomena are more likely to be extradimensional, existing beyond our usual understanding of dimensions.

Burlison explained that various scriptures, including the Bible, describe messengers of God or angels as existing in dimensions beyond our own. While acknowledging the visual evidence and testimony from pilots regarding UFO sightings, Burlison emphasized the most likely explanation, in his opinion:

“I don’t discount the visual recordings or the testimonies from pilots – I believe they are genuinely witnessing something. There is substantial evidence of these unidentified objects, and although we don’t know what they are, I think the most probable explanation might not be what everyone hopes to hear. It could very well be advanced technology under development and research, possibly involving new propulsion technology.

When discussing this topic, I often refer to the discovery of the Higgs boson particle about ten years ago. We identified the Higgs field, which essentially relates to gravity, and the particle is a wave function within that field. Looking back, shortly after the discovery of nuclear vision, scientists developed the nuclear bomb. This illustrates how scientific theories can be transformed into practical functions. I find it hard to believe that we haven’t capitalized on our knowledge of the Higgs field. It seems likely that our private sector industry and the scientific community have been working to find ways to manipulate the Higgs field for various purposes, potentially including advancements in propulsion technology.”

Burlison is not the only one suggesting a link between UFOs and religious texts. Representative Tim Burchett claimed in 2021 that UFOs were in the Bible, referring to the book of Ezekiel.

According to Mystery Wire, Rep. Burchett talked about UFOs being written about in the Bible, pointing specifically to Ezekiel. This reference is for Ezekiel 1:4-28, in which there is a description of seeing “an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, but each of them had four faces and four wings.”

“When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.” [Ezekiel 1:4-28, Ezekiel 10]

While Grusch has publicly discussed theories on UAPs that might originate from the higher-order dimensions theorized by physicists, those concepts do not appear in the unclassified version of his complaint.

The ‘extradimensional or interdimensional‘ hypothesis also does not appear in what has been made public from Grusch’s written statements first submitted for approval to the Pentagon’s Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DOPSR).

But Grusch did talk about this theory when he was under oath, answering questions from Rep. Burlison during a public UAP hearing in July 2023.

Rep. Burlison said at the hearing, “It’s a bit hard to believe that an alien species advanced enough to travel billions of light years would come here and somehow not be able to survive.” He then asked Grusch about the “interdimensional potential,” saying, “Could you explain that?”

Grusch said, “No matter how smart you are, accidents happen, like plane crashes and car crashes. A small percentage of missions may fail, as we say in the Air Force.” Talking about multidimensionality, Grusch mentioned the holographic principle. It comes from general relativity and quantum mechanics. He explained it as imagining a 3D object casting a shadow onto a 2D surface.

He said, “You can be projected, sort of projected, from higher dimensional space to lower dimensional space… It’s a scientific idea that you can actually cross dimensions, as far as I understand. But there are probably people with PhDs who could argue about that.”

There has been some speculation about UFOs being connected to religious visits or interdimensional beings since the early 20th century. This idea became more famous with the book “Passport to Magonia: from Folklore to Flying Saucers” by Jacques Vallée in 1969. Vallée later inspired a character in Steven Spielberg’s UFO movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” He spent years studying ancient texts for his book.

Vallée states that UFOs and related events of a paranormal nature involve visitations from other “realities” or “dimensions.” The idea proposes that these alternate realities exist separately yet parallel to our own. In 1975’s The Edge of Reality, Vallée and Hynek considered the possibility of what they call “interlocking universes.”

