Discovery of a Cosmic Filament: Astronomers have uncovered a remarkable string of 14 galaxies spinning in unison within a colossal cosmic filament, a structure that is about 50 million light years long and rotates at an astounding 110 kilometers per second. This discovery reveals the profound influence of cosmic structures on galaxy formation.
China's Earth 2.0 Initiative: The China National Space Agency has unveiled ambitious plans for their upcoming missions aimed at exploring Earth-like planets. These missions include a radio astronomy experiment on the Moon's far side, a solar observatory, a space telescope for studying black holes, and an exoplanet-hunting satellite, positioning China at the forefront of space exploration.
International Space Station Leadership Change: Expedition 73 is transitioning to Expedition 74, with veteran cosmonaut Sergey Rysakov handing over command to NASA's Mike Finke. This change comes as the crew prepares for their return to Earth, while scientific research aboard the ISS continues unabated.
Mayonnaise Research in Space: Scientists are studying mayonnaise aboard the ISS to understand soft matter dynamics in microgravity. This research could reshape our understanding of materials and their applications on Earth, revealing that gravity significantly impacts the internal structures of these substances.
NASA's Punch Mission and Comet Swann: NASA's Punch mission has released a breathtaking 40-day timelapse of Comet Swann, showcasing its stunning bluish-green coma and glowing tail. The footage also features an unexpected appearance by the interstellar visitor 3i Atlas, making for a spectacular cosmic event.
NASA's Emmy Win: NASA has been awarded an Emmy for their production of the total solar eclipse broadcast from April 8, 2024. This monumental effort garnered nearly 40 million views and was recognized for its excellence in production technology, showcasing the agency's commitment to bringing celestial wonders to the public.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/). Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Avery and Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
✍️ Episode References
Cosmic Filament Discovery
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov/ (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
China's Earth 2.0 Plans
[China National Space Agency]( http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/ (http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/) )
ISS Expedition Updates
[NASA TV]( https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html) )
Soft Matter Research
[Scientific Reports]( https://www.nature.com/srep/ (https://www.nature.com/srep/) )
Comet Swann Timelapse
[NASA Punch Mission]( https://www.nasa.gov/punch (https://www.nasa.gov/punch) )
NASA Emmy Award
[Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]( https://www.emmys.com (https://www.emmys.com/) /)
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/30488403?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 the podcast that brings you the latest
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 news from across the cosmos. I'm your
00:00:07 --> 00:00:07 host, Avery.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 >> And I'm Anna. It's great to be with you.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 We've got a busy show today. From the
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 largest rotating structure ever observed
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 to man is in space.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 >> That's right. We'll also be looking at
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 China's ambitious plans to find Earth
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 2.0, know checking in on a commander
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 swap at the International Space Station
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 and celebrating an Emmy win for NASA.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 So, let's get started. First up, an
00:00:33 --> 00:00:34 incredible discovery that's being
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 compared to a cosmic teacup ride.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 Astronomers have found a string of 14
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 galaxies that are all spinning in the
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 same direction as the massive structure
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 they belong to.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 >> And this isn't just any structure. It's
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 a cosmic filament, a gigantic threadlike
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 formation made of dark matter, galaxies,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 and gas. They're the biggest things in
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 the universe, forming a kind of cosmic
00:00:59 --> 00:00:59 web.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 >> Exactly. This particular filament is
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 about 50 million light-years along and
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 is rotating at a staggering velocity of
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 110 km/s.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:13 >> Wow. 110 km/s.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 And the galaxies within it are spinning
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 along with it. That's the amazing part.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 Researchers looked at a section of this
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 filament about 140 million lighty years
00:01:22 --> 00:01:26 away. They found these 14 galaxies, all
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 rich in hydrogen gas, moving in a way
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 that suggests the whole structure is
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 rotating. And more surprisingly, many of
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 the galaxies themselves are spinning in
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 the same direction as the filament.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 >> Right. The lead researcher, Llaya Jung,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 used a great analogy. She said it's like
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 the teacups ride at a theme park.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 >> Mhm. Each galaxy is a spinning teacup
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 and the whole platform, the cosmic
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 filament, is rotating too. This dual
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 motion gives us a rare insight into how
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 galaxies get their spin from the cosmic
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 web they inhabit. It suggests these
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 larger structures have a much stronger
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 influence than we previously thought.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 >> A truly mind-bending discovery. Now,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 let's shift our focus a bit closer to
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 home and look at the future of space
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 exploration. The China National Space
00:02:13 --> 00:02:17 Agency or CNSA has outlined some very
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 ambitious plans.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 >> That's right. In a video titled Earth
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 2.0, China's plan to find new Earth,
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 they detailed four major upcoming
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 missions scheduled for their 15th 5-year
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 plan between 2026 and 2030.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 >> And these missions cover a huge range of
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 objectives. They're planning a
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 radioastronomy experiment for the far
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 side of the moon, a solar observatory to
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 study space weather,
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 >> duts, a space telescope to monitor black
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 holes and neutron stars, and of course,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 the exoplanet hunting satellite that
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 will search for those Earthlike planets.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 >> It's a clear statement of intent. China
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 is positioning itself to be at the
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 absolute forefront of space science and
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 exploration in the coming decade.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 >> Absolutely. Now for a couple of updates
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 from the International Space Station
