The mystifying 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet is blazing toward Earth and will in a matter of days come as close to our planet as it ever will.

The impending cosmic rendezvous – if you want to call it that, since 3I/ATLAS will still be pretty far away – has been anticipated for months ever since the strange visitor was first spotted in Earth's neighborhood. Since its discovery in our solar system in July, 3I/ATLAS has passed within the orbit of Mars and come within 130 million miles of the sun.

Now, the ancient space object is due to approach Earth – offering the world's scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study a comet that formed in an entirely different part of our Milky Way. Of course, the public may also have an interest in spotting the object that many sincerely believe could be an alien spaceship.

Want to know how you can track and glimpse 3I/ATLAS as it comes near Earth? Here's everything to know.

• 3I/ATLAS: NASA's Hubble telescope gets another look at interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

What is 3I/ATLAS? Why scientists say it's an interstellar comet

The object known as 3I/ATLAS made news in July 2025 when it was confirmed to be the third object ever discovered originating outside Earth's solar system. When it was spotted, 3I/ATLAS was traveling 137,000 mph, according to NASA.

Observations of 3I/ATLAS' speed and trajectory confirmed to astronomers that it formed in another star system and was ejected into interstellar space – the region between the stars, according to NASA. For possibly billions of years, the comet has drifted on a journey from the general direction of the constellation Sagittarius in the center of the Milky Way that recently brought it into our solar system.

• Related video: Here’s everything you need to know about 3I/ATLAS (The Weather Channel

Though astronomers don’t yet know exactly how big 3I/ATLAS could be, estimates range from a few hundred feet to a few miles across, according to the European Space Agency. But data from the Hubble Space Telescope helped astronomers estimate the size of the comet’s solid, icy nucleus as anywhere from about 1,400 feet to 3½ miles in diameter.

Unlike comets bound to the sun's gravity, 3I/ATLAS is traveling on a hyperbolic orbit that eventually will carry it out of the solar system and back into interstellar space.

Are there photos of 3I/ATLAS? See all NASA images of comet

On Nov. 19, NASA released a trove of never-before-seen images of 3I/ATLAS that revealed new characteristics of the object.

A look at all of the photos NASA has released of 3I/ATLAS since its discovery, including detailed explanations of each, are available below.

Will 3I/ATLAS hit Earth? How close will it get?

The comet, which is not a danger to Earth, is projected to pass within about 170 million miles of our planet Dec. 19. That's nearly twice the distance of Earth to the sun and more than 700 times the distance of Earth to the moon.

Will you be able to see 3I/ATLAS from Earth? Where is it now?

Though 3I/ATLAS is not visible to the naked eye, viewers with even a small telescope can observe the comet in the predawn sky until spring 2026, according to NASA.

During the comet's closest approach to Earth, skywatchers looking east to northeast could catch the comet right under the star Regulus – one of the brightest stars visible to Earth – in the constellation Leo, according to NASA's December skywatching guide.

The agency's online simulation Eyes on the Solar System shows the location and path of 3I/ATLAS as it moves through our solar system.

"Look for observatories and skywatching events in your local area," Chelsea Gohd, a science communicator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, explained in a video.

Is 3I/ATLAS an alien spaceship? NASA leaders reject extraterrestrial conspiracy

The strange outsider's jaunt through Earth's cosmic neighborhood has sparked plenty of conspiracy theories.

One particularly infamous idea – put forth by a Harvard astrophysicist named Avi Loeb – is that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien spaceship. Though Loeb has conceded on the publishing platform Medium that the object is "most likely a comet of natural origin," he has not ruled out the possibility that it could be extraterrestrial technology.

NASA authorities, though, have sought to put that notion to rest.

In a social media exchange with reality TV star Kim Kardashian in October, NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy affirmed: "No aliens. No threat to life here on Earth."

Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, also rejected the alien conspiracy theory at a news conference in November, saying, "We certainly haven't seen any technosignatures or anything from it that would lead us to believe it was anything other than a comet."

Hubble, James Webb among fleet of instruments to study comet

Scientists who are eager to study planetary material that formed from another star have for months trained ground and space telescopes on 3I/ATLAS. The Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope have returned images and data from the comet.

Hubble's latest sighting of the interstellar object came Nov. 30, NASA said in a December blog post.

At the time, 3I/ATLAS was about 178 million miles from Earth. Because Hubble was tracking the comet as it moved across the sky, stars in the background appear as streaks of light, NASA said.

• Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
• This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is 3I/ATLAS now? How to track interstellar comet as it nears Earth

RELATED VIDEOS

{ USA TODAY }

17-12-2025 om 22:37 geschreven door peter  

3I/ATLAS Still Shows an Anti-Tail, as it Gets Closer to Earth

Avi Loeb

An image of 3I/ATLAS, taken on December 13, 2025 at 21:30:26 UTC with a 0.26-meter telescope in Rayong, Thailand. The field of view spans 0.72 million kilometers on a side at the distance of 3I/ATLAS from Earth, 271 million kilometers. The bottom three panels show the projected brightness map in false colors and black & white, respectively. The top panel shows a rotational-gradient brightness map with a Larson-Sekanina filter. A prominent anti-tail, uncommon for comets, points in the direction of the Sun towards the lower left.

(Image Credit: Teerasak Thaluang)

As of today, December 14, 2025, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is at a distance of about 270.5 million kilometers from Earth. Its images are delayed by a quarter of an hour, as it takes light from 3I/ATLAS 15 minutes to reach us. On December 19, 2025, 3I/ATLAS will get closest to Earth at a perigee distance of 268.9097 (+/-0.0060) million kilometers.

The latest image of 3I/ATLAS was taken by Teerasak Thaluang on December 13, 2025 at 21:30:26 UTC with a 0.26-meter telescope in Rayong, Thailand (as reported here). The rotational-gradient brightness map shows a prominent anti-tail, uncommon for comets, pointing in the direction of the Sun.

Whereas an anti-tail had been seen for solar system comets as a temporary perspective effect when the Earth crossed the comets’ orbital plane, this is clearly not the case with 3I/ATLAS. The anti-tail was apparent in the first Hubble Space Telescope image, taken on July 21, 2025, when 3I/ATLAS was approaching the Sun from a geocentric distance of 2.98 times the Earth-Sun separation (AU) — as reported here and analyzed here, and was also apparent in the second Hubble image taken on November 30, 2025, when 3I/ATLAS was receding away from the Sun at a distance of 1.91 AU from Earth — as reported here. The anti-tail was also apparent in thousands of images taken in between these dates.

The anti-tail of 3I/ATLAS is therefore not a perspective effect. It is a real physical jet, with a glow extending from 3I/ATLAS towards the Sun. Its nature is a mystery because gas and micrometer-dust particles are expected to be pushed away from the Sun by solar radiation pressure and the solar wind, creating the appearance of a tail — as routinely seen in solar-system comets. There was no mention of this mystery at the NASA press conference about 3I/ATLAS on November 19, 2025 (accessible here).

To explain the physics of the anti-tail of 3I/ATLAS, I have written three scientific papers. The first two of these peer-reviewed papers, co-authored with Eric Keto (accessible here and here), associate the anti-tail with scattering of sunlight by fragments of ice shed from the sun-facing side of 3I/ATLAS. These tiny ice particles evaporate before they get pushed back significantly by the solar radiation pressure and so they never appear as a conventional cometary tail. The third (single-authored) paper, published on December 8, 2025 here, associates the anti-tail with a swarm of objects that lag behind 3I/ATLAS because of its non-gravitational acceleration away from the Sun (as reported by JPL Horizons here). Analysis of the latest Hubble image could potentially favor one of these explanations.

By recognizing anomalies, we can learn something new. By ignoring them, we remain ignorant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Avi Loeb is the head of the Galileo Project, founding director of Harvard University’s — Black Hole Initiative, director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University (2011–2020). He is a former member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a former chair of the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Academies. He is the bestselling author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” and a co-author of the textbook “Life in the Cosmos”, both published in 2021. The paperback edition of his new book, titled “Interstellar”, was published in August 2024.

{ https://medium.com/ }

17-12-2025 om 00:00 geschreven door peter  

The Sun’s magnetic field controls its flare activity and, consequently, magnetic storms on Earth. However, it has a very complex structure. Recently, scientists have used artificial intelligence to map it.

Features of measuring the Sun’s magnetic fields

Researchers at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA) are helping to change the way scientists study the Sun. A team led by the University of Hawaii has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can map the Sun’s magnetic field in three dimensions with unprecedented accuracy, supporting research related to the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope built and managed by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO) on Haleakalā.

