WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.280 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source for 1 00:00:02.280 --> 00:00:04.440 the latest developments in space exploration 2 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:07.240 and astronomical discoveries. I'm your host, 3 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:09.480 Anna, and today we're diving into some 4 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:11.760 fascinating stories from across the cosmos. 5 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:14.520 The universe never ceases to amaze us, and 6 00:00:14.520 --> 00:00:16.960 today is no exception. We've got a packed 7 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:19.280 episode covering everything from activities 8 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:21.800 in our own backyard to discoveries that could 9 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:23.920 reshape our understanding of distant worlds. 10 00:00:24.720 --> 00:00:26.960 First up, we'll look at SpaceX's second 11 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:29.000 attempt to launch a brand new Falcon 9 12 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:31.760 booster after an abort halted its first try. 13 00:00:32.540 --> 00:00:34.660 This Starlink delivery mission represents the 14 00:00:34.660 --> 00:00:36.500 fourth new booster brought into service by 15 00:00:36.500 --> 00:00:38.980 SpaceX this year alone, highlighting the 16 00:00:38.980 --> 00:00:41.100 company's continued expansion of its launch 17 00:00:41.100 --> 00:00:44.100 capabilities. Then we'll turn 18 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:46.060 our attention to a house sized visitor making 19 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:47.900 a surprisingly close approach to Earth. 20 00:00:48.780 --> 00:00:51.580 Asteroid 2025 KF will pass between our 21 00:00:51.580 --> 00:00:53.820 planet and the Moon on May 21, 22 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:57.420 coming within just 71,700 miles 23 00:00:57.420 --> 00:01:00.000 of Earth's surface. While there's absolutely 24 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.360 no danger to us, it provides an interesting 25 00:01:02.360 --> 00:01:05.000 opportunity to discuss these rocky wanderers 26 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.000 and how astronomers track them. Our third 27 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:10.360 story tackles a critical challenge facing our 28 00:01:10.360 --> 00:01:13.200 technological the limitations in 29 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.960 predicting solar storms. Despite significant 30 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:18.120 advances in space weather forecasting, 31 00:01:18.360 --> 00:01:20.360 scientists are still struggling to determine 32 00:01:20.360 --> 00:01:22.800 the magnetic orientation of incoming solar 33 00:01:22.800 --> 00:01:24.880 storms until they're practically on our 34 00:01:24.880 --> 00:01:27.500 doorstep. We'll explore why this matters and 35 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:29.220 what's being done to improve our early 36 00:01:29.220 --> 00:01:32.180 warning systems. From there, we'll 37 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:34.500 journey to the asteroid belt, where exciting 38 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:37.220 new research suggests that Ceres, the largest 39 00:01:37.220 --> 00:01:39.380 object between Mars and Jupiter, may be 40 00:01:39.380 --> 00:01:42.339 hiding a frozen ocean. And finally, we'll 41 00:01:42.339 --> 00:01:44.220 examine fresh research suggesting that 42 00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:46.140 terraforming Mars, transforming the red 43 00:01:46.140 --> 00:01:48.140 planet to make it habitable for Earth life, 44 00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:50.220 might be more feasible than we thought. 45 00:01:51.830 --> 00:01:54.150 So let's blast off into today's cosmic news 46 00:01:54.150 --> 00:01:56.830 roundup, starting with SpaceX's latest launch 47 00:01:56.830 --> 00:01:59.710 attempt. SpaceX is making another attempt 48 00:01:59.710 --> 00:02:02.630 today to launch a brand new Falcon 9 booster 49 00:02:02.790 --> 00:02:05.310 after an unexpected abort halted yesterday's 50 00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:07.789 countdown. The new booster, designated 51 00:02:07.789 --> 00:02:10.590 B1095, was scheduled for 52 00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:13.550 liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape 53 00:02:13.550 --> 00:02:16.230 Canaveral at 11:19pm Eastern 54 00:02:16.230 --> 00:02:19.000 Daylight Time, carrying 23 Starlink 55 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.120 satellites destined for low Earth orbit. 56 00:02:21.600 --> 00:02:23.520 Monday's launch attempt was automatically 57 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.120 aborted with just under 2.5 minutes left in 58 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:28.480 the countdown. Following the scrub, 59 00:02:28.720 --> 00:02:31.240 SpaceX engineers lowered the rocket into a 60 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:33.280 horizontal position to address the issue. 61 00:02:33.760 --> 00:02:35.800 Though the company didn't publicly specify 62 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:38.200 what caused the automatic abort, they did 63 00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:40.200 confirm that both the vehicle and its payload 64 00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:43.000 remained in good condition. By Late Tuesday 65 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:45.950 afternoon, B1095 was back in its vertical 66 00:02:45.950 --> 00:02:48.350 position at the launch pad. Weather 67 00:02:48.350 --> 00:02:50.230 conditions looked extremely favorable for the 68 00:02:50.230 --> 00:02:52.550 rescheduled launch, with meteorologists from 69 00:02:52.550 --> 00:02:55.550 the U.S. space Force forecasting a 95% 70 00:02:55.550 --> 00:02:57.510 chance of acceptable conditions during 71 00:02:57.510 --> 00:03:00.110 tonight's brief launch window. Their only 72 00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:03.030 slight concern was the possibility of cumulus 73 00:03:03.030 --> 00:03:05.270 cloud formation that could violate launch 74 00:03:05.270 --> 00:03:07.910 criteria. This mission is 75 00:03:07.910 --> 00:03:10.030 particularly notable as it marks the fourth 76 00:03:10.030 --> 00:03:12.470 time this year that SpaceX has brought a 77 00:03:12.470 --> 00:03:14.670 brand new Falcon 9 booster into service. 