When NASA’s InSight spacecraft arrived at the red planet on November 26, 2018, it was the first time I covered the landing of a spacecraft on Mars. The robotic lander made a graceful, ballet-like touchdown on the Martian surface. Moments later, it sent back a “beep” and a photo of its landing site to mission control, as if to say, “I made it!”.
Surprise, Surprise !
When Mars rumbled beneath InSight’s feet on December 24, NASA scientists thought it was just another marsquake. The magnitude 4 quake was actually caused by a space rock slamming into the Martian surface a couple thousand miles away.
The meteoroid left quite a crater on the red planet, and it revealed glimmering chunks of ice in an entirely unexpected place — near the warm Martian equator. Meanwhile, researchers tested a microbe nicknamed “Conan the Bacterium” under Mars-like conditions. The hardy organism’s ability to withstand harsh conditions led the scientists to believe ancient microbial life might be sleeping deep beneath the Martian surface.
Fear Of Extinction
Emperor penguins may reign supreme at the South Pole, but the iconic species is at risk of going extinct due to the climate crisis. As greenhouse gas and carbon emissions warm the Earth, the floating world in the Southern Ocean these marine birds call home melts. Sea ice is where they breed and raise their chicks, remain safe from predators and forage for food.
When sea ice disappears, entire emperor penguin colonies can vanish. The flightless seabirds have now been listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service — that means they’ll receive new protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Deep Secret
Marine archaeologists have finally located an elusive 17th century shipwreck in Sweden. The researchers found the Äpplet, one of four warships created on the order of King Gustavus Adolphus in 1625. The vessel was a sister ship to the Vasa, which capsized on its maiden voyage and is on display in a Stockholm museum.
The Äpplet served in Europe’s Thirty Years’ War and then was deliberately sunk in 1659 after being deemed unseaworthy. Researchers now plan to make a 3D image of the shipwreck as it rests on the seabed.
Exploring The Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope showcased last week a sparkling view of the star-forming region called the Pillars of Creation. The towering columns resemble a tangle of ghostly figures clawing their way across the cosmos. With Halloween around the corner, it would be a fitting illustration of “the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir” from Edgar Allan Poe’s “Ulalume.”
Additionally, Webb spied a distant surprise that might be an ancient merger between two galaxies during the early days of the universe.
Did you subscribe to our newsletter?
It’s free! Click here to subscribe!
Source: EditionCNN