“The Sun is the most powerful source of space weather that can affect everyday life on Earth, especially now that we rely so heavily on technology,” said Kai Yang, a postdoctoral researcher at IfA who led the work. “The Sun’s magnetic field causes explosive phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. This new technique helps us understand what causes these phenomena and improves space weather forecasts, allowing us to warn of dangers earlier in order to protect the systems we use every day.”

The Sun’s magnetic field controls eruptions that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications on Earth. However, this field is difficult to measure, which complicates the creation of accurate maps. Instruments can show how the field tilts, but not whether it is directed toward or away from us, like when you look at a rope from the side and don’t know which end is closer.

Another problem is height. When scientists look at the Sun, they see several layers at once, making it difficult to determine how high each magnetic structure is. Sunspots complicate this task because their strong magnetic fields bend the surface downward, creating a depression.

Discovery based on artificial intelligence and a 3D map of the Sun’s magnetic field

IfA researchers, in collaboration with the National Solar Observatory and the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research High Altitude Observatory, have created a new machine learning system that combines real data with fundamental laws of physics. Their Haleakalā Disambiguation Decoder algorithm is based on a simple rule: magnetic fields form loops and do not begin or end. Based on this, artificial intelligence can determine the true direction of the field and estimate the correct height of each layer.

This method works well on detailed computer models of the Sun, including quiet regions, bright active regions, and sunspots. Its accuracy is particularly useful for understanding high-resolution images obtained with the Daniel K. Inovie Solar Telescope.

Thanks to this new machine learning tool, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope can help scientists create a more accurate 3D map of the Sun’s magnetic field. It also reveals related features, such as vector electric currents in the solar atmosphere, which were previously very difficult to measure. Together, this gives us a clearer picture of what causes powerful solar flares.

Thanks to these achievements, researchers can see the Sun’s magnetic landscape more accurately and improve predictions of solar activity, which affects life on Earth.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

16-12-2025 om 22:19 geschreven door peter  

The 'three norths' have left England! Once-in-a-lifetime alignment of true, magnetic, and grid north moves into the North Sea - three years after they combined in the country for the first time since records began

• READ MORE: Unravelling the mystery of the giant 'scar' cutting across Scotland

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

After a three-year journey together through the heart of the country, the 'three norths' have left England. 

The historic triple alignment of 'true', 'magnetic' and 'grid' north – the three definitions of what north is – met on the south coast of Dorset back in November 2022 before travelling northwards.

On December 13, 2025, the alignment left England at Berwick-upon-Tweed and moved into the North Sea, say experts at the British Geological Survey (BGS). 

It will reach Scotland in a few months before eventually leaving the British National Grid – but for how long exactly is unknown. 

This alignment – the first here since records began – has been called a 'once-in-a-lifetime occurrence' as it may be several hundred years before it comes to Britain again.

'It's been a privilege to be able to observe this phenomenon over the past few years,' said Dr Ciarán Beggan, geophysicist at BGS.

'Although part of geospatial history, there is no impact for navigators, pilots and captains once the alignment leaves.' 

Although the concept of 'north' may seem straightforward, there are actually three definitions –  true north, magnetic north and grid north. 

This map displays a series of locations along the alignment line, from Langton Matravers in November 2022 to Berwick-upon-Tweed this month 

True north is the direction to the geographic north pole, while grid north is where the vertical blue lines shown on Ordnance Survey (OS) maps converge. 

Meanwhile, 'magnetic north' is the direction that a compass needle points as it aligns with the Earth's magnetic field – controlled by molten iron deep down in Earth's core.

For just over three years, there has been a point in England where the three versions of north have aligned (as of Saturday this point has entered the North Sea).

At this location, a compass, an Ordnance Survey map and the Earth's axis would all have been aligned with each other – and in agreement on which way was north. 

The historic alignment started at Langton Matravers, west of Swanage in Dorset in November 2022 before heading up into Devizes in Wiltshire in May 2023. 

It then passed through Lower Dowdeswell in Gloucestershire in September 2023, Woodgate Valley Country Park in Birmingham (January 2024), Leek in Staffordshire (May 2024) and Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire (October 2024). 

By April 2025 it reached Eggleston in the North Pennines, followed by Flotterton in Northumberland in August and Berwick-upon-Tweed, England's northernmost town, in December.

This 'special line' where true north and grid north align is the 2°W longitude meridian (pictured), and it is along this line that magnetic north has coincided

The three norths

However, its journey through Britain is not quite done – once it has travelled through the North Sea it will hit land again at the end of October 2026 in Drums, just south of Newburgh in Scotland. 

After passing through the large village Mintlaw in Aberdeenshire, its last stop in Scotland will be Fraserburgh around mid-December 2026, before it returns to the North Sea.

Once over the North Sea, the three norths are expected to continue northwards before leaving the Ordnance Survey National Grid, also known as the British National Grid. 

They will also stay in alignment for another couple of years before magnetic north separates from true north and grid north. 

According to the experts, the alignment's progress has slowed slightly since the initial predictions back in 2022. 

When it crossed the coast at Berwick-upon-Tweed, it had racked up about 358 miles (576km) of travel in 1127 days.

That's about 1,676 feet (511 metres) per day, or about 0.23-inch (5.9 mm) per second, or about 0.013 miles per hour.

Dr Beggan said the three norths combining in Britain has been 'a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence' largely due to the wandering magnetic north. 

November 2022: The red line shows magnetic north, while the blue 'special line' is true north and the grid north line which are perfectly aligned as they made landfall at the village of Langton Matravers just west of Swanage, Dorset, (pictured)

Magnetic north is the direction compasses point and the location where the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downward. The direction of magnetic north changes continually due to natural changes in the magnetic field 

Magnetic north moves slowly – about 30 miles per year – so it may be several hundred years before this alignment comes around again. 

'The magnetic field is not predictable in the long term, so we don't know how many hundreds of years it will take for this historic alignment to occur again,' said Dr Beggan.

Earth's magnetic field is created by the movement of liquid iron in the Earth's outer core, some 1,800 miles below our feet.

The iron is super hot (more than 5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and as runny as water meaning it flows very easily.

As the liquid flows, it drags the magnetic field with it – meaning the magnetic north and south poles are constantly drifting around. 

The alignment began back in 2014, when magnetic north became east of grid north for some locations in Britain for the first time in more than 350 years. 

This affected navigators using a compass, who needed to adjust their bearing by subtracting instead of adding the difference between magnetic and grid north. 

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

16-12-2025 om 22:10 geschreven door peter  

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

15-12-2025 om 21:51 geschreven door peter  

2.8 Days to Disaster - Why We Are Running Out of Time in Low Earth Orbit

By Andy Tomaswick

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

15-12-2025 om 21:42 geschreven door peter  

2.8 Days to Disaster - Why We Are Running Out of Time in Low Earth Orbit

By Andy Tomaswick

{ https://www.universetoday.com/ }

15-12-2025 om 21:42 geschreven door peter  

The Geminid meteor shower peaks overnight on December 13-14. It’s a great year for the Geminids! Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd for details.

The biggest meteor shower of the YEAR peaks this evening- December 13-14- with up to 150 shooting stars every hour – here's the best time to see it

• READ MORE: NASA discovers a rock on Mars that 'doesn't belong there'

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

he biggest meteor shower of the year is almost here – and you won't want to miss it.

The Geminid Meteor Shower will reach its dazzling peak tonight, with up to 150 shooting stars visible every hour.

This celestial display is famous for its bright, multi–coloured meteors that light up the sky in yellow, red, green, and blue.

The shower is active until December 20, but will be at its most spectacular this evening.

The best times to watch this incredible show will be between midnight and 02:00 am local time, but they will start to appear any time after dark.

And with the crescent moon at just 26 per cent of its normal brightness, keen stargazers should be in for a great view of the approaching meteors.

All you need to see tonight's show will be your own eyes, a warm coat, and a bit of patience – with no need for specialist binoculars or telescopes.

So, here's everything you need to know to watch the Geminid Meteor Shower tonight.

The best meteor display of the year is not far away as the Geminids reach their dazzling peak tonight. Here's everything you need to know to see them. Pictured: The Geminids over Broadway Tower, Worcestershire

What are the Geminids?

Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told Daily Mail: 'Space is not quite as empty as we might think. As objects like asteroids and comets roam through our solar system, they leave behind trails of dust and gas.

'The Earth regularly passes through these trails, sweeping up vast numbers of bits of debris like bugs on the windscreen of a car.'

As our planet crashes through this minefield, chunks of rock and dust crash down into our atmosphere, where they burn up with a bright flash.

During the Geminids, particles as small as a grain of sand race through the upper atmosphere at speeds up to 43 miles per second (70 km/s).

Since this cloud of debris is always in the same location, the meteor shower always occurs at the same time of year.

However, the Geminids are unique in that they come from the rocky asteroid 3200 Phaethon, rather than an icy comet like most other meteor showers.