78 00:03:15.690 --> 00:03:17.970 The company currently maintains 18 other 79 00:03:17.970 --> 00:03:20.490 active boosters in its fleet, though one of 80 00:03:20.490 --> 00:03:23.290 them, B1072, has only flown 81 00:03:23.290 --> 00:03:25.450 once as a Falcon Heavy side booster during 82 00:03:25.450 --> 00:03:27.530 last month's GOES U weather satellite launch. 83 00:03:28.410 --> 00:03:31.290 The Falcon 9's payload fairing contains 23 84 00:03:31.290 --> 00:03:33.730 Starlink satellites, with 13 of them 85 00:03:33.730 --> 00:03:35.570 specifically equipped for direct to cell 86 00:03:35.570 --> 00:03:38.330 phone communications capabilities. This 87 00:03:38.330 --> 00:03:40.210 represents an important expansion of 88 00:03:40.210 --> 00:03:41.970 Starlink's service offerings beyond 89 00:03:41.970 --> 00:03:44.580 traditional satellite Internet. As with most 90 00:03:44.580 --> 00:03:47.180 SpaceX launches these days, the plan includes 91 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:48.900 a landing attempt for the first stage 92 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:51.300 booster. Approximately eight minutes after 93 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:54.060 liftoff, B1095 will target a 94 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:56.660 precision touchdown on SpaceX's drone ship. 95 00:03:56.900 --> 00:03:59.260 Just read the instructions stationed in the 96 00:03:59.260 --> 00:04:02.220 Atlantic Ocean. If successful, this will 97 00:04:02.220 --> 00:04:04.580 mark the 121st landing on this particular 98 00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:07.580 vessel and contribute to SpaceX's impressive 99 00:04:07.580 --> 00:04:10.460 tally of 449 booster landings to 100 00:04:10.460 --> 00:04:12.880 date. The deployment of the Starlink 101 00:04:12.880 --> 00:04:15.320 satellites is scheduled to occur about 65 102 00:04:15.320 --> 00:04:17.800 minutes after launch. Once the second stage 103 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:20.640 reaches the proper orbit. These new additions 104 00:04:20.640 --> 00:04:22.840 will join the growing Starlink constellation 105 00:04:23.080 --> 00:04:25.800 that now numbers in the thousands, providing 106 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:27.960 Internet coverage to users around the globe. 107 00:04:29.320 --> 00:04:31.280 Next up, a little warning, but there's no 108 00:04:31.280 --> 00:04:34.000 need to panic. Our solar system is serving up 109 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.370 another close cosmic encounter this week. A 110 00:04:36.320 --> 00:04:38.100 as astronomers have just spotted a house 111 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:41.020 sized asteroid on track to zip past Earth 112 00:04:41.020 --> 00:04:43.180 tomorrow at an uncomfortably close distance. 113 00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:46.140 This newly discovered space rock, designated 114 00:04:46.140 --> 00:04:49.060 2025 KF will pass between Earth and 115 00:04:49.060 --> 00:04:52.020 the Moon on May 21. The asteroid 116 00:04:52.020 --> 00:04:53.620 will make its closest approach at 117 00:04:53.620 --> 00:04:56.140 approximately 1:30pm Eastern Time, 118 00:04:56.460 --> 00:04:57.580 coming within a mere 119 00:04:57.660 --> 00:05:00.260 71,700 miles of our 120 00:05:00.260 --> 00:05:02.660 planet. To put that in perspective, that's 121 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:04.620 less than one third the distance between 122 00:05:04.620 --> 00:05:07.400 Earth and and the moon. While that might 123 00:05:07.400 --> 00:05:10.320 sound alarmingly close, NASA has confirmed 124 00:05:10.320 --> 00:05:13.000 that the asteroid poses no danger to Earth. 125 00:05:13.320 --> 00:05:16.120 During its flyby. 2025 KF 126 00:05:16.200 --> 00:05:18.520 will be traveling at a blistering speed of 127 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:21.489 nearly 26,000 miles per hour relative to 128 00:05:21.489 --> 00:05:24.290 Earth. Its trajectory will take it closest to 129 00:05:24.290 --> 00:05:26.170 our planet's south polar region before 130 00:05:26.170 --> 00:05:28.970 continuing along its solar orbit. The 131 00:05:28.970 --> 00:05:31.530 asteroid's estimated diameter ranges between 132 00:05:31.610 --> 00:05:34.340 32 and 75ft, making it 133 00:05:34.340 --> 00:05:37.340 roughly the size of a modest house. What's 134 00:05:37.340 --> 00:05:39.500 Particularly interesting about this asteroid 135 00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:41.260 is how recently it was discovered. 136 00:05:41.820 --> 00:05:44.100 Astronomers at the MAP project in Chile's 137 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:47.020 Atacama Desert only spotted it on May 19, 138 00:05:47.340 --> 00:05:49.340 just two days before its close approach. 139 00:05:50.220 --> 00:05:52.380 This highlights one of the ongoing challenges 140 00:05:52.380 --> 00:05:54.940 in asteroid detection. Sometimes these 141 00:05:54.940 --> 00:05:56.700 smaller objects aren't identified until 142 00:05:56.700 --> 00:05:59.670 they're practically on our doorstep. Even if 143 00:05:59.670 --> 00:06:02.230 2025 kf were on a collision course with 144 00:06:02.230 --> 00:06:05.190 Earth, which it absolutely is not, its 145 00:06:05.190 --> 00:06:07.070 relatively small size means it would likely 146 00:06:07.070 --> 00:06:09.150 burn up in our atmosphere before reaching the 147 00:06:09.150 --> 00:06:12.070 ground. According to NASA, objects 148 00:06:12.070 --> 00:06:14.510 of this scale pose essentially zero threat to 149 00:06:14.510 --> 00:06:17.510 people on Earth. While close passes like this 150 00:06:17.510 --> 00:06:19.550 might seem rare, they're actually quite 151 00:06:19.550 --> 00:06:22.310 common. NASA has cataloged nearly 152 00:06:22.310 --> 00:06:24.990 40,000 near Earth asteroids since it 153 00:06:24.990 --> 00:06:27.390 began systematically monitoring the skies in 154 00:06:27.390 --> 00:06:30.100 1998. Of those, about 155 00:06:30.100 --> 00:06:32.620 4,700 are classified as 156 00:06:32.620 --> 00:06:34.940 potentially dangerous asteroids. Though 157 00:06:34.940 --> 00:06:37.340 scientists at the center for Near Earth 158 00:06:37.340 --> 00:06:39.780 Object Studies have reassured us that no 159 00:06:39.780 --> 00:06:42.460 asteroid capable of causing widespread damage 160 00:06:42.620 --> 00:06:44.620 is expected to strike Earth in the next 161 00:06:44.620 --> 00:06:47.384 century. For context, 2025 162 00:06:47.536 --> 00:06:49.740 KF's