23 Remarkable Archaeological Discoveries Revealed in 2025

From a 9,000-year-old precision-engineered hammer to evidence of the Trojan War and many more...

The year's most captivating archaeological finds included an untouched Etruscan tomb, pristine Bronze Age armor, the legendary San José shipwreck treasures, and many more…

Every year brings a treasure trove of archaeological discoveries that capture our imagination and deepen our understanding of the past. The period spanning 2024-2025 proved exceptionally rich, revealing everything from opulent royal burials to humble Stone Age tools, from legendary battlegrounds to sacred sanctuaries. These finds, documented on Ancient Origins over the last year, span continents, millennia, and cultures, offering fascinating windows into the lives, beliefs, and technologies of our ancestors.

From the shores of the Baltic Sea to the depths of the Caribbean, from ancient Troy to medieval England, these discoveries remind us that countless secrets still lie buried beneath our feet, waiting to tell their stories. Here are some of the most remarkable finds revealed over the past year.

Warriors and Weapons

Archaeological evidence of ancient warfare continues to emerge from sites across the globe, from legendary Troy to the steppes of Central Asia. These discoveries reveal not only military technologies but also the social status, beliefs, and artistic sensibilities of warrior elites.

Fresh excavations at the legendary city of Troy in northwestern Turkey have uncovered what may be the most compelling evidence yet that Homer's Iliad describes real events. Turkish archaeologists discovered thousands of 3,500-year-old sling stones concentrated in a small area outside the palace walls, along with arrowheads, charred buildings, and hastily buried human remains. The sling stones, smoothed to aerodynamic perfection, were among the Bronze Age's most lethal weapons. "This concentration of sling stones in such a small area suggests intense fighting, either a desperate defense or a full-scale assault," explained Professor Rustem Aslan. The destruction layer dates to around 1200 BC, precisely matching the period Greek historians assigned to the Trojan War.

In southern Bulgaria, archaeologists unearthed the treasure-filled burial of a Thracian warrior from the 2nd century BC. The warrior was interred alongside his horse and adorned with a ceremonial wreath symbolizing his elite status. Bronze and gilded harness decorations featuring scenes from the Labors of Heracles demonstrate exceptional artistry. The grave's pristine condition allowed researchers to observe the original arrangement, revealing sophisticated burial customs that honored both warrior and mount.

Archaeological excavation of the 2nd-century BC Thracian warrior burial showing the ceremonial arrangement of grave goods.

Source: Община Тополовград - Topolovgrad Municipality

A remarkable bronze warrior figurine emerged from the Oppidum of Manching in Bavaria, leading one of the most significant Celtic discoveries in recent years. The miniature masterpiece, standing just 7.5 centimeters tall, depicts a warrior in an unusual lunging pose with sword and shield. Most intriguing is the figure's distinctive attire: armored chest protection combined with complete nudity from the waist down, possibly reflecting Celtic warriors' service as mercenaries in Greek armies. The find was among more than 40,000 artifacts recovered during excavations between 2021 and 2024.

The Celtic warrior statuette after restoration, depicting a warrior in lunging pose with sword and shield.

Source: Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation

In Kazakhstan's Aktogay district, archaeologists discovered a completely untouched 2,500-year-old Saka warrior tomb containing a skeleton still clutching a remarkable bronze sword. The double-edged bronze akinaka, cast as a single piece, features intricate decorations of argali (wild sheep) horns and birds of prey - motifs deeply significant in Saka art. "This type of akinak, with such design, has not yet been found elsewhere in Kazakhstan," noted archaeologist Arman Beissenov, highlighting the weapon's exceptional craftsmanship.

A fragment of Bronze Age armor dating back over 3,200 years was identified among artifacts discovered in South Moravia, Czech Republic. The armor had been deliberately damaged and buried alongside a bronze spearhead, sickle, and needle in what appears to have been a ritual offering. Using advanced 3D scanning technology, researchers digitally reconstructed the bent sheet metal, revealing distinctive ornamental patterns. The discovery dates to approximately 1200 BC - the same period traditionally associated with the legendary Trojan War.

Two medieval swords from Northern Europe reveal the complex interplay of Christian and pagan traditions during the High Middle Ages. A thousand-year-old ritual sword unearthed from the Korte Linschoten River in the Netherlands bears sacred Christian sun wheel symbols on one side and an ancient Viking endless knot on the other, representing the fusion of worldviews characteristic of frontier regions. Meanwhile, an extraordinary sixth-century Anglo-Saxon sword discovered in a Kent cemetery features intricate silver-and-gilt designs and a ring-pommel symbolizing an oath to a king. Lead archaeologist Duncan Sayer described it as "in the top echelons of swords, an elite object in every way."

Medieval sword from Linschoten, with knot symbol engraved on the blade.

Source: Ruben de Heer / Landgoed Linschoten/ RMO

Imperial Treasures

Royal burials and imperial artifacts provide unparalleled insights into the wealth, power, and beliefs of ancient rulers. Several remarkable imperial discoveries emerged this year, spanning from ancient Egypt to feudal Japan.

Archaeologists in Japan recovered extraordinary artifacts from Emperor Nintoku's tomb for the first time in over a century and a half. The treasures, including a gold-plated ceremonial knife and gilded armor fragments, had been missing since 1872 when they were secretly removed from Japan's largest burial mound. Modern scientific analysis revealed sophisticated metallurgical techniques, including iron coated directly with gold rather than copper as previously thought. The knife features an iron blade in a Japanese cypress sheath, encased in extraordinarily thin gold-plated copper secured with silver rivets - representing unique 5th-century craftsmanship.

Parts of a gold-plated knife that have been recovered from Emperor Nintoku's tomb.

Source: Kokugakuin University

Submerged Secrets

Underwater archaeology continues to reveal ships, ports, and treasures lost to the seas centuries ago, providing unique perspectives on ancient maritime trade, warfare, and daily life.

The 2024 expedition to the Antikythera shipwreck marked a significant milestone in underwater archaeology. Between May and June, ideal weather conditions allowed for extensive excavation, yielding about 300 objects including 21 marble fragments, numerous structural elements of the ship's hull, and over 200 pottery fragments. Most significantly, the team discovered evidence of a second shipwreck at the site, with Area 'B' yielding remains of another wooden ship beneath its cargo. The findings, documented with advanced remotely operated vehicles and 3D scanning, continue to illuminate the ancient maritime tragedy that occurred over 2,000 years ago.

