Mars is the most studied planet in the Solar System after Earth. Right now, there are six spacecraft belonging to four different space agencies operating in its orbit. They are accompanied by two rovers and a drone that has been repurposed as an autonomous weather station. We will tell you about these spacecraft, their main tasks, and discoveries.

NASA’s Martian armada

Of all the space agencies, NASA has the largest Martian armada. It consists of three orbital and three ground-based vehicles.

The oldest of these is Mars Odyssey, launched back in 2001 (hence its name, which was given in honor of “2001: A Space Odyssey”). It is the longest-running Martian spacecraft in history, and of all interplanetary missions, it is second only to the legendary Voyager probes in this respect.

The main objective of the Mars Odyssey was to map the surface of Mars. Over the years, the spacecraft took nearly 1.5 million images of the Red Planet in the visible and infrared ranges, compiling a global map. This map was later used to select landing sites for subsequent Mars missions. Mars Odyssey also discovered large reserves of water ice beneath the surface of the Red Planet, collected data on the radiation environment in its vicinity, studied seasonal changes in the polar caps, and photographed Phobos.

Of course, such a long stay in space could not fail to affect the technical condition of the Mars Odyssey. One of its main scientific instruments has failed, and its fuel reserves are almost exhausted. According to engineers’ estimates, they will last until the end of this year or the beginning of next year. However, Mars Odyssey may cease operations earlier if NASA’s 2026 budget proposal, which calls for the early termination of the mission, is approved.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is probably one of the most famous Mars explorers in history. It has been orbiting Mars since 2006. During this time, it has transmitted over 400 terabytes of data to Earth, including millions of images of the planet’s surface.

The MRO data has significantly expanded our knowledge of Mars. It has compiled the most detailed map of the Red Planet’s surface and discovered many geological formations that have provided insight into its past. Its data has been and continues to be used to search for landing sites for Mars expeditions. It is also actively used as a space “detective.” MRO images have revealed the mystery of the disappearance of the Beagle 2 probe and the fate of the Schiaparelli landing platform. In addition, it regularly photographs new craters formed on Mars as a result of asteroid impacts.

Finally, MRO plays a key role in maintaining communication with NASA’s Mars rovers, relaying their data back to Earth. It will likely continue to do so for a long time to come. According to the latest estimates, MRO has enough fuel reserves to continue operating until the middle of the next decade.

The MAVEN spacecraft is NASA’s newest Mars explorer. It was launched in 2013. MAVEN is used to study the Martian atmosphere. Over the years, it has measured the rate at which the atmosphere is leaking into space. MAVEN has also studied its interaction with the solar wind, the tail of comet C/2013 A1, and measured radiation levels in the vicinity of Mars. Like MRO, MAVEN also plays a very important role in communicating with Mars rovers, relaying their data back to Earth.

Like Mars Odyssey, MAVEN is now under threat of cancellation due to the White House’s proposed new NASA budget. But space enthusiasts hope that the mission can be saved. Its premature closure would deal a significant blow to American plans for Mars exploration.

Mars rovers and a drone that became a weather station

In addition to three orbital spacecraft, NASA also has two rovers operating on the surface of the Red Planet. The first is Curiosity, which landed at the end of 2012. The rover is conducting research in Gale Crater, at the bottom of which there was once a lake.

During its mission, Curiosity has traveled over 35 km. This has affected its condition. Some of the rover’s wheels have developed holes, and its radioisotope thermoelectric generator now produces much less energy than it did during landing. Nevertheless, the rover is still successfully performing its tasks, and NASA hopes that it will continue to operate for many years to come.

The Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021, was based on Curiosity but has a set of more advanced scientific instruments. These have enabled it to make a number of high-profile discoveries, including the recent discovery of biosignatures. The rover is also collecting soil samples, which may be delivered to Earth in the future by a special mission.

Perseverance landed on Mars together with the Ingenuity helicopter drone. In 2024, it crashed and lost its ability to fly. After that, engineers switched it to autonomous weather station mode. It is assumed that it wakes up every day, takes pictures of the surface, and collects temperature data. Whether this is true or not is impossible to verify at this time: Perseverance has moved too far away from the drone to maintain communication with it. However, NASA engineers believe that Ingenuity will be able to operate in this mode for about 20 years.

In the future, the drone may be selected for a specific mission. The data stored inside it will not only benefit developers of Martian technology but will also allow scientists to gain a long-term understanding of Martian weather conditions and dust movement.

European Mars researchers

The European Space Agency boasts two spacecraft operating in Martian orbit. The first is Mars Express, which was launched back in 2003 and is second only to Mars Odysseus in terms of service life.

Source: ESA

Despite its considerable age, Mars Express continues to delight us regularly with various discoveries. Many of these have been made possible by the radar on board. Analysis of its data, in particular, has revealed signs of liquid water in the planet’s interior. Mars Express also photographed the famous “Face on Mars” in high resolution. To the disappointment of all ufologists, it turned out to be not an alien artifact, but merely a rock formation.

The TGO spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 2016. Its main task is to study the planet’s atmosphere and search for rare compounds that indicate the possibility of life. The spacecraft has also compiled a global map that allows scientists to estimate the percentage of water ice in the subsurface layers of Mars.

Initially, it was assumed that TGO would work in tandem with the Rosalind Franklin rover. However, due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the breakdown of cooperation between ESA and Roscosmos, the latter remained on Earth. The rover may be launched in 2028, but this date is still subject to change.

New Mars explorers

NASA and ESA are the “old hands” in the study of Mars. However, in recent years, they have faced competition from new space powers that have launched their own Mars missions. One of them is the UAE. In 2020, it sent the first Arab interplanetary mission in history to Mars, called Emirates Mars Mission.

The key scientific goal of this mission is to create a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere. The spacecraft will study how the weather changes throughout the local day and year, investigate meteorological events in the lower atmosphere, such as dust storms, and observe the climate in different geographical regions of Mars. Based on images from the Emirates Mars Mission, scientists have also created a three-dimensional map of the planet’s surface.

The Chinese Tianwen-1 mission was also launched in 2020. It was the first step in China’s ambitious program to conquer the Red Planet. The main task of the spacecraft is to conduct a global survey of Mars, including mapping the morphology and geological structure of the planet, studying the characteristics of the surface layer and the distribution of water ice in it, analyzing the composition of surface materials, measuring the parameters of the planet’s ionosphere, electromagnetic and gravitational fields, and obtaining information about the climate of Mars.

The tasks assigned to Tianwen-1 appear to be quite ambitious. However, this is only a prelude to the much more complex and costly Tianwen-3 mission. As part of this mission, China plans to bring samples of Martian soil to Earth for the first time in history. At present, the launch of Tianwen-3 is scheduled for 2028.

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28-09-2025 om 23:12 geschreven door peter  

One of the main mysteries that scientists want to solve in the Solar System is the existence of life on Mars – today or in the past. But why do scientists think there should be something there at all? The reasons for this are quite complex and interesting, because history and biology, physics and chemistry are intertwined.

Life on Mars and beyond

One of the topics that inevitably arises when discussing space exploration is life on Mars. One of the largest space programs currently being implemented by NASA is dedicated to discovering whether life exists there now or may have existed in the past. But why do scientists think that something can be found on Mars? Why not on some other planet?

The reason for this is primarily historical. In general, the idea that there may be living beings on other planets is relatively new. Back in the early 17th century, this statement, made by Giordano Bruno, was used to prove that he was a heretic. And when scientists finally got the chance to speak more freely, they immediately started talking about the possibility of life on absolutely all celestial bodies.

For example, intelligent beings were sought for quite a long time (and even claimed to have been found) on the Moon. Today, we could immediately come up with a whole bunch of scientific arguments, but it is worth remembering that in the 18th century, people were just beginning to learn about things such as the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere and its role in biological processes.

Gradually, scientists realized how much life depends on the availability of certain substances and physical conditions, but even in the 19th century, Mars seemed to be a planet with changing seasons and fairly large bodies of water.

However, at the beginning of the 20th century, scientists realized that Martian canals were just an optical illusion, and that Mars itself was, at best, a dry steppe and, at worst, bare rock. However, it was at this time that the popularization of science and science fiction was born, so the public continued to believe in the existence of life on Mars.

Everything finally fell into place when, in 1965, Mariner 4 flew past Mars and photographed it from close range for the first time. Scientists were presented with a planet with a very thin atmosphere unsuitable for breathing, a weak magnetic field, and no trace of water or green foliage. So why have we not yet decided, once and for all, that there is no life there?

What do you need to live?

One of the reasons why people are still searching for life on Mars is habit. People have believed for so long that there is a biosphere there that it is not so easy to give up on this idea. However, there are also purely scientific reasons not to stop searching.

First of all, we must remember what life is. Its general definition is rather vague, but it is quite possible to use the description of what it is on Earth. Life is a set of chemical processes involving complex carbon compounds that occur in an aquatic environment and ensure the ability of biological systems to reproduce themselves. Most often, these processes occur with the participation of oxygen.

It follows that the two main factors determining the possibility of life are the presence of carbon and water. Carbon is not a problem on Mars. The entire atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide, i.e., carbon monoxide. And there is plenty of carbonate rock on the surface.

Water is not so simple. There is a lot of it in the form of ice on the surface of Mars, mainly concentrated in the ice caps at the poles, although it can also be found beneath the surface in temperate latitudes. However, for life to exist, water must be in a liquid state. On Mars, temperatures range from +20°C at the equator during the day to -153°C at the poles at night.

That is, at least somewhere it should be in a liquid state, but that would be true for Earth. On Mars, with its pressure 170 times lower than Earth’s, ice immediately turns into a gaseous state.

Oxygen is also essential for life, and there is plenty of it on Mars. It is the second component of carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere, and the famous red color of its surface is due to iron oxides.

Thus, all the components necessary for life exist on the surface of Mars, and this is what makes it one of the best targets for the search for life beyond Earth. If only this planet were a little warmer and its atmosphere had higher pressure…

The Past of Mars

There were such periods in the history of Mars. We are talking about the Noachian period, which began about 4.1 billion years ago and ended 3.8 billion years ago. During this time, Mars had a primitive atmosphere of hydrogen, which gradually changed to a fairly dense carbon dioxide atmosphere. Scientists have found numerous traces of volcanism, which enriched the planet’s gas envelope with substances that caused the greenhouse effect.

During this period, Mars’ climate was warm enough for water to flow on its surface. Scientists know this for sure because they have found numerous riverbeds and former lakes, and at their bottoms – clay and other rocks that can only form in conditions of constant water presence.

At the same time, the water was of very different quality. At least in the beginning, volcanic geysers with acidic water played a major role. Later, they were replaced by colder reservoirs. The entire northern basin of the planet was occupied by the ocean.

