Wordt 2024 het jaar van verantwoorde AI?

Het begin van 2024 wordt gekenmerkt door een golf van voorspellingen over het traject van kunstmatige intelligentie, variërend van optimistisch tot voorzichtig. Toch is er een duidelijke consensus ontstaan: AI is de menselijke ervaring al aan het veranderen. Om bij te blijven moet de mensheid evolueren.

Voor iedereen die de opkomst van het internet en de sociale media heeft meegemaakt, kan de AI-revolutie een déjà vu-gevoel oproepen – en twee fundamentele vragen oproepen: Is het mogelijk om het huidige momentum vast te houden zonder de fouten uit het verleden te herhalen? En kunnen we een wereld creëren waarin iedereen, inclusief de 2,6 miljard mensen die offline blijven, zich kan ontplooien?

Om AI in te zetten voor een rechtvaardige en mensgerichte toekomst zijn nieuwe, inclusieve vormen van innovatie nodig. Maar drie veelbelovende trends bieden hoop voor het komende jaar.

Ten eerste blijft AI-regulering wereldwijd een topprioriteit. Van de AI-wet van de Europese Unie tot het uitvoerend bevel van oktober 2023 van president Joe Biden van de VS, hebben voorstanders van verantwoorde AI gereageerd op vrijwillige toezeggingen van Big Tech-bedrijven met beleidsvoorstellen die geworteld zijn in gelijkheid, rechtvaardigheid en democratische principes. De internationale gemeenschap, onder leiding van het onlangs opgerichte adviesorgaan op hoog niveau voor AI van de Verenigde Naties (waarvan een van ons, Dhar, lid is), is klaar om het komende jaar veel van deze initiatieven te bevorderen, te beginnen met het tussentijdse rapport over Governing AI for Humanity.

Proactieve maatregelen

Bovendien zou dit het jaar kunnen zijn waarin we de echokamers van de elite ontmantelen en een wereldwijd kader van ethische AI-professionals creëren. Door het bereik van initiatieven als de National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force – opgericht door de Amerikaanse 2020 AI Initiative Act – uit te breiden en implementatiestrategieën te lokaliseren met behulp van instrumenten als de UNESCO Readiness Assessment-methodologie, zouden wereldwijd inclusieve bestuurskaders vorm kunnen geven aan AI in 2024.

Op nationaal niveau zal de nadruk naar verwachting liggen op het reguleren van AI-gegenereerde inhoud en het in staat stellen van beleidsmakers en burgers om het hoofd te bieden aan AI-gedreven bedreigingen voor burgerparticipatie. Nu een groot aantal landen, die meer dan 40% van de wereldbevolking vertegenwoordigen, zich opmaken voor cruciale verkiezingen dit jaar, zullen er proactieve maatregelen nodig zijn om de dreigende golf van verkeerde en desinformatie te bestrijden. Dit omvat initiatieven om het publieke bewustzijn te vergroten, brede mediageletterdheid in verschillende leeftijdsgroepen te bevorderen en polarisatie aan te pakken door het belang van empathie en wederzijds leren te benadrukken.

Terwijl overheden debatteren over de rol van AI in de publieke sfeer, zullen verschuivingen in de regelgeving waarschijnlijk leiden tot hernieuwde discussies over het gebruik van opkomende technologieën om belangrijke beleidsdoelen te bereiken. India’s gebruik van AI om de efficiëntie van de spoorwegen te verbeteren en het door AI aangedreven digitale betaalsysteem van Brazilië zijn hier goede voorbeelden van.

Momentum van maatschappelijke organisaties

In 2024 zullen entiteiten zoals het VN-ontwikkelingsprogramma naar verwachting de integratie van AI-technologieën in digitale openbare infrastructuur (DPI) onderzoeken. Initiatieven voor het vaststellen van standaarden, zoals het aankomende Global Digital Compact van de VN, kunnen dienen als kaders voor meerdere belanghebbenden voor het ontwerpen van inclusieve DPI. Deze inspanningen moeten gericht zijn op het opbouwen van vertrouwen, prioriteit geven aan behoeften van de gemeenschap en eigenaarschap boven winst, en vasthouden aan “gedeelde principes voor een open, vrije en veilige digitale toekomst voor iedereen”.

Maatschappelijke groeperingen bouwen al voort op dit momentum en gebruiken de kracht van AI voor goede doeleinden. De non-profit Population Services International en de in Londen gevestigde start-up Babylon Health zijn bijvoorbeeld bezig met de uitrol van een AI-gestuurde symptoomchecker en zoekfunctie voor zorgverleners, waarmee ze laten zien dat AI gebruikers kan helpen bij het beheren van hun gezondheid. Ook organisaties als Polaris en Girl Effect werken aan het overwinnen van de barrières voor digitale transformatie binnen de non-profitsector en pakken problemen aan als dataprivacy en gebruikersveiligheid. Door gecentraliseerde financieringsmechanismen te ontwikkelen, internationale expertnetwerken op te zetten en bondgenootschap te omarmen, zouden filantropische stichtingen en openbare instellingen kunnen helpen dergelijke initiatieven op grotere schaal toe te passen.

Achterhaalde percepties

Nu non-profitorganisaties de overstap maken van het integreren van AI in hun werk naar het bouwen van nieuwe AI-producten, moet ons begrip van leiderschap en vertegenwoordiging in technologie ook veranderen. Door achterhaalde percepties van hoofdrolspelers in het huidige AI-ecosysteem uit te dagen, hebben we de kans om het ware, diverse gezicht van innovatie te vieren en baanbrekers van verschillende geslachten, rassen, culturen en regio’s te benadrukken, terwijl we de opzettelijke marginalisatie van minderheidsstemmen in de AI-sector erkennen.

Organisaties als het Hidden Genius Project, Indigenous in AI en Technovation bouwen al aan de “who’s who” van de toekomst, met speciale aandacht voor vrouwen en mensen van kleur. Door hun werk collectief te steunen, kunnen we ervoor zorgen dat zij een leidende rol spelen bij het vormgeven, inzetten en overzien van AI-technologieën in 2024 en daarna.

Leren van successen en mislukkingen

Debatten over wat het betekent om “mensgericht” te zijn en welke waarden onze samenlevingen moeten leiden, zullen onze betrokkenheid bij AI bepalen. Kaders met meerdere belanghebbenden, zoals de UNESCO-aanbeveling over de ethiek van kunstmatige intelligentie, kunnen een broodnodige leidraad vormen. Door zich te richten op gedeelde waarden zoals diversiteit, inclusiviteit en vrede, kunnen beleidsmakers en technologen principes schetsen voor het ontwerpen, ontwikkelen en inzetten van inclusieve AI-tools. Het integreren van deze waarden in onze strategieën vereist ook betrokkenheid bij gemeenschappen en een standvastige toewijding aan rechtvaardigheid en mensenrechten.

Aangezien AI hard op weg is om net zo alomtegenwoordig te worden als het internet, moeten we leren van de successen en mislukkingen van de digitale revolutie. Als we op de ingeslagen weg voortgaan, lopen we het risico dat we de wereldwijde welvaartskloof bestendigen of zelfs vergroten en kwetsbare gemeenschappen wereldwijd verder van ons vervreemden.

Maar door onze toewijding aan eerlijkheid, rechtvaardigheid en waardigheid te herbevestigen, kunnen we een nieuw mondiaal kader creëren dat elk individu in staat stelt de vruchten te plukken van technologische innovatie. We moeten het komende jaar gebruiken om partnerschappen met meerdere belanghebbenden te cultiveren en een toekomst te bevorderen waarin AI welvaart voor iedereen genereert.

De auteur Yolanda Botti-Lodovico is Policy and Advocacy Lead voor de Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. Vilas Dhar is voorzitter van de Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2024

• www.project-syndicate.org

{ https://businessam.be/ }

04-02-2024 om 17:11 geschreven door peter  

Marsrover vindt overblijfselen van een groot meer – is er misschien leven?

Geavanceerde ruimtetechnologie groef diep onder het oppervlak van Mars, en het gevonden materiaal heeft de vermoedens van veel wetenschappers bevestigd.

Dat is een belangrijke ontdekking, en het bevestigt de vermoedens dat hier ooit water stroomde.

‘De radarbeelden laten zien dat de sedimenten regelmatig en horizontaal zijn – net als sedimenten in meren op aarde,’ zei David Paige, professor aard-, planeet- en ruimtewetenschappen aan de UCLA en hoofdauteur van de studie, in een persbericht.

De resultaten ondersteunen de theorie die NASA-wetenschappers al lang aanhangen: dat het koude, droge, levenloze Mars ooit warm, nat – en misschien bewoonbaar – was.

Perseverance verzamelt nu zo snel als de technologie het toelaat monsters uit de Jezerokrater.

De bodem- en gesteentemonsters zullen uiteindelijk naar de aarde worden gestuurd, en de wetenschappers achter dit onderzoek hopen er sporen van leven in te vinden.

{ https://wibnet.nl/heelal }

04-02-2024 om 16:55 geschreven door peter  

Exploring the Unexplained: A New Era of UFO Sightings and Investigations

In recent times, the discourse surrounding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), or as they are now more commonly referred to, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), has shifted dramatically. No longer relegated to the fringes of conspiracy theories and science fiction, the investigation into these mysterious occurrences has garnered serious attention from scientists, journalists, and government officials alike. This renewed interest marks a pivotal moment in our quest to understand the phenomena that have puzzled humanity for decades.

