SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 129
*First Evidence of a Volcanic Splatocone on Mars
Scientists have identified what appears to be the first evidence of a volcanic splatter cone on Mars, similar to those found on Earth. This discovery, led by Ian Flynn from the University of Idaho, sheds light on the volcanic processes of the red planet. The presence of splatter cones, which form under specific conditions, provides new insights into Martian volcanology and the dynamics of volcanic eruptions.
*Volcanic Moon Around a Distant Exoplanet?
A new study suggests the presence of a volcanic exomoon orbiting the exoplanet WASP 49 b, located 635 light years away. The discovery is based on a sodium cloud detected near the planet, resembling the volcanic activity seen on Jupiter's moon Io. This potential exomoon could offer a new perspective on moons outside our solar system, although further observations are needed to confirm its existence.
*Sun Reaches Solar Maximum
The sun has reached the solar maximum of its 11-year cycle, marking a peak in solar activity. This period is characterised by increased sunspots and Space weather events, impacting satellites, communication systems, and power grids on Earth. NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to make its closest approach to the sun, providing valuable data to understand solar weather at its source.
The Science Robert
A new study finds that the rise in human life expectancy is slowing down. Research reveals that even low-risk alcohol consumption is linked to higher mortality in older adults with health or socioeconomic risk factors. Thawing permafrost may accelerate Arctic riverbank erosion, and Australia's proposed misinformation bill raises concerns about freedom of speech and censorship.
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/23689350?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 this is spacetime series 27 episode 129
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 for broadcast on the 25th of October
00:00:06 --> 00:00:10 2024 coming up on SpaceTime the first
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 evidence of a volcanic Splat Con on Mars
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 a distant exoplanet that may host the
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 volcanic moon similar to Jupiter's IO
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 and a new study suggests the sun may now
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 be reaching the maximum period of space
00:00:23 --> 00:00:24 weather events at least during the
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 current solar cycle all that and more
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 coming up on SpaceTime
00:00:30 --> 00:00:35 welcome to SpaceTime with Stuart
00:00:35 --> 00:00:41 [Music]
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 Gary scientists have detected what
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 appears to be the first ever evidence of
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 a volcanic Splat cone on the red planet
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 Mars one of the study's authors Ian
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 Flynn from the University of Idaho says
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 the cone appears to be similar to ones
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 found here on Earth Flynn identified the
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 cone while studying an extinct Martian
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 volcanic vent he then undertook a
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 detailed morphological investigation and
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 Ballistic modeling of the feature and
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 that supported his conclusion Flynn says
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 spones are common on Earth and it would
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 be extremely unlikely that they didn't
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 also exist on Mars now since butter
00:01:24 --> 00:01:25 cones can only form under of the right
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 conditions their presence gives
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 scientists A Benchmark to shoot for when
00:01:29 --> 00:01:33 and simulating Martian volcanoes splut
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 cones are created by hot lumps of flying
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 lava falling onto the surface during an
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 explosive volcanic eruption especially
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 during sustained periods of lava
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 fountaining Flynn says they're found in
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 many places on Earth including Iceland
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47 and the craters of the Moon National
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 monument and Preserve in Idaho however
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 until now there's never been any solid
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 evidence for their existence on the red
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 planet Flynn says the similarity between
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 the Martian and Icelandic splatter cones
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 indic that the eruption Dynamics
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 occurring in Iceland also occur on Mars
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 he says it expands the range of volcanic
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 eruption Styles possible on the red
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 planet this discovery can provide clues
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 about how volcanic eruptions happen on
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 Mars specifically regarding the gases in
00:02:16 --> 00:02:17 the magma and the environmental
00:02:18 --> 00:02:19 conditions at the time the eruption
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 occurred it's also further confirmation
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 that Icelandic and indiian volcanoes are
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 erupting now in the same way volcanoes
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 erupted millions of years ago on the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 Planet Flynn says the discovery also
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 fills a distinct observational Gap in
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 Martian volcanology and it lays the
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 groundwork for future investigations of
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 splat cone features on the red planet
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 Mars of course is also home to Olympus
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Mons that's the largest volcano in our
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 solar system Limpus mons is a gigantic
00:02:50 --> 00:02:55 shield volcano over 21.9 km or 72 ft
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 High that's about 2 and 1/2 times the
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 elevation of Mount Everest above sea Lev
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 level It's associated with the thus
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 Monty's volcanic region of Mars Olympus
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 Mons is the youngest of the large
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 volcanoes on the red planet having last
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 erupted and estimated 25 million years
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 ago this SpaceTime still to come a
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 distant exoplanet that may also host a
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 volcanic moon just like Jupiter's IO and
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 a new study suggests the sun may now be
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 reaching the maximum period of space
00:03:26 --> 00:03:27 weather events at least during the
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 current solar cycle all that more still
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 to come on
00:03:32 --> 00:03:46 [Music]
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 SpaceTime a new study has revealed
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 possible signs of a rocky volcanic moon
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 Orting an exoplanet some 635 light years
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 away an exoplanet is a planet orbiting a
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 star other than the sun the biggest clue
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 for this potential Discovery is a sodium
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 Cloud that is close to but slightly out
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 of sync with the exoplanet it's orbiting
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 that exoplanet's a sattin siiz gas giant
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 named wasp
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 49b within our solar system gas
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 emissions from Jupiter's volcanic moon
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 IO create a very similar phenomenon
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 although astronomers are yet to discover