approach, while close, doesn't come 163 00:06:49.740 --> 00:06:52.540 anywhere near breaking records. The closest 164 00:06:52.540 --> 00:06:55.340 documented asteroid Flyby occurred in 2020, 165 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.000 when a car sized asteroid passed just 166 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.520 1,830 miles from Earth's 167 00:07:00.520 --> 00:07:03.240 surface. That's less than the distance from 168 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:06.080 New York to Las Vegas. This latest 169 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:09.160 cosmic visitor serves as another reminder of 170 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:11.080 the dynamic nature of our solar system 171 00:07:11.080 --> 00:07:13.680 neighborhood. And the importance of continued 172 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.040 asteroid monitoring efforts to keep track of 173 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:17.360 our celestial surroundings. 174 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:21.480 And another warning today. Imagine you're 175 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:23.520 preparing for a major storm heading your way. 176 00:07:23.820 --> 00:07:26.340 But here's the catch. Meteorologists can tell 177 00:07:26.340 --> 00:07:28.500 you when it will arrive, but they won't know 178 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:30.300 how severe it will be until it's practically 179 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:32.740 on your doorstep. M that's essentially the 180 00:07:32.740 --> 00:07:34.580 challenge scientists face when it comes to 181 00:07:34.580 --> 00:07:37.020 predicting solar storms. And it's a problem 182 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:39.700 with potentially massive implications for our 183 00:07:39.700 --> 00:07:42.460 technology dependent world. We've made 184 00:07:42.460 --> 00:07:44.580 remarkable progress in understanding space 185 00:07:44.580 --> 00:07:47.140 weather over the years. Scientists can now 186 00:07:47.140 --> 00:07:49.880 spot solar storm eons at their source, track 187 00:07:49.880 --> 00:07:52.120 their journey through space, and estimate 188 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.400 when they'll reach Earth, Sometimes with up 189 00:07:54.400 --> 00:07:57.280 to 24 hours of advance notice. But 190 00:07:57.280 --> 00:07:59.200 there's one crucial piece of information that 191 00:07:59.200 --> 00:08:01.760 remains frustratingly elusive until the very 192 00:08:01.760 --> 00:08:04.400 last moments. The orientation of the 193 00:08:04.400 --> 00:08:06.840 storm's magnetic field, known as the BZ 194 00:08:06.840 --> 00:08:09.400 component. When a coronal mass 195 00:08:09.400 --> 00:08:12.400 ejection, or cme, blasts from the 196 00:08:12.400 --> 00:08:15.040 sun, it carries along plasma and magnetic 197 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:17.520 fields. The orientation of these magnetic 198 00:08:17.520 --> 00:08:19.400 fields determines how strongly they'll 199 00:08:19.400 --> 00:08:22.280 interact with Earth's own magnetic shield. A 200 00:08:22.280 --> 00:08:24.600 southward oriented BZ connects more easily 201 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:27.240 with Earth's field, allowing solar energy to 202 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:29.720 pour in, which can supercharge Auroras at 203 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:32.480 best or at worst disrupt satellites, radio 204 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.200 communications, power grids, and GPS systems? 205 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:37.690 A, northward oriented bz, meanwhile, might 206 00:08:37.690 --> 00:08:40.530 pass with minimal impact. The problem is that 207 00:08:40.530 --> 00:08:42.290 scientists currently can't determine this 208 00:08:42.290 --> 00:08:44.630 critical orientation until the storm is 209 00:08:44.630 --> 00:08:46.870 measured at what's called Lagrange Point 1, 210 00:08:47.190 --> 00:08:50.110 or L1, a position about a million 211 00:08:50.110 --> 00:08:52.310 miles from Earth in the direction of the Sun. 212 00:08:52.710 --> 00:08:54.710 At that point, we have just one or two hours 213 00:08:54.710 --> 00:08:57.110 of warning before potential impacts occur. 214 00:08:57.990 --> 00:09:00.750 Solar physicist Valentin Martinez Pillais 215 00:09:00.750 --> 00:09:03.110 puts it plainly. We need to start predicting 216 00:09:03.110 --> 00:09:06.110 what BZ is going to be as soon as the CME has 217 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:08.990 occurred, not when we Measure it at L1, where 218 00:09:08.990 --> 00:09:11.530 we only have one or two hours warning. What 219 00:09:11.530 --> 00:09:13.330 makes this particularly concerning is that 220 00:09:13.330 --> 00:09:15.370 our vulnerability to space weather is 221 00:09:15.370 --> 00:09:18.010 actually increasing. The sun itself isn't 222 00:09:18.010 --> 00:09:20.210 changing its behavior. It's been firing off 223 00:09:20.210 --> 00:09:22.730 solar storms for billions of years. What's 224 00:09:22.730 --> 00:09:24.450 changed is our reliance on the very 225 00:09:24.530 --> 00:09:26.770 technologies most susceptible to these solar 226 00:09:26.770 --> 00:09:29.770 disruptions. Most of our current monitoring 227 00:09:29.770 --> 00:09:32.010 comes from a single vantage point, spacecraft 228 00:09:32.010 --> 00:09:34.530 positioned at that L1 point I mentioned. 229 00:09:35.090 --> 00:09:37.530 These missions, like NASA's ACE and Discover 230 00:09:37.530 --> 00:09:40.460 satellites, can detect solar wind properties 231 00:09:40.460 --> 00:09:42.740 and measure the all important BZ component, 232 00:09:42.900 --> 00:09:44.860 But only when the storm is already nearly 233 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:47.740 upon us. To truly forecast the 234 00:09:47.740 --> 00:09:50.420 strength of a solar storm before it hits, we 235 00:09:50.420 --> 00:09:52.500 need earlier measurements from multiple 236 00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:55.460 angles. Ideally, scientists would position 237 00:09:55.540 --> 00:09:57.820 satellites at various Lagrange points around 238 00:09:57.820 --> 00:10:00.260 the Sun Earth system to observe these 239 00:10:00.260 --> 00:10:01.740 magnetic structures from different 240 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:03.780 perspectives while they're still developing. 