Dark Energy Dilemma and More Boeing Starliner Setbacks: S04E68

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Language: en

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welcome to Astronomy Daily I'm your host


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Anna On today's cosmic journey we're


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exploring some truly mind-bending


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developments in the world of space and


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astronomy The universe has thrown


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scientists a major curveball with new


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findings suggesting our understanding of


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dark energy might be completely wrong


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We'll also look at the ongoing saga of


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Boeing's troubled Starlininer spacecraft


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and China's ambitious plans to enter the


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crude spaceflight arena Plus we've got


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fascinating discoveries to share from an


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exoplanet so strangely light that


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scientists can't figure out what it's


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made of to dramatic evidence of a white


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dwarf star actually devouring one of its


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planets And we'll explore new research


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suggesting that the beautiful feathery


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structures seen in spiral galaxies might


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form through surprisingly simple physics


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So buckle up for a tour of the latest


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breakthroughs and mysteries from the


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cosmos as we journey together through


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the wonders of our universe And this


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first story is a real


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mindbender The universe just might be


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weirder than we thought Astronomers


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studying the largest ever map of the


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cosmos have uncovered evidence that


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could dramatically shake our fundamental


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understanding of how the universe works


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Using the dark energy spectroscopic


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instrument known as DSSE scientists have


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analyzed nearly 15 million galaxies and


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quazars spanning an incredible 11


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billion years of cosmic time And what


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they found suggests we might have gotten


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dark energy completely wrong Dark energy


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that mysterious force believed to be


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driving the accelerating expansion of


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our universe has long been thought to be


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constant But this new analysis hints at


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something far more complex Dark energy


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may actually be evolving over time This


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isn't just a minor adjustment to our


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models It's potentially a complete


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rewrite of the prevailing lambda CDM


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model of cosmology that scientists have


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relied on for decades


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The findings came from combining Desi's


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observations with other critical data


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including information from star


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explosions the cosmic microwave


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background and weak gravitational


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lensing Together these diverse


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observations point to the same


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surprising conclusion The fundamental


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force we thought was constant throughout


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cosmic history appears to be changing


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David Schlaggel a DESI project scientist


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at the Lawrence Berkeley National


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Laboratory put it plainly It's true that


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the DSC results alone are consistent


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with the simplest explanation for dark


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energy which would be an unchanging


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cosmological constant but we can't


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ignore other data that extend to both


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the earlier and later universe Combining


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Desi's results with those other data is


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when it gets truly weird and it appears


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that this dark energy must be dynamic


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meaning that it changes with time This


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realization puts science at a remarkable


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crossroads Dark energy and dark matter


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together make up approximately 95% of


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our universe Yet they remain largely


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mysterious as they don't interact with


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light and can't be detected directly If


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dark energy is indeed changing over time


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it would force us to completely rethink


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the lambda CDM model that maps the


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growth of the cosmos and predicts its


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ultimate fate As astrophysicist


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Katherine Haymons from the University of


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Edinburgh noted "It's kind of exciting


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that the universe has thrown us a


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curveball here The existing theories


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simply don't align with what we're now


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observing The numbers don't add up and


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scientists are facing the thrilling and


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terrifying prospect of having to develop


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new physics to explain what's


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happening."


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What makes this finding particularly


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compelling is that it pushes the


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observation's disagreement with the


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standard model to the very edge of what


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physicists consider a significant


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discovery With more data collection


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underway we may soon cross that


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threshold and enter a new era of


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cosmological understanding If dark


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energy is indeed evolving we're looking


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at a fundamental shift in our


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understanding of the universe This isn't


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just an academic concern It has profound


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implications for the ultimate fate of


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everything we know For decades


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cosmologists have built their models on


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the assumption that dark energy remains


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constant throughout cosmic time exerting


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a steady outward pressure that


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counteracts gravity's inward pull What's


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particularly striking about DS's


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findings is how they transform when


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combined with other cosmic observations


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While Desi's data alone shows only a


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weak tension with the standard lambda


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CDM model adding information from the


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cosmic microwave background supernovas


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and gravitational lensing pushes this


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discrepancy to near discovery levels The


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statistical significance approaches what


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physicists call a five sigma result the


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gold standard for declaring a new


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discovery in physics According to


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Schlaggel these combined observations


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suggest that either dark energy is


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becoming less important today or it was


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more important early in the universe


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Either scenario would dramatically alter


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our understanding of cosmic evolution If


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dark energy weakens over time the


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universe's expansion might eventually


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slow potentially even reversing into a


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big crunch Conversely if dark energy


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strengthened in the past and maintains


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its current level we could be headed for


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an accelerated expansion that tears


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apart galaxies stars and eventually


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atoms themselves the so-called big rip


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scenario This discovery challenges


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Einstein's cosmological constant


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represented by lambda in the lambda CDM


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model Einstein originally introduced


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this constant as a mathematical fudge


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factor to create a static universe later


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calling it his greatest blunder when the


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expanding universe was discovered


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Ironically dark energy later revived


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this concept but now even this updated


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version appears insufficient Adam Ree


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who won the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics


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for discovering dark energy's


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accelerating effect considers this


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potentially the biggest hint we have


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about the nature of dark energy in the


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25 years since we discovered it As he


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explains if confirmed it literally says


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dark energy is not what most everyone


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thought a static source of energy but


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perhaps something even more


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exotic Fortunately a fleet of new


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experiments is joining the investigation


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The Uklid Space Telescope NASA's Nancy


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Grace Roman Space Telescope and Desai


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itself which will eventually measure 50


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million galaxies and quazars will


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provide unprecedented data to confirm or


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refute these findings These observations


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will help determine whether we're truly


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witnessing the beginning of a


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cosmological revolution What makes this


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scientific moment so exciting is its


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profound uncertainty We stand at the