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 a so-called exomoon that is a moon
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 orbiting a planet outside our solar
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 system modle candidates have been
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 identified it's likely that these planet
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 companions have gone undetected because
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 they're too small and dim for current
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 telescopes to detect the sodium Cloud
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 around wasp 49b was first detected back
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 in 2017 catching the attention of aora
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 Osa from Caltech Osa has spent years
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 investigating how exom immunes could be
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 detected by their volcanic activity for
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 example iist volcanic body in our solar
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 system is constantly spewing sulfur
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 dioxide sodium potassium and other gases
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 that can form vast clouds around Jupiter
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 up to a thousand times the gas giants
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 radius it's possible that astronomers
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 looking at other star systems could
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 detect a similar gas cloud like iOS even
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 if the moon itself is too small to see
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 both wasp 49b and its host star are
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 composed mostly of hydrogen and helium
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 with Trace Amounts of sodium but neither
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 contains enough sodium to account for
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 this Cloud which appears to be coming
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 from a source that's producing roughly
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 100 kg of sodium every second now
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 even if the star or Planet could produce
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 that sodium it's unclear what sort of
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 mechanism could eject that into space so
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 urer and colleagues set it to try and
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 determine if the likely source is a
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 volcanic exomoon now the work proved
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 challenging because of the great
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 distance to this system also the star
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 planet and Cloud often overlap occupying
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 the same tiny far away point in space
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 that meant the authors had to watch the
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 system for quite a long time their
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 findings reported in the astrophysical
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 journal letters found several pieces of
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 evidence suggest in that this Cloud was
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 created by a separate body orbiting the
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 planet although additional research will
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 be needed to confirm the Cloud's
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 behavior for example twice their
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 observations indicated that the cloud
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 suddenly increased in size as if it was
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 being refilled when it wasn't next to
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 the planet they also observed the cloud
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 moving faster than the planet in a way
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 that would seem impossible unless it was
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 being generated by another body moving
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 independent of and faster than the
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 planet and OA thinks this is a really
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 crucial piece of evidence all also the
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 cloud appears to be moving in the
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 opposite direction which physics tells
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 us it should be going if it were part of
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 the planet's atmosphere now while these
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 observations have all intrigued the
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 research team they would still need to
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 observe the system for far longer to be
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 sure of the Cloud's true orbit and
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 structure for part of their lothing the
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 authors used the European Southern
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 observatories VT or very large telescope
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 in Chile they eventually established
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 that the clouds located high above the
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 planet's atmosphere much like the cloud
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 of I producers around Jupiter and they
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 also use computer models to illustrate
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 the exomoon scenario and then compare
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 that with the data they have the
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 exoplanet wasp 49b orbits its host star
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 every 2.8 Earth days with clocklike
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 regularity but the cloud appeared and
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 disappeared behind the star or behind
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 the planet at seemingly irregular
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 intervals Now using their model the
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 authors showed that a moon with about an
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 8h hour orbit around the planet could
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 explain the Cloud's motion and activity
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 including cluding the way it sometimes
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 seemed to move in front of the planet
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 and didn't seem to be associated with a
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 particular region of the planet all in
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 all the evidence is really compelling
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 that something other than the planet or
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 the star are producing This Cloud we
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 know io's volcanoes are driven by
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 Jupiter's gravity which squeezes the
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 moon as it gets closer to the planet
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 then reduces its grip as the moon moves
00:07:50 --> 00:07:54 away this constant flexing in and out
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 produces friction in the tiny Moon's
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 interior leading to a process called
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 gravitational Tidal volcanism if was 49b
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 has a moon similar in size to the
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 Earth's hoser and colleagues estimate
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 that the rapid loss of mass combined
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 with the squeezing from the planet's
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 gravity would eventually cause this
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 little moon to disintegrate he says if
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 there really is a moon there it's
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 destined to have a very destructive
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 ending this report from NASA
00:08:20 --> 00:08:24 TV a rocky volcanic moon could be
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 orbiting a planet more than 600 light
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 years from Earth exomoons or moons
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 around planets outside our solar system