The Pentagon’s Renewed Focus on UAPs

The narrative surrounding UAP investigations reached a significant turning point with the resignation of Sean Kirkpatrick, the head of the Pentagon’s office dedicated to exploring these unexplained events. Citing harassment and a culture moving away from rational, evidence-based critical thinking, Kirkpatrick’s departure underscores the contentious atmosphere that envelops this field of study. Despite these challenges, the Pentagon’s continued interest in UAPs signifies a commitment to unraveling the mysteries that loom in our skies.

Harvard’s Astronomical Findings and the Quest for Extraterrestrial Technology

Compelling contributions to the UAP discourse also come from the academic realm, with Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb‘s intriguing discovery of metallic spherules in the Pacific Ocean. Suggesting these could be remnants of an extraterrestrial technological object, Loeb’s work exemplifies the scientific community’s growing willingness to explore theories that were once dismissed outright. This openness to considering non-human origins for unidentified aerial objects is a leap forward in the search for answers.

Eyewitness Accounts and Government Whistleblowers

The claims made by former intelligence officer David Grusch about the U.S. military’s possession of non-human technology add another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigations. Grusch’s assertions, though controversial, have reignited debates over the transparency and ethical considerations of withholding such potentially groundbreaking discoveries from the public. These revelations, coupled with congressional hearings on the matter, indicate a significant shift in how UAP sightings are perceived at the highest levels of government.

The Role of Journalists and the Media

Journalists like Leslie Kean have played a pivotal role in bringing UAP stories to the mainstream, challenging the stigma associated with UFO investigations. Through diligent reporting and collaboration with military and government insiders, Kean has helped pave the way for a more open dialogue about the phenomena, encouraging both skeptics and believers to engage in a more informed discussion.

• https://youtu.be/S3KipYOcspA

• https://youtu.be/FnwKGv1SoB4

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

04-02-2024 om 16:43 geschreven door peter  

This US Scientist Saw Roswell Alien Survivor Who Revealed They Live Underground

Could there be another civilization living among us? UFO expert Anna Whitty has put forth a theory suggesting that aliens have been residing in Earth’s oceans for protection and have always been present on our planet. Whitty’s claims are based on the official statement of Dr. Shirley Wright, who allegedly interviewed the only survivor of the Roswell crash in 1947.

A two-hour documentary called “Roswell 75: The Final Evidence” features Whitty along with other experts, discussing the UFO crash and the potential presence of advanced humanoid aliens on Earth. In the documentary, Dr. Wright mentioned that the aliens inquired about human exploration inside the ocean, they asked “how far into the ocean” the humans traveled.

Dr. Shirley Wright, a former colleague of Albert Einstein stated that she interviewed aliens found at the Roswell crash site in 1947. She noted that aliens are actually just humans, but an advanced form. She claimed to have been present when the US government interviewed an alien survivor from the Roswell crash. According to Dr. Wright, the alien said that not all of them live above the ground and that many reside underground on our planet.

In 1993, an interview with Dr. Shirley Wright was made public where she claims to have witnessed the examination of Roswell UFO crash debris and encountered nine alien bodies. The interview reveals detailed descriptions of the aliens’ physical characteristics, their suits, and their apparent ability to survive in Earth’s atmosphere, while also highlighting the limited information they were willing to disclose about their lifestyle and reproductive methods.

According to Dr. Wright, while discussing her security clearance, she revealed: “The only reason we could go is that it’s a crack or did they deactivate it… after school, it was immediately deactivated.” This suggests that her access to the Roswell incident was facilitated by her clearance, which was granted specifically for the purpose of examining the extraterrestrial crash.

When asked about her encounter with the alien survivor, Dr. Wright admitted: “I was back at the motel in a city nearby, and I had been told that I would be able to keep the being alive.” This statement raises questions about the nature of her involvement and the significance of her role in handling and studying the extraterrestrial being.

Describing the appearance of the aliens, Dr. Wright vividly recalled: “They were very light, soft, a grayish-green, really. They had a slim, lean physique, no nose but markings where a nose opening would be, prominent eyes, and a mouth. They had no eyebrows, but they had ears and a very forked head.” These detailed descriptions paint a picture of the otherworldly beings she encountered during her extraordinary experience.

Additionally, Dr. Wright noted: “Their eyes were enormous, the most obvious thing you’d see on their face. They were almost brown-black, very dark.” This emphasizes the distinctiveness of the aliens’ eyes and adds to the mystique surrounding their appearance.

Regarding their attire, Dr. Wright observed: “They had suits on, very much like what we call suits. The fabric, however, was unfamiliar to me as a chemist. It didn’t resemble any fabric I recognized.” This intriguing detail raises questions about the technology and materials used by these extraterrestrial visitors.

Dr. Wright also touched upon the aliens’ apparent ability to adapt to Earth’s atmosphere, stating, “They could apparently survive in our atmosphere. They seemed to indicate that the atmosphere was quite similar, although not identical to ours.” This revelation hints at the remarkable adaptability of these beings and their advanced understanding of different planetary conditions.

In the realm of their lifestyle and reproductive methods, Dr. Wright admitted: “We tried to find that out, but we were very cautious not to antagonize them. They didn’t reveal much about it, but they mentioned living underground, in what we would call subterranean conditions.” This suggests a unique aspect of their civilization and their preference for dwelling beneath the surface.

Anna Whitty told the Daily Star that if whatever Wright had documented through her interview is correct, then it is more believable for the aliens to come from under the sea rather than from another planet. “If what Shirley said is right, it is more likely that aliens come from somewhere under the sea or caves or something like that, rather than another planet, it makes sense because there’s a lot of evidence on the planet that there has been a massive cataclysm every few thousand years,” Whitty said.

“If humans on the surface are being reset to the Stone Age every several thousands of years, and these people are somewhere where they are more protected because they are underground, then perhaps their development in technology and intelligence is continuing on an upwards trajectory whereas we’re reset. It’s also possible that maybe they aren’t beings at all, but they can make you think you’re seeing what you’re not seeing,” she added.

Read also:

• Two US Marines Claimed Corbell’s Huge Mojave Triangle UFO Is Definitely Not Flares
• Karla Turner Claimed She Found Evidence That Aliens Are Manipulating Human Reality
• Ex-CIA Officer Encountered With Reptilian Alien; Says Reptilian Race Walking Among Us
• Whitley Strieber’s Alien Abduction & Stranger Who Told Him ‘Mankind Is Trapped’

Whitty’s theory of aliens being “underwater entities” is supported by several incidents and testimonies. One such incident occurred in July 2019 when footage filmed on the USS Omaha showed a UFO diving into the water off San Diego. No wreckage or recovered craft were found. Retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Richard French, who served as a lead investigator of Project Blue Book in the 1950s, claimed to have witnessed two aliens repairing their ship submerged underwater in Newfoundland.

French testified about his experiences in front of former members of Congress at the Citizen Hearing in 2013, stating that he saw the aliens and their crafts below the water surface. He described clear water that allowed him to observe the beings and their activities. Despite his role as a UFO debunker, French confirmed that it was a UFO sighting involving extraterrestrials.

Other accounts support the idea of extraterrestrial presence in the ocean. Former Gunner’s Mate John Baughman, stationed on the USS Carl Vinson in 2010, reported seeing a Tic Tac-shaped UFO underwater. He described a solid object that rapidly collapsed and disappeared as it descended into the depths.

There have also been encounters with unidentified submerged objects (USOs). The crew of a Soviet submarine witnessed six disc-like objects approaching their vessel at high speeds. Unable to escape, they were forced to surface. Through the periscope, they observed the objects emerging from the water and swiftly departing.

Classic alien abduction cases also involve encounters with underwater bases. Betty Andreasson Luca, a Massachusetts woman, experienced multiple abductions and recalled being taken to a spacecraft flying over the ocean. The craft submerged into the water, entering a tunnel illuminated by light. Filiberto Cardenas claimed to have been taken to a secret underwater hangar witnessed by his friend’s family. He described entering a tunnel at high speed underwater and arriving at a large hangar beneath the sea.

These incidents and testimonies provide evidence for the presence of extraterrestrial activity in the ocean and support Whitty’s theory of aliens as “underwater entities.”

{ https://www.howandwhys.com/ }

04-02-2024 om 16:41 geschreven door peter  

Atoombatterij zo klein als een muntje gaat 50 jaar mee zonder opladen

Dankzij atoombatterijen hoeven smartphones nooit meer opgeladen te worden en kunnen drones eeuwig in de lucht blijven, zo stelt de maker. Het kan echter nog wel even duren voordat we de batterij op de markt zien.

Een batterij op kernenergie klinkt op het eerste gezicht misschien niet heel veilig.

Maar de technologie wordt al jaren gebruikt voor bijvoorbeeld ruimtemissies en onderzeeërs.

En onlangs heeft een grote batterijfabrikant een prototype uitgebracht van een atoombatterij, die een groot aantal kleine apparaten maar liefst 50 jaar van energie zou kunnen voorzien zonder te hoeven worden opgeladen.

Als het principe opgeschaald kan worden, kunnen we wellicht al onze laptop- en telefoonopladers weggooien.

