00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 for the latest space and astronomy news.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 I'm Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 >> And I'm Avery. We've got another stellar
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 episode lined up for you today, Monday,
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 January 26th, 2026.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 >> That's right. Today, we're taking you on
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 quite a journey through the cosmos.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 We'll be exploring two fascinating Mars
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 stories that paint very different
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 pictures of the red planet's future.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 From terraforming dreams to atmospheric
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 water harvesting for survival. Plus,
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 we've got some incredible discoveries
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 from across the universe. We'll reveal
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 how NASA's Chandra Observatory has
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 cataloged over 1.3 million X-ray
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 sources. Discover an ingenious new use
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 for earthquake sensors that could save
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 lives. And uncover why those water
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 worlds we've been excited about might
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 actually be lava planets in the skies.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 And we'll finish with a breathtaking
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 look at our cosmic future, courtesy of
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 the James Webb Space Telescope's latest
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 images of a dying star. So settle in
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 because we're about to explore the
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 universe together.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 >> Let's get started.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 >> Avery, let's kick things off with what
00:01:08 --> 00:01:09 could be one of humanity's most
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 ambitious projects ever. Scientists are
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 saying it's time to take terraforming
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 Mars seriously, and they've got a road
00:01:17 --> 00:01:18 map to make it happen.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 >> This is fascinating stuff, Anna. For
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 decades, terraforming Mars has been the
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 stuff of science fiction. But new
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 research suggests we might actually have
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 the tools to pull it off. A team of
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 planetary scientists, biologists, and
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 engineers has published what amounts to
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 a blueprint for transforming the red
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 planet into a habitable world.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 >> What's really interesting is the
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 timeline they're proposing. This isn't a
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 quick fix. We're talking about a
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 multi-generational project that could
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 take centuries. But the key breakthrough
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 is that they believe we can use
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 resources already on Mars rather than
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 shipping everything from Earth.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 >> Exactly. The plan has three distinct
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 phases. Phase one is all about warming
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 the planet. Right now, Mars averages
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 around70°
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 C. The scientists propose using
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 engineered nano particles made from
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 Martian dust shaped like tiny rods and
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 release into the atmosphere. These
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 particles would trap escaping heat and
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 scatter sunlight towards the surface.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 potentially warming Mars by more than
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 30° C.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 >> And here's the clever part. This method
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 is over 5 times more efficient than
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 previous terraforming schemes.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 University of Chicago planetary
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 scientist Edwin Kite, one of the study's
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 co-authors, notes that Mars was
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 habitable in the past, so greening Mars
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 could be viewed as the ultimate
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 environmental restoration challenge.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 >> Phase two brings in biology. Once
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 temperatures rise enough to melt some of
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 Mars's vast ice deposits, scientists
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 would introduce genetically engineered
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 extreophiles, hearty microorganisms that
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 can survive in the harshest
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 environments. These pioneer species
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 would kick off ecological succession,
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 creating organic matter and slowly
00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 changing the chemistry of the surface
00:03:04 --> 00:03:05 and atmosphere.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 >> And the final phase is the longest and
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 most ambitious, building a stable
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 biosphere with oxygenrich air. The goal
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 is a 0.1 bar oxygen atmosphere, which
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 would be enough to sustain human life
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 without pressure suits. Harvard
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 planetary scientist Robin Wersworth puts
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 it beautifully. Life is precious. We
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 know of nowhere else in the universe
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 where it exists. We have a duty to
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 conserve it on Earth, but also to
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 consider how we could begin to propagate
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 it to other worlds.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 >> But this isn't just about making Mars
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 habitable. Nina Lonza from Los Alamos
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 National Laboratory sees Mars as a prime
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 test bed for planetary engineering. She
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 suggests that if we want to learn how to
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 modify our environment here on Earth to
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 keep it habitable, maybe it would be
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 better to experiment on Mars first
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 rather than being too bold with our home
00:03:55 --> 00:03:55 planet.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 >> Of course, there are serious ethical
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 considerations. As Lonza points out, if
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 we terraform Mars, we'll really change
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 it in ways that may or may not be
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 reversible. Mars has its own history and