Since this asteroid is rich in metals, the resulting meteors can flare in a stunning array of colours as they burn up in the atmosphere.

The Geminids are unique in that they are the debris from a rocky asteroid called 3200 Phaethon (artist's impression), rather than an icy comet

Due to the metals from 3200 Phaethon, the Geminids have a distinctive coloured glow and can flash yellow,  green, or blue. Pictured: A Geminid meteor over Arizona, USA

What are meteors?

'Like burning chemicals in your secondary school science lab, the colour of the flame is dependent on the chemicals that burn,' says Dr Brown.

'While many of the meteors will still be white, if elements like sodium and calcium are present, then coloured displays of yellow and violet can occur.'

How to see the Geminid Meteor Shower this evening

The best thing about meteor showers like the Geminids is that the best way to see them is without any special equipment.

Using anything like binoculars or a telescope will only restrict your field of view, so all you need is your own eyes and a bit of patience.

The Geminids appear to emerge from a single point, known as the radiant, located in the constellation Gemini from which they get their name.

You can find Gemini by looking up and left over the 'shoulder' of Orion and searching for the bright star Castor.

However, for the best view, you should focus your eyes a little to the side of the constellation so that the meteors appear in your more light–sensitive peripheral vision.

The Geminids will appear to emerge from the constellation Gemini, near the bright star Castor. To get the best view, wait until 2:00 am local time when this constellation is highest in the sky 

Dr Shyam Balaji, of King's College London, told Daily Mail: The best time to view the Geminid meteor shower is around 2 am local time when the radiant point is highest in the sky.

'However, you can start watching from mid–evening onward.'

In good conditions, viewers can expect to see upwards of 100 shooting stars an hour, or one or two every minute.

When viewing conditions are poor, you will be able to see fewer stars in the sky, so it's important to make sure you find the right stargazing location.

Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director at the Royal Astronomical Society: 'With a meteor shower what you want is the widest possible view – you want to be lying down, looking up at the broad panoply of stars, and watching for meteors.

'The best view is if you're away from sources of light pollution, so try and get away from at least direct lights in towns and cities, ideally out in the countryside.

'Obviously you also need a clear sky – if it’s cloudy you're not going to see anything.'

You should soon start to see short streaks of light that last for a second or two.

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Under optimal conditions, you may see as many as 150 shooting stars per hour. To get the best view, make sure to find a place with a clear view of the sky and limited light pollution. Pictured: The Geminid Meteor shower seen from Virginia, USA 

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After a week of stormy weather, the Met Office is forecasting light cloud cover and only sporadic rain for Sunday night 

Meteors usually aren't visible for long enough for you to point them out to someone else, so you will need to keep your eyes peeled.

Luckily, after a week of storms, the weather conditions for Sunday night are looking better for sky watching.

Read More

 Is life out there? NASA finds essential sugars on ancient asteroid Bennu 

The Met Office forecasts largely clear skies over the East of England and Scotland, with some patches of cloud over the South West and Wales.

Thanks to the waning crescent moon, the sky should also be dark enough for some excellent views of the Geminid Meteor Shower.

However, if you do miss out on the shower's spectacular peak, there will be opportunities to see the Geminids until December 20, albeit at a reduced rate.

Following that, keen fireball hunters will be able to catch the weaker but reliable Ursid Meteor Shower, peaking on December 22.

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

15-12-2025 om 18:41 geschreven door peter  

EarthExists, a private research collective working across astrophysics, chemistry, and planetary dynamics, claims to have uncovered evidence that governments anticipated the arrival of the interstellar object 31/ATLAS more than two decades ago, secretly building space programs designed to track and follow it long before the public was aware. 

Credit image: ESA showing a X-ray image of 31/Atlas.

Below is a brief summary of EarthExists’ analysis. You can read the full interesting reports Here and Here. 

A secret planetary defense system activated in 2025, and it wasn’t built for asteroids and it activated right on schedule. 

In 2025, a classified surveillance architecture quietly came online. Not by accident. Not as a test. It activated exactly when it was supposed to. The target? 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object behaving nothing like a comet. 

This plan started 20 years ago. In 2005, an obscure aerospace paper outlined a system called CASSANDRA which you can read Here. Publicly, it was described as theoretical. Privately, it read like a construction manual. 

Designed to: Detect objects at extreme distances. Track them continuously beyond Earth orbit. Maintain persistent custody for decades and coordinate multiple classified sensor platforms. 

In 2006, it vanished from public discussion but in 2025, it went live. CASSANDRA is not a program, it’s a memory system. A centralized intelligence architecture designed to never lose track of anomalous objects, even if it takes decades. 

At the moment they activated CASSANDRA, unfamiliar system names appeared: 

• ORACLE VI 
• Space situational awareness platform 
• Assets positioned at Lagrange Point 1 
• ARGUS-VIS 
• Persistent classified sensor system 
• Adapted from terrestrial surveillance 
• UMBRA-3/C  
• No public record exists 

These systems don’t track debris. They track active targets. At all, a billion-dollar planetary surveillance network isn’t built for just a ordinary asteroid, comet or if you want to call it a rock. You build it if: You detected something decades ago or you received a signal predicting arrival. Either way; 3I/ATLAS was expected. 

Then the silence and cover-up began: A U.S. government shutdown. NASA communications go dark. No explanations. No updates. SETI quietly updates post-detection protocols IAWN flags 3I/ATLAS as a planetary defense concern No press conference. No announcement. Blurry images. 

C/2025 N1 UMBRA-3/1C CASSANDRA / ORACLE VI | ARGUS-VIS |

On October 3, 2025, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reached the perfect viewing angle. 

HiRISE engaged the target across four optical bands. Captured in 14-bit depth. But the public images were reduced to 8-bit. 98.5% of the data was stripped out by NASA. What you saw wasn’t the real and clear image of 31/Atlas. It was the filter. You can read it Here. 

But four days after perihelion, two possible leaked images appear. Labeled: CASSANDRA / ORACLE VI / ARGUS-VIS which you can see Here. 

11/11/2025 TELESCOPE STACKED IMAGE of 3I/ATLAS via — Ray’s Astrophotography

They show structured, geometric emissions coming from 3I/ATLAS. Not chaotic gas jets. Not random ice sublimation. 

Independent analysis indicates: Controlled matter ejection. Active trajectory adjustment. Emission geometry incompatible with natural models. This object isn’t tumbling through space. It’s maneuvering. 

Cassandra Document Report — The Cassandra Team Summer Session Program 2005.

Conclusion: CASSANDRA activated on time. The object displayed controlled behavior. The highest-quality data remains classified. This is not a comet. It is an artificial interstellar probe on a mission and Earth’s planetary defense system was built waiting for it. This comes as Earth prepares for its closest approach with 31/Atlas on December 19, 2025.

Source: EarthExists

{ http://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

15-12-2025 om 16:58 geschreven door peter  

The 3I Atlas Enigma: A Psychological, Sociological, and Scientific Exploration

By Seth H. Feinstein - MUFON State Director/ Photo analysis Team

Introduction

The discovery of 3I/Atlas on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS telescope in Chile has opened one of the most intriguing chapters yet in the study of interstellar visitors. Only the third confirmed interstellar object ever observed—after ‘1I/ Oumuamua and 2/I Borisov—3I Atlas displays characteristics that are both comet-like and anomalous. Its hyperbolic trajectory confirms it came from outside the solar system, yet its composition and behavior challenge conventional expectations.

For the UFO/UAP research community, 3I Atlas has become a compelling case study. Not because it is alien, but because it highlights how scientific uncertainty intersects with public fascination, expert hypotheses, and the psychology of belief.

1. What We Know About 3I Atlas

3I Atlas exhibits a coma and a tail, suggesting active outgassing, though unusually high CO₂ levels dominate it. It's extremely fast, and an unbound orbit confirms its interstellar origin.

Most scientists interpret 3I Atlas as an icy body ejected from another star system, likely a fragment of a distant planetary system disrupted long ago.

Still, the combination of CO₂-dominance, high speed, and non-gravitational movement leaves room for debate—and curiosity.

This NASA image shows the trajectory as the 3I Atlas travels through the solar system

2. Why Speculation Has Flourished

Speculation thrives when:

 - The data is incomplete

 - The object is distant

 - Prior interstellar objects exhibited anomalies

 - Experts publicly entertain alternative possibilities

3I Atlas checks all four boxes.

Adding to the intrigue, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has proposed that 3I Atlas could be an extraterrestrial artifact, though he emphasizes this as a hypothesis, not a conclusion. The UFO

community naturally pays attention when credible scientists discuss technological possibilities.

3. What the Experts Are Saying

• Avi Loeb

Loeb suggests that the object's unusual trajectory could be consistent with a reverse Solar Oberth maneuver, a technique advantageous for a probe using the Sun’s gravity for acceleration. He also notes that the jet-like features might be consistent with technological thrusters.