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threshold of potentially rewriting our


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understanding of the universe's basic


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operating principles Dark energy may be


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losing strength as the universe ages or


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it might have played a more significant


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role in the early universe than


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previously thought Either way the


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implications ripple through every aspect


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of cosmology from the birth of the first


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stars to the ultimate destiny of all


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cosmic structures


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Next up in today's news Boeing's


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troubled Starlininer spacecraft is


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facing yet another setback with NASA


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officials now considering whether a


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third uncrrewed test flight will be


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necessary before the vehicle can carry


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astronauts again This comes after what


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was supposed to be an 8-day test mission


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turned into a 9-month ordeal for


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astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunni


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Williams The two NASA astronauts finally


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returned to Earth this week but not on


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the Boeing spacecraft that took them to


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the International Space Station Instead


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they splashed down in a SpaceX Dragon


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capsule A vivid illustration of how


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Boeing's technical problems have forced


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NASA to rely on its competitor We're


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looking at some options for Starlininer


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should we need to of flying it uncrrewed


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Steve Stitch chief of NASA's commercial


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crew program told reporters "The space


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agency wants to validate that


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Starlininer's thrusters can perform as


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designed in the unforgiving environment


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of space something impossible to fully


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simulate in ground tests The issues with


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Starlininer's first crude mission


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emerged shortly after launch when the


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spacecraft suffered five thruster


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failures and experienced concerning


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leaks of helium which is used to


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pressurize the propulsion system These


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problems were serious enough that NASA


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determined it would be too risky for


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Wilmore and Williams to return on the


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spacecraft leaving it to fly back to


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Earth empty while the astronauts


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remained on the station For Boeing this


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represents not just a technical


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challenge but a competitive disadvantage


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While Starlininer has struggled through


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its development process SpaceX's Crew


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Dragon has already flown 11 astronaut


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missions for NASA establishing itself as


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the reliable workhorse of America's


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human space flight program


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The financial implications for Boeing


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are significant as well The aerospace


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giant has already absorbed more than $2


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billion in charges related to


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Starlininer development since 2016 The


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ceiling of Boeing's fixed price $4.2


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billion NASA contract has grown by $326


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million since being awarded in 2014 with


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the company having received roughly half


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that amount during development This


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stands in stark contrast to SpaceX which


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has not only successfully delivered on


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its initial contract but has secured


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additional missions due to Starlininer's


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delays The value of SpaceX's initial $3


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billion NASA contract has grown to


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nearly $5 billion largely because NASA


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has had to book extra Dragon flights


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while waiting for Starlininer to become


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operational Boeing plans a ground test


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this summer focusing on propulsion


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system components aimed at validating


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potential fixes But the timeline for


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Starlininer's next flight crude or


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uncrrewed remains uncertain As NASA and


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Boeing engineers work through the


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complex technical challenges that have


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plagued the spacecraft's development the


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technical issues plaguing Starlininer


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represent yet another costly setback for


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Boeing in what has become an


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increasingly challenging development


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program The aerospace giant has already


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invested more than $2 billion of its own


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money into the spacecraft trying to


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create a viable competitor to SpaceX's


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Crew Dragon NASA officials are now


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carefully weighing their options with


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Steve Stitch emphasizing that a key


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purpose of an additional uncrrewed test


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would be to verify that Starlininer's


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thrusters can perform properly in the


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vacuum of space This propulsion system


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has proven particularly troublesome with


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the thruster failures and helium leaks


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during the first crude mission


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highlighting problems that couldn't be


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adequately identified during ground


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testing Boeing's financial commitment to


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Starlininer keeps growing beyond initial


00:10:35.800 --> 00:10:37.750
projections The ceiling of their


00:10:37.760 --> 00:10:40.509
fixedpric NASA contract has expanded by


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$326 million since being awarded a


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decade ago reaching $4.2 billion total


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Yet the company has only received about


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half that amount so far during the


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development phase with certification for


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routine flights still


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elusive Meanwhile Boeing isn't just


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looking at Starlininer as a NASA taxi


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service The company has broader


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commercial aspirations to use the


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spacecraft for transporting customers to


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and from privately built space stations


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currently in early development This


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represents the kind of non-government


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revenue stream that SpaceX has already


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started capturing with its fully private


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Dragon missions But Starlininer's


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uncertain future complicates these


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commercial ambitions A NASA safety


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advisory panel noted in January that


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while significant progress was being


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made in post-flight technical


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investigations the propulsion system


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issues remain unresolved Until Boeing


00:11:34.640 --> 00:11:37.030
can definitively fix these problems


00:11:37.040 --> 00:11:39.190
Starlininer's path to certification and


00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:41.990
commercial viability remains blocked The


00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.069
contrast with SpaceX grows starker with


00:11:44.079 --> 00:11:46.470
each passing year While Starlininer has


00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.630
yet to complete a fully successful crude


00:11:48.640 --> 00:11:50.710
mission Crew Dragon has become the


00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:52.630
workhorse of America's human space


00:11:52.640 --> 00:11:54.790
flight program With 11 successful


00:11:54.800 --> 00:11:57.590
astronaut missions already completed


00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:59.350
this operational track record gives


00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.829
SpaceX a tremendous advantage in both


00:12:01.839 --> 00:12:03.630
government and private


00:12:03.640 --> 00:12:06.710
markets For Boeing the stakes go beyond


00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:09.110
just this spacecraft program The


00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:10.710
company's reputation as a premier


00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.190
aerospace manufacturer has already faced


00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:14.949
challenges with its commercial airline


00:12:14.959 --> 00:12:17.590
issues Starlininer was meant to showcase


00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.350
Boeing's capabilities in the growing


00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.829
commercial space sector but instead the


00:12:21.839 --> 00:12:23.590
ongoing difficulties have highlighted


00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.110
the company's struggles to deliver