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 we might lose the opportunity to study
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 how planets form and evolve in their
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 natural state.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 >> The researchers stressed that we need to
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 start preparing now even though actual
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 terraforming is still far off. Upcoming
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 Mars missions in 2028 or 2031 should
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 include small-cale experiments to test
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 these strategies such as warming
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 localized regions. Any technology
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 deployed must be reversible,
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 controllable, and biologically safe.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 It's an audacious vision, but as the
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 team points out, 30 years ago,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 terraforming Mars wasn't just hard, it
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 was impossible. Today, with advances in
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 technology and our understanding of
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 Mars, it's becoming a real possibility.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 Whether we should do it is a question
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 we'll need to answer as a civilization.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 >> Sticking with Mars, Anna, our next story
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 takes a more immediate look at how
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 future astronauts might survive on the
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 red planet. New research suggests that
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 the Martian atmosphere itself could
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 provide a vital backup water source.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 >> This is really practical thinking,
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 Avery. While underground ice remains the
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 most promising long-term water source
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 for Mars missions, scientists are now
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 exploring atmospheric water harvesting
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 as an adaptable solution for scenarios
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 where subsurface resources are
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 inaccessible.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 >> The study led by Dr. Vasilus Angloazakis
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 of Strathclyde University and published
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 in advances in space research emphasizes
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 building a self-sufficient water
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 infrastructure. As Dr. Angloazakis
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 explains, reliable access to water would
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 be essential for human survival on Mars,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 not only for drinking but also for
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 producing oxygen and fuel, which would
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 reduce dependence on Earthbased
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 supplies. The challenge is that Mars's
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 atmosphere is extremely thin and cold,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 but it does contain trace amounts of
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 water vapor that could be collected and
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 condensed using specialized technology.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 The study introduces novel approaches
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 inspired by Earth-based dehumidification
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 and technologies. What makes this
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 particularly valuable is the
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 flexibility. While underground ice
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 deposits are seen as the most practical
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 long-term solution, their accessibility
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 is limited, especially near likely
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 landing zones for human missions. Since
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 the precise location of usable ice is
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 uncertain and excavation technology is
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 still evolving, having alternative
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 sources is essential. Atmospheric water
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 harvesting offers a mobile, adaptable
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 alternative. The equipment would be
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 portable, making it a compelling
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 addition to the toolkit for sustaining
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 human life on Mars. As Dr. Ingazaki's
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 notes, this study is one of the first to
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 compare the various technologies that
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 could be deployed to recover water in a
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 Martian environment.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 >> The key takeaway is that future Mars
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 missions will require not just one
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 solution, but a layered approach.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 Combining underground ice extraction,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 soil moisture recovery, and atmospheric
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 harvesting will allow missions to adapt
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 to different environmental and
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 logistical conditions. While the process
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 is energyintensive, atmospheric
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 harvesting can serve as a crucial
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 contingency, especially in emergencies
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 or during long range missions. The
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 research offers insights that could make
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 future space exploration missions more
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 self-sufficient and sustainable. It's
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 this kind of practical multiaceted
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 planning that will ultimately make
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 longduration Mars missions and potential
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 colonization efforts successful. Every
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 backup system counts when you're 225
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 million km away from home.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 >> From the red planet to the entire
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 cosmos, Avery, let's talk about NASA's
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 Chandra X-ray Observatory and its
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 incredible catalog of cosmic recordings.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 >> Anna, this is like the ultimate
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 astronomical music collection. The
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 Chandra source catalog now contains over
00:07:53 --> 00:07:57 1.3 million X-ray detections across the
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 sky, representing 22 years of
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 observations from one of NASA's great
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 observatories.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:06 >> The latest version, called CSC 2.1,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 contains data through the end of 2020
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 and includes over 400 unique,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 compact, and extended sources. This
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 catalog is a treasure trove for
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 scientists, providing everything from
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 precise positions in the sky to detailed