At the same time, the atmosphere remained oxygen-free. Therefore, multicellular animals could not exist on Mars, but various anaerobic microorganisms could. And it is precisely on the search for their remains that scientists have focused in recent decades.

If life once existed on Mars, then it must first be sought in the sediments of that era. Structures resembling bacteria have been found in a meteorite that was once part of the Red Planet. However, scientists are still not entirely sure about their identification.

The greatest hopes for finding traces of life on Mars are pinned on samples collected in the Jezero crater by the Perseverance rover. These are mainly fossilized clays, and they are the most likely place where the remains of microorganisms, if they ever existed on Mars, could have survived to this day. It is expected that in the next decade, these samples will be delivered to Earth laboratories, where they can be thoroughly studied.

Life on Mars today

The very discovery of ancient microorganisms could be a real sensation. After all, it would mean that life is indeed widespread throughout the universe. But it would be even more exciting if some of these bacteria could be brought back to life.

This scenario is one of the most popular among horror movie writers. Because our imagination immediately conjures up images of humanity dying out from an unknown disease. These fears are based on the fact that our immune system will not be ready to fight them.

However, they forget that all past cases of deadly epidemics are associated with viruses and bacteria that had been spreading for a long time in other human populations and among species relatively close to us.

Ancient Martian life did not have millions of years of evolution to adapt to existence inside terrestrial multicellular organisms. Of course, there is a chance that it poses a danger to Earthlings, which is why research must be conducted in compliance with all safety requirements. However, it is equally likely that Martian organisms themselves will need much greater isolation in order not to perish in the Earth’s environment.

However, no one expects to find signs of life that existed on Mars billions of years ago. But if much younger samples are found on Mars, everything may turn out differently.

It is believed that in the middle of the era following the Noachian and Hesperian periods, the planet’s climate began to change rapidly, and soon it became what we know today: cold, dry, and virtually devoid of atmosphere. However, almost since the visit of Mariner 4, there has been an opinion that the current state of Mars has not lasted for hundreds of millions of years, but is a relatively temporary phenomenon, only a few tens of thousands of years.

In particular, in recent years, its concept as a geologically dead planet has been significantly revised. Earthquakes recorded by the InSight device on the surface indicate that liquid magma is hidden somewhere in the depths. This means that volcanic eruptions and geysers are entirely possible. Traces of such activity have been observed over the last 50 million years.

So the main question of whether life on Mars is possible now depends not so much on the conditions there as on our knowledge of what conditions living organisms can withstand in general. Already today, we can name species that could exist on the Red Planet even under the conditions it has.

At the same time, “surviving now” does not mean “surviving for billions of years.” We still know too little about evolution to claim that extremophile bacteria could have emerged even if they never had ancestors living in much more comfortable conditions. Moreover, no one can claim that isolated populations preserved in Mars’ glaciers throughout its existence can ensure global evolution.

However, it is still worth searching for life on Mars.

• Posted in Articles, Questions

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28-09-2025 om 20:26 geschreven door peter  

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27-09-2025 om 21:01 geschreven door peter  

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27-09-2025 om 20:49 geschreven door peter  

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27-09-2025 om 20:41 geschreven door peter  

Moon landing conspiracy theories are reignited online as NASA reveals details for the Artemis II mission – as one sceptic jokes 'I hope they have better CGI this time'

• READ MORE: Meet NASA's 10 new astronaut recruits who could go to Mars 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

As early as February 2026, NASA will launch the Artemis II mission and send four astronauts on the first lunar flight in over 50 years.

But some internet-dwelling conspiracy theorists aren't convinced by the official narrative.

As the space agency unveils new details for the mission, lunar conspiracy theories have reignited and spread like wildfire on social media.

The focus of many commenters' ire is the fact that it has been over 50 years since NASA launched a mission to the moon.

Given that Artemis II won't actually land on the moon, some conspiracy theorists have been left unsure why NASA seemingly can't replicate a feat first achieved in 1969.

While this has boosted long-debunked claims that the original moon landings were faked, some commenters have gone even further.

The wild theories posted online claim that humans have never even been to space, while others even claim that space itself is somehow 'fake'.

Taking to X, one sceptically-minded commenter joked: 'I hope they have better CGI'. 

As NASA unveils the details for the Artemis II mission, lunar conspiracy theories have reignited and spread like wildfire on social media. Pictured: Buzz Aldrin on the moon in 1969

As early as February next year, NASA will launch the Artemis II mission and send four astronauts (pictured from left: Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen) on a 10-day trip around the moon in the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years 

However, on social media, NASA's announcement of the mission's details ignited a wave of conspiracy theories that spread like wildfire over X, formerly Twitter 

One internet-dwelling conspiracy theorist joked that NASA's rocket launches were as fake as 'pro wrestling in zero gravity' 

Early next year, four NASA astronauts will launch from Earth aboard an Orion spaceship powered by the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Over 10 days, the crew will travel 5,700 miles (9,200 km) past the moon, testing the onboard systems and gathering data on their bodies' reactions, before returning to Earth.

During this time, they will reach the furthest point from Earth ever travelled to by a human and become the first people to travel to the moon in over 50 years.

Rather than landing on the moon, the mission's goal is to test the systems that will be used in the Artemis III lunar landing, currently planned for mid-2027.

However, these details failed to register with the legions of conspiracy theorists who saw the lack of landing as an admission that NASA had never been to the moon.

On X, one commenter wrote: 'I believe that the American missions of the 1950s are fake unless modern humans land on the moon. It's been over 70 years and we still can't go to the moon?'

'So NASA are going to the moon again but they are not actually landing what a load of fake BS,' another chimed in.

One commenter complained that this was 'one of the reasons I don't believe that humans have ever been to the moon.'

The Artemis II mission is not intended to land on the moon, but rather to test out the spacecraft and systems that will be used for the first crewed landing in the Artemis III mission 

However, the fact that Artemis II will not feature a lunar landing left some commenters confused as to why the space agency seemingly cannot replicate a feat it first completed in 1969 

One commenter complained that they could no longer believe in the reality of anything NASA does or claims to do

Another vented: 'It befuddles me how people can still believe NASA after 60+ years of fake moon landings and a bunch of excuses since.'

And one commenter even joked: 'Watching these launches is like watching pro wrestling in zero gravity. Everyone knows it's fake, but the show must go on.'

But for those already deeply involved in the world of NASA conspiracy theories, this announcement of the Artemis II mission triggered a flurry of bizarre claims.

Most strangely of all, the lunar mission seemed to prompt many commenters to deny the existence of space itself.

In a wild rant, one commenter wrote: 'The first task of any elected President is to sign over the budget for NASA, the National Academy of Space Actors. Money plays a role but the ultimate reason for fake Space is to hide God & dismiss Creation with Pseudoscience.'

'NASA spends $60M per day of tax payers money to make fake videos about them floating in space,' another claimed.

Another added: 'Space is fake. We never went to the moon. The first astronauts were diving actors. NASA in Houston is a movie set.'

However, like so many online conspiracy theories, many commenters had one big reason for doubting the existence of the space missions: The Flat Earth theory.

Another conspiracy theorist claimed that the lack of a lunar landing in Artemis II was one of the reasons they 'don't believe that humans have ever been to the moon' 

The news of the mission pushed some conspiracy theorists into wild rants about secret societies, flat Earth, elaborate cover-ups and the moon landings 

One particularly frustrated conspiracy theorist wrote: 'Earth isn't a spinning space ball; it's a fixed plane covered by a firmament they've desperately tried to hide with fake space missions and NASA's $60 million a day budget scam.'

They continued to rant: 'The moon landing? Filmed on a soundstage by Freemason puppets under Operation Mockingbird control.'

While another complained about 'the lying NASA who lied to the world about the Earth being flat.'

Although there is obviously no basis in reality for any of these claims, the number of people who believe in anti-scientific conspiracy theories remains extremely high.

Studies have found that between 10 and 12 per cent of Americans believe that the Moon landings were faked.

Interestingly, while rates of support for other conspiracy theories have remained stable, NASA conspiracies have become more popular. 

According to one study from the University of Miami, the number of Americans who believe the moon landing was faked almost doubled from six per cent to 10 per cent between June 2020 and May 2021.  

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25-09-2025 om 21:45 geschreven door peter  

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has announced a new record set by the Psyche mission. It successfully sent a laser signal to Earth from a distance of 350 million kilometers. That’s more than the distance between our planet and Mars.

The Psyche mission was launched in 2023 with the aim of studying Psyche, a 220-kilometer metal asteroid that, according to one hypothesis, may be a fragment of the core of a dead protoplanet. The spacecraft is scheduled to reach it in 2029.

In addition to studying the asteroid, Psyche also has the function of a “tester.” NASA specialists installed an experimental optical communication system on board. Its main advantage over traditional radio communication is its much higher (10 to 100 times) data transfer rate. Lasers can transmit complex scientific information, as well as high-definition images and videos. This is especially important for the next stage of space exploration, when humans will travel to the Moon and Mars and will need to quickly send large amounts of data back to Earth.

The first experiment took place on December 11, 2023, when Psyche was 31 million kilometers from Earth. The spacecraft sent a 15-second video of a cat to Earth (it was preloaded before launch). The data transfer rate was 267 Mbit/s. This is a couple of orders of magnitude faster than when using radio communication.

JPL specialists repeated the experiment several times in the future. As Psyche moved away from Earth, the data transfer rate gradually decreased (for example, when the spacecraft was 226 million km away, it was 25 Mbit/s), but it was still much faster than traditional radio communications. In addition, engineers tested another innovation in the form of duplicate data. The spacecraft successfully demonstrated that it can simultaneously use both radio and laser communication systems to communicate with Earth. The radio data was transmitted to NASA’s Deep Space Network, and the laser data was received by the Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory. The photons captured by it were then directed to a highly efficient detector array, where the information encoded in them was processed. 

Almost two years after the start, JPL specialists conducted the 65th and final experiment. During the mission, Psyche once again broke the distance record by successfully sending a signal from a distance of 350 million km. This corresponds to the radius of the inner boundary of the asteroid belt.

According to scientists, the experiments successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the technology. Data encoded by lasers can be reliably transmitted, received, and decoded after passing hundreds of millions of kilometers. In total, Psyche transmitted 13.6 terabits of data to Earth over the entire period. At the same time, the data transfer rate turned out to be even higher than expected. All this means that the technology has great prospects, especially when space agencies face the challenge of transmitting large amounts of high-resolution images and data from the Moon and Mars.

• According to JPL

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24-09-2025 om 23:36 geschreven door peter  

During the total lunar eclipse on September 7, 2025, astrophotographers Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger took unique photographs of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Their observations revealed a surprising fact: the comet that visited our Solar System glowed green. This discovery put scientists in front of a new exciting puzzle, because previous data on the chemical composition of this comet doesn’t explain this phenomenon. 