Read also:

• Ex-US Marine Saw Massive UFO Being Loaded With Weapons By Secret Military In Indonesia Jungle
• Aerospace Billionaire Claims UAPs & Consciousness Are Linked; G-LOC Makes Human Soul Enter Another Dimension

Daniel Sheehan, a public interest lawyer and activist who was a former Chief Council for the United States Jesuit order, revealed intriguing details about his conversations with the head of the Vatican archives regarding the Vatican’s knowledge of extraterrestrial life. He shed light on his involvement in a groundbreaking initiative to address the theological and philosophical implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence. (Click here to read the full article)

He proposed the formation of a task force involving all 54 major religious denominations to address the issue from a theological perspective. However, at that time, there was insufficient consensus, and the proposal was declined. Sheehan is currently working through his New Paradigm Institute to organize a global summit conference involving world religious leaders to discuss the recent recovery of an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

“The United States government is in possession of biological evidence and has actually taken into custody alive an extraterrestrial person. They’re keeping this secret, interrogating the being, and distorting the information to justify massive expenditures on weapon development under the guise of a perceived threat.” – Daniel Sheehan

Sheehan highlighted the Vatican’s acknowledgment of the possibility of extraterrestrial life. He referenced a formal statement issued by the Catholic Church on November 10, 2009, authorized by Pope Benedict. The statement, issued by Father Jose Gabriel Alfuz, a director of the Pontifical Observatory in Rome, recognized the increasing discovery of exoplanets and called for a global discussion on the philosophical and theological implications of the imminent discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Sheehan disclosed that the government was telepathically interrogating the extraterrestrial biological entity (EBO) in custody. Despite acknowledging the bizarre nature of the revelation, Sheehan stood by the credibility of the information, having interviewed individuals directly involved in the process. The EBO allegedly conveyed that a coalition of star systems in our galaxy monitors the evolution of life on different planets, including Earth.

“Pope Benedict had a formal statement issued by the Catholic Church, saying that with the discovery of more exoplanets, it has become clear that we will be discovering life elsewhere in the universe. This prompted the need for a global discussion on the philosophical and theological questions posed by the discovery of extraterrestrial life.” – Daniel Sheehan

Since the translation of the Book of Enoch from the ancient texts discovered in Ethiopia in 1768, it has created a stir in the history of mankind that has been told for years. The Book of Enoch tells the story of the Fallen Angels called the Nephilims or the Anunnaki; it is attributed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah.

It is no wonder why the Book of Enoch was not included in the modern biblical version, since its content speaks of wicked angels who became fond of mortal women and mated with them, giving birth to the hybrid race of giant humanoids known throughout secular and Biblical history as the Nephilims.

The Nephilims then taught humans great technologies that made us greedy and awful until God destroyed them with a great flood in order to prevent further harm to creation. This is a massively oversimplified summary, but given these themes, the Book of Enoch has understandably grown in popularity in recent years.

So, what are UFOs? Jeremy Corbell says, “UFOs appear to be part of a larger phenomenon, meaning UFOs are kind of an auxiliary implication of a much larger reality. So this idea that what we’re seeing are machines from other planets. I’m unconvinced what we may be seeing is an alternate reality. You know, maybe it is something closer to dimensional travel.”

Former CIA officer Jim Semivan says, “Yes, there is a force out there that can control our environment.” The UFO phenomenon can be shocking, especially to children.

“You know for humanity. Are we alone or, you know, what happens when we die? Well, I don’t know about that, but are we alone? Well, the answer is we’re not alone. And I know that with 100% certainty, which as an Intel officer, you never say 100%, but all things pointed towards, based on the people I talked to… The phenomenon is real. It’s been going on for thousands of years. People have been seeing strange things, and not everybody’s mass hallucinating. So that’s kind of my long diatribe about what’s happening.”– David Grusch

{ https://www.howandwhys.com/ }

26-01-2024 om 13:21 geschreven door peter  

{ https://scientias.nl/ }

26-01-2024 om 13:00 geschreven door peter  

• Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: KatieDobies from Getty Images Signature (via Canva Pro)

{ https://scientias.nl/ }

26-01-2024 om 12:50 geschreven door peter  

Stewardess ziet ufo tijdens vlucht naar Polen (VIDEO)

De 36-jarige stewardess Denisa Tanase is er nu helemaal van overtuigd: ufo's bestaan en ze heeft er zelf eentje gespot!