241 00:10:04.620 --> 00:10:07.060 According to Martinez Pillay, the models are 242 00:10:07.060 --> 00:10:08.820 there so we know the equation we have to 243 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:10.700 solve, but we don't have good data. 244 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:14.100 He predicts it could take about 50 years for 245 00:10:14.100 --> 00:10:16.340 space weather forecasting to reach the same 246 00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:18.940 accuracy and predictability as Earth weather 247 00:10:18.940 --> 00:10:21.540 predictions, assuming we make the necessary 248 00:10:21.540 --> 00:10:24.420 investments. But waiting half a century might 249 00:10:24.420 --> 00:10:27.300 be too late. While extreme solar storms, like 250 00:10:27.300 --> 00:10:30.060 the famous carrington event of 1859 are rare, 251 00:10:30.640 --> 00:10:33.200 they do happen. If a similar event struck 252 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.600 today, it could cause trillions in damage 253 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.040 globally. By disabling satellites, Knocking 254 00:10:38.040 --> 00:10:40.320 out power grids for weeks or months, and 255 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:42.240 severely disrupting communications and 256 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:45.120 aviation. We've already had at least one 257 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.760 near miss in recent memory. In July 258 00:10:47.760 --> 00:10:50.760 2012, the sun fired off a colossal 259 00:10:50.760 --> 00:10:52.680 CME that would have caused devastating 260 00:10:52.680 --> 00:10:55.360 impacts, except it missed Earth's orbital 261 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:57.830 position by just one week. As one 262 00:10:57.830 --> 00:11:00.110 researcher put it, if that eruption had 263 00:11:00.110 --> 00:11:03.110 happened just a week earlier, we would still 264 00:11:03.110 --> 00:11:05.470 be picking up the pieces technologically a 265 00:11:05.470 --> 00:11:08.470 year later. The stakes are high, and the 266 00:11:08.470 --> 00:11:10.590 scientific community is increasingly aware 267 00:11:10.590 --> 00:11:12.590 that expanding our space weather monitoring 268 00:11:12.590 --> 00:11:14.910 capabilities isn't just about Scientific 269 00:11:14.910 --> 00:11:17.510 curiosity. It's about protecting our modern 270 00:11:17.510 --> 00:11:19.710 technological infrastructure from one of 271 00:11:19.710 --> 00:11:22.390 nature's most powerful phenomena. Looking 272 00:11:22.390 --> 00:11:24.590 toward the future, the several promising 273 00:11:24.590 --> 00:11:26.790 developments may significantly advance our 274 00:11:26.790 --> 00:11:28.910 ability to predict and prepare for solar 275 00:11:28.910 --> 00:11:31.430 storms. One of the most anticipated 276 00:11:31.430 --> 00:11:34.070 projects is the European Space Agency's Vigil 277 00:11:34.070 --> 00:11:36.870 mission, Scheduled to launch in 2031. 278 00:11:37.270 --> 00:11:39.579 Vigil represents a, major breakthrough in our 279 00:11:39.579 --> 00:11:41.700 solar monitoring capabilities because of its 280 00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:44.500 unique vantage point. Unlike our current 281 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:46.580 observatories that sit at Lagrange point 1 282 00:11:46.580 --> 00:11:49.020 directly between Earth and the Sun, Vigil 283 00:11:49.020 --> 00:11:51.880 will position itself at Lagrange.5, a 284 00:11:51.880 --> 00:11:54.120 stable orbital location that trails Earth in 285 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:56.840 its orbit around the Sun. This sideways 286 00:11:56.840 --> 00:11:59.440 perspective will allow scientists to observe 287 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:01.880 solar eruptions from an entirely different 288 00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:04.560 angle, providing crucial data about the 289 00:12:04.560 --> 00:12:07.519 shape, speed, and most importantly, the 290 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.400 magnetic orientation of CMEs before they 291 00:12:10.400 --> 00:12:12.800 head our way from L5. 292 00:12:12.800 --> 00:12:15.280 Vigil could potentially give us up to a one 293 00:12:15.280 --> 00:12:17.560 week's advance warning about incoming solar 294 00:12:17.560 --> 00:12:20.330 storms and their magnetic properties, A 295 00:12:20.330 --> 00:12:22.930 massive improvement over our current one to 296 00:12:22.930 --> 00:12:25.810 two hour window. As Martinez Pilit 297 00:12:25.810 --> 00:12:28.730 noted, it's better than nothing. But 298 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:30.770 the vision for comprehensive space weather 299 00:12:30.770 --> 00:12:33.010 forecasting Extends well beyond a single 300 00:12:33.010 --> 00:12:35.890 satellite. The ideal monitoring system would 301 00:12:35.890 --> 00:12:37.970 include spacecraft stationed at multiple 302 00:12:37.970 --> 00:12:40.922 Lagrange points. L1, L3, 303 00:12:41.098 --> 00:12:44.010 L4 and L5, creating a 304 00:12:44.010 --> 00:12:46.090 network of sentinels watching the sun from 305 00:12:46.090 --> 00:12:48.910 all angles. This distributed approach would 306 00:12:48.910 --> 00:12:51.190 provide continuous observation of solar 307 00:12:51.190 --> 00:12:53.350 activity regardless of which side of the sun 308 00:12:53.350 --> 00:12:56.350 is facing Earth. While m establishing such 309 00:12:56.350 --> 00:12:57.830 a network would require significant 310 00:12:58.070 --> 00:13:00.870 international cooperation and investment, the 311 00:13:00.870 --> 00:13:02.630 technology to build it exists today. 312 00:13:03.590 --> 00:13:05.870 What's lacking is the prioritization and 313 00:13:05.870 --> 00:13:08.750 funding that matches the actual risk these 314 00:13:08.750 --> 00:13:10.270 solar events pose to our global 315 00:13:10.270 --> 00:13:13.070 infrastructure. The vulnerability of our 316 00:13:13.070 --> 00:13:15.150 modern world to severe space weather can't be 317 00:13:15.150 --> 00:13:17.690 overstated. A direct hit from a, Carrington 318 00:13:17.690 --> 00:13:19.650 level event could disable satellites 319 00:13:19.650 --> 00:13:22.330 controlling everything from GPS navigation to 320 00:13:22.330 --> 00:13:25.130 telecommunications. Power grids across 321 00:13:25.130 --> 00:13:27.530 continents could collapse as geomagnetically 322 00:13:27.530 --> 00:13:29.770 induced currents overwhelm transformers. 323 00:13:30.570 --> 00:13:32.490 Air travel would be disrupted as both 324 00:13:32.490 --> 00:13:34.810 communications and navigation systems fail. 325 00:13:35.610 --> 00:13:38.410 Banking systems, Internet infrastructure and 326 00:13:38.410 --> 00:13:41.050 essential services all depend on technologies 327 00:13:41.210 --> 00:13:43.480 susceptible to space weather effects. 