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  • ISS Crew Safely Returns to Earth after a Medical Evacuation

    ISS Crew Safely Returns to Earth after a Medical Evacuation

    NASA footage showed four International Space Station crew members splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday following the first-ever medical evacuation in the station’s history.
    Image Credits: The four members of the SpaceX Crew-11 are evacuating from the International Space Station due to a a medical problem affecting one of them.

    NASA footage showed four International Space Station crew members splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday following the first-ever medical evacuation in the station’s history.

    NASA video showed the capsule carrying American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui touching down off the coast of San Diego at 12:41 a.m. (0841 GMT).

    Their mission was ended early due to a health concern after five months in orbit.

    Crew Member Stable; Return Not an Emergency, NASA Confirms

    The U.S. space agency did not provide details about the issue but emphasized that the return was not an emergency.

    The crewmember involved “was and remains in stable condition,” NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said on Wednesday.

    Earlier this week, SpaceX Crew-11 pilot Fincke wrote on social media, “Above all, everyone is OK. All crew members are stable, safe, and receiving good care.”

    He said they decided to ensure proper medical assessments could be conducted on Earth, where full diagnostic resources are available, and called it the right choice despite the disappointment.

    The four Crew-11 astronauts arrived at the ISS in early August and planned to stay until mid-February, when the next crew would take over.

    NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer James Polk said NASA brought the crew home ahead of schedule because of a ‘lingering risk‘ and uncertainty surrounding the medical diagnosis.

    Meanwhile, American astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, who reached the station in November aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, stayed on the ISS.

    NASA and Russia’s Roscosmos jointly operate the space station, with each agency alternating responsibility for transporting one of the other nation’s citizens to and from orbit—one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between the United States and Russia.

    Prepared for the Unexpected

    Since 2000, astronauts have continuously occupied the International Space Station, which highlights international collaboration by uniting Europe, Japan, the United States, and Russia.

    Orbiting about 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) above Earth, the ISS serves as a research platform to support future deep-space exploration, including planned missions back to the Moon and eventually to Mars.

    Senior NASA official Amit Kshatriya said the four evacuated astronauts trained to respond to unforeseen medical issues and commended how they handled the situation.

    NASA plans to retire the ISS after 2030 and will slowly lower its orbit until it disintegrates in the atmosphere over a remote area of the Pacific Ocean called Point Nemo, a designated spacecraft graveyard.

    Read the original article: Phys.Org

    Read more: Astronauts Splash down on Earth after a Space Station Medical Evacuation

  • Astronauts Splash down on Earth after a Space Station Medical Evacuation

    Astronauts Splash down on Earth after a Space Station Medical Evacuation

    Image Credits:NASA

    Four astronauts evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS) safely returned to Earth after a “serious” medical issue cut their mission short by a month.

    The crew’s captain, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, was the first to leave the spacecraft, smiling and wobbling slightly before lying on a gurney as part of standard procedures.

    NASA’s Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov followed him, waving and smiling at cameras. “It’s so good to be home!” Cardman said.

    This marks the first time astronauts have been evacuated for health reasons since the ISS began orbiting Earth in 1998.

    Crew-11 to Undergo Medical Checks After California Splashdown

    The Crew-11 team will complete medical evaluations before officials fly them back to land after their splashdown off the California coast.

    At a post-splashdown news conference, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said the ill astronaut is “fine right now” and in “good spirits.”

    Based on NASA’s usual approach to crew health, officials are unlikely to disclose the astronaut’s identity or details of the illness.

    Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and two other crew members have taken control of the ISS.

    Mission Cut Short After Astronaut Falls Ill, Spacewalk Canceled

    The astronauts had arrived at the ISS on 1 August, expecting a standard six-and-a-half-month mission, with a planned return in mid-February. However, NASA canceled a spacewalk for Fincke and Cardman last week and announced hours later that a crew member had fallen ill.

    “It’s bittersweet,” said Fincke as he handed over command of the ISS to Kud-Sverchkov on Monday. In a social media post, he added that all onboard were “stable, safe, and well cared for.”

    Orbiting Earth at 250 miles above the surface, the ISS completes 16 orbits per day at a speed of 17,500 mph. Managed by five space agencies, it conducts a wide range of scientific research on space and the effects of microgravity on humans, animals, and plants.