Deze stewardess die voor lagekostenmaatschappij Wizz Air vliegt, filmde het prachtige uitzicht boven Europa toen ze richting Polen vloog. Zonder het eerst zelf te beseffen, filmde ze iets heel opmerkelijks.

Ze filmde een ‘ronde vorm die roze flitste’. “Ik dacht eerst dat het de reflectie van mijn uniform was”, vertelt ze. “Maar het bewoog, je kon het zien vliegen.” De stewardess is er daarom van overtuigd dat het om een ufo gaat. “Ik dacht: hoe is dit mogelijk?”vertelt ze. “Ik heb altijd al gedacht dat aliens bestonden, nu weet ik het zeker.”

• (Tagtik/Illustration: Photo by Nicole Geri on Unsplash)

 { https://www.msn.com/nl-be/feed }

26-01-2024 om 12:24 geschreven door peter  

Ex-Defence Minister: E.T.s From Andromeda & Saturn’s Moon Visiting Earth For Thousands Of Years

There are already dozens of claims in favor of extraterrestrial visitation. Today, numerous astronauts and government officials support the UAP phenomena, and some are highly positive that they could have an alien origin. The Honorable Paul Hellyer (1923-2021), former Canadian Minister of Defense said extraterrestrials have been visiting our planet for thousands of years and it is likely that at least two of them are working with the U.S. government and sharing their highly-advanced technologies with humans.

In the 1960s, Paul Hellyer, a high-ranking official during the Cold War, asserted that he had discovered with certainty about the existence of aliens while serving in the military. He said that people from other worlds had been coming to Earth for a very long time. He insisted that a lot of the stuff that makes up our high-tech gadgetry had been gifted to us by overly-advanced ETs.

Hellyer had long expressed his views on extraterrestrials in public. He testified at the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure in May 2013 in Washington, DC. Five former members of U.S. Congress and one former U.S. senator listened to more than thirty hours of testimony from government officials, military personnel, researchers, and witnesses.

Huffington Post Canada described that, as part of his testimony, Hellyer stated that “aliens are living among us and that it is likely at least two of them are working with the U.S. government.” More specifically, Hellyer announced that at least four species of extraterrestrials had been visiting Earth for thousands of years. According to Huffington Post Canada, he also stated that some extraterrestrials originate from the “Zeta Reticuli, the Pleiades, Orion, Andromeda, and Altair star systems” and “may have different agendas.”

He first spoke openly about his belief governments are covering up an alien presence back in 2005, saying UFOs are as plentiful in our sky as airplanes. “Much of the media won’t touch it, so you just have to keep working away at it and we will get a critical mass and one day they will say Mr. President or Mr. Prime Minister, we want the truth and we want it now because it affects our lives.”

In 2013, Hellyer appeared on the RT interview show SophieCo with Sophie Shevardnadze to discuss extraterrestrials and UFOs. Shevardnadze asked Hellyer, “Why do you say that UFOs are as real as airplanes flying over our heads?” Hellyer replied, “Because I know that they are. As a matter of fact, they’ve been visiting our planet for thousands of years.” He further stated military action had brought down UFOs, and humans had adapted alien technology for use on Earth. (Source)

Read also:

• Head of Canada UFO Program: Ancient Races From Elsewhere Colonized Earth Many Times
• Ex-US Air Force Lt. Col. Testified He Saw Two UFOs With Grey Beings Underwater
• Ex-Pentagon Agent Claims UFOs Changed Witnesses’ Brain, Unlocked Sixth Sense
• Ex-Apollo Astronaut Claimed Humans Are Ancient Aliens, Visited Earth From Space

He said: “As far as technology is concerned, they are light years ahead of us, and we have learned a lot of things from them. A lot of the things we use today we got from them, you know – led lights and microchips and Kevlar vests and all sorts things that we got from their technology and we could get a lot more too, especially in the fields of medicine and agriculture if we would go about it peacefully. But, I think, maybe some of our people are more interested in getting the military technology, and I think that’s wrong-headed, and that’s one of the things that we are going to have to change, because we’re going to have to work together, all of us, everywhere on the planet.”

