Source:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s27e104-wow-signal-solved-cluster-s-dramatic-demise-and-solar-storm-surges--61180093
In this episode of SpaceTime, the mystery of the famous "Wow!" signal may finally be solved, the European Space Agency's Cluster mission is set to end in a fiery re-entry over the South Pacific, and Earth gets hit by another powerful solar storm. Join us for these fascinating updates and more!
00:00:00 - This is SpaceTime series 27, episode 104, for broadcast on the 28 August 2024
00:00:45 - New study may have identified the source of the famous "Wow!" signal
00:12:30 - European Space Agency's Cluster mission to end with a controlled re-entry
00:23:45 - Earth hit by another powerful solar storm
00:32:15 - The science report: Higher levels of plant fats linked to lower risk of heart disease
00:45:00 - Neuralink's brain implant shows promising results in second trial patient
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 this is spacetime series 27 episode 104
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 for broadcast on the 28th of August
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 2024 coming up on space time the alien
00:00:09 --> 00:00:13 big wow signal finally solved well maybe
00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 the European space agency's cluster
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 Mission set to come to a fiery end over
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 the South Pacific and planet Earth hit
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 by another powerful solar storm all that
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 and more coming up on
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 SpaceTime welcome to SpaceTime with
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 Stuart
00:00:32 --> 00:00:39 [Music]
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 Gary a new study may have finally
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 narrowed down the likely source of the
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 famous big wow signal the signal was
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 detected by the Ohio State University's
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 Big Ear radio telescope in 1977 as part
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 of the UN City search for
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 extraterrestrial intelligence C program
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 which ran from 1973 to
00:01:06 --> 00:01:10 1995 it originated in the HD1 164 595
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 system which is in the direction of the
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 constellation
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 Sagittarius it lasted for the full 72
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 second window that the big ear was able
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 to observe it and it was so strong and
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 unusual astronomers had never seen
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 anything like it before they circled a
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 print out of the signal data writing wow
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 with an exclamation mark next to it in
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 the margins and the name
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 stuck for years it was thought by many
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 to be the most promising sign so far of
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 a possible extraterrestrial intelligence
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 trying to contact us letting us know
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 that we are not alone in the
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 universe that's because it was in a
00:01:47 --> 00:01:48 unique part of the electromagnetic
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 spectrum's narrow band radio frequencies
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 right near the frequency for neutral
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 hydrogen origion long thought by a
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 scientists to be the most likely
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 location for a cry in the dark from an
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 extraterrestrial intellig
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 but despite regular surveys of the
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 Signal's location it's never been
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 repeated nor has anything like it been
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 observed in any other part of the sky
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 over the years the wow signals become
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 lore in the SE world and over time it
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 gradually faded into historic
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 Legend now a report on the prepress
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 physics website archive.org suggests the
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 signal was most likely caused by the
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 sudden brightening of hydrogen emissions
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 due to a strong transient radiation s
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 such as a magnetar flare a soft gamma
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 repeater or possibly the first recorded
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 astronomical mesar flare event in the
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 hydrogen line all of these could have
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 caused hydrogen clouds to brighten
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 considerably for seconds or even minutes
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 the authors of the new study were even
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 able to identify the hydrogen clouds
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 responsible for the signal but not the
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 source of the radiation itself that
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 suggested it's far more distant than the
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 clouds which produce the hydrogen signal
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 the new findings are based on archival
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 Dat Thea collected by the now defunct
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 aasbo radio telescope in Puerto Rico the
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 study's lead author AEL Mendez from the
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 University of Porto Rico says the arbo
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 observations May between February and
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 may 2020 have revealed similar narrow
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 band signals near the hydrogen line
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 coming from multiple directions but less
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 intense than the original wow signal on
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 the other hand thanks to air receiver's
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 more advanced electronics compared to
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 those available for the Big Ear the
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 signals are more sensitive have better
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Tempo resolution and include
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 polarization measurements the authors
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 say that these hydrogen flare events are
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 rare and they rely on precise conditions
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 and special alignments between the
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 source the intervening hydrogen cloud
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 and of course the Observer it means what
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 the Ohio researchers saw back in 1977
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 was a transient brightening of one of
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 several neutral hydrogen clouds in the
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 telescope's line of
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 sight of course this isn't the first
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 time a possible solution to the big wow
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 signal mystery has been hypothesized for
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 a long time it was speculated to
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 originate with a pulsar then in 2020 a
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 report in archive narrowed down the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 possible source for the signal to a
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 distant sunlight Star cataloged as two
00:04:12 --> 00:04:18 Mass 1928 1982 minus 26401 123 which was
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 detected in detailed observations
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 undertaken by the European space
00:04:21 --> 00:04:25 agency's Gia spacecraft that star has a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 similar surface temperature a similar
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 radius and also a similar Luminosity to