Colombian scientists successfully retrieved the first artifacts from the legendary San José galleon, known as the "holy grail of shipwrecks." Among the recovered items from nearly 2,000 feet beneath the Caribbean Sea were a bronze cannon, three gold coins, and a delicate porcelain cup. The 62-gun, three-masted galleon sank in 1708 during a British ambush while carrying an estimated 11 million gold and silver coins worth $17-20 billion today. President Gustavo Petro's administration emphasizes that the expedition's primary purpose is research rather than treasure recovery, with plans to display artifacts in a proposed museum in Cartagena.

Underwater archaeologists concluded a new phase of excavation at the submerged ancient Greek port of Asini near Tolo in Argolis, Greece. Working in the northwestern portion of a submerged artificial platform, researchers employed high-resolution photogrammetry to document substantial structural components including stone blocks and amphorae fragments. The discoveries confirm the presence of an expansive harbor that played a pivotal role in maritime trade throughout different historical eras, from the Bronze Age through the Roman period.

Exposing a large part of the Antikythera shipwreck’s hull.

(Greek Ministry of Culture)

Tombs and Burials

Burial sites, from simple graves to elaborate chamber tombs, provide invaluable insights into ancient beliefs, social hierarchies, and funerary practices.

A Baylor University-led team made one of the most significant Etruscan discoveries in recent decades: an intact 2,600-year-old chamber tomb at the San Giuliano necropolis in central Italy. The sealed burial chamber contained four individuals surrounded by over 100 remarkably preserved grave goods including ceramic vases, iron weapons, bronze ornaments, and delicate silver hair spools. "This completely sealed burial chamber represents a rare find for Etruscan archaeology," explained Dr. Davide Zori. The tomb dates to the 7th century BC and has remained completely undisturbed, a remarkable rarity in Etruscan archaeology where most tombs have been looted over the centuries.

In 1935, archaeologists discovered a mummified Egyptian woman whose mouth was frozen open in what appeared to be a scream. Recent studies using advanced CT scans have provided new insights into the "Screaming Woman" mummy. Dr. Sahar Saleem's team found that despite being buried approximately 2,500 years ago, her body remains remarkably well preserved, with brain, internal organs, and even hair treated with henna intact. Her agonized expression may have been caused by cadaveric spasm - a rare phenomenon linked to violent deaths or extreme emotional distress that causes muscles to stiffen at the moment of death, preserving the deceased's final expression.

Left; The Screaming Woman mummy, Right; CT scan of the Screaming Woman mummy, wearing her wig.   

Source: Sahar Saleem/Frontiers in Medicine

Sacred Spaces

Religious structures and ritual objects illuminate the spiritual lives of ancient peoples, from mysterious cults to biblical sanctuaries.

Archaeologists excavating at ancient Shiloh in Israel believe they have uncovered the stone foundations of the biblical Tabernacle, the sacred sanctuary that once housed the Ark of the Covenant. Led by Dr. Scott Stripling, the team unearthed a monumental stone building matching the exact dimensions and orientation specified in scripture, with an interior wall dividing it into two areas precisely as described in Exodus 26. The team discovered over 100,000 animal bones, predominantly from the right side of sheep, goats, and cattle - exactly matching the requirements outlined in Leviticus 7 for priestly offerings.

A stunning third-century fresco depicting Jesus as the "Good Shepherd" emerged from a chamber tomb in İznik, Turkey - the only known example of this iconic Christian motif in Anatolia. The fresco shows Jesus as a clean-shaven young man in a simple tunic with a large horned goat across his shoulders, flanked by pairs of goats. This Roman-style depiction contrasts with later Byzantine representations and illustrates the transitional nature of third-century religious art, where Christian iconography coexisted with pagan traditions.

The frescoed chamber tomb at Hisardere Necropolis in Iznik, showing the Good Shepherd scene on the back wall.

Source: Arkeolojihaber

Excavations at Kurul Castle in Ordu, Turkey continue to uncover evidence of a royal Dionysian cult that flourished over 2,000 years ago. Terracotta figurines of young Dionysus, the pastoral god Pan, and distinctive goat-shaped ceremonial vessels point to active Dionysian cult practices within the castle walls. The discoveries take on extraordinary significance given that King Mithridates VI deliberately identified with Dionysus, with a crucial inscription from 94/93 BC explicitly referring to "King Mithridates Eupator Dionysus."

Prehistoric Ingenuity

Stone Age discoveries demonstrate the remarkable technological sophistication and adaptability of our earliest ancestors.

During excavations in Horten, eastern Norway, archaeologists uncovered a rare 9,000-year-old shaft-hole hammer that demonstrates the precision and patience of ancient toolmakers. The hammer head features a meticulously drilled hole created from both sides using a hollow deer or moose bone combined with sand and water. "It's nicely crafted," noted archaeologist Silje Hårstad, emphasizing the level of skill required for such work 9,000 years ago. The discovery was among over 5,000 artifacts from what appears to have been a thriving settlement, providing crucial evidence of the cultural shift when hunter-gatherers began transitioning to more settled communities.

Deep in Poland's peaceful Baltic shore countryside, a farmer unearthed a small beige sculpture that would rewrite northern Europe's prehistory. The "Kołobrzeg Venus," a 6,000-year-old limestone statuette measuring just 12 centimeters tall, features wide hips, prominent breasts, and no facial features, recalling the ancient Venus figurine convention. "This is the find of the century," said Aleksander Ostasz, director of the Polish Arms Museum. Radiocarbon testing established it as one of the oldest known artifacts associated with settled agricultural communities in this part of Europe, previously unknown north of the Carpathians.

In southern Dagestan, archaeologists unveiled one of 2025's most significant discoveries: a 7,000-year-old Copper Age settlement designated Dagogninskoe-2. The site reveals two distinct layers spanning millennia, with the lower Eneolithic stratum buried two meters deep. Among the most intriguing artifacts are obsidian tools, volcanic glass that could only have originated from the South Caucasus, hundreds of kilometers away. The discovery confirms that communities of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture spread northward into Dagestan, revolutionizing understanding of ancient migration patterns across the challenging Caucasus terrain.

Cities and Settlements

Urban archaeological sites reveal the complexity of ancient civilizations, from their architecture and infrastructure to their social organization.

Turkish archaeologists achieved a significant breakthrough at the renowned Kultepe archaeological site in central Turkey, uncovering private residences on the main mound for the first time in decades. The discovery of houses dating back approximately 4,700 years reveals that ordinary citizens lived alongside the monumental palaces and temples. Professor Fikri Kulakoglu explained that this challenges earlier assumptions that only grand structures occupied the summit. The residential quarter provides unprecedented insights into daily life in one of the ancient world's most important trading centers.