00:08:32 --> 00:08:36 are likely too small to see directly but
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 astronomers think volcanic exomoons
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 could make themselves known by creating
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 massive clouds of volcanic
00:08:43 --> 00:08:47 gas a new study looked at a large sodium
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 Cloud discovered in 2017 near the
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 exoplanet wasp
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 49b scientists found evidence that the
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 cloud is not produced by the planet or
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 the star at orbits instead instead the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 motion of the cloud suggests it
00:09:01 --> 00:09:05 originated from another object possibly
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 a volcanic exomoon to get to this
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 conclusion researchers used a telescope
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 on Earth to observe the Silhouettes of
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 the cloud and the exoplanet as they
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 passed in front of the
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 star in one observation the researcher
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 saw the sodium Cloud moving faster than
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 the planet and away from Earth if the
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 cloud was coming from the exoplanet the
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 scientists would expect it to move
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 toward Earth they think this means the
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 cloud was coming from a different Source
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 like an
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 exomoon Jupiter's moon IO also spews a
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 volcanic Cloud into space it pumps
00:09:43 --> 00:09:47 sodium sulfur and other gases creating a
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 massive Cloud a thousand times wider
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 than Jupiter IO has volcanoes because
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Jupiter's gravity squeezes the moon's
00:09:54 --> 00:09:58 interior heating it scientists think was
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 49 B's gravitational squeezing is likely
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 even more intense and may eventually
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 cause its exomoon to disintegrate while
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 more observations are needed to confirm
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 the existence of the exomoon what
00:10:11 --> 00:10:15 researchers have found is
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 promising this is spacetime still to
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 come scientists say the sun could be
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 reaching the maximum period of space
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 wither events as it reaches solar Max
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 for solar cycle 25 and later in the
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 science report a new study has found the
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 rise in human life expectancy is slowing
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 down dramatically all that and more
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 still to come on
00:10:38 --> 00:10:52 [Music]
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 SpaceTime representatives from NASA the
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 national oceanographic and Atmospheric
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 Administration Noah together with the
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 international solar cycle prediction
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 panel have announced that the sun has
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 now reached its solar maximum period
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 which could continue for the next year
00:11:05 --> 00:11:09 or so the sun's 11e solar cycle is a
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 natural geomagnetic cycle during which
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 the sun transitions between low and high
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 magnetic activity at the height of the
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 solar cycle known as solar maximum or
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 solar Max for short the sun's magnetic
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 poles will flip reversing polarity so
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 the sun's North Pole becomes South and
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 the sun's South Pole north NASA and Noah
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 track sunspots to determine and predict
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 the progress of the solar cycle and
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 ultimately solar activity based on
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 sunspots sunspots are cooler and
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 consequently darker regions on the sun's
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 surface caused by a concentration of
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 magnetic field lines breaking through
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 the surface and extending out into space
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 from deep below sunspots are the visible
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 component of active regions areas of
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 intense and complex magnetic fields on
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 the Sun that are the source of solar
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 flares and cronal mass ejections solar
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 flares are blasts of of energy out from
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 the surface caused when magnetic field
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 lines snap if these explosions are
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 powerful enough they can fling solar
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 material and magnetic field out into
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 space with them that's a cronal mass
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 ejection during solar maximum the number
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 of sunspots and therefore the amount of
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 solar activity increases nessa's
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 director of space weather Jamie favers
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 says the increase in activity provides
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 an exciting opportunity to learn more
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 about our nearest star but it also
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 causes real effects on Earth Earth and
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 throughout our solar system the solar
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 activity strongly influences conditions
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 in space known as space weather this can
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 affect satellites and astronauts as well
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 as Communications and navigation systems
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 and even power grids on the ground when
00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 the sun is most active space weather
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 events become more frequent and more
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 violent and we've seen that in recent
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 months with solar activity leading to
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 increased aural visibility as well as
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 impacts on satellites and infrastructure
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 during May a barrage of large solar
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 flares and coronal mass ejections
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 launched clouds of charged particles and
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 magnetic fields towards the Earth that
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 created the strongest geomagnetic storm
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 in two decades and possibly among the
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 strongest displays of auroral activity
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 on record in the last 500 years and of
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 course another strong solar event hit
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 the earth earlier this month an x99.1
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 class solar flare on October the 3 it
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 was the most powerful blast in the