However, Loeb repeatedly clarifies:

“By far, the most likely explanation is that 3I Atlas is a natural interstellar comet.”

• Steven Greer

Greer urges caution. He suggests that 3I Atlas is more likely a stray asteroid or rock, though he does not rule out the possibility of extraterrestrial debris. He warns that narratives around the object could be leveraged to generate unnecessary fear.

• Richard Dolan

Dolan considers Loeb’s hypothesis plausible enough for serious inquiry, noting the object's alignment with the ecliptic plane and unusual trajectory. He stresses that while the object is not proven to be technological, the anomalies justify close study.

• Marc Dantonio (MUFON Chief Photo Analyst)

Dantonio’s analysis emphasizes solid data: high CO₂ content, water ice, carbon monoxide, carbonyl sulfide, and possible cyanogen. He urges against sensationalism, focusing on what is known, rather than speculation.

• Michio Kaku

Kaku shocked many when he stated the newest images show:

- No tail or outgassing, despite a close approach to the Sun

- Apparent acceleration

- No visible mass loss

-An unexplained orbital shift

These observations have prompted some astronomers to ask whether 3I Atlas might be something constructed, not natural.

4. Why People Want 3I Atlas to Be Manufactured

Curiosity about 3I Atlas reveals deep psychological dynamics:

-Humans seek patterns and threat detection—a survival instinct.

-Uncertainty creates discomfort, pushing people toward definitive explanations.

- Believing in non-human intelligence gives life meaning, wonder, and purpose.

 -Conspiracy narratives offer order in a chaotic world.

 -UAPs fill a cultural space once occupied by traditional belief systems.

= Witnessing or believing in anomalies gives individuals a sense of belonging to a select group.

3I Atlas becomes a symbol - of mystery, potential, and our collective desire to understand our place in the cosmos.

5. Group Dynamics and the Pull Toward Negativity

UAP communities often form around high-intensity, ambiguous subjects. This fosters:

- Group bonding through shared threat narratives

 -Polarization, where groups amplify their dominant emotion

 -Worst-case thinking fueled by uncertainty

 -Rumor and mistrust in the absence of transparent data

These patterns are natural—but they must be recognized and managed to maintain scientific integrity.

6. Worst-Case Scenarios: Reality vs. Imagination

Hollywood has shaped public imagination for decades, presenting aliens as invaders. Films like Independence Day, Alien, The Thing, Signs, and War of the Worlds fuel fears that extraterrestrial technology equals danger.

In reality, the likelihood that 3I Atlas is:

- A piloted craft

-A deliberate probe

- Or a threat to Earth is extremely small.

A more grounded concern would be a close approach generating increased meteor activity.

The greater risks lie in public reaction—panic, misinformation, secrecy, or premature conclusions.

7. Final Thoughts: Why This Mystery Matters

My involvement began through the MUFON Photo Analysis Team. While others focus on the hard science, my contribution is more a psychological and sociological context surrounding our fascination with 3I Atlas.

This case reminds us that:

- Curiosity is healthy

- Speculation can inspire scientific breakthroughs

- Data, not fear, should guide us

- Wonder fuels discovery

Even if 3I Atlas turns out to be entirely natural, the process of studying it enriches astronomy, interdisciplinary sciences, and the UAP field.

The journey matters—and it moves humanity forward.

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{ Mufon.com }

14-12-2025 om 21:37 geschreven door peter  

Gemini was an American program in the 1960s, during which 12 launches of spacecraft of the same name were carried out. Its main goal was to teach people and technology to rendezvous and dock in space. In the future, this allowed the next important step to be taken – sending Apollo spacecraft to the Moon.

Why was the Gemini program created?

Exactly 60 years ago, on December 15, 1965, four astronauts were in Earth’s orbit at the same time for the first time. This happened during the flight of the Gemini-6 and Gemini-7 spacecraft. At one point, the ships were less than 2 meters apart, and the astronauts could clearly see each other through the portholes.

They did all this for a reason, but to understand the purpose and significance of that meeting in orbit, we need to go back to the first half of the 1960s. The space race is in full swing. The USSR won the first stage – the launch of the first satellite and the first man into orbit – but the US is hot on its heels. The Americans need to achieve something that their opponents can only dream of.

The next goal, the achievement of which will provide a reliable advantage, has already been defined – a flight to the Moon. A general flight plan for the Apollo program has already been approved, but it involves several things that NASA has not done before: maneuvers in orbit, rendezvous and docking of spacecraft in orbit, and extravehicular activities.

And all this had to be worked out in safer conditions. So, in parallel with the construction of Apollo spacecraft, landing modules, and giant Saturn 5 rockets, it was decided to implement a much simpler and less ambitious program called Gemini.

It was based on the ship of the same name, which was an enlarged version of the previous Mercury manned orbital vehicle. It differed from it in that it was a two-seater, had a docking hatch, and improved capabilities for orbital maneuvers. A modified Titan II ballistic missile was used for launches, which made it possible to minimize preparation time for the program’s implementation.

First flights

A separate selection of astronauts was conducted for the Gemini program in 1962. Initially, there were 508 pilots, whose number was gradually reduced until there were only seven left, who began to be trained for flights with the future goal that these same people might then fly to the Moon.

However, it all started with unmanned missions. The first one took place on April 8, 1964. The main goal was to check how the spacecraft would enter orbit and activate all its systems. This task was completed in 4 hours and 50 minutes, but the spacecraft remained in orbit for another four hours before burning up in the atmosphere. It simply did not have a heat shield.

It was tested along with the entire Earth return system during the subsequent Gemini-2 mission. It took place on January 19, 1965, and lasted only 18 minutes and 16 seconds. In fact, it was just a suborbital flight, during which the rocket left the atmosphere, the spacecraft separated, and landed.

Both flights were deemed successful, and two astronauts, Virgil Grissom and John Young, were sent into orbit on the next Gemini-3 mission. The latter died during ground tests for Apollo-1. The second flew to the Moon and on the shuttle, and left NASA in the 21st century. But back in March 1965, their mission was simple: to orbit our planet several times and land safely in a designated area. At that time, even that was not easy, but they did everything right.

Next was the Gemini-4 mission, which took place from June 3 to 7. The main event during this mission was the first American spacewalk. It was performed by Edward White while his colleague James McDivitt remained in the cabin. Soviet cosmonauts had made their first spacewalk just three months earlier, on March 18. The gap in the space race had narrowed to a minimum.

Record-breaking flights

The Americans managed to pull ahead during the next flight, which was carried out by the Gemini-5 spacecraft. Gordon Cooper and Charles Conrad managed to break the flight duration record set in 1963 by Valery Bykovsky on Voskhod-5. The Americans spent 7 days, 22 hours, and 55 minutes in orbit. Also during this flight, fuel cells for providing electrical power were tested for the first time.

At the same time, astronauts attempted to perform a rendezvous maneuver with another spacecraft for the first time. For this purpose, an Agena rocket was launched from the ground – essentially just an empty upper stage of a launch vehicle. However, this task was not successful.

Then December 1965 arrived. Initially, two manned launches were planned, during the first of which (Gemini-6) Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford would again attempt to rendezvous with another Agena, but the launch of the latter, which was supposed to take place before their launch, was unsuccessful.

Therefore, plans had to be revised. Initially, on December 4, Gemini-7 was launched into space with Frank Borman and James Lovell on board. They had their own mission – to set a new record for flight duration and stay in space for 14 days. They accomplished it.

However, at the same time, it was decided that Gemini-6 would be launched into space on December 15, and shortly thereafter, the ships would attempt to rendezvous. They succeeded, demonstrating that NASA could handle one of the most difficult tasks during a flight to the Moon – the rendezvous of modules in space.

But getting close does not mean docking. That was the next big task, and it was accomplished by Neil Armstrong and David Scott aboard Gemini-8. The flight took place in March 1966, and this time, Agena successfully entered orbit, was successfully “caught”, and docked. The Apollo program was getting closer and closer.

Completion of the Gemini program

After that, there were four more flights under the Gemini-9 program. The flight was originally supposed to involve Elliot See and Charles Bassett, and was scheduled to take place in May 1966. However, on February 28, both pilots were killed in a T-38 training aircraft accident. Their places were taken by substitutes Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan.

But that was not the end of the trouble. Agena, whose docking was one of the main objectives of the mission, again failed to reach orbit, so they had to wait for a replacement. The launch was postponed, and this time the astronauts managed not only to approach it, but also to make two spacewalks.

Gemini-10, with John Young and Michael Collins on board, launched on July 18, 1966. This time, the astronauts managed to rendezvous with two target rockets. In addition, they performed two spacewalks.

