Io’s Record Eruption, Nuclear Space Future, and Ancient Mars Beaches

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Picture this. A volcanic eruption so


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massive it could swallow entire [music]


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countries. Now imagine witnessing it


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from space on a moon 400 million miles


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away. Welcome to Astronomy [music]


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Daily where today we're bringing you the


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most explosive story from Jupiter's


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volcanic moon Io. Literally. I'm Anna.


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>> And I'm Avery. Anna, when NASA's Juno


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spacecraft captured [music] the largest


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volcanic eruption ever seen on Io, it


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reminded me why we explore [music] these


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distant worlds. The sheer scale of


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what's happening out there is


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mind-blowing. [music]


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Absolutely. And speaking of exploration,


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we've also got some groundbreaking news


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about nuclear propulsion [music] that


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could revolutionize deep space travel.


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Plus, discoveries about ancient Martian


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beaches, the communication networks


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keeping Artemis astronauts [music]


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connected around the moon, a lunar world


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tour happening in February, and


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fascinating research [music] about


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life's ingredients forming in space.


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It's Friday, [music] January 30th, 2026,


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and you're listening to Astronomy Daily.


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>> Let's get into it, then. Avery, [music]


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let's dive right into this spectacular


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volcanic eruption on Io. NASA's Juno


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spacecraft has been giving us


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unprecedented views of Jupiter's most


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volcanically active moon. And this


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latest discovery is absolutely stunning.


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>> It really is, Anna. During Juno's 71st


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close flyby of Jupiter on January 28th,


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the spacecraft captured what scientists


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are calling the largest volcanic


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eruption ever observed on Io. We're


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talking about a plume that's absolutely


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colossal in scale. The plume was spotted


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at a volcano called Khi. And here's what


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makes this so remarkable. The plume


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extends an estimated 240 km or about 150


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m above Io's surface.


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>> That's incredible. To put that in


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perspective for our listeners, that's


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roughly the distance from New York to


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Philadelphia. But instead of a road


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trip, we're talking about a volcanic


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plume shooting straight up into space.


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>> Exactly. And what makes Io such a


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volcanic powerhouse is the immense tidal


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forces it experiences. Jupender's


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massive gravity combined with the


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gravitational poles from its sister


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moons Europa and Ganymede literally


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flexes ISO's interior generating


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enormous amounts of heat. It's like


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continuously kneading dough but on a


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planetary scale. The images Juno


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captured are fascinating too. Scientists


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use the spacecraft's Juno cam instrument


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and what they saw was this enormous


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umbrellashaped plume extending from Cain


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Hackily. Scott Bolton, Juno's principal


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investigator from the Southwest Research


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Institute, described it as both enormous


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and incredibly faint, which is why these


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observations are so valuable.


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>> Right. And this isn't just about


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impressive visuals. Understanding is


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vcanism helps us learn about tidal


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heating processes throughout the solar


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system. Plus, Juno has been on quite the


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journey. The spacecraft has made 18


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close flybys of Io since entering


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Jupiter's orbit back in 2016, and it's


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scheduled to continue observations until


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at least 2025.


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>> Actually, Avery, we're now in 2026, so


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Juno has been extended beyond that


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original timeline, which is fantastic


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news for continued observations. This


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discovery really highlights how active


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and dynamic Io remains. It's not just


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the most volcanically active body in our


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solar system. It's constantly surprising


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us with the scale of its eruptions.


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>> Absolutely. And there's something almost


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poetic about witnessing such raw


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primordial forces at work on another


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world. While we deal with our relatively


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tame volcanic activity here on Earth, Io


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is experiencing eruptions that dwarf


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anything in our planet's history. It's a


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powerful reminder that our solar system


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is far from a static, quiet place. There


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are worlds out there where the geology


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is extreme beyond our everyday


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comprehension. All right, let's shift


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gears from volcanic fury to the cutting


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edge of space propulsion technology.


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>> Anna, if we're going to send humans


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deeper into the solar system to Mars and


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beyond, we need better propulsion


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systems than what we currently have.


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That's where nuclear technology comes


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in. And NASA just achieved a significant


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milestone.