For comets in our Solar System, green glow is a common phenomenon. It occurs when solar heat warms the comet, causing the ice to sublimate into gas and form an atmosphere (comet). Molecules in this gas, particularly dicarbon (C2), begin to glow under the influence of solar radiation, creating a characteristic green glow. However, this is not the case for the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.

Previous studies, including those conducted with JWST, have shown that this comet has a very unusual chemical composition. It was found to contain elevated levels of carbon dioxide, as well as traces of nickel and cyanogen (CN). However, no dicarbon (C2) molecules, which are traditionally responsible for the green color, were found. This has left scientists at a dead end.

The mystery becomes even more complicated when you consider the conclusions of astronomer Luis Salazar Manzano from the University of Michigan. His team finds that Comet 3I/ATLAS shows a lot of “carbon chain depletion” — meaning it has significantly fewer C2 and C3 molecules than any other comet we know of. The early detection of cyanogen only reinforces this strange chemical anomaly.

This means that either dicarbon is present but has not yet been detected due to unique conditions, or some other, as yet unknown molecule is responsible for the green glow. Both options make this interstellar traveler an extremely valuable object for study.

Scientists hope to find answers to these questions in the near future. According to forecasts, comet 3I/ATLAS will come closest to Earth in December 2025. This will provide astronomers with a unique opportunity to conduct a series of detailed observations and finally unravel the mystery of its green glow. Each such discovery expands our understanding of what celestial bodies far beyond our Solar System are made of and how they are formed.

We previously reported on how 3I/ATLAS could crash into Mars.

• According to Science Alert

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24-09-2025 om 22:47 geschreven door peter  

White UFO Has Aura Around It, Hovers In Place 30 min! Arizona Sept 10, 2025, UAP Paranormal sighting News.

Date of sighting: Sept 10, 2025

Location of sighting: Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona, USA

Source: NUFORC

 

This is amazing and it's similar to what I recorded in Utah last week and what was recorded in Idaho the same day. This UFO has a detail that is just 100% proof of it being alien tech...it has an aura around it. Area 51 scientist Bob Lazar once said UFOs have auras around them not to confuse photos and make them blurry, but because it's a byproduct of the UFOs propulsion system. 

Scott C. Waring - UFO Sightings Daily

 

Eyewitness states: 

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24-09-2025 om 22:08 geschreven door peter  

Something strange just happened in orbit. On Sept. 21st, NOAA’s CCOR-1 coronagraph onboard the GOES-19 satellite recorded what appears to be the first natural solar eclipse ever observed from space. 

In the clip, the Moon doesn’t glide smoothly across the Sun as expected — instead, it zig-zags in a bizarre path, almost as if something was tugging at it. 

Coincidence? According to NASA: it could be linked to a “yaw flip maneuver” scheduled for the next day, but the timing has sparked questions. 

Even weirder: during the eclipse, the Moon only covered the Sun’s bright disk, yet the entire glowing corona suddenly vanished and everything went just black. 

But NASA explained it away as a “quirk of image processing,” where the software subtracted too much light and erased the corona. But for many skywatchers, it looks like more than just a computer glitch. 

NASA, as always, gives an explanation that raises more questions than answers. The bizarre event suggests that something, whether natural or engineered, interfered. 

Are they covering up the reality of what’s out there? 

See the extraordinary event for yourself in the clip below:

Credit clip: https://spaceweather.com

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24-09-2025 om 21:51 geschreven door peter  

Scientists think we may have received a signal from a parallel universe via a WORMHOLE

• READ MORE: How humans could travel millions of light-years in seconds 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

In 2019, gravitational wave detectors on Earth picked up a signal that left scientists baffled.

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space and time, usually created when massive, dense objects like black holes collide. 

But at less than a tenth of a second long, this sudden burst was far shorter than the drawn-out chirps normally produced by merging black holes. 

Now, researchers think this strange signal, dubbed GW190521, could have arrived from a parallel universe. 

In a pre-print paper, a team led by Dr Qi Lai of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences argues that GW190521 could be an 'echo' of a wormhole collapsing.

If a collision of two black holes was powerful enough to create a tunnel between universes, the gravitational signal could pass down the wormhole's throat into our cosmos.

Since the wormhole would only be open for a very short time, this would explain why GW190521 seems to cut off abruptly. 

Although their modelling suggests this scenario isn't very likely, Dr Lai says evidence cannot rule out that the signal travelled to Earth from another universe. 

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences say that the strange signal might have travelled to Earth from another universe (stock image)

The signal, known as GW190521, was less than 10 milliseconds in length and lacked the normal rising signal associated with two black holes spiralling towards each other

The researchers modelled what this wormhole signal would look like (illustrated) and compared it to the real data from GW190521. They found that the data could not rule out a wormhole as the explanation 

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, objects with mass stretch and pull the fabric of spacetime, like weights placed on the surface of a trampoline.

One important consequence of this is that collisions between very massive objects create ripples which spread throughout the fabric of reality over enormous distances.

When pairs of black holes, known as binary black holes, spiral in towards each other, their gravitational fields interact and generate ripples of their own that get stronger as the voids grow closer.

That gives the signal produced by merging binary black holes a rising chirp-like pattern, which is a telltale sign of a black hole collision. 

So far, scientists have used gravitational waves to detect about 300 collisions between binary black holes, each producing the same drawn-out chirp. 

What makes GW190521 so unusual is that it is missing the rising part of the signal produced when the black holes spiral inwards.

Given that the resulting object was roughly 141 times the mass of the sun, scientists should have been able to detect this part of the signal if it occurred. 

Currently, the best explanation for this unusual signal is a chance encounter between two black holes that smashed directly into one another without spiralling. 

In 2019, scientists detected a burst of gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime usually caused by colliding black holes, that didn't match any other signal previously recorded. Pictured: artist's impression of two black holes colliding 

If the collision between two black holes briefly created a wormhole, the echo of their collision would pass through the throat of the wormhole into our universe, where it would appear as a brief burst of gravitational waves 

However, Dr Lai says that a wormhole in another universe is also a plausible explanation. 

In their paper, Dr Lai and his co-authors write: 'The wormhole represents such an object connecting either two separate universes or two distant regions in a single universe through a throat.' 

If the merger of two black holes produced a short-lived wormhole like this, we might be able to hear a brief snippet of the chirp echoing into our own universe.

When the wormhole snaps shut, the signal would be cut off to leave a very brief burst of gravitational waves.  

Dr Lai adds: 'The ringdown signal after BBHs (binary black holes) merged in another universe can pass through the throat of a wormhole and be detected in our universe as a short-duration echo pulse.'

Dr Lai and his colleagues created a mathematical model of what this wormhole signal would look like and compared it to the data from the real GW190521 signal captured by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors.

The researchers also created a model for a sudden collision in our own universe and compared the results.

They found that the standard collision model did fit the data better, but only just.

Currently, the best explanation for GW190521 (illustrated) is that a chance encounter between two black holes that collided suddenly without spiralling around each other. But a wormhole is still a viable explanation 

That means the wormhole model is still a viable explanation for the GW190521 collision.

In their paper, the researchers write that the preference for the standard collision was 'not significant enough to rule out the possibility that the echo-for-wormhole model is a viable hypothesis for the GW190521 event.'

If true, this would not only prove that wormholes exist but also give scientists a powerful new tool to study them.

That would allow scientists their first-ever glimpse into a universe beyond our own. 

LIGO DETECTOR: TWO OBSERVATORIES SPOTTING GRAVITATIONAL WAVES FROM GALACTIC SCALE EVENTS

LIGO is made up of two observatories that detect gravitational waves by splitting a laser beam and sending it down several mile long tunnels before merging the light waves together again.

A passing gravitational wave changes the shape of space by a tiny amount, and the LIGO was built with the ability to measure a change in distance just one-ten-thousandth the width of a proton.

However, this sensitivity means any amount of noise, even people running at the site, or raindrops, can be detected. 

The LIGO detectors are interferometers that shine a laser through a vacuum down two arms in the shape of an L that are each 2.5 miles (four kilometers) in length.

The light from the laser bounces back and forth between mirrors on each end of the L, and scientists measure the length of both arms using the light.

If there's a disturbance in space-time, such as a gravitational wave, the time the light takes to travel the distance will be slightly different in each arm making one arm look longer than the other.

LIGO (pictured) is made up of two observatories that detect gravitational waves by splitting a laser beam and sending it down several mile (kilometer) long tunnels before merging the light waves together again

Ligo scientists measure the interference in the two beams of light when they come back to meet, which reveals information on the space-time disturbance.

The ensure the results are accurate, LIGO uses two observatories, 1,870 miles (3,000 kilometers) apart, which operate synchronously, each double-checking the other's observations.

The noise at each detector should be completely uncorrelated, meaning a noise like a storm nearby one detector doesn't show up as noise in the other.

Some of the sources of 'noise' the team say they contend with include: 'a constant 'hiss' from photons arriving like raindrops at our light detectors; rumbles from seismic noise like earthquakes and the oceans pounding on the Earth's crust; strong winds shaking the buildings enough to affect our detectors.'

However, if a gravitational wave is found, it should create a similar signal in both instruments nearly simultaneously. 

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

24-09-2025 om 21:27 geschreven door peter  

Meet NASA's newest recruits! Space agency introduces 10 new astronauts – with one set to be the first person to step on MARS

• READ MORE: Meet the British woman preparing to spend a whole year on Mars 

By WILIAM HUNTER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

NASA has revealed 10 new astronaut candidates, with one set to be the first to step on Mars. 

The four men and six women make up NASA's 24th astronaut class – the space agency's first since 2021. 

The recruits include scientists, fighter pilots, engineers, and even a former member of the USA Rugby Women's National Team. 

These aspiring astronauts were chosen from over 8,000 candidates and will now be subject to two years of gruelling training.

Those who make it through the preparation phase will become eligible to take on missions for NASA's increasingly ambitious human spaceflight programme.

Although they will likely graduate too late to join NASA's first Artemis missions to the moon, they could be the first astronauts to serve on a commercial space station or become the first humans to set foot on the Red Planet. 

Revealing the astronauts during a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Centre, NASA administrator Sean Duffy said: 'The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space.

'Together, we'll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.'

NASA has revealed the 10 new astronauts who will make up its first new recruits since 2021, including some who may be the first people to set foot on Mars 

The six women and four men were announced during an event at NASA's Johnson Space Centre 

Ben Bailey

Like many astronauts, Ben Bailey, 38, is both a member of the military and an experienced pilot.

