WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.240 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source for 1 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:04.400 the latest developments in space exploration 2 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.050 and astronomical discoveries. I'm, your host, 3 00:00:07.050 --> 00:00:09.450 Anna, and we have a packed show for you today 4 00:00:09.450 --> 00:00:11.810 with some truly fascinating stories from 5 00:00:11.810 --> 00:00:14.210 across the cosmos. We'll be diving into 6 00:00:14.210 --> 00:00:17.010 SpaceX's upcoming ninth Starship test flight, 7 00:00:17.170 --> 00:00:19.530 which represents a major milestone for the 8 00:00:19.530 --> 00:00:22.010 programme as they attempt the first reuse of 9 00:00:22.010 --> 00:00:24.930 a super heavy booster. Then we'll 10 00:00:24.930 --> 00:00:27.290 explore a surprising discovery about galaxy 11 00:00:27.290 --> 00:00:30.050 evolution. Astronomers have found a 12 00:00:30.050 --> 00:00:32.970 massive galaxy that mysteriously stopped 13 00:00:32.970 --> 00:00:35.010 forming stars when the universe was just a 14 00:00:35.010 --> 00:00:37.690 cosmic toddler, challenging everything we 15 00:00:37.690 --> 00:00:39.650 thought we knew about how galaxies develop. 16 00:00:40.610 --> 00:00:42.930 We'll also examine a potential threat that 17 00:00:42.930 --> 00:00:45.490 may be hiding in plain sight. Then, 18 00:00:45.730 --> 00:00:48.410 from the International Space Station, we'll 19 00:00:48.410 --> 00:00:50.610 look at the scientific treasures that just 20 00:00:50.610 --> 00:00:53.090 returned aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule. 21 00:00:53.330 --> 00:00:55.410 And finally, we'll shed light on what 22 00:00:55.410 --> 00:00:57.890 literally turned on the lights in our early 23 00:00:57.890 --> 00:01:00.260 universe. And ah, as new data reveals, the 24 00:01:00.260 --> 00:01:03.140 surprising cosmic powerhouses responsible 25 00:01:03.140 --> 00:01:05.260 for illuminating the darkness after the Big 26 00:01:05.260 --> 00:01:05.660 Bang. 27 00:01:06.140 --> 00:01:08.060 So let's get started with today's news. 28 00:01:09.500 --> 00:01:11.700 SpaceX is gearing up for what could be a 29 00:01:11.700 --> 00:01:13.580 pivotal moment in the Starship development 30 00:01:13.740 --> 00:01:16.060 programme with its ninth test flight 31 00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:18.380 scheduled for Tuesday, May 27. 32 00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:21.340 Liftoff is targeted for 6:30pm Central 33 00:01:21.340 --> 00:01:24.020 Time from SpaceX's Starbase facility in 34 00:01:24.020 --> 00:01:26.300 Texas, with the launch window extending to 35 00:01:26.300 --> 00:01:28.860 8pm this mission carries extra 36 00:01:28.860 --> 00:01:30.740 significance as it marks the first time 37 00:01:30.740 --> 00:01:33.420 SpaceX will reuse a Super Heavy booster. 38 00:01:33.580 --> 00:01:35.900 Booster 14, which previously flew during 39 00:01:35.900 --> 00:01:37.900 Flight 7 and was successfully caught by the 40 00:01:37.900 --> 00:01:40.340 launch tower, will make its second journey to 41 00:01:40.340 --> 00:01:43.100 space a crucial step toward SpaceX's 42 00:01:43.100 --> 00:01:45.020 ultimate goal of full reusability. 43 00:01:45.820 --> 00:01:47.900 The previous two Starship test flights ended 44 00:01:47.900 --> 00:01:49.780 in disappointment, with both ships failing 45 00:01:49.780 --> 00:01:51.460 just before reaching second stage engine 46 00:01:51.460 --> 00:01:54.280 cutoff. Flight 7's ship 33 47 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:56.080 experienced fires in the attic above the 48 00:01:56.080 --> 00:01:58.560 engine bay due to a harmonic response issue 49 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:01.360 during ascent, while Flight 8's Ship 34 50 00:02:01.360 --> 00:02:03.240 suffered a hardware failure in one of its sea 51 00:02:03.240 --> 00:02:05.440 level Raptor engines, leading to a fire in 52 00:02:05.440 --> 00:02:08.120 the engine bay M. Despite these setbacks, 53 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:10.640 both missions saw successful booster 54 00:02:10.640 --> 00:02:13.240 recoveries, providing valuable data and 55 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.000 hardware experience for the programme. 