Life, life and more life! It's everywhere.
Great News for a Mars Colony!
- Thread starter lotr10
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Life will be found everywhere in the cosmos:
www.upi.com
New research suggests one of life's most important building blocks, a simple amino acid called glycine, can form inside interstellar clouds well before the emergence of stars and planets.
Scientists have previously detected glycine in the coma of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Stardust sampling missions have also turned up evidence of interplanetary glycine.
Until now, scientists thought significant amounts of energy were required for the formation of glycine and other amino acids -- the kind of energy produced by stars.
However, new experiments -- detailed Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy -- suggest "dark chemistry" reactions can produce glycine on the surface of icy dust grains without the assistance of stellar energy.
Life's building blocks can form in interstellar clouds without stellar fusion
New research suggests one of life's most important building blocks, a simple amino acid called glycine, can form inside interstellar clouds well before the emergence of stars and planets.
www.upi.com
New research suggests one of life's most important building blocks, a simple amino acid called glycine, can form inside interstellar clouds well before the emergence of stars and planets.
Scientists have previously detected glycine in the coma of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Stardust sampling missions have also turned up evidence of interplanetary glycine.
Until now, scientists thought significant amounts of energy were required for the formation of glycine and other amino acids -- the kind of energy produced by stars.
However, new experiments -- detailed Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy -- suggest "dark chemistry" reactions can produce glycine on the surface of icy dust grains without the assistance of stellar energy.
Its happening people:
www.businessinsider.com
Next week, Elon Musk's space-exploration company SpaceX will take a big step forward in its quest to fly people to Mars.
Musk tweeted on Tuesday that SpaceX's enormous Starship spacecraft – which the company eventually wants to use to get humans to Mars – will undergo its first high altitude test next week. This follows a successful test firing of the current prototype's engines on Tuesday.
SpaceX's next Starship rocket may soar 15 kilometers high on Tuesday, but Elon Musk says there's a 2-in-3 chance the flight could fail
SpaceX's Starship will fly 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) into the air. Previous prototypes have only made short hops of a few hundred meters.
www.businessinsider.com
Next week, Elon Musk's space-exploration company SpaceX will take a big step forward in its quest to fly people to Mars.
Musk tweeted on Tuesday that SpaceX's enormous Starship spacecraft – which the company eventually wants to use to get humans to Mars – will undergo its first high altitude test next week. This follows a successful test firing of the current prototype's engines on Tuesday.
Europa is the coolest moon in the solar system:
www.space.com
Jupiter's ocean moon Europa may spout water plumes from its icy crust
The intriguing moon could have multiple plume types.
www.space.com
eastisbest
Well-known member
This is neat technology:
www.space.com
Scientists have figured out a way to create and cancel magnetic fields from afar.
The method involves running electric current through a special arrangement of wires to create a magnetic field that looks as if it came from another source. This illusion has real applications: Imagine a cancer drug that could be delivered directly to a tumor deep in the body by capsules made of magnetic nanoparticles. It's not possible to stick a magnet in the tumor to guide the nanoparticles on their journey, but if you could create a magnetic field from outside the body that centered right on that tumor, you could deliver the drug without an invasive procedure.
I suspect there might be weapons applications to something like this.
Physicists could do the 'impossible': Create and destroy magnetic fields from afar
A new study circumvents a 178-year-old theory.
www.space.com
Scientists have figured out a way to create and cancel magnetic fields from afar.
The method involves running electric current through a special arrangement of wires to create a magnetic field that looks as if it came from another source. This illusion has real applications: Imagine a cancer drug that could be delivered directly to a tumor deep in the body by capsules made of magnetic nanoparticles. It's not possible to stick a magnet in the tumor to guide the nanoparticles on their journey, but if you could create a magnetic field from outside the body that centered right on that tumor, you could deliver the drug without an invasive procedure.
I suspect there might be weapons applications to something like this.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Magnetars. Sound like a sat morning cartoon character.
College buddy studied stuff like this, researched for a Nobel prize winner. Crazy smart. Fairly normal.
College buddy studied stuff like this, researched for a Nobel prize winner. Crazy smart. Fairly normal.
The only thing I ask is that the Japanese keep these samples away from any iguanas.
phys.org
Japan spacecraft carrying asteroid soil samples nears home
A Japanese spacecraft is nearing Earth after a yearlong journey home from a distant asteroid with soil samples and data that could provide clues to the origins of the solar system, a space agency official said Friday.
Not to worry this isn't going to happen for a long time - a real long time:
www.sciencealert.com
Our Solar System Is Going to Totally Disintegrate Sooner Than We Thought
Although the ground beneath our feet feels solid and reassuring (most of the time), nothing in this Universe lasts forever.
www.sciencealert.com
eastisbest
Well-known member
probably be the irradiated sentient iguanas race that ends it.
Looks to me like a close in reconnaissance probe:
www.newsweek.com
A Mysterious Object Is Hurtling Towards Earth, and We Don't Know What It Is
The object, which is estimated to measure between 15-33 feet across, was discovered on September 17, 2020.
www.newsweek.com
eastisbest
Well-known member
Looks to me like a close in reconnaissance probe:
A Mysterious Object Is Hurtling Towards Earth, and We Don't Know What It Is
The object, which is estimated to measure between 15-33 feet across, was discovered on September 17, 2020.
are you flirting with me again? I told you, my DNA don't swivel that way.
