WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.480 Anna: Welcome, welcome, welcome to Astronomy 1 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:06.080 Daily your go to source for everything 2 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:08.880 happening beyond our blue planet. I'm 3 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:09.440 Anna. 4 00:00:09.520 --> 00:00:11.920 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're so glad you could join 5 00:00:11.920 --> 00:00:14.040 us today for what promises to be a 6 00:00:14.040 --> 00:00:16.680 fascinating journey through the cosmos. We've 7 00:00:16.680 --> 00:00:19.120 got a packed show lined up delving into some 8 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:22.000 truly mind bending discoveries and exciting 9 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.480 news from across the solar system and beyond. 10 00:00:24.880 --> 00:00:27.280 Anna: That's right, we'll be unraveling the 11 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:30.080 peculiar mysteries of Uranus and its moons, 12 00:00:30.400 --> 00:00:32.940 exploring a newly cosmic 13 00:00:32.940 --> 00:00:35.420 bubble surrounding our solar system and 14 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:38.220 getting you up to speed on one of the busiest 15 00:00:38.220 --> 00:00:40.380 launch weeks we've seen this year. 16 00:00:40.540 --> 00:00:42.860 Avery: And um, stick around for what could be a 17 00:00:42.860 --> 00:00:45.380 groundbreaking discussion on how life might 18 00:00:45.380 --> 00:00:48.260 thrive in the most unexpected dark 19 00:00:48.260 --> 00:00:50.460 corners of the universe. It's a fresh 20 00:00:50.460 --> 00:00:52.580 perspective that challenges everything we 21 00:00:52.580 --> 00:00:55.220 thought we knew about habitability. So let's 22 00:00:55.220 --> 00:00:55.820 dive right in. 23 00:00:56.060 --> 00:00:58.380 Anna: Alright Avery, let's kick things off with a 24 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:01.180 planet that truly lives up to its reputation 25 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:03.860 for being a bit, well, weird. 26 00:01:03.940 --> 00:01:06.460 We're talking about Uranus, the seventh 27 00:01:06.460 --> 00:01:08.900 planet from the sun, which has always stood 28 00:01:08.900 --> 00:01:10.820 out from its solar system siblings. 29 00:01:11.060 --> 00:01:13.820 Avery: It really does. While most planets spin 30 00:01:13.820 --> 00:01:16.820 fairly upright and their moons orbit neatly, 31 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:19.980 Uranus is just doing its own thing, tilted 32 00:01:19.980 --> 00:01:22.420 on its side at a whopping 98 degrees. 33 00:01:22.980 --> 00:01:25.700 Imagine Earth's north pole pointing towards 34 00:01:25.780 --> 00:01:27.900 say, the constellation Ophiuchus instead of 35 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:30.030 Polaris the that's Uranus for you. 36 00:01:30.110 --> 00:01:32.590 Anna: And it's not just its tilt. Its 37 00:01:32.590 --> 00:01:35.070 magnetic field is also off kilter, 38 00:01:35.150 --> 00:01:37.990 differing by 59 degrees from its spin 39 00:01:37.990 --> 00:01:40.990 axis. That's like our magnetic poles being 40 00:01:40.990 --> 00:01:43.870 in Perth, Australia and northern Florida, 41 00:01:43.870 --> 00:01:46.110 which is quite the cosmic anomaly. 42 00:01:46.510 --> 00:01:49.310 Avery: This peculiar setup led astronomer Christian 43 00:01:49.310 --> 00:01:51.870 Soto and his team at the Space Telescope 44 00:01:51.870 --> 00:01:54.590 Science Institute to study how Uranus's 45 00:01:54.590 --> 00:01:56.830 magnetic field might interact with its four 46 00:01:56.830 --> 00:01:59.160 largest moons, Ariel, Umbriel, 47 00:01:59.160 --> 00:02:00.760 Titania and Oberon. 48 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:03.320 Anna: You'd expect that because Uranus 49 00:02:03.320 --> 00:02:06.320 rotates faster than its moon's orbit, its 50 00:02:06.320 --> 00:02:08.760 magnetic field would catch the moons from 51 00:02:08.760 --> 00:02:11.720 behind and bombard their trailing sides with 52 00:02:11.720 --> 00:02:14.160 radiation. This process, called 53 00:02:14.160 --> 00:02:16.640 radiolysis, should create dark 54 00:02:16.640 --> 00:02:19.560 compounds, making those trailing sides appear 55 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:21.320 darker in ultraviolet light. 