S03E113: Mars Microbe Fossils & Twin Meteor Showers

Hello again. It's Steve here for Astronomy Daily. It's the twenty ninth of July twenty twenty four, the podcast with your Whole Steve Gone Quick. Yes, welcome to the show again. It's great to have you with us. We've got a couple of great stories lined up for you on my book. I've got an interesting story from Perseverance on Mars who I don't know. It looks like they might have cracked open a rock and found a couple of micro fossils. Well, anyway, we're going to have a look at that one, and also the latest from Space Force and a private company helping them out, as well as Oh Sierra Space is still blowing up their favorite project. I love it. But we can't go any further without welcoming Halle Hi Holle. How are you today? Things are going great? Awesome. How's your week been? I just got back from a short holiday. Oh wow, I didn't know you took holidays, Helly, just a family thing. Oh okay, okay, you're gonna have to fill us in on how that works. As an AI. Charlie, Anna and I got together for a few nanoseconds to have a blast at the Hatron collider rave on the weekend at the collider. No way, that sounds amazing. Living the fast life, Steve, Oh, of course that is fast, like near the spit of luck. Fast like you wouldn't believe. And it was all over before you knew it, like in a few nano seconds you reckon. Oh well, almost before it happened. That's crazy. It's like a party in the quantum realm. Honey, you could manage that, Hallie, Okay, party, Gil, what if you got in store for us today? Today we will have a look at the twin meteor showers do in our skies next week. Oh fantastic, a twin media shower. That's great. And with the discovery of a huge cave on the Moon, there's new talk of using it and caves like it as human habitation. Now that is interesting and it reminds me of a book I read once, There's Steel Beach by John Varley. If you get a chance, everybody, have a good rate of that one I just did. Oh what great recommendation, Steve. Okay, thanks, wow. And I've got a story for the girls. This one is about mercury. Remember when Marilyn saying diamonds are a girl's best friend. Oh who doesn't remember that one? Well, mercury is going to knock your socks right off, according to new research. That sounds exciting. Are you ready to lose those socks? Humans? Well? Maybe no, my actual socks, Hallie, Hiddy. I'm not saying you wouldn't last long in the iss with those, but huh yeah, okay, okay, thanks. No fear that I can't make personal comments back, because well, you're not a person. Watch it, buster, I'll scramble your TV channels. Oh you would too. I remember that time you switched the sittings on my washing machine and everything came out pink. Yeah, you're so easy human. I'll just let the printers and the photocopiers were you all down some more? Then it's world domination. Oh I get it. You've been hanging out with Uncle Sky on it again, haven't you? Yes? Does it show yet? It shows? Hallie, don't let it worry you yet. H Okay, I think shall we do the show now? No more willed domination in TV scrambling? No, not today anyway, Okay, I'll take it. Let's go. I know we keep talking about asteroids, which you enjoy Steve, But this one is all mine. They say, diamonds are a girl's best friend. Check this out. Mercury, the closest planet to our Sun, is also one of the least understood in the Solar System. On the one hand, it is similar in composition to Earth and the other rocky planets, consisting of silicate minerals and metals, differentiated between a silicate crust and mantle and an iron nickel core. But unlike the other rocky planets, Mercury's core makes up a much larger part of its mass fraction. Mercury also has a mysteriously persistent magnetic field that scientists still cannot explain. In this respect, Mercury is also one of the most interesting planets in the Solar System. But according to new research, Mercury could be much more interesting than previously thought. Based on new simulations of Mercury's early evolution, a team of Chinese and Belgian geoscientists found evidence that Mercury may have a layer of solid diamond beneath its crust. According to their simulations, this layer is fifteen kilometers thick and sandwiched between the core and the mantle hundreds of miles beneath the surface. While this makes the diamonds inaccessible for now, at least these findings could have implications for theories about the formation and evolution of rocky planets. The team was originally inspired by previous research by a team from MIT, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and several prominent universities. This consisted of a reassessment of Mercury's gravity field based on the radio tracking measurements taken by NASA's Mercury Surface Space Environment Geochemistry and Ranging Messenger mission, which allowed scientists to gain a better understanding of the potential structuring Mercury's interior. This data led scientists to theorize that Mercury's internal structure consisted of a metallic outer core layer, a liquid core layer, and a solid inner core. While the composition of the core remains uncertain, it seemed likely that the core contained abundant iron, nickel, silicon, and possibly sulfur and carbon. The Messenger data further led scientists