Gemini-11, with Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon, launched in September of the same year, 1966. This time, the goal of the flight was to set a new record. The spacecraft traveled 1,374 km from Earth. In addition, the astronauts performed a spacewalk and conducted a series of experiments.

It was clear that everything that could be worked out on Gemini had already been worked out, and it was time to move on to Apollo. However, NASA management decided to work out the rendezvous, docking, and spacewalk procedures one more time. This is what the Gemini-12 crew did in November 1966.

The Gemini program ended, but not because it failed. On the contrary, it proved to be very successful, as American astronauts and engineers gained the most important thing – practical experience not only of flying in space, but also of purposeful work in it. This experience later came in handy not only during trips to the Moon, but also for the entire exploration of outer space.

Interestingly, when the Soviet Union learned about the Gemini and Apollo programs, it immediately perceived them as a threat to its leadership in space.

Soviet engineers attempted to implement a program very similar to Gemini, called Voskhod. And it even had some success. It was by stepping out of one of these spacecraft into open space that Alexei Leonov became the first person to do so. However, even in the Soviet Union, they understood that removing the ejection seat from the small Vostok to convert it from a single-seat spacecraft into a two- or even three-seat spacecraft was a very bad decision.

And most importantly, it is unclear why such risks were taken, since Gemini was valuable primarily as the first step toward Apollo, and by 1966-67, it was clear that the Soviet space program was not keeping up with it. In the end, Soviet cosmonauts did gain the same experience that allows them to feel at home in space. There, they reoriented their space program toward the exploration of Earth’s orbit.

But it is interesting in the Gemini program. These “basic orbital maneuvering exercises,” without which neither the station could be built, nor other planets could be reached, were completed by the USSR and the US back in the 1960s. But since then, despite the fact that many countries have declared themselves spacefaring nations, only one of them has been able to repeat this feat. We are talking about China, which in the 21st century was able to implement the Shenzhou and Tiangong programs. It seems that the Gemini “training” program is not so simple after all.

• Posted in Articles

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{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

14-12-2025 om 18:36 geschreven door peter  

(Image Credit: Brewbooks/CC BY-SA 2.0)

“At the end of their lives, massive stars (stars much bigger than our Sun) explode in a supernova,” said Grayce Brown, project lead and a SETI Institute intern, in an email to The Debrief. “During the explosion, the core collapses in on itself, becoming very dense and forming a neutron star.”

“Neutron stars are incredibly dense: think of something as massive as the Sun squeezed into a ball that’s as wide as Manhattan!” Brown said, adding that they spin extremely fast—sometimes up to 700 revolutions per second—on account of their angular momentum. 

According to Brown, this quality is “the same physics that causes figure skaters to spin faster when they pull their arms closer to themselves while they’re spinning.”

“The spinning of such a massive, dense object generates a powerful magnetic field, causing charged particles to accelerate to the magnetic poles and be thrown out into space as cones of light,” Brown told The Debrief. “If the magnetic poles are misaligned with the rotation axis, these beams of light sweep around the neutron star as it spins, kind of like a lighthouse.”

“If Earth is in the path of the beams, the star appears to pulse in brightness,” Brown explained. “Hence, we call them pulsars!”

Cosmic Clocks

Brown explains that because of their extreme density and speed of rotation, pulsars tend to rotate with a high degree of consistency.

“We know some pulsar spin periods all the way to 12 digits past zero; that’s a trillionth of a second,” Brown told The Debrief. “Since we know the spin periods should be incredibly consistent over time, we should expect the pulses to be evenly spaced. If they’re not, then we know something else is responsible; that something is affecting the arrival time of the pulse.”

“In this way, we consider them cosmic timekeepers,” Brown says. “If the ticks of a ticking clock weren’t evenly spaced, you’d know something weird was happening!”

Scientists use accurate measurements of these pulses to search for subtle phenomena, such as low-frequency gravitational waves. As the pulsar’s radio waves travel through space, they pass through clouds of charged particles that can bend and slow the signals just a little. 

“Just like starlight twinkles as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere, pulsar radio waves twinkle as they move through space,” explained Brown. “Monitoring these patterns helps us not only improve pulsar timing but also advance broader fields of astronomy, including SETI research.”

“Our research isn’t really about the pulsar itself—the pulsar is just a tool to learn more about the space between us and the pulsar,” adds Brown. “By seeing how much the pulsar pulse is scintillated/delayed, we can learn how much ‘stuff’ is in the way, causing the light to be scattered.”

“These same scattering effects will impact any radio waves passing through that area of space, not just those from the pulsar,” Brown said. 

As radio waves travel from a pulsar to Earth, they create bright and dim patches across different frequencies. By following these changes in their patterns almost daily over 10 months, the team was able to change the scintillation into detailed timing setbacks. 

The Research

Over roughly 300 days, the researchers measured the scintillation bandwidth and found changes on timescales from days to months, including a broader, long-term variation of 200 days. The study also introduced a new method for more accurately estimating how scintillation changes with frequency, leveraging the Allen Telescope Array’s capabilities.

“All radio signals passing through the interstellar medium experience scintillation,” noted Dr. Sofia Sheikh, co-author and Technosignature Research Scientist at the SETI Institute. “Understanding these effects helps distinguish natural signals from potential artificial transmissions, which is vital for SETI and other radio astronomy studies.”

By mapping how signals are delayed and distorted, astronomers can refine techniques for high-precision pulsar timing, which also helps to advance their efforts toward identifying any possible extraterrestrial technosignatures.

“If we receive a transmission from an intelligent civilization in another star system, that signal will have to pass through interstellar space,” says Brown. “Just as we have seen with pulsars, the signal will be scattered and scintillated.”

Still, one of the greatest challenges SETI investigations face involve the potential that a promising signal might turn out to have Earthly origins. 

“We need some way to differentiate between signals coming from Earth and signals coming from beyond our Solar System,” Brown told The Debrief. “Because of this research, we know how much scintillation to expect from a radio signal traveling through this pulsar’s region of interstellar space.”

“If we don’t see that scintillation,” Brown concludes, “then the signal is probably just interference from Earth.”

The team’s recent findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.

• Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com. To contact Chrissy with a story, please email chrissy @ thedebrief.org. 

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

14-12-2025 om 18:13 geschreven door peter  

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Cybersecurity for Space Missions: A Case Study of NASA Vulnerability Detection and Mitigation

AI Finds Vulnerability at NASA Allowing Takeover of Space Missions

Abstract
This essay examines a recent incident where an artificial intelligence (AI) system discovered a critical security flaw within NASA’s spacecraft communication infrastructure, preventing potential cyberattacks that could have jeopardized vital space missions. Through a detailed analysis of the incident, the underlying vulnerabilities, and the technological response, this paper underscores the transformative impact of AI on cybersecurity. It further explores the implications for safeguarding high-stakes aerospace operations and advocates for the broader adoption of automated AI-driven security tools.

Introduction
The current era of digital transformation has revolutionized the aerospace sector, augmenting communication, control, and data processing capabilities of space agencies like NASA. Yet, this technological advancement introduces new cybersecurity vulnerabilities, especially as systems become more interconnected. Traditional security assessments, relying primarily on manual reviews, often fall short in detecting sophisticated or overlooked flaws. The emergence of AI-driven security tools offers an innovative solution, capable of continuous, comprehensive, and rapid analysis. This essay investigates a specific incident in which AI identified and remedied a three-year vulnerability in NASA’s spacecraft communication software, highlighting the potential of such technologies to protect critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

Background: NASA’s Communications Infrastructure and the Vulnerability
NASA’s space missions rely heavily on secure and reliable communication systems to transmit commands, telemetry, and data between Earth and spacecraft. Central to this infrastructure is CryptoLib, a software library responsible for encrypting and authenticating exchanges between ground stations and spacecraft. The integrity of this software is paramount, as any breach could lead to unauthorized command issuance, mission sabotage, or data theft.

For over three years, NASA's cybersecurity team conducted manual audits and code reviews of its software systems. Despite these efforts, a significant flaw persisted unnoticed. The flaw was located in CryptoLib’s authentication mechanism and was not trivially exploitable remotely; instead, it required either physical access or vulnerabilities such as credential theft to activate. Nonetheless, its existence posed a critical threat, given that sophisticated attackers could leverage this bug to hijack or disrupt space missions, potentially causing catastrophic consequences and incurring financial losses over billions of dollars.

Nature of the Vulnerability

The vulnerability in CryptoLib was related to its authentication protocol, specifically a flaw in the implementation of cryptographic checks that could be bypassed under certain conditions. Although the vulnerability did not present an immediate remote exploit, it was still considered dangerous due to its exploitability via stolen credentials or malicious insiders. Attackers could potentially send malicious commands with high privileges, compromising sensitive operations like Mars rover instructions or satellite control.