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>> This is exciting stuff, Avery. NASA and


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the Department of Energy recently fired


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up crusty. And yes, that's actually the


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acronym they went with, which stands for


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kilo power reactor using sterling


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technology. This test represents a major


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step toward making nuclear power a


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reality for deep space missions.


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>> I love that acronym. But beyond the fun


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name, this is serious technology. Frosty


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is a small fish and reactor designed to


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provide reliable power in the harsh


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environments of deep space. We're


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talking about a system that could


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generate around 10 kows of electrical


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power continuously for over a decade. 10


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kow might not sound like much compared


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to a power plant, but in space it's


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transformational. That's enough to power


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life support systems, scientific


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instruments, and habitats on Mars or the


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moon. Traditional solar panels become


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less effective the farther you get from


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the sun, but nuclear reactors work


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anywhere.


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>> Exactly. And the technology behind


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Crusty is elegantly simple in concept if


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complex in execution. It uses a solid


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uranium core about the size of a paper


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towel roll. Nuclear fish in this core


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generates heat which is then converted


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to electricity using sterling engines.


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These are highly efficient engines that


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convert heat to mechanical energy and


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then to electricity.


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>> What I find particularly impressive is


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the safety engineering. These systems


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are designed to be inherently safe with


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passive cooling systems that don't


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require active intervention. During the


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Nevada test, engineers put Crusty


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through its paces, simulating various


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failure scenarios to prove it could


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handle extreme conditions.


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>> Right? And this isn't just theoretical


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anymore. The successful test


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demonstrates that the technology works.


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Now NASA's looking at scaling this up


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for actual mission use. Imagine a Mars


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base powered by one or more of these


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reactors providing consistent power


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regardless of dust storms, nighttime, or


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seasons.


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>> It also opens up possibilities for


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missions to the outer solar system.


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Places like Titan or Europa, where solar


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power is essentially useless, suddenly


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become more accessible with reliable


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nuclear power sources. We could have


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rovers or even submarines exploring


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these distant worlds. And let's not


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forget about nuclear thermal propulsion,


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which is related but different. That's


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where nuclear reactors heat propellant


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to generate thrust, potentially cutting


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Mars transit times in half. Between


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power generation and propulsion, nuclear


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technology could be the key to humanity


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becoming a truly space fairing


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civilization.


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>> It's one of those technologies that


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sounds like science fiction, but is


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rapidly becoming science fact. The


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crusty test proves we have the


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engineering capability. Now, it's about


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implementation and integration into


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actual mission architectures. Speaking


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of missions, let's head to Mars where


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scientists have discovered intriguing


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evidence of ancient water.


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>> Anna, one of the biggest questions about


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Mars is whether it ever had conditions


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suitable for life. Every time we find


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evidence of ancient water, we get closer


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to answering that question. And this


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latest discovery is particularly


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compelling.


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>> It really is, Avery. Researchers have


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identified what they believe to be


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ancient beach deposits in Mars Gale


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Crater, where the Curiosity rover has


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been exploring. These aren't just random


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rocks. They're sedimentary layers that


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tell a story of water lapping at ancient


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shorelines billions of years ago. The


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evidence comes from detailed analysis of


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rock formations that show


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characteristics consistent with beach


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environments. We're talking about


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specific grain sizes, layering patterns,


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and chemical signatures that match what


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we see in coastal deposits here on


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Earth. The team identified features like


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ripple marks and crossbedding that form


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when waves and currents move sediment.


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>> What makes this discovery particularly


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significant for habitability is that


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beach environments on Earth are


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incredibly productive ecosystems. The


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interface between water and land where


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you have tides, nutrients washing in,


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and varying conditions creates


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opportunities for diverse life forms.


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>> Exactly. If Mars had stable shorelines


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billions of years ago, those would have


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been prime locations for any potential


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Martian life to emerge and thrive.


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You've got water, you've got minerals


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being concentrated, you've got energy


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from the sun, all the ingredients that


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life needs. The research also helps us


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understand Mars's climate history. For


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beaches to exist, you need a stable body


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of water over extended periods, not just


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brief flooding events. This suggests


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that ancient Mars had a more earthlike


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hydraological cycle than we might have


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thought with lakes or seas that


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persisted long enough to create these


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coastal features.