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 information about X-ray energies. What
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 makes this particularly valuable is that
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 it allows scientists using other
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 telescopes both on the ground and in
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 space, including NASA's James Web and
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 Hubble telescopes, to combine Chandra's
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 unique X-ray data with information from
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 other wavelengths of light. To
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 illustrate the richness of this catalog,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 NASA released a stunning new image of
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 the galactic center, the region around
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 the super massive black hole at the
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 heart of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 star. In just a 60 lightyear span,
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 Chandra has detected over 3
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 individual X-ray sources.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 >> That's incredible when you think about
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 it. 3 sources and what amounts to a
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 pen prick on the entire sky. This image
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 represents 86 observations added
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 together, totaling over 3 million
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 seconds of Chandra observing time.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 They've also created a fascinating
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 sonification of the catalog, translating
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 the astronomical data into sound. The
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 sonification encompasses the new map
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 that includes all of Chandra's
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 observations from its launch through
00:09:32 --> 00:09:36 2021, showing how X-ray sources appear
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 and reappear over time through different
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 musical notes. In the visualization,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 each X-ray detection is represented by a
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 circle and the size of the circle is
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 determined by the number of detections
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 in that location over time. You can see
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 the core of the Milky Way in the center
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 and the galactic plane stretching
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 horizontally across the image.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 >> And here's the exciting part. Since
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 Chandra continues to be fully
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 operational, the catalog keeps growing.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 The video transitions to and beyond
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 after 2021 as the telescope continues to
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 collect new observations.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 >> This catalog represents decades of
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 cutting edge science and will continue
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 to be an invaluable resource for
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 astronomers studying everything from
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 stellar evolution to the nature of black
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 holes. It's a testament to the longevity
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 and continued productivity of the
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 Chandra mission.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 >> Now for something completely different.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 Avery. Scientists have found an
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 ingenious new use for earthquake
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 sensors, tracking dangerous space debris
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 as it falls back to Earth.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 >> This is such a clever solution to a
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 growing problem. Every year, thousands
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 of discarded satellites orbit our
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 planet, and an increasing number are
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 falling back into Earth's atmosphere.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 While most disintegrate before hitting
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 the ground, some survive long enough to
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 pose real dangers. Researchers from
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 John's Hopkins University and the
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 University of London have demonstrated
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 that existing seismic monitoring
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 networks can track these falling
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 satellites with remarkable accuracy. The
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 investigation was led by Benjamin
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 Fernando, a post-doctoral fellow at
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 John's Hopkins, who studies seismic
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 activity on both Earth and other
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 planets.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 >> Here's how it works. When falling
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 objects re-enter Earth's atmosphere at
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 high speed, they generate sonic booms.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 These sonic booms create shock waves
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 that ripple through the ground, and
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 seismometers can detect this seismic
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 energy just like they detect
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 earthquakes.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 >> The team demonstrated this by analyzing
00:11:36 --> 00:11:40 the April 2nd, 2024 re-entry of China's
00:11:40 --> 00:11:44 Shenzo 15 orbital module. This module
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 was about three and a half feet in
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 diameter and weighed over 1.5 tons.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 Definitely dangerous if any component
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 reached Earth's surface. Using 127
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 seismometers in Southern California,
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 they tracked the module as it traveled
00:11:59 --> 00:12:03 at hypersonic velocities between Mach 25
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 and Mach 30, roughly 10 times faster
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 than the world's fastest jet. From the
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 seismometer data, they reconstructed the
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 object's trajectory, determining it
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 followed a northeasterly path over Santa
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 Barbara and Las Vegas. What's
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 particularly impressive is that their
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 reconstruction placed the flight path
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 about 25 m north of the predicted
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 re-entry path from orbital tracking
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 alone. This highlights the limitations
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 of current tracking methods once objects
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 enter the denser parts of the
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 atmosphere. The seismic data also
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 revealed the breakup pattern. Initially,
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 the signals showed the spacecraft was
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 mostly intact during its high altitude
