Join Anna in this episode of Astronomy Daily as she navigates through a stellar array of updates from the cosmos, highlighting the latest breakthroughs and challenges in space exploration. Prepare for an informative journey that spans from the intricacies of SpaceX's Starship program to groundbreaking discoveries at the heart of our galaxy.
Highlights:
- SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 Update: Dive into the latest developments as the FAA gives a conditional green light for SpaceX's ninth Starship flight following the explosive mishap of Flight 8. Discover the implications for air travel and the ambitious plans for the future of space exploration.
- Gilmour Space Technologies' Launch Delay: Learn about the recent postponement of Australia's first sovereign orbital launch attempt due to a nose cone malfunction. Despite the setback, the team remains optimistic about the future of Australian aerospace engineering.
- Planet Formation in Galactic Center: Explore the astonishing discovery of protoplanetary disks forming in the extreme conditions of the Milky Way's center, challenging previous notions of planetary formation and expanding our understanding of the universe.
- Evolving Dark Matter Theory: Delve into a novel proposal suggesting that dark matter may evolve over time, offering fresh insights into the Hubble tension problem and opening new avenues for research in cosmology.
- Evidence of Ancient Solar Storm: Uncover the findings surrounding the most violent solar storm in recorded history, which struck Earth 14,300 years ago. Learn how this event could inform modern space weather preparedness in our technology-dependent world.
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.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 update
10:00 - Gilmour Space Technologies' launch delay
15:30 - Planet formation in the Milky Way's center
20:00 - Evolving dark matter theory
25:00 - Evidence of ancient solar storm
✍️ Episode References
SpaceX Starship Updates
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com/ (https://www.spacex.com/) )
Gilmour Space Technologies
[Gilmour Space]( https://gilmourspace.com/ (https://gilmourspace.com/) )
Protoplanetary Disks Research
[Peking University]( https://www.pku.edu.cn/ (https://www.pku.edu.cn/) )
Dark Matter Theory
[University of Cologne]( https://www.uni-koeln.de/en/ (https://www.uni-koeln.de/en/) )
Ancient Solar Storm Findings
[Climate Chemistry Model]( https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818121002175 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818121002175) )
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/27156634?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your cosmic
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 companion for all things space. I'm
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Anna, and I'm thrilled to bring you
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 today's celestial roundup of the most
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 fascinating developments from across the
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 universe. Today, we're exploring a
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 diverse constellation of space news that
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 spans from our own backyard to the very
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 heart of our galaxy. We'll start with
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 the latest on SpaceX's Starship program,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 where the FAA has made some crucial
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 decisions about Flight 9 following
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 March's explosive setback. Then we'll
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 jet off to Australia where a historic
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 rocket second launch attempt was
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 scrubbed at the last minute due to an
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 unexpected glitch with a most peculiar
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 payload aboard. Our journey takes us
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 deeper into space as we discover
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 something truly remarkable. Planets
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 forming in the extreme environment at
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 the center of our Milky Way, challenging
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 what scientists thought possible about
00:00:50 --> 00:00:51 planetary
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 formation. We'll also delve into
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 theoretical physics with a fascinating
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 new proposal about dark matter. Could
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 this mysterious substance actually be
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 evolving over time? The answer might
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 solve one of cosmologyy's most
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 persistent puzzles. And finally, we'll
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 travel back in time to discover evidence
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 of what may be the most violent solar
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 storm ever to hit Earth. A cosmic event
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 so powerful it left traces we can still
00:01:15 --> 00:01:19 detect 14 years later. So, buckle up
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 for a journey across space and time as
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 we explore today's biggest astronomical
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 breakthroughs.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 Let's start with some SpaceX news. The
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Federal Aviation Administration has
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 given SpaceX a conditional green light
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 for its ninth Starship flight, approving
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 license modifications, but stopping
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 short of authorizing an immediate
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 launch. This decision comes in the wake
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 of Flight 8's explosion in March, which
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 created significant disruptions in our
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 skies. Before Elon Musk's massive rocket
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 can take to the launchpad again, SpaceX
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 must wait for the FAA to either close
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 its investigation into the flight 8
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 mishap or make a specific return to
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 flight determination. As you might
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 recall, the previous test ended
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 dramatically when the spacecraft began
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 spinning uncontrollably with its engines
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 cut off before exploding in space. That
00:02:09 --> 00:02:10 incident wasn't just a setback for
00:02:10 --> 00:02:14 SpaceX. It disrupted approximately 240
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 flights with space debris concerns
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 forcing more than 24 aircraft into
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 diversions. It's a stark reminder that
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 even events happening in space can have
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 very real consequences for air travel
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 here on Earth. The FAA is currently
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 reviewing SpaceX's mishap report, which
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 was only submitted on May 14th. When
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 Flight 9 does eventually launch, we'll
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 see expanded safety measures, including
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 larger aircraft and maritime hazard
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 areas both in the United States and