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>> And the location in Gail Crater is


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significant, too. Curiosity has been


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slowly climbing Mount Sharp in the


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center of the crater. And as it climbs,


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it's essentially reading through Mars'


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geological history like pages in a book.


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These beach deposits fit into a broader


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narrative of a wetter, warmer ancient


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Mars.


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>> The implications for future missions are


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huge. If we can identify ancient beaches


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and shorelines, those become high


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priority targets for searching for bio


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signatures, chemical or physical


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evidence that life once existed. We


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might want to send future rovers, or


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even sample return missions to these


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locations.


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>> It's also worth noting how far we've


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come in our understanding of Mars. From


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a planet we once thought was completely


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dry and dead, we now know Mars had


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rivers, lakes, possibly oceans, beaches,


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and deltas. Each discovery adds another


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piece to the puzzle of what ancient Mars


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was really like. And who knows, maybe


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one day humans will walk on those


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ancient beaches 4 billion years after


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waves last touched them. But before we


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send humans to Mars, we need to perfect


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operations around the moon. Let's talk


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about the communication networks being


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prepared for Artemis 2.


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>> Anna, when the Artemis 2 crew ventures


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around the moon next year, they'll be


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farther from Earth than any humans have


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traveled since Apollo 17 in 1972.


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Keeping them connected requires an


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incredibly sophisticated network of


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ground stations and satellites.


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>> That's right, Avery. NASA has been


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building out what's essentially a cosmic


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communication infrastructure and the


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latest updates show that the networks


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are ready to support the mission. We're


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talking about the deep space network,


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the near space network, and even


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partnerships with commercial satellite


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operators. Let's break down what makes


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this so challenging. When the Orian


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craft carrying the Artemis 2 crew swings


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around the far side of the moon, there's


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a period where they're completely out of


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direct line of sight with Earth. No


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radio signals can reach them directly


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because the moon itself is in the way.


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>> That's where the tracking and data relay


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satellites come in. NASA has been


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upgrading the deep space network. Those


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massive dish antennas in California,


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Spain, and Australia that communicate


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with distant spacecraft. These dishes


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can pick up incredibly faint signals


00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.829
from the Oran capsule even when it's


00:12:03.839 --> 00:12:05.509
280,000


00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.389
m away. The redundancy built into the


00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:10.629
system is impressive, too. Multiple


00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.470
ground stations can track Orian


00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.629
simultaneously, ensuring that if one


00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:16.790
station loses signal due to weather or


00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:19.030
other issues, others can maintain


00:12:19.040 --> 00:12:21.269
contact. The crew will never be more


00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:22.710
than a few minutes without a


00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.269
communication link. What's particularly


00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.190
interesting is how much bandwidth


00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:29.190
they'll have. Unlike the Apollo


00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.269
missions, which had relatively limited


00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:33.829
voice communications, Artemis 2 will


00:12:33.839 --> 00:12:36.470
have highdefinition video capabilities,


00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:38.790
allowing mission control and the public


00:12:38.800 --> 00:12:41.829
to see what the crew sees in real time.


00:12:41.839 --> 00:12:44.470
Imagine watching HD footage of Earth


00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.030
rising over the lunar horizon as it


00:12:47.040 --> 00:12:48.150
happens.


00:12:48.160 --> 00:12:50.870
>> That's going to be spectacular. And it's


00:12:50.880 --> 00:12:52.389
not just about keeping the crew


00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.310
connected for safety, though that's


00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.310
obviously paramount. These


00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:58.790
communications enable realtime science


00:12:58.800 --> 00:13:01.430
operations, medical monitoring, and the


00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.509
kind of public engagement that makes


00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:06.389
these missions so inspiring. The testing


00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:09.350
that's been done is extensive, too. NASA


00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:11.750
has run countless simulations, putting


00:13:11.760 --> 00:13:13.829
the network through every conceivable


00:13:13.839 --> 00:13:16.470
scenario, from normal operations to


00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:19.030
emergency situations. They've verified


00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:21.269
that commands can be sent and received