Mr Bailey is a chief warrant officer, a senior non–commissioned officer, in the US Army and an experienced test pilot with over 2,000 flight hours in 30 different aircraft.

Prior to joining NASA's astronaut programme, Mr Bailey was responsible for testing experimental technologies for Army helicopters such as the UH–60 Black Hawk and CH–47F Chinook.

Mr Bailey has also worked as a nuclear engineer, creating propulsion systems for aircraft carriers.

In addition to his military experience, Mr Bailey has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.

Currently, he is completing a master's degree in systems engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Mr Bailey was born in Charlottesville, Virginia and lives with his wife, Dylan Bailey.

Ben Bailey, 38, is a chief warrant officer, a senior non–commissioned officer, in the US Army and an experienced test pilot with over 2,000 flight hours in 30 different aircraft

Dr Lauren Edgar, 40, is a geologist who has spent 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and even helped to train NASA's astronauts

Dr Lauren Edgar

Dr Lauren Edgar, 40, is a geologist with almost two decades of experience in space exploration and scientific research.

She has spent 17 years supporting Mars exploration rovers as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and even helped to train NASA's astronauts.

Prior to becoming an astronaut candidate, Dr Edgar was the deputy principal investigator for the Artemis III Geology Team and helped NASA prepare for its return to the moon.

Her extensive work on planetary exploration has earned her over a dozen awards and honours, including several NASA Group Achievement Awards.

Dr Edgar has earned a bachelor's degree in Earth sciences from Dartmouth College, as well as a master's degree and doctorate in geology from the California Institute of Technology.

She was born in Washington, D.C., but says she considers the city of Sammamish, Washington, to be her hometown.

Dr Edgar's interests outside of science include backpacking, running, yoga, kayaking, and outdoor activities with her dog.

Adam Fuhrmann is an engineer, experimental test pilot, and a Major in the US Air Force. He has 2,100 hours of flight time, including 400 hours combat – primarily in the F–16 and F–35 supersonic fighter jets.

Adam Fuhrmann 

As an experimental test pilot and major in the US Air Force, Adam Fuhrmann, 35, has logged over 2,100 flight hours, including 400 hours of combat.

After graduating from MIT with a degree in aerospace engineering and political science, he joined the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and earned his master's in flight test engineering.

While training to be a pilot, Mr Fuhrmann also completed a second master's degree in systems engineering at Purdue University.

He has experience flying 27 different types of aircraft, primarily the F–16 and F–35 supersonic fighter jets.

At the time of his selection, Mr Fuhrmann was serving as director of operations for a flight test unit and had recently completed a test assignment at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Mr Fuhrmann comes from Leesburg, Virginia, and lives with his wife, Shauna Fuhrmann, a U.S. Army veteran and small animal veterinarian, and their three children.

He enjoys camping, hiking, skiing, hunting, leatherworking, and classic car restoration.

Cameron Jones

Cameron Jones, 35, is an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and former experimental test pilot for the US Air Force

Cameron Jones, 35, is also an experimental test pilot with the US Air Force with experience in more than 30 different aircraft.

After graduating with a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Mr Jones earned a master's degree in flight test engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base.

Following his graduation, Mr Jones held a number of roles in the US Air Force, including director of operations for a test flight squadron at Edwards Air Force Base.

Mr Jones has over 1,600 flight hours, including 300 hours of test flights and 150 combat hours – mainly spent flying the F–22 Raptor.

At the time of his selection, Mr Jones was an Air Force Academic Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Born in Iowa, Jones considers Savanna, Illinois, to be his hometown.

He is married to Cristi Jones, and they are parents of one daughter.

In his spare time, Jones enjoys spending time with his family and dog, hiking, camping, and rafting.

Yuri Kubo, 40, is an engineer who spent over a decade overseeing commercial rocket launches for SpaceX. Mr Kubo also played professional Ultimate Frisbee for the Indianapolis AlleyCats

Yuri Kubo

Yuri Kubo, 40, is an electrical and computer engineer who has spent more than a decade working on commercial rocket launches.

Early in his career, Mr Kubo interned at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, supporting the Orion spacecraft, the International Space Station in mission control, and the Space Shuttle Program.

After graduating with a master's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University, Mr Kubo joined Elon Musk's SpaceX.

During his 12 years with the company, Mr Kubo was responsible for helping design the launch site for the Falcon 9 rockets used to take astronauts to the ISS.

He also worked as the launch director for the Falcon 9 launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Mr Kubo would go on to become director of avionics for the Starshield program, a secure satellite network used by government entities for national security purposes.

At the time of selection, he was the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen, a company that designs and manufactures electrolysers.

The ten astronauts will now undergo two years of rigorous training to become eligible for human spaceflight missions. Some may be included in NASA's lunar or Mars missions in the future 

Outside of his work, Mr Kubo also played professional Ultimate Frisbee for the Indianapolis AlleyCats.

He is married with two children and enjoys sports, outdoor activities of all kinds, and playing piano.

Rebecca 'Becky' Lawler

Becky Lawler, 38, is a former lieutenant commander in the US Navy and an experienced experimental test pilot.

Ms Lawler earned her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, followed by a master's degree in space systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

During that time, Ms Lawler also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Ms Lawler served in the US Navy for 11 years as a pilot flying the P–3C Orion anti–submarine and surveillance aircraft, accumulating over 300 hours of combat time.

In 2020, she transferred to join the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a hurricane hunter and test pilot.

Rebecca 'Becky' Lawler, 38, worked as a hurricane hunter and test pilot for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In two years, Ms Lawler flew aircraft into the eyewalls of 32 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms to gather scientific data

In two years, Ms Lawler flew aircraft into the eyewalls of 32 hurricanes and 11 tropical storms to gather scientific data.

Overall, she has logged 2,800 hours in over 45 different aircraft across the military, general, and commercial aviation domains.

At the time of her selection, Ms Lawler was a test pilot with United Airlines, where she flew the Boeing 737 and 787 and the Airbus A320 series.

She comes from Little Elm, Texas, is married with one child and enjoys running, painting, reading, and spending time with her family.

Anna Menon

Ms Menon, 39, is the only member of NASA's latest astronaut cohort who has already flown to space.

In 2024, Ms Menon served as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX's Polaris Dawn – the first ever commercial spacewalk.

During the mission, Ms Menon and her crewmates broke the record for the highest altitude above Earth reached by humans at a distance of 875 miles (1,408 kilometres).

Anna Mennon, 39, is the only member of NASA's latest astronaut cohort who has already flown to space. In 2024, Ms Menon served as a mission specialist and medical officer aboard SpaceX's Polaris Dawn – the first ever commercial spacewalk

Before working for SpaceX, Ms Mennon earned a dual–major bachelor's degree in mathematics and Spanish from Texas Christian University and a master's degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University.

She then became a biomedical flight controller in Mission Control at NASA Johnson, helping to keep NASA astronauts safe aboard the ISS.

At SpaceX, she worked for seven years, shaping crew operations for the Dragon and Starship spacecraft used in NASA operations.

She also worked in SpaceX mission control as a mission director and crew communicator, serving in these roles for the agency's historic SpaceX Demo–2 mission and six other SpaceX Dragon flights.

Ms Menon is married to NASA astronaut Anil Menon, and the couple has two children.

Dr Imelda Muller

Dr Muller, 34, is a former lieutenant in the US Navy, where she served as an undersea medical officer.

Dr Muller served as deputy Medical Department head and chair of the Institutional Review Board, overseeing protections for human subjects involved in high–risk diving and hyperbaric research.

Dr Imelda Muller, 34, was a undersea medical officer with the US Navy, responsible for testing decompression safety and psychological resilience for saturation divers 

In that role, she supported testing focusing on decompression safety, medical support, and psychological resilience for saturation divers – who are often used as analogues for astronauts.

During that time, Dr Muller also competed as an elite triathlete on the U.S. Military Endurance Sports team and was a member of the All–Navy Triathlon team in 2022.

Prior to her role in the Navy, Dr Muller earned a bachelor's degree in behavioural neuroscience from Northeastern University and a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

At the time of her selection, Muller was completing a residency in anaesthesia at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Dr Muller was born in Mineola, New York, but she considers the rural area of Copake Falls, New York, her hometown.

Erin 'LOFT' Overcash

Ms Overcash, 34, is both an experienced pilot and a world–class rugby player with the US National team.

After earning a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a master's degree in bioastronautics from the University of Colorado, Ms Overcash joined the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

Erin 'LOFT' Overcash, 34, is an experimental test pilot with 1,300 flight hours in 20 different aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings. She is also a former member of the USA Rugby Women's National Team

Ms Overcash was deployed multiple times in the Pacific and Middle East and has logged more than 1,300 flight hours in 20 different aircraft, including 249 carrier arrested landings.

Earlier in her career, she was also a member of the U.S. Navy's World Class Athlete Program, living and training full–time at the Olympic Training Center with the USA Rugby Women's National Team.

Ms Overcash earned three Caps with the US national team and is also an Ironman Triathlete.

At the time of her selection, she was training for an operational tour as an F/A–18E department head at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

Ms Overcash comes from Goshen, Kentucky, is married to another naval aviator and enjoys reading, adventure motorcycling, and challenging workouts.

Katherine Spies

Ms Spies, 43, is an AH–1 attack helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, with over 2,000 hours of flight time.

A native of San Diego, California, Ms Spies earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Southern California before graduating from the United States Naval Test Pilot School.

Katherine Spies, 43, is an AH–1 attack helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, with over 2,000 hours of flight time. She also worked for Amazon Prime Air to develop autonomous drone systems 

She then went on to earn a master's degree in design engineering from Harvard University.

While serving in the US Marine Corps, Ms Spies was promoted to Captain and logged more than 300 hours of combat time.

Following her active military service, Spies joined Amazon Prime Air as a developmental flight test and engineering leader, helping to create autonomous drone systems.

At the time of her selection, she worked with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation as the director of flight test engineering.

Outside her work as a pilot, Ms Spies is an avid skier and worked as an alpine ski instructor in Utah.

How does Katy Perry stack up against the astronauts?  

On April 14, 2025, Katy Perry flew to the edge of space aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket.

Her 'mission' was met by immediate backlash as fans claimed that the crew didn't have the right to call themselves astronauts. But would Katy Perry be qualified to join a NASA astronaut class?

On April 14, 2025, Katy Perry flew to the edge of space aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket

NASA has strict requirements for its astronauts and, unfortunately for the pop star, Katy Perry wouldn't meet many of them. 

Education: A master's degree in a STEM field, including engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics, from an accredited institution.

• Katy Perry does not have any academic qualifications as she dropped out of school to pursue her music career, and later earned a General Educational Development diploma.