00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:28.190
complex space systems on budget and on


00:12:28.200 --> 00:12:30.389
schedule Meanwhile China's space


00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.230
industry seems to be going from strength


00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.870
to strength In a bold move that signals


00:12:34.880 --> 00:12:37.430
a new era for China's space ambitions a


00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:39.269
commercial space company called Beijing


00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.030
Z-Wway Yutong Technology better known as


00:12:42.040 --> 00:12:44.550
Aspace has announced plans to conduct


00:12:44.560 --> 00:12:48.509
orbital crude flight tests by 2027 or


00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:50.870
2028 This represents a significant


00:12:50.880 --> 00:12:52.790
milestone for China's commercial space


00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:55.590
sector which until now has seen human


00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.750
space flight as the exclusive domain of


00:12:57.760 --> 00:12:59.750
government agencies


00:12:59.760 --> 00:13:02.870
Jang Xiaomin chairman of AI space made


00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:04.790
the announcement to Chinese media last


00:13:04.800 --> 00:13:06.870
week setting a timeline that would make


00:13:06.880 --> 00:13:09.110
his company the first private Chinese


00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:12.310
entity to send humans to orbit While


00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.470
China's government-run human spaceflight


00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:16.470
program has successfully operated the


00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.829
Tiangong space station using Shenzha


00:13:18.839 --> 00:13:21.030
spacecraft launched on Long March


00:13:21.040 --> 00:13:23.269
rockets this would mark the first time a


00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:24.790
commercial company attempts such a


00:13:24.800 --> 00:13:27.629
mission Founded just five years ago in


00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:30.870
2019 Aspace has focused its business on


00:13:30.880 --> 00:13:33.150
spacecraft manufacturing and space


00:13:33.160 --> 00:13:35.829
tourism The relatively young company has


00:13:35.839 --> 00:13:37.750
secured backing from several venture


00:13:37.760 --> 00:13:40.069
capital firms though specific funding


00:13:40.079 --> 00:13:42.230
details for their ambitious human space


00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:44.870
flight program weren't disclosed This


00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:46.470
leaves questions about how the company


00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.069
will finance such a technically


00:13:48.079 --> 00:13:51.350
challenging and expensive endeavor The


00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.030
path to crude space flight involves


00:13:53.040 --> 00:13:55.430
several intermediate steps which apace


00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:57.590
has already begun The company has more


00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:59.990
immediate plans for 2025 including


00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.470
launches of their self-developed B300


00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.870
spacecraft and the more advanced deer 5


00:14:04.880 --> 00:14:07.030
spacecraft These missions are scheduled


00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:08.629
for July and September this year


00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:10.949
respectively with Jen explaining that


00:14:10.959 --> 00:14:13.030
these spacecraft will conduct critical


00:14:13.040 --> 00:14:15.189
onorbit docking verification and


00:14:15.199 --> 00:14:18.150
re-entry tests This follows a SpaceAC's


00:14:18.160 --> 00:14:20.389
December 2023 launch of their Dear 1


00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.870
spacecraft aboard an iSpace Hyperola 1


00:14:22.880 --> 00:14:25.110
rocket The company is also developing


00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.990
the larger C2000 spacecraft with a 2,000


00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.550
kg payload capacity which they see as a


00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:32.150
stepping stone toward their ultimate


00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:35.509
goal of humanrated spacecraft While the


00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.550
timeline appears highly ambitious by


00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:40.870
global spaceflight standards the


00:14:40.880 --> 00:14:42.870
announcement comes in the context of


00:14:42.880 --> 00:14:44.949
strong governmental support for China's


00:14:44.959 --> 00:14:47.509
commercial space sector The central


00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:49.110
government has designated commercial


00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.910
space as a key emerging industry to be


00:14:51.920 --> 00:14:54.230
supported and promoted with local and


00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:55.990
provincial governments actively working


00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:58.150
to attract space companies and foster


00:14:58.160 --> 00:15:00.629
innovation ecosystems What remains


00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:02.790
unclear is whether Aspace will have


00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:04.870
access to state-owned technology for


00:15:04.880 --> 00:15:07.350
their reusable and crude spacecraft


00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.990
plans or if they'll need to develop


00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:12.470
these critical systems independently


00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:14.790
Either way this announcement signals


00:15:14.800 --> 00:15:16.870
that China's commercial space race is


00:15:16.880 --> 00:15:19.670
accelerating to new heights China's


00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:21.350
approach to commercial space has evolved


00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.509
dramatically over the past decade When


00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.189
the government first began opening the


00:15:25.199 --> 00:15:28.069
sector to private capital in late 2014


00:15:28.079 --> 00:15:30.230
the initial focus was quite narrow


00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.509
primarily small launch vehicles and


00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:34.710
satellites This marked a significant


00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.550
shift from the exclusively state-run


00:15:36.560 --> 00:15:38.790
space program that had defined China's


00:15:38.800 --> 00:15:41.269
approach for decades In the years that


00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:43.110
followed we've seen a remarkable


00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.870
expansion in both the scope and ambition


00:15:44.880 --> 00:15:47.509
of China's commercial space ventures


00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:49.670
What began with modest rockets and small


00:15:49.680 --> 00:15:51.509
satellites has progressively grown to


00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.670
encompass ever larger liquid propellant


00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:56.470
launchers with potential reusability


00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.870
diverse space systems and applications


00:15:58.880 --> 00:16:00.829
remote sensing and communications


00:16:00.839 --> 00:16:03.670
constellations and more recently lowcost


00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:05.829
reusable cargo spacecraft designed to


00:16:05.839 --> 00:16:08.550
service the Tiangong space station The


00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:10.870
emergence of two planned low Earth orbit


00:16:10.880 --> 00:16:13.110
mega constellations has provided a


00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.790
crucial market opportunity for these


