SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 27
*Hints of an Extended Kuiper Belt: New Horizons' Dusty Discoveries
NASA's intrepid New Horizons spacecraft, now journeying through the outer reaches of the Kuiper Belt, has detected unexpectedly high levels of cosmic dust. This discovery suggests that the Kuiper Belt, a frigid expanse beyond Neptune, may stretch much farther into space than previously believed. Could this mean the existence of a second belt, or an extension of the one we know? Join us as we unravel the implications of these findings for our understanding of the solar system's distant frontier.
*Cygnus Star Forming Region's Gamma Ray Bubble: A Cosmic Particle Accelerator Unveiled
Astronomers have spotted a massive ultra-high-energy gamma-ray bubble in the Cygnus star forming region, marking the first time such an origin for cosmic rays has been pinpointed. Using the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), scientists have detected photons with energies surpassing a petaelectronvolt, suggesting a powerful cosmic ray accelerator at work within the bubble. Dive into the heart of Cygnus with us and explore the mysteries of cosmic ray origins.
*Space Travel's Toll on the Immune System
A study published in Frontiers in Immunology raises concerns about the impact of space travel on human health, revealing that the immune systems of astronauts could be compromised. With space exploration on the rise, understanding these changes is crucial for the future of long-duration missions. We'll discuss the study's findings and what they mean for the safety of those venturing beyond Earth's gravity.
*NASA's Laser Precision: Tracking Lunar Landers with Retroreflectors
NASA's new laser retroreflector arrays are set to revolutionize lunar navigation. These small, lightweight devices will provide pinpoint accuracy in locating landers and other spacecraft on the Moon's surface. Learn how this technology could facilitate landings in the Moon's darkest regions and aid future exploration.
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[00:00:00] This is Space Time Series 27 Episode 27 for broadcast on 1st March 2024.
[00:00:06] Coming up on Space Time.
[00:00:08] New Horizons detects dusty hints of what could be an extended Kuiper Belt,
[00:00:13] discovery of the giant Ultra-High-Energy Gamma-Ray bubble in the heart of the Cygnus star-forming region,
[00:00:19] and a new study shows space travel weakens the human immune system.
[00:00:24] All that and more coming up on Space Time.
[00:01:24] particles kicked up by Kuiper Belt objects being peppered by microscopic dust impactors from outside the solar system.
[00:01:27] The readings were reported in the Astrophysical Journal Letters defy current scientific models
[00:01:32] predicting that the Kuiper Belt population and density of dust should start to decline
[00:01:37] by around 1.6 billion kilometres.
[00:01:40] Instead it's contributing to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the outer edge Its latest surprising results were compiled over three years as new horizons travelled from 45 to 55 astronomical units out from the sun. An astronomical unit is the average distance between the sun and the earth, about 150 million kilometres or 8.3 light minutes. The spacecraft's new readings, come as scientists using observatories like Japan's Subaru telescope
[00:03:04] in Hawaii, have also discovered a number of-high-energy gamma-ray bubble deep in the heart of the
[00:04:22] Cygnus star-forming region.
[00:04:24] A report in the Science Bulletin claims, it's the first time that the-energy cosmic rays collide with interstellar gas, they generate gamma rays, and that's what's producing the bubble. The authors say the intensity of these gamma ray photons is clearly correlated with the distribution of the surrounding gas, and the massive Cygnus OB2 association star cluster near the center of the bubble is the most promising candidate for the supercosmic ray accelerator ever identified. But with increasing observation time, LASO is expected to detect far more supercosmic ray accelerators and hopefully solve the mystery of the origins of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. LASO is designed to monitor cosmic ray numbers by using a 1 square kilometre ground array
[00:07:00] consisting of 5,216 electromagnetic particle detectors, 1,188 muon detectors, a minute, a world where the internet is a safer, freer place, where your digital explorations are shielded from threats, censorship and surveillance. Well that world doesn't have to be a distant dream, because that's what NordVPN is all about, making the internet a better, safer place than what it is today.
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[00:09:45] You're listening to Space Time. from a spacecraft towards a retroreflector on another ship and then measuring how long it takes for the light to get back to its source, scientists can determine the distance between the two vessels. Laser retroreflective array principal investigator J. O. Lisan from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, says the agency has been placing arrays on satellites and
[00:11:00] ranging to them from ground-based lasers for to be accomplished. So this is a little like a little mirror that's aiming at you all the time, regardless of which way you're looking at it. My name is Xiaoli Song. I'm. A new study shows that space travel weakens the human immune system. And later in the science report, Australian researchers suggests that Earth-level gravity is an important requirement for the globe may be facing declines of over half a meter a year. The findings reported in the journal Nature are based on analysis of around 170,000 monitoring wells in more than 40 countries. The authors found that
[00:16:21] about 36% of all aquifers were declining by about 0.1 meters per year, while 12% help international observers better identify tests being carried out by countries such as Russia, China and North Korea which possess nuclear weapons and plan on increasing their atomic stockpiles despite UN arms limitation agreements. And then there are rogue nations like Iran. The Islamic Republic, which is the world's largest sponsor of terrorism, is actively
[00:17:41] trying to secretly develop nuclear weapons and their missile delivery systems under the overlap between a skeptic here and a, well there's pretty little overlap between a skeptic I believe. But what there is overlap is that there's probably psychological issues involved. And as a front line skeptic I know I deal with people all the time. People who phone me up, who affirm believers and who are obviously seriously mentally challenged. Now whether they are mentally challenged first and have a tendency to believe in a paranormal, I would
[00:19:01] say that would tend to be the case rather than the other way that they do something
[00:19:04] in a paranormal that drives them crazy. Yep, no problems. Do it when you're serious. I've seen the results and it's not pretty. But I have never seen anyone who has opened a portal to a demon. I've probably seen people who think they might have done, but I've definitely seen people who are vulnerable to strange beliefs, if I could have that way, and the paranormal have encouraged that. I'm not too worried about opening a portal in the demon
[00:20:21] popping through. I am a bit about some of their stuff encouraging people who are vulnerable
[00:20:25] mentally, financially, emotionally. of promotional merchandising goodies. Or by becoming a Spacetime patron, which gives you access to triple episode commercial free versions of the show, as well as lots of Burness audio content which doesn't go to air, access to our exclusive Facebook group and other rewards. Just go to spacetimewithstewardgary.com for full details. And if you want more Spacetime, please check out our
[00:21:42] blog where you'll find all the stuff we couldn't fit in the show, as well as heaps of images,