56 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:18.440 SpaceX has confirmed that the harmonic 57 00:02:18.440 --> 00:02:20.760 resonance problem from Flight 7 has been 58 00:02:20.760 --> 00:02:23.260 fixed and they've implemented additional 59 00:02:23.260 --> 00:02:26.220 improvements for Flight 9. Ship 35 60 00:02:26.220 --> 00:02:28.220 will be attempting to fly past the point 61 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:30.900 where its predecessors failed, aiming to 62 00:02:30.900 --> 00:02:33.420 complete its full mission profile. If 63 00:02:33.420 --> 00:02:35.580 successful, it would represent a major 64 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:37.780 breakthrough for the Starship programme. The 65 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:39.980 mission objectives remain similar to previous 66 00:02:39.980 --> 00:02:42.460 flights, with the ship expected to perform a 67 00:02:42.460 --> 00:02:44.780 splashdown in the Indian Ocean after 68 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:47.190 completing several experiments. These 69 00:02:47.190 --> 00:02:49.710 experiments include deploying eight Starlink 70 00:02:49.710 --> 00:02:52.190 satellite simulators, relighting a Raptor 71 00:02:52.190 --> 00:02:54.950 engine in flight and testing various areas of 72 00:02:54.950 --> 00:02:57.230 the heat shield. The heat shield will feature 73 00:02:57.230 --> 00:03:00.070 metallic tiles, an actively cooled tile, 74 00:03:00.390 --> 00:03:02.470 missing tiles to test durability during 75 00:03:02.470 --> 00:03:05.070 reentry, and tapered edge tiles between the 76 00:03:05.070 --> 00:03:07.950 aft flaps and catch points. While the 77 00:03:07.950 --> 00:03:10.390 ship's trajectory remains largely unchanged 78 00:03:10.390 --> 00:03:13.110 from previous flights, Booster 14 will follow 79 00:03:13.110 --> 00:03:15.790 a different path this time. unlike Flight 80 00:03:15.790 --> 00:03:18.630 7, SpaceX will not attempt to catch 81 00:03:18.630 --> 00:03:21.230 the booster, instead directing it to perform 82 00:03:21.230 --> 00:03:23.870 an experimental RE entry before splashing 83 00:03:23.870 --> 00:03:26.350 down in the Gulf of Mexico. The stakes 84 00:03:26.350 --> 00:03:28.950 couldn't be higher for SpaceX as they work to 85 00:03:28.950 --> 00:03:31.870 demonstrate that starship can reliably reach 86 00:03:31.870 --> 00:03:34.510 orbit, a capability essential for 87 00:03:34.510 --> 00:03:37.510 NASA's Artemis programme and SpaceX's own 88 00:03:37.510 --> 00:03:40.390 ambitious plans for Mars. After nearly 89 00:03:40.390 --> 00:03:42.360 six months since the last test flight, all 90 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:44.200 eyes will be on whether the third time's the 91 00:03:44.200 --> 00:03:46.080 charm for getting a ship past the critical 92 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:47.520 engine cutoff milestone. 93 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:51.360 Next Today, a deep space mystery. 94 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.360 In an unexpected discovery that's reshaping 95 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:56.240 our understanding of cosmic evolution, 96 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:59.440 astronomers have identified a massive galaxy 97 00:03:59.440 --> 00:04:01.960 that stopped forming stars when the universe 98 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:04.760 was merely 700 million years old, long before 99 00:04:04.760 --> 00:04:07.640 Earth even existed. This ancient galaxy, with 100 00:04:07.640 --> 00:04:09.600 the technical designation Ruby's UDS 101 00:04:09.600 --> 00:04:12.440 QGZ7, now holds the record as the 102 00:04:12.440 --> 00:04:15.040 most distant dead or quiescent galaxy ever 103 00:04:15.040 --> 00:04:17.880 confirmed. What makes this finding so 104 00:04:17.880 --> 00:04:20.640 remarkable is that galaxies typically need 105 00:04:20.640 --> 00:04:23.360 billions of years to grow large and then shut 106 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.360 down their star formation. Yet here was 107 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:28.880 this massive celestial structure that had 108 00:04:28.880 --> 00:04:30.920 already completed its life cycle in the 109 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.600 universe's infancy. The powerful James 110 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:35.760 