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 other countries. This expansion stems
00:02:44 --> 00:02:45 directly from the March explosion and
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 reflects another notable first Space X
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 plans to reuse a previously launched
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 Superheavy booster rocket, marking an
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 important milestone in the company's
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 reusability goals. The impact on air
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 travel will be substantial when the
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 launch eventually proceeds. The flight
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 path will affect air routes extending
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 1 nautical miles eastward from Texas
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 through the Straits of Florida. Both the
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 Bahamas and Turks and Kaikos are
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 expected to close their airspace up to
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 6 ft, while the FAA will close
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 airspace above that level. All told, the
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 agency estimates about 175 flights will
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 be
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 affected. In a separate but related
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 decision, the FAA has also approved
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 increasing the number of launches at
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 SpaceX's Bokeh Chica, Texas facility
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 from five to as many as 25, a
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 significant expansion of operations that
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 had actually been announced back in
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 March. While these setbacks may seem
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 disappointing, it's worth remembering
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 the ambitious nature of what SpaceX is
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 attempting. The Starship system stands
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 at a towering 403 feet and represents
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 the centerpiece of Musk's vision to
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 eventually send humans to Mars,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 potentially as soon as the turn of the
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 decade. The March explosion marked the
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 second consecutive failure in SpaceX's
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 test launch program, following another
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 explosion in the seventh test flight.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 Both incidents occurred during early
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 mission phases that SpaceX had
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 previously navigated successfully,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 highlighting the ongoing challenges in
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 developing such revolutionary
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 technology.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 Next, an update from Australia. In what
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 would have been a historic moment for
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 Australia's space industry, Gilmore
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 Space Technologies has been forced to
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 postpone its eagerly anticipated rocket
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 launch after discovering a glitch in the
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 nose cone mechanism. This would have
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 marked the first time an Australian-made
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 rocket reached orbit from Australian
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 soil. The company reported Friday that
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 an electrical fault erroneously
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 triggered the opening mechanism of the
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 carbon fiber nose cone during pre-flight
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 testing. In short, the nose cone fell
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 off. This critical component is designed
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 to shield the payload. In this case,
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 quite charmingly, a jar of Vegemite as
00:04:57 --> 00:04:58 the rocket ascends through Earth's
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 atmosphere. Fortunately, the mishap
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 occurred before fueling began at the
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 company's spaceport near Bowen, a
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 coastal township situated about 1 km
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 north of Brisbane in Queensland. Both
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 the rocket and ground crew were unharmed
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 in the incident. CEO Adam Gilmore
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 maintained an optimistic outlook despite
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 the setback, stating, "While we're
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 disappointed by the delay, we're already
00:05:21 --> 00:05:22 working through a resolution and expect
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 to be back on the pad soon." He
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 emphasized that safety remains their
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 highest priority. A sentiment echoed by
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 communications chief Michelle Gilmore
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 who noted that the team is accustomed to
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 such challenges. We do rockets. They are
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 used to
00:05:37 --> 00:05:41 setbacks. The 23 m three-stage Aerys
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 rocket represents a significant
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 achievement in Australian aerospace
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 engineering. Weighing 30 tons when fully
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 fueled, it employs a hybrid propulsion
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 system combining solid inert fuel with a
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 liquid oxidizer. The team expects the
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 delay to last at least a few weeks as
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 they transport a replacement nose cone
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 to the launch site. This postponement
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 follows another delay just the previous
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 day caused by a bug in the external
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 power system used for system checks.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 These consecutive setbacks highlight the
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 inherent challenges in rocket
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 development even for a company with a
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 decade of experience in the field. The
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 choice of Vegemite as payload speaks to
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 the Australian character of the mission
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 with Michelle Gilmore describing the
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 iconic spread as hearty, resilient like
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 Aussies. The payload reportedly remained