Shevardnadze asked: “Have you ever had your own encounter with aliens?” Hellyer replied: “Not encounter with aliens, no. I’ve seen a UFO, about 120 miles north of Toronto, over Lake Muskoka, where I have a cottage. Two years ago, at Thanksgiving, which is October, [my wife?] said that she wanted to go out and look at the stars, so… I’m not much of a night man… but I put on my cap and went out with her and she looked into the eastern sky and said, ‘There’s a star,’ and I turned the other way and said, ‘Oh, there’s a much brighter one over here,’ and she looked there and we watched it until our necks almost broke for about 20 minutes, and it was definitely a UFO because it could change position in the sky by three or four degrees in three or four seconds.”

Shevardnadze further asked Hellyer if shooting down those UFOs was risking an interstellar war, and, if so, “should we be creating a Star Wars force to defend ourselves from possible invasion or something like that?”

{ https://www.howandwhys.com/ }

26-01-2024 om 00:15 geschreven door peter  

What The Hell Is This? Bizarre Object (Potential UFO) Seen Flaming In The Sky In Charlotte, North Carolina

[Twitter/Screenshot/Public — @Worldwar_3_]

ANDREW POWELL

{ https://dailycaller.com/ }

25-01-2024 om 23:23 geschreven door peter  

Sean Kirkpatrick retired from his role as the director of the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office in December, and has made many bizarre claims in recent months

The ex-alien hunting chief made the bold claim on a podcast 

(Image: YouTube)

A bloke who formerly headed up the Pentagon's alien-hunting team has admitted that most UFO sightings are actually just “secret military aircraft”.

Sean Kirkpatrick, the former director of the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, made the claim while talking to CNN's Peter Bergen. He openly admitted that “none” of the sightings people are making are actually “extraterrestrial in nature”.

And in a comment that comes off far worse than he probably thinks it does, he went on to identify exactly what kind of special military tech – not made public before – people are actually seeing.

READ MORE: 

• Brit granddad faces jail for asking neighbours to turn down noise at New Year's party

This, if it was real, would not be alien . . . he claimed (stock) 

(Image: Getty Images)

He said, speaking to the In The Room podcast: “There are a lot of observations of real, advanced US programs – but none of that is extraterrestrial in nature. There are a number of advanced technologies that are being commercialized that people don't recognize.

“There's a large number of people, pilots, and others, who you know, have said, 'Hey, I saw this giant sphere. It had a cube in it, I don't understand it, it must be an alien.' Well, actually, no'. The next generation of drones that are being built are spherical drones.

“With eight thrusters in a cube configuration, I can maneuver this drone around very accurately, and they've tried these all over the place."

UFO sightings are actually just US army tech (stock) 

(Image: Getty Images)

Mr Kirkpatrick caused controversy last year when he retired without warning days after claiming that sightings over the sky in the United States were actually either “aliens or technology of rival nations” – which is very different to his latest claim.

{ https://www.dailystar.co.uk/ }

25-01-2024 om 21:54 geschreven door peter  

“I found the aliens, but…” Pentagon's UFO hunter talks about evidence of alien presence

Sean Kirkpatrick, former head of the Pentagon's UFO investigations, debunks conspiracy claims of government cover-ups and alien technology possession.

The truth is out there, but is it extraterrestrial? Sean Kirkpatrick, the scientist who led the Pentagon's UFO investigations, spills the beans on UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) and the quest for alien life.

No evidence of alien life

Despite conspiracy claims of government cover-ups and reverse engineering of crashed spacecraft, Kirkpatrick, former head of the Pentagon's UAP investigations, sets the record straight: "The best thing that could have happened in this job is I found the aliens, but there's none."

The departure from UAP investigations

Kirkpatrick recently stepped down from directing the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), tasked with investigating potential UFO sightings. The departure comes amid renewed attention fueled by military testimonies suggesting government possession of alien technology.