Archaeologists working beneath London's Palace of Westminster revealed remarkable prehistoric tools, medieval treasures, and architectural remains spanning six millennia. Over 60 worked flint tools from around 4300 BC were found in deep, undisturbed sands. Perhaps most spectacular was the discovery of significant remains from the medieval Lesser Hall constructed in 1167, which historians believed was completely destroyed in the 1834 fire. The discoveries demonstrate that Westminster's history extends far deeper than previously documented.

Left; Palace of Westminster, Right; Remains of the medieval Lesser Hall uncovered beneath the Palace of Westminster, showing stone walls that survived the 1834 fire and World War II bombings, Inset; Medieval lead badge. 

Source: Left; Public Domain, Right;  R&R Delivery Authority via Archaeology Magazine

Chinese archaeologists unearthed what is now considered the oldest known section of the Great Wall of China, dating back nearly 300 years earlier than previously estimated to the eighth century BC. The section known as the Qi Great Wall stretches around 400 miles across Shandong Province. Excavations revealed that the walls were built in phases, with the oldest sections measuring approximately 33 feet in width. Beneath the early walls, researchers discovered semi-underground dwellings with square foundations, suggesting local inhabitants lived in the area before fortifications were built.

Precious Metals and Treasures

Gold, silver, and precious artifacts reveal the wealth, artistry, and trade networks of ancient civilizations.

Amateur archaeologists in Poland's Grodziec Forest District made an extraordinary discovery: a stunning 5th-century Gothic gold necklace weighing 222 grams, emerging from a ceramic pot buried over 1,500 years ago. The complete gold torc features a distinctive hook and loop closure mechanism and had been carefully bent and folded to fit inside the pot. This marks the first example of a Gothic torc discovered in Polish territory, providing valuable insight into trade routes and cultural exchange between Gothic communities and local populations during the Migration Period.

Left, the torc protruding from the vessel, Right, X-ray showing the torc in the vessel.

(DENAR Kalisz - Stowarzyszenie Poszukiwaczy Śladów Historii)

A Legacy of Discovery

These thirty remarkable discoveries from 2024-2025 represent only a fraction of the archaeological treasures emerging from soil, sand, and sea around the world. Each find adds another piece to the vast puzzle of human history, revealing the ingenuity, artistry, beliefs, and daily lives of our ancestors.

From the warrior with his pristine bronze sword to the craftsperson who spent patient hours drilling a hole through stone, from the devotees who worshipped Dionysus in a mountain fortress to the early Christians who painted Jesus as the Good Shepherd, these discoveries remind us that the past is not truly past, it lives on in the objects, structures, and stories waiting to be uncovered.

• Top image: Collage of images of finds in 2025.  
• Source: AI Generated.

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{ https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-0 }

01-01-2026 om 20:37 geschreven door peter  

This Man Claims There Are Multiple Bases on the Moon – Including a Massive Ancient Ark – and People Living There Who Look Like Indians

He served as a 91J (quartermaster and chemical equipment repairer), worked with water purification, and was often used as a translator because he speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and some other languages.

He was attached to the 7th Special Forces Group (though he makes clear he was not a Green Beret himself; he calls himself a “Red Beret” paratrooper) and reached the rank of E-4.

He says lower-ranking soldiers like him were usually the ones sent on the actual missions, while higher-ranking officers stayed in secure locations.

Before joining the military, Pabon lived in Orlando, Florida, where he cleaned pools, installed security cameras, and made music. He started taking photos of UFOs around 2007–2008, including triangular TR3B craft and cigar-shaped objects.

Mysterious men in tactical gear (sometimes wearing balaclavas) would approach him in white vans or trucks and tell him exactly when and where to look up to photograph the craft.

He calls these men “white hats” who wanted the information to get out. At the same time, other groups of armed men would pick him up, interrogate him, and tell him to stop sharing photos.

After he sent a TR3B photo to Dr. Michael Salla and it got media attention, he lost his job. The “good” men then encouraged him to join the Army so the harassment would stop. He joined at age 34, and the military changed his life for the better.

Pabon describes secret missions he took part in while in the Army. He was part of multinational teams that included U.S. special forces from different branches, as well as people from other countries.

On these missions, they wore black tactical gear and were transported by helicopters or Ospreys to large Navy ships that could partially submerge to hide.

From there, they went underwater to visit enormous ancient “ark” ships, massive structures the size of three football stadiums or larger, that have been on Earth for hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of years.

He visited one near the Bermuda area off Florida, and says there are others scattered around the world’s oceans, including near Puerto Rico, south of Hawaii near California, south of India, between Venezuela and Puerto Rico, in the Arctic, and in Antarctica.

These arks are alive; they have a consciousness, give off a pleasant smell like hay mixed with algae and vanilla, and feel like they have a heartbeat.

Tall, blonde Nordic extraterrestrials now control them. Inside, there are different departments and rooms, and some areas connect to underground cities where humans and Nordics live and work together. These cities are multi-layered but smaller than major cities like New York, and they function more like bases without children.

Pabon says he was chosen for missions because he seems to have a natural ability to call down or communicate with UFO craft, possibly through prayer or meditation. He has seen UFOs appear at conferences where he speaks, and his wife and children have also witnessed craft.

He describes seeing Nordics training pilots from Artemis Accords countries in Alabama inside a cavern, using flying-saucer-shaped vehicles. He has also seen “ant people” (beings with big eyes and dreadlock-like hair that live underground, similar to stories from Hopi Indians) and, from a distance, one gray alien during a strange mission involving moving large amounts of gold.

group with other military personnel and civilians, aboard a craft similar to triangular TR3B craft. The trip caused him to black out, and when he woke up, they were already there.

He believes the U.S. has very advanced technology—hundreds of years ahead—including anti-gravity propulsion, space-time manipulation, and quantum technology, much of it developed through cooperation with friendly extraterrestrials like the Nordics. He says many UFO sightings today are actually human-made craft using this borrowed technology, though some are still extraterrestrial. Countries work together secretly on these programs despite public rivalries.

He mentions opposition to disclosure. There are “dark forces” (not the regular military or defense contractors) that do not want this information out, possibly because of old unbreakable contracts. He has been threatened at gunpoint and even kicked in the face by aggressive people using advanced craft for bad purposes. Still, he believes disclosure is coming soon, possibly in phases, and that 2026 could be a key year.

Multiple Moon Bases

He speaks openly about his one remembered trip to a moon base, advanced healing technology called medbeds, Stargates and jump rooms for instant travel, and the spiritual side of everything he has witnessed.

Pabon says there are multiple bases on the moon, including at least one large ancient ark similar to the ones he described under Earth’s oceans in part one.

This ark is partly visible on the surface but mostly underground, located somewhere between the near side and the far side (he cannot give the exact spot). Many countries are involved in moon operations.