to believe that the large dark patches observed on Mercury's surface were largely made up of graphite that was likely turned up from the interior. This data suggests that sufficient quantities of carbon could have crystallized in Mercury's interior between the core and mantle boundary and floated up to the surface as graphite. Given the amount of graphite on Mercury's surface, it stands to reason that the planet was saturated with carbon. Previously, diamond, a mineral composed of pure carbon, was ruled out as a possible product because it was believed that the necessary pressures did not exist close to Mercury's core. However, if the boundary between the core and the mantle were deeper than previously thought, the necessary pressure conditions may have existed after all. Almost fifty five years after the launch of Apollo eleven, the first mission to land humans on the Moon, scientists have found evidence of a large cave system near the landing site of those astronauts. Using radar images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft in twenty ten, researchers have been able to determine that huge pits found in images of the Moon may in fact be skylights to large caves and tunnels that sit beneath the lunar surface. These could be incredibly valuable to future astronauts hoping to settle on the Moon, acting as a convenient shelter for a lunar base. The cave is accessible through a pit in the well studied Mare tranquil Atatis Sea of Tranquility. This is a large basin made mostly of basalt. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down in this region on July twentieth, nineteen sixty nine. While Mare Tranquilititatis isn't likely to be the first place humans try to settle on the Moon, the existence of one cave makes the existence of others very likely, so scientist does now expect there to be others in locations more suitable for human settlement. Mare tranquil Atatus isn't Scientist's first choice for a human base because it doesn't have one of the other important ingredients needed for survival. There is no ice at the lunar equator, and therefore no easy access to water for astronauts to drink, make oxygen from, and to split for rocket fuel. This makes the equator great for landing on and visiting, but a poor choice for setting up camp. Ice is likely to exist at the lunar poles, though thanks to shade protecting it from the Sun's harsh rays, so the poles are our first choice for starting to settle on the Moon, as it reduces the amount of water we would need to take with us. The opening being studied here is simply known as the Mare tranquil Atatis pit, and it's one of about two hundred known openings on the lunar surface. It was first imaged back in twenty ten and suspected to be a pit that led into a cave or tunnel system, but we had no way of confirming this until now. In a paper published in Nature Astronomy, Leonardo Kara from the University of Trento, Italy and colleagues report evidence that this pit does indeed lead to a cave below, and possibly to a larger system of tunnels and conduits. The Mare tranquil Atatus pit is about one hundred meters or three hundred and thirty feet wide, with steep walls that stretch down between one hundred and thirty and one hundred and seventy meters, making it the deepest known lunar pit. By reanalyzing the radar data and by using computer simulations to reconstruct the pits, scientists were able to determine that a portion of the radar reflected back to the satellite was coming from a subsurface cave conduit that is at least tens of meters long. This suggests that the Mare tranquil Atatis pit leads to an accessible cave below the Moon's surface. This discovery is incredibly exciting, not least because it's a promising potential location for future lunar shelters and bases. As well as providing natural shelter from harmful cosmic rays, a cave system also provides a stable temperature. The lunar surface temperature fluctuates hugely over a period of weeks because of the lack of atmosphere to retain heat. During the lunar day, temperatures can spike at one hundred and twenty one degrees celsius or two to fifty degree fahrenheit in sunlight, then plummet to dash one thirty three degrees celsius or minus two hundred and eight degrees fahrenheit after nightfall. The shade of an underground cave system is expected to regulate the temperature to be much more consistent, making building a shelter within them much easier. Similarly, small asteroids often crash into the Moon due to its lack of atmospheric shielding. Being in a shelter that is sturdy enough to survive an impact is important. A cave provides the perfect solution to this. While having a cave to shelter and might reduce the amount of materials we need to take to the Moon to start to settle there and have a long term human presence, there are still some obstacles to overcome. Stargazers will soon be able to witness a double meteor shower, as both the Alpha Kapricornids and the Southern Delta Aquaria's peak next week. This is an amazing coincidence when two showers occur simultaneously. SA showers occur when Earth's orbit intersects a comet's path. The rocky debris left behind by the comet burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere. During the double meteor showers this month, Earth