The complex source code, extensive legacy components, and the rapidly evolving software environment contributed to the vulnerability's persistence. Human reviewers, constrained by the sheer volume of code and limited by cognitive biases, failed to detect this flaw during three years of manual checking. This persisted despite NASA’s rigorous security protocols, illustrating the limitations of traditional analytical techniques.

The Role of AI in Detection: AISLE’s Intervention
The turning point in identifying this vulnerability was the application of AISLE (Artificial Intelligence for Secure Logical Examination), an advanced cybersecurity algorithm developed by a California-based startup. AISLE leverages machine learning, pattern recognition, and anomaly detection to scrutinize large codebases automatically.

Unlike traditional methods that depend on predefined rules or human intuition, AISLE continuously scans the entire source code, learning from historical patterns to identify suspicious anomalies or deviations. When applied to NASA’s CryptoLib code, AISLE flagged numerous irregularities—potential warning signs that warranted further investigation.

Remarkably, AISLE’s analysis, performed within days, detected a subtle inconsistency in the cryptographic validation process. Although the specific flaw was not evident to human reviewers, the AI system’s anomaly detection capabilities highlighted the structural weakness of the authentication implementation. These findings prompted rapid assessment and verification by security engineers.

Rapid Remediation and Validation
In response, NASA’s cybersecurity team prioritized the patching process, updating the CryptoLib authentication protocol to eliminate the identified flaw. The automated AI-generated insights enabled a swift turnaround—entirely within four days—shortening what could have been a protracted manual review process.

Post-remediation validation confirmed the robustness of the revised code, and continuous monitoring was implemented to detect any future anomalies. This rapid response prevented potential exploitation, exemplifying the efficacy of AI-powered cybersecurity in high-stakes environments.

Implications of AI-Driven Security in Space Missions

This incident underscores several key implications for the future of space mission security:

1. Enhanced Detection Capabilities
   AI-based tools like AISLE significantly augment manual review processes by identifying vulnerabilities that may escape human detection. Their ability to analyze vast codebases rapidly ensures comprehensive coverage, reducing the risk of overlooked flaws.

2. Continuous and Adaptive Monitoring
   Unlike periodic manual audits, AI systems operate continuously, adapting to code changes and new threats in real time. This persistent vigilance is crucial for protecting sensitive infrastructure against evolving cyber threats.

3. Rapid Response and Mitigation
   Automated analysis accelerates the detection-to-remediation cycle, minimizing the window of vulnerability. As demonstrated in NASA’s case, this approach facilitates near real-time security responses, critical for mission-critical systems.

4. Proactive Security Frameworks
   AI’s predictive capabilities enable proactive identification of potential vulnerabilities during development stages, rather than reactive responses after exploitation occurs. This shifts cybersecurity from a defensive to a preventative paradigm.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite these advantages, deploying AI-driven cybersecurity tools faces challenges:

• False Positives and Alert Fatigue
  AI systems may generate false alarms, overwhelming security teams. Fine-tuning algorithms to balance sensitivity and specificity remains essential.

• Limited Context Understanding
  AI tools analyze code patterns but may lack contextual understanding of operational implications. Expert validation remains necessary for critical decisions.

• Privacy and Ethical Concerns
  The use of AI in security should adhere to strict privacy standards, ensuring that proprietary or sensitive information is protected.

• Integration with Existing Systems
  Seamless integration of AI tools into current cybersecurity workflows requires effort and investment, alongside adequate training.

Future Perspectives: AI as a Standard in Space Infrastructure Security
The NASA incident exemplifies the growing importance and effectiveness of AI in securing space missions. Moving forward, several developments are anticipated:

• Broader Adoption Across Agencies
  Other space agencies and private spaceflight companies are likely to adopt AI tools to fortify their cyber defenses, recognizing their proven efficacy.

• Evolution of AI Techniques
  Advances in explainable AI will improve transparency, enabling humans to understand AI decisions, thereby fostering trust and more effective collaboration.

• Robotics and Automated Response
  Integration of AI with autonomous systems could enable automatic threat mitigation, creating self-healing infrastructure capable of defending itself against cyber intrusions.

• Policy and Regulation Frameworks
  Regulatory bodies may develop standards for AI-based cybersecurity, ensuring consistent and stringent application across sectors.

Conclusion
The detection and mitigation of a three-year vulnerability in NASA’s communication system via AI exemplifies the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity. As space missions become increasingly complex and interconnected, the importance of automated, adaptive, and rapid security solutions cannot be overstated. While challenges remain, the NASA case vividly demonstrates that AI tools like AISLE are vital in safeguarding high-value, mission-critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Embracing these technologies promises a more resilient, secure future for space exploration and other sensitive industries.

{ PETER2011}

14-12-2025 om 17:45 geschreven door peter  

Comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third known object from interstellar space to pass through our solar system, is about to make its closest approach to Earth. On Friday, Dec. 19, it will come within about 170 million miles of the planet while moving on the far side of the Sun. The alignment should give Earth and space-based telescopes one of their best opportunities to study it, and NASA says it poses no threat.

Astronomers have followed 3I/ATLAS since its discovery on July 1. Hubble photographed it on July 21 from 277 million miles away, revealing a teardrop-shaped cloud of dust wrapped around its icy core. The comet stayed visible through September before slipping too close to the Sun to be observed. 

In early October, three NASA spacecraft at Mars-MRO, MAVEN, and Perseverance-picked it up again. MRO's HiRISE camera, usually aimed at the Martian surface, captured the clearest view: a tiny, pixel-like puff representing the coma, the dusty envelope created as sunlight warms the nucleus.

Ongoing observations will help scientists refine estimates of the comet's size and composition and better understand the dust particles in its coma. Current measurements suggest it could span anywhere from 1,444 feet to 3.5 miles.

3I/ATLAS follows two earlier interstellar objects, 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Unlike 'Oumuamua, which behaved more like a rocky object, 3I/ATLAS displays classic comet activity. Even so, some of its traits have generated debate. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who previously raised the possibility that 'Oumuamua might be artificial, has again questioned whether this object could have a technological origin, though most scientists continue to interpret it as a natural comet.

• Related video: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is traveling at 130,000 mph (Space)

Loeb wrote that comets shed gas and dust when sunlight warms icy pockets on their surfaces, which produces a small push similar to a rocket. He noted that an artificial object could experience similar non-gravitational forces, either through propulsion or by collecting material as it moves through interstellar space, making it appear comet-like in low-resolution images. 

"Given these features, it may resemble a comet in unresolved images like the ones we have of 3I/ATLAS," he wrote. "However, a spacecraft could also display artificial lights, release excess heat from its engine or maneuver in unusual ways."

He highlighted several other features he considers unlikely for a natural object, including the comet's trajectory. Loeb wrote that its path is aligned with the plane of the planets to within five degrees, something he calculates as having only a 0.2 percent chance of occurring by accident.

He also pointed to a jet of material directed toward the Sun before and after perihelion, which he calls unusual for familiar comets. He argued that its timing placed it unusually close to Mars, Venus, and Jupiter while keeping it unobservable from Earth at perihelion. He also contends that the object's estimated mass and high speed make it unlikely to be a naturally occurring rock randomly entering the inner solar system.

Scientists will continue studying the comet after its closest approach. "Observations are expected to continue for several more months as 3I/ATLAS heads out of the solar system," NASA noted.

The European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft also observed 3I/ATLAS last month and saw intense activity as sunlight heated the comet, causing its ices to sublimate. ESA expects most of JUICE's data to arrive in late February.

After passing Earth, 3I/ATLAS will move on toward Jupiter in spring 2026, providing another chance to examine this rare visitor from beyond the solar system.

More Space

• Wonder | NASA publishes long-awaited photos of interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS
• History | Earth has an unexpected new moon-and it's been here for decades
• Extraterrestrial | Harvard scientist tells Joe Rogan: 3I/ATLAS might be alien tech
• Close Encounter | Startling close call as undetected asteroid flies close to Earth

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{ chron.com }

14-12-2025 om 17:13 geschreven door peter  

There’s an electrifying new development in Mars science. NASA’s Perseverance rover has just captured proof of a weather phenomenon that was long suspected, but until now, never observed: electric discharges that brew within the dust devils that torment Mars’ surface.

The discovery, described in a new study in the journal Nature, confirms that lightning discharges occur in the Martian atmosphere. The dust devils that the discharges appear in are a common fixture on the Red Planet. Like on Earth, they’re whirlwinds created by rapidly rising columns of warm air heated by their proximity to the ground, shooting their way through the cool air which falls to take the rising warm air’s place. 

On Mars specifically, it was suspected that dust trapped in this whirlwind whips together to create a static charge through friction, a manifestation of the same so-called triboelectric effect that causes a spark after you shuffle across a carpet and touch a metal doorknob.