328 00:13:44.190 --> 00:13:46.790 The economic impact of such an event has been 329 00:13:46.790 --> 00:13:48.670 estimated in the trillions of dollars, 330 00:13:49.070 --> 00:13:51.110 potentially exceeding the damage from the 331 00:13:51.110 --> 00:13:53.950 most severe natural disasters or pandemics. 332 00:13:54.350 --> 00:13:56.590 Unlike earthquakes or hurricanes that affect 333 00:13:56.590 --> 00:13:58.960 specific regions, A, major solar storm would 334 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:01.320 impact entire hemispheres simultaneously. 335 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:04.600 What makes this risk particularly concerning 336 00:14:04.760 --> 00:14:06.720 is that our historical record of solar 337 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.450 activity is relatively short. The 338 00:14:09.450 --> 00:14:11.930 Carrington event of 1859 remains our 339 00:14:11.930 --> 00:14:14.730 benchmark for extreme solar storms. But the 340 00:14:14.730 --> 00:14:16.890 sun has likely produced even more powerful 341 00:14:16.890 --> 00:14:18.930 eruptions over its billions of years. 342 00:14:19.970 --> 00:14:22.050 We m simply don't know how bad it could get. 343 00:14:22.850 --> 00:14:25.210 Space weather scientists frequently remind us 344 00:14:25.210 --> 00:14:27.530 that the question isn't if another extreme 345 00:14:27.530 --> 00:14:30.490 solar storm will hit Earth, but when. The 346 00:14:30.490 --> 00:14:32.410 probability of a Carrington Level event 347 00:14:32.410 --> 00:14:34.610 occurring in the next decade is estimated 348 00:14:34.610 --> 00:14:37.490 between 1 and 2%, while the chance of one 349 00:14:37.490 --> 00:14:39.250 hitting in the next century approaches 350 00:14:39.250 --> 00:14:41.860 certainty, these aren't comfortable odds when 351 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:43.700 weighed against the potential consequences. 352 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:46.660 The good news is that with proper monitoring 353 00:14:46.660 --> 00:14:48.620 and warning systems, we could take protective 354 00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:50.980 measures. Satellites could be put into safe 355 00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:53.500 modes, power grid operators could implement 356 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:56.020 load balancing to prevent cascading failures, 357 00:14:56.340 --> 00:14:58.580 and critical systems could be temporarily 358 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:01.420 isolated or hardened against electromagnetic 359 00:15:01.420 --> 00:15:03.940 effects. But these mitigations depend 360 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:06.180 entirely on having adequate warning time 361 00:15:06.690 --> 00:15:08.850 precisely what current systems can't provide. 362 00:15:09.330 --> 00:15:11.570 As we continue developing our technological 363 00:15:11.570 --> 00:15:14.010 civilization, expanding our space weather 364 00:15:14.010 --> 00:15:16.610 forecasting capabilities isn't just prudent 365 00:15:16.930 --> 00:15:18.570 it's essential for protecting the 366 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:21.090 infrastructure that underpins modern society. 367 00:15:22.470 --> 00:15:24.530 M Moving on, let's take a look at a secret 368 00:15:24.530 --> 00:15:26.690 that's been uncovered in our own backyard. 369 00:15:26.930 --> 00:15:29.770 Tucked between Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid 370 00:15:29.770 --> 00:15:32.050 belt's largest resident has been hiding a 371 00:15:32.050 --> 00:15:35.010 fascinating secret. Ceres, a dwarf 372 00:15:35.010 --> 00:15:37.970 planet first discovered in 1801, may 373 00:15:37.970 --> 00:15:40.250 be far more watery than scientists have 374 00:15:40.250 --> 00:15:42.530 believed for centuries. According to 375 00:15:42.530 --> 00:15:44.250 groundbreaking research from Purdue 376 00:15:44.250 --> 00:15:46.250 University and NASA's Jet Propulsion 377 00:15:46.250 --> 00:15:48.970 Laboratory, this seemingly dry, cratered 378 00:15:48.970 --> 00:15:51.970 world might actually be a frozen ocean planet 379 00:15:51.970 --> 00:15:54.330 with an ice rich composition that rewrites 380 00:15:54.330 --> 00:15:56.090 our understanding of its formation and 381 00:15:56.090 --> 00:15:58.730 evolution. For decades, the 382 00:15:58.730 --> 00:16:00.810 scientific consensus held that Ceres was 383 00:16:00.810 --> 00:16:03.220 predominantly rocky and with ice making up 384 00:16:03.220 --> 00:16:06.220 less than 30% of its mass. But this 385 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:08.660 new study, published in Nature Astronomy, 386 00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:10.900 proposes a dramatically different picture, 387 00:16:11.300 --> 00:16:13.860 suggesting that up to 90% of Ceres outer 388 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:15.780 layers could be composed of ice. 389 00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:18.860 We think that there's lots of water ice near 390 00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:21.620 Ceres surface and that it gets gradually less 391 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:24.220 icy as you go deeper and deeper, explained 392 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:26.820 assistant professor Mike Sorry, who co led 393 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:29.380 the research with PhD student Ian Pamerlo. 394 00:16:30.140 --> 00:16:32.460 Their computer simulations tested how Ceres 395 00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:35.260 surface has evolved over billions of years, 396 00:16:35.660 --> 00:16:38.180 revealing unexpected findings about the dwarf 397 00:16:38.180 --> 00:16:41.100 planet's composition and behavior. The key 398 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:43.580 insight came from studying Ceres craters. 