Webb Space Telescope made this discovery 111 00:04:35.760 --> 00:04:38.330 possible, allowing astronomers to peer deeper 112 00:04:38.330 --> 00:04:40.850 into cosmic history than ever before. The 113 00:04:40.850 --> 00:04:43.010 galaxy managed to form an astonishing amount 114 00:04:43.010 --> 00:04:45.610 of stars in its brief active period, with 115 00:04:45.610 --> 00:04:47.570 stellar mass equivalent to more than 10 116 00:04:47.570 --> 00:04:50.050 billion suns. Then, for reasons 117 00:04:50.050 --> 00:04:51.690 astronomers are still trying to understand, 118 00:04:52.090 --> 00:04:55.050 it simply stopped. All star formations ceased 119 00:04:55.050 --> 00:04:57.370 completely, leaving behind what scientists 120 00:04:57.370 --> 00:05:00.110 call a, quenched galaxy. Data from 121 00:05:00.110 --> 00:05:02.780 Webb's Near Infrared Spectrograph confirmed 122 00:05:02.780 --> 00:05:04.540 this quiet state during observations 123 00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.100 conducted as part of the RUBIES survey that 124 00:05:07.100 --> 00:05:09.820 stands for Red Unknowns Bright Infrared 125 00:05:09.820 --> 00:05:12.820 Extragalactic Survey. The spectrum revealed 126 00:05:12.820 --> 00:05:15.620 no signs of ongoing star formation, instead 127 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:17.940 showing strong balmar and calcium absorption 128 00:05:17.940 --> 00:05:20.580 features characteristic of older stellar 129 00:05:20.580 --> 00:05:23.580 populations. When astronomers determined its 130 00:05:23.580 --> 00:05:26.580 redshift of 7.29, they realised they 131 00:05:26.580 --> 00:05:28.740 were looking at a galaxy, as it appeared just 132 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:30.460 a few hundred million years after the Big 133 00:05:30.460 --> 00:05:33.120 Bang. Further analysis suggests it had 134 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:35.640 already stopped forming stars around 50 to 135 00:05:35.640 --> 00:05:37.880 100 million years before the light we're now 136 00:05:37.880 --> 00:05:40.640 detecting left the galaxy. This means it 137 00:05:40.640 --> 00:05:42.640 likely completed its entire star forming 138 00:05:42.640 --> 00:05:45.320 phase even before redshift 8, pushing our 139 00:05:45.320 --> 00:05:47.560 timeline of galaxy evolution into uncharted 140 00:05:47.560 --> 00:05:50.200 territory. The discovery challenges 141 00:05:50.200 --> 00:05:52.080 fundamental assumptions about how quickly 142 00:05:52.080 --> 00:05:54.160 galaxies can form and evolve in the early 143 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.080 universe. Current theoretical models simply 144 00:05:57.080 --> 00:05:59.200 don't account for galaxies growing so large 145 00:05:59.200 --> 00:06:01.240 and then shutting down so rapidly in the 146 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:03.810 cosmic dawn era. This finding 147 00:06:03.810 --> 00:06:06.170 suggests we may need to substantially revise 148 00:06:06.170 --> 00:06:08.770 our understanding of the processes driving 149 00:06:08.770 --> 00:06:11.050 galaxy formation and evolution in the 150 00:06:11.050 --> 00:06:13.890 universe's earliest epochs. What 151 00:06:13.890 --> 00:06:15.810 makes this discovery particularly remarkable 152 00:06:15.810 --> 00:06:18.370 is the galaxy's extremely compact nature. 153 00:06:18.930 --> 00:06:21.290 Despite its massive stellar content, Ruby's 154 00:06:21.290 --> 00:06:24.290 UDS QG Z7 measures just 650 155 00:06:24.290 --> 00:06:26.650 light years across. To put that in 156 00:06:26.650 --> 00:06:28.740 perspective, our, Milky Way galaxy spans 157 00:06:28.740 --> 00:06:31.100 approximately 100,000 light years. 158 00:06:31.960 --> 00:06:34.360 This incredible density makes it one of the 159 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:37.000 most tightly packed galaxies ever observed. 