“Triboelectric charging of sand and snow particles is well documented on Earth, particularly in desert regions, but it rarely results in actual electrical discharges,” lead author Baptiste Chide, a member of the Perseverance science team and a planetary scientist at L’Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie in France, said in a NASA statement about the research. “On Mars, the thin atmosphere makes the phenomenon far more likely, as the amount of charge required to generate sparks is much lower than what is required in Earth’s near-surface atmosphere.”

That lightning on Mars had eluded detection until now was a long source of frustration to Mars scientists, as it had already been established to take place on other planets like Saturn and Jupiter, which are far more distant and aren’t observed up close by robots as we do the Red Planet.

The finding required some astonishing good luck. The detection was made by a microphone on the rover’s SuperCam instrument designed to analyze the acoustics of Martian rocks zapped by the SuperCam laser — or in other words, to record sound, not zips of static discharges. 

But the instrument kept picking up more and more electrical disturbances, in all logging 55 since its mission began in 2021, NASA said. Sixteen of them were recorded when a dust devil passed directly over the rover. Because the the number of discharges didn’t increase during the planet’s frequent dust storms, the scientists surmise that it must be coming from the dust devils instead — which, in another fortunate twist, happened to pass by the rover more often than anyone anticipated, allowing them to confirm the suspicion.

The discovery has exciting implications. Lightning can cause unique chemical reactions and affect the chemical balance of the planet’s surface, perhaps altering the odds of creating complex compounds — and possibly even organic molecules.

More on Mars: 

• Scientist Say They’ve Found Caves on Mars That May Contain Life

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{ https://futurism.com/category/space }

13-12-2025 om 22:55 geschreven door peter  

{ https://futurism.com/ }

12-12-2025 om 21:35 geschreven door peter  

For billions of years since the formation of Earth and the Moon, solar radiation and our planet’s magnetic field have been driving a complex and invisible process. Parts of Earth’s atmosphere are transported to our moon and remain in its soil.

Transfer of Earth particles to the Moon

The surface of the Moon may not be just a barren, inhospitable place. Over billions of years, tiny particles from Earth’s atmosphere have settled on the lunar soil, creating a potential source of substances necessary for the survival of future astronauts. But it is only recently that scientists have begun to understand how these particles make their long journey from Earth to the Moon and how long this process takes.

New research from the University of Rochester, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, shows that Earth’s magnetic field may actually help guide atmospheric particles carried by the solar wind into space, rather than blocking them. Since Earth’s magnetic field has existed for billions of years, this process could have gradually moved particles from Earth to the Moon over a long period of time.

“By combining data on particles preserved in lunar soil with computer simulations of the interaction of solar wind with Earth’s atmosphere, we can trace the history of Earth’s atmosphere and its magnetic field,” says Eric Blackman, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester.

Research findings indicate that lunar soil may not only contain long-term data about Earth’s atmosphere, but may also be even more valuable than scientists had thought for future space explorers who will live and work on the Moon.

Hints on the lunar soil

Soil brought back to Earth by the Apollo missions in the 1970s provided scientists with important clues. Studies of these samples show that the dusty surface of the Moon, called regolith, contains volatile substances such as water, carbon dioxide, helium, argon, and nitrogen. Some of these volatiles came from the constant stream of charged particles from the Sun, known as the solar wind. But their abundance, especially nitrogen, is too great to be explained by the solar wind alone.

In 2005, a group of scientists led by researchers from the University of Tokyo hypothesized that some of the volatile substances could have come from Earth’s atmosphere. They argued that this could only have happened at a time when the Earth did not yet have a magnetic field, since, in their opinion, the magnetic field would have prevented atmospheric particles from escaping into space.

But researchers at the University of Rochester have discovered that this process may work differently.

Role of the magnetic field in particle transport to the Moon

The URochester team includes Shubhonkar Paramanick, a graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and a Horton Fellow at LLE; John Tarduno, the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences; and Jonathan Carroll-Nellenback, a computational scientist at the Center for Integrated Research and Computational Technologies and an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, used advanced computer simulations to model how and when regolith could have acquired the elements found in the Apollo samples.

The researchers tested two scenarios. One modeled the “early Earth” without a magnetic field and under the influence of a stronger solar wind. The other modeled the “modern Earth” with its strong magnetic field and weaker solar wind. The simulation showed that particle transport works best in the modern Earth scenario.

In this case, charged particles from Earth’s atmosphere are knocked out by solar wind and directed along Earth’s magnetic field lines. Some of these lines extend so far into space that they reach the Moon. Over billions of years, this funnel effect has caused small amounts of Earth’s atmosphere to settle on the Moon.

Preserving the past and supporting the future

The long-term exchange of particles means that the Moon can store chemical data about Earth’s atmosphere. Therefore, studying lunar soil can give scientists a rare opportunity to learn how the climate, oceans, and even life on Earth have evolved over billions of years.

The long-term, continuous transport of particles also indicates that lunar soil contains more volatile substances than previously thought. Elements such as water and nitrogen could enable humans to stay on the Moon for longer periods, reducing the need to transport supplies from Earth and making lunar exploration more feasible.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

{ https://universemagazine.com/en/articles-en/ }

12-12-2025 om 21:22 geschreven door peter  

For decades, scientists have been baffled by two enormous structures buried deep inside Earth. These anomalies may retain geochemical signatures distinct from the surrounding mantle. Yet, their origin remains enigmatic. Rutgers University geodynamicist Yoshinori Miyazaki and colleagues offer a striking explanation for these anomalies and their role in shaping Earth’s ability to support life.

The illustration shows a cutaway revealing the interior of early Earth with a hot, melted layer above the boundary between the core and mantle.

Image credit: Yoshinori Miyazaki / Rutgers University.

The two enigmatic structures, known as large low-shear-velocity provinces and ultra-low-velocity zones, sit at the boundary between Earth’s mantle and its core, nearly 2,900 km (1,800 miles) beneath the surface.

Large low-shear-velocity provinces are continent-sized blobs of dense, hot rock.

One sits beneath Africa; the other is perched under the Pacific Ocean.

Ultra-low velocity zones are thin, molten patches clinging to the core like lava puddles.

Both types of structures slow seismic waves dramatically, signaling unusual composition.

“These are not random oddities,” said Dr. Miyazaki, co-author of a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

“They are fingerprints of Earth’s earliest history.”

“If we can understand why they exist, we can understand how our planet formed and why it became habitable.”

“Billions of years ago, Earth was covered by a global ocean of magma.”

“As it cooled, scientists expected the mantle to form distinct chemical layers, similar to frozen juice separating into sugary concentrate and watery ice.”

“But seismic studies show no such strong layering. Instead, large-low shear velocity provinces and ultra-low velocity zones form irregular piles at the planet’s base.”

“That contradiction was the starting point. If we start from the magma ocean and do the calculations, we don’t get what we see in Earth’s mantle today. Something was missing.”

The team’s model suggests that over billions of years, elements such as silicon and magnesium leaked from the core into the mantle, mixing with it and preventing strong chemical layering.

This infusion could explain the strange composition of large low-shear-velocity provinces and ultra-low-velocity zones, which can be seen as solidified remnants of what the scientists termed a basal magma ocean contaminated by core material.

“What we proposed was that it might be coming from material leaking out from the core,” Dr. Miyazaki said.

“If you add the core component, it could explain what we see right now.”

“The discovery is about more than deep-Earth chemistry.”

“Core-mantle interactions may have influenced how Earth cooled, how volcanic activity unfolded and even how the atmosphere evolved.”

“That could help explain why Earth has oceans and life, while Venus is a scorching greenhouse and Mars is a frozen desert.”

“Earth has water, life and a relatively stable atmosphere.”

“Venus’ atmosphere is 100 times thicker than Earth’s and is mostly carbon dioxide, and Mars has a very thin atmosphere.”

“We don’t fully understand why that is. But what happens inside a planet, that is, how it cools, how its layers evolve, could be a big part of the answer.”

By integrating seismic data, mineral physics and geodynamic modeling, the authors reconceived large low-shear velocity provinces and ultra-low-velocity zones as vital clues to Earth’s formative processes.

The structures may even feed volcanic hotspots such as Hawaii and Iceland, linking the deep Earth to its surface.

“This work is a great example of how combining planetary science, geodynamics and mineral physics can help us solve some of Earth’s oldest mysteries,” said study co-author Dr. Jie Deng, a researcher at Princeton University.

“The idea that the deep mantle could still carry the chemical memory of early core–mantle interactions opens up new ways to understand Earth’s unique evolution.”

“Each new piece of evidence helps fill in gaps in Earth’s early history, turning scattered clues into a clearer picture of its evolution.”

