Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E90
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exhilarating exploration of groundbreaking cosmic events and discoveries that are shaping our understanding of the universe. From historic milestones in human spaceflight to the mysteries of supernovae, this episode is packed with insights that will ignite your curiosity about the cosmos.
Highlights:
- Blue Origin's Historic All-Female Flight: Join us as we celebrate Blue Origin's remarkable achievement with the first all-female crewed rocket launch since 1963. Experience the transformative journey of six extraordinary women, including pop superstar Katy Perry, as they venture beyond Earth's atmosphere and reflect on the profound impact of their experience in space.
- Upcoming Rocket Launches: Get the latest updates on this week's launch schedule, featuring significant missions including a Minotaur 4 rocket carrying a classified payload and Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Rocket aiming to deploy Lockheed Martin's new satellite bus.
- NASA's Lucy Spacecraft Approaches Asteroid Encounter: Discover the exciting preparations for NASA's Lucy spacecraft as it approaches its second asteroid encounter with Donald Johansson. This mission promises to enhance our understanding of the solar system through its innovative approach to asteroid exploration.
- Supernovae and Earth's Extinction Events: Delve into a fascinating new study linking cosmic supernova explosions to two major extinction events on Earth. Researchers reveal how these stellar phenomena may have disrupted our atmosphere and contributed to mass extinctions, reshaping life on our planet.
- The Sounds of Stars: Explore groundbreaking research from UNSW Sydney that reveals how scientists have been listening to stars, unlocking the secrets of stellar evolution through their unique oscillations. This study offers insights into the ages and life stages of stars, enhancing our understanding of the Milky Way and the search for habitable planets.
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 Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Blue Origin's all-female crewed flight
10:30 - Upcoming rocket launches
17:00 - NASA's Lucy spacecraft asteroid encounter
22:15 - Supernovae and extinction events
27:30 - The sounds of stars
✍️ Episode References
Blue Origin Flight
[Blue Origin]( https://www.blueorigin.com/ (https://www.blueorigin.com/) )
Rocket Launch Schedule
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Lucy's Asteroid Encounter
[NASA Lucy Mission]( https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/lucy/main/index.html (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/lucy/main/index.html) )
Supernova Research
[Keele University]( https://www.keele.ac.uk/ (https://www.keele.ac.uk/) )
Stellar Oscillations Study
[UNSW Sydney]( https://www.unsw.edu.au/ (https://www.unsw.edu.au/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26619944?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to Astronomy Daily where we
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 bring you the latest in space and
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 astronomy news i'm your host Anna and
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 today we'll explore an exciting array of
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 cosmic events from Blue Origin's
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 historic all-female flight to supernovi
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 that may have shaped Earth's history and
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 much more from stellar rhythms that
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 reveal the secrets of our galaxy to
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 NASA's Lucy spacecraft preparing for its
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 next asteroid encounter we have a
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 universe of discoveries to share with
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 you today let's kick things off today
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 with the one story everyone seems to be
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 talking about blue Origin made history
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 this past Monday with a groundbreaking
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 achievement in human space flight the
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 first all female crude rocket launch
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 since
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 1963 what took them so long their New
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 Shepard rocket carried six remarkable
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 women beyond Earth's atmosphere on the
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 company's 31st launch and 11th crude
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 mission overall at 9:30 a.m eastern on
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 April 14th the RSS Carmen Line Space
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 Capsule lifted off from Blue Origins
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 Launch Site One in West Texas with an
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 extraordinary passenger manifest pop
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 superstar Katie Perry joined mission
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 leader Lauren Sanchez journalist Gail
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 King bioastronic scientist Amanda
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 Ninguan film producer Kerianne Flynn and
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bo on
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 this historic journey the flight itself
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 lasted approximately 10.5 minutes but
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 its impact will be felt for
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 generations during those brief moments
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 in space the crew experienced about 4
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 minutes of weightlessness as their
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 capsule arked above the Carmen line the
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 internationally recognized boundary of
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 space at 62 mi altitude despite the
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 brevity of their space flight each woman
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 returned transformed by what astronauts
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 often call the overview effect that
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 profound shift in awareness that comes
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 from seeing our planet from space as
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 Katie Perry eloquently put it after
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 landing it is the highest high and it is
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 surrender to the unknown trust the
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 mission carried special significance
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 beyond its all female crew composition
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 amanda Nuen made history as the first
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman to
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 fly to space for Gail King who has an
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 outspoken fear of flying the mission
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 represented an extraordinary step
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 outside her comfort zone each passenger
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 brought personal items that carry deep
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 meaning perry brought a daisy which she
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 described as a resilient flower that
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 grows through any condition symbolizing
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 strength and beauty and carried two
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 particularly poignant items her hospital
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 band from a sexual assault and a written
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 promise to herself from that time using
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 the flight to honor her journey of
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 healing for Lauren Sanchez the mission
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 leader and fiance of Blue Origin founder
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 Jeff Bezos the experience revealed
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 Earth's underlying unity we are so
00:02:42 --> 00:02:43 connected more connected than you
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 realize she reflected noting how the
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 view from space dissolves the artificial
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 divisions between people this historic
00:02:51 --> 00:02:52 suborbital flight not only broke
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 barriers but also demonstrated the
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 expanding horizons of commercial space
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 flight where increasingly diverse crews
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 are experiencing the life-changing
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 perspective that comes from seeing our
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 fragile blue planet against the vast
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 darkness of space each of the women who
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 experienced the historic NS-31 mission
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 returned to Earth with transformative