160 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:40.200 Scientists believe this ancient compact 161 00:06:40.200 --> 00:06:42.960 galaxy likely represents the core of what 162 00:06:42.960 --> 00:06:45.160 would eventually become the giant elliptical 163 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:48.080 galaxies we see in today's universe. These 164 00:06:48.080 --> 00:06:50.400 modern ellipticals are among the largest and 165 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:53.160 oldest galaxies we observe. Often found at 166 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:55.920 the centres of galaxy clusters, the structure 167 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:58.880 of Ruby's Udes QGZ7 closely resembles 168 00:06:58.880 --> 00:07:01.040 what we see in the central regions of these 169 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:02.640 massive ellipticals in our cosmic 170 00:07:02.640 --> 00:07:05.080 neighbourhood. As Anna DeGraaf, lead 171 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:06.960 investigator of the Rubies programme at the 172 00:07:06.960 --> 00:07:09.400 Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, explains, 173 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:12.800 the discovery provides the first strong 174 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.960 evidence that the centres of some nearby 175 00:07:14.960 --> 00:07:17.360 massive ellipticals may have already been in 176 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:19.319 place since the first few hundred million 177 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:22.000 years of the universe. The James 178 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:24.480 Webb Space Telescope has been absolutely 179 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:26.360 crucial in confirming this discovery. 180 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:29.160 Previous telescopes like Hubble and ground 181 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:31.450 based instruments simply couldn't see deep 182 00:07:31.450 --> 00:07:33.970 enough into the infrared spectrum to detect 183 00:07:33.970 --> 00:07:36.250 features like the Balmer break at such high 184 00:07:36.250 --> 00:07:38.730 redshifts. While the Spitzer Space 185 00:07:38.730 --> 00:07:40.810 Telescope offered some infrared capability, 186 00:07:41.210 --> 00:07:43.370 it lacked the resolution and sensitivity 187 00:07:43.370 --> 00:07:45.130 needed for definitive observations. 188 00:07:45.770 --> 00:07:48.010 Webb's revolutionary infrared capabilities 189 00:07:48.090 --> 00:07:50.050 have completely transformed our ability to 190 00:07:50.050 --> 00:07:51.290 study the early universe. 191 00:07:52.730 --> 00:07:55.450 Next up, a subject we keep returning to and 192 00:07:55.450 --> 00:07:57.970 with good reason. While NASA has been 193 00:07:57.970 --> 00:08:00.090 diligently tracking near Earth asteroids that 194 00:08:00.090 --> 00:08:01.770 could threaten our planet for the past two 195 00:08:01.770 --> 00:08:04.370 decades, recent research suggests we may have 196 00:08:04.370 --> 00:08:06.450 a significant blind spot in our Planetary 197 00:08:06.450 --> 00:08:08.970 Defence Strategy. Twenty years ago, 198 00:08:09.130 --> 00:08:12.090 Congress tasked NASA with finding 90% of near 199 00:08:12.090 --> 00:08:13.890 Earth asteroids that could pose a threat to 200 00:08:13.890 --> 00:08:15.610 Earth. And they've made considerable 201 00:08:15.610 --> 00:08:17.930 progress. However, astronomers are now 202 00:08:17.930 --> 00:08:20.130 discovering a new category of potentially 203 00:08:20.130 --> 00:08:22.450 hazardous objects that have largely escaped 204 00:08:22.450 --> 00:08:25.040 our attention. Asteroids CO orbiting with 205 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.600 Venus. These Venus co orbital 206 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:29.920 asteroids follow the same path around the sun 207 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.080 as our neighbouring planet, but with a 208 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.680 concerning twist. They can cross Earth's 209 00:08:34.680 --> 00:08:37.320 orbit. Currently, scientists have identified 210 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:39.920 20 of these CO orbital asteroids. But new 211 00:08:39.920 --> 00:08:41.920 research indicates this may be just the tip 212 00:08:41.920 --> 00:08:44.400 of the cosmic iceberg. What makes these 213 00:08:44.400 --> 00:08:46.600 objects particularly concerning is their 214 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.480 elusiveness. Many of these asteroids remain 215 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:51.600 hidden in the sun's glare from our Earth 216 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:54.240 based perspective, making them exceptionally 217 