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 where it's been a busy few days. First
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 up, a change of leadership.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 >> Yes, Expedition 73 is handing the reigns
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 over to Expedition 74. On Sunday,
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 veteran Rose Coast Most Cosminaut Sergey
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Rissov will pass the symbolic station
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 key to four-time NASA astronaut Mike
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 Fininky.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 >> And that handover marks the beginning of
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 the end of the mission for three crew
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 members. Rissov along with flight
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 engineers Alexi Zubritzky and NASA's
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 Johnny Kim are packing up for their
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 return trip to Earth inside the Soyuse
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 MS27 spacecraft.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 >> Safe travels to them. But while the crew
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 is changing, the science never stops.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 And our next story from the ISS is a
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 fascinating one. Anna, why are
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 scientists studying mayonnaise in space?
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 >> It sounds strange, but it's all about
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 understanding something called soft
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 matter. This includes things like gels,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 foams, collids, and mayonnaise. These
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 substances have internal structures that
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 reorganize very slowly over time. Think
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 about how sunscreen can change in the
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 cabinet or how a cream loses
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 effectiveness.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 >> Okay, that makes sense. And studying
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 this process on Earth is complicated by
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 gravity. Right.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 >> Exactly. So, researchers developed an
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 experiment called Kolis, which is now
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 operating on the space station. It uses
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 sophisticated optical techniques to look
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 inside these materials without
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 disturbing them in a microgravity
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 environment.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 >> And are there any results yet?
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 >> There are, and they're already
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 surprising. Early data shows that
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 gravity affects the structure of soft
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 matter much more dramatically than
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 anyone expected. This could have huge
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 implications for everything from food
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 production to pharmaceuticals right here
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 on Earth. Incredible what we can learn
00:04:48 --> 00:04:49 from looking at everyday items in an
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 extraordinary place. Next, let's talk
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 comets. NASA's Punch mission has
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 released an incredible 40-day time lapse
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 of comet Swan.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 >> This might be the longest, most frequent
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 observation of a comet ever recorded.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:07 The spacecraft imaged Comet C 2025 R2,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 also known as Swan, every 4 minutes from
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 late August to early October.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 >> The video is just stunning. You can see
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 the comet gliding through space with its
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 bluish green coma and glowing tail
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 clearly visible. That glow is from the
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 sun's heat vaporizing the comet's ices,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 a process called sublimation.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 >> Mhm. And there was an unexpected guest
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 star in the video. The comet happened to
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 be sharing the same patch of sky with
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 the famous interstellar visitor Threei
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 Atlas, which you can just glimpse in the
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 footage. A true cosmic photo bomb.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 >> Fantastic. And for our final story
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 today, we're switching from scientific
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 observation to television production.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 NASA has won another Emmy award.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 >> They have. This time it's for their
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 broadcast of the total solar eclipse
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 back on April 8th, 2024. The Academy of
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 Television Arts and Sciences recognized
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 them for excellence in production
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 technology.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 >> And it was a massive undertaking. The
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 agency called it the most complex life
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 project they've ever produced. The
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 broadcast was 3 hours long, covered
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 seven American states in two countries,
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 and had hosts and correspondents all
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 over the path of totality.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 >> The effort definitely paid off. The
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 broadcast pulled in nearly 40 million
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 views across all of NASA's channels,
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 including their streaming service NASA
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Plus. From watch parties in libraries to
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 Times Square, people all over the world
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 tuned in.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 >> A well-deserved win for a truly
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 spectacular production that brought a
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 celestial wonder to millions. And that
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 unfortunately is all the time we have
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 for today.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 >> Thanks for joining us on Astronomy
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 Daily. If you'd like to stay on top of
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 all the latest space news or listen to
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 our back episodes, just visit our
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 website at astronomydaily.io.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 It's constantly updating so there's
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 always something new to check out.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 >> And that's it for today. See you Monday
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 when we do it all over again. Until
00:06:55 --> 00:07:01 then, clear skies and keep looking up.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:09 Stories told
00:07:09 --> 00:07:17 stories told
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 stories