    ISS Lacks Onboard Doctor Despite Basic Medical Supplies

    Astronauts rely on training and supplies as ISS lacks doctor

    The evacuation served as a serious test of NASA’s procedures for managing medical emergencies. By most accounts, the mission went smoothly, though questions remain about how the agency might have responded if the astronaut’s condition had been more severe.

    The early return leaves the ISS with a reduced crew of just three: NASA’s Chris Williams and cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, until a new four-person team arrives in February.

    “Despite all the changes and challenges, we will continue our work on the ISS, carrying out all scientific and maintenance tasks, no matter what,” Kud-Sverchkov said on Monday, marking his first command with a group hug.

    Image Credits:Oleg Platonov, Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Kimiya Yui will end their ISS stay one month early

    The incident is unprecedented in the 26-year history of the permanently crewed ISS.

    Health issues have forced astronauts to cut short space missions only twice before. In 1985, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Vasyutin and his team returned from a Salyut 7 mission four months early due to a urological problem. In 1987, Soviet cosmonaut Aleksandr Laveykin left the Mir space station early because of a heart arrhythmia.

    With increasing human space travel—ranging from tourism to potential missions on the Moon or Mars—experts say future missions will likely need to include doctors on board.

    Read the original article on:bbc

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  • Researchers Create 1-Kilometer-Scale Digital Earth

    Researchers Create 1-Kilometer-Scale Digital Earth

    Weather forecasting has always been unpredictable — and climate modeling even more so. However, advances in modeling techniques and computing power have greatly improved our ability to anticipate nature’s behavior.
    Image Credits:(cokada/Canva)

    Weather forecasting has always been unpredictable — and climate modeling even more so. However, advances in modeling techniques and computing power have greatly improved our ability to anticipate nature’s behavior.

    Researchers at the Max Planck Institute unveil a near–kilometer-scale model combining weather and climate simulation.

    A Near–Kilometer-Scale Model of Earth’s Systems

    The model’s resolution is technically 1.25 kilometers per grid cell — close enough to call it kilometer-scale. The model splits Earth into 336 million surface cells and 336 million atmospheric cells, totaling 672 million points.

    For each of these cells, the researchers ran interconnected simulations to represent Earth’s key dynamic systems, dividing them into two groups: “fast” and “slow.”

    The “fast” systems encompass the energy and water cycles — essentially, the weather. Capturing these processes accurately requires extremely fine resolution, such as the 1.25-kilometer scale achieved by the new model.

    Using the ICON Model for High-Resolution Simulations

    To build their simulation, the team employed the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model, developed jointly by the German Weather Service and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology.

    Diving into the details of climate modeling helps clarify the ideas behind their work:

    The “slow” processes, by contrast, involve the carbon cycle and long-term shifts in the biosphere and ocean chemistry. These operate over years or decades — a stark difference from the few minutes it might take a thunderstorm to pass from one 1.25 km cell to the next.

    The true innovation of the study lies in combining these fast and slow systems within a single framework. Traditionally, such comprehensive models could only run feasibly at resolutions above 40 kilometers due to computational limits.

    So how did the researchers manage it? Through a blend of advanced software engineering and cutting-edge computing hardware — some of the most powerful chips available.

    Modernizing Legacy Fortran Code for Climate Modeling

    The foundation of their model was code originally written in Fortran — a programming language that often challenges anyone attempting to modernize legacy systems from before the 1990s.

    Over time, the original code had become cluttered with add-ons that made it incompatible with modern computing architectures. To overcome this, the researchers turned to a framework called Data-Centric Parallel Programming (DaCe), which manages data in a way optimized for contemporary hardware.

    Meanwhile, science communicator Simon Clark explored whether a climate model could run on much simpler hardware — like a Raspberry Pi:

    The researchers ran their simulations on two cutting-edge supercomputers — JUPITER in Germany and Alps in Switzerland — both powered by Nvidia’s new GH200 Grace Hopper chips.

    Each GH200 combines a GPU (the “Hopper,” designed for high-speed parallel processing like that used in AI training) with a CPU (the “Grace,” developed by ARM) to divide computing tasks efficiently.

    This split allowed the team to assign the “fast” models — such as weather-related processes that update quickly — to the GPUs, while the slower, long-term carbon cycle simulations ran on the CPUs in parallel.