399 00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:46.260 Scientists previously believed that if Ceres 400 00:16:46.260 --> 00:16:48.660 had a high ice content, its craters would 401 00:16:48.660 --> 00:16:50.860 quickly deform. Behaving like honey or 402 00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:53.620 flowing glaciers since NASA's dawn mission 403 00:16:53.620 --> 00:16:55.900 observed many well preserved deep craters, 404 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.200 researchers initially concluded Ceres 405 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:00.840 couldn't be very icy. But the Purdue team 406 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.280 discovered something surprising. When ice is 407 00:17:03.280 --> 00:17:05.280 mixed with even small amounts of rock, it 408 00:17:05.280 --> 00:17:07.160 behaves quite differently than pure ice. 409 00:17:08.040 --> 00:17:10.760 Even solids will flow over long timescales, 410 00:17:10.760 --> 00:17:13.640 Pamerlo noted. Ice flows more readily than 411 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.320 rock. Craters have deep bowls, which produce 412 00:17:16.320 --> 00:17:18.320 High stresses that then relax to a lower 413 00:17:18.320 --> 00:17:20.680 stress state, resulting in a shallower bowl 414 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:23.620 via solid state flow. Their models 415 00:17:23.620 --> 00:17:26.220 revealed that a gradational crust with higher 416 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:28.500 ice concentration near the surface, gradually 417 00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:31.020 decreasing with depth, could maintain crater 418 00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:32.980 shapes for billions of years without 419 00:17:33.060 --> 00:17:35.940 significant deformation. This structure 420 00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:37.940 perfectly explains what the dawn mission 421 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:40.180 observed during its exploration of Ceres 422 00:17:40.260 --> 00:17:43.180 between 2015 and 2018. The 423 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:45.740 implications are profound. Rather than being 424 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:48.310 just another large asteroid, Ceres, Ceres now 425 00:17:48.310 --> 00:17:50.430 appears to be more similar to the ocean moons 426 00:17:50.430 --> 00:17:52.430 of the outer solar system like Europa and 427 00:17:52.430 --> 00:17:54.830 Enceladus, except with a muddier, 428 00:17:54.910 --> 00:17:57.550 dirtier composition. The key 429 00:17:57.550 --> 00:18:00.350 difference is that Ceres ocean has likely 430 00:18:00.350 --> 00:18:03.070 completely frozen over time, preserving a 431 00:18:03.070 --> 00:18:05.630 record of its aquatic past in its icy shell. 432 00:18:06.350 --> 00:18:08.430 Perhaps most exciting is what this means for 433 00:18:08.430 --> 00:18:10.600 future exploration. At roughly 434 00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:12.800 950 kilometers in diameter, 435 00:18:13.210 --> 00:18:15.410 Ceres is substantial enough to have developed 436 00:18:15.410 --> 00:18:17.530 many features of larger planetary bodies, 437 00:18:17.770 --> 00:18:20.570 including craters, volcanoes and landslides. 438 00:18:21.290 --> 00:18:24.040 As Sory enthusiastically noted. To me, the 439 00:18:24.040 --> 00:18:26.120 exciting part of all this, if we're right, is 440 00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:27.920 that we have a frozen ocean world pretty 441 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.600 close to Earth. Ceres may be a valuable point 442 00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:32.960 of comparison for the ocean Hosting icy moons 443 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.880 of the outer solar system. Ceres, 444 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:37.840 we think, is therefore the most accessible 445 00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:40.550 icy world in the universe. That makes it a 446 00:18:40.550 --> 00:18:42.790 great target for future spacecraft missions. 447 00:18:43.670 --> 00:18:46.110 Those bright enigmatic spots on Ceres surface 448 00:18:46.110 --> 00:18:47.950 that puzzled astronomers when first observed 449 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:50.270 by dawn. They're likely remnants of that 450 00:18:50.270 --> 00:18:52.870 ancient ocean materials erupted onto the 451 00:18:52.870 --> 00:18:55.510 surface after freezing. These regions could 452 00:18:55.510 --> 00:18:57.310 offer incredible opportunities for future 453 00:18:57.310 --> 00:18:59.390 missions to collect samples from what was 454 00:18:59.390 --> 00:19:02.270 once a living ocean. All without traveling 455 00:19:02.270 --> 00:19:04.310 to the far reaches of the outer solar system. 456 00:19:05.520 --> 00:19:07.400 As we continue mapping water resources 457 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:10.360 throughout our solar system, Ceres stands out 458 00:19:10.360 --> 00:19:12.560 as a potential treasure hiding in plain 459 00:19:12.560 --> 00:19:15.480 sight. An ancient ocean world disguised as a 460 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:18.400 humble asteroid waiting just beyond Mars for 461 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:21.400 our return. The story of Ceres is just 462 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:23.280 one chapter in our solar system's 463 00:19:23.280 --> 00:19:26.240 surprisingly wet narrative. While Earth 464 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:28.120 has long been considered the water world of 465 00:19:28.120 --> 00:19:30.400 our planetary neighborhood, we're discovering 466 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:33.280 that H2O is far more common throughout space 467 00:19:33.760 --> 00:19:35.880 than we once believed. It just takes 468 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:37.800 different forms depending on distance from 469 00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:40.560 the sun and local conditions. Take 470 00:19:40.560 --> 00:19:42.920 Europa, one of Jupiter's four large 471 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:45.880 Galilean moons. This ice covered world 472 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:48.280 harbors an ocean containing an estimated two 473 00:19:48.280 --> 00:19:50.360 to three times the volume of all Earth's 474 00:19:50.360 --> 00:19:52.960 oceans combined. Unlike Ceres 475 00:19:53.040 --> 00:19:55.600 Frozen waters Europa's subsurface ocean 476 00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:58.360 remains liquid today. Heated by tidal forces 477 00:19:58.360 --> 00:20:00.640 From Jupiter's massive gravitational pull. 478 00:20:01.330 --> 00:20:03.610 Its smooth, cracked surface betrays the 479 00:20:03.610 --> 00:20:05.930 movement of liquid water beneath, making it 480 00:20:05.930 --> 00:20:08.410 one of astrobiologists prime targets in the 481 00:20:08.410 --> 00:20:10.050 search for Extraterrestrial life. 482 00:20:11.010 --> 00:20:13.570 Saturn's moon Enceladus presents an even more 483 00:20:13.570 --> 00:20:16.450 dramatic case, actively venting water into 484 00:20:16.450 --> 00:20:18.770 space through geysers erupting from its south 485 00:20:18.770 --> 00:20:21.770 pole. The Cassini spacecraft flew directly 486 00:20:21.770 --> 00:20:23.890 through these plumes, detecting not just 487 00:20:23.890 --> 00:20:26.090 water, but also salts, ice grains, and 488 00:20:26.090 --> 00:20:28.810 organic molecules. Even more exciting was the 489 00:20:28.810 --> 00:20:31.130 discovery of hydrothermal vents on Enceladus 490 00:20:31.130 --> 00:20:33.770 ocean floor, environments that on Earth teem 491 00:20:33.770 --> 00:20:35.490 with life despite complete darkness. 