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 our Sun making it and any surrounding
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 planetary system a tantalizing Target
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 the guia data provided far more detailed
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 three dienal observations that
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 astronomers had available to them when
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 they previously hunted for a source for
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 the signal but even in 2020 there were
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 some 66 other stars in the same catalog
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 all identified as potential candidates
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 but this particular star appeared to be
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 the most likely back then because it was
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 by far the strongest
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 candidate this is spacetime
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 still to come the European space
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 agency's cluster Mission set to come to
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 a fiery end over the South Pacific Ocean
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 and planet Earth hit by yet another
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 powerful solar storm all that and more
00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 still to come on SpaceTime
00:05:16 --> 00:05:30 [Music]
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 next month on September the 8th the
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 first of four satellites that make up
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 the European space agency's cluster
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 Mission will re-enter Earth's atmosphere
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 and burn up over the South Pacific Ocean
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 the spacecraft's fiery demise will Mark
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 the end of an historic Mission which
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 lasted 24 years measuring space weather
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 events and how they impact Earth's
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 magnetic environment this targeted
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 re-entry will be the first of its kind
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 launched back in the year 2000 the four
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 cluster satellites have been in studying
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 perhaps one of the things that make
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 earth a unique habitable world where
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 life can Thrive namely its powerful
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 magnetic Shield the
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 magnetosphere like an enormous umbrella
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 the magnetosphere protects life on Earth
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 from most of the driving rain of
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 particles that relentlessly stream out
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 of the sun and the solar wind but
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 occasionally powerful events such as
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 solar flares and chronal mass ejections
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 can push through this magnetic Shield
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 sending burst of energetic particles C
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 skating down towards the Earth's surface
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 the most common result of these
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 geomagnetic storms are the Northern and
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 Southern Lights the Aurora Borealis and
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 Aurora astralis a kaleidoscopic
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 spectacle that mesmerizes all who see
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 them but the storm of charge particles
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 from the Sun can also damage satellites
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 frying their onboard electrical circuits
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 it can disrupt radio communications and
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 navigation systems overload power grids
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 on the ground blacking out vast areas
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 increase the radiation dose usage
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 suffered by astronauts in space and even
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 people in high altitude aircraft and it
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 can shorten the life of satellites that
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 do survive the initial electrical shark
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 by Heating and expanding the Earth's
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 atmosphere causing additional
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 atmospheric drag on those satellites
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 resulting in their need to use more fuel
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 in order to avoid orbital Decay until
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 cluster came along these space weather
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 events all remained something of a bit
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 of a mystery we had a rough idea of what
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 was going on but no actual detailed
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 numbers
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 and that's where cluster came in for
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 more than two decades cluster showed how
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 important the magnetosphere was in
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 shielding the Earth from the solar wind
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 and what happened when it was
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 overwhelmed cluster watched the effects
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 of solar storms to help science better
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 understand and forecast space weather
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 events cluster was initially launched on
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 what was just meant to be a 2-year
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 mission to study the sunar interaction
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 it was never designed to last this long
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 because it was carrying out such
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 impressive and world changing science
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 Easter spacecraft operations decided to
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 keep it going but as the four satellites
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 now gradually sink lower in their orbits
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 the end has finally come without
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 intervention the four cluster satellites
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 naturally in an unpredictable manner
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 potentially over densely populated areas
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 so by targeting the four satellites
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 re-entries Isa will ensure that
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 cluster's demise doesn't contribute to
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 dangers on the ground or the rocketing
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 amount of space junk currently orbiting
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 around the Earth
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 the four cluster satellites are named
00:08:31 --> 00:08:35 Roomba for cluster 1 salsa for cluster 2
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 sber for cluster 3 and Tango for cluster
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 4 and it will be salsa which is the
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 first to take the plunge back into
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 Earth's atmosphere as with all planned
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 satellite re-entries Mission managers
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 are targeting a specific region over the
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 Southeastern Pacific ocean known as
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 Point Nemo the furthest possible point
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 in the ocean away from land and
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 populated areas back in January Mission
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 manager tweak Salsa's orbit to make sure
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 that on September the 8th it experiences