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 intact despite the nose cone
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 malfunction. With 230 employees and
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 backing from venture capital group
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 Blackbird and pension fund Ha, Gilmore
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 Space Technologies has ambitious plans.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 While this test flight has been delayed,
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 the company remains focused on beginning
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 commercial launches by late 2026 or
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 early 2027, potentially establishing
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 Australia as a significant player in the
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 increasingly competitive commercial
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 space launch
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 industry. Let's move on out to some
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 space news. In a groundbreaking
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 discovery that challenges our
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 understanding of planetary formation,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 astronomers have found evidence of
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 protolanetary discs forming in the most
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 extreme environment of our galaxy. its
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 very center. An international team from
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 Ping University, the Shanghai
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 Astronomical Observatory, and the
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 University of Cologne conducted the most
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 detailed survey yet of the Milky Way
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 central molecular zone or CMZ, revealing
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 that planets may be forming in places we
00:07:28 --> 00:07:28 never
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 expected. Protolanetary discs are
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 essentially cosmic nurseries, swirling
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 rings of gas and dust surrounding young
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 stars where planets are born. Within
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 these structures, tiny dust particles
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 collide and stick together, gradually
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 building into pebbles, boulders, and
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 eventually planetary embryos through a
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 process called core accretion. As these
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 embryionic planets grow, they leave
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 behind distinctive patterns that
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 astronomers can detect with advanced
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 telescopes. What makes this discovery so
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 remarkable is the location. The galactic
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 center presents incredibly harsh
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 conditions with intense radiation,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 strong magnetic fields, and turbulent
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 gas clouds. Environments previously
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 thought hostile to planet formation.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 Yet, the research team identified over
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 500 dense cores where stars are forming
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 under these remarkably different
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 conditions. Detecting these systems was
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 no small feat. The central molecular
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 zone is approximately 17 billion
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 astronomical units away and heavily
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 obscured by dust. To overcome these
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 challenges, the team employed the
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 Adakama Large Millimeter Array or ALMA
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 in Chile. This powerful radio telescope
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 combines signals from widely spaced
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 antennas to achieve extraordinary
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 resolution, allowing researchers to
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 observe structures as small as 1
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 astronomical units despite the immense
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 distance. The team used a clever
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 approach called dualband imaging,
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 capturing two wavelengths at the same
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 resolution to gather critical data on
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 temperature, dust composition, and
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 structure.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 What particularly surprised researchers
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 was that over 70% of the dense cores
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 appeared redder than expected,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 suggesting the presence of protolanetary
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 discs. As Fun Shu from the University of
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 Cologne's Institute of Astrophysics
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 described it, we were astonished to see
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 these little red dots across the whole
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 molecular clouds. They are telling us
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 the hidden nature of dense star forming
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 cores. The findings suggest there may be
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 over 300 potential disc forming systems
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 in just three CMZ clouds, opening a new
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 window into how planetary systems might
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 form under radically different
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 conditions than those near our sun. This
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 diversity in planet forming environments
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 could have profound implications for our
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 understanding of exoplanet populations
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 throughout the galaxy. If planets can
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 form in the turbulent highpress
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 environment at the galactic center, it
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 suggests the building blocks of
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 planetary systems are far more resilient
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 and adaptable than previously thought.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 As astronomers continue to study these
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 distant protolanetary discs, we may soon
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 discover whether these early formations
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 can indeed evolve into full planetary
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 systems and how such processes might
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 differ across the vast expanse of the
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 Milky Way.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 Next up, everybody's favorite subject,