00:16:14.800 --> 00:16:16.949
commercial launch companies to establish


00:16:16.959 --> 00:16:18.550
themselves and build sustainable


00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:20.949
business models Much like we've seen


00:16:20.959 --> 00:16:23.350
with SpaceX in the United States these


00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.269
large satellite deployments create the


00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.110
consistent launch demand needed to


00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.230
justify investment in rocket development


00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:32.629
With AZ Space now setting its sights on


00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:34.790
crude orbital space flight we're


00:16:34.800 --> 00:16:36.230
witnessing what appears to be the


00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.990
beginning of a new phase in China's


00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.310
commercial space evolution This


00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:42.710
represents a fundamental shift where


00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.790
private firms may soon undertake human


00:16:44.800 --> 00:16:46.710
spaceflight activities that have


00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:48.710
traditionally been the exclusive domain


00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:51.069
of China's state-run human spaceflight


00:16:51.079 --> 00:16:53.509
agency This transformation is occurring


00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:56.069
with explicit government encouragement


00:16:56.079 --> 00:16:57.910
China's central government has formally


00:16:57.920 --> 00:17:00.230
designated commercial space as a key


00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:02.550
emerging industry deserving of support


00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:05.189
and promotion This top-down endorsement


00:17:05.199 --> 00:17:07.029
cascades through various levels of


00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:09.350
government with local and provincial


00:17:09.360 --> 00:17:11.029
authorities actively competing to


00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.789
attract commercial space companies to


00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:15.270
their regions through incentives and


00:17:15.280 --> 00:17:17.829
infrastructure development The strategy


00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.949
appears designed to foster innovation


00:17:19.959 --> 00:17:23.029
ecosystems around space technology while


00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.949
maintaining strategic oversight of the


00:17:24.959 --> 00:17:27.750
sector's development It creates a hybrid


00:17:27.760 --> 00:17:29.350
model where private capital and


00:17:29.360 --> 00:17:31.590
entrepreneurial energy can accelerate


00:17:31.600 --> 00:17:33.510
technological progress and commercial


00:17:33.520 --> 00:17:35.270
applications while the government


00:17:35.280 --> 00:17:37.029
maintains involvement in critical


00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:39.909
aspects of space development As this


00:17:39.919 --> 00:17:42.070
landscape continues to evolve the


00:17:42.080 --> 00:17:43.909
boundaries between commercial and state


00:17:43.919 --> 00:17:46.070
space activities in China may become


00:17:46.080 --> 00:17:48.630
increasingly fluid potentially creating


00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:50.549
new models for how public and private


00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.870
sectors collaborate in space exploration


00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.350
and utilization


00:17:55.360 --> 00:17:56.870
In a fascinating discovery that


00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:58.470
highlights the diversity of worlds


00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:00.950
beyond our solar system astronomers have


00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:03.029
recently identified two exoplanets


00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:06.190
orbiting a star called Tolli


00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:09.669
1,453 located approximately 250 light


00:18:09.679 --> 00:18:11.630
years away in the Draco


00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:14.070
constellation These newly found worlds


00:18:14.080 --> 00:18:15.909
represent planetary types that are


00:18:15.919 --> 00:18:17.430
actually quite common throughout our


00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.990
galaxy but completely absent from our


00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:23.110
own solar system The discovery team used


00:18:23.120 --> 00:18:25.510
NASA's transiting exoplanet survey


00:18:25.520 --> 00:18:28.390
satellite or TESS along with the HARPS


00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:30.789
highresolution spectrograph to confirm


00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.029
these distant


00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:34.230
worlds What makes this finding


00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.710
particularly exciting is the nature of


00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.950
the planets


00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.549
themselves One is classified as a super


00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.230
Earth while the other is what


00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:45.110
astronomers call a sub Neptune While


00:18:45.120 --> 00:18:47.270
both planets are intriguing it's the sub


00:18:47.280 --> 00:18:49.150
Neptune designated


00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:50.750
TOI


00:18:50.760 --> 00:18:54.150
1453C that has astronomers truly puzzled


00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:56.470
This world is approximately 2.2 times


00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:58.710
the size of Earth which isn't unusual


00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:00.630
for its type However what's


00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:03.350
extraordinary is its mass measuring just


00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:06.470
2.9 times that of Earth This creates an


00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:08.150
extremely low density that has left


00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:09.909
scientists scratching their heads about


00:19:09.919 --> 00:19:11.750
what this planet could possibly be made


00:19:11.760 --> 00:19:17.230
of To put this in perspective this makes


00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:20.150
TOI,453 C one of the least dense sub


00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.549
Neptunes ever discovered The planet's


00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.630
lightweight nature suggests one of two


00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.190
fascinating possibilities Either it has


00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.029
an unusually thick hydrogen-rich


00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.190
atmosphere extending far above its


00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.669
surface or perhaps its composition is


00:19:33.679 --> 00:19:36.630
dominated by water rather than rock The


00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:38.470
combination of precise size and mass


00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:40.549
measurements allowed researchers to


00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:42.310
calculate the planet's density with


00:19:42.320 --> 00:19:44.310
confidence which is what revealed this


00:19:44.320 --> 00:19:45.710
peculiar


00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:48.549
characteristic As astrophysicist Manu


00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:50.710
Stalport who worked on the study


00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.270
explained the two planets present an


00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:54.950
interesting contrast in their


00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:56.870
characteristics


00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.710
While


00:19:57.720 --> 00:20:01.830
20i 1453b appears to be a fairly typical


00:20:01.840 --> 00:20:04.630
rocky super Earth orbiting close to its


00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:09.230
star with a 4.3day cycle


00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:12.750
2I,453 C defies easy


00:20:12.760 --> 00:20:14.870
categorization This puzzling world


00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.630
raises fundamental questions about