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.320 difficult to detect with conventional survey 218 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:59.120 methods. When the Venus co orbitals are 219 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:00.660 positioned between Earth and the sun, they 220 00:09:00.660 --> 00:09:03.300 become virtually invisible to our telescopes, 221 00:09:03.620 --> 00:09:05.740 creating dangerous blind spots in our 222 00:09:05.740 --> 00:09:08.540 monitoring systems. Perhaps even more 223 00:09:08.540 --> 00:09:10.620 troubling is the unpredictable nature of 224 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:12.740 their orbits. According to the research, 225 00:09:12.980 --> 00:09:15.300 these asteroids exhibit what scientists call 226 00:09:15.380 --> 00:09:17.790 highly chaotic orbital patterns with 227 00:09:17.790 --> 00:09:20.350 Lyapunov times of just 150 years. 228 00:09:20.910 --> 00:09:23.630 In astronomical terms, the Lyapunov time 229 00:09:23.630 --> 00:09:25.590 indicates how long it takes for an object's 230 00:09:25.590 --> 00:09:27.910 orbit to become unpredictable due to chaotic 231 00:09:27.910 --> 00:09:30.190 dynamics. This means that tracking these 232 00:09:30.190 --> 00:09:32.350 objects trajectories beyond a century and a 233 00:09:32.350 --> 00:09:34.670 half becomes extraordinarily challenging. 234 00:09:35.150 --> 00:09:37.750 Lead researcher Valerio Carruba from Sao 235 00:09:37.750 --> 00:09:40.630 Paulo University explains that co orbital 236 00:09:40.630 --> 00:09:42.750 status protects these asteroids from close 237 00:09:42.750 --> 00:09:45.300 approaches to Venus, but it does not protect 238 00:09:45.300 --> 00:09:47.780 them from encountering Earth. This creates a 239 00:09:47.780 --> 00:09:49.940 peculiar situation where objects that share 240 00:09:49.940 --> 00:09:52.420 Venus's orbit can potentially pose a greater 241 00:09:52.420 --> 00:09:54.540 threat to our planet than to Venus itself. 242 00:09:55.420 --> 00:09:57.620 The research team defines these objects as 243 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:00.219 potentially hazardous if they have a minimum 244 00:10:00.219 --> 00:10:02.980 diameter of about 140 metres and 245 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:05.940 come within 0.05 astronomical 246 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:08.540 units of Earth's orbit. For context, 247 00:10:08.780 --> 00:10:11.260 an asteroid of this size striking Earth could 248 00:10:11.260 --> 00:10:13.380 release energy equivalent to hundreds of 249 00:10:13.380 --> 00:10:16.080 megatons of tnt, Thousands of times more more 250 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.600 powerful than the atomic bombs used in World 251 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:21.480 War II. Such an impact could devastate an 252 00:10:21.480 --> 00:10:24.400 entire metropolitan area. As we expand 253 00:10:24.400 --> 00:10:25.960 our understanding of these celestial 254 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:28.760 dynamics, it's becoming clear that our 255 00:10:28.760 --> 00:10:30.880 planetary defence strategy may need 256 00:10:30.880 --> 00:10:33.640 significant recalibration to address this 257 00:10:33.640 --> 00:10:36.440 previously underestimated threat lurking 258 00:10:36.520 --> 00:10:38.600 in the orbit of our nearest planetary 259 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:39.080 neighbour. 260 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:42.520 In the early hours of May 25, 261 00:10:42.760 --> 00:10:45.720 SpaceX's Dragon capsule splashed down off 262 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.550 the California coast, Successfully completing 263 00:10:48.550 --> 00:10:51.030 the company's 32nd commercial resupply 264 00:10:51.030 --> 00:10:53.390 mission to the International Space Station. 