Experience: Two years of related professional experience or 1,000 hours of command time on a jet aircraft.

• Katy Perry doesn't have any relevant experience or a pilot's licence.

Other qualifications: Astronauts can also be eligible if they are part of a test pilot programme, a medical doctor, or have two years of work towards a PhD.

• Katy Perry does not have any of these qualifications. 

Height: Must be between 62 and 75 inches tall.

• At 67 inches tall, Katy Perry is the right height to be an astronaut.

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

24-09-2025 om 20:36 geschreven door peter  

China fires missile at unknown object – What exactly was hit?

A fiery explosion lit up the skies over China on September 12, around 9 p.m. local time, near the cities of Weifang and Rizhao fueling wild speculation that the military may have just shot down an unidentified flying object. 

Residents in Shandong Province captured videos of a strange, slow moving object flying unusually close to the ground before it suddenly disintegrated in a blinding flash and plummeted to Earth. Moments before the impact, a red fireball looking very much like a surface to air missile was seen streaking toward the object, followed by two thunderous explosions that shook the region. 

So far, no official statement has been released by the Chinese government or military. But the timing is suspicious: the blast happened during live fire military exercises in the nearby Bohai Sea, where China had already announced tests involving advanced weaponry. 

Although it is suggested that the missile struck a drone or mock target during the drill, the timing, coming just after revelations that a U.S. Hellfire missile bounced off a mysterious object, has many questioning if this was another direct clash with something far beyond routine military exercises.

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

23-09-2025 om 22:08 geschreven door peter  

Britain's secret rocky past: Scientists find proof a huge asteroid smashed into the Yorkshire coast 43 million years ago

• READ MORE: Brits urged to look out for fragments after meteorite explosion

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

From its breathtaking moors to its world–famous puddings, Yorkshire already boasts a number of claims to fame. 

Now, the county has a new accolade to add to its list. 

Scientists have found proof that a huge asteroid smashed into the sea off the coast of Yorkshire 43 million years ago. 

The Silverpit Crater – around 80 miles off the coast of Yorkshire – was first discovered in 2002. 

Its origin remained a mystery, with scientists unable to agree on whether it was created by an asteroid impact, or volcanic activity. 

Now, the debate has been settled once and for all, as researchers from Heriot–Watt University have confirmed the impact crater hypothesis. 

'Our evidence shows that a 160–metre–wide asteroid hit the seabed at a low angle from the west,' xplained Dr Uisedan Nicholson, lead author of the study. 

'Within minutes, it created a 1.5–kilometre high curtain of rock and water that then collapsed into the sea, creating a tsunami over 100 metres high.'

Scientists have found proof that a huge asteroid smashed into the sea off the coast of Yorkshire 43 million years ago (AI–generated image) 

The Silverpit Crater – around 80 miles off the coast of Yorkshire – was first discovered in 2002. However, its origin remained a mystery, with scientists unable to agree on whether it was created by an asteroid impact, or volcanic activity

Since its discovery more than two decades ago, the Silverpit Crater has been at the centre of a heated debate among geologists. 

Initial studies suggested the 1.8–mile–wide crater was the result of an asteroid or comet impact. 

However, some scientists were unconvinced, and instead suggested it may have been created by salt moving deep below the crater floor, or the collapse of the seabed because of volcanic activity.

To get to the bottom of it, the Heriot–Watt team used seismic imaging data alongside evidence from below the seabed. 

'New seismic imaging has given us an unprecedented look at the crater,' Dr Nicholson explained. 

'Samples from an oil well in the area also revealed rare "shocked" quartz and feldspar crystals at the same depth as the crater floor.

'We were exceptionally lucky to find these – a real "needle–in–a–haystack" effort.

'These prove the impact crater hypothesis beyond doubt, because they have a fabric that can only be created by extreme shock pressures.'

Samples from an oil well in the area revealed rare 'shocked' quartz and feldspar crystals at the same depth as the crater floor

The confirmation of its status as an impact crater puts Silverpit in the same category as Mexico's Chicxulub Crater – the site where the dinosaur–killing asteroid famously struck 66 million years ago. 

'Silverpit is a rare and exceptionally preserved hypervelocity impact crater,' Dr Nicholson added. 

'These are rare because the Earth is such a dynamic planet – plate tectonics and erosion destroy almost all traces of most of these events.

'Around 200 confirmed impact craters exist on land, and only about 33 have been identified beneath the ocean.

'We can use these findings to understand how asteroid impacts shaped our planet throughout history, as well as predict what could happen should we have an asteroid collision in future.'

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

22-09-2025 om 21:31 geschreven door peter  

Scientists are baffled by a monster black hole growing at 2.4 TIMES the theoretical limit

• READ MORE: Scientists reveal odds a black hole will explode in the next 10 years

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Black holes are among the most feared objects in the universe. 

These huge concentrations of tightly–packed matter, with a gravitational pull too strong for light to escape, can gobble up entire planets. 

And according to scientists, one black hole in particular seems to have an unstoppable appetite. 

Located 12.8 billion light–years away, the black hole, called RACS J0320–35, weighs about a billion times the mass of our sun. 

Data from NASA's Chandra X–ray Observatory reveals it is growing at 2.4 times the theoretical limit – one of the fastest rates ever recorded. 

The power source of this 'glowing monster' is large amounts of matter, such as gas, dust, and other stellar debris. 

As it is rabidly consumed, the matter gives off intense radiation, which is detectable by telescopes such as Chandra. 

'It was a bit shocking to see this black hole growing by leaps and bounds,' said Luca Ighina, study author at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

An artist’s concept of a supermassive black hole, a surrounding disk of material falling towards the black hole and a jet containing particles moving away at close to the speed of light. New Chandra observations indicate that the black hole is growing at a rate that exceeds the usual limit for black holes, called the Eddington Limit

Black holes grow by gobbling up surrounding matter – a process scientists call accretion – as well as by merging with other black holes. 

They have an incredibly bright 'accretion disk' – a hot disk of gas orbiting the black hole and its main source of light.

The accretion disk is created by material emitting energy as it falls into the black hole, whether it's gas, dust or matter. 

At about a billion times the mass of our sun, this black hole, RACS J0320–35, is officially in the upper range of the 'supermassive' classification for black holes – and it's still growing. 

Researchers theorize it is getting yet more massive at a rate of somewhere between 300 and 3,000 solar masses annually.

That means it's gobbling up the equivalent of 300 to 3,000 of our suns per year! 

Supermassive black holes exist in the centers of most large galaxies. 

For example, Sagittarius A* is the black hole at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy, but its mass is only about 4.3 million times the mass of our sun. 

Blk hole RACS J0320–35, captured through X–ray emissions detected by Chandra, weighs about a billion times the mass of our sun

Annotated black hole: Right at the centre is the event horizon – the point at which nothing, not even light, can escape. Note the accretion disk' – a hot disk of gas orbiting the black hole and its main source of light

But what sets RACS J0320–35 apart is its high mass and unusually high growth rate.  

RACS J0320–35 was discovered two years ago using NASA's Chandra X–ray Observatory, the world's most powerful X–ray telescope.

In orbit around Earth for more than 25 years now, Chandra is specially designed to detect X–ray emission from very hot regions of the universe. 

Now, using data from the NASA telescope, researchers have been able to pinpoint the black hole's incredible growth rate. 

It is growing at 2.4 times the Eddington limit – the theoretical maximum 'speed limit' that defines how fast a black hole can consume matter.

The Eddington limit is the point where the outward force of radiation overcomes the inward pull of gravity – the same gravity that's hoovering up surrounding matter. 

According to the accepted theory, above this limit, all material falling into the black hole would be blown away because of the radiation pressure, shutting off the accretion that is feeding the black hole. 

So the fact it is still growing – at 2.4 times the Eddington limit – is leaving scientists perplexed. 

Artist rendering of the Chandra X–ray Observatory space telescope, the world's most powerful X–ray telescope, according to NASA

Scientists lifted the veil on the first images ever captured of a black hole in April 2019. The glowing orange ring shows the event horizon of M87, in the Virgo galaxy cluster

Remarkably, RACS J0320–35 is producing more X–rays than any other black hole seen in the first billion years of the universe, they say in their paper, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 

The fact this black hole is located about 12.8 billion light–years from Earth means that its light has taken 12.8 billion years to get to us. 

Because the universe is 13.8 billion years old, astronomers are seeing this black hole only 920 million years after the universe began. 

Black holes are so far away that getting an image of one was only managed in 2019, using a massive network of Earth telescopes. 

However, we have a very good chance of seeing a black hole explosion by 2035. 

Another team of scientists recently reported there's a 90 per cent chance of at least one black hole exploding in the next 10 years. 

If and when it happens, telescopes positioned in space and here on Earth should be able to capture the event.

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22-09-2025 om 20:56 geschreven door peter  

Earliest images of mysterious interstellar object reveal alien solar system origins

• MORE: Mysterious interstellar object is morphing in unexplained ways as it moves closer to Earth

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

The mysterious interstellar object traveling through our solar system has been spotted acting like no other comet ever seen before, revealing its alien origins.

Scientists from Michigan State University announced that they have uncovered new images of the object dubbed 3I/ATLAS, which were taken months before its official discovery in early July.

Those pictures revealed how 3I/ATLAS was spewing gas or dust into space long before it started approaching our sun, something highly unusual for a distant comet.

Although most scientists still believe 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet, and not an alien spacecraft, the new revelations suggested that the object formed in a totally alien solar system, giving it a chemical makeup far different from anything seen before. 

Typically, comets traveling around our solar system emit gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of methane and ammonia as they move closer to the sun and heat up, causing their icy surfaces to release these materials.

However, the new images showed that 3I/ATLAS was releasing a gas while it was still six times as far as Earth's distance to the sun, roughly 558 million miles.

Scientists believe this means the mystery comet could be filled with a unique collection of molecules, including carbon monoxide, an odorless gas often produced by burning wood or fossil fuels.

Adina Feinstein, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at MSU, said: '3I/ATLAS gives us an opportunity to study other solar systems up close and personal, without actually needing to visit them.'

MSU researchers combed through images from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, and found evidence of 3I/ATLAS two months before it was officially discovered

3I/ATLAS won't make its closest pass by Earth until December, but scientists said it's already strange signs for a typical comet

Researchers used old images from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to spot 3I/ATLAS before it was officially found on July 1, 2025.

The TESS images were taken between May 7 and June 2. TESS, originally designed to find planets around other stars, takes wide pictures of the sky.

Luckily, the team realized that 3I/ATLAS's current path lined up with the same plane the planets in our solar system travel along, making it possible for researchers to go back to look for the approaching comet.

In those reexamined pictures, the object appeared brighter than expected, suggesting it might have been releasing gases into space several months ago.