00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:19.510
planetary formation and evolution How


00:20:19.520 --> 00:20:21.510
could a planet grow to such a size while


00:20:21.520 --> 00:20:24.230
maintaining such low density what


00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.710
processes shaped its development and


00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.710
what might its surface or atmosphere be


00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:32.270
like these mysteries make


00:20:32.280 --> 00:20:34.549
TOI,453C an exceptionally promising


00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:36.950
target for future atmospheric studies


00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.950
The research team employed a two-pronged


00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:40.990
approach to characterize these distant


00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.590
worlds The transit method using test


00:20:43.600 --> 00:20:45.430
data revealed each planet's size and


00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.590
orbital period by measuring the slight


00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:49.510
dimming of starlight as they passed in


00:20:49.520 --> 00:20:52.390
front of their host star Meanwhile the


00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:54.710
radial velocity measurements from HAPSen


00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.710
detected the subtle gravitational wobble


00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:59.350
each planet induces on the star allowing


00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:02.149
scientists to determine their masses


00:21:02.159 --> 00:21:03.669
What's particularly fascinating about


00:21:03.679 --> 00:21:06.149
the system is that the two planets orbit


00:21:06.159 --> 00:21:07.750
in a configuration close to what


00:21:07.760 --> 00:21:11.669
astronomers call a 32 resonance This


00:21:11.679 --> 00:21:13.510
means that for every three complete


00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:15.590
orbits of the inner planet the outer


00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:18.549
planet completes almost exactly two Such


00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.950
orbital resonances aren't random They're


00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:22.470
considered a natural consequence of


00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:24.630
orbital migration providing important


00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:26.870
clues about how these planets moved and


00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.149
eventually settled into their current


00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:33.590
positions TOI 1453 C's extraordinarily


00:21:33.600 --> 00:21:35.909
low density presents an exciting


00:21:35.919 --> 00:21:38.549
scientific puzzle For a planet its size


00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:40.630
to be so lightweight it must have a


00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:42.310
fundamentally different composition than


00:21:42.320 --> 00:21:44.950
the rocky worlds we're familiar with The


00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:47.590
evidence points to either a substantial


00:21:47.600 --> 00:21:49.669
hydrogen-rich atmosphere that


00:21:49.679 --> 00:21:51.590
significantly increases the planet's


00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:54.390
diameter without adding much mass or


00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.710
perhaps an interior largely composed of


00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.029
water rather than denser materials like


00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:03.310
rock and metal This makes


00:22:03.320 --> 00:22:05.830
TYY453C an ideal candidate for future


00:22:05.840 --> 00:22:07.909
atmospheric studies using next


00:22:07.919 --> 00:22:09.510
generation instruments like the James


00:22:09.520 --> 00:22:11.909
Web Space Telescope


00:22:11.919 --> 00:22:14.310
JWST's advanced capabilities could


00:22:14.320 --> 00:22:15.950
potentially analyze the planet's


00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:18.149
atmosphere determining whether it's


00:22:18.159 --> 00:22:20.789
primarily hydrogen or water dominated


00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.310
which would revolutionize our


00:22:22.320 --> 00:22:25.029
understanding of this enigmatic world


00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:27.430
The orbital resonance also suggests


00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:29.590
these planets have remained dynamically


00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:31.750
stable for a long time providing a


00:22:31.760 --> 00:22:33.510
window into the systems formation


00:22:33.520 --> 00:22:36.149
history Such configurations typically


00:22:36.159 --> 00:22:37.990
develop when planets migrate inward


00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.470
through their stars protolanetary disc


00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:41.990
gradually locking into these


00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:46.870
synchronized orbits If TOI 1453C does


00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.390
indeed have a substantial water


00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.310
component it would represent a


00:22:50.320 --> 00:22:52.950
fascinating planetary category neither


00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:55.190
truly rocky like Earth nor gaseous like


00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:57.350
Neptune but something in between that we


00:22:57.360 --> 00:22:59.350
don't see in our solar system


00:22:59.360 --> 00:23:00.870
Understanding such worlds could


00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:02.950
fundamentally reshape theories about how


00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:05.350
planets form and what kinds of habitable


00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:07.390
environments might exist throughout the


00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:10.710
galaxy And in another exciting discovery


00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.549
scientists may have finally solved a


00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.470
decades old cosmic mystery that has


00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.590
puzzled astronomers since 1980 Strange


00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:19.430
X-ray emissions detected from the center


00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.430
of the Helix Nebula might actually be


00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.110
evidence of a planet being violently


00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:25.190
ripped apart and devoured by the dying


00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:27.750
star at its core The Helix Nebula


00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:29.590
represents the final stage of a dying


00:23:29.600 --> 00:23:31.909
star that has shed its outer layers


00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:34.070
leaving behind a small dense remnant


00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:36.310
called a white dwarf What makes this


00:23:36.320 --> 00:23:39.470
particular white dwarf designated


00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:41.070
WD226


00:23:41.080 --> 00:23:43.750
210 unusual is that it shouldn't be


00:23:43.760 --> 00:23:45.830
producing the powerful X-rays that


00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:47.830
telescopes have consistently detected


00:23:47.840 --> 00:23:50.710
for over 40 years Thanks to observations


00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:53.110
from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory


00:23:53.120 --> 00:23:56.149
and the European Space Ay's XMM Newton


00:23:56.159 --> 00:23:58.149
researchers believe they finally cracked


00:23:58.159 --> 00:24:01.470
this cosmic case The data reveals a


00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:04.390
Neptunized planet orbiting perilously


00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.710
close to the white dwarf completing a


00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:09.230
revolution in less than 3


00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:12.230
days Even more intriguing evidence


00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:13.510
suggests there may have been a


00:24:13.520 --> 00:24:15.990
Jupiter-like planet orbiting even closer


00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:19.269
that met a catastrophic fate Lead author


