Terraforming Mars: A Real Plan & Webb’s Dying Star Revelation

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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source


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for the latest space and astronomy news.


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I'm Anna.


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>> And I'm Avery. We've got another stellar


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episode lined up for you today, Monday,


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January 26th, 2026.


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>> That's right. Today, we're taking you on


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quite a journey through the cosmos.


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We'll be exploring two fascinating Mars


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stories that paint very different


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pictures of the red planet's future.


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From terraforming dreams to atmospheric


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water harvesting for survival. Plus,


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we've got some incredible discoveries


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from across the universe. We'll reveal


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how NASA's Chandra Observatory has


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cataloged over 1.3 million X-ray


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sources. Discover an ingenious new use


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for earthquake sensors that could save


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lives. And uncover why those water


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worlds we've been excited about might


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actually be lava planets in the skies.


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And we'll finish with a breathtaking


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look at our cosmic future, courtesy of


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the James Webb Space Telescope's latest


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images of a dying star. So settle in


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because we're about to explore the


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universe together.


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>> Let's get started.


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>> Avery, let's kick things off with what


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could be one of humanity's most


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ambitious projects ever. Scientists are


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saying it's time to take terraforming


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Mars seriously, and they've got a road


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map to make it happen.


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>> This is fascinating stuff, Anna. For


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decades, terraforming Mars has been the


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stuff of science fiction. But new


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research suggests we might actually have


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the tools to pull it off. A team of


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planetary scientists, biologists, and


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engineers has published what amounts to


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a blueprint for transforming the red


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planet into a habitable world.


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>> What's really interesting is the


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timeline they're proposing. This isn't a


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quick fix. We're talking about a


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multi-generational project that could


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take centuries. But the key breakthrough


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is that they believe we can use


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resources already on Mars rather than


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shipping everything from Earth.


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>> Exactly. The plan has three distinct


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phases. Phase one is all about warming


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the planet. Right now, Mars averages


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around70°


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C. The scientists propose using


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engineered nano particles made from


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Martian dust shaped like tiny rods and


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release into the atmosphere. These


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particles would trap escaping heat and


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scatter sunlight towards the surface.


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potentially warming Mars by more than


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30° C.


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>> And here's the clever part. This method


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is over 5,000 times more efficient than


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previous terraforming schemes.


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University of Chicago planetary


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scientist Edwin Kite, one of the study's


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co-authors, notes that Mars was


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habitable in the past, so greening Mars


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could be viewed as the ultimate


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environmental restoration challenge.


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>> Phase two brings in biology. Once


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temperatures rise enough to melt some of


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Mars's vast ice deposits, scientists


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would introduce genetically engineered


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extreophiles, hearty microorganisms that


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can survive in the harshest


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environments. These pioneer species


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would kick off ecological succession,


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creating organic matter and slowly


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changing the chemistry of the surface


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and atmosphere.


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>> And the final phase is the longest and


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most ambitious, building a stable


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biosphere with oxygenrich air. The goal


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is a 0.1 bar oxygen atmosphere, which


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would be enough to sustain human life


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without pressure suits. Harvard


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planetary scientist Robin Wersworth puts


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it beautifully. Life is precious. We


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know of nowhere else in the universe


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where it exists. We have a duty to


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conserve it on Earth, but also to


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consider how we could begin to propagate


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it to other worlds.


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>> But this isn't just about making Mars


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habitable. Nina Lonza from Los Alamos


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National Laboratory sees Mars as a prime


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test bed for planetary engineering. She


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suggests that if we want to learn how to


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modify our environment here on Earth to


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keep it habitable, maybe it would be


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better to experiment on Mars first


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rather than being too bold with our home


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planet.


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>> Of course, there are serious ethical


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considerations. As Lonza points out, if


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we terraform Mars, we'll really change


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it in ways that may or may not be


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reversible. Mars has its own history and


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we might lose the opportunity to study


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how planets form and evolve in their


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natural state.


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>> The researchers stressed that we need to


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start preparing now even though actual


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terraforming is still far off. Upcoming


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Mars missions in 2028 or 2031 should


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include small-cale experiments to test


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these strategies such as warming


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localized regions. Any technology


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deployed must be reversible,


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controllable, and biologically safe.