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 current solar cycle so far an x-class
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 donates the most intense solar flares
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 while the number provides more
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 information about its strength
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 scientists anticipate that the maximum
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 phase of the current solar cycle will
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 last probably another year or so and
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 then the sun will enter its declining
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 phase which will lead back to the next
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 solar minimum the current cycle
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 classified as solar cycle 25 began solar
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 minimum in late
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 2019 that means we shouldn't expect the
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 next solar minimum until 2030 solar
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 Cycles have been tracked by astronomers
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 since Galileo first observed sunspots in
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 the
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 1600s but they're not all the same each
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 solar cycle is just a little bit
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 different some pick for longer periods
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 others for shorter amounts of time and
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 others of smaller Peaks that last longer
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 the last solar cycle was considered
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 fairly mild but the current solar cycle
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 showing far higher levels of sunspot
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 activity Noah anticipates additional
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 solar and geomagnetic storms during the
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 current solar maximum period and that
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 will lead to opportunities to spot more
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 auroral activ over the next few months
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 as well as the potential for technology
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 impacts interestingly though less
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 frequent scientists often see a
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 significant level of storm activity
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 during the declining phase of the solar
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 cycle that'll be something they'll be
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 looking out for this time around as well
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 of course one of the big advantages now
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 compared to the last solar cycle is
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 NASA's Parker solar probe Mission which
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 is exploring the Sun and its activity in
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 December Parker will make its closest
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 ever approach to the sun's surface in
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 fact the spacecraft will swooop down to
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 just 6.1 million kilm above the visible
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 surface of the Sun that'll be the
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 closest any man-made object has been to
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 the sun and it doesn't end there because
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 of the sun's immense Gravity the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 spacecraft will be moving at over 6
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 192 km an hour that'll make the
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 Parker solar probe the fastest man-made
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 object ever flown the December flyby
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 will be the first of three planned close
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 approaches by Parker at this distance
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 and that will help scientists better
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 understand solar weather at its source
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 NASA is also launching several other
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 missions over the next year or so that
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 will further help scientist better
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 understand space weather as it impacts
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 across the solar system these are
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 important because space weather
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 predictions are critical for supporting
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 spacecraft and astronauts including
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 NASA's Artemus campaign remember Artemis
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 astronauts will be flying to the Moon
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 that's well beyond the protective shield
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 offered by Earth's magnetosphere so
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 surveying the space environment will be
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 a vital part of understanding and
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 mitigating astronauts exposure space
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 radiation this report from NASA TV
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 roughly every 11 years the sun's
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 magnetic field completely flips this
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 means the sun's North and South magnetic
00:16:14 --> 00:16:17 poles switch places around the time of
00:16:17 --> 00:16:21 this flip solar activity gradually ramps
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 up the sun will have more sunspots and
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 solar eruptions like solar flares and
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 coronal mass ejections the peak of this
00:16:29 --> 00:16:33 activity is known as solar maximum solar
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 maximum marks the halfway point of the
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 solar cycle and usually means a year or
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 two of high solar
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 activity during this time we might see
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 more severe geomagnetic storms at Earth
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 which trigger Aurora but also threaten
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 our Communications satellites and power
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 grids NASA scientists continue to study
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 the solar cycle so we can better
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 understand solar activity to protect our
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 technology in space and on Earth this is
00:17:00 --> 00:17:11 [Music]
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 spacetime and time now to take another
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 brief look at some of the other stories
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 making news in science this week with
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 the science report a new study has found
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 that the rise in human life expectancy
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 is slowing down a report of the journal
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 Nature analyzed data from 10 high income
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 Nations including Australia and seven
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 other countries with the longest live
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 populations they found that the rate of
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 increase has slowed down since the 20th
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 century the authors conclude that unless
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 biological aging can be markedly slowed
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 survival to the age of a 100 is unlikely
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 to ever exceed 15% for females and just
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 5% for males they believe that
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 Humanity's battle for long life may well
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 have largely been accomplished
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 and they describe this as a celebration