Veel krachtiger dan traditionele batterijen

Het Chinese Betabolt heeft 63 atomaire isotopen in zijn nieuwe atoombatterij BV100 gepropt, en hij is kleiner dan een muntje.

Het batterijtje meet slechts 15 bij 15 bij 5 millimeter en kan tot 100 microwatt opwekken bij 3 volt.

Dankzij het kleine formaat kunnen meerdere eenheden in bijvoorbeeld een smartphone erop worden aangesloten, waardoor de efficiëntie toeneemt.

Deze batterij benut de energie die vrijkomt als radioactieve isotopen vervallen om elektriciteit op te wekken.

Dit doet denken aan de technologie in oudere pacemakers en ruimtevaartuigen.

De energiedichtheid van de batterij zou ruim 10 keer zo groot zijn als die van een conventionele lithiumionbatterij – een eigenschap die drones in staat zou kunnen stellen om eeuwig te vliegen zonder op te hoeven laden.

Fabrikant: Veilig en milieuvriendelijk

Bij kernenergie zijn straling en afval over het algemeen een probleem.

Wat is een atoombatterij?

• Een atoombatterij haalt energie uit een radioactieve bron en verschilt van traditionele batterijen qua prijs, levensduur, toepassingen en functie.
• Traditionele batterijen gebruiken elektrochemische reacties als energiebron.
• Atoombatterijen gebruiken energie uit het verval van radioactieve isotopen om elektriciteit op te wekken.
• Uraniumisotopen worden veel gebruikt om elektriciteit op te wekken omdat ze al 60 jaar de primaire energiebron van kerncentrales zijn.
• Omdat de elektriciteit afkomstig is van een constant verval van deeltjes, ontlaadt de batterij niet sneller bij toenemend gebruik.
• Atoombatterijen worden al gebruikt in onder meer ruimtevaartuigen en satellieten – ze helpen zelfs de Marsrover Perseverance van energie te voorzien.

Atoombatterijen zijn nooit algemeen verkrijgbaar geweest, omdat radioactieve elementen als plutonium gevaarlijk waren.

Maar volgens Betavolt vormt de straling van de atoombatterij geen gevaar omdat de radioactiviteit zo miniem is.

De BV100 is zelfs milieuvriendelijk, volgens een persbericht van Betavolt.

Als de batterij bijna aan het eind van zijn levensduur is, worden de radioactieve stoffen omgezet in koper, dat niet radioactief is en geen bedreiging vormt voor het milieu.

Betavolt test de batterij op dit moment, en het bedrijf is van plan om het batterijtype in massaproductie te nemen voor telefoons, drones en andere kleinere apparaten.

Het is echter nog onduidelijk wanneer het zo ver kan zijn.

{https://wibnet.nl/techniek }

04-02-2024 om 01:26 geschreven door peter  

The habitable zone is a rather crude way to identify planets that may have liquid water. Its boundaries are unclear and even contradictory since stellar spectral type, planetary albedo, mass, and even how cloudy its atmosphere is can determine if a planet has liquid water.

The idea of a conservative habitable zone (CHZ) is more helpful. It comes from a 2014 paper by Kopparapu et al. It’s a region around a star where a rocky planet receives between 0.42 and 0.842 as much solar insolation as Earth does. Any rocky planet receiving that much energy is in the CHZ, regardless of distance.

Discovering a Super-Earth in a star’s CHZ is always exciting. It fuels our sense of wonder about other planets and the possibility that some may harbour other life. For that reason, they’re more intriguing than planets like Hot Jupiters for instance, which have zero possibility of hosting liquid water or life. Not even the hardiest extremophiles can survive a Hot Jupiter’s wicked environment.

But this discovery is also exciting for a couple of other reasons.

Now that we’ve discovered thousands of exoplanets, astronomers are seeing trends in the population. One of the things they noticed is a gap in the small planet population between 1.5 and 2 Earth radii. It’s known as the small planet radius gap or the sub-Neptune radius gap (also called the Fulton gap and the photoevaporation valley.) At 1.55 Earth radii, TOI-715b is inside the gap.

It’s extremely unlikely that no planets form in this radius gap. Planets must start out larger and lose mass to end up in the gap. So, the Fulton Gap tells us something about how some planets lose mass. Astronomers think that planets in the gap start out larger, but their stars strip away some of their mass by photoevaporation, shrinking them. That’s why it’s sometimes called the photoevaporation valley. There’s a lot of uncertainty around the valley and photoevaporation, and astronomers want to study planets in the valley to see what they can learn.

“The importance of the radius valley lies in its potential to teach us about planetary formation and post-formation evolution, and hence, planets inside this gap are crucial in furthering our understanding of the factors that sculpt it,” the authors explain.

There’s some uncertainty if this radius gap exists around M-dwarfs or not. It’s possible that M-dwarfs have a density gap rather than a radius gap. “A recent study by Luque & Pallé (2022), however, indicates that M-dwarf planets may have a density gap rather than a radius gap separating two populations of small planets (rocky and water worlds),” the authors write.

Whether it’s a radius gap or a density gap, TOI-715b should have something to tell us about exoplanets, photoevaporation, and the nature of exoplanet distribution around red dwarfs. But to discover what it has to tell us requires further, detailed observations. That’s the second reason why this Super-Earth is so intriguing.

Ever since we started finding exoplanets, scientists have looked forward to the day when the James Webb Space Telescope is operational. “At long last, the era of JWST has arrived, and with it, the age of detailed exoplanetary atmospheric characterization,” the authors write in their paper. The JWST has the ability to observe the spectra of exoplanet atmospheres and determine their constituents. But even though the JWST is enormously powerful, some targets present better opportunities for transmission spectroscopy than others.

TOI-715b is a prime target because it’s close to its star. Since TOI-715 is a small red dwarf, and the planet orbits it every 19 days, the exoplanet’s transits in front of its star are deeper and more frequent. That means the JWST doesn’t need much time to observe the planet’s atmosphere, making it an efficient use of the space telescope’s time. “In the context of atmospheric characterization by transmission spectroscopy, bright, nearby M dwarfs are ideal planetary hosts as small temperate planets will transit frequently, enabling high signal-to-noise detections of atmospheric features with fewer hours of telescope time,” the authors explain.

Can this Super-Earth be habitable? Lacking the JWST’s spectroscopy, we’re reduced to speculating. It’s in the conservative habitable zone, but that doesn’t get us very far. Still, there are some hopeful signs.

TOI-715 is a little older than our Sun at about 6.6 billion years old. The star shows a “low degree of magnetic activity,” according to the authors. That’s probably why the star shows an absence of flaring in the TESS light curves compared to younger M-dwarfs. Red dwarfs are known to exhibit extremely powerful flaring that can sterilize planets. They can also strip away atmospheres, which could be responsible for the exoplanet photoevaporation valley.

Another planet may be orbiting TOI-715. It’s currently only a candidate named TIC 271971130.02, but if confirmed, it will be the smallest habitable zone planet TESS has ever found. But follow-up observations are needed to confirm it.

The TOI-715 system is a compelling target for further study. TOI-715b is waiting its turn, but eventually, the JWST will examine its atmosphere. If those results support habitability, astronomers’ excitement will only grow. At the same time, we may learn more about the radius or density gap, an obstacle to a more thorough understanding of exoplanets.

Add in the fact that the star may host another habitable zone planet, the smallest one found yet by TESS, and the TOI-715 system becomes even more importan

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

03-02-2024 om 23:07 geschreven door peter  

About eROSITA

eROSITA is a soft x-ray imaging telescope aboard the Spectrum-RG satellite. Its first all-sky survey, called eRASS1, took place over 7 months beginning on December 12, 2019. At its most sensitive setting, the telescope detected 170 million X-ray photons. That allowed the cameras to measure their energies and arrival times.

The astronomy team, led by principal investigator Andrea Merloni, put together a first-release catalog of data. They also published more than 50 new science papers based on their findings. After finishing this first survey, the instrument carried out three more scans of the entire sky between June 2020 and February 2022. That huge treasuring of x-ray data will be released shortly. The video below explains more about the mission.

eROSITA’s Treasury of X-ray Sources

X-ray astronomy focuses on hot and energetic objects and events in the Universe. Those would be the cores of galaxies (where supermassive black holes lurk), supernova explosions, newborn stars, and other places where matter gets heated to high temperatures.

This preliminary data eRASS1 data set pinpoints about 710,000 supermassive black holes, 180,000 x-ray emitting stars in the Milky Way, and 12,000 clusters of galaxies. It also covers a small number of other exotic sources like X-ray-emitting binary stars, supernova remnants, pulsars, and other objects.

“These are mind-blowing numbers for X-ray astronomy,” says Andrea Merloni, eROSITA principal investigator and first author of the eROSITA catalog paper. “We’ve detected more sources in 6 months than the big flagship missions XMM-Newton and Chandra have done in nearly 25 years of operation.”

The eROSITA first data release is a rich, “multi-layered” look at the sky at several X-ray energies. Each energy level tells astronomers something about the objects and events emitting the X-rays. And, for each set of images and data, the consortium provides more information. There are lists of source classes, sky positions, energies, and precise arrival times of the photons to the instrument. “We’ve made a huge effort to release high-quality data and software,” added Miriam Ramos-Ceja, who leads the eROSITA Operations team. “We hope this will broaden the base of scientists worldwide working with high-energy data and help push the frontiers of X-ray astronomy.”