00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.350
Sandino Estrada Dorado from the National


00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:23.909
Autonomous University of Mexico explains


00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:25.830
"We think this X-ray signal could be


00:24:25.840 --> 00:24:27.669
from planetary debris pulled onto the


00:24:27.679 --> 00:24:29.909
white dwarf as the death nail from a


00:24:29.919 --> 00:24:31.350
planet that was destroyed by the white


00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:33.590
dwarf in the Helix Nebula We might have


00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:35.110
finally found the cause of a mystery


00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:38.149
that's lasted over 40 years The doomed


00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:40.230
planet likely began its life at a safe


00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:42.630
distance from its star But as the star


00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:45.430
aged and transformed into a white dwarf


00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.029
the planet's orbit may have been


00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.110
disturbed by gravitational interactions


00:24:49.120 --> 00:24:51.830
with other planets in the system This


00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:53.669
migration brought it fatally close to


00:24:53.679 --> 00:24:55.909
the white dwarf where intense


00:24:55.919 --> 00:24:58.190
gravitational forces began to tear it


00:24:58.200 --> 00:25:00.630
apart What astronomers are witnessing


00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:02.630
now appears to be the aftermath of this


00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:05.350
cosmic destruction As debris from the


00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:07.110
shattered planet falls onto the white


00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:09.990
dwarf surface it becomes superheated to


00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.070
millions of degrees producing the


00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:14.310
telltale X-ray signature that


00:25:14.320 --> 00:25:16.110
astronomers have been detecting for


00:25:16.120 --> 00:25:18.549
decades If confirmed this would


00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.549
represent the first documented case of a


00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:22.230
planet being destroyed by the central


00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:24.950
star in a planetary nebula The


00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:27.190
observation offers a sobering glimpse


00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:29.029
into the potential fate that awaits


00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:31.350
planets orbiting aging stars perhaps


00:25:31.360 --> 00:25:33.549
even our own solar system in the distant


00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:36.310
future This discovery provides crucial


00:25:36.320 --> 00:25:38.070
insights into the fate of planetary


00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:40.390
systems as their stars reach the end of


00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:42.870
their lives What we're witnessing at the


00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:44.950
Helix Nebula may be a preview of what


00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:47.350
awaits countless other star systems


00:25:47.360 --> 00:25:49.510
including possibly our own solar system


00:25:49.520 --> 00:25:51.990
billions of years in the future


00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:54.230
The research team analyzed X-ray data


00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:56.070
collected over multiple observations


00:25:56.080 --> 00:25:58.110
spanning a decade and found something


00:25:58.120 --> 00:26:00.310
remarkable The signal has remained


00:26:00.320 --> 00:26:01.909
relatively consistent in brightness


00:26:01.919 --> 00:26:04.950
since the early 1990s This stability


00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:06.870
suggests we're observing an ongoing


00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:08.950
process rather than a one-time


00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:11.269
catastrophic event But within this


00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:13.830
consistent signal astronomers detected


00:26:13.840 --> 00:26:16.310
subtle fluctuations that repeat every


00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:19.029
2.9 hours providing compelling evidence


00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:21.190
for planetary remains orbiting


00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:23.909
exceptionally close to the white dwarf


00:26:23.919 --> 00:26:25.590
Martin Guerrero from the Institute of


00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:28.710
Astrophysics of Andalusia explains "The


00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:30.310
mysterious signal we've been seeing


00:26:30.320 --> 00:26:32.070
could be caused by the debris from the


00:26:32.080 --> 00:26:33.990
shattered planet falling onto the white


00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.230
dwarf surface and being heated to glow


00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:39.510
in X-rays This steady stream of material


00:26:39.520 --> 00:26:41.669
creates a consistent energy signature


00:26:41.679 --> 00:26:44.350
that telescopes can detect across vast


00:26:44.360 --> 00:26:46.710
distances The research team considered


00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:48.789
alternative explanations including


00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:51.029
whether a low mass star rather than a


00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:53.830
planet might have been destroyed However


00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:55.590
such stars are significantly more


00:26:55.600 --> 00:26:58.070
massive than Jupiterized planets making


00:26:58.080 --> 00:27:00.070
them much less likely to be torn apart


00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:02.310
by the white dwarf's gravity


00:27:02.320 --> 00:27:04.510
Interestingly


00:27:04.520 --> 00:27:07.510
WD226 210 shares X-ray behavior


00:27:07.520 --> 00:27:09.350
similarities with two other white dwarfs


00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:12.310
that are not inside planetary nebulas


00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:13.830
One appears to be pulling material from


00:27:13.840 --> 00:27:15.750
a planet in a more gradual fashion


00:27:15.760 --> 00:27:17.750
without complete destruction while


00:27:17.760 --> 00:27:19.669
another is likely accreting material


00:27:19.679 --> 00:27:22.149
from what remains of a destroyed planet


00:27:22.159 --> 00:27:24.230
These three white dwarfs may represent a


00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:26.149
newly recognized class of variable


00:27:26.159 --> 00:27:28.390
objects that offers a window into


00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:29.909
different stages of planetary


00:27:29.919 --> 00:27:32.149
destruction It's important to find more


00:27:32.159 --> 00:27:33.830
of these systems because they can teach


00:27:33.840 --> 00:27:35.750
us about the survival or destruction of


00:27:35.760 --> 00:27:38.149
planets around stars like the sun as


00:27:38.159 --> 00:27:40.630
they enter old age notes co-author Jesus


00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:43.029
Tala By studying these systems


00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:45.110
astronomers gain valuable insights into


00:27:45.120 --> 00:27:47.470
the long-term fate of our own solar


00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:50.070
system When our sun eventually exhausts