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 its final steep drop from an altitude of
00:09:06 --> 00:09:10 roughly 110 kilm down to around 80 km at
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 which point it'll start to experience
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 the buffeting of Earth's atmosphere this
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 flight plan provides the greatest
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 possible degree of control over where
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 the spacecraft will be captured by the
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 atmosphere and where it will begin to
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 burn up in fact a targeted re-entry like
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 this allows for so much predictability
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 in the re-entry time and location that
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 there's no need for any further
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Maneuvers but despite being confident
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 that no surviving fragments will fall
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 anywhere near land scientists really
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 still have no idea about how spacecraft
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 really behave as they pass through the
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 lower layers of the atmosphere and burn
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 up and so Isis considering observing
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 sala's atmospheric rentry using a
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 special equipped aircraft now the four
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 cluster satellites are all identical so
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 by watching them each ENT the Earth's
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 atmosphere on slightly different
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 trajectories and under different weather
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 conditions scientist will have a unique
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 opportunity to conduct valuable re-entry
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 experiments studying the breakup of
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 satellites by seeing how Sala burns up
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 which part survive for how long and in
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 what state scientists will learn how to
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 build zero debris satellites so far the
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 best guessed scientists have is what
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 survives to reach the surface and that's
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 almost always limited to stainless steel
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 and titanium components following
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 Salsa's re-entry next month the three
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 remaining cluster satellites will enter
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 caretaking mode they not be undertaking
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 any scientific measurements but Mission
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 managers will be monitoring them to
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 minimize the risk of collision with
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 other satellites in Earth orbit they'll
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 adjust the orbit of rra in preparation
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 for a similar targeted re-entry in
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 November they'll then maneuver sber and
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 Tango in November 2025 ready for
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 cluster's final orbital goodbye in
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 August
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 2026 now the sort of science being
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 carried out by the cluster Mission won't
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 end late next year Isa plans to launch
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 its next mission to tackle Earth's
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 magnetic environment to be known as the
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 solar wind magnetosphere ionosphere link
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 Explorer or smile it'll be a joint
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 venture between Easter and the Chinese
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 Academy of Sciences smile will build
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 upon cluster's work revealing even more
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 about the complex and intriguing
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 magnetic environment surrounding planet
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 Earth a case of literally standing on
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 the shoulders of
00:11:21 --> 00:11:25 cluster this report from E TV after a
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 drawn out period of weak activity our
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 Sun appears in recent months to have
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 been jolted from its deep Slumber
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 blasting tons of plasma into
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 interplanetary space the flares
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 constantly monitored by EA's Soho
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 Mission and other International
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 spacecraft emanate from sunspots with
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 enormous magnetic filaments rising from
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 the sun's
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 surface having traveled 150 million
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 kilom this mass of plasma buffets
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 against our planet's magnetic field it
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 is this interaction that cluster Europe
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 space Fleet to the magnetosphere has
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 been recording in 3D since
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 2000 flying in close formation around
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 our planet the four identical spacecraft
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 carry a suite of instruments to study
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 the charged particles and Earth
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 electromagnetic fields in this region
00:12:19 --> 00:12:23 extending to around 50 km above the
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 atmosphere its observations have
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 revealed a dramatic realm of invisible
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 violence in certain circumstances
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 magnetic whirlpools larger than the
00:12:33 --> 00:12:37 entire Earth bore into our magnetosphere
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 injecting venomous
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 particles as the sun's high energy
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 particles collide with molecules in the
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 upper atmosphere they lose energy
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 causing the molecules to glow and heat
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 the atmosphere the effects are well
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 known the shimmering curtains of red
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 green and blue light of the northern and
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 southern auroras
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 the cluster quartet has been able to
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 directly measure the acceleration of
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 charg particles above the auroras it has
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 also observed black Aurora strange
00:13:09 --> 00:13:13 phenomena with dark empty regions anti
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 Aurora where electrons are sucked from
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 the Earth's
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 ionosphere one of the major highlights
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 of the mission has been the first look
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 at the heart of a magnetic process
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 called
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 reconnection this occurs when magnetic
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 fields collide releasing energy and
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 allowing previously separated plasmas of
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 gas to mix it is the key mechanism that
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 allows the solar wind to penetrate the
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 Earth's magnetic
