EverythingScience

NASA Evacuating ISS Crew After Unprecedented Medical Situation

In a rare move, NASA is cutting a mission aboard the International Space Station short after an astronaut had a medical issue. The space agency said Thursday the U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four will return to Earth in the coming days, earlier than planned. NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year because of the health issue. The space agency did not identify the astronaut or the medical issue, citing patient privacy. The crew member is now stable. NASA officials stressed that it was not an onboard emergency, but are "erring on the side of caution for the crew member," said Dr. James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer. Polk said this was NASA's first medical evacuation from the space station although astronauts have been treated aboard for things like toothaches and ear pain.

Source: ScienceAlert @EverythingScience

Fusion Physicists Found a Way Around a Long-Standing Density Limit

Experiments inside a fusion reactor in China have demonstrated a new way to circumvent one of the caps on the density of the superheated plasma swirling inside. At the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), physicists successfully exceeded what is known as the Greenwald limit, a practical density boundary beyond which plasmas tend to violently destabilize, often damaging reactor components. For a long time, the Greenwald limit was accepted as a given and incorporated into fusion reactor engineering. The new work shows that precise control over how the plasma is created and interacts with the reactor walls can push it beyond this limit into what physicists call a 'density-free' regime. Fusion reactors are designed to replicate the intense nuclear fusion that occurs in the heart of the Sun, generating vast amounts of energy. There are a number of significant barriers to overcome – one of which is plasma density.

Source: ScienceAlert @EverythingScience

Why People Still Eat Bacteria Taken From The Poop Of A First World War Soldier

In 1917, a group of German soldiers arrived at a military hospital near Freiburg after returning from a campaign in Dobrudja, a region of the Balkans that had been riddled with disease. All of the troops had been struck down with a nasty case of dysentery caused by the Shigella group of bacteria – except for one soldier, who was remarkably unaffected by the deadly illness that struck down his comrades. The case caught the attention of Professor Alfred Nissle, a physician at the hospital who had grown increasingly interested in the bacterial contents of the human intestine. 

Source: IFLScience @EverythingScience

For these cheetahs, even a successful hunt can still end in failure.

Source: @NatGeo @EverythingScience

For First Time, Three Radio-Emitting Supermassive Black Holes Seen Merging Into One

Galaxies might be separated by hundreds of thousands of light-years at the very least, but they do occasionally merge. During those collisions, the supermassive black holes that sit at the center of those galaxies can become active, entering a feeding frenzy thanks to fresh supplies of gas being thrown towards the core by the merger. For the first time, researchers report a three-way merger with all three supermassive black holes active and emitting in radio waves at the same time. The system is known as J1218/1219+1035, and is located 1.2 billion light-years from us. The three nuclei of the three galaxies, where the supermassive black holes reside, have a separation of roughly 22,000 and 97,000 light-years. The merger is not imminent on human timescales, but they are getting there. Large spiral galaxies like the Milky Way have grown in size thanks to interactions with smaller companions. Large elliptical galaxies are the product of collisions between spiral galaxies; likely how it will happen between the Milky Way and Andromeda in several billion years. Getting three galaxies merging is a lot less common, and getting all three of them active is rarer still. “Triple active galaxies like this are incredibly rare, and catching one in the middle of a merger gives us a front-row seat to how massive galaxies and their black holes grow together,” lead author Dr Emma Schwartzman of the US Naval Research Laboratory said in a statement. 

Source: IFLScience @EverythingScience

Watch Rare Footage Of The Giant Phantom Jellyfish, A 10-Meter-Long "Ghost" That's Only Been Seen Around 100 Times Plunge 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) below the ocean’s surface, and there can be found the midnight zone, where the complete lack of sunlight and extreme cold and pressure have led to the evolution of all manner of ethereal weirdos. One of the rarest members of the gang? The giant phantom jellyfish (Stygiomedusa gigantea). Read more

Source: IFLScience @EverythingScience

How did life begin on Earth? New experiments support 'RNA world' hypothesis

RNA, which is one of life's most crucial molecules dealing with the synthesis of proteins, could be common in the universe, according to a new experiment that shows how RNA could easily have formed on Earth 4.3 billion years ago. RNA (short for ribonucleic acid) is a simpler cousin of DNA, which is the molecule that contains the genetic information for our cellular biology. RNA comes in a trio of guises. There is messenger RNA (mRNA) that is produced from DNA and contains the genetic instructions for forming proteins. Then there's ribosomal RNA (rRNA) that creates ribosomes vital for producing proteins, and finally transfer RNA (tRNA) that does the actual synthesizing of the proteins from mRNA. Because it is a simpler molecule than DNA, RNA is thought to have formed first, and thanks to its ability to carry genetic information and create other molecules, RNA has even been heralded as a possible main player in the story of the origin of life on Earth in a hypothesis colloquially known as "RNA world." In this scenario, the first single-celled lifeforms would have used RNA rather than DNA for self-replicating and copying their genetic information. Understanding how RNA formed has, however, been challenging. What prompted RNA's ingredients to come together just so and undergo the correct series of chemical reactions? On the face of it, the odds of RNA forming just by chance seem astronomical. So chemists look for pathways that could inevitably lead to the formation of molecules like RNA. One pathway is known as the six-step Discontinuous Synthesis Model (DSM). However, one of the stumbling blocks on this pathway is borate, which is a family of common compounds found in seawater. Borates are oxyanions; if ions are atoms or molecules that have a positive electrical charge, then anions have an overall negative electrical charge. Further, borates contain atoms of both boron and oxygen. The problem is that it had been thought that borates hinder some of the reactions on the chemical pathway to RNA. Now, a team of biochemists led by Yuta Hirakawa of Tohoku University in Japan and the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Florida say that chemists have been getting it wrong and that borates are actually beneficial to the formation of RNA.