56 00:02:21.640 --> 00:02:24.400 Avery: But here's where it gets truly puzzling. When 57 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:26.520 the Hubble Space Telescope peered at these 58 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.420 moons, it found the exact opposite. For 59 00:02:29.420 --> 00:02:31.900 Ariel and Umbriel, there was hardly any 60 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:33.660 difference between their leading and training 61 00:02:33.660 --> 00:02:36.540 sides. And for the outer two moons, Titania 62 00:02:36.540 --> 00:02:39.420 and especially Oberon, it was their leading 63 00:02:39.420 --> 00:02:40.700 sides that were darker. 64 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:43.460 Anna: This was completely startling to the 65 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:46.180 researchers. It suggests that Uranus's 66 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:48.900 magnetosphere might not be as active as 67 00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:51.420 previously thought. Or it's far more 68 00:02:51.420 --> 00:02:54.140 complex. But the Darkening on the leading 69 00:02:54.140 --> 00:02:56.940 sides points to another process entirely. 70 00:02:57.350 --> 00:02:59.910 Avery: And that process, Soto suggests, involves 71 00:02:59.910 --> 00:03:02.630 Uranus. Irregular moons. These are 72 00:03:02.630 --> 00:03:04.870 smaller, often captured asteroids with 73 00:03:04.870 --> 00:03:07.670 unusual, highly tilted orbits. The 74 00:03:07.670 --> 00:03:10.310 theory is that micrometeorites constantly hit 75 00:03:10.310 --> 00:03:12.950 these irregular moons, ejecting dust into 76 00:03:12.950 --> 00:03:13.750 their orbits. 77 00:03:13.990 --> 00:03:16.470 Anna: Over millions of years, this dust 78 00:03:16.470 --> 00:03:19.070 drifts inward, crossing the paths of the 79 00:03:19.070 --> 00:03:21.990 major moons. As the major moons orbit, they 80 00:03:21.990 --> 00:03:24.950 sweep up this dust primarily on their leading 81 00:03:24.950 --> 00:03:27.830 hemispheres. Soto likens it to driving 82 00:03:27.830 --> 00:03:30.030 fast on a highway and bugs hitting your 83 00:03:30.030 --> 00:03:30.550 windshield. 84 00:03:30.710 --> 00:03:33.670 Avery: And, um, the outer moons, Oberon and Titania, 85 00:03:33.750 --> 00:03:35.950 likely shield the inner ones, Ariel and 86 00:03:35.950 --> 00:03:38.670 Umbriel, from this dust. But even within the 87 00:03:38.670 --> 00:03:41.510 outer pair, they're still a mystery. Why is 88 00:03:41.510 --> 00:03:43.590 Oberon getting so much more dust than 89 00:03:43.590 --> 00:03:45.470 Titania? That's still one of the weird 90 00:03:45.470 --> 00:03:46.870 findings they're trying to figure out. 91 00:03:46.950 --> 00:03:49.710 Anna: This fascinating research highlights how 92 00:03:49.710 --> 00:03:52.030 much more there is to learn about our own 93 00:03:52.030 --> 00:03:54.970 solar system. So Soto hopes for a dedicated 94 00:03:54.970 --> 00:03:57.730 mission to Uranus in the future, perhaps in 95 00:03:57.730 --> 00:04:00.730 the early 2000 and 40s to truly unravel these 96 00:04:00.730 --> 00:04:03.690 mysteries. After all, as he put it, it 97 00:04:03.690 --> 00:04:04.770 is very weird. 98 00:04:04.930 --> 00:04:07.530 Avery: So why not from the mysteries of our own 99 00:04:07.530 --> 00:04:10.290 solar system? Let's zoom out a bit to our 100 00:04:10.290 --> 00:04:12.810 cosmic neighborhood. Our solar system isn't 101 00:04:12.810 --> 00:04:15.650 just floating in empty space. It resides 102 00:04:15.650 --> 00:04:18.450 within a massive million degree hot bubble 103 00:04:18.450 --> 00:04:21.139 of incredibly thin gas. And it's called the 104 00:04:21.139 --> 00:04:23.779 local hot bubble, or lhb. 105 00:04:24.019 --> 00:04:26.819 Anna: This LHB is essentially an 106 00:04:26.819 --> 00:04:29.819 invisible cocoon that glows in X ray 107 00:04:29.819 --> 00:04:32.379 light and stretches over a thousand light 108 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:35.219 years across. And remarkably, despite 109 00:04:35.299 --> 00:04:38.099 its scorching temperature, its sparse 110 00:04:38.099 --> 00:04:40.819 atoms barely affect the surrounding matter. 