    Harnessing Supercomputers to Simulate Earth at Unprecedented Scale

    Using 20,480 GH200 superchips, the researchers simulated 145.7 days of Earth in a single day, calculating nearly one trillion variables.

    Of course, that also means models of this sophistication won’t be running on local weather stations anytime soon. Such computational resources are rare and often prioritized by tech companies for AI development rather than climate research.

    Still, the sheer scale and success of this project are remarkable — a major milestone that hints at a future where ultra-high-resolution climate simulations might become the norm.

    Read the original article on: Science Alert

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  • James Webb Warns 31/Atlas Approaching Earth — Should we Worry?

    James Webb Warns 31/Atlas Approaching Earth — Should we Worry?

    Image Credits: Getty Images

    By nature, scientists can’t predict what they’ll uncover while studying the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS — only the third ever detected from beyond our solar system.

    Yet, the surprises keep piling up. First spotted racing toward the Sun in early July, 3I/ATLAS has captivated researchers. Science Alert reports that four major observatories — Hubble, SPHEREx, TESS, and James Webb — have all studied this unusual visitor.

    Most experts agree the object is a comet, an icy body that vents gas when heated by the Sun. But the data shows 3I/ATLAS is unlike anything seen before and will remain a fascination for years.

    The Most Carbon-Heavy Comet Ever Observed

    Notably, SPHEREx and James Webb detected an unusually carbon-rich coma around the comet’s core. Scientists have recorded the highest carbon dioxide-to-water ratio ever observed in a comet.

    TESS had spotted the object months before its July discovery, when archived data showed it already bright and active six astronomical units from the Sun—well beyond Jupiter, where most comets remain quiet.

    NASA’s Hubble telescope saw a “teardrop-shaped dust cocoon” around the comet’s icy core, but no distinct tail. Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb even speculated that an extraterrestrial civilization might have sent the object.

    Radiation, Ice, and the Puzzle of 3I/ATLAS

    As for its origins, they remain uncertain. A recent preprint suggests 3I/ATLAS may hold radiation-exposed ices or have formed near the CO₂ ice line in its original protoplanetary disk.

    For now, patience is required. The findings — and any new data before 3I/ATLAS leaves the solar system — still need full analysis and review.

    Before it departs, the object will make relatively close approaches to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Avi Loeb has even suggested that NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter take a closer look, as 3I/ATLAS will pass within two million miles of the Red Planet.

    About five months later, NASA’s Juno spacecraft could also encounter the visitor as it nears Jupiter, potentially offering fresh clues to its mysterious nature.

    Read the original article on: Futurism

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  • Scientists Uncover New Evidence that Questions Existing Theories About How Water First Appeared on Earth

    Scientists Uncover New Evidence that Questions Existing Theories About How Water First Appeared on Earth

    Researchers at the University of Oxford have uncovered compelling evidence about the origins of Earth's water. By analyzing a rare meteorite type known as an enstatite chondrite—chemically similar to the early Earth—they discovered a native source of hydrogen, a key ingredient in water formation.
    The meteorite used in this study—LAR12252—when it was discovered in Antarctica. Credit: The ANSMET (ANtarctic Search for METeorites) Program, Case Western Reserve University and University of Utah.

    Researchers at the University of Oxford have uncovered compelling evidence about the origins of Earth’s water. By analyzing a rare meteorite type known as an enstatite chondrite—chemically similar to the early Earth—they discovered a native source of hydrogen, a key ingredient in water formation.

    Discovery of native hydrogen in ancient meteorite suggests early Earth materials were richer in hydrogen than previously assumed

    Significantly, the team confirmed that the hydrogen in the meteorite was intrinsic and not the result of contamination, indicating that the building blocks of Earth contained more hydrogen than previously believed.

    Published in Icarus, the study supports the idea that Earth’s ability to form water—and ultimately support life—did not depend on water-rich asteroids crashing into the planet. Instead, it suggests that Earth may have had sufficient hydrogen from the very beginning.

    Thin section photo of sample LAR 12252 in plane-polarized light with 5x magnification. Credit: NASA.

    The research team examined the chemical makeup of a meteorite called LAR 12252, which was originally recovered from Antarctica. They employed X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron in Harwell, Oxfordshire, to conduct their analysis.