00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:23.509
quickly enough to respond to any issues


00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:26.310
that might arise. And this network


00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.750
infrastructure they're building for


00:13:27.760 --> 00:13:30.310
Artemis will serve missions for decades


00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.790
to come. When we establish a permanent


00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:35.190
lunar base when we send astronauts to


00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.350
Mars, these same communication


00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.750
principles and much of the same hardware


00:13:39.760 --> 00:13:41.829
will be the backbone keeping everyone


00:13:41.839 --> 00:13:44.550
connected. It's a reminder that space


00:13:44.560 --> 00:13:47.110
exploration isn't just about rockets and


00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.190
spacecraft. It's about building the


00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.670
infrastructure to support human presence


00:13:51.680 --> 00:13:54.230
beyond Earth. Speaking of the moon,


00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.389
there's a beautiful celestial show


00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:58.470
coming up in February that everyone can


00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.829
enjoy from Earth.


00:13:59.839 --> 00:14:01.910
>> Anna, I love these monthly lunar


00:14:01.920 --> 00:14:04.310
highlights. February is shaping up to be


00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:06.389
a great month for lunar watchers with


00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.470
some beautiful planetary conjunctions


00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:11.110
and interesting phases to observe.


00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:13.350
>> Absolutely, Avery. Let's walk our


00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.509
listeners through what they can expect.


00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.430
The month kicks off with the moon in a


00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.910
waxing crescent phase. And on February


00:14:19.920 --> 00:14:22.069
1st and 2nd, we'll see a lovely


00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:24.389
conjunction with Venus. If you look to


00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:26.710
the western sky just after sunset,


00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.470
you'll see the bright crescent moon


00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.110
paired with the brilliant evening star.


00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.590
Venus is always stunning, and when you


00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.590
add the moon to the picture, it creates


00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.269
one of those scenes that makes even


00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.470
nonastronomers stop and look up. A few


00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.030
days later on February 4th, the moon


00:14:43.040 --> 00:14:45.350
will pass near Saturn, giving us another


00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.110
beautiful evening pairing.


00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:49.670
>> The full moon arrives on February 12th.


00:14:49.680 --> 00:14:51.509
And this one has a particularly


00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.910
evocative traditional name, the snow


00:14:53.920 --> 00:14:56.150
moon. Various cultures have called it


00:14:56.160 --> 00:14:58.389
the hunger moon or the storm moon,


00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.550
reflecting the harsh conditions of late


00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:02.790
winter in the northern hemisphere. Of


00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:04.310
course, the moon doesn't know what


00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.790
season it is down here, so the name is


00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:09.829
purely a human cultural addition. After


00:15:09.839 --> 00:15:12.389
full phase, the moon starts waning and


00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.230
this is when morning observers get their


00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:17.670
treats. On February 17th, early risers


00:15:17.680 --> 00:15:19.910
can catch the waning gibbus moon near


00:15:19.920 --> 00:15:21.829
the star Spika in the constellation


00:15:21.839 --> 00:15:25.189
Virgo. Then on February 20th, the moon


00:15:25.199 --> 00:15:27.350
makes a close approach to Jupiter, which


00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.350
will still be prominent in the pre-dawn


00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:32.150
sky. One of my favorite things to watch


00:15:32.160 --> 00:15:34.550
is how the moon appears to march across


00:15:34.560 --> 00:15:36.949
the sky from night to night, visiting


00:15:36.959 --> 00:15:39.670
different stars and planets. It's like a


00:15:39.680 --> 00:15:42.310
natural cosmic clock, and you don't need


00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:44.389
any equipment beyond your eyes to enjoy


00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.389
it. Though, binoculars definitely


00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:48.389
enhance the view. Speaking of


00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.790
binoculars, the waxing crescent phases


00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:52.629
early in the month are perfect for


00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:54.790
observing what astronomers call Earth


00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:57.030
shine. That's when you can see the dark


00:15:57.040 --> 00:15:59.350
portion of the moon, faintly illuminated


00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:01.910
by sunlight reflecting off Earth. It's


00:16:01.920 --> 00:16:04.550
this beautiful ghostly glow that reveals


00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:07.189
the entire disc. And for anyone