He reveals that there are people living on the moon who look Indian, with dark skin and traditional Indian features. They are highly spiritual, combine advanced technology with their spiritual traditions, and fly egg-shaped craft.

These craft are connected to ancient Indian culture (he mentions vimanas from old texts). Pabon believes these moon inhabitants sometimes visit Earth and that the U.S. has recovered some of their egg-shaped ships in crash retrievals.

One of these beings, whom he calls “Lovent,” once picked him up in an egg-shaped craft. He says the egg-shaped UFO shown in a recent NewsNation report about a crash retrieval looks almost identical to the ones he has seen.

He remembers being transported to the moon only once, in a group with other military personnel and civilians, aboard a craft similar to triangular TR3B craft. The trip caused him to black out, and when he woke up, they were already there.

The craft flew into an ancient volcanic tunnel lined with beautiful copper-like material. Inside the moon base, the air is thin but breathable and feels refreshing, similar to high altitude on Earth.

There is a lot of crystallized water on the moon, and advanced technology extracts oxygen from it. The base has newer sections built by humans (possibly in cooperation with Nordics) and older parts that look like ancient Roman-style structures built into large caverns.

The moon itself makes a constant humming sound, almost like an engine. Pabon believes the entire moon is alive or is actually a huge ancient craft that has been parked there for a very long time.

He wonders if it could be moved closer to Earth to cause massive waves or resets of civilization, though he stresses he is not trying to spread fear.

While on the moon, his job was mainly to provide security. He says missions often use lower-ranking soldiers who have already had contact experiences because these things become normal to them. He did not see everyday facilities like bathrooms or cafeterias; everyone took special pills beforehand that seemed to handle bodily needs. The visit felt fast-paced, lasting maybe a few hours.

Pabon talks about portal technology for instant travel. He has seen large Stargates big enough for ships to pass through and smaller “jump rooms” that make a person feel dizzy and nauseous before they suddenly appear somewhere else. He believes some are located at major U.S. Air Force bases like Eglin (possibly also linked to the new Space Force headquarters in Alabama). At one Stargate facility, he encountered aggressive “bad people” who act like guards and punish anyone who looks up or steps out of line.

Read also:

• This Man Says NASA Asked for Help After Astronauts Encountered Orbs Containing 125-Foot Winged Angelic Beings That Smiled at Them
• This Man Claimed that in 1994 he Met a Blue, Crocodile-Eyed ‘Alien’ in a Military Uniform
• This Man Behind the Documentary “The Age of Disclosure” Claims Donald Trump Might Be the One to Confirm the Existence of Aliens

A major part of the interview focuses on medbeds, advanced healing devices far beyond current medicine.

Pabon personally used one at Eglin Air Force Base. He lay in a capsule filled with a sticky gel connected to wires, unable to move from the neck down. Blood was taken, and he blacked out for part of the time.

Afterward, he felt dramatically better, almost like he could run two miles in 12 minutes again. He says the technology is borrowed from extraterrestrials but can also be dangerous if misused, which is why it is not released to the public yet.

When the time comes, it will be rolled out slowly through different companies specializing in certain conditions, and people may need preparatory medications or vaccines first. There are medbeds on the moon base as well.

He mentions other advanced technologies, including devices that can transfer consciousness (like in the movie Avatar) and healing “salamander wands” that can regrow missing limbs.

He once tried to build a healing wand at home after receiving instructions from a Nordic being, but unknown people broke into his house and stole everything. The same thing happened to an Air Force friend who builds technology.

Pabon briefly talks about travel beyond the moon. He has memories or dreams of seeing Jupiter and the rings of Saturn up close. He says a multinational company (not just the U.S.) mines materials from Saturn’s rings and other places in the solar system.

He defends the Apollo astronauts, saying they really went to the moon but on missions different from what was publicly shown, focused on making connections rather than just planting flags or driving rovers.

He loves the military, calls joining the best decision of his life, and says he is not a whistleblower but someone given permission to share certain parts of his story. He believes full disclosure will happen in stages and that love and spirituality are the most important messages people should take from all of this.

{ https://howandwhys.com/ }

01-01-2026 om 20:18 geschreven door peter  

NASA Returns to the Moon in 2026

NASA’s Artemis II mission will get the year off to an early start with current plans for an early-February launch for the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo program ended in 1972. Over the course of 10 days, it will bring astronauts around the Moon and back. During that time, Artemis II will test essential systems ahead of future moon landings under the Artemis program. These include the Orion life support system and optical communications between Earth and the Moon. Additionally, the mission will deploy cubesats from several countries, including Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.

Through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the space agency will send essential materials to the lunar surface this year through two missions with private commercial partners. These missions will serve as important steps toward a crewed Artemis III Moon landing and, eventually, a permanent lunar base.

Intuitive Machines IM-3

The Intuitive Machines IM-3 mission builds on the IM-2 mission, which was cut short in 2025 due to touchdown errors, leaving the Athena lander unable to generate sufficient power. IM-3 will include multiple landers, a rover, robotic explorers, and an environmental monitor, with a particular focus on investigating the Reiner Gamma lunar swirl. The strange spiraling features known as lunar swirls are linked to magnetic anomalies that have long been observed on the Moon. IM-3 will investigate their nature and, ideally, provide scientists with new insights into how they form. 

Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, set for late 2026, and its Elytra Dark orbital vehicle will deploy both Blue Ghost and the ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder satellite. After Blue Ghost sets down on the far side of the moon, Elyta will stay in orbit to provide communications relay and radio frequency calibration support for five years. The mission will lay the groundwork for permanent habitation by identifying helpful resources, testing lunar power network technologies, and improving lunar communications.

This year, SpaceX hopes to make Starship’s first orbital flight

(Credit: SpaceX)

From the Moon to Mars with SpaceX

SpaceX plans to continue operations with its twelfth Starship launch, which is expected to reach suborbital altitude. The booster stack for the launch has already been assembled, keeping the mission on track for February or March. Following that, flight thirteen may achieve Starship’s first orbital flight, proving the vehicle’s spaceworthiness. 

Later in the year, SpaceX has even more ambitious plans for Starship, including testing and demonstrating its Human Landing System for a crewed Artemis III mission and possibly launching uncrewed upper stages to Mars. From October to December, the 2026 Mars launch window will be open, a period when the two planets are optimally positioned for the shortest, most fuel-efficient journey between them every 26 months.

In 2024, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk outlined a plan to send five Starships loaded with Optimus robots to scout resources and prepare infrastructure for crewed missions scheduled for later windows. By May 2025, Musk estimated a 50% chance of meeting this goal. Later in the year, he admitted it was looking increasingly unlikely, but there was still a chance. Notably, the SpaceX website still states that the next launch window is in 2026, with no clear indication whether this goal will be met.