    A previous French-led study had detected hydrogen within the meteorite, specifically in organic matter and non-crystalline portions of chondrules—tiny, spherical structures within the rock. However, the origin of the remaining hydrogen was uncertain, raising questions about whether it was native to the meteorite or introduced through Earth-based contamination.

    Oxford team investigates sulfur-bound hydrogen in meteorite using powerful X-ray beam to detect key sulfur-bearing compounds

    The Oxford researchers hypothesized that a significant portion of the hydrogen might be bound to the sulfur in the meteorite. By directing a focused beam of X-rays at the sample, they searched for sulfur-bearing compounds.

    Initially concentrating on the non-crystalline chondrule regions where hydrogen had previously been found, they made a surprising discovery in the surrounding fine-grained matrix material. This area turned out to be extremely rich in hydrogen sulfide—five times more so than the non-crystalline chondrule sections.

    In contrast, parts of the meteorite that showed signs of weathering or contamination, such as rusted cracks, had little to no hydrogen. This strongly indicates that the hydrogen sulfide found in the matrix is native to the meteorite and not a result of Earth-based contamination.

    Lab photo of sample LAR 12252. Credit: NASA.

    The discovery suggests the early Earth likely accumulated enough hydrogen before asteroid impacts to explain its abundant water

    Because the early Earth formed from material resembling enstatite chondrites, this discovery implies that the planet likely accumulated sufficient hydrogen on its own—well before asteroid impacts began—to account for the large amounts of water found on Earth today.

    Tom Barrett, a DPhil student in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford and the study’s lead author, said, “We were thrilled when the data revealed hydrogen sulfide in the sample—just not in the place we had anticipated.”

    “Given the extremely low chance that the hydrogen sulfide came from Earth-based contamination, this study offers strong evidence that Earth’s water is inherent—an expected result of the planet’s original building materials.”

    Co-author Associate Professor James Bryson from Oxford’s Department of Earth Sciences added, “One of the biggest questions in planetary science is how Earth came to have its current form.

    “Our findings suggest that the materials that formed Earth—represented by these rare meteorites—contained far more hydrogen than previously believed. This reinforces the idea that water formed naturally as part of Earth’s development, rather than being delivered later by water-rich asteroids.”

    Read the original article on: Phys Org

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  • Researchers Challenge Their Own Findings by Generating Power From Earth’s Rotation

    Researchers Challenge Their Own Findings by Generating Power From Earth’s Rotation

    Credit: Pixabay

    Researchers harness tiny voltage from Earth’s rotation, revealing a potential new energy source.

    The foundation for this research dates back to 2016 when Princeton astrophysicist Christopher Chyba and JPL planetary scientist Kevin Hand initially argued that such energy generation was impossible. However, as they revisited their own conclusions, they began to question the assumptions underlying their proof. This shift in perspective led them, along with Spectral Sensor Solutions scientist Thomas Chyba, to explore whether specific conditions could enable power generation from Earth’s dynamics.

    To test their hypothesis, the researchers designed an experiment using a 29.9-centimeter manganese-zinc ferrite cylinder. This material was carefully selected because it encourages magnetic diffusion, allowing magnetic fields to spread more freely. The team placed the cylinder in a controlled, darkened lab to eliminate interference from light and positioned it precisely perpendicular to both Earth’s rotation and magnetic field.

    Precise Measurements Reveal 18 Microvolts, Strengthening Link to Earth’s Rotation

    The researchers used a custom-designed cylinder to harvest electricity. (Chyba et al., Physical Review Research, 2025)

    After carefully measuring and accounting for all variables, they detected a voltage of 18 microvolts. Notably, when they altered the cylinder’s angle or used a different material, the voltage disappeared. The correlation indicated a direct link to Earth’s rotation.

    “The device appeared to violate the conclusion that any conductor at rest with respect to Earth’s surface cannot generate power from its magnetic field,” said Christopher Chyba. To strengthen their findings, the team repeated the experiment in a residential building rather than a laboratory and observed the same response.

    While these results are promising, the generated electricity remains extremely small, and scaling up the process remains uncertain. Moving forward, independent researchers must replicate—or challenge—these findings to determine whether this method could become a practical energy source. Although many questions remain, this breakthrough demonstrates the potential for harnessing Earth’s natural forces in new and unexpected ways.