111 00:04:41.459 --> 00:04:44.179 Some scientists even suggest this quiet 112 00:04:44.179 --> 00:04:47.059 warmth might have helped life flourish on 113 00:04:47.059 --> 00:04:47.459 Earth. 114 00:04:48.170 --> 00:04:50.850 Avery: For decades, the true shape and origin of 115 00:04:50.850 --> 00:04:53.290 this bubble remained a puzzle. But now, 116 00:04:53.370 --> 00:04:55.770 thanks to the sharp eyed Erocita X ray 117 00:04:55.770 --> 00:04:57.650 telescope and a team of scientists in 118 00:04:57.650 --> 00:05:00.490 Germany, the picture is finally coming 119 00:05:00.490 --> 00:05:01.130 into focus. 120 00:05:01.850 --> 00:05:03.889 Anna: The Max Planck Institute for 121 00:05:03.889 --> 00:05:06.650 Extraterrestrial Physics led the effort 122 00:05:06.650 --> 00:05:09.570 using Erocita to map the LHB in 123 00:05:09.570 --> 00:05:12.330 unprecedented detail. What made this 124 00:05:12.330 --> 00:05:14.490 telescope so crucial is its position 125 00:05:15.050 --> 00:05:17.730 far from Earth's atmosphere, allowing it to 126 00:05:17.730 --> 00:05:20.310 capture clear soft X rays ray emissions 127 00:05:20.310 --> 00:05:22.830 without interference from our own planet's 128 00:05:22.830 --> 00:05:24.070 solar wind interactions. 129 00:05:24.710 --> 00:05:27.670 Avery: And the findings? Well, the LHB is 130 00:05:27.670 --> 00:05:30.270 far from a smooth sphere. Lead researcher 131 00:05:30.270 --> 00:05:32.830 Michael Young described it as spikier and 132 00:05:32.830 --> 00:05:35.590 bumpier, with an irregular, jagged 133 00:05:35.590 --> 00:05:38.310 shape that bulges unevenly. It 134 00:05:38.310 --> 00:05:40.430 expands more freely towards the galactic 135 00:05:40.430 --> 00:05:43.350 poles, avoiding the denser midplane of the 136 00:05:43.350 --> 00:05:46.190 Milky Way, which makes sense as hot gas 137 00:05:46.190 --> 00:05:47.910 moves towards less resistance. 138 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.360 Anna: This lumpiness likely reflects the chaotic 139 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:54.080 forces that shaped it, such as Multiple 140 00:05:54.080 --> 00:05:56.960 overlapping supernova explosions and 141 00:05:56.960 --> 00:05:59.800 feedback from other stars. But perhaps the 142 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:02.480 most surprising discovery was a previously 143 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:05.040 unknown tunnel stretching towards the 144 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.560 constellation Centaurus. 145 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:09.520 Avery: This interstellar passage may connect the 146 00:06:09.520 --> 00:06:12.360 LHB with the neighboring superbubble, acting 147 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:15.090 like a cosmic gateway. As co author 148 00:06:15.090 --> 00:06:18.010 Michael Freyberg explained, the existence of 149 00:06:18.010 --> 00:06:20.610 this tunnel carving a gap in the cooler 150 00:06:20.610 --> 00:06:23.530 interstellar medium was completely unknown 151 00:06:23.530 --> 00:06:26.130 until Erocita's sharper sensitivity 152 00:06:26.130 --> 00:06:26.850 revealed it. 153 00:06:27.250 --> 00:06:30.210 Anna: This new data from Erocita also helped 154 00:06:30.210 --> 00:06:33.170 settle a long standing debate. Scientists 155 00:06:33.170 --> 00:06:35.970 had proposed the LHB concept over 156 00:06:35.970 --> 00:06:38.850 50 years ago to explain faint X 157 00:06:38.850 --> 00:06:41.360 ray readings. But doubts arose in the 158 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:44.200 90s when similar X rays were found to 159 00:06:44.200 --> 00:06:46.920 originate from solar wind interacting with 160 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.800 Earth's atmosphere. Erocita's clear 161 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:52.760 observations confirmed that much of that soft 162 00:06:52.760 --> 00:06:55.200 X ray background truly comes from the 163 00:06:55.200 --> 00:06:55.880 lhb. 164 00:06:56.440 --> 00:06:58.360 Avery: And the team also found a temperature 165 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.560 difference across the bubble with the 166 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.720 southern part being warmer than the northern 167 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.040 side. This could point to recent heating 168 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:07.680 events, perhaps new supernovas in the last 169 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:10.480 few million years, suggesting the LHB 170 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.160 isn't just a leftover but an active 171 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.560 changing part of our uh, galactic landscape. 