Study co-author John Noonan, a postdoctoral fellow at Auburn University, said: 'Capturing as many observations from this prediscovery period, where 3I/ATLAS may be in telescope images but wasn't previously identified, is essential to our understanding of how these objects 'turn on' as they approach our sun.'

Noonan added that 3I/ATLAS may not have been warmed up in millions, if not billions, of years, meaning it may react to our sun completely differently than other comets, which regularly visit our solar system.

The new study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, also found signs that 3I/ATLAS was already showing a tail, suggesting the object was somehow activated when it was still in the outer regions of the solar system near Saturn.

Comet tails usually form when the sun's heat causes frozen gases and dust to vaporize and escape, creating a visible trail that can stretch for millions of miles.

A new study found 3I/ATLAS was emitting gases into space long before it got close enough to our sun to melt normal gas and dust seen coming from other comets

The differences might be because 3I/ATLAS comes from a solar system which formed under very different conditions than ours.

Comets which orbit this solar system are mostly made of water ice, but 3I/ATLAS might have more carbon-based ices, which can turn into gas at colder temperatures.

This could reflect a place where the building blocks of planets and comets formed differently, possibly due to the type of star or the cosmic environment it came from.

'Learning about other solar systems places humanity into context,' Feinstein said.

'One of life's greatest questions is 'are we alone in the universe?' Each NASA mission gets us a little bit closer to answering this big, overarching question.'

3I/ATLAS is just days away from making its closest pass by Mars on October 3. It will be at its closest point to Earth on December 17, when the object will be approximately 223 million miles away.

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22-09-2025 om 20:32 geschreven door peter  

Webb Detects Complex Structures in Upper Atmosphere of Saturn

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope have detected a series of dark, bead-like and asymmetric star-shaped features in the ionosphere and stratosphere of Saturn.

Detections of near-infrared emissions in Saturn’s ionosphere (left) show dark bead-like features embedded within bright aurora; in the stratosphere (right), 500 km below, a lopsided star-pattern extends towards the equator.

Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Stallard et al.

“This opportunity to use Webb was the first time we have ever been able to make such detailed near-infrared observations of Saturn’s aurora and upper atmosphere. The results came as a complete surprise,” said Northumbria University’s Professor Tom Stallard.

“We anticipated seeing emissions in broad bands at the various levels.”

“Instead, we’ve seen fine-scaled patterns of beads and stars that, despite being separated by huge distances in altitude, may somehow be interconnected — and may also be linked to the famous hexagon deeper in Saturn’s clouds.”

“These features were completely unexpected and, at present, are completely unexplained.”

The researchers focused on detecting infrared emissions by a positively charged molecular form of hydrogen, H³⁺, which plays a key role in reactions in Saturn’s atmosphere and so can provide valuable insights into the chemical and physical processes at work.

Webb’s Near Infrared Spectrograph allowed the scientists to simultaneously observe H³⁺ ions from the ionosphere, 1,100 km above Saturn’s nominal surface, and methane molecules in the underlying stratosphere, at an altitude of 600 km.

In the electrically charged plasma of the ionosphere, they observed a series of dark, bead-like features embedded in bright auroral halos.

These structures remained stable over hours but appeared to drift slowly over longer periods.

Around 500 km lower, in Saturn’s stratosphere, the team discovered an asymmetric star-shaped feature.

This unusual structure extended out from Saturn’s north pole towards the equator.

Only four of the star’s six arms were visible, with two mysteriously missing, creating a lopsided pattern.

“Saturn’s upper atmosphere has proven incredibly difficult to study with missions and telescope facilities to date due to the extremely weak emissions from this region,” Professor Stallard said.

“Webb’s incredible sensitivity has revolutionized our ability to observe these atmospheric layers, revealing structures that are completely unlike anything we’ve seen before on any planet.”

The authors mapped the exact locations of the features and found that they overlaid the same region of Saturn at different levels, with the star’s arms appearing to emanate from positions directly above the points of the storm-cloud-level hexagon.

This suggests that the processes that are driving the patterns may influence a column stretching right through Saturn’s atmosphere.

“We think that the dark beads may result from complex interactions between Saturn’s magnetosphere and its rotating atmosphere, potentially providing new insights into the energy exchange that drives Saturn’s aurora,” Professor Stallard said.

“The asymmetric star pattern suggests previously unknown atmospheric processes operating in Saturn’s stratosphere, possibly linked to the hexagonal storm pattern observed deeper in Saturn’s atmosphere.”

“Tantalizingly, the darkest beads in the ionosphere appear to line up with the strongest star-arm in the stratosphere, but it’s not clear at this point whether they are actually linked or whether it’s just a coincidence.”

While both features could have significant implications for understanding atmospheric dynamics on gas giant planets, more work is needed to provide explanations for the underlying causes.

The team hopes that additional time may be granted in future to carry out follow-up observations of Saturn with Webb to further explore the features.

With the planet at its equinox, which occurs approximately every 15 Earth years, the structures may change dramatically as Saturn’s orientation to the Sun shifts and the northern hemisphere moves into autumn.

“Since neither atmospheric layer can be observed using ground-based telescopes, the need for follow-up Webb observations during this key time of seasonal change on Saturn is pressing,” said Professor Stallard, lead author of a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The authors also presented the results this month at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

• Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. JWST/NIRSpec Detection of Complex Structures in Saturn’s Sub-Auroral Ionosphere and Stratosphere. Geophysical Research Letters 52 (17): e2025GL116491; doi: 10.1029/2025GL116491
• Tom S. Stallard et al. 2025. JWST’s transformational observations of Giant Planet ionospheres. EPSC Abstracts 18: EPSC-DPS2025-817; doi: 10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1438

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21-09-2025 om 20:18 geschreven door peter  

NASA onthult MEERDERE levensvormen die waarschijnlijk op Mars hebben geleefd

Sinds de landing van NASA’s Perseverance-rover op Mars in februari 2021 staat het rode planeetoppervlak volop in de schijnwerpers van wetenschappelijk onderzoek. Met de missie in het bijzonder gericht op het vinden van sporen van oud leven, heeft de rover al verschillende aanwijzingen gevonden dat Mars in het verleden gunstige omstandigheden heeft gekend voor het ontstaan en mogelijk ook het bestaan van leven. Recent wetenschappelijk onderzoek bevestigt dat Mars meerdere periodes heeft gekend waarin vloeibaar water op het oppervlak aanwezig was, met elk hun eigen chemische samenstelling en milieufactoren. Deze bevindingen brengen ons steeds dichter bij het antwoord op de vraag of Mars ooit een bewoonbare wereld was en of er mogelijk nog levensvormen hebben geleefd in het verre verleden.

De zoektocht naar water op Mars

Het belangrijkste motief achter veel van het Mars-onderzoek is de aanname dat vloeibaar water essentieel is voor het ontstaan en voortbestaan van leven zoals wij dat kennen. De afgelopen jaren heeft de Perseverance-rover talrijke bewijzen verzameld dat het oppervlak van Mars ooit gevuld was met meren, rivieren en delta’s. Zo heeft de rover onder meer sporen gevonden van oude rivierbeddingen, organische moleculen en bijzondere rotsformaties die wijzen op een rijke geologische geschiedenis.

Wetenschappers hebben sterk bewijs gevonden dat Mars meerdere keren bewoond was.

De kern van de recente ontdekkingen ligt in de analyse van de mineralen die door de rover zijn geïdentificeerd in de Jezero-krater, een gebied dat zo’n 45 kilometer in doorsnede meet en bekend staat om zijn complexe geologische structuur. Deze krater bevat een uitgestrekte delta van een oude rivier, die zich mogelijk enkele miljarden jaren geleden heeft gevormd. Door het bestuderen van de samenstelling van de mineralen in deze regio kunnen wetenschappers inzicht krijgen in de omgeving waarin ze zijn gevormd en de geschiedenis van vloeibaar water op Mars.

Hoe mineralen ons vertellen over het verleden

Om de geschiedenis van Mars en de omstandigheden waarin de planeet ooit verkeerde te kunnen interpreteren, maken wetenschappers gebruik van geavanceerde technieken en instrumenten die inzicht geven in de chemische samenstelling van rotsen en sedimenten. Mineralen vormen daarbij belangrijke bewijzen, omdat ze vaak ontstaan onder specifieke milieuprocessen en omstandigheden. Door deze mineralen te bestuderen, kunnen onderzoekers reconstructies maken van het verleden van Mars, inclusief de aanwezigheid en het verloop van vloeibaar water, het klimaat en mogelijk zelfs de voorwaarden voor het ontstaan van leven.

Een van de belangrijkste methoden die hierbij wordt toegepast, is de Mineral Identification by Stoichiometry (MIST). Dit is een geavanceerd algoritme dat chemische gegevens verzamelt en vergelijkt met een uitgebreide database van bekende mineralen. MIST analyseert de chemische samenstelling van rotsen en sedimenten op basis van hun elementaire verhoudingen, waardoor het nauwkeurig kan bepalen om welke mineralen het gaat. Deze methode is bijzonder krachtig omdat het snel en betrouwbaar grote hoeveelheden data kan verwerken en mineralen kan identificeren die met het blote oog of met eenvoudige instrumenten moeilijk te onderscheiden zijn.

Daarnaast wordt op Mars het Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) ingezet. PIXL maakt gebruik van röntgenstraling (X-ray spectroscopie) om de chemische samenstelling van gesteenten en sedimenten in detail in kaart te brengen. Het instrument is zeer nauwkeurig en kan op microniveau bepalen welke elementen aanwezig zijn en in welke verhoudingen. Hierdoor krijgen wetenschappers een gedetailleerd chemisch beeld van de onderzochte rotsen, wat essentieel is voor het interpreteren van de milieuprocessen die ze gevormd hebben.

Door het combineren van deze technieken heeft het onderzoeksteam op Mars belangrijke ontdekkingen gedaan over de geschiedenis van vloeibaar water op de planeet. Zo zijn er twee hoofdgroepen mineralen geïdentificeerd die verschillende periodes van wateractiviteit aangeven. De eerste groep bevat mineralen zoals greenalite, hisingerite en ferroaluminoceladoniet. Deze mineralen wijzen erop dat ze gevormd zijn onder omstandigheden van hoge temperatuur en zure pH, wat wijst op een omgeving die mogelijk niet erg leefvriendelijk was. De tweede groep bestaat uit mineralen die ontstaan onder meer neutrale en matig alkalische omstandigheden. Deze omstandigheden zijn gunstiger voor het ontstaan en het onderhouden van leven, en geven aan dat er gedurende bepaalde periodes op Mars water aanwezig was in een meer leefbare staat.