Elon Musk is now confident humans will be on Mars by 2026. SpaceX's Starship will be able to carry up to 100 people plus cargo.
Call me skeptical. There are still far too many obstacles to be resolved and only six years to figure them out.
I do applaud Musk though. He's a big thinking genius and has helped revitalize our space exploration. Kudos.
We may get humans on Mars, but it's still decades away, IMO. I know some yappers will disagree with me.
Call me skeptical. There are still far too many obstacles to be resolved and only six years to figure them out.
I do applaud Musk though. He's a big thinking genius and has helped revitalize our space exploration. Kudos.
We may get humans on Mars, but it's still decades away, IMO. I know some yappers will disagree with me.
My heart disagrees with you but my brain agrees. Musk's timing seems way to aggressive to me. But then again that there is a chance we could get people to Mars by 2026 is very exciting.
said_aouita
Well-known member
eastisbest
Well-known member
Like any research biz, it's pretty close to the vest what's in the pipeline. If there are no technical obstacles, the rest is logistics and funding. Other than 50's movies, we don't think of such a project launching from Earth. If he feels this rocket has what it needs to perform both functions, light it up!
eastisbest
Well-known member
The "on" Mars, I would think a bit of a stretch. More-so, the "off" Mars. I wouldn't presume that clock started ticking at the announcement but that they've been in preparation for some time. Who knows what problems they've already solved?
The path to Mars is well worn. Long term habitability is well worn. Landing and taking off has been done, but not under atmosphere. The rocket isn't the conventional design but put a bit of spin on it, they can have a gravity to Mars. Not sure what type of lander they could hope to have within five years that would be big enough for people and survive atmosphere. If they can launch a lander to space, have it come back to Earth and return to meet it's platform, that would give them a huge safety factor both in gravity and atmospheric survivability. If they manage that, I'd say they could make the Mars trip.
The path to Mars is well worn. Long term habitability is well worn. Landing and taking off has been done, but not under atmosphere. The rocket isn't the conventional design but put a bit of spin on it, they can have a gravity to Mars. Not sure what type of lander they could hope to have within five years that would be big enough for people and survive atmosphere. If they can launch a lander to space, have it come back to Earth and return to meet it's platform, that would give them a huge safety factor both in gravity and atmospheric survivability. If they manage that, I'd say they could make the Mars trip.
eastisbest
Well-known member
I presumed you meant land, didn't think otherwise.
The expense? I think it's go all the way with the idea to land, first time. I hadn't considered really whether THAT rocket had the life-span. I'm sure Scotty will have a few repair parts but there has to be other wear and tear.
The expense? I think it's go all the way with the idea to land, first time. I hadn't considered really whether THAT rocket had the life-span. I'm sure Scotty will have a few repair parts but there has to be other wear and tear.
Crusaders
Moderator
I assume they'll follow the Mars Direct plan of sending the shelters and supplies ahead in a separate ship and not take off here until it's confirmed all is well on that front. That makes the most sense. But that's not as challenging as keeping 100 people healthy in space for 6-8 months one way.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Makes sense, two ships min. I'm thinking really small people or shrinking ray.
Why would he want to start with 100 people? That's got murder-mystery written all over it.
Why would he want to start with 100 people? That's got murder-mystery written all over it.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Colony? That's a whole different movie. I'd want more than just supplies waiting for me. Agriculture and raw resources extraction and a way to turn them into useful things. And a still. Several stills. And a red light district. With a still.
I'm officially joining the "it's a stretch" crowd.
I'm officially joining the "it's a stretch" crowd.
And it's not just Mars folks. Efforts are underway to return to the moon and maybe this time we'll stay:
www.upi.com
NASA chooses 4 firms for first private lunar sample collection
Four companies will collect moon rocks and dust on the lunar surface for NASA by 2023 in preparation for a human mission the following year, the space agency announced Thursday.
www.upi.com
eastisbest
Well-known member
An astonishing updated map of the Galaxy:
And a cool video showing the movement of the stars within the galaxy. We sometimes forget that the entire solar system is moving through space:
Gaia’s new data takes us to the Milky Way’s anticentre and beyond
The motion of stars in the outskirts of our galaxy hints at significant changes in the history of the Milky Way. This and other equally fascinating results come from a set of papers that demonstrate the quality of ESA’s Gaia Early third Data Release (EDR3), which is made public today.
www.esa.int
And a cool video showing the movement of the stars within the galaxy. We sometimes forget that the entire solar system is moving through space:
For the record I disagree with this guy 100%. If SpaceX can get to and colonize Mars then Musk and company have every right to set up their own country and run it the way they see fit.
spacenews.com
Op-ed | No, Mars is not a free planet, no matter what SpaceX says - SpaceNews
Taken literally, Starlink users must agree with SpaceX that Mars is a “free planet” and that disputes concerning Starlink services provided on Mars or while en route to the red planet via a SpaceX Starship will be settled through self-regulation. But is this clause valid?
spacenews.com
eastisbest
Well-known member
then we have a right to litter it with small pox laden peace blankets.
The idea here is to avoid territorial wars.
The idea here is to avoid territorial wars.