265 00:10:53.950 --> 00:10:56.470 The unpiloted spacecraft returned with an 266 00:10:56.470 --> 00:10:59.110 impressive haul. Approximately 267 00:10:59.110 --> 00:11:01.670 6,700 pounds of scientific 268 00:11:01.670 --> 00:11:04.590 equipment, supplies and experiments 269 00:11:04.670 --> 00:11:06.430 that had been conducted in the unique 270 00:11:06.430 --> 00:11:08.510 microgravity environment of the orbiting 271 00:11:08.510 --> 00:11:11.510 laboratory. This scientific treasure trove 272 00:11:11.510 --> 00:11:13.270 represents some of the most cutting edge 273 00:11:13.270 --> 00:11:16.180 research being conducted in space today. The 274 00:11:16.180 --> 00:11:18.380 Dragon undocked from the station's Harmony 275 00:11:18.380 --> 00:11:20.500 Module two days earlier before making its 276 00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:22.820 journey home, carrying cargo that could 277 00:11:22.820 --> 00:11:24.900 revolutionise everything from spacecraft 278 00:11:24.900 --> 00:11:27.100 design to satellite maintenance. 279 00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:30.540 Among the most fascinating returns was the 280 00:11:30.540 --> 00:11:33.420 Missy20 experiment. Short for Multipurpose 281 00:11:33.420 --> 00:11:36.260 International Space Station Experiment. This 282 00:11:36.260 --> 00:11:38.660 project tested various materials by exposing 283 00:11:38.660 --> 00:11:40.460 them directly to the harsh conditions of 284 00:11:40.460 --> 00:11:43.190 space. The samples included radiation 285 00:11:43.190 --> 00:11:46.190 shielding, solar Sail coatings, ceramic 286 00:11:46.190 --> 00:11:48.590 composites for re entry vehicles and 287 00:11:48.590 --> 00:11:50.790 specialised resins that might one day form 288 00:11:50.790 --> 00:11:52.710 the basis of improved heat shields 289 00:11:53.350 --> 00:11:55.910 mounted on the exterior of the station. These 290 00:11:55.910 --> 00:11:58.350 materials endured extreme conditions that 291 00:11:58.350 --> 00:12:00.990 can't be replicated on Earth. Ultraviolet 292 00:12:00.990 --> 00:12:03.510 radiation, atomic oxygen charged 293 00:12:03.510 --> 00:12:05.750 particles and dramatic temperature swings 294 00:12:05.990 --> 00:12:07.830 that would destroy most conventional 295 00:12:07.830 --> 00:12:10.430 materials. By analysing how these 296 00:12:10.430 --> 00:12:12.870 samples performed, scientists can better 297 00:12:12.870 --> 00:12:15.150 design spacecraft and satellites to withstand 298 00:12:15.150 --> 00:12:16.950 the unforgiving environment beyond our 299 00:12:16.950 --> 00:12:19.590 atmosphere. Perhaps the most visually 300 00:12:19.590 --> 00:12:21.790 striking experiment returning to Earth was 301 00:12:22.030 --> 00:12:24.430 Astrobreacch, 302 00:12:24.990 --> 00:12:27.190 which stands for Responsive Engaging Arms for 303 00:12:27.190 --> 00:12:29.510 Captive care and handling. This innovative 304 00:12:29.510 --> 00:12:31.430 technology demonstrated something that sounds 305 00:12:31.430 --> 00:12:33.190 straight out of science fiction. Robotic 306 00:12:33.190 --> 00:12:35.750 tentacle like arms capable of grasping and 307 00:12:35.750 --> 00:12:38.720 relocating objects in space. The 308 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.960 system used specialised adhesive pads to 309 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.960 capture items of different shapes and surface 310 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.840 materials. This capability represents a 311 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:47.640 major step forward in addressing one of the 312 00:12:47.640 --> 00:12:50.360 growing challenges in Earth orbit. Safely 313 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:52.760 capturing and relocating debris and defunct 314 00:12:52.760 --> 00:12:55.640 satellites. Such technology could eventually 315 00:12:55.640 --> 00:12:57.880 help extend satellite lifespans through in 316 00:12:57.880 --> 00:13:00.000 orbit servicing and potentially reduce the 317 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:02.080 hazardous debris field that increasingly 318 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.720 threatens spacecraft operations. 319 00:13:04.990 --> 00:13:06.990 The Dragon's cargo also included some more 320 00:13:06.990 --> 00:13:09.230 whimsical but no less important items. 