Zeroing in on Specific X-ray Objects

eROSITA’s science objectives are to use X-rays as a way to detect the hot intergalactic medium of 50 to 100,000 galaxy clusters and groups. It also looks at hot gas in filaments between them. Those filaments glow in X-rays. The instrument is also tasked with detecting accreting black holes hidden in galaxies. Finally, it studied the physics of galactic X-ray sources (which include pre-main-sequence stars, supernova remnants, and X-ray binaries).

At least one of the papers released with the new survey data uses x-ray data to constrain cosmological models using clusters of galaxies. In one release image, we see a newly discovered filament of material. It stretches between one portion of the galaxy cluster Abell 3667 and the nearby cluster Abell 3651. This may help astronomers determine how much matter exists in the so-called “warm-hot intergalactic medium”. It gives insight into the formation of large-scale structures (like galaxy clusters) in the Universe.

The nearby Virgo Cluster of galaxies also shows up in the eRASS1 survey and provides a way to study large-scale filamentary structures. In particular, astronomers want to understand the physical effects operating in the outskirts of these massive galaxy clusters. Using the new survey data, plus other all-sky images, a science team explored the structure of the cluster’s outskirts. That included high-energy emissions around galaxies and groups within the cluster. They also studied a so-called 320-kiloparsec-long “x-ray extension” near the galaxy M49.

eROSITA’s Past Work and Future

eROSITA has enabled a huge leap forward in X-ray astronomy since its launch in June 2019. It began operations in October of that year, providing high-resolution X-ray vision of the cosmos. As it scanned the sky, it glimpsed changes in a distant quasar called SMSS J114447.77-430859.3. Those changes give some clues to the growth of the black hole at the heart of the quasar. It observed changes in the brightness variations at the heart of the quasar, indicating that the black hole swallows some of the material that strays into its event horizon. Other material escapes in the form of powerful winds.

The instrument has also detected a newly forming black hole in the early Universe and traced the existence of hot gas all around our own Milky Way Galaxy. The instrument had its first light on October 22, 2019. Currently, it’s in safe mode and technicians are assessing its health and status.

For More Information

• eROSITA
• eROSITA Science Papers
• The X-ray Sky Opens to the World
• Discovery of a >13 Mpc long X-ray filament between two galaxy clusters beyond three times their virial radii
• The SRG/eROSITA All-Sky Survey: View of the Virgo Cluster

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

03-02-2024 om 22:54 geschreven door peter  

Fishermen Spot Rare Clouds Off Key West That Look Like UFOs

BY CASS ANDERSON

ISTOCKPHOTO / MINDFUL SNAP

Fishermen off Key West, Florida looking up at the sky might’ve thought they were seeing the early stages of an alien invasion due to the rare hole punch clouds in the sky.

Josh Jorgensen from BlacktipH Fishing, one of the most popular fishing YouTube channels around, shared this clip from Key West, Florida and at first glance his followers were like ‘yup, those are aliens.’ After comments from crackpots, someone pointed out they were rare punch hole clouds, better known as fallstreak holes, which are created when supercooled water evaporates and leaves a large circular gap behind.

Who better to explain what Fallstreak Holes aka Hole Punch Clouds are than a website named ‘Cloud Appreciation Society’ who wrote an article about these rare clouds back in 2011, shortly after a recent study into the phenomenon had been published in Science Magazine.

That article states “for the hole to form, the droplets in the cloud layer need to be ‘supercooled’. This means that they are at a temperature below 0˚ Celsius, but have yet to frozen.” The 2011 research confirmed that aircraft play a role in the formation of these clouds with “expansion of the air as it passes over the aircraft wings and (for certain types of plane) over the blades of its propellers” causing the cooling which leads to the formation.

Here is another look at these rare clouds:

It has been quite cold here in Florida over the past week. While January ended 1-degree warmer than the historical average it seemed amiss to Floridians who felt like the first month of the year was particularly cold.

That’s because while the afternoon temperatures were cooler than Januarys past the actual ‘low’ temperatures overnight and in the early mornings in Florida were much higher than the historical averages. All of that is to say Florida has had some particularly cold weather recently which triggered this rare cloud formation off Key West seen by BlacktipH.

 { https://brobible.com/ }

03-02-2024 om 22:34 geschreven door peter  

Fishermen witness Fleet of UFOs Over Key West, Florida Ocean On Feb 1, 2024, Video, UFO Sighting News.

Date of sighting: Feb 1, 2024
Location of sighting: Key West, Florida, USA
Source: 

• https://www.tiktok.com/@blacktiph/video/7330299576592780587?q=blacktiph&t=1706981322276

Guys this is just amazing, remember that I mentioned that there is an alien base that is below part of Florida and extends out into the Florida Keys for 10 miles? Well here is more proof. More UFOs have been seen or at least, the imprint of the UAP disks have been seen which pressed into the clouds from above and created a bowl-like shape. This in not one, but a whole fleet of ships that came from outside our atmosphere and sat in the clouds until nightfall where they then lower down into the water to go down into the underground base, 5km below the ocean floor. 100% proof that alien try to outsmart us with making us second, third and fourth guess ourselves, when all along, there is only one explanation...aliens. 

 

Now in the 89 page MUFON UFO investigation paper on the O'Hare airport incident of 2006, they said the UFO seen by eyewitnesses at the airport hovered then shot off upward through the clouds fast, leaving a disk shaped hole in the cloud for 15 minutes! So yeah, UFOs make holes in clouds. The proof in documented. 

Scott C. Waring 

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

03-02-2024 om 21:34 geschreven door peter  

Alien Base Discovered In NASA Moon Photo, Apollo 11, 1969, UFO Sighting News.

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

03-02-2024 om 21:29 geschreven door peter  

The Italian Ufologists’ Quest for Truth'

In the realm of the unexplained and the mysterious, UFO sightings have always captivated human imagination. Italy, with its rich history and cultural heritage, is no exception. A group of dedicated Italian researchers, known as ufologists, have delved deep into the enigma of unidentified flying objects, bringing to light the intriguing and often perplexing phenomena associated with these sightings.

The Heart of Italian Ufology

At the forefront of this exploration is a documentary titled “UFO Hunters: The Italian Ufologists,” directed by Stefania Grondona and featuring David White among its cast. The documentary embarks on a journey through Italy, unraveling mass UFO sightings, the study of clipeology (the study of objects in the sky throughout history), and real testimonies from those who have witnessed these unexplained phenomena.

A Notable Case: Mont Proa’s Unidentified Visitor

One of the most compelling cases highlighted in the documentary occurred in 1996 in Mont Proa, a town in the province of Naples. Researchers, including the ufologist team, personally visited the town to meet with witnesses Luigi Kti and his family. Their account of a UFO circling undisturbed over the town, defying the laws of gravity and leaving onlookers in awe, represents a significant moment in Italian ufology. The object, estimated to be about 30 meters in diameter, exhibited characteristics beyond conventional aircraft, including three spheres around a transparent central core.

The Role of Technology and the Challenge of Authenticity

The documentary delves into the challenges faced by ufologists in documenting and analyzing UFO sightings. With the advent of smartphones, the quality of captured images often does not meet the standards required for clear analysis. Additionally, the documentary points out the paradox of authenticity in the digital age, where advanced video editing tools have made it easier to create fake sightings, underscoring the importance of relying on credible UFO research centers.

The Psychological Aspect of UFO Sightings

An interesting facet of the documentary is its exploration of the psychological impact of UFO sightings on individuals. It discusses how the sudden encounter with the unknown triggers a range of emotional responses, from excitement to fear, affecting the witnesses’ ability to accurately describe their experiences. The documentary emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach to understand these encounters, incorporating expertise from psychology, neurology, and other fields to assess the credibility of witnesses and the impact of these experiences on their psyche.

The Continuous Quest for Understanding

“UFO Hunters: The Italian Ufologists” not only presents specific cases of UFO sightings but also reflects on the broader implications of these encounters for society. The documentary explores how these unexplained phenomena challenge our understanding of the world and push the boundaries of conventional science and knowledge.

VIDEO:

• UFO Hunters: The Italian Ufologists | Full Documentary

• https://youtu.be/3-20XsFyVM4

The dedication of Italian ufologists to unraveling the mysteries of UFO sightings offers a fascinating glimpse into a world that exists at the edges of our understanding. “UFO Hunters: The Italian Ufologists” stands as a testament to the human quest for knowledge and the unyielding curiosity that drives us to explore the unknown. Through meticulous research, analysis, and an open-minded approach, these researchers continue to seek answers, reminding us of the vastness of the universe and the potential for discoveries that lie beyond our current comprehension.

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

03-02-2024 om 18:33 geschreven door peter  

BRITSE WETENSCHAPPERS MAKEN PLANNEN OM BEWIJS VAN BUITENAARDS LEVEN TE PRESENTEREN

Britse wetenschappers hebben aangekondigd dat ze zich voorbereiden om bewijs te presenteren van buitenaards leven. Dit opwindende nieuws komt als een mijlpaal in de zoektocht naar leven buiten onze planeet en doet vragen rijzen over wat er precies ontdekt is en wanneer we de details kunnen verwachten. In dit artikel zullen we de aankondiging van deze wetenschappers nader onderzoeken en proberen te begrijpen wat deze onthulling voor de mensheid kan betekenen.