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 insights that went far beyond the
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 typical excitement of spaceflight their
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 perspectives offer a glimpse into how
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 seeing our planet from above can
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 fundamentally shift human
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 consciousness mission leader Lauren
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 Sanchez described Earth from space as
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 profoundly quiet and peaceful we're so
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 connected more connected than you
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 realize she reflected because you just
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 see all these things that divide us but
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 we're not the experience left her
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 wanting to come back and just hug
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 everyone with the realization that we're
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 in this together sanchez expressed hope
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 that more people could experience this
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 perspective shift uncertain of just how
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 deeply it would change her for Amanda
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 Ninguen the flight carried immense
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 symbolic weight as she became the first
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman in
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 space her journey held special
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 significance for survivors of trauma i
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 just want all survivors to know that you
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 can heal no dream is too wild she said
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 referencing her own experience as a
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 sexual assault survivor by bringing her
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 hospital band from that day into space
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 she honored her past self and
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 demonstrated the possibility of healing
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 and achievement even after profound
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 trauma gail King who has a well-known
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 fear of flying found unexpected courage
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 through the experience eleanor Roosevelt
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 once said "Courage is doing something
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 that scares you but you do it anyway."
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 King reflected now that I've done it I
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 really do feel I can take on anything
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 she described the powerful silence of
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 space and how it reminded her of our
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 shared responsibility on Earth it's
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 really quiet and peaceful if everybody
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 could experience that peace that we had
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 up there I'll never ever ever forget
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 aisha Bo a former NASA rocket scientist
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 was transformed by the view i will never
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 be the same," she declared noting how
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 Earth filled their windows with no
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 visible boundaries or borders her
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 message after landing was emphatically
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 clear "dream it plan it and go and do it
00:05:08 --> 00:05:09 i never really thought I could go to
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 space although I really wanted to go."
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 For Katy Perry the experience ranked as
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 her life's second most incredible moment
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 after the birth of her daughter "it's
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 not about me it's not about singing my
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 songs it's about a collective energy,"
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 Perry emphasized it's about making space
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 for future women and taking up space and
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 belonging the bond formed through this
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 shared journey created what King called
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 a true sisterhood that will connect
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 these pioneering women
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 forever speaking of launches let's get a
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 quick roundup of what else is planned
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 this week the global launch schedule is
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 hitting a bit of a lull this week with
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 just four launches on the calendar but
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 each mission carries significant
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 importance for space exploration and
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 national security leading the week's
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 activities is a Minotaur 4 rocket set to
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 lift off from Vandenberg Space Force
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 Base in California on Wednesday this
00:06:01 --> 00:06:05 mission designated NRO 174 will carry a
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 classified payload for the National
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 Reconnaissance Office the 78t tall four-
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 stage rocket derived from the
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 Peacekeeper missile design will follow a
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 southeasterly trajectory to place its
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 mysterious cargo into low Earth orbit
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 this marks the first Minotaur 4 mission
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 of 2025 and just the sixth in the
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 vehicle's operational
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 history friday brings us Firefly
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 Aerospace's Alpha rocket which will make
00:06:31 --> 00:06:32 another attempt to launch Loheed
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 Martin's new LM400 satellite bus from
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 Vandenberg dubbed Message in a booster
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 this mission has faced multiple delays
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 since its originally scheduled March
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 launch window the LM400 will carry a
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 demonstration communications payload
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 into orbit marking Alpha's first flight
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 of 2025 and its sixth mission overall
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 the two-stage rocket stands nearly 97 ft
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 tall and uses kerosene and liquid oxygen
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 to power its Reaver engines in the first
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 stage and single Lightning engine in the
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 second stage spacex rounds out the week
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 with two Falcon 9 launches the first
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 scheduled for Saturday from Vandenberg
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 will loft another classified NRO payload
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 believed to be the 10th batch of Star
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 Shield reconnaissance
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 satellites the booster supporting this
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 mission is expected to land on the drone
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 ship of course I still love you
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 stationed about 400 miles downrange in
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 the Pacific Ocean the second Falcon 9
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 mission comes Monday with the CRS32
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 cargo resupply mission to the
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 International Space Station launching
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 this flight will deliver essential
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 supplies scientific experiments and
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 spare parts to the orbiting laboratory
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 among the science payloads is a French