Military testimonies & alien technology

Former military witnesses testified to the House Oversight Committee, claiming the government's awareness of non-human activity since the 1930s. Allegations included the possession of alien UFOs and bodies of "dead pilots." Kirkpatrick notes that many interviewed shared similar stories of hidden UFOs dating back to the 60s or even earlier

Lack of evidence and government conspiracy

While acknowledging stories of hidden UFOs, Kirkpatrick stresses there is "no evidence of aliens" or a government conspiracy. He mentions a push to bring alien craft materials back into government oversight around the turn of the century, alleging Congress did not know about the supposed hidden program.

Pilots' UAP sightings

Many UFO sightings are reported by pilots witnessing strange objects in the sky. Kirkpatrick explains that, often, these sightings turn out to be caused by parallax—where an object appears to change position due to a shift in the observer's point of view.

Anomalous cases and lack of data

Kirkpatrick notes that between 2 percent and 5 percent of the investigated reports had sufficient data but remained "truly anomalous." He highlights the challenge in explaining phenomena when there is a lack of data, citing the case of U.S. Navy pilots witnessing a tic-tac-shaped object off the coast of California.

{ https://www.hindustantimes.com/ }

25-01-2024 om 21:42 geschreven door peter  

Hubble Detects Water Vapor in Atmosphere of Gliese 9827d

Using the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument onboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have detected water vapor in the transmission spectrum of the sub-Neptune exoplanet Gliese 9827d.

The water detection in the transit spectrum of Gliese 9827d makes it the first water world candidate with an atmospheric water detection consistent with a water-rich envelope.

Image credit: NASA / ESA / Leah Hustak, STScI / Ralf Crawford, STScI.

Gliese 9827 is a bright K-type dwarf star some 97 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Pisces.

Also known as GJ 9827, K2-135 or EPIC 246389858, the star hosts a trio of transiting massive exoplanet, discovered recently by NASA’s Kepler/K2 mission.

The outermost planet, Gliese 9827d (GJ 9827d), completes an orbit around its parent star every 6.2 days and has a radius of 1.96 Earth radii.

Hubble observed this planet during 11 transits — events in which the planet crossed in front of its star — that were spaced out over three years.

During transits, starlight is filtered through the planet’s atmosphere and has the spectral fingerprint of water molecules.

“This would be the first time that we can directly show through an atmospheric detection, that these planets with water-rich atmospheres can actually exist around other stars,” said Dr. Björn Benneke, an astronomer with the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal.

“This is an important step toward determining the prevalence and diversity of atmospheres on rocky planets.”

“Water on a planet this small is a landmark discovery. It pushes closer than ever to characterizing truly Earth-like worlds,” said Dr. Laura Kreidberg, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy.

However, it remains too early to tell whether Hubble spectroscopically measured a small amount of water vapor in a puffy hydrogen-rich atmosphere, or if the planet’s atmosphere is mostly made of water, left behind after a primeval hydrogen/helium atmosphere evaporated under stellar radiation.

“Our observing program was designed specifically with the goal to not only detect the molecules in the planet’s atmosphere, but to actually look specifically for water vapor,” said Dr. Pierre-Alexis Roy, also from the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal.

“Either result would be exciting, whether water vapor is dominant or just a tiny species in a hydrogen-dominant atmosphere.”

“Until now, we had not been able to directly detect the atmosphere of such a small planet. And we’re slowly getting in this regime now,” Dr. Benneke said.

“At some point, as we study smaller planets, there must be a transition where there’s no more hydrogen on these small worlds, and they have atmospheres more like Venus (which is dominated by carbon dioxide).”

Because Gliese 9827d is as hot as Venus, at 427 degrees Celsius (800 degrees Fahrenheit), it definitely would be an inhospitable, steamy world if the atmosphere were predominantly water vapor.

At present the team is left with two possibilities.

One scenario is that the planet is still clinging to a hydrogen-rich atmosphere laced with water, making it a mini-Neptune.