172 00:07:15.960 --> 00:07:18.960 Anna: And the idea of the Centaurus tunnel suggests 173 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:21.680 it might be just one part of a larger system 174 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.320 of tunnels like arteries running through the 175 00:07:24.320 --> 00:07:26.960 galaxy. These gaps between cold 176 00:07:26.960 --> 00:07:29.920 clouds could link the LHB to distant 177 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:32.560 features like the Gum Nebula or other 178 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.440 superbubbles, indicating the Milky Way is 179 00:07:35.440 --> 00:07:38.150 an interconnected structure and constantly 180 00:07:38.150 --> 00:07:39.670 shaped by explosive energy. 181 00:07:40.310 --> 00:07:42.870 Avery: It's truly mind boggling to think about. 182 00:07:43.190 --> 00:07:45.870 The team even mapped dense molecular clouds 183 00:07:45.870 --> 00:07:48.230 at the edges of the bubble, Some moving 184 00:07:48.230 --> 00:07:50.390 outward as if pushed by the original 185 00:07:50.390 --> 00:07:52.870 explosions that carved out the lhb. 186 00:07:53.349 --> 00:07:56.270 And fascinatingly, our sun is thought to have 187 00:07:56.270 --> 00:07:59.270 entered the LHB only a few million years ago. 188 00:07:59.510 --> 00:08:02.390 A ah, mere blank in its 4.6 billion year 189 00:08:02.390 --> 00:08:03.030 lifespan. 190 00:08:03.670 --> 00:08:06.150 Anna: The 3D model they built paints a 191 00:08:06.150 --> 00:08:08.590 vibrant layered picture of our solar 192 00:08:08.590 --> 00:08:10.950 system's galactic neighborhood, including 193 00:08:11.190 --> 00:08:13.910 supernova remains, molecular clouds, 194 00:08:14.070 --> 00:08:16.870 dust, and these newly discovered tunnels. 195 00:08:17.190 --> 00:08:19.670 Mapping this cosmic web could provide 196 00:08:19.830 --> 00:08:22.550 incredible insights into how stars 197 00:08:22.550 --> 00:08:25.190 die, galaxies evolve and how 198 00:08:25.190 --> 00:08:27.590 material moves between star systems. 199 00:08:28.070 --> 00:08:30.550 Avery: It's a major step in understanding not just 200 00:08:30.550 --> 00:08:33.299 our immediate bubble, but, but the dynamic, 201 00:08:33.379 --> 00:08:36.179 often explosive forces that shape the space 202 00:08:36.179 --> 00:08:38.899 between stars. It's like finding a secret 203 00:08:38.979 --> 00:08:41.659 highway system in space right outside our 204 00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:42.499 galactic door. 205 00:08:43.059 --> 00:08:45.379 Anna: Well from cosmic bubbles and 206 00:08:45.379 --> 00:08:48.099 planetary tilt, let's bring it back to 207 00:08:48.179 --> 00:08:50.699 Earth for a moment and look at the immediate 208 00:08:50.699 --> 00:08:53.459 future of space travel. We have a ah, packed 209 00:08:53.459 --> 00:08:54.499 week of launches ahead. 210 00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:57.499 Avery: It's truly bustling. Anna. This week's 211 00:08:57.499 --> 00:08:59.779 launch manifest is one of the busiest of 212 00:08:59.779 --> 00:09:02.490 2025. So far we've. With 10 213 00:09:02.490 --> 00:09:04.490 launches scheduled from around the world, 214 00:09:04.970 --> 00:09:07.570 we're talking everything from crewed missions 215 00:09:07.570 --> 00:09:09.770 to secret government payloads. 216 00:09:10.410 --> 00:09:12.730 Anna: Kicking things off on July 29, 217 00:09:12.970 --> 00:09:15.890 ispace's Shuangquusian 1 rocket 218 00:09:15.890 --> 00:09:18.610 is set for its eighth flight from China after 219 00:09:18.610 --> 00:09:21.210 a year long hiatus following a failure on its 220 00:09:21.210 --> 00:09:23.810 seventh mission. The payload for this one is 221 00:09:23.810 --> 00:09:26.530 currently unknown, but ISPACE is clearly 222 00:09:26.530 --> 00:09:28.370 hoping this launch will restore some 223 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:29.850 reliability to their rocket. 