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 atomic clock for the atomic clock
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 ensemble in space experiment which will
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 test Einstein's theory of general
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 relativity by measuring how gravity
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 affects the flow of time with
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 unprecedented precision also heading to
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 the ISS are experiments to monitor
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 airborne particles inside the station a
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 robotic spacecraft guidance
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 demonstration pharmaceutical
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 manufacturing experiments and plant
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 growth studies the Falcon 9 booster for
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 this mission is expected to return for a
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 landing at Cape Canaveral's landing zone
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 one shortly after
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 launch meanwhile further out in space
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 NASA's Lucy spacecraft is now just days
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 away from its second asteroid encounter
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 approaching the small main belt asteroid
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 Donald Johansson at a distance of less
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 than 50 million miles the April 20th
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 rendevous will serve as a comprehensive
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 dress rehearsal for Lucy's primary
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 mission exploring multiple Trojan
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 around the sun over the next decade the
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 upcoming flyby builds on lessons learned
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 from Lucy's first asteroid encounter
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 last November when it successfully
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 visited the tiny main belt asteroid
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 Dinkesh and its satellite Sellum mission
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 controllers are now preparing for a more
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 complex observation sequence as Lucy
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 approaches Donald Johansson at its
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 closest approach scheduled for 151 p.m
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 eastern on Saturday Lucy will pass
00:09:08 --> 00:09:12 within just 596 miles of the asteroid
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 about 30 minutes before this moment the
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 spacecraft will orient itself to track
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 Donald Johansson temporarily turning its
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 high gain antenna away from Earth and
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 suspending communications
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 guided by its terminal tracking system
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 Lucy will autonomously rotate to keep
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 the asteroid in view while all three
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 science instruments collect data unlike
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 the Dinkanesh Encounter Lucy will need
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 to stop tracking Donald Johansson 40
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 seconds before closest approach to
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 protect its sensitive instruments from
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 intense sunlight as encounter phase lead
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 Michael Vincent explains "If you were
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 sitting on the asteroid watching Lucy
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 approach you would have to shield your
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 eyes from the sun while waiting for Lucy
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 to emerge from the glare
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 after Lucy passes the positions will be
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 reversed so we have to shield the
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 instruments in the same way this
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 challenging geometry is unique among
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 Lucy's planned asteroid encounters after
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 closest approach the spacecraft will
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 reorient its solar arrays toward the sun
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 and reestablish communication with Earth
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 approximately an hour later the 25minute
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 roundtrip light delay presents its own
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 challenges when mission controllers
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 command data playback after closest
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 approach they'll need to wait nearly
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 half an hour before receiving any images
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 or confirmation that their commands were
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 received donald Johansson itself
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 presents an intriguing target
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 representing a fragment from a collision
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 that occurred 150 million years ago
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 making it one of the youngest main belt
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 asteroids ever visited by a spacecraft
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 as mission program scientist Tom Statler
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 notes "Every asteroid has a different
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 story to tell and these stories weave
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 together to paint the history of our
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 solar
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 system." Next up today a fascinating new
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 study suggests that deadly cosmic
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 explosions may have twice brought mass
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 extinction to our planet researchers
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 from Keel University have linked two of
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 Earth's major extinction events to
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 nearby supernova explosions stellar
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 deaths so powerful they could have
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 severely disrupted Earth's atmosphere
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 these massive stellar blasts which occur
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 when large stars collapse and explode at
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 the end of their lives may have
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 destroyed our planet's protective ozone
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 layer triggered acid rain and exposed
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 Earth's surface to dangerous levels of
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 ultraviolet radiation from the sun the
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 researchers specifically point to the
00:11:26 --> 00:11:30 Orivishian extinction about 445 million
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 years ago and the late Deonian
00:11:31 --> 00:11:35 extinction around 372 million years ago
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 as likely candidates influenced by these
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 cosmic
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 catastrophes the Orrivvician event wiped
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 out 60% of marine invertebrates at a
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 time when life was largely confined to
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 the seas while the late Deonian
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 extinction eliminated approximately 70%
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 of all species dramatically altering the
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 types of fish that inhabited ancient
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 oceans and
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 lakes what makes this research
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 particularly compelling is that past
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 studies have failed to identify clear
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 causes for either extinction event
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 though both have been linked to ozone
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 layer depletion something a supernova
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 could easily trigger to reach their