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • They’re Back! Stranded Astronauts Safely Touch Down on Earth

    They’re Back! Stranded Astronauts Safely Touch Down on Earth

    An eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) unexpectedly turned into a nine-month wait for a return to Earth.
    Credit: Pixabay

    An eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) unexpectedly turned into a nine-month wait for a return to Earth.

    Safe Return to Earth

    Now, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally felt gravity’s pull again, safely splashing down off the Gulf Coast of Florida on Tuesday evening alongside NASA crewmate Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

    Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on board the ISS. (NASA)

    The Boeing Crew Flight Test, launched on June 5, 2024, aimed to transport Wilmore and Williams to the ISS as a demonstration of the Starliner spacecraft’s capabilities.

    Starliner Malfunction Delays Crew’s Return

    However, in a significant setback for Boeing’s commercial space efforts, the spacecraft experienced engine malfunctions while approaching the station. A subsequent review determined that Starliner would return to Earth without passengers, leaving the crew aboard the ISS to await a “rescue” mission.

    The Starliner spacecraft docked to the ISS on NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. (NASA)

    While NASA never officially labeled the astronauts as stranded, their mission stretched from days to weeks and eventually months as plans for their return were finalized.

    Although they missed their friends and family, Williams and Wilmore said they enjoyed their time aboard the station. They stayed engaged with daily routines, took part in over 150 scientific experiments, and even conducted spacewalks.

    Splashdown! SpaceX Dragon spacecraft lands in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida on March 18, 2025. (NASA/Keegan Barber)

    Early Tuesday morning, the crew boarded a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for a 17-hour journey back to Earth. Once in orbit, a brief engine burn guided the spacecraft into its final trajectory toward Florida’s Gulf Coast.

    At 5:57 p.m. ET, the capsule safely splashed down, marking the conclusion of a mission that will be remembered in space history.

    Read the original article on: Science Alert

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  • Unusual Blobs Detected Deep Within Earth in Surprising Locations

    Unusual Blobs Detected Deep Within Earth in Surprising Locations

    Waves rippling from Earth's core provide valuable clues about its composition and the distribution of its materials.
    Credit: Depositphotos

    Waves rippling from Earth’s core provide valuable clues about its composition and the distribution of its materials.

    Researchers from ETH Zurich and Caltech have used seismic waves to uncover unexpected chunks of Earth’s plates in surprising locations. For over a century, geologists have mapped Earth’s interior by analyzing how seismic signals travel at different speeds through various materials. However, traditional methods have been limited by computational constraints.

    Using the Piz Daint supercomputer, the team processed data from all types of earthquake waves, creating a detailed map of the lower mantle. This revealed dense, cooler rock fragments resembling tectonic plates, far from known subduction zones. Some of these mysterious blobs, such as those beneath the western Pacific Ocean, appear misplaced based on geological history.

    “Apparently, such zones in the Earth’s mantle are much more widespread than previously thought,” explains Thomas Schouten, an Earth scientist from ETH Zurich.

    Diverse Origins of Mysterious Chunks in Earth Lower Mantle

    Global earth distribution of seismic stations (a), receiver locations (b), and seismic wave speed anomalies (c,d,e,f) were used to construct the model. Fast wave anomalies are shown in blue, and slow anomalies in red. (Schouten et al., Scientific Reports, 2025)

    Schouten suggests that these enigmatic chunks in the lower mantle may not all originate from tectonic subduction. Instead, they could have diverse origins, reflecting the complex history of Earth’s interior.

    The seismic waves used for this study primarily reflect the speed at which they travel through Earth, providing only a partial picture. Schouten emphasizes the need to dig deeper into the material properties that influence wave speed.

    “We need to calculate the different material parameters that could generate the observed wave speeds,” he explains. “These chunks might consist of ancient, silica-rich material that has survived for about 4 billion years since the mantle’s formation. Alternatively, they could be zones where iron-rich rocks have accumulated due to mantle convection over billions of years.”

    For example, the shapes beneath the Pacific may be layers that separated from the plate’s base, which is thinner near the surface than expected.

    To fully understand these mysterious formations, researchers will need to conduct further investigations. Each of these chunks likely holds unique insights into Earth’s dynamic history.

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • Northern Lights May Illuminate the New Year After Intense Solar Eruptions

    Northern Lights May Illuminate the New Year After Intense Solar Eruptions

    Multiple flares recorded on the Sun. (NOAA)

    As Earth completes another orbit around the Sun, a storm brewing in space may soon illuminate our skies with a breathtaking display of auroras.