Another American aerospace company, Vast, is targeting a 2026 launch for the first-ever commercial space station. They will turn to SpaceX to launch the Haven-1 space station in May with a Falcon 9 rocket, followed by a 14-day crewed mission in June, arriving via a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Haven-1 will host a 10-slot microgravity research and manufacturing platform, along with amenities for a crew of four, available to paying customers

NASA Launches in 2026

Musk isn’t the only one taking advantage of the 2026 Mars window. In November, NASA launched the ESCAPADE mission into Earth orbit. Once the launch window opens, ESCAPADE, using Earth’s gravity, will slingshot to the red planet, where its two identical satellites will study how space weather affects the strange Martian magnetosphere.

To establish long-term habitability, the mission will explore how space weather, the planet’s thin atmosphere, and its magnetic crust interact. Scientists hope this new data will conclusively reveal how Mars lost its thick atmosphere. Data from the project will be essential to long-term safe habitation on the Red Planet, as it will enable mission planners to mitigate the effects of dangerous space weather in an environment that depends on artificial life support systems.

Several other NASA missions will make progress this year. The Discovery Program’s Psyche spacecraft will use a Mars gravity assist this summer to catapult it on its journey to the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche. The Europa Clipper Mission will use another gravity assist from Earth in December to fling it on its way to its final destination. In 2030, once it arrives at Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, it will assess whether the moon is habitable.

Over the summer, NASA will launch a group of small cubesats about the size of toasters as part of its SunRISE (Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment) mission. Focused on space weather, the mission will monitor solar radio bursts and map the Sun’s magnetic field. As NASA extends human missions to the Moon and beyond to Mars, a better understanding of how the Sun’s charged particles can affect spacecraft will be essential to mission safety.

China’s previous lunar mission, Chang’e-6, returned samples from the far side of the Moon.

Credit: CNSA

Chinese Space Exploration in 2026

America is not the only country with grand space ambitions for 2026. China’s Chang’e 7 is anticipated to launch toward the end of the year. Named for the Chinese moon goddess, the Chang’e series has focused on investigating the lunar surface, which will continue with Chang’e 7’s exploration of the lunar south pole.

This area is particularly interesting for its cold traps: the shadowy craters that never receive enough direct sunlight to become illuminated. Their perpetual darkness leaves them with stores of frozen water and other minerals that could make them an essential supply for future permanent bases. The mission includes an orbiter, a relay satellite, a lander, a rover, and a mini-flying probe. While NASA has already sent missions such as LRCROSS to the area, future missions, including Artemis III, will revisit it.

To investigate another rocky body in space, the Chinese Tianwen-2 sample-return mission will rendezvous with the asteroid 469219 Kamo’oalewa in July for exploration and sample collection.

China’s Space Telescope

In addition to another lunar mission, China will add a new companion to its Tiangong space station, which launched in three sections between 2021 and 2022. Tiangong is China’s first long-term space station and has been used to host numerous experiments in low Earth orbit. The new addition is a space telescope named Xuntian, expected to capture 40% of the sky during its mission, with a field of view approaching 350 times that of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Initially, the telescope was to be part of the Tiangong itself, but concerns about light pollution, vibration, and the space station obstructing the view led China to decide to launch Xuntian as a free-standing object in the same orbit as the space station. The mission is planned to last 10 years. It will utilize five onboard instruments: a survey camera, a terahertz receiver, a multichannel imager, an integral-field spectrograph, and a cool-planet imaging coronagraph.

These images will allow researchers to measure the positions, shapes, and brightnesses of nearly one billion galaxies, providing new context for their growth and evolution. To capture them, Xuntian features a two-meter-wide aperture, which enables a field of view 350 times that of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

JAXA’s Hayabusa-2 will continue its mission to investigate asteroids in 2026.

Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser. Asteroid: T. Santana-Ros et al. Hayabusa2 model: SuperTKG (CC-BY-SA).

International Missions in 2026

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) also have major plans for the year. Working together, the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission will enter Mercury orbit in November 2026, after which it will split into the Mercury Planetary Orbiter and the Mercury Magnetic Orbiter.

As the closest planet to the Sun, the mission will provide new insights into how hot planets near their stars evolve, with particular attention to their magnetic fields and magnetospheres. Additionally, mission measurements of Mercury’s motion will provide essential new data to evaluate Einstein’s general theory of relativity within the post-Newtonian formalism.

On its own, JAXA has two notable events planned. In July, Japan’s Haybusa-2 will conduct a flyby of the asteroid 98943 Torifune as part of its extended mission. More importantly, the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) will launch in 2026 to perform a sample-return mission on the Martian moon Phobos and a flyby of the Martian moon Deimos. The return sample should reach Earth for study sometime in 2031.

Planetary defense will receive some significant attention in 2026 with the ESA HERA mission’s arrival at the asteroid Didymos in November. HERA will follow up on the 2022 NASA DART mission. DART was a practical planetary defense test that used a kinetic impactor to alter the course of an asteroid. With its two cubists, HERA will rendezvous with the binary asteroid Didymos to observe the aftermath of DART’s impact up close.

2026 will not just be a year of beginnings but also of endings. The ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission is scheduled to conclude in 2026, with a possible 2030 extension under consideration.

With a plethora of launches, gravity slingshots, tests, landings, flybys, and sample return missions slated for the upcoming year, don’t expect the space news to slow down in 2026.

• Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.

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

01-01-2026 om 18:12 geschreven door peter  

Mysterious Dead Sea Scrolls code finally cracked revealing 2,000-year-old biblical writings

• READ MORE: 'Lost' books of the Bible expose secrets the Church is hiding about Jesus

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

After more than 70 years, a scientist has finally decoded one of the last undeciphered writing systems among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The breakthrough centers on the so-called Cryptic B manuscripts, two heavily damaged fragments labeled 4Q362 and 4Q363 that were long considered 'impossible' to read because they used an unfamiliar alphabet.

Researcher Emmanuel Oliveiro of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands determined that each cryptic symbol corresponded consistently to letters in Hebrew. 

Once deciphered, the fragments revealed familiar biblical phrases and themes about the end of days, including divine judgment, the coming of a Messiah and the ultimate destiny of Israel. 

Among the phrases is Yisrael (meaning 'Israel'), along with references to Judah, Jacob, and Elohim (meaning 'God').