Door de studie van deze mineralen krijgen wetenschappers niet alleen inzicht in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars, maar ook in de mogelijke omstandigheden waarin leven zich heeft kunnen ontwikkelen. Het onderzoek naar deze mineralen is dus niet alleen een venster op het verleden van de planeet, maar kan ook bijdragen aan de zoektocht naar bewijs voor leven buiten de aarde. De combinatie van geavanceerde chemische analysemethoden en instrumenten zoals MIST en PIXL vormt daarmee een essentieel onderdeel van de missie om de mysteries van Mars te ontrafelen.

De Perseverance-rover ontdekte tweeëntwintig soorten mineralen die een dynamische geschiedenis van vulkanische rotsen tonen die zijn veranderd door interacties met vloeibaar water in de Jezero-krater.

Drie periodes van vloeibaar water

De belangrijkste conclusie uit het onderzoek is dat er in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars minstens drie aparte periodes waren waarin vloeibaar water op het oppervlak aanwezig was. Elke periode wordt gekenmerkt door verschillende chemische, fysische en milieufactoren die de potentie voor het ondersteunen van leven beïnvloeden. Deze periodes vormen een belangrijke schakel in het begrijpen van de evolutionaire geschiedenis van de planeet en bieden inzicht in de omstandigheden die mogelijk gunstig waren voor het ontstaan en de ontwikkeling van microbieel leven. Door de chemische samenstelling, mineralogische vondsten en fysische omstandigheden te bestuderen, kunnen wetenschappers een gedetailleerd beeld schetsen van de veranderingen die Mars heeft doorgemaakt en de mogelijke habiele omgevingen die zich in de loop van de tijd hebben voorgedaan.

1. Eerste episode: Hoog-temperatuur, zure wateren
De eerste periode werd gekenmerkt door lokale, hoge-temperatuur en zure wateren, vooral geconcentreerd op de bodem van bepaalde kraters. Mineralen zoals greenalite en hisingerite die in deze fase werden aangetroffen, wijzen op een omgeving met een lage pH en hoge temperaturen. Dit wijst op agressieve chemische omstandigheden die mogelijk ontstaan zijn door vulkanische activiteit of hydrothermale systemen. Zulke omstandigheden zijn doorgaans ongeschikt voor het ontstaan van leven, omdat ze organische moleculen kunnen afbreken en ongunstige chemische reacties stimuleren. Toch is het belangrijk om deze periode te erkennen, omdat ze een eerste belangrijke fase vertegenwoordigen in de geologische geschiedenis van Mars. Het feit dat er water aanwezig was onder dergelijke omstandigheden betekent dat er vroeg in de geschiedenis van de planeet al processen plaatsvonden die de basis legden voor latere, meer gunstige milieus. Bovendien kan het bestuderen van deze zure wateren meer inzicht geven in de geochemische processen en de vulkanische geschiedenis van Mars, wat essentieel is voor het begrijpen van de evolutie van de planeet.

2. Tweede episode: Gematigde, neutrale omstandigheden
De tweede periode, ondersteund door het mineraalprofiel, vond plaats onder meer gematigde en neutrale chemische condities. In deze fase was de pH meer neutraal, en de temperaturen lager dan in de eerste periode. Mineralen zoals smectieten en chlorieten wijzen op een omgeving waarin water in grotere hoeveelheden en over langere tijd aanwezig was. Dit soort omstandigheden zijn gunstiger voor het ontstaan van leven, omdat ze stabielere chemische omstandigheden bieden en organische moleculen kunnen beschermen. De aanwezigheid van mineralen die wijzen op een neutrale pH en het bewijs voor langdurige waterfaciliteiten suggereren dat Mars in deze periode een stabiele en uitgebreide waterkringloop kende. Dit zou kunnen duiden op een klimaat dat vergelijkbaar is met dat van bepaalde aardse meren of oceanen. De mogelijkheid dat deze omstandigheden lang hebben geduurd, verhoogt de kans dat micro-organismen zich in deze omgeving konden vestigen en mogelijk evolueren. De tweede fase vertegenwoordigt dus een cruciale stap in de overgang van een agressieve, chemisch veeleisende omgeving naar een meer bewoonbare en stabiele situatie.

3. Derde episode: Laag-temperatuur, alkalische omstandigheden
De meest recente en waarschijnlijk meest leefbare periode wordt gekenmerkt door de vorming van mineralen in een omgeving met lage temperaturen en alkalische pH-waarden. Mineralen zoals carbonaten en serpenten wijzen op een chemie die stabiel is en organische moleculen kan beschermen tegen afbraak. De aanwezigheid van grote watermassa’s in deze periode suggereert dat Mars mogelijk langdurige meren of oceanen had, waarin micro-organismen zich konden ontwikkelen. Alkalische omstandigheden bieden een gunstig klimaat voor het ontstaan van leven omdat ze chemisch stabiel zijn en de afbraak van organische stoffen beperken. Bovendien kunnen deze omstandigheden een meer gevarieerd ecosysteem mogelijk maken door het bieden van een stabiele voedingsbodem voor microben. Het feit dat deze periode relatief recent zou kunnen zijn, geeft ook de mogelijkheid dat er nog steeds sporen van microbieel leven aanwezig kunnen zijn in ondergrondse wateren of mineralen die in deze periode zijn gevormd. Deze fase wordt daarom beschouwd als de meest gunstige voor het ontstaan en de ontwikkeling van levensvormen op Mars.

Samenvatting en conclusie
De ontdekking van deze drie periodes benadrukt dat Mars door zijn geschiedenis heen verschillende milieus heeft gekend, elk met unieke chemische en fysische omstandigheden. Het onderzoek naar de mineralen en geochemische processen die in deze periodes plaatsvonden, helpt niet alleen bij het reconstrueren van de geologische geschiedenis van Mars, maar biedt ook belangrijke aanwijzingen voor de zoektocht naar bewijs voor voormalig leven op de planeet. De overgang van zure, hoge-temperatuur wateren naar meer stabiele, alkalische wateren wijst op een evolutie in het klimaat en de geochemie van Mars die mogelijk de voorwaarden voor het ontstaan van microbieel leven heeft gecreëerd. Het bestuderen van deze periodes biedt niet alleen inzicht in het verleden van Mars, maar vormt ook een leidraad voor toekomstige exploraties en het zoeken naar sporen van leven op Mars en mogelijk ook op andere planeten.

NASA/Caltech-JPL/MSSS

Curiosity nam deze selfie op een onderzoeklocatie die de naam ‘Mary Anning’ heeft gekregen, naar een negentiende-eeuwse Engelse paleontologe. De rover heeft op deze locatie, in de regio Glen Torridon, drie gesteentemonsters uit een stuk rots geboord. Wetenschappers denken dat de omstandigheden in dit gebied ooit geschikt waren voor levensvormen.

Wat betekent dit voor de mogelijkheid van leven?

De ontdekking dat Mars meerdere periodes van vloeibaar water heeft gekend met verschillende chemische eigenschappen, versterkt de hypothese dat de planeet mogelijk meerdere keer hospitaal- of leefbare omstandigheden heeft gekend. Vooral de laatste periode van alkalisch, laag-temperatuur water lijkt het meest geschikt voor het ondersteunen van microbieel leven, zoals dat op aarde voorkomt.

Eleanor Moreland, een promovenda aan Rice University en leidster van het onderzoek, benadrukt dat de mineralen die op Mars gevonden zijn, aangeven dat de planeet niet slechts één keer, maar meerdere keren, een bewoonbare omgeving heeft gekend. Volgens haar wijzen de chemische veranderingen in de mineralen op een dynamische en complexe geschiedenis van wateractiviteiten, die meerdere kansen bieden voor het ontstaan en overleven van leven.

De rol van de Perseverance-rover

De Perseverance-rover speelt een essentiële en veelzijdige rol in het verkennen van Mars en het uitbreiden van onze kennis over de rode planeet. Sinds haar succesvolle landing in februari 2021 op de Jezero-krater, een gebied dat wordt beschouwd als een van de meest veelbelovende locaties voor het vinden van bewijs voor oud leven, heeft de rover een breed scala aan wetenschappelijke taken uitgevoerd. Een van haar belangrijkste functies is het verzamelen van rots- en sedimentmonsters, die later in detail kunnen worden onderzocht om de geologische geschiedenis van Mars te ontrafelen.

De rover is uitgerust met een geavanceerd palet aan wetenschappelijke instrumenten, waaronder een chemisch analyserend apparaat genaamd SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) en een roterende boor genaamd the Sample Caching System. Hiermee kan Perseverance rotsmonsters boren, verzamelen en bewaren in speciale cacheeenheden die bedoeld zijn voor toekomstige terugkeer naar de aarde. Dit is een cruciale stap in het plan om Mars-monsters naar onze planeet te brengen, zodat ze op een veel gedetailleerder niveau kunnen worden onderzocht met de meest geavanceerde laboratoriumapparatuur.

Een van de voornaamste doelen van de missie is het detecteren van potentiële biosignaturen, oftewel tekenen van oud leven op Mars. Door het bestuderen van de chemische en mineralogische samenstelling van de monsters, probeert de rover te achterhalen of de omstandigheden ooit geschikt waren voor microbieel leven. Naast chemische analyses gebruikt Perseverance ook haar geologische en mineralogische instrumenten om de omgeving te interpreteren. Zo onderzoekt de rover bijvoorbeeld de aanwezigheid van mineralen die typisch zijn voor water, zoals clays en sulfaten, en bestudeert ze de stratificatie van de sedimenten om de historie van water op Mars te reconstrueren.

Daarnaast speelt Perseverance een belangrijke rol in het in kaart brengen van de geologische geschiedenis van de Jezero-krater en het bepalen van de beste locaties voor het verzamelen van monsters. Het onderzoeksteam streeft ernaar om te begrijpen onder welke omstandigheden water op Mars aanwezig was en hoe lang deze omstandigheden hebben geduurd. Dit is van groot belang omdat het inzicht kan geven in de potentiële leefbaarheid van Mars in het verleden en de vraag of microbieel leven mogelijk is geweest.

Het uiteindelijke doel van de missie is om gebieden te identificeren die het meest geschikt zijn voor het vinden van bewijs voor oud leven, en om deze monsters klaar te maken voor toekomstige sample-terugname missies. Door haar uitgebreide wetenschappelijke werkzaamheden en het verzamelen van waardevolle gegevens, levert Perseverance een onschatbare bijdrage aan onze zoektocht naar het ontstaan en de geschiedenis van het leven op Mars.

