Articles tagged with Planet Earth
A new tool is being developed by NASA to assure picometer-level stability, a feat not yet accomplished. The instrument will measure tiny changes in mirror segments and other supporting telescope structure during environmental testing.
Astronomers confirm 104 exoplanets outside our solar system using NASA's Kepler spacecraft on its K2 mission. The discoveries include a planetary system with four promising rocky planets orbiting the M dwarf star K2-72.
Researchers measured oxygen content in ancient atmosphere trapped in halite (rock salt) and found it to be a key component in determining the origin and evolution of higher life forms. The discovery has applications beyond origins of life, including tracking atmospheric changes and finding economic metal deposits.
Astronomers have observed a water 'snowline' in a protoplanetary disk using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope. The snowline marks the transition point where temperatures and pressures are low enough for water ice to form, and its distance from the star was found to be approximately 40 astronomical units.
A team of researchers proposes using clusters of small satellites to estimate the planet's reflected energy with greater accuracy. The satellites can measure albedo from multiple angles, providing a multiangular view of the Earth's surface.
Dirk Schulze-Makuch's research suggests that the evolution of organisms functionally similar to plants or animals on Earth will naturally follow given enough time and a suitable environment. He found that critical evolutionary adaptions such as photosynthesis and multicellularity arose multiple times in different organisms.
A NASA camera aboard the DSCOVR satellite captured a view of the moon as it moved in front of the sunlit side of Earth for the second time in a year. The images were taken using NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) and show the moon crossing over the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Scientists clarify difference between 'tipping point' and 'critical threshold' in climate system, highlighting potential for social tipping elements to trigger economic shocks. Researchers propose research agenda to study social and economic consequences of climatic tipping elements.
Recent exoplanet discoveries by NSF-supported graduate researchers expand our understanding of how planets form and orbit stars. These breakthroughs include the detection of a unique planet in a triple-star system, one of the youngest fully formed exoplanets ever discovered.
Global Aerospace Corporation and Northrop Grumman will develop a new exploration vehicle for Saturn's moon Titan, addressing technical challenges with innovative engineering approaches. The Titan Winged Aerobot concept incorporates ultra-low power requirements and extended vertical range, enabling long-lived flight at low altitudes.
Researchers have discovered a chemical trail on Saturn's moon Titan that could indicate the presence of prebiotic conditions. The trail was found in the form of hydrogen cyanide, an organic chemical that can react with itself or other molecules to form long chains called polyimine.
Researchers suggest minor evolutionary changes could have altered the fates of Earth and Venus, potentially leading to life on Venus and none on Earth. The study expands the notion of habitable zones and questions the role of plate tectonics in supporting life.
Researchers have discovered 'wind-drag ripples' on Mars, which are similar to underwater ripples in shape and spacing. These unique formations provide a way to measure global changes in the planet's atmospheric density over time.
The July 2016 issue of Geology features studies on pre-Mississippian tectonic affinity across the Canada Basin-Arctic margins, as well as hydrothermal alteration of seafloor peridotites. Researchers also investigate recent volcanic resurfacing of Venusian craters and cyanobacterial fossilization in Ediacaran siliciclastic environments.
Researchers suggest that hot, rocky planets could alter their bulk composition, density, and internal structure due to steam atmosphere loss. This process may have implications for understanding the early Earth's evolution and character.
New research suggests that Earth's ancient magnetic field had multiple poles and fluctuated wildly in terms of intensity. The findings propose a new hypothesis for the solidification of the inner core and its impact on the magnetic field.
A 94-million-year-old climate event led to a decline in essential trace metals, affecting ocean life and potentially causing larger dead zones. This ancient shift may hold insights into future climate change scenarios.
A powerful electric wind can strip water from an atmosphere, stripping Venus of its oceans, and may have played a significant role in Earth's loss of oceans. The discovery was made by NASA-funded researchers using the ESA's Venus Express mission.
A team of Caltech-led researchers has discovered the youngest fully-formed exoplanet ever detected, K2-33b, which orbits a young star at 5 to 10 million years old. The planet's proximity to its star and large size suggest it may have formed quickly or challenged the migration theory.
Researchers have discovered a new type of meteorite called Ost 65, which appears to be from the missing partner in a massive asteroid collision 470 million years ago. The discovery provides insights into the history of our solar system and may shed light on the evolution of life on Earth.