    On December 29 and 30, the Sun unleashed a series of dramatic events, including massive eruptions, powerful flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), potentially aimed in Earth’s direction.

    Within just eight minutes of these eruptions, the flash of electromagnetic radiation caused brief radio blackouts on Earth’s dayside. Meanwhile, CMEs—enormous bursts of plasma—traveled more slowly, taking hours to days to spread across the Solar System.

    When CMEs collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they trigger geomagnetic storms. The most captivating result of these storms is the vibrant auroras that light up the skies near the planet’s poles.

    Key Solar Eruptions of December 29-30, 2024

    A geomagnetic storm alert issued by the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. (NOAA SWPC) illuminate

    The three key eruptions occurred on December 29 and 30, 2024 (UTC). On the 29th, sunspot region AR 3936 released an X1.1 flare, categorized as an X-class flare—the most intense type. The following day, this same region produced an even stronger X1.5 flare, followed shortly by an X1.1 flare from sunspot region AR 3932.

    Amid these major flares, smaller ones erupted frequently. For example, December 29 saw 18 M-class flares, which rank as the second most powerful category.

    However, the CMEs added another layer of complexity. Although CMEs often coincide with flares, the CME most likely responsible for a geomagnetic storm on December 31 actually occurred an hour before the first flare on December 29. Later that day, a second, smaller CME was detected, suggesting the potential for a milder geomagnetic storm on January 1.

    NOAA Issues Geomagnetic Storm Warning Amid Uncertain CME Impact

    The NOAA has issued a warning for a strong geomagnetic storm, but uncertainties remain. Neither CME is expected to directly strike Earth, complicating predictions.

    Adding to the mystery, SpaceWeatherLive highlights that existing data leaves it unclear whether these CMEs originated on the Sun’s side facing Earth. They may have erupted from the far side, in which case they won’t reach us at all.

    In a way, this uncertainty feels fitting. What better way to close the year than with a cosmic prank played by the Sun?

    Read Original Article: Science Alert

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  • X-rays May Help Divert Hazardous Asteroids Heading toward Earth

    X-rays May Help Divert Hazardous Asteroids Heading toward Earth

    Asteroids pose a serious threat to Earth, as history has shown – just ask the dinosaurs. Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have now demonstrated a potential method for diverting a dangerous asteroid using X-rays.
    A new study demonstrates a possible way to deflect an Earthbound asteroid
    Depositphotos

    Asteroids pose a serious threat to Earth, as history has shown – just ask the dinosaurs. Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have now demonstrated a potential method for diverting a dangerous asteroid using X-rays.

    NASA’s Current Defense Measures

    NASA has already taken proactive steps to protect the planet. The Sentry mission monitors near-Earth asteroids and assesses their likelihood of impact. With enough warning, intervention may be possible. In 2022, NASA’s DART mission successfully altered the trajectory of an asteroid by crashing a spacecraft into it. However, this method is costly and requires advanced notice.

    Sandia’s Efficient X-ray Deflection Approach

    Sandia researchers have now tested a more efficient and faster alternative. By triggering a nuclear explosion near an asteroid, the surface would heat up rapidly, creating vapor jets that could nudge it off course. In lab experiments, the team simulated this by blasting small asteroid-like samples (quartz and fused silica) with soft X-rays, using Sandia’s Z machine. The X-rays heated the samples, sending them into steady motion, with velocities reaching around 70 meters per second.

    Real-World Applications and Catastrophic Potential

    The team then scaled these findings to real-world asteroid scenarios, showing that this technique could work on asteroids up to 4 km (2.5 miles) in size – large enough to cause catastrophic damage.

    For context, a 10-km-wide asteroid hit Earth 65 million years ago, wiping out 75% of all life, including the dinosaurs. Even smaller asteroids, like the 20-meter meteor that exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013, can cause significant destruction, injuring over 1,500 people and damaging thousands of buildings.

    Future Research for Enhanced Planetary Defense

    Preventing an asteroid impact is crucial, and adding nuclear options to our planetary defense strategies could one day save humanity. Future experiments by the Sandia team will focus on different asteroid compositions, including sandy, rocky, and porous materials, to refine this promising deflection method.

    Read the original Article: New Atlas

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