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 of advances in public health and
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 medicine that saw life expectancy
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 increased by around 30 years during the
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 20th
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 century a new studies has found that
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 even lowrisk alcohol drinking causes
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 higher mortal adults over the age of 60
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 with health related or socioeconomic
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 risk factors a report in the Journal of
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 the American Medical Association looked
00:18:23 --> 00:18:26 at over 135 UK adults over the age
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 of 60 described as occasional high risk
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 drinkers based on their daily alcohol
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 intake they also examine possible links
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 between deaths drinking and health or
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 socio economic risks they found that
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 moderate to higher risk drinking was
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 associated with more deaths overall but
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 lower moderate risk drinking was also
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 linked to increased death rates
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 especially cancer deaths in adults
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 scoring higher for Frailty or
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 deprivation interestingly this increase
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 did not affect those who preferred wine
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 or drank only with meals however the
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 authors caution that this still requires
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 further
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 investigation a new study warns that
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 thoring permafrost may be accelerating
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 Arctic Riverbank erosion a report in the
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 journal Nature analyzed the coook river
00:19:11 --> 00:19:14 in Alaska using a novel computational
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 method that allow the researchers to
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 study the river in a finer resolution
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 than possible with traditional satellite
00:19:19 --> 00:19:22 imagery they found that permafrost
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 reduced erosion in the river banks by
00:19:24 --> 00:19:27 47% compared to scenarios in which no
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 permafrost was present
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 they also showed that permafrost thorw
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 may lead to a 30 to 100% increase in
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 River migration rates across the Arctic
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 however they say it's still uncertain
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 how mechanisms such as increased
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 vegetation in the wake of thoring
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 permafrost may or may not strengthen
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 river banks from
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 erosion well one of the biggest topics
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 on the Australian political agenda at
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 the moment is the labor government's
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 misinformation disinformation internet
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 sensor Bill if passed this legislation
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 would allow the government to determine
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 what qualifies as truth and what must be
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 blocked for the public good now
00:20:03 --> 00:20:06 importantly this same legislation would
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 exempt politicians and selected
00:20:07 --> 00:20:11 journalists from these laws so the real
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 question for Australians is can
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 politicians and bureaucrats be trusted
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 or is this more likely to result in a
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 sort of orwellian Ministry of Truth
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 after all these are the same politicians
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 and faceless bureaucrats on both sides
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 of the aisle responsible for the
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 Medicare scare campaign claims that
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 you're likely to get Co from pizza boxes
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 arresting a pregnant woman for promoting
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 an anti-lockdown rally while at the same
00:20:35 --> 00:20:38 time supporting BLM marches forcing
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 social media companies to censor and
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 pull down thousands of post criticizing
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 government including humorous memes then
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 there are the classics like promotion of
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 the Russia Russia Russia collusion hoax
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 and fce claims that the hunter Biden
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 laptop was disinformation when in fact
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 it was real and of course the list goes
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 on those opposing the new legislation
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 say people should basically be able to
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 say what they want as long as it doesn't
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 cause harm or encourage and promote
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 violence and they should be treated as
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 Publishers responsible for everything
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 they say and write under existing laws
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 of liable slander and defamation such as
00:21:12 --> 00:21:15 rule Publishers Tim menum says while
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 Australian Skeptics don't have a
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 position on the legislation itself their
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 views on the freedom of speech are clear
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 it's obviously a pretty important issue
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 I mean sort of it's something that
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 people raise all the time as their
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 freedom of speech it's a vexed issue and
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 people keep referring ing to earlier
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 references and things some to the
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 universal Declaration of Human Rights
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 some to the US Constitution which is
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 strange in Australia because it doesn't
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 apply some to the magnard ETC what we're
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 talking about here is people's right to
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 State their point of view and there is
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 generally agree that you do have the
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 right to State your point of view some
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 people regardless of how obnoxious your
00:21:49 --> 00:21:51 point of view is but then the other
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 issue is about lying misinformation and
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 disinformation misinformation is things
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 that are wrong disinformation is
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59 consciously stating things that are
00:21:59 --> 00:22:02 wrong so you're disinform people and
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 this often happens with people who are
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 making claims he about the antix
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 movement they will make lots of claims
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 that they will say are true better lies
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 I won't even say mistakes let's call