Alternatively, it could be a warmer version of Jupiter’s moon Europa, which has twice as much water as Earth beneath its crust.

“Gliese 9827d could be half water, half rock. And there would be a lot of water vapor on top of some smaller rocky body,” Dr. Benneke said.

If the planet has a residual water-rich atmosphere, then it must have formed farther away from its host star, where the temperature is cold and water is available in the form of ice, than its present location.

In this scenario, the planet would have then migrated closer to the star and received more radiation.

The hydrogen was heated and escaped, or is still in the process of escaping the planet’s weak gravity.

The alternative theory is that the planet formed close to the hot star, with a trace of water in its atmosphere.

“Observing water is a gateway to finding other things,” said Dr. Thomas Greene, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Ames Research Center.

“This Hubble discovery opens the door to future study of these types of planets by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.”

“Webb can see much more with additional infrared observations, including carbon-bearing molecules like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane.”

“Once we get a total inventory of a planet’s elements, we can compare those to the star it orbits and understand how it was formed.”

• The results were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
• Pierre-Alexis Roy et al. 2024. Water Absorption in the Transmission Spectrum of the Water World Candidate GJ 9827d. ApJL 954, L52; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/acebf0

{ https://www.sci.news/ }

25-01-2024 om 20:39 geschreven door peter  

Hubble Captures Stunning Galaxy Collision: LEDA 60847

 by Enrico de Lazaro

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced a spectacular image of a group of interacting galaxies known as LEDA 60847.

This Hubble image shows LEDA 60847, a group of interacting galaxies located in the constellation of Draco.

Image credit: NASA / ESA / A. Barth, University of California – Irvine / M. Koss, Eureka Scientific Inc. / A. Robinson, Rochester Institute of Technology / Gladys Kober, NASA & Catholic University of America.

“Galaxy mergers are relatively common occurrences,” the Hubble astronomers said.

“Most larger galaxies are the result of smaller galaxies merging.”

“The Milky Way Galaxy itself contains traces of other galaxies, indicating it is the product of past mergers.”

“Astronomers believe somewhere between 5% and 25% of all galaxies are currently merging.”

The researchers used Hubble to observe an interacting galaxy system called LEDA 60847.

Otherwise known as RBS 1661, Ka 163 or 2MASX J17465994+6836392, the system is located in the constellation of Draco.

“LEDA 60847 is classified as an active galactic nucleus (AGN),” the scientists noted.

“An AGN has a supermassive black hole in the galaxy’s central region that is accreting material.”

“The AGN emits radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and shines extremely brightly.”

“By studying powerful AGNs that are relatively nearby, astronomers can better understand how supermassive black holes grow and affect galaxies.”

The color image of LEDA 60847 combines ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared data from Hubble.

Several filters were used to sample various wavelengths. The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.

“The ability to see across all those wavelengths is one of the things that makes Hubble unique,” the astronomers explained.

“Different types of light across the electroagnetic spectrum tell astronomers different things about our Universe.”

“Ultraviolet light traces the glow of stellar nurseries and is used to identify the hottest stars.”

“Visible light shows us moderate-temperature stars and material, and also how the view would appear to our own eyes.”

“Last but not least, near-infrared light can penetrate cold dust, allowing us to study warm gas and dust, and relatively cool stars.”

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0brmIWWrkro

{ https://www.sci.news/ }

25-01-2024 om 20:32 geschreven door peter  

Mount Adams, situated in the picturesque landscapes of Washington State, has become a focal point for UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike. Recent investigations conducted by seasoned skeptics Phil and Jessica have shed light on mysterious nighttime aerial anomalies reported by eyewitnesses. As they ventured into the remote location known for its high UFO activity, they stumbled upon intriguing findings that might just challenge conventional explanations.

Exploring the Cave:

The investigation took an unexpected turn when the team discovered a cave near the reported sighting locations. Speculations about the lights emanating from inside the mountain prompted the duo to delve deeper into the lava tube, a geological formation left behind by past volcanic activity. As they navigated through the dark passages, a distinct smell of gas heightened the mystery.

