Ancient Martian Lakes, Quasar’s Cosmic Illumination, and Prober 3’s Daring Split: S28E11

Space News Today

SpaceTime Series 28 Episode 11

Ancient Water on Mars and the Birth of the Universe's Lights

Scientists have uncovered two sets of ancient wave ripples on Mars, revealing evidence of long-dried ponds and lakes that once existed on the Red Planet. Discovered by NASA's Curiosity rover, these ripples, formed approximately 3.7 billion years ago, indicate that shallow bodies of water were open to the Martian atmosphere, challenging previous climate models suggesting an ice-covered surface. This finding extends our understanding of the timeline for liquid water on Mars and its potential for microbial life.

A Quasar's Role in Cosmic Illumination

Astronomers have detected a highly variable quasar that may have played a crucial role in turning on the lights of the universe. This quasar, observed by the NuSTAR and Chandra X-ray space telescopes, is one of the most distant objects detected and provides new insights into the growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe. Its rapid brightness fluctuations offer vital clues about the epoch of reionization, a time when the universe transitioned from darkness to light.

European Space Agency's Probe 3 Mission Milestone

The European Space Agency's Probe 3 spacecraft has successfully split into two, marking a significant step in its ambitious mission. This unique formation-flying mission aims to create artificial solar eclipses to study the Sun's corona with unprecedented precision. The two spacecraft will maintain a separation of just 150 meters, demonstrating advanced navigation and propulsion technologies essential for future space exploration.

00:00 Space Time Series 28 Episode 11 for broadcast on 24 January 2025

00:49 Discovery of ancient wave ripples on Mars

06:15 Quasar may illuminate the early universe

12:30 European Space Agency's Probe 3 spacecraft successfully splits

18:00 Blood vessel fingerprint in the eye may indicate stroke risk

22:45 Early humans adapted to desert-like conditions

26:00 Global water cycle disruptions due to climate extremes

30:00 Reevaluation of the Paleo diet based on ancient human diets

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✍️ Episode References

NASA

https://www.nasa.gov

Caltech

https://www.caltech.edu

Yale University

https://www.yale.edu

European Space Agency

https://www.esa.int

Indian Space Research Organisation

https://www.isro.gov.in

Astrophysical Journal

https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/

637X

7--- UK Biobank

https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk

Australian Skeptics

https://www.skeptics.com.au

National Science Foundation

https://www.nsf.gov

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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25241490?utm_source=youtube