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 dark matter. For a while now,
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 cosmologists have been wrestling with a
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 perplexing mystery known as the Hubble
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 tension problem. While observations
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 consistently support the expanding
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 universe model, there's a troubling
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 discrepancy. Measurements from the early
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 cosmos show a lower acceleration rate
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 than what we observe locally. This
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 inconsistency has led scientists to
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 propose numerous potential solutions
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 from questioning general relativity to
00:10:40 --> 00:10:44 rethinking dark matter entirely. Now, a
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 fascinating new theory has emerged that
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 puts a fresh spin on dark matter. What
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 if it evolves over time? This concept is
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 particularly novel because while
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 evolving dark energy has been proposed
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 before, the idea of dark matter changing
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 over time hasn't received much attention
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 from researchers. There are good reasons
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 for this oversight. First, we have
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 excellent observational evidence for
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 dark matter. It appears to be some kind
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 of material that doesn't interact
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 strongly with light, perfectly
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 explaining galaxy rotation curves and
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 gravitational lensing. The only major
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 gap is our inability to directly detect
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 dark matter particles. Second, most
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 critics of dark matter theory focus on
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 eliminating it entirely through
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 alternative models like modified gravity
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 rather than refining the concept. What
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 makes this new approach interesting is
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 how it flips our thinking. Researchers
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 have found that models with evolving
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 dark matter and constant dark energy can
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 produce results similar to those with
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 constant dark matter and evolving dark
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 energy. To match observations, they
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 propose that dark matter must have a
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 changeable equation of state that
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 oscillates over time. This isn't
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 actually as strange as it might sound.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 Consider nutrinos. They have mass, don't
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 interact strongly with light, and are
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 effectively a form of hot dark matter,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 though they can't account for all the
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 dark matter in the
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 universe. Importantly, nutrinos undergo
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 mass oscillation. Perhaps cold dark
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 matter particles experience something
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 similar. The researcher model suggests
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 that roughly 15% of cold dark matter
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 might be oscilly with the remaining 85%
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 being standard dark matter. This
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 combination would address the Hubble
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 tension while remaining consistent with
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 our other dark matter
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 observations. It's worth emphasizing
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 that this remains a conceptual model
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 without specific constraints for dark
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 matter particles. The researchers
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 themselves describe it as a toy model, a
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 simplified framework that captures
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 essential features while omitting
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 details. Nevertheless, it opens an
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 intriguing new avenue for dark matter
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 research that broadens our thinking
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 beyond conventional models. As we
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 continue to gather data and refine our
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 understanding of the cosmos, evolving
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 dark matter might prove to be a valuable
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 piece in solving one of astrophysics's
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 most persistent puzzles. At the very
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 least, it demonstrates how creative
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 thinking can help us tackle even the
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 most fundamental questions about our
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 universe. Finally, today, a little
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 history lesson. Imagine discovering that
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 14 years ago, our planet was struck
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 by a cosmic event so powerful it left
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 physical evidence that scientists can
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 still detect today. That's exactly what
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 researchers have uncovered. The most
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 violent solar storm in recorded history,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 dwarfing anything we've experienced in
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 modern times. By examining partially
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 fossilized tree trunks and ancient ice
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 cores, scientists found unmistakable
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 signatures of an extraordinary event
00:13:40 --> 00:13:44 that occurred around 12 B.CE. Using
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 a specially developed climate chemistry
00:13:46 --> 00:13:50 model called Soal 14 CX. Researchers
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 have now confirmed this was a massive
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 solar storm, the biggest we've ever
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 found evidence for. To put this in
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 perspective, the ancient storm was more