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It's an audacious vision, but as the


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team points out, 30 years ago,


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terraforming Mars wasn't just hard, it


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was impossible. Today, with advances in


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technology and our understanding of


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Mars, it's becoming a real possibility.


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Whether we should do it is a question


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we'll need to answer as a civilization.


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>> Sticking with Mars, Anna, our next story


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takes a more immediate look at how


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future astronauts might survive on the


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red planet. New research suggests that


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the Martian atmosphere itself could


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provide a vital backup water source.


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>> This is really practical thinking,


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Avery. While underground ice remains the


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most promising long-term water source


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for Mars missions, scientists are now


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exploring atmospheric water harvesting


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as an adaptable solution for scenarios


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where subsurface resources are


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inaccessible.


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>> The study led by Dr. Vasilus Angloazakis


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of Strathclyde University and published


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in advances in space research emphasizes


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building a self-sufficient water


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infrastructure. As Dr. Angloazakis


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explains, reliable access to water would


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be essential for human survival on Mars,


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not only for drinking but also for


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producing oxygen and fuel, which would


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reduce dependence on Earthbased


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supplies. The challenge is that Mars's


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atmosphere is extremely thin and cold,


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but it does contain trace amounts of


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water vapor that could be collected and


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condensed using specialized technology.


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The study introduces novel approaches


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inspired by Earth-based dehumidification


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and technologies. What makes this


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particularly valuable is the


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flexibility. While underground ice


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deposits are seen as the most practical


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long-term solution, their accessibility


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is limited, especially near likely


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landing zones for human missions. Since


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the precise location of usable ice is


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uncertain and excavation technology is


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still evolving, having alternative


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sources is essential. Atmospheric water


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harvesting offers a mobile, adaptable


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alternative. The equipment would be


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portable, making it a compelling


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addition to the toolkit for sustaining


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human life on Mars. As Dr. Ingazaki's


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notes, this study is one of the first to


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compare the various technologies that


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could be deployed to recover water in a


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Martian environment.


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>> The key takeaway is that future Mars


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missions will require not just one


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solution, but a layered approach.


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Combining underground ice extraction,


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soil moisture recovery, and atmospheric


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harvesting will allow missions to adapt


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to different environmental and


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logistical conditions. While the process


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is energyintensive, atmospheric


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harvesting can serve as a crucial


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contingency, especially in emergencies


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or during long range missions. The


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research offers insights that could make


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future space exploration missions more


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self-sufficient and sustainable. It's


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this kind of practical multiaceted


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planning that will ultimately make


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longduration Mars missions and potential


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colonization efforts successful. Every


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backup system counts when you're 225


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million km away from home.


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>> From the red planet to the entire


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cosmos, Avery, let's talk about NASA's


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Chandra X-ray Observatory and its


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incredible catalog of cosmic recordings.


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>> Anna, this is like the ultimate


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astronomical music collection. The


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Chandra source catalog now contains over


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1.3 million X-ray detections across the


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sky, representing 22 years of


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observations from one of NASA's great


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observatories.


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>> The latest version, called CSC 2.1,


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contains data through the end of 2020


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and includes over 400,000 unique,


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compact, and extended sources. This


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catalog is a treasure trove for


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scientists, providing everything from


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precise positions in the sky to detailed


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information about X-ray energies. What


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makes this particularly valuable is that


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it allows scientists using other


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telescopes both on the ground and in


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space, including NASA's James Web and


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Hubble telescopes, to combine Chandra's


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unique X-ray data with information from


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other wavelengths of light. To


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illustrate the richness of this catalog,


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NASA released a stunning new image of


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the galactic center, the region around


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the super massive black hole at the


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heart of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A


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star. In just a 60 lightyear span,


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Chandra has detected over 3,300


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individual X-ray sources.


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>> That's incredible when you think about


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it. 3,300 sources and what amounts to a


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pen prick on the entire sky. This image


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represents 86 observations added


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together, totaling over 3 million


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seconds of Chandra observing time.


