Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
The asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs also set the stage for the evolution of fungus-farming ants, according to a new study published in the journal 'Science'. The low-light conditions that followed the impact 66 million years ago favored the spread of fungi, which thrived on the abundant organic material left by dying plants and animals. This created an opportunity for an anc

Greenbelt MD (SPX) Oct 03, 2024
There's more to thunderclouds than rain and lightning. Along with visible light emissions, thunderclouds can produce intense bursts of gamma rays, the most energetic form of light, that last for millionths of a second. The clouds can also glow steadily with gamma rays for seconds to minutes at a time. Researchers using NASA airborne platforms have now found a new kind of gamma-ray emission

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 27, 2024
With the increasing frequency of convective weather events due to global warming, detecting these storms early has become essential. The initial phase of such storms, known as convective initiation (CI), can be tracked using geostationary satellites. However, the current methods face challenges due to their high false alarm rates and missed events. This is mainly because the resolution of existi

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 03, 2024
New research on small iron-rich formations within the Pinnacles in Western Australia, part of the world's largest wind-blown limestone region, has uncovered valuable insights into Earth's ancient climate and shifting landscapes. The study reveals that these formations developed approximately 100,000 years ago during the wettest period experienced in the region over the past half-million years, a

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 03, 2024
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has won a $6 million contract expansion from an international defense customer, increasing the total annual commitment to nearly $18 million. The contract is for BlackSky's subscription-based access to Gen-2 high-frequency satellite imagery services. "BlackSky is setting new standards for space-based intelligence operations as a trusted mission partner

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 04, 2024
NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration has set a new record for laser communications in space by sending a laser signal from Earth to NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which was approximately 290 million miles (460 million kilometers) away. This is the same distance as the farthest separation between Earth and Mars. The milestone, reached on July 29, 2024, conclud

Washington DC (UPI) Oct 3, 2024
The sun released a powerful solar flare to start the month of October, which could lead to supercharged aurora displays over the weekend. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center sun let loose a powerful flare with intensity measured at X7.1, the second strongest on the star's current solar cycle. A coronal mass ejection associated wit

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
Researchers have uncovered living microbes sealed within a 2-billion-year-old rock sample from the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) in South Africa, marking the oldest example of microbial life discovered in ancient rock. The sample was retrieved from 15 meters belowground, with the microbes found tightly packed into fractures, isolated from the outside environment by clay-filled gaps. The r

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 04, 2024
A new analysis from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission reveals that lunar ice deposits are more widespread than previously believed. These ice reserves could serve as critical resources for future lunar missions, providing water for radiation protection, human consumption, and for producing fuel and breathable air. Earlier studies had detected ice in the permanently shadowed

Paris (AFP) Oct 4, 2024
Europe's Hera probe is tentatively scheduled to launch Monday on a mission to inspect the damage a NASA spacecraft made when it smashed into an asteroid during the first test of Earth's planetary defences. In a scene that sounds straight out of science fiction, the spacecraft deliberately crashed into the pyramid-sized asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, roughly 11 million kilometres (6.8 million mi