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 than 500 times more intense than the
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 largest event of the modern satellite
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 era, which occurred in 2005. That's
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 simply staggering when you consider the
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 potential
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 impacts. For those wondering how
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 scientists can possibly know about
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 something that happened so long ago, the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 answer lies in radioactive carbon 14.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 When the sun unleashes a powerful
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 coronal mass ejection, essentially
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 billions of tons of plasma with embedded
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 magnetic fields, the particles interact
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 with our atmosphere to temporarily
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 increase carbon 14 production. This
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 carbon 14 gets incorporated into living
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 organisms like trees, creating a
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 distinctive spike in tree rings from
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 that period. Since carbon 14 decays at a
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 known rate, scientists can precisely
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 date these events and even determine
00:14:41 --> 00:14:45 their relative strength. What makes the
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 12 before common era event
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 particularly significant is that it's
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 the only known extreme solar particle
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 event outside the holysine epic, the
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 relatively stable warm climate period of
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00 the past 12 years. This required the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 researchers to develop new modeling
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 approaches that could analyze
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 radiocarbon data under different climate
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 conditions. The implications for our
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 modern world are sobering. We've already
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 seen how smaller solar storms can
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 disrupt technology, like the Carrington
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 event of 1859, which set telegraph
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 systems ablaze worldwide, or the 1989
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 storm that caused multiple power grid
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 failures. Now, imagine something
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 hundreds of times more powerful hitting
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 our satellite dependent, electronically
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 interconnected civilization. This
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 discovery establishes a new worst case
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 scenario for space weather preparedness.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 Understanding the potential scale of
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 these events is crucial for evaluating
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 risks to modern infrastructure. From
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 power grids and communication systems to
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 the satellites that enable everything
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 from GPS navigation to weather
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 forecasting. While such extreme events
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 appear to be rare on human time scales,
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 this research reminds us that the sun is
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 capable of far more violent outbursts
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 than anything we've witnessed in recent
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 centuries. As we become increasingly
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 dependent on vulnerable technologies,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 the importance of space weather
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 monitoring and developing resilient
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 systems becomes even more critical. This
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 ancient solar tantrum preserved in the
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 rings of trees that stood witness to its
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 fury serves as both a scientific
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 treasure and a warning from the distant
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 past.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 And on that somber note, that wraps up
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 another fascinating journey through our
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 cosmos. From the earthbound challenges
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 facing SpaceX's Starship and Australia's
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 budding rocket program to the
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 mind-bending discoveries of planets
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 forming in our galaxy's heart and the
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 possibility of evolving dark matter.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 We've covered quite the astronomical
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 landscape today. And that ancient solar
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 storm revelation really puts things in
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 perspective, doesn't it? A cosmic event
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 500 times more powerful than anything
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 we've experienced in modern times
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 reminds us just how dynamic and
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 sometimes temperamental our stellar
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 companion can be. I'm Anna and I've been
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 your guide through today's cosmic
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 headlines on Astronomy Daily. If you
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 enjoyed this episode and want to keep up
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 with all the latest developments in
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 space science and exploration, I invite
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 you to visit our website at
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 astronomydaily.io where you can sign up
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 for our free daily newsletter. There
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 you'll also find our complete archive of
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 past episodes ready for you to explore
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 at your leisure. Don't forget to
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 you get your podcast to ensure you never
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 miss an episode. Each day brings new
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 discoveries and insights into our
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 fascinating universe, and I'd love to
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 share them with you. Until tomorrow,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 keep looking up. The cosmos never ceases
00:17:42 --> 00:17:46 to amaze.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 Stories we told.
00:17:48 --> 00:18:03 [Music]