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 them lies and the question then is
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 should you have freedom of speech to say
00:22:13 --> 00:22:16 lies and most people would say no it's
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 fine to express your opinion I don't
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 like you blah blah blah but you can't
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 say I don't like you because you do this
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 or because you you are this sort of
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 person which may be a lie as soon as you
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 say you have to stop saying that you are
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 impinging on their freedom of spe speech
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 and the thing to keep in mind is that
00:22:30 --> 00:22:32 Skeptics keep need to keep it in mind as
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 well there is no such thing as an
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 absolute freedom of speech it's a thing
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 which is said and applied it is a nice
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 idea and that's the way it is in the
00:22:40 --> 00:22:43 Universal Declaration of Human Rights it
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 came out after the second world war it's
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 a set of agreements that these
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 principles should apply and people say
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 yeah they should apply but they're not
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 legally binding and that's what a lot of
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 people don't understand you may take
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 elements of that and write them into
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 your law and that it does become legally
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 binding but the Declaration of Human
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 Rights is not legally binding document
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01 what is a legally binding document when
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 you agree to it is the international
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 Covenant on civil and political rights
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 which basically takes the universal
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 Declaration of Human Rights and makes it
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 into a law done by the UN the same as
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 the Declaration so the Covenant is a
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 different thing it's a lot more legal if
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 you accept the Covenant you accept these
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 things as law and the interesting thing
00:23:18 --> 00:23:22 is that the iccpr the Covenant says
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 specifically regarding I think it's
00:23:24 --> 00:23:26 Article 19 or something of the
00:23:26 --> 00:23:28 Declaration that freedom of speech even
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 it's it's a great idea may be subject to
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 certain restrictions and these
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33 restrictions are for the respect of the
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 rights or reputations of others which is
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 that I can't lie about you and the
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 protection of national security or
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 public order the AL you can't you fire
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 in a crowded theater and even the US
00:23:43 --> 00:23:46 Supreme Court says that First Amendment
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 of the US Constitution which does say
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 freedom of speech that is not free
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 everywhere so the whole issue is that
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 there is no such thing as absolute
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 freedom of speech the classic case is
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 John Stewart Mill the writer who was
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 writing in what the 77800 I think he was
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 had a book called on Liberty and he
00:24:00 --> 00:24:03 raises the issue of the harm principle
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 yes freedom of speech is important you
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 should have the right to freedom of
00:24:06 --> 00:24:09 speech except when it causes harm so
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 that's basically what the skeptic's
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 point of view is yes you can say you
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 disagree with vaccination fine you can
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17 say I believe in the lock Nest monster
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 fine but when you start lying about it
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 and especially when those lies cause
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 harm like when you say the meil bumps
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 will Rebel of vaccination causes autism
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 when it doesn't and that causes harm to
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 people because it scares them off
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 vaccination and that sort of stuff it's
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 wrong and you can't say it this all
00:24:31 --> 00:24:34 relates to the internet and social media
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 what about simply forcing social media
00:24:36 --> 00:24:39 to accept the same rules as the rest of
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41 society say me as a publisher of
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43 information if I say something that's
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 untrue I can be sued for that if I
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 defame somebody I can be sued for that
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 shouldn't the same then apply to social
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 media that if you say something on
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 social media that's if you defame
00:24:52 --> 00:24:55 someone then you should be sued for that
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 yes I would agree I mean the the whole
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 trouble was that social media has to so
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 quickly and that the law is so slow to
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 respond that it probably hasn't caught
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 up but yeah I mean you're publishing
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 things wherever they're published in
00:25:06 --> 00:25:09 print TV radio or online the same rules
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 should apply the question is that if
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 someone says something on your website
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 are you as the website owner responsible
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 for what they say you just a Carri
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 service like T that's right are you just
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 are you just a carriage service but then
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 in the carriage service should have an
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 obligation to moderate now that's hard
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 to do right to moderate everything
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 that's said on your website as comments
00:25:28 --> 00:25:30 or whatever but maybe that's the thing
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 you have to do well that's what it comes
00:25:31 --> 00:25:34 down to isn't it is social media like a
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 postal service or a telecommunications
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 company or is it a publisher like CBS or
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 ABC or or what have you that's the
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 question and that's a legal question and
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 certainly probably the Skeptics on
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 principle would suggest that everywhere
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 where someone's making statements and
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 telling lies regardless of where it is
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 they should be called up about it that's
00:25:50 --> 00:25:54 Tim mum from Australian Skeptics
00:25:54 --> 00:26:03 [Music]
00:26:08 --> 00:26:11 and that's the show for now SpaceTime is
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