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 trajectory. Later signals indicated
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 complex waveforms showing fragmentation.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 About 8 to 11 unique breakup events
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 within just 2 seconds. This gradual
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 degradation pattern is crucial
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 information. It suggested that dense
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 reinforced components likely survived
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 long enough to reach the lower
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 atmosphere, increasing their chances of
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 landing intact. Beyond just tracking
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 where debris lands, this method
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 addresses environmental concerns.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 Falling debris can produce tiny
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 particulate matter containing toxic
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 propellants or radioactive materials.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 For example, Chileain scientists found
00:13:19 --> 00:13:22 man-made plutonium in a glacier that
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 they suspect came from the Russian
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 spacecraft Mars 96, which disintegrated
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 in 1996.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 The ability to track debris in near real
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 time, providing accurate locations
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 within minutes instead of days or weeks,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 would help authorities respond faster,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 protect people, and identify hazardous
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 materials. It could also provide
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 aircraft warnings and support
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 environmental monitoring. As Fernando
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 points out, as launches increase and
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 more large satellite constellations
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 reach the end of their design lives,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 tools like this will become increasingly
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 important. We need as many different
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 ways as possible to track and
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 characterize space debris.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 >> Avery, our next story is going to make
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 exoplanet hunters rethink some of their
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 most exciting discoveries. It turns out
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 that 98% of what we thought were
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 potential water worlds might actually be
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 lava planets. This is a real wakeup call
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 for the scientific community, Anna. New
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 research led by Rob Calder at the
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 University of Cambridge suggests that
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 nearly all known sub Neptune exoplanets,
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 previously thought to be potential
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 oceanbearing highen worlds, are far more
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 likely to be composed of molten rock.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 Sub Neptunes are the most commonly
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 discovered type of exoplanet, larger
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 than Earth, but smaller than Neptune.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 Yet their exact nature has remained
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 elusive because our solar system offers
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 no direct equivalent. Understanding what
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 these worlds are made of is crucial for
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 the search for life and for refining our
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 models of planetary formation.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 >> The problem stems from what scientists
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 call degeneracy when one set of
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 observations can be interpreted in
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 multiple ways. Take the case of planet
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 K2-18b.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 Researchers celebrated its methane rich
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 ammoniapore atmosphere as evidence of a
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 hyenan planet with thick hydrogen
00:15:12 --> 00:15:15 atmosphere overlying vast oceans. But
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 here's the twist. Calder and his team
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 point out that molten rock can also
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 dissolve ammonia just like water can. So
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 the absence of ammonia doesn't
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 necessarily mean there are oceans. It
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 could just as easily indicate a magma
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 ocean. To test their theory, the
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 researchers developed a new model called
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 the solidification shoreline. This tool
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 connects the amount of energy a planet
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 receives from its star with a stars
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 effective temperature. By plotting known
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 exoplanets against this framework, they
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 could estimate whether a planet was
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 likely to have maintained a magma ocean
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 since formation. Using the Proteus model
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 to simulate internal heat dynamics, they
00:15:54 --> 00:15:58 found that 98% of sub Neptune exoplanets
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 fall above this shoreline. That means
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 they receive enough stellar energy to
00:16:02 --> 00:16:05 keep their interiors hot and molten
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 rather than allowing them to cool into
00:16:07 --> 00:16:10 solid bodies. For astrobiologist and
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 exoplanet hunters, the implications are
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 significant. The Hyian world hypothesis
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 had offered an enticing vision. planets
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 that might host life in vast subsurface
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 ocemospheres.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 This new research suggests that vision
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 may have been premature.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 >> It's important to note that this doesn't
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 close the door on water worlds
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 altogether. It simply urges caution
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 against over interpretation and reminds
00:16:35 --> 00:16:38 us that planetary evolution can take
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 multiple paths. As Calver and his team
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 make clear, the lack of reliable
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 atmospheric mass data across many
00:16:44 --> 00:16:48 exoplanets limits current models. While
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 this conclusion might seem like a
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 setback, it actually offers a more
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 stable foundation for future research,
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 it's better to have a realistic
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 understanding of what these planets are
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 than to chase false hopes of