Gas Readings and Cave Exploration:

Concerned about potential hazards, Phil and Jessica decided to conduct gas meter readings, uncovering the presence of methane or gas within the cave. The eerie flickering lights observed from a distance started to make sense, raising questions about the source and nature of these phenomena. Further exploration revealed the vastness of the cave, prompting the team to set up a 360-degree light grid equipped with infrared cameras at the entrance to capture any movement.

Base Camp Setup and Sky Observation:

Setting up base camp in the vicinity of recent eyewitness encounters, the team aimed to gather physical evidence supporting the claims. As night fell, Phil and Jessica split up to scan the skies with night vision goggles and infrared monoculars. The goal was to capture any unusual lights or movements reported by numerous witnesses.

Unveiling the Unexplained:

The night sky observation yielded unexpected results as Phil spotted a mysterious glowing object through the trees. The recorded footage showcased an object changing directions and disappearing behind the tree line, leaving the investigators puzzled. Despite extensive scrutiny, the team couldn’t categorize the phenomenon as a satellite, shooting star, or conventional aircraft, leaving the door open for further exploration.

VIDEO:

• Skeptics Capture UFO Sightings Above Mount Adams In Washington | Expedition X
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDg8Oh7q4Pw

The UFO sightings above Mount Adams continue to baffle skeptics and believers alike. Phil and Jessica’s investigation, initially driven by skepticism, unearthed intriguing evidence that challenges traditional explanations. As technology advances and our understanding of the universe expands, Mount Adams stands as a hotspot for unexplained phenomena, inviting further research into the mysteries that surround this majestic location. The quest for answers continues, and only time will tell what secrets the skies above Mount Adams hold.

 { https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

25-01-2024 om 20:23 geschreven door peter  

De verontrustende waarheid over klopgeesten

©NL Beeld

De verontrustende waarheid over klopgeesten
Misschien ben je deze hinderlijke geesten wel eens tegengekomen in de filmreeks 'Poltergeist'. Wist je echter dat de cast met een reeks griezelige gebeurtenissen te maken kreeg na de opnames? Deze beruchte incidenten werden bekend als 'de vloek van Poltergeist'.

Zet je je vraagtekens bij dit fenomeen? Neem dan een kijkje in de galerij en vorm je eigen mening over klopgeesten. LEES verder, als je durft.

©NL Beeld

'Poltergeist' of 'klopgeest'?
In veel talen wordt het Duitse woord 'Poltergeist' gebruikt, dat 'luidruchtige geest' betekent. In Nederland gebruiken we 'klopgeest'.

©iStock

Hoe gebeurt het?
De naam houdt verband met bovennatuurlijke verschijnselen, zoals geklop, bewegende objecten of zelfontbranding.

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De verklaring
Er wordt aangenomen dat geesten of demonen verantwoordelijk zijn voor deze activiteiten.

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Theorie
Volgens een bepaalde theorie zijn geesten verstoorde entiteiten die voor levende mensen zichtbaar worden wanneer ze de energie om hen heen gebruiken. Volgens Metro, een Britse nieuwswebsite, komen ze tevoorschijn als ze veranderingen in hun omgeving detecteren.

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Verschillen
Wat is het verschil tussen klopgeesten en gewone geesten?

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Verschillen
Gewone geesten worden doorgaans geassocieerd met een bepaalde locatie, terwijl klopgeesten zich vaak specifiek aan één persoon binden.

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Verschijnselen
The Atlantic Paranormal Society, een Amerikaanse organisatie die over paranormale activiteiten bericht, stelt dat elk verschijnsel zich eerst in mindere mate voordoet en zich vervolgens kan ontwikkelen tot iets intensers, bijvoorbeeld in de vorm van stemmen en verschijningen.

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Doelwit?
Volgens The Paranormal Society worden klopgeesten vaak in verband gebracht met de aanwezigheid van een tienermeisje.