The manuscripts were produced by the Qumran, a Jewish sect that lived near the Dead Sea more than 2,000 years ago. Known for preserving religious texts, the Qumran community's writings shed light on early Jewish beliefs, ritual practices and prophetic traditions.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, uncovered in caves near the West Bank between 1947 and 1956, include some of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and occasionally Greek. 

While Cryptic A was successfully deciphered in 1955, Cryptic B remained a mystery for decades. Its strange symbols, inconsistent handwriting, and tiny surviving fragments made it exceptionally difficult to decode. 

The Dead Sea Scrolls, uncovered in caves near the West Bank between 1947 and 1956, include some of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and occasionally Greek 

Only two manuscripts, 4Q362 and 4Q363, use this cipher exclusively, and many pieces of these texts are damaged, with some fragments measuring just a few millimeters across. 

The surviving fragments are tiny, fragile and worn. The leather is cracked, darkened or frayed, and some pieces show margins, stitching holes or wrinkles. 

Letters were written in black ink using fine- or medium-tipped pens, but their shapes, proportions, and spacing are inconsistent, with occasional corrections or double-tracing. 

Overall, the manuscripts show significant variation both within each fragment and between the two texts, highlighting the irregular scribal execution of Cryptic B.

The content of 4Q362 appears religious in nature, employing several biblical idioms.

Fragment 21 references 'Elohim' and 'your glory,' while fragment 18 mentions 'the tents of Jacob,' echoing phrases found in Jeremiah 30:18 and Malachi 2:12. 

In these passages, Judah also plays a role. Jeremiah 30:18, for instance, promises the restoration of Israel after judgment, with God bringing back their fortunes and rebuilding their cities, signaling hope and future renewal. 

Malachi 2:12 warns against unfaithfulness in marriage, emphasizing the importance of remaining loyal to the Hebrew community. 

The breakthrough centerson the so-called Cryptic B manuscripts, two heavily damaged fragments labeled 4Q362 and 4Q363 that were long considered 'impossible' to read because they used an unfamiliar alphabet. Pictured are pieces Pieces of Dead Sea Scroll with Cryptic B

Among the phrases is Yisrael, meaning 'Israel',' (PICTURED) along with references to Judah, Jacob, and Elohim (meaning 'God')

While 4Q362 does not directly quote these passages, its idiomatic language and thematic focus suggest an affinity with prophetic judgments and eschatological promises in biblical traditions.

The fragments also included references to dates and rulers. 

For example, the use of 'the second year' and 'the fifth month' may reflect specific historical or prophetic dating conventions, similar to those found in other biblical and sectarian texts.

One of the most enigmatic features of 4Q362 is the mention of a grave in fragments 2 and 14. 

While graves appear elsewhere in the Bible, none match the details described here. Oliveiro suggested that the word for 'signposts' in fragment 14 could also mean a tombstone, hinting at a possible connection.

4Q363 is even more fragmentary and difficult to interpret, as a repeated phrase appears twice, though it is unclear whether it refers to 'her daughters' or 'her villages.' 

A common name, Benayahu, also appears, but its frequency in other texts prevents a precise identification.

Pictured is a fragments of 4Q363

The reason these messages were encoded remains uncertain, but Oliveiro proposed that the unusual scripts may have served a symbolic or ritual purpose. 

By writing in an unfamiliar alphabet, the scribes could indicate that the content was intended for a select audience, such as priestly elites or scribal initiates, enhancing the text's sacred status without altering its meaning. 

The complexity of Cryptic B lies less in the cipher itself, which is relatively simple, and more in the deliberate distortion of letter shapes, which made it appear undecipherable for decades despite containing no hidden or mystical messages.

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

01-01-2026 om 17:43 geschreven door peter  

EXCLUSIVE - The five unsolved mysteries of 2025 that captivated the world... from a UFO surviving a hellfire missile to a 'vast city' under Egypt's pyramids

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

As 2025 comes to a close, several mysteries that left the world in stunned disbelief still have yet to be fully explained.

The past 12 months have read like a science-fiction novel, with thousands of UFOs swarming over the US East Coast, an interstellar visitor invading our solar system, and the potential discovery of giant columns under the Egyptian pyramids.

Moreover, scientists and government officials have been unable to disprove all of the wild theories surrounding many of these jaw-dropping events, including one respected scientist's claim that the giant space rock 3I/ATLAS may be an alien craft.

This roller-coaster year actually got off to a running start with the mysterious appearance of drone swarms over the US starting in late 2024, including over then-candidate for president Donald Trump's golf course in New Jersey.

1. The New Jersey drone sightings 

The bizarre drone sightings along the East Coast started in November 2024, with hundreds of people issuing reports to the UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) tracking website Enigma Labs before 2025 even began.

Once the new year rang in, the concerning sightings continued, causing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to put a temporary ban on flying drones in 22 New Jersey towns in January.

The ban did little to stop the sightings, with many Americans spotting 'car-sized drones' making no noise as they invaded the airspace of local military bases and Trump's property.

On his first day back in the Oval Office, Trump said he would start investigating the mysterious drone activity and put his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, on the case. 

Thousands of reports of large, silent drones (Pictured) over New Jersey and sensitive sights along the East Coast started in November 2024 and carried into 2025

The eventual reveal by the White House raised more questions than answers, as the president declared that the drones were 'not the enemy' and had been authorized by the US government to conduct 'research.'

In fact, the FAA failed to mention that drones had been cleared to conduct this alleged research and claimed the objects were 'lawful commercial drones and helicopters.'

To this day, the origin of the drone swarms, their targets over New Jersey and the rest of the East Coast, and their research remain a mystery.

However, an unnamed private firm contracted by the US military eventually took responsibility for the mysterious drone swarms, claiming they were conducting tests of their advanced aerial craft, according to off-the-record comments at an Army summit in August 2025.

2. The Buga sphere

Just weeks after the US drone swarm crisis, an alleged alien probe in South America was not only caught on video, but was recovered from a crash site in Colombia.

Named the Buga sphere, after the city it flew over in March, the strange hovering object was seen striking a power line and landing in a field, where local David Velez el Potro found it and refused to hand it over to the Colombian government.

Scientists who examined the alleged space probe found that it contained a maze of fiber-optic wires and emitted some form of energy that killed the soil and grass it touched and made people sick.

It was also covered in symbols that researchers compared to ancient scripts, including runes, Ogham, and Mesopotamian writing systems - although some skeptical scientists have dismissed the object as an elaborate art project.

The Buga Sphere (Pictured) was recovered by local residents in Colombia in March and has been in the care of scientists in Mexico ever since

Eventually, the Buga sphere was taken to Mexico City for further study by ufologists and other scientists. 

In June, Dr Steven Greer, an American ufologist and retired physician, claimed on X that 'fake policemen' attempted to enter the vault where the suspected UFO was being kept.