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They've also created a fascinating


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sonification of the catalog, translating


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the astronomical data into sound. The


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sonification encompasses the new map


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that includes all of Chandra's


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observations from its launch through


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2021, showing how X-ray sources appear


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and reappear over time through different


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musical notes. In the visualization,


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each X-ray detection is represented by a


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circle and the size of the circle is


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determined by the number of detections


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in that location over time. You can see


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the core of the Milky Way in the center


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and the galactic plane stretching


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horizontally across the image.


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>> And here's the exciting part. Since


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Chandra continues to be fully


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operational, the catalog keeps growing.


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The video transitions to and beyond


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after 2021 as the telescope continues to


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collect new observations.


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>> This catalog represents decades of


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cutting edge science and will continue


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to be an invaluable resource for


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astronomers studying everything from


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stellar evolution to the nature of black


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holes. It's a testament to the longevity


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and continued productivity of the


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Chandra mission.


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>> Now for something completely different.


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Avery. Scientists have found an


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ingenious new use for earthquake


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sensors, tracking dangerous space debris


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as it falls back to Earth.


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>> This is such a clever solution to a


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growing problem. Every year, thousands


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of discarded satellites orbit our


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planet, and an increasing number are


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falling back into Earth's atmosphere.


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While most disintegrate before hitting


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the ground, some survive long enough to


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pose real dangers. Researchers from


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John's Hopkins University and the


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University of London have demonstrated


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that existing seismic monitoring


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networks can track these falling


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satellites with remarkable accuracy. The


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investigation was led by Benjamin


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Fernando, a post-doctoral fellow at


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John's Hopkins, who studies seismic


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activity on both Earth and other


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planets.


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>> Here's how it works. When falling


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objects re-enter Earth's atmosphere at


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high speed, they generate sonic booms.


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These sonic booms create shock waves


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that ripple through the ground, and


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seismometers can detect this seismic


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energy just like they detect


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earthquakes.


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>> The team demonstrated this by analyzing


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the April 2nd, 2024 re-entry of China's


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Shenzo 15 orbital module. This module


00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:46.069
was about three and a half feet in


00:11:46.079 --> 00:11:49.750
diameter and weighed over 1.5 tons.


00:11:49.760 --> 00:11:51.990
Definitely dangerous if any component


00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:55.350
reached Earth's surface. Using 127


00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.829
seismometers in Southern California,


00:11:57.839 --> 00:11:59.750
they tracked the module as it traveled


00:11:59.760 --> 00:12:03.110
at hypersonic velocities between Mach 25


00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.069
and Mach 30, roughly 10 times faster


00:12:06.079 --> 00:12:08.470
than the world's fastest jet. From the


00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.790
seismometer data, they reconstructed the


00:12:10.800 --> 00:12:13.030
object's trajectory, determining it


00:12:13.040 --> 00:12:15.350
followed a northeasterly path over Santa


00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.509
Barbara and Las Vegas. What's


00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:19.590
particularly impressive is that their


00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.910
reconstruction placed the flight path


00:12:21.920 --> 00:12:24.710
about 25 m north of the predicted


00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.870
re-entry path from orbital tracking


00:12:26.880 --> 00:12:29.350
alone. This highlights the limitations


00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:31.990
of current tracking methods once objects


00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.509
enter the denser parts of the


00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.069
atmosphere. The seismic data also


00:12:36.079 --> 00:12:38.389
revealed the breakup pattern. Initially,


00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:40.629
the signals showed the spacecraft was


00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:42.870
mostly intact during its high altitude


00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:45.590
trajectory. Later signals indicated


00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.550
complex waveforms showing fragmentation.


00:12:48.560 --> 00:12:51.190
About 8 to 11 unique breakup events


00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:54.069
within just 2 seconds. This gradual


00:12:54.079 --> 00:12:56.230
degradation pattern is crucial


00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.710
information. It suggested that dense


00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.030
reinforced components likely survived


00:13:01.040 --> 00:13:02.550
long enough to reach the lower


00:13:02.560 --> 00:13:04.710
atmosphere, increasing their chances of


00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:07.509
landing intact. Beyond just tracking


00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:09.269
where debris lands, this method


00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.350
addresses environmental concerns.


00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.190
Falling debris can produce tiny


00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.190
particulate matter containing toxic


00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:17.750
propellants or radioactive materials.