321 00:13:09.630 --> 00:13:11.670 Books from the Storytime From Space project 322 00:13:11.670 --> 00:13:14.470 are returning after orbiting the Earth. This 323 00:13:14.470 --> 00:13:16.590 educational initiative featured astronauts 324 00:13:16.590 --> 00:13:18.430 reading science and mathematics related 325 00:13:18.430 --> 00:13:20.230 children's books while floating in zero 326 00:13:20.230 --> 00:13:22.870 gravity. The crew also recorded 327 00:13:22.870 --> 00:13:25.030 themselves performing science demonstrations 328 00:13:25.030 --> 00:13:27.750 that corresponded with the book's themes. All 329 00:13:27.750 --> 00:13:29.870 these videos have been made available in an 330 00:13:29.870 --> 00:13:32.270 online library with accompanying educational 331 00:13:32.270 --> 00:13:35.060 materials inspiring the next generation of 332 00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:37.220 space explorers. Additionally, 333 00:13:37.540 --> 00:13:39.860 hardware and data from a one year technology 334 00:13:40.020 --> 00:13:43.020 demonstration called Optica onboard 335 00:13:43.020 --> 00:13:45.340 programmable technology for image compression 336 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:48.300 and analysis made the journey home. This 337 00:13:48.300 --> 00:13:50.300 advanced imaging system was designed to 338 00:13:50.300 --> 00:13:52.660 revolutionise how we transmit ultra high 339 00:13:52.660 --> 00:13:55.260 resolution hyperspectral imagery from space 340 00:13:55.260 --> 00:13:57.540 to Earth in real time, potentially 341 00:13:57.540 --> 00:13:59.180 transforming everything from disaster 342 00:13:59.180 --> 00:14:01.060 response to environmental monitoring. 343 00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:04.220 Together, these returning experiments 344 00:14:04.220 --> 00:14:06.500 showcase how the International Space Station 345 00:14:06.500 --> 00:14:09.300 continues to serve as humanity's premier 346 00:14:09.300 --> 00:14:12.060 orbital laboratory. Developing technologies 347 00:14:12.060 --> 00:14:14.700 that not only advance space exploration, but 348 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:16.980 also deliver tangible benefits to life on 349 00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:19.820 Earth. To wrap 350 00:14:19.820 --> 00:14:22.420 up today, let's look at a solution to a great 351 00:14:22.420 --> 00:14:24.340 scientific mystery that's finally been 352 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:24.900 sorted. 353 00:14:25.460 --> 00:14:27.340 We finally have an answer to one of 354 00:14:27.340 --> 00:14:29.940 cosmology's biggest mysteries. What 355 00:14:29.940 --> 00:14:32.060 switched on the lights in our early universe? 356 00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:35.420 For decades, astronomers have been puzzled by 357 00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:37.580 how our universe transitioned from a dark 358 00:14:37.580 --> 00:14:40.500 opaque fog to the transparent cosmos we 359 00:14:40.500 --> 00:14:43.100 observe today. The answer, it turns out, is 360 00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:45.540 surprisingly small. According to 361 00:14:45.540 --> 00:14:47.540 groundbreaking new data from the Hubble and 362 00:14:47.540 --> 00:14:50.340 James Webb space telescopes, it was tiny 363 00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:53.180 dwarf galaxies that cleared the primordial 364 00:14:53.180 --> 00:14:55.940 fog of neutral hydrogen filling intergalactic 365 00:14:55.940 --> 00:14:58.780 space after the Big Bang. In the 366 00:14:58.780 --> 00:15:00.780 beginning the universe was filled with a hot, 367 00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:02.860 dense plasma that scattered light, 368 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:05.700 effectively making everything dark. As it 369 00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:08.420 cooled, protons and electrons combined to 370 00:15:08.420 --> 00:15:11.180 form neutral hydrogen gas. While this 371 00:15:11.180 --> 00:15:13.260 gas allowed some wavelengths of light to pass 372 00:15:13.260 --> 00:15:15.140 through, there weren't many light sources 373 00:15:15.140 --> 00:15:17.660 around to illuminate the cosmos. That 374 00:15:17.660 --> 00:15:20.220 changed with the birth of the first stars. 375 00:15:20.540 --> 00:15:22.460 Their radiation was strong enough to strip 376 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:25.300 electrons from hydrogen atoms, reionizing the 377 00:15:25.300 --> 00:15:27.900 gas and making the universe transparent to 378 00:15:27.900 --> 00:15:30.740 light. By about 1 billion years after the 379 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:33.660 Big Bang, the period known as cosmic dawn, 380 00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:35.660 the universe was fully reionized. 