Since then, little information has been released about the Buga sphere, which researchers have called the first UFO recovered by private citizens and solely controlled by non-government scientists.

3. Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS

In the summer of 2025, another alleged alien visitor quickly moved into our solar system, marking only the third recorded object to enter our system from elsewhere in the cosmos.

The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS was discovered in early July, with most astronomers quickly moving to declare the visitor a comet, a fast-moving ice ball from a distant solar system.

NASA and the European Space Agency have both declared 3I/ATLAS a comet, but have been criticized for their lack of high-quality images of the space rock compared to photos taken by amateurs using backyard telescopes. 

Moreover, esteemed Harvard physicist Avi Loeb pointed out that the object was no ordinary comet, revealing at least 12 different abnormalities that suggested that the three-mile-long object may have been artificially created by an alien intelligence.

Those clues included having a comet's tail which is facing in the wrong direction of the sun, known as an anti-tail, suggesting the stream is actually exhaust from an engine that's guiding the object through space.

'There are still many unresolved anomalies of 3I/ATLAS. Each of these anomalies has less than a percent random chance and no explanation so far,' Loeb told the Daily Mail on Wednesday.

Loeb added that there's still more time to find out the true origins of 3I/ATLAS, which will pass Jupiter on March 16, 2026.

It has strangely shifted its course to perfectly align with the Lagrange points of Jupiter, a 'parking spot' in space where the gravity of the sun and Jupiter cancel each other out, so the object is not pulled apart.

'It would be interesting to check whether 3I/ATLAS releases any devices as satellites at the Lagrange points,' Loeb added.

Stargazers recently captured brand new clear images of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS (Pictured) using lower quality telescopes compared to those used by NASA

4. 'Vast city' under Egypt's Giza pyramids

A discovery that has been unfolding all year may rewrite the origins of the ancient Egyptians forever. 

In March, Italian researchers claimed to have uncovered 'a vast underground city' which stretches more than 4,000 feet directly underneath the Pyramids of Giza, making them 10 times larger than the pyramids themselves.

The bombshell claim, which many experts claim to have already debunked, came from a study that used radar pulses to create high-resolution images deep into the ground beneath the structures, the same way sonar radar is used to map the depths of the ocean.

In July, the same team identified a colossal vertical shaft leading to two chambers below the Sphinx.

While mainstream archaeologists have slammed the work as unscientific and speculative, the team insists their latest scans point to something extraordinary.

However, the physical proof that these structures really exist has not been presented yet, and answers to what their mysterious purpose may have been did not come in 2025.

Heading into 2026, the research team is hoping to receive permission to dig under both major structures to find traces of the hidden city. They've also submitted a formal proposal for non-invasive access, such as clearing existing shafts at the site.

Scientists used advanced technology to see beneath the three pyramids at Giza, finding evidence of a 'vast underground city' beneath

5. US government weighs UFO and alien disclosure

This year also brought multiple bombshells when it comes to the discussion over UFOs and extraterrestrial life, with the US government reportedly moving closer than ever before to full disclosure of classified reports on aliens.

In September, a panel of US military veterans testified before Congress as whistleblowers into the activities of secret government programs that allegedly had proof that UFOs and extraterrestrials were real.

In one shocking video, the public was shown a US military drone actually firing a Hellfire missile at a UFO, only to see the weapon harmlessly bounce off the extremely advanced craft. 

Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri revealed video of a US military drone striking an orb-shaped UFO with a missile, which bounced off and did not stop the craft

Since the hearing, Vice President JD Vance doubled down on a promise to 'get to the bottom of' the existence of alien life.

In November, a bombshell documentary called 'The Age of Disclosure' was released, which interviewed a plethora of high-ranking government officials, detailing the alleged 80-year global cover-up of alien life and the technology humans have created using pieces of crashed UFOs.

While the US military has maintained that America has no evidence aliens or UFOs exist, the odds of President Trump revealing what he knows about the topic suddenly skyrocketed in December, leading experts to believe full public disclosure is just days away.

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

01-01-2026 om 17:29 geschreven door peter  

Could Ancient Aliens Really Have Existed?

Ancient aliens have become a meme and a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi trope, but could ancient aliens really have existed?

By Riley Raul Reese

"Aliens, dude."

Everyone knows that meme with the stoned-looking historian smiling as he waves his arms in the air. The Ancient Aliens series, which aired on the History Channel, was one of the first television shows to really look into the possibility that humans may not be the only species to have found earth.

Unlike other people who have claimed aliens came to settle earth, the History Channel television series suggested that aliens led to the dinosaurs's extinction. This, of course, is insane. Ancient Alienswas blasted by historians, scientists, and archeologists as psuedo-scientific and revisionist in nature.

However, many people do believe that ancient aliens could have existed and they have some kind of contribution to human history - and sometimes, it's hard to deny something odd is going on.

Truth be told, there are many pieces of archeological evidence and strange mishaps that can't really be explained without some serious questions at hand. Here's some of the biggest arguments for the case of ancient aliens, per those who believe in it.

Alien Statues

Quite a few statues exist across the world that depict creatures that look a lot like grey aliens, astronauts, and other similarly sci fi creatures. The artwork always looks the same, with minor stylistic differences, which makes it even stranger.

The statues and paintings in question always either have heads that look like "space helmets" or large, black eyes and large heads reminiscent of the classic grey alien type.

Most recently, the artifacts that archeologists have found matching this description were discovered in an ancient Mayan city in Mexico. One has to wonder what inspired people to create these works of art, considering that sci-fi wasn't exactly a genre back in those days.

Additionally, the Mayan site in question also had artifacts that apparently depict a flying saucer beaming people up into a ship. Could this be a sign that extraterrestrial visitors actually did come to Earth thousands of years ago?

Ancient Geoglyphs

Geoglyphs are massive works of art that are only visible if you are thousands of feet up in the air. They take loads of planning, and, depending on the kind of geoglyph, could also require advanced technology.

So, how, then, did so many different civilizations create geoglyphs? Moreover, why would they do such things when they themselves would not be able to see the works of art they did? Who were they making these strange marks in earth for? And ultimately, does answer the questions whether of not could ancient aliens really have existed?

Evidence On Mars

For years, the Curiosity rover has been taking amazingly detailed photos of the Martian landscape and sending them back to us. A lot of the photos seem to have things that look like humanoid remains, shiny tubes that come out of the ground, and other eyebrow-raising shots that make us wonder what happened all those years ago.

As of now, scientists are 100 percent sure that Mars used to have more water on it than its current ice caps. However, they aren't sure that there was vegetation or actual life on there. Additionally, if societies lived there, many experts noted that there's not much chance that their technology survived.

