Meteor shower to peak today: Here's when and the best way to watch
Monday, 22 April 2024 14:58
One of the oldest known meteor showers is streaking through the sky above California. The Lyrid meteor shower was first recorded in 687 B.C. and has been studied for more than 2,000 years, according to NASA. The meteor shower occurs every April, peaking this year on April 22.
Question: What is a meteor?
Answer: Meteors are essentially debris in the sky. They come from leftover comets and broken asteroids, NASA states.
When the Earth makes passes through the meteors each year, they disintegrate.
"As they burn up in Earth's atmosphere, the meteors leave bright streaks in the sky commonly referred to as 'shooting stars,'" NASA said on its website.
This is the reason meteor showers occur around the same time of year, according to NASA.
Q: When is the Lyrid meteor shower?
A: The Lyrid meteor shower occurs every year between April 16 and April 25, according to NASA.
This year, it will peak on Monday night.
"As with most meteor showers, the peak viewing time will be before dawn, but the Lyrids will become visible beginning at about 10:30 p.m.
Putting cremains on the moon is disrespectful – and bad policy
Monday, 22 April 2024 13:18
ESA’s astronaut class of 2022 graduate
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:53
On Monday 22 April ESA celebrated the graduation of its class of 2022 astronaut candidates. The ceremony, held at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, signified the successful completion of basic training for the five European astronaut graduates and the Australian Space Agency’s first astronaut, all now eligible for spaceflight assignments.
Tracing life's origins: Cambridge team explores early Earth conditions
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a model illustrating how conditions conducive to life may have arisen naturally. Their study focuses on the synthesis of essential life components like proteins, phospholipids, and nucleotides, crucially involving nitrogen-rich molecules such as nitriles and isonitriles.
Past studies have highlighted these molecules' potential in fo MDA Space awarded extended ISS robotics contract
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
MDA Space (TSX: MDA) has been granted a $250 million contract extension by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to continue its support for robotics operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The extended contract, effective from 2025 to 2030, assigns new responsibilities to MDA Space, including the role of robotics flight controllers.
"Robotics flight controllers are the pilots i Air Force Leadership Stresses Modernization and Timely Congressional Funding
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
During a House committee meeting on April 17, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, along with top leaders from the Air Force and Space Force, emphasized the urgent need for Congress to provide timely and predictable funding to defend the nation effectively against modern threats.
Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman Desert soil microbes adapt to thrive in extreme dry conditions
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
Scientists from the University of Vienna have shed light on how desert soil bacteria survive and thrive under the extreme conditions of prolonged droughts and intermittent heavy rainfall. Their findings, led by microbiologist Dagmar Woebken at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS), were recently detailed in Nature Communications.
Covering over 46% of the Ea Momentick raises funds to advance satellite-based GHG emission tracking
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
Momentick, a leader in emissions intelligence, has successfully raised $6.5 million in seed funding to enhance its emission intelligence algorithm and extend its market reach. The investment round was spearheaded by Chartered Group Japan and TAU Ventures, with additional contributions from private investors.
Methane, primarily found in natural gas, is an odorless and colorless gas that can Space Operations Command takes control of Space-Based Infrared System
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
The United States Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) has successfully transitioned the control of the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Baseline Release (SBR 23-1) to the Space Operations Command after completing a successful trial period. This transfer to the Space Operations Center's Missile Warning Mission Area Team marks a significant milestone in the project's deployment.
"Th Vertical Future to develop crop-growing systems with UK Space Agency funding
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
Vertical Future, a specialist in vertical farming technology and production based in the UK, has been awarded a new grant of GBP 1.5 million to undertake the second phase of the "Autonomous Agriculture for Space Exploration" project. The program is set to adapt Vertical Future's controlled-environment-agriculture systems for use in prototype Low Earth Orbit growing systems aboard the first comme Evidence of long term human occupation in lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
A recent interdisciplinary archaeological project has uncovered significant new evidence about ancient human life in Arabia, particularly from studying caves and lava tubes, which have been less explored for archaeological evidence. This effort was spearheaded by Griffith University's Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE), in partnership with international teams.
The resea Satellite technology from Surrey University aids Mauritius in illegal fishing detection
Monday, 22 April 2024 12:38
The Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) has teamed up with the University of Surrey to tackle illegal fishing using satellite technology. The Nereus project employs satellite imagery combined with ship location data, enhanced by artificial intelligence to identify potential illegal activities by monitoring maritime movements.
Dr. Raffaella Guida, a specialist in Satellite Remo 
ESA astronaut class of 2022 graduation ceremony replay
Monday, 22 April 2024 08:30
Video:
00:57:15
Watch a replay of the ESA astronaut class of 2022 graduation ceremony.
ESA astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber and Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg received astronaut certification at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre on 22 April 2024. This officially marks their transition into fully-fledged astronauts, ready and eligible for spaceflight.
The group was selected in November 2022 and began their year-long basic astronaut training in April 2023.
Basic astronaut training provides the candidates with overall familiarisation and training in various areas, such as spacecraft systems, spacewalking, flight engineering, robotics and life