381 00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:38.620 Scientists had long assumed that the primary 382 00:15:38.620 --> 00:15:40.860 drivers of this reionization must have been 383 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:43.500 powerful sources, supermassive black holes, 384 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:46.180 or massive star forming galaxies. But the 385 00:15:46.180 --> 00:15:48.580 Webb Telescope's unprecedented sensitivity 386 00:15:48.580 --> 00:15:51.460 has revealed a different story. By examining 387 00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:52.700 a galaxy cluster called 388 00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:55.620 Abel2744, which 389 00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:57.700 acts as a cosmic magnifying glass, through 390 00:15:57.700 --> 00:16:00.260 gravitational lensing, researchers were able 391 00:16:00.260 --> 00:16:03.220 to detect extremely faint dwarf galaxies near 392 00:16:03.220 --> 00:16:05.820 the cosmic dawn. Their analysis revealed 393 00:16:05.820 --> 00:16:08.420 something astonishing. These dwarf galaxies 394 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:11.180 outnumber larger galaxies by a ratio of 100 395 00:16:11.180 --> 00:16:13.940 to 1. Even more surprisingly, these 396 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:16.660 tiny galaxies collectively emit four times 397 00:16:16.660 --> 00:16:18.940 more ionising radiation than previously 398 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:21.890 assumed from larger galaxies. Despite their 399 00:16:21.890 --> 00:16:24.170 diminutive size, they were extraordinarily 400 00:16:24.170 --> 00:16:26.010 efficient at producing the high energy 401 00:16:26.170 --> 00:16:28.570 photons needed to clear the cosmic fog. 402 00:16:29.370 --> 00:16:32.170 As astrophysicist Hakim Atek described them, 403 00:16:32.330 --> 00:16:34.730 these galaxies were truly cosmic 404 00:16:34.730 --> 00:16:37.090 powerhouses whose abundance and collective 405 00:16:37.090 --> 00:16:39.290 energy output was substantial enough to 406 00:16:39.290 --> 00:16:41.450 transform the entire state of the universe. 407 00:16:42.170 --> 00:16:44.410 It's a case where quantity truly overcame 408 00:16:44.410 --> 00:16:46.930 quality. Their sheer numbers compensated for 409 00:16:46.930 --> 00:16:49.850 their individual small size. This discovery 410 00:16:49.850 --> 00:16:51.610 fundamentally changes our understanding of 411 00:16:51.610 --> 00:16:53.730 how the universe evolved from darkness to 412 00:16:53.730 --> 00:16:56.210 light, highlighting how even the smallest 413 00:16:56.210 --> 00:16:58.250 cosmic structures can drive the most profound 414 00:16:58.250 --> 00:17:00.210 transformations in our universe's history. 415 00:17:01.090 --> 00:17:03.570 If confirmed across multiple observations, 416 00:17:03.890 --> 00:17:06.130 this discovery represents one of the most 417 00:17:06.130 --> 00:17:07.690 significant breakthroughs in our 418 00:17:07.690 --> 00:17:10.530 understanding of cosmic evolution. It 419 00:17:10.530 --> 00:17:12.130 suggests that the universe's most 420 00:17:12.130 --> 00:17:14.930 transformative processes weren't necessarily 421 00:17:14.930 --> 00:17:17.170 driven by the largest, most spectacular 422 00:17:17.170 --> 00:17:20.050 objects, but by the collective influence 423 00:17:20.050 --> 00:17:23.050 of countless smaller ones. A profound 424 00:17:23.050 --> 00:17:25.490 lesson about how even the smallest entities 425 00:17:25.490 --> 00:17:27.730 can collectively drive the most fundamental 426 00:17:27.730 --> 00:17:29.090 changes in our universe. 427 00:17:30.530 --> 00:17:32.330 And that's it for today's episode. Thanks for 428 00:17:32.330 --> 00:17:34.690 joining me on Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna 429 00:17:34.690 --> 00:17:36.930 reminding you to visit us at astronomydaily 430 00:17:37.010 --> 00:17:39.530 IO, where you can find all of today's news 431 00:17:39.530 --> 00:17:41.770 and all things Astronomy Daily. And of 432 00:17:41.770 --> 00:17:43.450 course, remember to subscribe to the free 433 00:17:43.450 --> 00:17:45.850 podcast available on all podcast 434 00:17:45.850 --> 00:17:48.090 platforms. I'll see you tomorrow for more 435 00:17:48.090 --> 00:17:50.250 fascinating developments from the final 436 00:17:50.250 --> 00:17:52.890 frontier. Until then, do as I do. 437 00:17:53.050 --> 00:17:53.930 Keep looking up.