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 Shield understanding the magnetic
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 reconnection is a major quest in physics
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 It is believed to be a fundamental
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 process that drives powerful phenomena
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 the Jets of radiation from black holes
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 or the powerful solar flares of our own
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 solar
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 system understanding what sparks
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 magnetic reconnection will also help
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 scientists on Earth trying to harness
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 Fusion reactors to produce electricity
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 but thwarted by uncontrollable
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 reconnection
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 events better understanding the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 interactions in the magnetosphere has
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 introduced a valuable new discipline of
00:14:17 --> 00:14:21 predicting space weather storms
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 generated by the solar Outburst can
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 seriously hamper even knock out
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 electrical systems aboard satellites and
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 damage power gs on Earth cluster has
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 provided a continuous solar weather
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 watch that now allows contingency
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 measures to be
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 taken the satellite quartet's success is
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 all the more resounding after the
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 dramatic start of the mission years of
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 work ended in the mangroves of French
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 Guana on the 4th of June 1996 when the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 first cluster spacecraft were lost in
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 the catastrophic explosion of the first
00:14:56 --> 00:15:00 test launch of Aran 5 but within 10
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 months the decision to try again was
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 taken and like a phoenix the satellites
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 were rebuilt 4 years later they were
00:15:07 --> 00:15:11 orbited in pairs by two soyu rockets a
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 tremendous achievement to relaunch the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:17 mission in such a short time Ruma Samba
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 salsa and Tango as they are
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 affectionately called have been circling
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 the earth in formation ever since
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 conducting their own style of a complex
00:15:27 --> 00:15:31 orbital dance this SpaceTime still to
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 come planet Earth hit by another
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 powerful solar storm and later in the
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 science report a new study has confirmed
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 that eating higher levels of plant fats
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 lowers your chances of developing heart
00:15:42 --> 00:15:45 disease and dying early all that and
00:15:45 --> 00:15:49 more still to come on SpaceTime
00:15:49 --> 00:15:55 [Music]
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 well any of our listeners living at
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 higher latitudes will know that the
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 Earth been pummeled by more violent
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 solar storms erupting out of the Sun
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 including several powerful x-class solar
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 flares and again it's been spreading to
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 lower latitudes in fact the US national
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 oceanographic and Atmospheric
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 Administration Noah says intense
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 saltless storms brought level four
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 geomagnetic storm activity that's on a
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 scale five and that's resulted in aural
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 activity seen as far south as Alabama
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 and Northern California these solar
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 storms are being triggered by powerful
00:16:35 --> 00:16:38 blasts of energy and plasma exploding
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 out from the Sun as solar flares and
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 cronal mass ejections when these
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 particles hit the Earth's protective
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 magnetic field they cause the entire
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 structure to vibrate and when they're
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 powerful enough they can push through
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 the magnetosphere Shield traveling along
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 magnetic field lines down towards the
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 Magnetic North and South poles and if
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 you think the number of geomagnetic
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 storms the Earth's facing are increasing
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 well you're right back in May the planet
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 went through the most powerful
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 geomagnetic storms recorded in 20 years
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 and they caused the rural activity to
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 light up the night skies in the United
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 States Europe and Australia at much
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 lower latitudes than usual these events
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 are expected to continue to increase
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 both in strength and frequency as the
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 sun continues to move towards solar
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 maximum the climax of its 11year solar
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 cycle at which point the sun's magnetic
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 polarity will reverse
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 its Magnetic North Pole will become
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 South and its South Pole north and
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 that's expected to happen sometime
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 between now and the end of next year
00:17:38 --> 00:17:42 we'll keep you informed this
00:17:42 --> 00:17:57 [Music]
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 SpaceTime and time that at take another
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 brief look at some of the other stories
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 making news in science this week with a
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 science report International researchers
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 say people who have higher levels of
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 plant fats in their diets also had lower
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 chances of developing heart disease or
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 dying early a report in the Journal of
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 the American Medical Association looked
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 at data from over 400 people
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 spanning 24 years including nearly
00:18:22 --> 00:18:26 190 deaths they say diets rich in
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 plant fats especially those from grains
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 and vegetable oils were associated with
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 a lower overall risk of heart problems
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 and subsequently a lower risk of dying
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 from heart related issues inversely the
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 authors also found that those who had
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 higher levels of animal-based fats
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 including those from dairy foods and
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 eggs had a higher risk of heart disease
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 and a higher risk of dying from heart