Source: Space.com @EverythingScience

Congress rejects President Trump's deep NASA budget cuts, proposes $24.4 billion for the agency

Congress is not on board with President Donald Trump's deep NASA budget cuts. The White House allocated just $18.8 billion to the space agency — a 24% decrease from the previous year's funding — in its 2026 federal budget request, which was released last spring. The cuts were particularly harsh toward NASA's science portfolio, which was given just $3.9 billion — a drop of about 75%. However, the federal budget request is just that: a request. Congress controls the nation's purse strings, and lawmakers just threw NASA a lifeline. On Monday (Jan. 5), the House of Representatives and the Senate released a budget plan that would give the agency $24.4 billion in fiscal year 2026, which started on Oct. 1. Much of the restored funding would go to NASA science programs. "The bill rejects the administration’s devastating proposal to cut NASA Science by 47% and terminate 55 operating and planned missions. It instead provides $7.25 billion," a Senate bill summary states. The budget plan is not the last word, however. The House and the Senate still need to vote on the bill — actions that could take place as soon as this week and the week after, respectively, according to Ars Technica's Eric Berger. President Trump would then need to sign it.

Source: Space.com @EverythingScience

Hubble found Cloud Nine! ☁️ This is a "failed galaxy": a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud considered a remnant of early galaxy formation. Nicknamed “Cloud-9,” this is the first confirmed detection of such an object in the universe: go.nasa.gov/4svSJtm

Source: @NASAHubble @EverythingScience

Moon rush: These private spacecraft will attempt lunar landings in 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a spectacular year for lunar exploration, with a growing fleet of commercial missions set to attempt to land on Earth's celestial neighbor. It will be a huge year for the moon overall. NASA plans to send humans back to the vicinity of the moon with the Artemis 2 mission no earlier than February, while China, in the second half of the year, aims to land at the lunar south pole and seek out water ice with its robotic Chang'e 7 spacecraft. But it's not only national agencies targeting Earth's companion, as commercial companies are also taking aim with a series of robotic landers at what could be the start of a sustained, more market-driven lunar presence for humanity.

Source: Space.com @EverythingScience

'Fish Mouth' Filter Removes 99% of Microplastics From Laundry Waste

The ancient evolution of fish mouths could help solve a modern source of plastic pollution. Inspired by these natural filtration systems, scientists in Germany have invented a way to remove 99 percent of plastic particles from water. It's based on how some fish filter-feed to eat microscopic prey. The research team has already filed a patent in Germany, and in the future, they hope their creation will help curb a ubiquitous form of plastic pollution that many are unaware of. Every time a load of laundry is done, millions of microplastics are washed from the fibers of our clothes into local waterways. By some estimates, up to 90 percent of plastic in 'sewage sludge' comes from washing machines. This material is then often used in agriculture as soil or fertilizer, possibly exposing those who eat the resulting crops to these pollutants. At this stage, it is unclear what microplastics are doing to human health when they invade our bones and organs, but some toxicologists are concerned by their initial findings among animals. Figuring out a way to capture plastic pollutants before they leave our washing machines is challenging work. Current filtration systems available on the market can easily become clogged. Researchers at the University of Bonn and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology turned to nature for inspiration. They decided to make a water filtration system that mimics the mouths of some fish, like mackerel, sardines, and anchovies. These ocean creatures swim through the water with their mouths open to feed on tiny plankton. Over millions of years, they have evolved comb-like structures inside their mouths that capture microscopic prey.

Source: ScienceAlert @EverythingScience

How Feasible Is Asteroid Mining? A New Study Investigates

A few years ago, asteroid mining was all the rage. With the commercial space sector rapidly growing, the dream of commercializing space seemed almost imminent. Basically, the notion of having platforms and spacecraft that could rendezvous and mine Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs), then return them to space-based foundries, was right up there with sending commercial crews to Mars. After a great deal of speculation and ventures going under, these plans were placed on the back burner until the technology matured and other milestones could be accomplished first. Related: Are Asteroids Really Worth a Fortune? Here's What We Know. Nevertheless, the dream of asteroid mining and the "post-scarcity" future it would bring remains. In addition to the need for more infrastructure and technical development, further research is needed to determine the chemical composition of small asteroids. In a recent study, a team led by researchers from the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) analyzed samples of C-type (carbon-rich) asteroids, which account for 75% of known asteroids. Their findings demonstrate that these asteroids could be a crucial source of raw materials, presenting opportunities for future resource exploitation.