Bewijs van buitenaards leven

In een kort interview met Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, een vooraanstaande astronoom, stelde journalist Holland de prangende vraag over haar verwachtingen voor het jaar 2024. Tot verrassing van velen gaf Dr. Aderin-Pocock een opmerkelijk openhartig antwoord: ‘Ik denk dat we buitenaards leven zullen ontdekken.’ Deze gewaagde uitspraak werd al snel ondersteund door andere prominente experts in de ruimtewetenschap, waaronder astrofysicus Becky Smethurst en astronaut Tim Peake. Beiden hintten naar het bestaan van sterke bewijzen voor een biosignatuur op een exoplaneet, dat wil zeggen, een planeet die om een andere ster dan onze zon draait. De opvallende overeenkomst tussen deze voorspellingen, afkomstig van Britse wetenschappers, doet vermoeden dat ze mogelijk wijzen naar hetzelfde wetenschappelijke artikel, wellicht van Britse origine. In dit artikel verkennen we deze opwindende voorspellingen en de mogelijke implicaties voor de zoektocht naar buitenaards leven in 2024.”

“Dit artikel werpt een boeiend licht op een mogelijk keerpunt in de zoektocht naar buitenaards leven. Er wordt gesuggereerd dat binnenkort overtuigend bewijs kan worden geleverd voor de aanwezigheid van buitenaards leven op een exoplaneet, gebaseerd op biosignaturen zoals gassen en chemicaliën in de atmosfeer die mogelijk afkomstig zijn van organische wezens. Deze recente uitspraken hebben de speculaties en discussies over buitenaards leven naar een nieuw hoogtepunt gebracht. Sommigen beweren zelfs dat dit het begin zou kunnen zijn van wat wordt genoemd ‘openbaarmaking’, waarbij de mensheid voorzichtig wordt ingelicht over de mogelijke aanwezigheid van buitenaards leven, zonder de wereld te destabiliseren. In dit artikel verkennen we de opwindende ontwikkelingen en wat ze zouden kunnen betekenen voor ons begrip van het universum.”

{ https://sgxl.nl/ }

03-02-2024 om 18:19 geschreven door peter  

CHINESE WETENSCHAPPERS ONTWIKKELEN MATERIAAL DAT JE ONZICHTBAAR MAAKT!

Chimera

Het concept van materiaal dat onzichtbaarheid mogelijk maakt, is even intrigerend als het klinkt. Deze vinding gebruikt verschillende soorten geavanceerde voorwerpen die licht– en warmtegolven op slimme wijze manipuleren, waardoor het objecten bijna volledig uit het zicht kan onttrekken. Het is alsof je een kameleon, glaskikker, en baardagaam samenbrengt in één supermateriaal, waarbij elk dier zijn unieke camouflagevermogen bijdraagt aan deze baanbrekende uitvinding.

Materiaal dat Onzichtbaarheid Mogelijk Maakt

Deze technologie, die bijna onzichtbaar is voor warmtecamera’s, zou een grote impact kunnen hebben op hoe we ons verbergen voor radar en camera’s. Het is alsof je je eigen onzichtbaarheidsmantel hebt, rechtstreeks uit de sciencefictionfilms! De mogelijkheden van Chimera zijn enorm. In een militaire context kan het worden gebruikt om uitrusting of zelfs personen aan het zicht te onttrekken. Maar het kan ook worden ingezet voor natuurbehoud, waardoor wetenschappers dieren kunnen observeren zonder hun natuurlijke gedrag te verstoren.

Uitvinding van Chinese wetenschappers

Chimera, de recente uitvinding van Chinese wetenschappers, opent een wereld van mogelijkheden in onzichtbaarheidstechnologie. Van het verbergen van militair materieel tot het onopvallend bestuderen van dieren in het wild, de toepassingen zijn net zo gevarieerd als ze indrukwekkend zijn. Deze ontwikkeling laat zien hoe ver we zijn gekomen in het nabootsen van de wonderen van de natuur en hoe we deze kunnen gebruiken voor onze technologische vooruitgang. Het materiaal dat onzichtbaarheid mogelijk maakt, is niet alleen een stap vooruit in de wetenschap, maar ook een fascinerend voorbeeld van hoe de natuur onze grootste inspiratiebron blijft.

Check ook:

• Man gelooft dat hij onzichtbaar is, terwijl hij dat niet is

{ https://sgxl.nl/ }

03-02-2024 om 18:05 geschreven door peter  

AMERIKAANSE EX-MILITAIR BEWEERT 92 DAGEN ONTVOERD TE ZIJN DOOR ALIENS

Beeld: Pixabay 2857440

Buitenaardse ontmoeting?! Je speelt verstoppertje, valt in slaap, en wordt wakker in een buitenaards moederschip! Dit klinkt als het script voor een sciencefictionfilm, toch? Maar voor Alex Collier, een voormalige Amerikaanse legerhelikopterpiloot, was dit de realiteit – tenminste, dat beweert hij. Hij deelt een ongelooflijk verhaal over zijn ‘ontvoering’ door aliens, waarbij hij 92 dagen bij Andromedianen doorbracht, maar op aarde slechts 18 minuten vermist was. Klinkt bizar? Lees verder en oordeel zelf!

Een Onverwachte Reis naar de Sterren

Het avontuur van Alex begon toen hij als kind verstoppertje speelde in een maïsveld. Wat begon als een onschuldig spelletje, eindigde in een buitenaardse ontmoeting die de grenzen van onze verbeelding tart. Eenmaal aan boord van het Andromediaanse schip, kreeg Collier de kans om hun samenleving van dichtbij te observeren. Hij beschrijft het als een leerzame en unieke ervaring, bijna als een ‘vis in een kom’, waarbij hij net zo goed werd bestudeerd als dat hij zelf observeerde.

De Complexiteit van Buitenaardse Technologie

Collier doet uit de doeken over de geavanceerde technologieën van het schip, die onze huidige wetenschappelijke kennis ver overstijgen. Hij beschrijft hoe de fysieke en dimensionale wetten veranderen zodra je het schip betreedt, iets wat voor ons, aardbewoners, bijna onmogelijk te bevatten is.

Buitenaardse Ontmoeting

De buitenaardse ontmoeting van Collier was niet alleen een culturele onderdompeling in een andere beschaving, maar ook een reis door de complexiteiten van tijd en ruimte. Hij ondervond fysieke veranderingen en tijdreizen, een concept dat onze aardse wetten tart. Volgens zijn verhaal stond één dag bij de Andromedianen gelijk aan 31 dagen op aarde. Deze verhouding in tijd zorgde voor een uniek perspectief, waarbij Collier ervaringen opdeed die een leven lang leken te duren in een fractie van de tijd zoals wij die kennen. Deze ongewone tijdsdynamiek op het buitenaardse schip bracht hem in een wereld waar seconden zich uitstrekten tot uren, en uren tot dagen, een fascinerende verstoring van onze normale tijdsperceptie.

Fascinerend

Alex Collier’s buitenaardse ontmoeting is niet iets wat je elke dag hoort. Zijn beweringen over een ontmoeting met buitenaardse wezens en een verblijf van 92 dagen op een moederschip, terwijl hij op aarde maar 18 minuten weg was, roepen veel vragen op. Zijn verhalen over tijdreizen, buitenaardse technologie en interdimensionale ervaringen klinken als iets uit een film, maar voor hem was dit een realiteit. Of je het nu gelooft of niet, het is een fascinerend verhaal dat de grenzen van onze verbeelding en ons begrip van het universum oprekt.

Check ook dit huiveringwekkende verhaal van een vrouw die door aliens zou zijn ontvoerd:

Check ook:

• Limburgse vrouw: buitenaards bezoek op komst!

 { https://sgxl.nl/ }

03-02-2024 om 17:56 geschreven door peter  

5 GIGANTISCHE ASTEROÏDEN ZO GROOT ALS EEN VOETBALSTADION NADEREN DE AARDE

By thalena

Maak je je zorgen over wat deze week gaat brengen? Nou, hou je vast: er zijn 5 gigantische asteroïden onderweg naar de aarde! Maar voordat je in doemdagmodus schiet, geen paniek. Volgens NASA zullen deze ruimterotsen, waaronder eentje zo groot als een voetbalstadion, onze mooie blauwe planeet niet raken. Laten we hopen dat ze geen rekenfoutje hebben gemaakt en eens duiken in de details van deze kosmische voorbijgangers en ontdekken waarom we toch rustig kunnen slapen.

Niet Zomaar Een Steen

NASA houdt deze week 5 gigantische asteroïden in het vizier die onze richting uit komen. Onder hen bevindt zich een ware reus met een diameter van ongeveer 280 meter, vergelijkbaar met de omvang van een flink voetbalstadion! Hoewel de gedachte aan zo’n gigantische ruimterots misschien angstaanjagend is, is er gelukkig geen enkel gevaar voor een botsing met onze planeet. Deze asteroïden zullen ons op veilige afstand passeren, waardoor de aarde gespaard blijft van een potentieel catastrofale impact. Deze kosmische voorbijgangers bieden een unieke kans voor wetenschappers om meer te leren over de samenstelling en het gedrag van dergelijke ruimteobjecten.