00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:09.590
interested in lunar photography, those


00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.509
conjunctions with Venus and Jupiter


00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.069
offer fantastic opportunities. You don't


00:16:14.079 --> 00:16:16.150
need expensive equipment. Even a


00:16:16.160 --> 00:16:18.069
smartphone can capture these scenes if


00:16:18.079 --> 00:16:19.829
you have steady hands or a simple


00:16:19.839 --> 00:16:23.030
tripod. The moon's February tour also


00:16:23.040 --> 00:16:25.189
serves as a nice reminder of celestial


00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:27.749
mechanics. Every conjunction, every


00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:29.749
phase we see is the result of the


00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.069
precise dance between the Earth, Moon,


00:16:32.079 --> 00:16:34.870
and Sun. The fact that we can predict


00:16:34.880 --> 00:16:36.949
exactly when these events will occur


00:16:36.959 --> 00:16:39.350
centuries in advance is a testament to


00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.230
our understanding of orbital dynamics.


00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.310
Though, mark your calendars, folks.


00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:47.269
February 1st and 2nd for Venus, February


00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:50.069
4th for Saturn, February 12th for the


00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:52.710
full snow moon, and February 20th for


00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:55.110
Jupiter. The moon is putting on a world


00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.310
tour, and admission is absolutely free.


00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.470
Now, let's wrap up with some fascinating


00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.389
research about the chemistry of life


00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.590
itself.


00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.990
>> Anna, one of the most profound questions


00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.949
in science is how life began. And new


00:17:08.959 --> 00:17:10.710
research is revealing that some of the


00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:12.870
key ingredients for life might form


00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.669
spontaneously in space without any need


00:17:15.679 --> 00:17:18.069
for planets or special conditions.


00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.390
>> This is absolutely fascinating research,


00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.870
Avery. Scientists have discovered that


00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:25.590
complex organic molecules, the building


00:17:25.600 --> 00:17:27.990
blocks of proteins and other biological


00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:30.390
molecules, can form in the harsh


00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:32.789
environment of interstellar space. We're


00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:35.270
not talking about life itself, but the


00:17:35.280 --> 00:17:38.070
chemical precursors that life needs,


00:17:38.080 --> 00:17:40.549
>> right? The study focused on amino acids,


00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.310
which are the fundamental components of


00:17:42.320 --> 00:17:45.270
proteins. On Earth, we know amino acids


00:17:45.280 --> 00:17:47.830
can form through biological processes.


00:17:47.840 --> 00:17:49.750
But this research shows they can also


00:17:49.760 --> 00:17:52.070
arise through purely chemical reactions


00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:55.190
in space in molecular clouds where stars


00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:57.270
and planets eventually form.


00:17:57.280 --> 00:17:59.029
>> What makes this possible is the


00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:01.029
chemistry happening on the surfaces of


00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:03.669
dust grains in these molecular clouds.


00:18:03.679 --> 00:18:05.909
These grains are coated with ices,


00:18:05.919 --> 00:18:08.710
frozen water, methane, ammonia, and


00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.430
other simple molecules. When cosmic rays


00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.470
or ultraviolet light hits these ices, it


00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.390
triggers chemical reactions that can


00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.789
build up more complex molecules.


00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:20.549
>> The researchers use laboratory


00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.789
simulations that recreate the conditions


00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:25.750
in space, extreme cold, vacuum, and


00:18:25.760 --> 00:18:28.230
radiation. They found that even without


00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.950
any biological input, amino acids and


00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.669
other organic molecules form readily.


00:18:33.679 --> 00:18:35.669
It's like space is running a giant


00:18:35.679 --> 00:18:37.510
chemistry experiment, and the products


00:18:37.520 --> 00:18:39.830
are the ingredients for life. This has


00:18:39.840 --> 00:18:42.710
huge implications for astrobiology. If


00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:45.110
life's building blocks form naturally in


00:18:45.120 --> 00:18:47.110
space, then they're probably common


00:18:47.120 --> 00:18:49.350
throughout the galaxy. When new star


00:18:49.360 --> 00:18:51.029
systems form from these molecular


00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.270
clouds, they inherit these organic


00:18:53.280 --> 00:18:55.830
molecules. Young planets get seated with


00:18:55.840 --> 00:18:57.669
the chemistry they need for life to


00:18:57.679 --> 00:18:59.029
potentially emerge.