Researchers have detected a chiral molecule called propylene oxide in Sagittarius B2 North, a cloud of gas and dust in the Milky Way galaxy. This discovery sheds light on the origin of homochirality on Earth, which is a phenomenon where life forms predominantly use left-handed molecules.
The SMAP satellite measures soil moisture by collecting signals related to ground characteristics, then estimating moisture levels using complex equations. On-ground measurements are being used to compare with satellite data and improve accuracy.
Researchers found that Kepler-62f could sustain life with an atmosphere 3-5 times thicker than Earth's composed entirely of carbon dioxide. The team also ran simulations on different orbital configurations, finding multiple scenarios that allow the planet to be habitable.
Recent studies suggest that many planets orbiting M dwarf stars, which are similar in size to Earth, may retain thick atmospheres due to their strong gravity, making them inhospitable to life. However, smaller planets comparable to Venus or Mars could potentially lose these atmospheres through evaporation.
The US spacecraft OSIRIS-REx has arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it is undergoing final testing and fueling before its September launch. The mission aims to retrieve at least 60 grams of pristine asteroid surface material for study on Earth.
The MyShake app, released in Japanese, collects ground-shaking information from smartphones to analyze quakes and relay data to the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. The system has recorded earthquakes worldwide, including induced earthquakes, and plans to provide life-saving early warnings.
A new study combines large datasets to estimate the number of microbial and non-microbial species on Earth, suggesting nearly 1 trillion species exist. The research uses universal scaling laws to predict species numbers, revealing simple yet powerful trends in biodiversity.
BARREL's observations showed the open-closed boundary moving within minutes, providing a map of its location. Scientists can now refine simulations of how magnetic fields change around Earth due to this precise mapping.
The image reveals details as small as 20 to 30 miles across, showcasing the planet's polar caps, clouds, and vivid rust-colored landscape. The Hubble view also highlights ancient features such as Syrtis Major Planitia and Hellas Planitia basin.
The study, led by IAC researcher Enric Pallé, has updated observations of the Earth's albedo from 2007 to 2014, showing monthly and annual variations but no long-term trend. The results coincide with a stabilization in the planet's mean temperature.
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory found that Europa's ocean could have a comparable balance of hydrogen and oxygen to Earth's oceans, suggesting the presence of a habitable environment. This discovery draws attention to the complexity of Europa's rocky interior and its potential for supporting life.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience proposes that the rise of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere was linked to the formation of continents and life. The researchers suggest that a reduction in the efficiency of the oxygen sink, coupled with an increase in volcanic activity and carbon inputs into the atmosphere, led to two rises in atm...
Farmers' use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers and animal waste contributes to the formation of tiny solid particles, or aerosols, causing heart disease and death. However, projections suggest that reduced industrial emissions could decrease aerosol production if fertilizer use doubles.
Scientists have discovered evidence of a huge asteroid that struck the Earth 3.46 billion years ago, creating massive earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. The impact is believed to be one of the largest in human history, with the asteroid estimated to be 20-30 kilometers across.
Astronomers observe a narrow, well-defined jet of dust ejected by the comet's icy nucleus, which appears to rotate like a water jet. The comet's close approach to Earth and sun results in large amounts of dust and gas being ejected, creating a dynamic spectacle.
The MMS mission directly observed magnetic reconnection for the first time, revealing a critical step in understanding space weather. By studying the phenomenon, scientists can better understand solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and auroras.
The MMS mission has detected the source of magnetic reconnection, a process converting stored magnetic energy into kinetic energy and heat. The spacecraft measured plasmas and observed evidence of reconnection, including accelerated electrons and a strong electrical current.
NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has observed the first direct measurements of magnetic reconnection, a key driver of space radiation. The research reveals that electrons dominate this process, shedding light on its mysteries.
A team of researchers found material dating back to shortly after Earth's formation in rock formations from Baffin Island and the Ontong-Java Plateau. The discovery sheds light on the planet's internal dynamics over its last 4.5 billion years, providing new insights into the chemistry and processes that shaped our planet.
High-resolution measurements from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission have provided new insights into the reconnection process of Earth's magnetic field lines. The results suggest that this process is driven by electron-scale dynamics, shedding light on the complex interactions within magnetized plasmas.