De impact van deze bevindingen

De bevindingen dat Mars verschillende periodes heeft gekend waarin vloeibaar water aanwezig was, elk met hun eigen unieke chemische en geologische samenstelling, hebben ingrijpende gevolgen voor onze interpretatie van de planeet en de mogelijke aanwezigheid van leven. Deze variaties in chemische profielen suggereren dat Mars gedurende zijn geschiedenis verschillende milieus heeft gekend, met mogelijk afwisselende omstandigheden die de ontwikkeling en het bestaan van micro-organismen zouden hebben kunnen ondersteunen. Het feit dat water niet slechts één keer, maar meerdere malen en onder verschillende chemische omstandigheden op Mars heeft voorkomen, vergroot de kans dat levensvormen zich onder verschillende omstandigheden hebben kunnen ontwikkelen en voortbestaan.

Deze bevindingen bieden bovendien nieuwe perspectieven voor het begrijpen van de geologische en biologisch-potentiële geschiedenis van Mars. Ze suggereren dat de planeet niet één enkele, statische omgeving was, maar een dynamisch werelddeel met diverse milieus die mogelijk verschillende stadia van habitabiliteit hebben doorgemaakt. Dit opent de deur naar het zoeken naar microfossielen of andere tekenen van vroegere leven in verschillende regio’s, afhankelijk van de chemische samenstelling en de leeftijd van de waterlagen.

Daarnaast helpt deze kennis bij het bepalen van de meest veelbelovende locaties voor het verzamelen van monsters die mogelijk terug naar de Aarde kunnen worden gebracht. Het is van groot belang dat deze monsters afkomstig zijn uit gebieden waar de omstandigheden het meest gunstig waren voor het ontstaan, de ontwikkeling en het behoud van leven. Dit kunnen bijvoorbeeld regio’s zijn met aanwijzingen voor langdurige waterbestendigheid, zoals oude rivierbeddingen, meren of ondergrondse waterlagen die mogelijk beschermende omstandigheden boden. Door gerichte bemonstering op deze locaties kunnen wetenschappers de kans vergroten op het vinden van bewijs voor vroegere leven op Mars, wat cruciaal is voor het beantwoorden van fundamentele vragen over de oorsprong van het leven in het universum.

NASA/Caltech-JPL/MSSS

De toekomst van Mars-onderzoek

De komende jaren wordt verwacht dat verdere analyses, nieuwe technologische ontwikkelingen en mogelijk zelfs sample terugkeermissies meer duidelijkheid zullen scheppen over de vraag of leven ooit op Mars heeft bestaan. Het sturen van robots en landers naar de Rode Planeet heeft de afgelopen decennia al veel kennis opgeleverd, maar het daadwerkelijke terughalen van monsters uit de planeetbodem biedt de ultieme mogelijkheid om de samenstelling ervan grondig te bestuderen in laboratoria op aarde. Door het analyseren van deze monsters kunnen wetenschappers onder meer de aanwezigheid van organische verbindingen en andere indicatoren van vroegere levensvormen opsporen, wat een cruciale stap is in het beantwoorden van de eeuwenoude vraag of Mars ooit bewoonbaar was.

De combinatie van mineralogische, chemische en geologische gegevens vormt daarbij een krachtig instrumentarium om de complexe geschiedenis van de Rode Planeet te ontrafelen. Zo kunnen we bijvoorbeeld inzicht krijgen in de vroegere klimaatveranderingen, de evolutie van het water op Mars, en de mogelijke omstandigheden waarin micro-organismen mogelijk hebben kunnen overleven. Geavanceerde instrumenten, zoals spectrometers en radarsystemen, worden ingezet om de samenstelling van gesteenten en mineralen te bepalen, terwijl orbiter- en lander-missies steeds meer gedetailleerde kaarten maken van het Mars-oppervlak. Deze gegevens helpen om de meest veelbelovende locaties voor verdere exploratie te identificeren en mogelijk in de toekomst ook voor menselijke aanwezigheid.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Daarnaast wordt er volop gewerkt aan technologische innovaties, zoals het ontwikkelen van autonome robots en robotarmen die in staat zijn om dieper in de bodem te boren en monsters te verzamelen. Sample terugkeermissies, zoals de geplande missie van NASA en ESA, vormen een belangrijke mijlpaal in het Mars-onderzoek. Door monsters veilig terug te brengen naar de aarde, kunnen wetenschappers ze in uitgebreide laboratoria onderzoeken met een precisie die op Mars zelf niet mogelijk is. Dit geeft niet alleen inzicht in de geologie en chemie van de planeet, maar kan ook aanwijzingen bieden over de aanwezigheid van biosignaturen.

Tot slot benadrukken deze bevindingen dat Mars nog altijd een fascinerende en dynamische wereld is, met een geologische geschiedenis die mogelijk de sporen bevat van een lang verleden vol water en misschien zelfs leven. Het onderzoek aan de Jezero-krater en andere locaties op Mars blijft van cruciaal belang voor het beantwoorden van één van de grootste vragen in de astrobiologie: waren wij niet de enige wezens in het universum? Het ontdekken van bewijs voor vroegere leven op Mars zou niet alleen de menselijke kennis over de planeten en het ontstaan van leven aanzienlijk verrijken, maar ook onze plaats in het universum herdefiniëren. De komende jaren beloven dus een spannend hoofdstuk in de menselijke verkenning van de rode planeet, waarbij elke nieuwe ontdekking ons dichter brengt bij het beantwoorden van een van de grootste mysteries van het bestaan.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Conclusie

De recente ontdekkingen van NASA en haar partners bevestigen dat Mars in het verleden meerdere periodes van vloeibaar water heeft gekend, wat een cruciale factor is voor het ontstaan en het onderhouden van leven. Deze periodes waren niet slechts kortdurende gebeurtenissen, maar omvatten uitgebreide en mogelijk leefbare omgevingen, vooral in de latere stadia van de geologische geschiedenis van de planeet. Onderzoek door de Perseverance-rover heeft bijvoorbeeld aangetoond dat er in het verleden alkalisch, laag-temperatuur water aanwezig was, wat de kans op het ontstaan van microbieel leven significant vergroot. Alkalisch water, dat een hogere pH-waarde heeft, creëert een omgeving waarin organische stoffen en mineralen zich kunnen vormen en conserveren, wat essentieel is voor het ontstaan van leven.

De geologische bewijzen die door de rover zijn verzameld, zoals mineralen die alleen onder water kunnen vormen, vertellen een complex en dynamisch verhaal. Ze tonen aan dat Mars niet slechts een droge, roestkleurige wereld was, maar een planeet die gedurende miljoenen jaren een gevarieerd landschap kende, inclusief meren, rivieren en mogelijk ondergrondse waterreservoirs. Deze bevindingen suggereren dat de omstandigheden op Mars, zeker in bepaalde periodes, vergelijkbaar kunnen zijn geweest met die op aarde tijdens de tijd dat het leven zich daar ontwikkelde. Het feit dat mineralen zoals clays en sulfaten zijn gevonden, wijst op een rijke chemische interactie tussen water en gesteente, wat de kans op chemische evolutie en mogelijk biochemische processen vergroot.

Deze ontdekkingen brengen ons een belangrijke stap dichter bij het beantwoorden van een fundamentele vraag: heeft Mars ooit micro-organismen kunnen herbergen? Het lijkt erop dat de planeet in haar geologische geschiedenis meerdere kansen heeft gehad om levensvatbare omgevingen te bieden. Hoewel er nog geen direct bewijs van leven is gevonden, vormen deze nieuwe inzichten een stevige basis voor verder onderzoek. Wetenschappers blijven zoeken naar sporen van organische stoffen, microfossielen en andere indicatoren die kunnen wijzen op het bestaan van eenvoudig leven in het verleden.

De komende jaren zullen ongetwijfeld meer verrassingen en nieuwe ontdekkingen brengen. Met de inzet van geavanceerdere instrumenten en toekomstige missies, zoals de geplande sample-return missie, hopen we nog meer informatie te verkrijgen over de chemische samenstelling van het Marsbodem en ondergrondse waterlagen. Deze gegevens kunnen ons niet alleen helpen om de geologische geschiedenis van Mars beter te begrijpen, maar ook om te bepalen of de planeet nog steeds sporen van haar vroegere leven bewaart.

Kortom, de recente ontdekkingen versterken de hoop dat Mars ooit een leefbare wereld was en mogelijk nog steeds is. Ze onderstrepen het belang van voortdurende verkenning en onderzoek naar deze intrigerende planeet. Het zoeken naar bewijs voor oud leven op Mars is niet alleen een zoektocht naar kennis over een andere wereld, maar ook een stap in de richting van het begrijpen van onze eigen oorsprong en de universele vraag of we alleen zijn. In de toekomst kunnen deze wetenschappelijke doorbraken ons misschien wel dichter brengen bij het antwoord dat velen al lang zoeken: is er elders in het universum leven ontstaan, en heeft Mars daarin ooit een rol gespeeld?

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Living conditions in the Jezero crater have changed repeatedly throughout its history

Water and minerals in Jezero Сrater

Jezero Crater on Mars is the very location that the Perseverance rover has been studying for many years. Thanks to its operation, scientists have long argued that at the beginning of the planet’s existence, there was a lake into which small rivers flowed and, possibly, life. But recently they have been able to discover that this place is actually quite important.

The rover is equipped with X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL). It can determine the chemical composition of minerals in the surrounding rocks. Recently, scientists have developed the MIST algorithm, which allows minerals formed in the presence of water flows with different properties to be identified. 

After all, the concept of “water” in everyday life is indeed very broad. Liquids that once flowed on the surface of Mars may have had different properties. And now, thanks to an article in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, we know exactly what happened there. 

Minerals and history of Jezero Crater

In total, scientists have discovered 24 minerals in the rocks of Jezero Crater that may reveal information about the interaction between its volcanic surface and liquids. Scientists have divided them into three main groups, reflecting different types of this interaction.

The first group includes greenalite, hisingerite, and ferroaluminoceladonite. They were formed in hot and highly acidic waters. Judging by the fact that they are only present in samples from the bottom of the crater, these were local volcanic sources that were not widespread. Life on Earth can totally exist in these conditions, but they’re pretty extreme, so the chances of finding traces of organisms in this early period of Mars’ existence are pretty low. 

The second group includes minnesotaite and clinoptilolite, which formed in water flows with significantly more moderate temperatures and acidity. They are present not only at the bottom of the crater, but also in the upper fan region — where water flowed out of it. This indicates that later this depression was much more heavily covered with water and conditions in it were more favorable for life.

The third group of minerals consists of minerals formed in low-temperature, slightly alkaline environments. These include, for example, sepiolite. It is found throughout the crater and indicates that at one time it was covered by a fairly thick layer of water that was quite suitable for life.

Thus, Mars indeed had several different episodes when bodies of water existed in Jezero Crater in one form or another. Details about them will be revealed when samples of its rocks are delivered to Earth.

• According to phys.org

• Posted in News, Science

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