00:13:17.760 --> 00:13:19.829
For example, Chileain scientists found


00:13:19.839 --> 00:13:22.069
man-made plutonium in a glacier that


00:13:22.079 --> 00:13:23.750
they suspect came from the Russian


00:13:23.760 --> 00:13:26.790
spacecraft Mars 96, which disintegrated


00:13:26.800 --> 00:13:28.550
in 1996.


00:13:28.560 --> 00:13:31.030
The ability to track debris in near real


00:13:31.040 --> 00:13:33.269
time, providing accurate locations


00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:36.069
within minutes instead of days or weeks,


00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:38.470
would help authorities respond faster,


00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.949
protect people, and identify hazardous


00:13:40.959 --> 00:13:42.949
materials. It could also provide


00:13:42.959 --> 00:13:44.790
aircraft warnings and support


00:13:44.800 --> 00:13:47.430
environmental monitoring. As Fernando


00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.509
points out, as launches increase and


00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:51.350
more large satellite constellations


00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.350
reach the end of their design lives,


00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:55.590
tools like this will become increasingly


00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.750
important. We need as many different


00:13:57.760 --> 00:13:59.430
ways as possible to track and


00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.189
characterize space debris.


00:14:01.199 --> 00:14:03.350
>> Avery, our next story is going to make


00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.670
exoplanet hunters rethink some of their


00:14:05.680 --> 00:14:08.150
most exciting discoveries. It turns out


00:14:08.160 --> 00:14:10.389
that 98% of what we thought were


00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:13.269
potential water worlds might actually be


00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:16.069
lava planets. This is a real wakeup call


00:14:16.079 --> 00:14:18.310
for the scientific community, Anna. New


00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:20.310
research led by Rob Calder at the


00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.150
University of Cambridge suggests that


00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:25.590
nearly all known sub Neptune exoplanets,


00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:27.269
previously thought to be potential


00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:30.069
oceanbearing highen worlds, are far more


00:14:30.079 --> 00:14:33.030
likely to be composed of molten rock.


00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:35.269
Sub Neptunes are the most commonly


00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:37.509
discovered type of exoplanet, larger


00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.750
than Earth, but smaller than Neptune.


00:14:39.760 --> 00:14:41.990
Yet their exact nature has remained


00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.790
elusive because our solar system offers


00:14:44.800 --> 00:14:47.590
no direct equivalent. Understanding what


00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.750
these worlds are made of is crucial for


00:14:49.760 --> 00:14:52.230
the search for life and for refining our


00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.470
models of planetary formation.


00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.389
>> The problem stems from what scientists


00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:58.870
call degeneracy when one set of


00:14:58.880 --> 00:15:00.790
observations can be interpreted in


00:15:00.800 --> 00:15:03.430
multiple ways. Take the case of planet


00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:05.750
K2-18b.


00:15:05.760 --> 00:15:08.069
Researchers celebrated its methane rich


00:15:08.079 --> 00:15:10.470
ammoniapore atmosphere as evidence of a


00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:12.550
hyenan planet with thick hydrogen


00:15:12.560 --> 00:15:15.509
atmosphere overlying vast oceans. But


00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.150
here's the twist. Calder and his team


00:15:18.160 --> 00:15:20.230
point out that molten rock can also


00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.030
dissolve ammonia just like water can. So


00:15:23.040 --> 00:15:24.870
the absence of ammonia doesn't


00:15:24.880 --> 00:15:27.430
necessarily mean there are oceans. It


00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.670
could just as easily indicate a magma


00:15:29.680 --> 00:15:31.910
ocean. To test their theory, the


00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:33.910
researchers developed a new model called


00:15:33.920 --> 00:15:36.790
the solidification shoreline. This tool


00:15:36.800 --> 00:15:38.710
connects the amount of energy a planet


00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.790
receives from its star with a stars


00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:43.269
effective temperature. By plotting known


00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:45.509
exoplanets against this framework, they


00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.269
could estimate whether a planet was


00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.509
likely to have maintained a magma ocean


00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.310
since formation. Using the Proteus model


00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.870
to simulate internal heat dynamics, they