Beeld: wikipedia

5 gigantische asteroïden

Deze asteroïden variëren in grootte, van zo groot als een vliegtuig tot een voetbalstadion, en hun afstanden tot de aarde zijn zowel indrukwekkend als veilig. De dichtstbijzijnde zal ons missen met 1,7 miljoen mijl, terwijl de anderen zelfs nog verder verwijderd zijn, wat ons een comfortabele veiligheidsmarge biedt en de kans geeft om deze fascinerende ruimterotsen van een afstand te observeren en te bestuderen.

Beeld: wikipedia

Hoe Dichtbij Is Dichtbij?

Voor wat perspectief: de gemiddelde afstand tussen de aarde en de maan is ongeveer 239.000 mijl. Deze asteroïden zullen dus aanzienlijk verder weg zijn, ruim buiten de baan van de maan. Dit betekent dat we, ondanks hun indrukwekkende grootte, geen Hollywood-achtige doemscenario’s hoeven te verwachten. Hun passage is een kans voor wetenschappers om meer te leren, terwijl wij veilig op aarde blijven.

Geen risico

Dus, daar heb je het: een hemelse parade van 5 gigantische asteroïden, met een als headliner die de grootte heeft van een voetbalstadion. Hoewel het een fascinerend kosmisch spektakel is, benadrukt NASA dat er geen risico is op een botsing met onze planeet. Deze week hoeven we dus niet te vrezen voor een doemdag-scenario. In plaats daarvan kunnen we genieten van de wonderen van ons zonnestelsel, veilig en wel vanaf onze eigen blauwe marmer.

Check ook:

• Asteroïde ‘Bennu’ mogelijk op ramkoers met aarde: ‘Kracht van 22 atoombommen’

{ https://sgxl.nl/ }

03-02-2024 om 17:44 geschreven door peter  

Countless robotic pioneers have explored the surface and atmosphere of Mars in incredible detail and continue to teach us whether Mars once had—or currently has—life. However, humans could provide an extra level of exploration since they won’t be hindered by waiting for instructions from Earth ground controllers, which can take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes one way. If something goes wrong, human explorers can make on-the-spot decisions to find solutions, whereas robot explorers are faced with waiting for engineers back on Earth to find solutions, followed by sending instructions, and more waiting. Regarding technological advancements, a human mission will undoubtedly teach us how to live and work on Mars, and this includes testing shelters, food, bathroom facilities, and even combating the mental fatigue from being so far from Earth for a prolonged period. All things considered, what are the pros and cons of sending humans to Mars?

Dr. Bretzfelder tells Universe Today, “Pros are as above, and many examples of the benefits of humans in the field can be found in the history of the Apollo missions; instances where certain scientifically valuable rocks were collected due to the quick thinking and judgement of the astronauts. Cons include the difficulties involved in keeping astronauts alive and safe on a distant and environmentally complicated planetary surface. Additionally, the possibility of accidentally introducing terrestrial microbes to Mars is a potential risk.”

Whether it’s a robotic or human mission, NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection is responsible for ensuring that microbes don’t hitch a ride and contaminate extraterrestrial environments that we wish to explore, but especially to protect us from any microbes that could potentially be brought back to Earth.

Regarding the ongoing robotic exploration of Mars, there are presently seven active Mars orbiters from several nations teaching us more and more about the Red Planet and unlocking its secrets. On the surface, there are currently three active missions: NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, and China’s Zhurong rover. Past successful surface missions include NASA’s Viking 1 and Viking 2 landers, Mars Pathfinder, Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Phoenix lander, and InSight lander. From marsquakes to finding evidence for past surface liquid water, each of these missions spent years unlocking the secrets of Mars, both above and below the surface. But what additional science could be conducted by a human mission compared to a robotic mission?

“As above, humans (within limits based on their suits and other equipment) have the ability to navigate terrain that may not be suitable for a rover or helicopter,” Dr. Bretzfelder tells Universe Today. “They also can make real time decisions in the field about sampling etc., meaning there is less delay in waiting for signals from mission control to guide the rovers. Humans are also very adaptable to changing conditions and can respond quickly to address any issues or unexpected situations during a mission.”

In terms of an actual human habitat on Mars, countless images, videos, movies, and television shows have depicted a human habitat on the Martian surface, with very little depiction of a human habitat below the surface. While this depiction might be for aesthetics, a habitat on the surface would provide ideal surveying and sampling conditions, along with far better communications with Earth. However, a habitat on the surface would also expose the crew to dangerous amounts of solar radiation since Mars does not possess either an ozone layer or magnetic field like the Earth, both of which protect us from solar storms and other cosmic rays.

In contrast, another type of human habitat could be below the surface, with past studies identifying the use of lava tubes for human settlements to shield them from the harmful solar radiation. However, any surface ventures could become tedious, along with communications with Earth becoming more complicated, even if a communications array was above-ground. Therefore, if humans were to travel to Mars, should it be above the surface or below?

Dr. Bretzfelder tells Universe Today, “An above surface mission, similar to the Apollo and upcoming Artemis missions would be the most feasible given the technology available and would limit impact to the Martian surface by simply operating above ground rather than excavating below ground. Samples or cores taken from depth may be scientifically valuable though.”

This discussion comes as NASA prepares to send humans back to the Moon as part of its Moon to Mars Architecture while SpaceX develops its Starship with the goal of sending humans to Mars, someday. China announced plans in 2021 to send their own astronauts to the Red Planet in 2033, with follow-up launches occurring every two years afterwards. Additionally, NASA has the goal of sending humans to Mars sometime in the 2030s.

“It is an exciting time to be able to seriously consider this type of exploration, and as we return to the Moon, we will likely learn valuable lessons to enable human exploration of Mars,” Dr. Bretzfelder tells Universe Today.

Will we ever send humans to Mars? Will such a mission achieve greater scientific objectives than the myriad of robotic missions sent to the Red Planet, and what could a human mission to Mars teach us about living and working so far from Earth? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!

• As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

02-02-2024 om 22:39 geschreven door peter  

Like the Moon and other airless bodies, Ryugu has no protective atmosphere and does not experience weathering or erosion. This ensures that craters caused by past impacts on its surface (which is directly exposed to space) are carefully preserved despite the passage of eons. These impacts generate intense heat that leaves behind melted patches of glass (aka. “melt splashes”), which quickly solidify in the vacuum of space. These impacts cause changes to the composition of the asteroid’s surface materials, revealing information about the history of impacts.

After analyzing the Ryugu samples, Matsumoto and her colleagues found melt splashes ranging in size from 5 to 20 micrometers. Their composition suggests they came from cometary sources that impacted Ryugu while it was in a near-Earth orbit. “Our 3D CT imaging and chemical analyses showed that the melt splashes consist mainly of silicate glasses with voids and small inclusions of spherical iron sulfides,” said Matsumoto in a recent Tohoku University news release. “The chemical compositions of the melt splashes suggest that Ryugu’s hydrous silicates mixed with cometary dust.”

Their analysis revealed small carbonaceous materials with a spongy texture indicative of nano-pores, small voids caused by the release of water vapor from hydrous silicates. This vapor was subsequently captured in the melt splashes, which also contained silicate glasses rich in magnesium and iron (Mg-Fe) and iron-nickel sulfides. The carbonaceous materials are similar in texture to primitive organic matter observed in cometary dust but differ in composition – lacking nitrogen and oxygen. Said Matsumoto:

“We propose that the carbonaceous materials formed from cometary organic matter via the evaporation of volatiles, such as nitrogen and oxygen, during the impact-induced heating. This suggests that cometary matter was transported to the near-Earth region from the outer solar system. This organic matter might be the small seeds of life once delivered from space to Earth.”

Looking ahead, the team hopes to examine more Ryugu samples that will provide further insights into how primitive organic materials were delivered to Earth billions of years ago. Similarly, scientists at NASA’s Johnson Space Center recently completed the careful process of removing the samples collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission from their sample container. Analysis of these samples will reveal the composition and history of asteroid Bennu, another NEA that will provide vital information on how our Solar System evolved.

Further Reading: 

• Tohoku University, 
• Science Advances

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

02-02-2024 om 22:30 geschreven door peter  

Swedish astronaut Marcus Wandt took control of a series of robots in Germany while on board the International Space Station, zipping around the Earth at 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 mph.) Researchers want to understand how time delays can affect the remote control of robots from an orbiting platform. Future astronauts could control rovers on the Moon’s or Mars’s surface from a spacecraft in orbit. Until now, only wheeled rovers have been part of the tests, but now they have added a dog-like robot called Bert.

This robot research session, called ‘Surface Avatar’ follows initial experiments carried out in July 2023. Wandt operated the robots from a control station in the space station’s Columbus module, commanding three different robots at the German Space Agency’s (DLR) Robotics and Mechatronics Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. The goal is to develop innovative technologies that will allow humans to control several robots with precision, and have them act semi- or fully autonomously and even have different robots perform a task together.

“Future stations on the Moon and Mars, including astronaut habitats, will be built and maintained by robots operating under the guidance of astronauts,” said Alin Albu-Schäffer, Director of the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, in a DLR article. “Our latest control and AI algorithms enable a single astronaut to command an entire team of different robots. Our DLR-ESA team is a world leader when it comes to this technology.”