Source: ScienceAlert @EverythingScience

#PPOD: Curiosity Sends Holiday Postcard from #Mars 🌄 Team members working with NASA’s MarsCuriosity created this “postcard” by commanding the rover to take images at two times of day on Nov. 18, 2025, spanning the 4,722nd and 4,723rd Martian days, or sols, of the mission. The panoramas were captured at 4:15 p.m. on Sol 4,722 and 8:20 a.m. on Sol 4,723 (both at local Mars time), then merged together. Color was later added for an artistic interpretation of the scene, with blue representing the morning panorama and yellow representing the afternoon one. The resulting “postcard” is similar to ones the rover took in June 2023 and November 2021. Adding color to these kinds of merged images helps different details stand out in the landscape. Credit: NASA NASAJPL Caltech

Source: @SETIInstitute @EverythingScience

🔵 Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA #Webb Space Telescope have found a new moon orbiting Uranus! 🔗esa.int/ESA_Multimedia…

Source: @esa @EverythingScience

All New Atlas

We are unveiling the next generation of humanoid robots- a fully electric Atlas robot designed for real-world applications. The new Atlas builds on decades of research and furthers our commitment to delivering the most capable, useful mobile robots solving the toughest challenges in industry today: with Spot, with Stretch, and now with Atlas. Stay tuned to see what the world's most dynamic humanoid robot can really do-in the lab, in the factory, and in our lives.

🌐 Boston Dynamics

Farewell to HD Atlas

For almost a decade, Atlas has sparked our imagination, inspired the next generations of roboticists, and leapt over technical barriers in the field. Now it's time for our hydraulic Atlas robot to kick back and relax. Take a look back at everything we've accomplished with the Atlas platform to date.

🌐 Boston Dynamics

Your Spinal Cord Can Learn And Recall Without Brain Input And We Finally Know How Devoid of a head, many insects will continue to kick and twitch until at last, drained of all life, their movements grind to a complete stop. Scientists have known for some time that the spinal cord is capable of executing limb movements beyond reflex jerking motions, even to the point of adapting to avoid unpleasant stimulations. Just how its neurons 'learn' new responses without the brain's say-so has never been clear. A study on transgenic mice conducted by researchers from the VIB-Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders in Belgium has discovered the role of a specific gene expressed in spinal nerves in memorizing responses to potential threats.

Article @EverythingScience

NASA’s Dragonfly Rotorcraft Mission to Saturn’s Moon Titan Confirmed NASA has confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn’s organic-rich moon Titan. The decision allows the mission to progress to completion of final design, followed by the construction and testing of the entire spacecraft and science instruments. Dragonfly is confirmed with a total lifecycle cost of $3.35 billion and a launch date of July 2028. This reflects a cost increase of about two times the proposed cost and a delay of more than two years from when the mission was originally selected in 2019. To compensate for the delayed arrival at Titan, NASA also provided additional funding for a heavy-lift launch vehicle to shorten the mission’s cruise phase. The rotorcraft, targeted to arrive at Titan in 2034, will fly to dozens of promising locations on the moon, looking for prebiotic chemical processes common on both Titan and the early Earth before life developed. Dragonfly marks the first time NASA will fly a vehicle for science on another planetary body. The rotorcraft has eight rotors and flies like a large drone.

Article @EverythingScience

Ingenuity NASA • Aug. 10, 2023 (Sol 879)

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team Says Goodbye … for Now Engineers working on NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter assembled for one last time in a control room at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Tuesday, April 16, to monitor a transmission from the history-making helicopter. While the mission ended Jan. 25, the rotorcraft has remained in communication with the agency’s Perseverance Mars rover, which serves as a base station for Ingenuity. This transmission, received through the antennas of NASA’s Deep Space Network, marked the final time the mission team would be working together on Ingenuity operations. Now the helicopter is ready for its final act: to serve as a stationary testbed, collecting data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. "With apologies to Dylan Thomas, Ingenuity will not be going gently into that good Martian night,” said Josh Anderson, Ingenuity team lead at JPL. “It is almost unbelievable that after over 1,000 Martian days on the surface, 72 flights, and one rough landing, she still has something to give. And thanks to the dedication of this amazing team, not only did Ingenuity overachieve beyond our wildest dreams, but also it may teach us new lessons in the years to come.” Originally designed as a short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than the distance expected, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Ingenuity’s mission ended after the helicopter experienced a hard landing on its last flight, significantly damaging its rotor blades. Unable to fly, the rotorcraft will remain at “Valinor Hills” while the Perseverance rover drives out of communications range as it continues to explore the western limb of Jezero Crater...

Article @EverythingScience