Due to the markings left on rocks and other items in the Martian landscape, some scientists believe microbes may still live on Mars - or at the very least, once lived on the planet's surface. We must ask, could ancient aliens really have existed on Mars?

That being said, scientists have also noted that Mars has extremely high levels of radiation at certain points. Though these emissions could be explained through natural means, scientists are beginning to believe that these may have been caused by a war between two factions.

But, if this was the case, where were the cities - and where did the archeological evidence go?

Pyramids, Everywhere

It's kind of fascinating to think about pyramids. Historians aren't quite sure how Egyptians made them - or really, why so many different other civilizations have had them as status symbols.

South American cities had them, Egypt had them, many parts of the Middle East had them, and even ancient China had one or two pyramids that were found by archeologists trying to uncover what life was really like.

Though the pyramids alone don't have anything to do with aliens, people are saying that all of the similarities in the architecture may have something to do with visitors from another planet. Imagine our pyramids were proof that ancient aliens could have existed.

Anachronistic Technology

In Egyptian tombs, there are visible depictions of what appears to be a helicopter and a laptop computer on the walls. There are moments where iron pots have been found in the rocks at Stone Age excavation locations. What appear to be sneaker prints have been found in rocks dated to hundreds of millions of years old.

These discoveries have been so commonplace that they now fall under a category of their own called Out-Of-Place Artifacts, or OOPAs. Who's to say that we aren't just getting a glimpse of some items that visitors may have left behind? Who's to say this doesn't prove that ancient aliens could have really existed.

Even if the anachronism is just depicted in art, it makes you wonder, doesn't it?

The Blunt Truth

While there are definitely some head-scratching moments where archeologists can't explain what's going on, the fact is that the truth is often way less interesting than we want it to be. A lot of this could just be due to cultural shifts, or due to happenstance.

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{ https://vocal.media/futurism }

01-01-2026 om 16:53 geschreven door peter  

Scientists discover the strangest planet ever found in our universe

©The Daily Digest

What did researchers discover now?
The universe is packed with strange cosmic secrets that are often hard for researchers to explain. However, that isn’t the case with the latest bizarre discovery that a group of scientists made while scanning data from the night sky.

©The Daily Digest

A planet full of diamonds
Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope observed what they described as a ‘lemon-shaped planet’ that could be overflowing with diamonds in its core. How this very strange planet came to be is still a mystery.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)

Meet PSR J2322-2650b
PSR J2322-2650b, the official name given to the lemon-shaped diamond world, is what astronomers call an exoplanet, or a planet outside of our solar system. This weird world has about the same mass as Jupiter, but it’s very different.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: Unsplash by Jan Huber

A very exotic atmosphere
NASA noted that PSR J2322-2650b has a very exotic atmosphere that is dominated by helium and carbon. Soot clouds could conceivably be floating through the air across the planet, which in turn could condense near the planet’s core and form diamonds.

©Provided by The Daily Digest

The planet was a surprise
"This was an absolute surprise," Peter Gao, a staff scientist at the Carnegie Earth and Planets Laboratory in Washington, and co-author of a paper about PSR J2322-2650b published in ‘The Astrophysical Journal Letters’ in early December.

©The Daily Digest

“What the heck is this?”
"I remember after we got the data down, our collective reaction was 'What the heck is this?'" Gao explained. His reaction makes a lot of sense since the strange makeup of PSR J2322-2650b is one of the least bizarre things about the planet.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)

Orbiting a pulsar star
PSR J2322-2650b is orbiting what is known as a pulsar star, which NASA noted is a type of rapidly spinning neutron star. Pulsars shoot out a beam of electromagnetic radiation at regular intervals, which will prove to be a big benefit for researchers.

©The Daily Digest

Studying the planet
According to a press release from the University of Chicago, researchers will be able to study the strange lemon-shaped planet across its whole orbit, something that would be very difficult since stars generally outshine their planets.

©Provided by The Daily Digest

A unique system
“This system is unique because we are able to view the planet illuminated by its host star, but not see the host star at all,” explained Maya Beleznay, a graduate student at Stanford University who worked on modelling PSR J2322-2650b’s orbit.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By NASA/JPL-Caltech, Public Domain

Learning about planet formation
“We get a really pristine spectrum. And we can better study this system in more detail than normal exoplanets,” Beleznay added. Further study of PSR J2322-2650b is very important since it challenges much of what we know about planet formation.

©The Daily Digest

A mystery for now
How the weird lemon-shaped planet came to be is reportedly a mystery. University of Chicago researcher Michael Zhang, the principal author on the recently released study about PSR J2322-2650b, noted that the planet could not have formed normally because of its strange compositon.

©The Daily Digest

The mass of the Sun
“The planet orbits a star that's completely bizarre — the mass of the Sun, but the size of a city,” Zhang explained. “This is a new type of planet atmosphere that nobody has ever seen before.”

©The Daily Digest

The planet is unlike any other
Zhang added that the data showed the planet did not have the normal molecules they expected to see on an exoplanet like water, methane, and carbon dioxide, but rather molecular carbon like C3 and C2.

©Provided by The Daily Digest

Not formed normally
“It's very hard to imagine how you get this extremely carbon-enriched composition. It seems to rule out every known formation mechanism,” Zhang said. However, despite not understanding how this strange planet formed, we do have an idea about how the planet came to take a similar shape to a lemon.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: Unsplash by Eléonore Bommart

How did it get its weird shape?

PSR J2322-2650b is abnormally close to its star. According to the scientists, the planet sits just one million miles away from the pulsar it orbits. Earth, for reference, is roughly 100 million miles away from our Sun. This close distance results in PSR J2322-2650b having a tight 7.8-hour orbit and puts the planet under a lot of gravitational stress.

©Provided by The Daily Digest

Gravity is twisting the planet
The gravitational pressure from being so close to its heavier pulsar star is what has pulled the Jupiter-mass planet into its strange lemon shape that has become the feature of this bizarre exoplanet. The press release from the University of Chicago reported that PSR J2322-2650b and its pulsar are what is known as a “black widow” system

©The Daily Digest

What is a Black Widow system?
“Black widows are a rare type of system where a rapidly spinning pulsar is paired with a small, low-mass companion,” the University of Chicago press release explained.

©The Daily Digest

Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)

PSR J2322-2650b is strange indeed
“In the past, material from the companion would have streamed onto the pulsar, causing it to spin faster over time, which powers a strong wind. That wind and radiation then bombard and evaporate the smaller and less massive star,” the press release added.

 

{ The Daily Digest }

01-01-2026 om 15:37 geschreven door peter