The remote operation of the dog-like robot Bert was marked the first time a non-wheel-driven robot was controlled remotely from space by astronauts. Previously, DLR’s humanoid service robot Rollin’ Justin and ESA’s Interact Rover have been teleoperated from space.

During the session, Wandt, who is part of the private Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), was able to command Bert to utilize several types of gaits and, because of his leg-based locomotion, Bert was able to explore rough terrain, including small caves — areas that the rolling robots cannot reach. At one point, Wandt allowed Bert to explore the lab’s surroundings independently and monitor the terrain with his camera eyes. Meanwhile, Wandt operated Rollin’ Justin and the Interact Rover.

The time delay between the ISS and Earth is usually less than one second.

“That’s because my radio call comes from ISS first to White Sands in the USA,” explained German Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer, in a video from DLR. “From there it goes to Houston at NASA. From there it will be forwarded to Munich where our control center is in Oberpfaffenhofen.”

Maurer added that the delay experienced is like what sometimes happens on a Skype call, which occasionally has delays in communications. And of course, the round-trip delay time might be close to 2 seconds, which is deficiently noticeable, especially during conversations.

DLR said that future operations of robots and humans working together must be well planned out in order for them to work as a team. When building a habitat, for example, combining the different skills of several robots is very helpful.

Wandt also tested out this concept and for the first time two robots worked together to accomplish a task: Rollin’ Justin and the Interact Rover jointly installed a short pipe representing a scientific measuring device. Under the command of Wandt, Rollin’ Justin used his dexterous hands to safely grasp the pipe and carefully guide it to the measuring point. Wandt then used the Interact rover’s remote control to install the pipe held in position by Justin.

Robots have also been used in space on board the ISS. Robonaut is a joint DARPA–NASA project that created a humanoid torso robot to test out robotics in space. Additionally, three free-flying robots on the space station, known as Astrobees, support multiple demonstrations of technology for various types of robotic assistance on space exploration missions and on Earth.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

02-02-2024 om 22:20 geschreven door peter  

The habitable zone is a rather crude way to identify planets that may have liquid water. Its boundaries are unclear and even contradictory since stellar spectral type, planetary albedo, mass, and even how cloudy its atmosphere is can determine if a planet has liquid water.

The idea of a conservative habitable zone (CHZ) is more helpful. It comes from a 2014 paper by Kopparapu et al. It’s a region around a star where a rocky planet receives between 0.42 and 0.842 as much solar insolation as Earth does. Any rocky planet receiving that much energy is in the CHZ, regardless of distance.

Discovering a Super-Earth in a star’s CHZ is always exciting. It fuels our sense of wonder about other planets and the possibility that some may harbour other life. For that reason, they’re more intriguing than planets like Hot Jupiters for instance, which have zero possibility of hosting liquid water or life. Not even the hardiest extremophiles can survive a Hot Jupiter’s wicked environment.

But this discovery is also exciting for a couple of other reasons.

Now that we’ve discovered thousands of exoplanets, astronomers are seeing trends in the population. One of the things they noticed is a gap in the small planet population between 1.5 and 2 Earth radii. It’s known as the small planet radius gap or the sub-Neptune radius gap (also called the Fulton gap and the photoevaporation valley.) At 1.55 Earth radii, TOI-715b is inside the gap.

It’s extremely unlikely that no planets form in this radius gap. Planets must start out larger and lose mass to end up in the gap. So, the Fulton Gap tells us something about how some planets lose mass. Astronomers think that planets in the gap start out larger, but their stars strip away some of their mass by photoevaporation, shrinking them. That’s why it’s sometimes called the photoevaporation valley. There’s a lot of uncertainty around the valley and photoevaporation, and astronomers want to study planets in the valley to see what they can learn.

“The importance of the radius valley lies in its potential to teach us about planetary formation and post-formation evolution, and hence, planets inside this gap are crucial in furthering our understanding of the factors that sculpt it,” the authors explain.

There’s some uncertainty if this radius gap exists around M-dwarfs or not. It’s possible that M-dwarfs have a density gap rather than a radius gap. “A recent study by Luque & Pallé (2022), however, indicates that M-dwarf planets may have a density gap rather than a radius gap separating two populations of small planets (rocky and water worlds),” the authors write.

Whether it’s a radius gap or a density gap, TOI-715b should have something to tell us about exoplanets, photoevaporation, and the nature of exoplanet distribution around red dwarfs. But to discover what it has to tell us requires further, detailed observations. That’s the second reason wh

Ever since we started finding exoplanets, scientists have looked forward to the day when the James Webb Space Telescope is operational. “At long last, the era of JWST has arrived, and with it, the age of detailed exoplanetary atmospheric characterization,” the authors write in their paper. The JWST has the ability to observe the spectra of exoplanet atmospheres and determine their constituents. But even though the JWST is enormously powerful, some targets present better opportunities for transmission spectroscopy than others.

TOI-715b is a prime target because it’s close to its star. Since TOI-715 is a small red dwarf, and the planet orbits it every 19 days, the exoplanet’s transits in front of its star are deeper and more frequent. That means the JWST doesn’t need much time to observe the planet’s atmosphere, making it an efficient use of the space telescope’s time. “In the context of atmospheric characterization by transmission spectroscopy, bright, nearby M dwarfs are ideal planetary hosts as small temperate planets will transit frequently, enabling high signal-to-noise detections of atmospheric features with fewer hours of telescope time,” the authors explain.

Can this Super-Earth be habitable? Lacking the JWST’s spectroscopy, we’re reduced to speculating. It’s in the conservative habitable zone, but that doesn’t get us very far. Still, there are some hopeful signs.

TOI-715 is a little older than our Sun at about 6.6 billion years old. The star shows a “low degree of magnetic activity,” according to the authors. That’s probably why the star shows an absence of flaring in the TESS light curves compared to younger M-dwarfs. Red dwarfs are known to exhibit extremely powerful flaring that can sterilize planets. They can also strip away atmospheres, which could be responsible for the exoplanet photoevaporation valley.

Another planet may be orbiting TOI-715. It’s currently only a candidate named TIC 271971130.02, but if confirmed, it will be the smallest habitable zone planet TESS has ever found. But follow-up observations are needed to confirm it.

The TOI-715 system is a compelling target for further study. TOI-715b is waiting its turn, but eventually, the JWST will examine its atmosphere. If those results support habitability, astronomers’ excitement will only grow. At the same time, we may learn more about the radius or density gap, an obstacle to a more thorough understanding of exoplanets.

Add in the fact that the star may host another habitable zone planet, the smallest one found yet by TESS, and the TOI-715 system becomes even more important.

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

02-02-2024 om 22:10 geschreven door peter  

Is this another Chinese spy balloon moment? Famous 'cube in a sphere' UFO spotted at military bases along the East Coast may have been a high-tech ENEMY drone, says ex-Pentagon UFO investigator dubbed 'Dr. Evil'

• The Pentagon's first ever UFO boss pointed to a Chinese-made 'spherical' drone in an uncut version of his new interview, made available to DailyMail.com 
• Retired UFO chief Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick was called 'Dr. Evil' for his laser research 
• READ MORE: UFO whistleblower held secret talk with 'Wall St. bigwigs' and CIA officials in Manhattan and claimed US was in possession of 40ft Tardis-like craft

By MATTHEW PHELAN SENIOR SCIENCE REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

The Pentagon's former UFO chief has revealed his conclusion to one of the most famous UFO cases of the modern era: the Navy's baffling 'cube in a sphere' UFO was just a super high-tech drone.

US Navy fighter pilots had reported seeing these other-worldly craft near the Atlantic coast between 2014 and 2015, which nearly tore the wing off an F/A-18 Super Hornet that was flying with the USS Roosevelt during one incident.

Now Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, the Pentagon's recently retired UFO chief, says that the objects were likely 'next generation,' 'spherical' drones that move 'very accurately.'

While not confirmed, his description matches a drone-prototype made public by Chinese researchers in 2022 — a silver orb with eight thrusters configured at the tips of an internal cube, making it capable of unprecedented mid-air twists and turns.

The case highlights why UFOs must be taken seriously and not be subject to ridicule, Kirkpatrick suggested. 

The Pentagon's departing UFO chief, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, cited public 'next generation' drone research by academics in Singapore in an effort to explain the Navy's 'cube in a sphere' UFO sightings. Above a 'SpICED (Cube)' drone prototype published by Chinese researchers in 2022

In an op-ed published by Scientific American last week, Dr. Kirkpatrick dismissed US Air Force veteran David Grusch as one of several 'conspiracy-minded 'whistleblowers'' on UFOs. He emphasized that the Pentagon's UFO mission should be focused on US foreign adversaries

Dr Kirkpatrick's new comments come ahead of the Pentagon's congressionally mandated 'Historical Record Report' on UFOs, due to lawmakers in June of 2024. 

DailyMail.com was given an early draft transcript of Dr. Kirkpatrick's appearance on Fresh Produce Media's 'In the Room with Peter Bergen,' in which the physicist delved deeper into the national security risk that has come from stigmatizing eyewitness reports of UFOs.

'That gap could potentially be exploited by somebody,' Dr. Kirkpatrick told Bergen, 'put a platform in [the] continental United States that nobody knew was there.'