00:15:54.880 --> 00:15:58.389
found that 98% of sub Neptune exoplanets


00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.790
fall above this shoreline. That means


00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:02.949
they receive enough stellar energy to


00:16:02.959 --> 00:16:05.350
keep their interiors hot and molten


00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:07.189
rather than allowing them to cool into


00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:10.150
solid bodies. For astrobiologist and


00:16:10.160 --> 00:16:12.710
exoplanet hunters, the implications are


00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:15.670
significant. The Hyian world hypothesis


00:16:15.680 --> 00:16:18.230
had offered an enticing vision. planets


00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:20.550
that might host life in vast subsurface


00:16:20.560 --> 00:16:23.350
ocemospheres.


00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.350
This new research suggests that vision


00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:27.269
may have been premature.


00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.189
>> It's important to note that this doesn't


00:16:29.199 --> 00:16:30.870
close the door on water worlds


00:16:30.880 --> 00:16:33.430
altogether. It simply urges caution


00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.910
against over interpretation and reminds


00:16:35.920 --> 00:16:38.069
us that planetary evolution can take


00:16:38.079 --> 00:16:40.710
multiple paths. As Calver and his team


00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.710
make clear, the lack of reliable


00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.870
atmospheric mass data across many


00:16:44.880 --> 00:16:48.069
exoplanets limits current models. While


00:16:48.079 --> 00:16:49.829
this conclusion might seem like a


00:16:49.839 --> 00:16:52.150
setback, it actually offers a more


00:16:52.160 --> 00:16:54.710
stable foundation for future research,


00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.310
it's better to have a realistic


00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.230
understanding of what these planets are


00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:59.910
than to chase false hopes of


00:16:59.920 --> 00:17:01.269
habitability.


00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:03.670
>> Exactly. Science progresses through


00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:05.270
these kinds of corrections and


00:17:05.280 --> 00:17:07.429
refinements. We're building a more


00:17:07.439 --> 00:17:09.909
accurate picture of the cosmos, even if


00:17:09.919 --> 00:17:11.750
it means letting go of some earlier


00:17:11.760 --> 00:17:12.949
assumptions.


00:17:12.959 --> 00:17:15.750
>> And Anna, for our final story today, we


00:17:15.760 --> 00:17:17.750
have something both beautiful and


00:17:17.760 --> 00:17:20.630
sobering. A glimpse into the future fate


00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:22.230
of our own sun.


00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.470
>> The James Web Space Telescope has


00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:26.710
captured stunning new images of the


00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.029
Helix Nebula, one of the closest


00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.510
planetary nebula to Earth. And what it


00:17:31.520 --> 00:17:33.909
reveals is absolutely breathtaking.


00:17:33.919 --> 00:17:34.870
Avery,


00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:37.669
>> also known as the Eye of God, the Helix


00:17:37.679 --> 00:17:41.029
Nebula is located about 650 light years


00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:43.909
away in the constellation Aquarius. It's


00:17:43.919 --> 00:17:45.990
the result of a sunlike star that


00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:48.470
exhausted its nuclear fuel and shed its


00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:51.029
outer layers into space, leaving behind


00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:54.310
a dense core called a white dwarf. Web's


00:17:54.320 --> 00:17:57.029
near infrared camera captured pillars of


00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.669
gas that look like thousands of comets


00:17:59.679 --> 00:18:01.909
with extended tails, tracing the


00:18:01.919 --> 00:18:03.990
circumference of an expanding shell of


00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.390
gas. These structures form when


00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.110
blistering winds of hot moving gas from


00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:12.310
the dying star crash into slower moving,


00:18:12.320 --> 00:18:14.789
colder shells of dust and gas that were


00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:17.190
shed earlier in the stars life.


00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.669
>> What makes Web's view so special is the


00:18:19.679 --> 00:18:22.230
level of detail it reveals. The image


00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.230
shows the stark transition between


00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:26.789
different temperature zones. Hot ionized


00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:28.630
gas near the center where the white


00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.510
dwarf sits, cooler molecular hydrogen


00:18:31.520 --> 00:18:33.990
farther out, and protective pockets


00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:36.230
where more complex molecules can begin


00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.230
to form within dust clouds.