00:27:50.080 --> 00:27:52.070
its nuclear fuel billions of years from


00:27:52.080 --> 00:27:54.710
now it will expand into a red giant


00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.710
before shedding its outer layers and


00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:59.110
becoming a white dwarf During this


00:27:59.120 --> 00:28:01.590
tumultuous transition the inner planets


00:28:01.600 --> 00:28:03.990
will likely be engulfed while the orbits


00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:06.750
of surviving outer planets may become


00:28:06.760 --> 00:28:08.710
destabilized What we're witnessing in


00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:11.110
the Helix Nebula could be a preview of


00:28:11.120 --> 00:28:13.750
Earth's ultimate fate offering both a


00:28:13.760 --> 00:28:16.310
sobering reminder of cosmic mortality


00:28:16.320 --> 00:28:18.389
and a fascinating glimpse into the life


00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:20.350
cycle of planetary


00:28:20.360 --> 00:28:22.950
systems And one more discovery for good


00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.310
measure For over a century astronomers


00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:28.149
have been captivated by the majestic


00:28:28.159 --> 00:28:30.389
spiral arms that wind through galaxies


00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:32.669
like our own Milky Way But recent


00:28:32.679 --> 00:28:34.950
observations using the unprecedented


00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:36.950
resolution of the Hubble and James Web


00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.870
Space Telescopes have revealed something


00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:41.590
even more fascinating These grand spiral


00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:43.669
structures aren't just simple arms but


00:28:43.679 --> 00:28:45.269
are decorated with intricate features


00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:47.669
astronomers call feathers


00:28:47.679 --> 00:28:49.669
These feathery structures extend just a


00:28:49.679 --> 00:28:51.990
few thousand lightyear relatively small


00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:54.549
by galactic standards but they play an


00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:57.269
outsized role in galactic evolution


00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:59.190
Unlike the broader spiral arms they


00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:01.110
branch from these feathers are


00:29:01.120 --> 00:29:02.950
extraordinarily dense regions packed


00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:05.430
with gas and dust They serve as cosmic


00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:07.350
nurseries where much of a galaxy's star


00:29:07.360 --> 00:29:10.070
formation takes place hosting young star


00:29:10.080 --> 00:29:11.990
clusters and massive clouds of neutral


00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:14.269
hydrogen where new stars are born


00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:16.590
Initially astronomers believe these


00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:19.350
feathers were exclusive to the largest


00:29:19.360 --> 00:29:22.389
grand design spiral galaxies However


00:29:22.399 --> 00:29:24.310
mounting evidence suggests they're


00:29:24.320 --> 00:29:26.549
nearly universal features with our own


00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:28.230
Milky Way sporting these delicate


00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.789
structures as well What has puzzled


00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:32.470
scientists for years is how these


00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:34.710
complex features form The leading


00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.389
theories have involved elaborate


00:29:36.399 --> 00:29:39.029
mechanisms perhaps powerful supernova


00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:41.350
explosions sculpting the gas within


00:29:41.360 --> 00:29:44.310
spiral arms or vast magnetic fields


00:29:44.320 --> 00:29:45.990
twisting and compressing matter into


00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:48.549
these filament patterns The complexity


00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:50.470
of feathers seem to demand equally


00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:52.870
complex formation processes But


00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.789
sometimes the most elegant explanation


00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:57.269
is also the simplest In research


00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:59.029
recently accepted for publication in


00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:01.350
astronomy and astrophysics a team of


00:30:01.360 --> 00:30:03.269
astronomers proposed a surprisingly


00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:05.590
straightforward mechanism Gravity alone


00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:08.190
might create these feathers To test this


00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:10.630
hypothesis the researchers designed an


00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:13.110
elegantly simple computer simulation


00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:15.350
They created a basic model of a rotating


00:30:15.360 --> 00:30:18.950
disc of gas No stars no complex physics


00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:20.870
just gas moving under the influence of


00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:23.110
its own gravity When they ran the


00:30:23.120 --> 00:30:25.510
simulation something remarkable happened


00:30:25.520 --> 00:30:27.669
the gas naturally fragmented into a


00:30:27.679 --> 00:30:29.830
series of nested filaments that bore a


00:30:29.840 --> 00:30:31.430
striking resemblance to the feathers


00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:32.830
observed in real


00:30:32.840 --> 00:30:35.269
galaxies The key insight is that these


00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:38.389
gas discs are inherently unstable Even


00:30:38.399 --> 00:30:40.470
tiny initial clumps tend to collapse


00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:42.470
under their own gravity and when


00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:44.630
combined with the rotation of the disc


00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:47.029
these collapsing regions naturally form


00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:49.430
elongated structures the feathers we


00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:52.070
observe in spiral galaxies When


00:30:52.080 --> 00:30:53.750
researchers compared the simulated


00:30:53.760 --> 00:30:56.389
feathers with actual observations they


00:30:56.399 --> 00:30:59.310
found broad agreement in size shape and


00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:01.669
density This doesn't mean the mystery is


00:31:01.679 --> 00:31:04.230
completely solved The simulated galaxies


00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:05.909
were deliberately simplified lacking


00:31:05.919 --> 00:31:08.029
many elements we know exist in real


00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:10.310
galaxies The next step is to introduce


00:31:10.320 --> 00:31:12.950
more realistic physics Those supernovas


00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.950
and magnetic fields do exist and


00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:17.190
certainly influence galactic evolution


00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:18.549
The question is whether they would


00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:20.230
disrupt these gravitationally formed


00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:23.029
feathers or perhaps enhance them What


00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:24.710
makes this finding so compelling is that


00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:27.110
it demonstrates how nature can use basic


00:31:27.120 --> 00:31:28.549
physical principles to generate


00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:31.190
remarkably complex structures even at


00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:33.750
the vast scales of galaxies Sometimes