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 habitability.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 >> Exactly. Science progresses through
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 these kinds of corrections and
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 refinements. We're building a more
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 accurate picture of the cosmos, even if
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 it means letting go of some earlier
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 assumptions.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:15 >> And Anna, for our final story today, we
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 have something both beautiful and
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 sobering. A glimpse into the future fate
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 of our own sun.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 >> The James Web Space Telescope has
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 captured stunning new images of the
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 Helix Nebula, one of the closest
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 planetary nebula to Earth. And what it
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 reveals is absolutely breathtaking.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 Avery,
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 >> also known as the Eye of God, the Helix
00:17:37 --> 00:17:41 Nebula is located about 650 light years
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 away in the constellation Aquarius. It's
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 the result of a sunlike star that
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 exhausted its nuclear fuel and shed its
00:17:48 --> 00:17:51 outer layers into space, leaving behind
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 a dense core called a white dwarf. Web's
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57 near infrared camera captured pillars of
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 gas that look like thousands of comets
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 with extended tails, tracing the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 circumference of an expanding shell of
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 gas. These structures form when
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 blistering winds of hot moving gas from
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 the dying star crash into slower moving,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 colder shells of dust and gas that were
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 shed earlier in the stars life.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 >> What makes Web's view so special is the
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 level of detail it reveals. The image
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 shows the stark transition between
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 different temperature zones. Hot ionized
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 gas near the center where the white
00:18:28 --> 00:18:31 dwarf sits, cooler molecular hydrogen
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 farther out, and protective pockets
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 where more complex molecules can begin
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 to form within dust clouds.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 >> The color in the image represents
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 temperature and chemistry. Blue marks
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 the hottest gas being blasted by the
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 white dwarf's radiation. Yellow regions
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 show gas that's cooled as it moves away
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 from the white dwarf. And the coolest
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 material at the edge of the nebula
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 appears red. This isn't just a pretty
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 picture. It's showing us stellar
00:18:58 --> 00:19:01 recycling in action. The gas and dust
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 being expelled don't disappear. They're
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 incorporated into the interstellar
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 medium, enriching clouds with heavy
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 elements forged in the stellar interior.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 This is the raw material from which new
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 stars and planets will eventually form.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 According to NASA, this image is
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 essentially a window into our own
00:19:19 --> 00:19:23 future. In about 5 billion years, our
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 sun will enter this same phase, creating
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 a similar nebula as it fades into a
00:19:27 --> 00:19:30 white dwarf. The Helix Nebula has been
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 imaged many times over the nearly two
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 centuries since it was discovered by
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 both groundbased and space-based
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 observatories. But web's near infrared
00:19:39 --> 00:19:42 view brings unprecedented detail,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 revealing structures that were invisible
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 to previous telescopes.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 >> Scientists can use these detailed
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 observations to refine their
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 understanding of stellar evolution, how
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 stars end their lives, and how they
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 distribute the elements they've created
00:19:57 --> 00:20:00 back into the galaxy. Every shell of gas
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 represents a different episode of mass
00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 loss, creating a timeline of the stars
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 final stages. It's a powerful reminder
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 that even in death, stars continue to
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 shape the universe. The atoms that will
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 one day form new worlds, perhaps even
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 new life, are being forged and
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 distributed in nebula like this right
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 now.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 >> It's both humbling and inspiring to see
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 our cosmic future laid out so clearly.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 The Helix Nebula shows us that endings
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 in space can be as magnificent as
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 beginnings. And that wraps up today's
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 journey through the cosmos. From
00:20:35 --> 00:20:38 terraforming dreams to atmospheric water
00:20:38 --> 00:20:41 harvesting on Mars, from X-ray cataloges
00:20:41 --> 00:20:44 mapping millions of cosmic sources to
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 earthquake sensors tracking falling
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 satellites. We've covered incredible
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 ground today. We've also learned to be
00:20:50 --> 00:20:53 more cautious about those exciting water
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 world discoveries and witnessed the
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 beautiful death of a sunlike star
00:20:57 --> 00:21:00 through Web's remarkable eyes. It's been
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 quite a day in space in Astronomy News.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 >> Thanks for joining us on Astronomy
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 Daily. Remember, you can find us at
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 astronomyaily.io
00:21:08 --> 00:21:11 for all our episodes, show notes, and
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 more space news.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 >> And don't forget to follow us on social
00:21:14 --> 00:21:18 media at astroaily pod. We love hearing
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 from our listeners about what stories
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 excite you most.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 >> Until next time, keep looking up.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:28 >> Clear skies, everyone.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:36 Stories told
00:21:36 --> 00:21:44 stories told
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 stories