00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.230
>> The color in the image represents


00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:42.789
temperature and chemistry. Blue marks


00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.870
the hottest gas being blasted by the


00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:47.669
white dwarf's radiation. Yellow regions


00:18:47.679 --> 00:18:49.990
show gas that's cooled as it moves away


00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:52.070
from the white dwarf. And the coolest


00:18:52.080 --> 00:18:53.830
material at the edge of the nebula


00:18:53.840 --> 00:18:56.470
appears red. This isn't just a pretty


00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:58.390
picture. It's showing us stellar


00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:01.270
recycling in action. The gas and dust


00:19:01.280 --> 00:19:03.830
being expelled don't disappear. They're


00:19:03.840 --> 00:19:05.830
incorporated into the interstellar


00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:07.990
medium, enriching clouds with heavy


00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.789
elements forged in the stellar interior.


00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.029
This is the raw material from which new


00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.350
stars and planets will eventually form.


00:19:15.360 --> 00:19:17.750
According to NASA, this image is


00:19:17.760 --> 00:19:19.669
essentially a window into our own


00:19:19.679 --> 00:19:23.029
future. In about 5 billion years, our


00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.590
sun will enter this same phase, creating


00:19:25.600 --> 00:19:27.909
a similar nebula as it fades into a


00:19:27.919 --> 00:19:30.549
white dwarf. The Helix Nebula has been


00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.950
imaged many times over the nearly two


00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.870
centuries since it was discovered by


00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:36.870
both groundbased and space-based


00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.669
observatories. But web's near infrared


00:19:39.679 --> 00:19:42.390
view brings unprecedented detail,


00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:44.470
revealing structures that were invisible


00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:46.310
to previous telescopes.


00:19:46.320 --> 00:19:48.470
>> Scientists can use these detailed


00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:50.310
observations to refine their


00:19:50.320 --> 00:19:52.950
understanding of stellar evolution, how


00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.190
stars end their lives, and how they


00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.190
distribute the elements they've created


00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.470
back into the galaxy. Every shell of gas


00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:02.710
represents a different episode of mass


00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:05.350
loss, creating a timeline of the stars


00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:07.990
final stages. It's a powerful reminder


00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.549
that even in death, stars continue to


00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:12.870
shape the universe. The atoms that will


00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:15.430
one day form new worlds, perhaps even


00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:17.669
new life, are being forged and


00:20:17.679 --> 00:20:19.990
distributed in nebula like this right


00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.710
now.


00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:23.430
>> It's both humbling and inspiring to see


00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:26.390
our cosmic future laid out so clearly.


00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.789
The Helix Nebula shows us that endings


00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:31.350
in space can be as magnificent as


00:20:31.360 --> 00:20:33.830
beginnings. And that wraps up today's


00:20:33.840 --> 00:20:35.750
journey through the cosmos. From


00:20:35.760 --> 00:20:38.549
terraforming dreams to atmospheric water


00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:41.590
harvesting on Mars, from X-ray cataloges


00:20:41.600 --> 00:20:44.149
mapping millions of cosmic sources to


00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:46.149
earthquake sensors tracking falling


00:20:46.159 --> 00:20:48.470
satellites. We've covered incredible


00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.950
ground today. We've also learned to be


00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:53.430
more cautious about those exciting water


00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:55.750
world discoveries and witnessed the


00:20:55.760 --> 00:20:57.909
beautiful death of a sunlike star


00:20:57.919 --> 00:21:00.470
through Web's remarkable eyes. It's been


00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.950
quite a day in space in Astronomy News.


00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:04.630
>> Thanks for joining us on Astronomy


00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:06.789
Daily. Remember, you can find us at


00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.870
astronomyaily.io


00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:11.270
for all our episodes, show notes, and


00:21:11.280 --> 00:21:12.710
more space news.


00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:14.710
>> And don't forget to follow us on social


00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:18.230
media at astroaily pod. We love hearing


00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:20.230
from our listeners about what stories


00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:21.510
excite you most.


00:21:21.520 --> 00:21:23.990
>> Until next time, keep looking up.


00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:28.789
>> Clear skies, everyone.


00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:36.789
Stories told


00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:44.710
stories told


00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:47.440
stories