00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:01.029
>> We've actually found evidence supporting


00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.350
this on Earth. Some meteorites,


00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:05.830
particularly carbonatous condrites,


00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:08.230
contain amino acids and other organic


00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:10.710
compounds that formed in space before


00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:13.350
the solar system even existed. When


00:19:13.360 --> 00:19:15.270
these meteorites fall to Earth, they


00:19:15.280 --> 00:19:17.430
deliver this prebiotic chemistry.


00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.430
>> It raises an interesting question about


00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:21.909
the origin of life on Earth. Did life


00:19:21.919 --> 00:19:24.310
arise entirely from scratch using


00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:26.870
molecules made here, or did it get a


00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:28.950
head start from organic compounds


00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:31.510
delivered by comets and asteroids? The


00:19:31.520 --> 00:19:34.150
answer might be both. A combination of


00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:37.270
homegrown chemistry and cosmic delivery.


00:19:37.280 --> 00:19:39.110
>> And when we search for life on other


00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:42.150
worlds, Mars, Europa, Enceladus,


00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:44.470
exoplanets, knowing that the basic


00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:46.710
ingredients are probably already there


00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.110
makes the question shift from could


00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:51.669
light's chemistry exist there to did


00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:53.669
conditions allow that chemistry to


00:19:53.679 --> 00:19:54.950
become biology.


00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:56.870
>> The research also highlights how


00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:58.950
interconnected everything in the


00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.350
universe is. The same processes that


00:20:01.360 --> 00:20:04.230
create stars and planets also create the


00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.710
molecules necessary for life. We're


00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:09.190
literally made of stardust, but we're


00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.110
also made of chemistry that happens


00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:12.470
between the stars.


00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:14.950
>> It's humbling and inspiring at the same


00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:17.430
time. The universe isn't just capable of


00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:20.310
creating stars and galaxies. It's also a


00:20:20.320 --> 00:20:22.549
place where the precursors to life form


00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:24.390
naturally, waiting for the right


00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.150
conditions to spark something


00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.310
extraordinary. Which brings us full


00:20:28.320 --> 00:20:31.590
circle to why we explore. Every mission,


00:20:31.600 --> 00:20:34.230
every observation, every discovery adds


00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.070
to our understanding not just of the


00:20:36.080 --> 00:20:38.390
universe, but our place in it and the


00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.549
processes that made us possible.


00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:42.549
>> What a journey we've taken today, Anna.


00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:45.350
From explosive vulcanism on Io to the


00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:47.350
chemistry of life forming in the depths


00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:49.750
of space. It's been a packed episode.


00:20:49.760 --> 00:20:51.909
>> It really has, Avery. We've covered


00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:54.230
groundbreaking propulsion technology,


00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:56.789
ancient Martian beaches, cuttingedge


00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:58.950
communications for Aremis, and a


00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.190
beautiful lunar tour to look forward to.


00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.350
If today's episode shows us anything,


00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:05.350
it's that the universe never stops


00:21:05.360 --> 00:21:07.830
surprising us. Before we sign off, a


00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:09.590
quick reminder that you can find all the


00:21:09.600 --> 00:21:11.350
links to the stories we discussed today


00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:13.510
in our show notes. And if you enjoyed


00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:15.029
this episode, please share it with


00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:17.110
someone who loves space as much as you


00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:20.230
do. You can find us on all major podcast


00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:22.870
platforms and we're also on YouTube if


00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:25.190
you prefer to watch. We're @


00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:27.990
astroailyaily pod on social media and


00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.830
you can visit our website at


00:21:29.840 --> 00:21:31.750
astronomyaily.io


00:21:31.760 --> 00:21:34.470
for articles, transcripts, and more.


00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:37.590
Astronomy [music] day.


00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:45.590
Stories be told.


00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:53.935
Stories to tell.


00:21:53.945 --> 00:21:55.965
[singing]