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Doelwit?
Wanneer de persoon om wie het draait weggaat uit de omgeving, stoppen de paranormale activiteiten doorgaans.

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Wetenschap
Volgens The Paranormal Society brengen bepaalde onderzoeken deze klopgeesten in verband met psychokinese, het vermogen om objecten te verplaatsen met behulp van de kracht van de geest.

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Bovennatuurlijk?
Volgens Live Science, een Amerikaanse organisatie die zich bezighoudt met wetenschap, zijn er mensen die geloven dat de activiteiten van klopgeesten verband houden met het verstoren van geesten.

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Bezetenheid
Er zijn berichten verschenen over gevallen waarin mensen, zonder dat ze dat wisten, bezeten zijn geweest door klopgeesten. Vaak gebeurt dit onopgemerkt.

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Exorcisme
Volgens Metro wordt er gebruik gemaakt van exorcisme om een klopgeest te verjagen, wat een uitdagende en langdurige onderneming kan zijn.

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'Poltergeist' (1982)
Klopgeesten komen in talloze films voor en spelen zelfs naar verluidt een angstaanjagende rol achter de schermen.

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Klassiekers
Filmes met klopgeesten zijn bekend geworden in het horrorgenre en hebben de aandacht getrokken van het grote publiek vanwege griezelige verhalen over wat er vóór de opnames gebeurd is.

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Waargebeurde verhalen
Toeval of niet: veel acteurs zijn na de opnames van films waarin bovennatuurlijke verschijnselen voorkomen overleden.

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'Poltergeist' (1982)
De film 'Poltergeist' (1982) vertelt het verhaal van een gezin dat wordt gekweld door klopgeesten.

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'Poltergeist' (1982)
In hetzelfde jaar dat de film werd uitgebracht, vond er een tragisch incident plaats. Dominique Dunne, de actrice die Dana speelde, werd vermoord door haar vriend.

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'Poltergeist II: The Other Side' (1986)
In het jaar 1986, toen 'Poltergeist II: The Other Side' uitkwam, vond er opnieuw een triest voorval plaats.

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'Poltergeist II: The Other Side' (1986)
Julian Beck, de acteur die dominee Henry Kane speelde, stierf aan maagkanker voordat de tweede 'Poltergeist'-film uitkwam.

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'Poltergeist II: The Other Side' (1986)
Ongeveer een jaar na de première van de film stierf een castlid genaamd Will Sampson op tragische wijze aan een hartaanval.

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'Poltergeist III' (1988)
Er gebeurde echter met name iets beangstigends vlak voor de release van de derde film: 'Poltergeist III' (1998).

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'Poltergeist III' (1988)
Carol Anne, misschien wel het meest memorabele personage van de filmreeks, werd gespeeld door kindactrice Heather O'Rourke.

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'Poltergeist III' (1988)
Heather O'Rourke overleed op 12-jarige leeftijd, kort voordat de film in première ging.

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'Poltergeist III' (1988)
Volgens People, een Amerikaans tijdschrift dat nieuws uitbrengt, stierf ze aan een hartaanval en een septische shock, die veroorzaakt werden door een darmbelemmering waarvan ze niet afwist.

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Interessant feitje
Volgens 'The Independent' probeerde Drew Barrymore het personage van Carol Anne te spelen.

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'De vloek van Poltergeist'
De tragische verhalen rond de filmfranchise werden bekend als 'de vloek van Poltergeist'. Oliver Robbins, die Robbie speelde, zegt dat de vloek niets anders is dan een broodjeaapverhaal.

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Poltergeist: nieuwe versie
In 2015 verscheen de remake 'Poltergeist' in de bioscopen, die werd geregisseerd door Gil Kenan. De film gaat over een gezin dat wordt achtervolgd door kwaadaardige geesten.

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Verklaring
Geestelijke kracht? Geesten? Demonen? Verbeelding? Waar denk jij aan bij klopgeesten?

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25-01-2024 om 18:40 geschreven door peter