A longtime laser physicist, Dr. Kirkpatrick's government service took him to the Air Force Research Laboratory, the CIA and a position at America's highly secretive spy satellite agency the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) before chasing UFOs.

The physicist's Air Force colleagues once nicknamed him 'Dr. Evil' after the laser-obsessed villain in the Austin Powers series of spy film spoofs. 

'One of my going away presents, as I was leaving the National Reconnaissance Office,' Dr. Kirkpatrick told CNN national security reporter Peter Bergen, 'was one of my close colleagues gave me a shark with a laser pointer strapped to its head.'

Dr. Kirkpatrick headed up the Pentagon's then-brand new All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) from July 2022 until the end of December 2023, leveraging his scientific expertise toward the tricky task of investigating military UFO cases.

Last May, Dr. Kirkpatrick briefed NASA's UFO advisory panel that AARO had logged roughly 800 cases of flying, spherical 'metallic orb' UFOs.

'This is a typical example of the thing that we see most of,' Dr. Kirkpatrick told the panel. 'We see these all over the world and we see these making very interesting apparent maneuvers.' 

It's unclear just how similar these metallic orbs may be to the UFOs first brought to public attention by former Navy lieutenant and fighter pilot Ryan Graves, who described them to Congress as 'a dark gray or black cube inside of a clear sphere.'

But Dr. Kirkpatrick told the podcast these otherworldly craft may very likely have been a foreign espionage platform.

'There's a large number of people, pilots, others, who have said, 'Hey, I saw this giant sphere. It had a cube in it,'' he said, ''I don't understand it. It must be an alien.''

Swiss-based drone maker Flyability has also been producing spherical 'gimbal' drones since at least 2015. Both Flyability and the Singapore-based makers of the SpICED drone cited collision safety as their reasoning for pursuing these aircraft's round designs - not airborne spying 

DailyMail.com has been given an early draft transcript of Dr. Kirkpatrick's appearance on the 'In the Room with Peter Bergen' podcast (above) in which the physicist discussed 'spherical' drones made by researchers in Singapore, comparing them to the US Navy's UFO sightings

'Well, actually, no, there's a number of papers out,' Dr. Kirkpatrick continued in this early, uncut draft of his podcast interview with CNN analyst Peter Bergen.

'The most recent one was from, University of Singapore, I believe, where the next generation of drones that are being built are spherical.'

'They've taken about a two-meter size, inflatable, and they put a cube inside of it,' Dr. Kirkpatrick continued. 'And everywhere the corner of the cube touches the sphere, they've fused it, cut it out, and put little thrusters in.'

READ MORE: 

• US Customs and Border Protection quietly released a tranche of 10 videos of mysterious 'craft' whizzing around US skies - as one senior ex-intelligence officer says they are a THREAT

US Customs and Border Patrol, the agency responsible for keeping terrorists and weapons out of the country, uploaded 10 videos that appear to show craft moving in strange ways in our skies. The videos document a fighter jet pursued by an apparently baffling flying orb, as well as something that appears to be a propeller-powered hang-glider, and another apparent orb hovering near a parked 16-wheeler truck

'So, now I have eight thrusters. And I can put cameras on it and anything else I want,' the ex-AARO chief told Bergen. 

'With eight thrusters in a cube configuration, I can maneuver this drone around very accurately.' 

Scientists with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in China did, in fact, prototype a spherical drone along these lines, dubbed the 'Spherical Indoor Coandă Effect Drone (SpICED)' in a September 2022 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Drones. 

The research team in Singapore noted that their new prototype, which benefited from an internal propulsion system with eight nozzles in a cube configuration, showed a promising 40 percent reduction in 'trajectory control error' during their test flights. 

The SUTD's 'cube in a sphere' drone prototype, they wrote, proved to be more swiftly and accurately maneuverable than their past internal 'tetrahedron' configuration.

But the Chinese-made drone is not the only novel unmanned spherical craft in production: Swiss-based Flyability has been producing 'spherical' drones since at least 2015, when it won a $1 million competition in the United Arab Emirates.

The makers of Flyability's 'gimbal' drone and the SpICED balloon drone both cited collision safety as their reasoning for pursuing these unmanned aircrafts' round designs — not high maneuverability for clandestine spying.  

But they are not the only actors pursuing this kind of aerospace research, according to AARO's departing director. 

'They've tried these all over the place,' Dr. Kirkpatrick said.

'There are a number of advanced technologies that are being commercialized that people don't recognize,' he said. 'Why they go immediately to 'this is extraterrestrial' is another conversation.'

While playing a 2022 military UFO video taken by an MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Mid East, AARO director Dr. Kirkpatrick told NASA's UFO advisory panel last May, 'We see these ['metallic orbs'] all over the world, and we see these making very interesting apparent maneuvers'

Speaking to Bergen's podcast, Dr. Kirkpatrick emphasized that he sees more terrestrial, counter-intelligence and defense-oriented tasks as AARO's primary reason for being.

'The office's mission is not to prove the existence of extraterrestrials,' he said.  

'The office's mission is to minimize technical and intelligence surprise. That is the primary mission.'

The laser physicist noted that last February's Chinese spy balloon drama, when multiple objects were tracked and shot down within US and Canadian airspace, could be attributed to AARO's work focusing on anomalous aerial activities.

'Four major candidates' have been interviewed to replace Pentagon UFO boss, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick (above), an anonymous source told DailyMail.com, following heated public sparring between the former CIA physicist and UFO whistleblowers, who 'never did trust Sean,' according to one UFO whistleblower's attorney Daniel Sheehan  

For years, national security reporters have speculated that the Navy's 'cube in a sphere' UFOs might be related to a 1949 patent for an 'airborne radar reflector' (schematic above) filed with the US Patent and Trade Office by Washington DC resident Leon Chromak

In the past, Dr. Kirkpatrick said, 'in the long list of things that they need to be paying attention to, this one was at the bottom of that list.' 

'So, there is a gap — and no one fully, I think, appreciated until the last few years that that gap could potentially be exploited by somebody,' he explained, 'put a platform in, you know, [the] continental United States that nobody knew was there.' 

But Dr. Kirkpatrick's terrestrial approach during his 18-month tenure at AARO has not been without its critics — particularly over his very public disagreements with UFO whistleblower and fellow NRO veteran David Grusch. 

Dr. Kirkpatrick expanded his own criticisms of Grusch in his new interview with Bergen, describing him as someone who had 'fallen to the influence' of UFO 'True Believers' within the US military and private defense contractor Bigelow Aerospace, which investigated UFO cases on contract for the Pentagon from 2007 to 2012.

In a new op-ed published by Scientific American last week, Dr. Kirkpatrick further dismissed Grusch as one of several 'conspiracy-minded 'whistleblowers.'' 

Grusch, a former high-ranking US intelligence official, has accused the US military and its private contractors of illegally hiding evidence of crashed UFOs, recovered 'beings,' and even UFO-related deaths, both under oath to Congress and in the press. 

For their part, these same UFO whistleblowers have accused Dr. Kirkpatrick of fostering an 'atmosphere of disinterest,' while others have suggested his superiors are secretly holding back AARO's UFO investigation efforts. 

Daniel Sheehan, the Harvard-trained lawyer who represented UFO whistleblower Luis Elizondo in his complaint to the Pentagon's Inspector General, said last year to DailyMail.com, 'really knowledgeable' UFO whistleblowers 'never did trust Sean.' 

Instead, 'what they were doing is they were going straight through to the Senate Intelligence Committee,' Sheehan said. 

(To be sure, however, some military UFO witnesses have also described 'really positive' experiences with the Dr. Kirkpatrick's office.)

Scientists with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in China, published their prototype spherical drone (above) in a Sept. 2022 issue of the journal Drones. The cube configuration, they wrote, showed a 40 percent reduction in 'trajectory control error'

Swiss-based Flyability entered their own spherical drone (above) into a contest launched by the Prime Minister's Office of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE competition was billed as the 'World Cup of Drones,' with over 800 submitted entries from 57 countries

Flyability won $1 million in the UAE's 'Drones for Good' competition in 2015 for their 'gimbal'

In portions of Dr. Kirkpatrick's new podcast interview, which appear to have been cut before air, the retired government scientist commented that AARO's benefit to the US Intelligence Community (IC) was its latitude to conduct domestic surveillance 'We filled a gap,' he said

In portions of Dr. Kirkpatrick's podcast interview — which appear to have been cut before air — the retired government scientist commented that AARO's benefit to the US Intelligence Community (IC) was its latitude to conduct domestic surveillance.  

'We filled a gap,' Dr. Kirkpatrick said. 'The intelligence community is prohibited by law from observing [the] continental United States, right?' 

'And so, the only people that actually have authority to do that, really, are FBI, Homeland Security, [and] a few other counter-intelligence elements across the IC,' he noted, 'but that's pretty much it.'

'No one fully, I think, appreciated until the last few years that that gap could potentially be exploited by somebody [...] And that's where you ended up with Chinese balloons,' he said. 

When DailyMail.com reached out to Peter Bergen and a spokesperson for his podcast, the spokesperson noted that, based on conversations with the 'In the Room' team, 'those excerpts were cut for time.' 

'Episodes generally don't go over 45 minutes,' they said.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

02-02-2024 om 20:38 geschreven door peter