A new study published in Nature found that Earth's ancient upper atmosphere contained about the same amount of oxygen as today, with a methane haze layer separating the oxygen-rich upper layer from the lower, oxygen-starved atmosphere. This challenges the accepted view that Earth's ancient atmosphere was oxygen-poor.
Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have found that the slow solar wind originates from magnetic reconnection in the sun's hot atmosphere. The team used newly processed observations to determine the source of the slow wind, which is important for understanding space weather around Earth.
Researchers found that the early Earth's atmosphere weighed at most half of today's, reversing a long-held idea about atmospheric pressure and climate patterns. The discovery also sheds light on the composition of ancient gases and their impact on early life.
A Penn State geoscientist is joining the NASA Mars rover team to investigate whether environmental conditions on Mars were ever favorable for microbial life. He will analyze Martian rocks and compare them to Earth rocks to search for signs of life, including sulfur and organic matter.
LAGEOS, launched in 1976, revolutionized the study of Earth's tectonic plates, rotation, and gravitational field. The satellite achieved accuracies of less than half an inch, enabling precise measurements of plate movement and subtle changes in Earth's center of mass.
Two NASA sounding-rocket missions aim to investigate coronal nanoflares and oxygen atom escape into Earth's magnetosphere. FOXSI-3 will study hard X-ray imager/spectrometer signatures of tiny energy releases, while VISIONS-2 will observe outflowing ions from Earth's upper atmosphere.
Researchers propose that large meteorite and comet impacts into the sea created structures with favourable conditions for life. Water interacting with impact-heated rock enabled synthesis of complex organic molecules, and the enclosed crater provided a microhabitat for life to flourish.
A team of astronomers has discovered three planets with sizes similar to Earth's orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, which may possess habitable regions. The planets' orbits are extremely close to their host star, receiving four times and twice less radiation than Earth.
Three exoplanets, similar to Earth and Venus, orbit an ultracool dwarf star just 40 light years from Earth. The planets may have regions with temperatures suitable for liquid water and life.
Researchers at Indiana University estimate that nearly 1 trillion species exist on Earth, using large datasets and ecological models to conclude that 99.999 percent remain undiscovered. The study highlights the vast diversity of microbial life on the planet.
An international team of astronomers has discovered three Earth-sized planets orbiting a nearby ultracool dwarf star, TRAPPIST-1. The planets are located within the star's habitable zone and may have conditions suitable for life.
Researchers recreated high-pressure conditions to study iron isotope fractionation, shedding light on Earth's core composition and planetary history. The study identified potential light elements in the core, including oxygen, silicon, and sulfur, and provides a new understanding of the planet's geochemical evolution.
A team of scientists has linked a record-breaking neutrino detected by IceCube to an explosion in the galaxy PKS B1424-418, which was observed in 2012. The researchers calculated a 5-percent probability that the two events were unrelated.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin found that the oldest zircon crystals likely formed in massive asteroid impact craters rather than through plate tectonics. The discovery sheds new light on Earth's early history and suggests a more violent bombardment by asteroids in its nascent years.
A giant star exploded 30 million years ago in a galaxy near Earth, releasing energy equivalent to 100 million suns. The analysis revealed the star's mass, radius, and chemical composition before its spectacular demise.
A recent study found that carbon dioxide fertilization is responsible for 70 percent of the greening effect on Earth's vegetated lands over the past 35 years. Nitrogen also plays a significant role in this process. The study used satellite data to determine the leaf area index, or amount of leaf cover, over the planet's vegetated regions.
The study uses a rare type of cosmic ray that acts like a tiny timer to determine the age and distance of galactic cosmic rays. The results suggest that these cosmic rays were created recently and are coming from nearby clusters of massive stars within 3,000 light years of Earth.
Scientists have discovered a nearby supernova's ash continuing to fall on Earth, with rare iron-60 isotope detected in cosmic rays. The findings suggest another supernova occurred near the previous one, contributing to the ongoing acceleration of these nuclei.
Researchers analyzed astronaut quotes to understand the 'overview effect,' a sense of unity, vastness, and connectedness. They aim to induce similar feelings through virtual reality and create recommendations for maintaining astronaut well-being in extended space missions.
The detection of a brief gamma-ray burst consistent with the same part of the sky as gravitational waves offers a unique window into the universe. By analyzing this event, scientists can gain insights into the dynamics leading up to black hole mergers and shed light on the nature of gravity.