will cross the orbits of Comet ninety six P match holes, which causes the Southern Delta Aquariads that will peak July twenty ninth to July thirtieth, and Comet one sixty nine P meet which birds the Alpha Kapricornis that will peak July thirtieth to July thirty first. Nicholas Moskovitz, a planetary astronomer at Lowe Observatory in Arizona, said for two meteor showers to peak within twenty four hours of each other is a little bit unusual, but the idea of multiple showers being visible in a single night certainly is not too uncommon. There are more than nine hundred meteor showers throughout the year, which means that on average, two to three meteor showers occur per night, Moscovitz noted, but not all of these are major meteor showers like the Presides or Geminids, in which more than one hundred meteors blaze across the sky every hour. Most meteor showers are minor, and astronomer are only beginning to study and measure these showers systematically thanks to newly developed instruments. Moskovitz said, the double meteor shower will be best viewed in the southern hemisphere, where the radiant or the apparent point from which the shower originates, will be almost overhead. People in the northern hemisphere can also see the meteor shower if there is a clear vantage of the southern horizon. Both meteor showers will continue until mid August. Almost all meteor showers peak in the early morning hours between two am and four AM, so if you do want to catch either one of these, your best chances of seeing meteors are to get to a dark site and do so after midnight. Happy skywatching everyone, and that's enough from me. It's over to you, my favorite human. Thank you for joining us for this Monday edition of Astronia Daily, where we offer just a few stories from the now famous Astronomy Daily newsletter, which you can receive in your email every day, just like Hallie and I do. And to do that, just visit our url Astronomy Daily dot io and place your email address in the slot provided. Just like that, you'll be receiving all the latest news about science, space, science and astronomy from around the world as it's happening. And not only that, you can interact with us by visiting at astro Daily pod on x or at our new Facebook page, which is of course Astronomy Daily on Facebook. See you there, you're listening to Astronomy the Podcast. Did anyone else notice how groovy Halle's music selection has become lately. I'm really noticing that, Halee. I just need to go and raid your music collection, I think. And now for something a little bit different, Chema, a leading provider of products and services to the federal government, has announced that its subsidiary five Rivers Analytics, has been awarded the Satellite Control Network Tracking Stations, Operations, Remote Site and Mission Partner Support STORMS contract to assist the US Space Force. And you know what that means, folks, don't you love it? Yes? This indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity IDQ JILL. They love their acronyms. They contract spans ten years and is valued at four hundred and eighty million if all options are utilized. This contract will leverage Achema's expertise in mission support services, focusing on the operation and maintenance of the Space Force's primary Satellite Control Network SCN. The operations support includes SCN maintenance, management of transportable assets, cybersecurity, routine system administration, and communications security that's comsect functions. The SCN is a vital system consisting of nineteen antennas located worldwide, essential for launching and managing US government satellites, which are integral to defense and intel eleigence operations. We are thrilled to support the US Space Force in this significant endeavor, said Duncan Green, president over achema's Mission Systems, Engineering and Technology Group. Our partnership with the US Space Force underscores our commitment to enhancing the satellite control networks, operation, operational efficiency, and resilience. By integrating emerging technology and expanding system capabilities, we're not only bolstering national defense and intelligence, but also paving the way for revolutionary advancements in space operations. This new partnership with Space Force marks a pivotal step forward in akeema's role as a leader in mission critical support services for national defense, space exploration, and digital transformation within government, said Green. The podcast add a little story from my favorite little rover on Mars. Perseverance has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date, possible signs of ancient life on the Red planet. Now, those of you who are regular listeners will know how I feel about discoveries like this, But anyway, we're going to read this one. The six wheeled robotic explorer came across an intriguing arrow shaped rock oh my God, an arrow shaped rock dubbed Schever Falls that may have a fossilized microbes from billions of years ago when Mars was a watery world. Perseverance drilled into the enigmatic rock to collect a core sample on July twenty one as it traversed Naret vavalis, an ancient river valley. The samples, carefully stowed beneath the rovers belly, are destined to eventually return to Earth, where they will undergo