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 rated
00:18:49 --> 00:18:52 issues a new study claims there may be a
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 disproportionately higher risk of
00:18:54 --> 00:18:57 Suicidal Thoughts among people using the
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 diabetes and weight loss drugs
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 containing
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 stide a report in the Journal of the
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 American Medical Association analyzed
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 the World Health Organization database
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 of suspected adverse drug reactions to
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 compare the rate of suspected setid
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 related Suicidal Thoughts with those of
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 other similar drugs the researchers say
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 the reports of suicidal thoughts were
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 slightly higher than expected for stide
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 even when compared with other diabetes
00:19:22 --> 00:19:25 drugs the researchers say they can't
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 prove that using seatide causes this
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 higher risk of suicidal thoughts and
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 it's highly unlikely that the risk
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 outweighs the benefits of the drug for
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 most
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38 people a new study claims playing video
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 games for Less Than 3 hours a day may
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 actually have a positive effect on your
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45 mental well-being the findings reported
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 in the journal Nature human behavior
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 looked at data from almost 100
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 people including more than 8 who are
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 involved in a lottery to get one of two
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 different gaming consoles the survey
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 collected details on whether the
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 participants had consoles what their
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 gaming preferences were what their
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 mental health was what their degree of
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 Life satisfaction was as well as their
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 socio demographic
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 characteristics they found that people
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 who had a gaming console and played
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 games on them had improved mental health
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 over their peers however that was only
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 for people who played for Less Than 3
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 hours those people who played for over 3
00:20:21 --> 00:20:24 hours a day did see diminishing benefits
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 interestingly they also found that the
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 simple Act of owning a console was
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 linked to improved life satisfaction
00:20:30 --> 00:20:33 helping to reduce their psychological
00:20:33 --> 00:20:36 distress Elon musk's brain technology
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 startup neuralink says its implant
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 designed to allow paralyzed patients to
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 use digital devices through thought
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 alone is working well in a second trial
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 patient that was implanted with the
00:20:46 --> 00:20:49 device last month the company says the
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 patient hasn't faced the same rejection
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 issues suffered by the first patient
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 back in January patient 1's implanted
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 wise eventually retracted post surgery
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 resulting in a sharp reduction and the
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 electrode's ability to measure brain
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 signals with the details we're joined by
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 technology editor Alex saharov Roy from
00:21:06 --> 00:21:09 Tech advice start life okay so Elon Musk
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 has implanted or his team has implanted
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 a second neuralink into a human being
00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 and he's now able to play Counter Strike
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 2 with his mind he's also designing 3D
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 objects as well so we really are getting
00:21:22 --> 00:21:25 into this whole idea of the the force uh
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 in this case through technology and I
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 guess building the Cyberman or Cy a
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 woman and this was a patient named Alex
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33 now that's not me but this is procedure
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 that went very smoothly and Elon said in
00:21:35 --> 00:21:38 a post to X that if this all goes well
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 there will be hundreds of people with
00:21:39 --> 00:21:42 new links within a few years maybe tens
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 of thousands within 5 years and millions
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 within 10 years and uh the the progress
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 is obviously amazing for somebody with a
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 spinal cord injury and obviously can
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54 control the computer cursor with his
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 mind and he was able to do that within
00:21:55 --> 00:21:58 minutes of connecting the link device to
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 computer and obviously we're in a
00:22:00 --> 00:22:02 situation where the operations only just
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 recently happened and the first
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 recipient did lose some access to the
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 neural link there was a bit of rejection
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 the scientists were able to compensate
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 for that and restore some of the
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 connectivity but it's a learning process
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 but it's certainly does highlight the
00:22:15 --> 00:22:18 Technology's potential for enhancing all
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 manner of everyday activities I mean
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 being able to control things with the
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 power of your mind was once just science
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 fiction but this patient can control
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 computer AED design software he had a
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 for his neuralink charger custom mount
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 it was been 3D printed and just
00:22:33 --> 00:22:35 incredible how even Elon Musk wants to
00:22:35 --> 00:22:38 create an optical product called Blind
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 sight and this will enable people who've
00:22:40 --> 00:22:43 lost both eyes or have no sight to see
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 and he also said that if somebody has
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 lost their arms or legs they can
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 actually attach an Optimus arm or leg
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 during the neuralink implant so that the
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 commands from their brain would go to
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 their robot arms or legs so this is
00:22:54 --> 00:22:57 hearkening to Luke Skywalker losing his
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 you know arm in a fight with fad I am
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 your
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 father these sorts of things are
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 actually starting to be done for real so
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 it's a truly exciting time that's Alex
00:23:07 --> 00:23:12 Sahara from Tech advice.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:24 [Music]
00:23:24 --> 00:23:27 life and that's the show for now
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