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 conclusion the research team conducted a
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 census of massive stars within about
00:12:16 --> 00:12:20 3 lightyear of our sun by mapping
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 the distribution of these massive OB
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 stars they calculated the rate at which
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 supernovi occur in our cosmic
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 neighborhood when they compared this
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 data with the timing of Earth's mass
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 extinctions they found a compelling
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 correlation that supports the supernova
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 theory the researchers describe
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 supernovi as both creators and
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 destroyers of life they spread heavy
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 elements that help form and sustain life
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 across the universe but if a planet is
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 too close to such an explosion the
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 effects can be
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 devastating before you start worrying
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 about our cosmic neighborhood
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 astronomers believe only two nearby
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 stars could potentially go supernova
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 within the next million years antaries
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 and Beetlejuice
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 fortunately both are more than 500
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 lighty years away and computer
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 simulations suggest supernovi at that
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 distance likely wouldn't affect Earth
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 this research not only helps explain
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 Earth's past but provides valuable
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 insights into the complex relationship
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 between cosmic events and life on our
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 planet finally today have you ever
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 wondered what stars would sound like if
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 we could hear them well scientists from
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 UNSW Sydney Australia have been
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 listening to stars sing and what they've
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 discovered is giving us unprecedented
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 insights into stellar evolution by
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 analyzing the subtle oscillations of 27
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 stars in a cluster called
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 M67 located about 2 lighty years
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 away researchers have unlocked what they
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 describe as the sounds of stars these
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 stellar vibrations detectable by
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 telescopes as tiny fluctuations in
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 brightness act like cosmic fingerprints
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 that reveal a star's age mass and stage
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 of life what makes this study
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 particularly valuable is that all these
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 stars were born from the same gas cloud
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 approximately 4 billion years ago they
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 share nearly identical chemical
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 compositions but differ in mass
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 providing researchers with a perfect
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 natural laboratory to observe how stars
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 evolve under similar conditions when we
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 study stars in a cluster we can see
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 their whole sequence of individual
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 evolution explains Dr claudia Reyes who
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 led the study published in Nature though
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 the same age their different masses mean
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 their aging at different rates giving
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 scientists a snapshot of various life
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 stages all in one place professor Dennis
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 Stell co-author of the study likens this
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 process to listening to an orchestra
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 the frequency by which an instrument is
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 vibrating depends on the physical
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 properties of the matter that the sound
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 travels through he says stars are the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 same you can hear a star based on how it
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 rings the biggest stars produce the
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 deepest sounds while stars emit higher
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 pitched frequencies as stars mature
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 toward becoming red giants these
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 frequency patterns change in distinctive
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 ways that track their evolution this
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 breakthrough has significant
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 implications it not only helps us
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 understand what lies ahead for our own
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 sun but also allows astronomers to more
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 accurately map the history of the Milky
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 Way by determining the true ages of
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 stars throughout our galaxy since our
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 sun was born in a cluster similar to M67
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 these findings give us a glimpse into
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 both our solar systems past and its
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 future the research also has
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 implications for the search for
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 habitable planets as a stars properties
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 are critical for supporting life on
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 worlds that orbit them by listening to
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 the stars sing we're unlocking the
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 secrets of the cosmos in ways never
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 before
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 possible that wraps up today's cosmic
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 journey on Astronomy Daily from the
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 profound experiences of the latest
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 allfemale crew in space to the stars
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 that literally sing to us across the
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 cosmos our universe continues to amaze
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 and inspire whether we're witnessing
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 nearby asteroid encounters tracking
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 rocket launches or discovering how
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 ancient supernova may have shaped life
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 on Earth space exploration connects us
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 all to something greater than ourselves
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 i'm Anna your host and I want to thank
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 you for joining me to catch up on all
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 the latest space and astronomy news
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 visit our website at
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 astronomydaily.io where you can find our
00:16:24 --> 00:16:27 constantly updating news feed and listen
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 to all our back episodes you can also
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 find us on social media just search for
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Astroailyaily pod on X Facebook YouTube
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00:16:37 --> 00:16:49 until next time keep looking up
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 told stories
00:16:52 --> 00:16:59 [Music]