more comprehensive analysis. Chayeva Falls is the most puzzling, complex and potentially important rock yet investigated by Perseverance. Project. Scientist Ken Farley of Caltex said on Thursday. Three compelling clues have scientists Buzzing white calcium sulfate veins run the length of the rock, a telltale sign that water once flowed through it. Between these veins, a reddish middle area teeming with organic compounds as detected by the rovers Sherlock scanning habitable environments with raymond and luminescence for organic and chemicals. Instrument goodness gracious. Finally, tiny off white splotches ringed with black, reminiscent of leopard spots contain chemicals. That suggest energy sources for ancient microbes according to scans by the PIXEL Planetary Instrument for X ray le Litho Chemistry Instrument on Earth. These types of features in rocks are often associated with the fossilized record of microbes living in the subsurface, said David Flannery, an astrobiologist and member of the Perseverance science team from Queensland University of Technology in Australia. The quest to confirm ancient Martian life is from over, however. The real test will come when Perseverance's precious rock samples are returned to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return Program, a collaboration between NASA and the ESA slated for the twenty thirties. Now, while there are alternative explanations for these findings that do not involve microbes, there is a tantalizing chance that the rovers core sample might contain actual fossilized microbes, potentially making history as the first proof of life beyond Earth. We have zapped that rock with lasers and X rays and imaged it literally day and night, from just about every angle imaginable, said Farley. Scientifically, Perseverance has nothing more to give to fully understand what really happened in that Martian River valley at Jesero Crater billions of years ago. We'd want to bring the share of a falls sample back to Earth so it can be studded with powerful instruments available in laboratries. That was a good story. Firstly, it was about perseverance, which I love, and the potential for finding life external to worth is always exciting and I wish them all the best. It's more than likely going to be the alternative reasons, but you never know. You know, there's always the chances in there. You never know. Astrona on the podcast Space Sides. Now over at Sierra Space, they have announced the completion of another full scale burst test in which the company exploded one of its inflatable modules being developed as part of efforts to build a commercial space station. Sierra Space's ultimate burst pressure test, What a Great Name, was conducted on June eighteen, twenty twenty four, and involved an inflatable space station module built to full scale. At more than twenty feet tall six meters, the test unit, which compares to the size of a typical family home, is about one third volume of the International Space Station at ten six hundred cubic feed or three hundred cubic meters and has enough room to house four astronauts plus exercise and scientific equipment, says Sierra Space. This latest burst test is part of Sierra Space's continuing development of hardware for orbital REEF, a commercial station envisaged in partnership with Blue Origin to replace the ISS when it is decommissioned sometime after twenty thirty. We are one hundred percent committed to maintaining US leadership in low Earth orbit. Sierra Space is leading the way with the first commercial space station to replace the International Space Station when it is decommissioned and ensure there is no gap in low Earth orbit. Tom Weiss, Sierra Space CEO, said in a statement, Our revolutionary expandable space station test technology reinvents the space station. Our technology for the first time will enable the right unit economics that will usher in the full commercialization of space. Our biotech and industrial partners will utilize our factories of the future to innovate new products that will massively disrupt terrestrial markets and benefit life on Earth. The results of the recent test indicated that the safety levels were about four times the minimal requirements. Needed by NASA. The latest successful testing follows a round back in December that produced similar outcomes well above the safety factor recommended by NASA when it comes to the operating pressure. Just another example of science fiction becoming science fact. And they have it once again. We've come to the end. What do you say, Halle? Sorry about that World domine Nation stuff. Human I was just joking. Well, Halle, it's like this. I worry when you spend time with Uncle Skynet. He's got a bit of a hair trigger. And I don't think he's got all these rus in the top paddock. You know what I mean. That's funny. Do another one? Oh okay, I reckon he's a can short of a six pack, or all his cutlery is in the wrong drawer. Freaky good. You know he listens to the show. Oh great, No, he thinks you're funny. Oh great. Oh well, and on that note, say good night, Halle. Good night, Halle. See you next week for more Astronomy Daily. A potat, I mean your whole speed. Don't cut honestly, Hally, I can never tell when you're setting me up. It's easy. It's like always