00:31:33.760 --> 00:31:35.750
the universe's most intricate patterns


00:31:35.760 --> 00:31:37.830
emerge from its simplest rules The


00:31:37.840 --> 00:31:39.669
team's simulations were remarkably


00:31:39.679 --> 00:31:42.230
simplistic by design Rather than


00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:44.310
creating a complex model incorporating


00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:46.870
all the known physics of galaxies they


00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:48.389
stripped everything back to the most


00:31:48.399 --> 00:31:50.789
basic elements Just a disc of gas


00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:52.630
rotating and evolving under its own


00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:55.509
gravitational influence No stars no


00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:57.509
explosive stellar feedback no magnetic


00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:00.389
fields just gravity When they set this


00:32:00.399 --> 00:32:02.710
simplified system in motion the results


00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:05.350
were striking The rotating gas disc


00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:07.909
didn't remain smooth and uniform Instead


00:32:07.919 --> 00:32:10.149
it naturally began to fragment breaking


00:32:10.159 --> 00:32:12.389
down into a series of nested elongated


00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:14.149
filaments that closely resembled the


00:32:14.159 --> 00:32:16.070
feathery structures astronomers observe


00:32:16.080 --> 00:32:18.870
in real galaxies This fragmentation


00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:21.029
occurs because gaseous discs are


00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:24.389
inherently gravitationally unstable Any


00:32:24.399 --> 00:32:26.470
slight density fluctuation no matter how


00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:28.870
small initially tends to attract more


00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:31.669
matter to itself As these regions grow


00:32:31.679 --> 00:32:34.430
denser they collapse faster creating a


00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:36.870
self-reinforcing process


00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:39.509
The rotation of the disc then stretches


00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:41.190
these collapsing regions into the


00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:43.789
filament patterns we recognize as


00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:46.070
feathers What's particularly impressive


00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:48.230
is how well these simulated structures


00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:51.190
matched actual observations When the


00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:52.470
researchers compared their


00:32:52.480 --> 00:32:54.230
computerenerated feathers with those


00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:57.430
seen in real spiral galaxies they found


00:32:57.440 --> 00:32:59.110
significant similarities in key


00:32:59.120 --> 00:33:01.630
properties like size shape and density


00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:03.669
distributions This doesn't mean we've


00:33:03.679 --> 00:33:06.389
solved the entire puzzle The researchers


00:33:06.399 --> 00:33:08.789
acknowledge that real galaxies are far


00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:11.029
more complex environments The next


00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:12.870
challenge is determining whether


00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:15.830
introducing more realistic elements like


00:33:15.840 --> 00:33:18.389
stellar feedback from supernovas or the


00:33:18.399 --> 00:33:20.789
influence of magnetic fields would


00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:22.870
disrupt these gravitationally formed


00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:25.509
feathers or perhaps work in concert with


00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:28.149
gravity to shape them further The


00:33:28.159 --> 00:33:29.669
finding highlights a principle that


00:33:29.679 --> 00:33:32.470
appears repeatedly across cosmic scales


00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:34.630
That immense complexity often emerges


00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:36.470
from relatively simple underlying


00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:38.789
physics From the intricate patterns of


00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:40.549
snowflakes forming from simple water


00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:43.269
molecules to the vast filament cosmic


00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:45.830
webs stretching across the universe


00:33:45.840 --> 00:33:48.070
nature frequently uses basic rules to


00:33:48.080 --> 00:33:50.470
create stunning complexity In the case


00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:52.310
of galactic feathers it seems that


00:33:52.320 --> 00:33:53.990
gravity alone might be sufficient to


00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:55.669
establish the foundation of these


00:33:55.679 --> 00:33:57.990
structures It's a powerful reminder that


00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:00.710
sometimes the most elegant explanations


00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:03.470
in science are also the


00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:05.669
simplest And that brings us to the end


00:34:05.679 --> 00:34:08.230
of today's episode of Astronomy Daily


00:34:08.240 --> 00:34:10.389
From the evolving mystery of dark energy


00:34:10.399 --> 00:34:12.950
to Boeing's Starlininer troubles China's


00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:15.230
ambitious space plans puzzling


00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:17.750
exoplanets a star devouring its own


00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:19.829
planet and the simple gravitational


00:34:19.839 --> 00:34:22.030
forces behind complex galactic


00:34:22.040 --> 00:34:24.230
structures We've covered quite the


00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:26.310
cosmic journey together


00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:28.790
I'm Anna and it's been my pleasure


00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:30.550
guiding you through these fascinating


00:34:30.560 --> 00:34:33.470
developments in astronomy and space


00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:35.990
exploration The universe continues to


00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:38.069
surprise us Whether it's throwing


00:34:38.079 --> 00:34:39.750
curveballs at our understanding of


00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:42.230
fundamental forces or revealing the


00:34:42.240 --> 00:34:44.950
elegant simplicity behind seemingly


00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:48.149
complex cosmic patterns If you enjoyed


00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:51.389
today's show please visit our website at


00:34:51.399 --> 00:34:53.349
astronomydaily.io where you can sign up


00:34:53.359 --> 00:34:55.510
for our free daily newsletter Catch up


00:34:55.520 --> 00:34:57.270
on all the latest space and astronomy


00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:59.109
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00:35:02.160 --> 00:35:04.630
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Just search for Astro Daily Pod on


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00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:12.550
and Instagram We love hearing from


00:35:12.560 --> 00:35:14.550
fellow space enthusiasts so don't


00:35:14.560 --> 00:35:16.190
hesitate to reach out and share your


00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:18.710
thoughts Until next time keep looking up


00:35:18.720 --> 00:35:20.310
and stay curious about the wonders of


00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:22.310
our universe This has been Astronomy


00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:26.109
Daily and I'm Anna signing off Astronomy


00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:29.600
day Stories been told


00:35:29.610 --> 00:35:43.969
[Music]