492 00:20:36.050 --> 00:20:38.210 Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon and the 493 00:20:38.210 --> 00:20:40.610 largest in our solar system, possesses a 494 00:20:40.610 --> 00:20:42.770 subsurface ocean estimated to be around 495 00:20:42.770 --> 00:20:45.610 100km deep, with several layers of 496 00:20:45.610 --> 00:20:47.890 ice and liquid water arranged like a cosmic 497 00:20:47.890 --> 00:20:50.770 onion. Similarly, Callisto may host an 498 00:20:50.770 --> 00:20:53.650 ocean up to 150km thick beneath its 499 00:20:53.650 --> 00:20:56.320 heavily cratered surface. Even 500 00:20:56.320 --> 00:20:59.280 Titan, Saturn's haze shrouded moon, has a 501 00:20:59.280 --> 00:21:01.680 unique water story. Its surface features 502 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.040 lakes and seas not of water, but of liquid 503 00:21:04.040 --> 00:21:06.960 methane and ethane. Yet beneath this alien 504 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.080 landscape lies a hidden subsurface water 505 00:21:09.080 --> 00:21:12.000 ocean, likely 50 to 100 kilometers deep. 506 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.520 Further out, Neptune's moon Triton shows 507 00:21:14.520 --> 00:21:16.480 evidence of subsurface liquid water mixed 508 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:19.040 with ammonia, which acts as antifreeze in the 509 00:21:19.040 --> 00:21:21.660 frigid outer solar system. Pluto, too, may 510 00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:24.500 Harbor a 100 kilometer thick subsurface ocean 511 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:26.740 kept liquid through insulation from gas 512 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:29.220 hydrates and internal heat from radioactive 513 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:32.020 decay. What makes Ceres unique among these 514 00:21:32.020 --> 00:21:34.860 worlds is its location. While Europa, 515 00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:37.060 Enceladus, and the others orbit gas giants in 516 00:21:37.060 --> 00:21:39.700 the outer solar system, Ceres sits relatively 517 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:42.060 close to Earth in the asteroid belt. This 518 00:21:42.060 --> 00:21:44.580 proximity makes it, as Mike sorry put it, the 519 00:21:44.580 --> 00:21:46.820 most accessible icy world in the universe. 520 00:21:47.890 --> 00:21:49.770 The widespread presence of water throughout 521 00:21:49.770 --> 00:21:52.410 our solar system reshapes our understanding 522 00:21:52.410 --> 00:21:55.370 of planetary formation and evolution. It 523 00:21:55.370 --> 00:21:57.570 suggests water rich bodies may have been 524 00:21:57.570 --> 00:22:00.090 common building blocks of planets and raises 525 00:22:00.090 --> 00:22:02.290 intriguing questions about where Earth's own 526 00:22:02.290 --> 00:22:05.090 water came from. Did comets, asteroids, 527 00:22:05.090 --> 00:22:07.930 or Ceres like objects deliver it? More 528 00:22:07.930 --> 00:22:10.250 importantly, these discoveries expand our 529 00:22:10.250 --> 00:22:13.100 conception of habitable environments. If 530 00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:15.260 liquid water can exist in so many places 531 00:22:15.260 --> 00:22:18.060 beyond Earth, from the asteroid belt to the 532 00:22:18.060 --> 00:22:20.220 frigid outer reaches of our solar system, 533 00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:22.940 perhaps life, too might be more adaptable and 534 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:24.460 widespread than we've imagined. 535 00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:28.459 Finally today, a topic our listeners raise 536 00:22:28.459 --> 00:22:31.340 with us on a regular basis. Mars, 537 00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:33.660 the Red planet that has captivated human 538 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:36.420 imagination for centuries, might be closer to 539 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:38.420 becoming a second home for humanity than we 540 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:41.230 previously thought. New research 541 00:22:41.230 --> 00:22:43.270 published in Nature Astronomy suggests that 542 00:22:43.270 --> 00:22:45.990 terraforming Mars, transforming it into a 543 00:22:45.990 --> 00:22:48.430 habitable world, could be more feasible than 544 00:22:48.430 --> 00:22:51.030 earlier studies indicated. Led by 545 00:22:51.030 --> 00:22:53.270 Erica Alden Di Benedictis from Pioneer 546 00:22:53.270 --> 00:22:55.910 Research Labs, the study highlights three key 547 00:22:55.910 --> 00:22:58.110 advances that have changed the Terraforming 548 00:22:59.470 --> 00:23:01.470 dramatically improved climate modeling and 549 00:23:01.470 --> 00:23:03.870 engineering techniques, breakthroughs in 550 00:23:03.870 --> 00:23:06.190 understanding extremophilic organisms and 551 00:23:06.190 --> 00:23:08.330 synthetic biology. And significant 552 00:23:08.490 --> 00:23:10.010 developments in space technology, 553 00:23:10.730 --> 00:23:13.690 particularly SpaceX's Starship, which could 554 00:23:13.690 --> 00:23:16.370 potentially reduce payload costs to Mars by a 555 00:23:16.370 --> 00:23:19.090 factor of 1000. What's particularly 556 00:23:19.090 --> 00:23:21.370 interesting is that comprehensive research on 557 00:23:21.370 --> 00:23:24.090 Mars terraforming feasibility hadn't been 558 00:23:24.090 --> 00:23:26.490 substantially updated since 1991. 