“Even with very few clues, we’re starting to build a story that makes sense,” Dr. Miyazaki said.

• “This study gives us a little more certainty about how Earth evolved, and why it’s so special.”
• J. Deng et al. 2025. Deep mantle heterogeneities formed through a basal magma ocean contaminated by core exsolution. Nat. Geosci 18, 1056-1062; doi: 10.1038/s41561-025-01797-y

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{ https://www.sci.news/news/archaeology }

11-12-2025 om 22:18 geschreven door peter  

Maven, we have a problem: NASA has lost contact with a spacecraft that has been orbiting Mars for more than a DECADE

• READ MORE: NASA finds sugars essential for life on ancient asteroid Bennu

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

NASA has lost contact with a spacecraft that has been orbiting Mars for more than a decade.

The space agency last heard from the Maven (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spacecraft as it orbited behind the Red Planet on December 6.

But when Maven emerged, it had ceased all communications with NASA's ground stations.

All of the orbiter's systems were functioning as usual before it disappeared behind Mars as part of its normal orbit, according to NASA's telemetry.

NASA's scientists don't know what caused the disappearance, and it is currently not clear whether the spacecraft can be brought back online.

If Maven is unable to establish communications with Earth, it could put an end to over 10 years of critical scientific work from orbit around the Red Planet.

In a statement, the space agency said: 'The spacecraft and operations teams are investigating the anomaly to address the situation.

'More information will be shared once it becomes available.'

NASA has abruptly lost connection to the Maven spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mars for more than a decade 

Maven was launched from Earth in 2013 and arrived in Martian orbit on September 21, 2014.

The 800-kilogram (1,784 lbs) craft is equipped with eight pieces of sensitive equipment designed to collect images in the ultraviolet part of the light spectrum.

The mission's goal was to gather data about the planet's upper atmosphere, its interactions with the sun, and to explain how Mars lost its atmosphere to space.

Scientists believe that Mars was once a warm, wet world with lakes and oceans much like those found on Earth.

However, the planet's atmosphere was stripped away over millions of years, gradually transforming Mars into a barren desert.

Maven has been critical in showing that atmospheric loss was an escape route for Mars' water, revealing how it was lifted high into the atmosphere by dust storms, where it can be blown away by solar wind.

The spacecraft has also helped to map Mars' winds, categorise clouds on the red planet, and even discovered an invisible magnetic 'tail'.

More recently, NASA put Maven's equipment to an unexpected new use as the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS made its close pass of Mars.

Maven's ultraviolet images of Mars (pictured) have been critical in showing how the Red Planet lost its water and atmosphere over time 

In September, Maven captured the ultraviolet spectrum of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS (pictured), which could help scientists learn more about its origins and evolution 

Over the course of 10 days, starting on September 27, Maven used its Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph camera to create unique images of the passing comet.

Although these images didn't look like the high-resolution visible light shots from Earth-based telescopes, they were far more scientifically important.

By looking at the wavelengths of light emerging from the 'coma' of gases around the comet, scientists have been able to analyse its chemical composition.

Further study could reveal more about the comet's origins and evolution in another solar system billions of years away.

However, Maven's sudden disappearance following its encounter with the mysterious interstellar object has sparked a wave of online conspiracy theories.

On X, one paranoid commenter wrote: 'There could be a number of reasons for that, including intercession by an Extraterrestrial Alien Spacecraft to prevent NASA gaining any further information. Just my opinion.'

'3I/ATLAS took it,' another chimed in. 

While another conspiracy theorist added: 'Aliens got another one.'

With the disappearance coming so soon after the spacecraft's encounter with 3I/ATLAS, the news has sparked a wave of outlandish conspiracy theories 

On X, some commenters suggested that the craft could have been 'taken' by the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, reflecting a scientifically debunked theory that the interstellar object is an alien object 

Another conspiracy theorist on X suggested that Maven had been taken by aliens 

Read More

• A celestial oasis? NASA's Perseverance Rover discovers evidence of tropical rainfall on Mars 

In addition to its scientific work, Maven also played an important role in the data relay network between NASA's surface rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance, and Earth.

The spacecraft going offline could cause some disruptions for the space agencies' ongoing investigations on the Martian surface.

It will, therefore, be very critical for NASA to find out what went wrong with Maven and ensure it does not happen to any other Mars orbiters.

With Maven not responding to communications from Earth, NASA has only two active spacecraft in orbit: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, and Mars Odyssey, launched in 2001.

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) Orbiter 

Launch: November 18, 2013

Launch Location: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Mars Orbit Insertion: September 21, 2014

Length: 11.4 metres

Width: 2.29 metres

Height: 3.47 metres

Weight (on Earth): 809 kilograms

Scientific Payload: Eight instruments for gathering data in the ultraviolet spectrum

Mission Objective:  To determine how much of the Martian atmosphere has been lost over time by measuring the current rate of escape to space and gathering enough information about the relevant processes to allow extrapolation backward in time.

Current Mission Status: Unresponsive  

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

11-12-2025 om 21:20 geschreven door peter  

The new state of matter hiding beneath our feet: Earth's inner core hides a 'superionic state' that fuels our planet's magnetic heartbeat, study finds

• READ MORE: Priceless rock extracted from Scotland's Great Glen Fault

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

Scientists have discovered a new state of matter hidden right beneath our feet – and it could explain the most mysterious properties of our planet.

A new study has found that Earth's innermost core isn't a conventional solid, but rather in a 'superionic state'.

In this strange state of matter, carbon atoms are free to flow like a liquid through a solid iron lattice.

This allows Earth's inner core to act like a dense solid, while remaining as pliable as molten metal.

According to a group of Chinese researchers, this matches the strange behaviour of the inner core that has been perplexing scientists for years.

Likewise, the flow of these liquid–like elements in the core could play a key role in maintaining Earth's magnetic fields.

Co–author Dr Yuqian Huang, of Sichuan University, says: 'Atomic diffusion within the inner core represents a previously overlooked energy source for the geodynamo.

'In addition to heat and compositional convection, the fluid–like motion of light elements may help power Earth's magnetic engine.'

Scientists have discovered that there is a new state of matter hidden beneath our feet, as they find that the inner core is in a 'superionic' state

The 102 quintillion–tonne sphere of iron alloy that makes up our planet's innermost core is one of the most extreme environments in the solar system.

More than 3,000 miles beneath the surface, the core is crushed by more than 3.3 million atmospheres of pressure and heated to temperatures close to the surface of the sun.

But the deepest depths of the Earth also exhibit some strange and contradictory behaviours.

Even though research has suggested the core is solid, it behaves in other ways as if it were a softened metal.

Seismic waves passing through the inner core are slowed, like sound moving through water, and it displays a level of malleability that is closer to butter than steel.

Scientists have spent years trying to work out how this part of the planet could be both solid and pliable at the same time.

One possible solution is that it combines the behaviour of both solids and liquids in one single state of matter.

Co–author Professor Youjun Zhang, of Sichuan University, says: 'In this state, carbon atoms become highly mobile, diffusing through the crystalline iron framework like children weaving through a square dance, while the iron itself remains solid and ordered.'

In a superionic state, carbon atoms are able to flow freely like a liquid through an iron lattice. This makes the material significantly more malleable, but this state only occurs under very extreme conditions 

Earth's 4 major layers

This superionic state would dramatically reduce the inner core's rigidity while still remaining solid.

In 2022, computer simulations showed that the inner core could enter this phase, but the required conditions are so extreme that this has been exceptionally difficult to test.

In their new study, the researchers exposed samples of iron–carbon to powerful shockwaves in order to recreate what it is like in the inner core.

They propelled the metal at 15,650 miles per hour (25,200 km/h), creating 1.38 million atmospheres of pressure and temperatures near 2,300°C (4,220°F).

By analysing the shockwaves produced by these impacts, the researchers found that the iron–carbon samples became significantly more malleable as they approached the conditions of the inner core.

This suggests that they had entered a superionic phase – and the metal in the core is likely the same.

These findings could represent a major change in how geologists think about the innermost depths of the planet.

It would not only help to explain why the inner core interferes with seismic waves, but it could also help us understand the planet's evolution.

Scientists believe that the superionic state of the inner core could explain why the deepest parts of the Earth act as if they are both solid and malleable 

The researchers believe that the movement of light elements could help to transport heat around the planet, and provide power for the magnetic fields.  

Professor Zhang says: 'We're moving away from a static, rigid model of the inner core toward a dynamic one.'

And, in the future, it could also help us to understand the magnetic fields and changes in temperature of distant exoplanets.

'Understanding this hidden state of matter brings us one step closer to unlocking the secrets of Earth–like planetary interiors,' Professor Zhang concludes.

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

11-12-2025 om 18:40 geschreven door peter