559 00:23:27.210 --> 00:23:29.340 This new paper outlines a three phase 560 00:23:29.340 --> 00:23:31.460 approach that could potentially transform the 561 00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:34.350 red planet over time. In the short term, 562 00:23:34.350 --> 00:23:36.430 we now know Mars possesses sufficient ice 563 00:23:36.430 --> 00:23:38.550 reserves and soil nutrients to potentially 564 00:23:38.550 --> 00:23:40.830 support life. If temperatures could rise by 565 00:23:40.830 --> 00:23:43.750 at least 30 degrees Celsius, new warming 566 00:23:43.750 --> 00:23:45.670 methods look promising, including solar 567 00:23:45.670 --> 00:23:48.110 mirrors, engineered aerosols and surface 568 00:23:48.110 --> 00:23:50.390 modifications using materials like silica 569 00:23:50.390 --> 00:23:52.830 aerogels. These appear more efficient than 570 00:23:52.830 --> 00:23:55.350 earlier proposals and combined with our 571 00:23:55.350 --> 00:23:57.870 increased launch capacity, could potentially 572 00:23:57.870 --> 00:23:59.790 warm Mars enough within this century to 573 00:23:59.790 --> 00:24:01.970 permit liquid water and support the first 574 00:24:01.970 --> 00:24:04.810 extremophilic organisms. The mid 575 00:24:04.810 --> 00:24:06.770 to long term vision would involve introducing 576 00:24:06.770 --> 00:24:08.890 pioneer species engineered to withstand 577 00:24:08.890 --> 00:24:11.530 Mars's unique low pressure, 578 00:24:11.610 --> 00:24:14.610 toxic oxychlorine salts, extreme temperature 579 00:24:14.610 --> 00:24:17.370 swings, intense radiation and scarce 580 00:24:17.370 --> 00:24:20.050 water. These hardy organisms would initiate 581 00:24:20.050 --> 00:24:22.850 ecological succession, gradually transforming 582 00:24:22.850 --> 00:24:24.810 the planet's chemistry and potentially 583 00:24:24.810 --> 00:24:27.620 beginning oxygen production. While initial 584 00:24:27.620 --> 00:24:29.300 human habitation would still require 585 00:24:29.300 --> 00:24:31.700 protective environments, the ultimate goal 586 00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:34.100 could be creating a 100 millibar oxygen 587 00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:36.580 atmosphere sufficient for humans to breathe 588 00:24:36.580 --> 00:24:38.740 outside without pressure suits. Most 589 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:41.180 remarkably, this atmosphere could be created 590 00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:43.580 entirely from resources already present on 591 00:24:43.580 --> 00:24:46.260 Mars. This transformation would take hundreds 592 00:24:46.260 --> 00:24:48.380 of years, but the research suggests a 593 00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:50.820 sustainable, ecologically minded approach. 594 00:24:51.620 --> 00:24:53.660 Rather than diverting attention from Earth's 595 00:24:53.660 --> 00:24:56.090 environmental challenges, Mars terraforming 596 00:24:56.090 --> 00:24:58.090 research could provide valuable insights for 597 00:24:58.090 --> 00:25:00.810 planetary sustainability. Technologies 598 00:25:00.810 --> 00:25:02.890 developed for Mars, like desiccation 599 00:25:02.890 --> 00:25:05.370 resistant crops and improved ecosystem 600 00:25:05.370 --> 00:25:07.770 modeling, could benefit our home planet as 601 00:25:07.770 --> 00:25:10.770 well. Of m course, ethical questions abound, 602 00:25:11.010 --> 00:25:13.250 particularly regarding potential indigenous 603 00:25:13.250 --> 00:25:15.370 Martian life, which should be thoroughly 604 00:25:15.370 --> 00:25:17.330 investigated before any large scale 605 00:25:17.330 --> 00:25:19.930 terraforming begins. The researchers 606 00:25:19.930 --> 00:25:22.170 emphasize that Mars could serve as a crucial 607 00:25:22.170 --> 00:25:24.490 testbed for proving scientific theories about 608 00:25:24.490 --> 00:25:26.970 planetary engineering knowledge we might 609 00:25:26.970 --> 00:25:29.050 someday need to preserve Earth's habitability 610 00:25:29.050 --> 00:25:31.210 in the face of our own climate crisis. 611 00:25:31.930 --> 00:25:33.690 While full transformation would take 612 00:25:33.690 --> 00:25:36.490 centuries, the research suggests the first 613 00:25:36.490 --> 00:25:38.450 steps could begin sooner than many have 614 00:25:38.450 --> 00:25:41.010 assumed, marking the beginning of humanity's 615 00:25:41.010 --> 00:25:43.290 potential expansion beyond the blue 616 00:25:43.290 --> 00:25:44.650 boundaries of our homeworld. 617 00:25:46.330 --> 00:25:48.050 Well, what a journey through our cosmic 618 00:25:48.050 --> 00:25:49.970 neighborhood we've had today. From launch 619 00:25:49.970 --> 00:25:51.690 pads at Cape Canaveral to the distant 620 00:25:51.690 --> 00:25:53.900 possibility possibility of a green Mars, our 621 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.420 solar system continues to reveal its secrets 622 00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:58.860 and possibilities. Each of these stories 623 00:25:58.860 --> 00:26:00.940 represents another piece in our expanding 624 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:03.340 understanding of the solar system, A picture 625 00:26:03.340 --> 00:26:05.940 that grows more detailed, more surprising and 626 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:08.500 more promising. With each new discovery. 627 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:12.100 This has been Astronomy Daily. I'm M. Anna, 628 00:26:12.100 --> 00:26:14.140 and I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for 629 00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:16.860 our next journey through the cosmos. If you'd 630 00:26:16.860 --> 00:26:18.460 like to stay up to date with all the latest 631 00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:20.800 space and astronomy news, visit our 632 00:26:20.800 --> 00:26:23.640 website@astronomydaily.IO, where our 633 00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:25.720 constantly updating newsfeed brings you the 634 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:27.880 universe in real time. Subscribe to the 635 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:30.320 podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and 636 00:26:30.320 --> 00:26:32.000 YouTubeMusic, or wherever you get your 637 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:34.240 podcasts. And don't forget to follow us on 638 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:37.040 social media. Just search for Astro Daily Pod 639 00:26:37.040 --> 00:26:39.920 on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, YouTubeMusic, 640 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:42.120 Music, Instagram, Tumblr, and TikTok. 641 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:44.720 Until next time, keep looking up. The 642 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:46.690 universe is an amazing place and and we're 643 00:26:46.690 --> 00:26:48.090 just beginning to understand it.