224 00:09:30.280 --> 00:09:33.080 Avery: Then later that day, SpaceX is launching 225 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.440 its first batch of Starlink satellites. This 226 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:38.440 week, Group 1029 from 227 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:40.960 Cape Canaveral Falcon Booster 228 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.880 B1069 will be making its 229 00:09:43.880 --> 00:09:46.880 impressive 26th flight after 230 00:09:46.880 --> 00:09:49.240 a quick 37 day refurbishment. 231 00:09:49.560 --> 00:09:51.080 That's a true workhorse. 232 00:09:51.640 --> 00:09:54.440 Anna: China's CASC has a launch on July 233 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.840 30th with their Changxing 8A 234 00:09:57.370 --> 00:09:59.650 carrying an undisclosed number of Guawang 235 00:09:59.650 --> 00:10:02.250 communications satellites. These are part of 236 00:10:02.250 --> 00:10:04.530 China's planned mega constellation of 237 00:10:04.530 --> 00:10:07.530 Internet satellites, aiming to rival SpaceX's 238 00:10:07.530 --> 00:10:09.530 Starlink, at least within China. 239 00:10:10.010 --> 00:10:12.650 Avery: Also on July 30, we have a significant 240 00:10:13.290 --> 00:10:16.090 international mission, the joint NASA 241 00:10:16.090 --> 00:10:19.050 ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or 242 00:10:19.050 --> 00:10:21.890 NISAR satellite. This satellite is 243 00:10:21.890 --> 00:10:24.810 set to map Earth's elevation multiple times 244 00:10:24.810 --> 00:10:27.410 a month, focusing on ecosystem 245 00:10:27.410 --> 00:10:30.170 disturbances like earthquakes, tsunamis, 246 00:10:30.170 --> 00:10:32.970 volcanoes and ice sheet collapses. 247 00:10:33.530 --> 00:10:36.450 Anna: NASA is contributing the L band radar and 248 00:10:36.450 --> 00:10:39.050 a high rate telecommunications system, while 249 00:10:39.050 --> 00:10:41.890 ISRO is providing the satellite bus, the S 250 00:10:41.890 --> 00:10:44.170 band radar and the launch services from 251 00:10:44.170 --> 00:10:46.730 India. It's a great example of global 252 00:10:46.730 --> 00:10:48.490 collaboration in space science. 253 00:10:48.890 --> 00:10:51.810 Avery: Later that same day, SpaceX is back at 254 00:10:51.810 --> 00:10:54.540 it with another Starlink launch, Group 255 00:10:54.540 --> 00:10:57.260 134 from Vandenberg. 256 00:10:57.740 --> 00:11:00.620 This flight will mark Falcon's 500th 257 00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:03.060 recovery attempt, really underscoring 258 00:11:03.060 --> 00:11:05.100 SpaceX's commitment to reusability. 259 00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:08.500 Anna: And speaking of secretive payloads, Rocket 260 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:10.860 Lab is launching a suborbital mission called 261 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:13.660 Jake 4 on their haste testbed. 262 00:11:13.900 --> 00:11:16.460 This is a highly secretive government payload 263 00:11:16.460 --> 00:11:19.340 believed to be a hypersonic reentry missile. 264 00:11:19.750 --> 00:11:22.150 Rocket Lab has completed three HASTE missions 265 00:11:22.150 --> 00:11:24.430 so far, showing a growing demand for 266 00:11:24.430 --> 00:11:26.830 launching payloads to suborbital space at 267 00:11:26.830 --> 00:11:28.070 hypersonic speeds. 268 00:11:28.390 --> 00:11:30.750 Avery: Another unknown payload is scheduled to 269 00:11:30.750 --> 00:11:33.750 launch from China on July 31, with 270 00:11:33.750 --> 00:11:36.630 X Pace's Kuaizhou 1A rocket 271 00:11:36.790 --> 00:11:38.550 making its 30th mission. 272 00:11:39.030 --> 00:11:41.510 Anna: But perhaps the biggest highlight of the week 273 00:11:41.590 --> 00:11:44.150 is SpaceX and NASA's Crew 11 274 00:11:44.150 --> 00:11:46.550 mission to the International Space Station. 275 00:11:46.630 --> 00:11:49.530 On July 31, four astronauts, 276 00:11:49.530 --> 00:11:52.130 including NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike 277 00:11:52.130 --> 00:11:55.130 Finke, JAXA's Kamiya Yui and 278 00:11:55.130 --> 00:11:58.010 Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platanov, will head to 279 00:11:58.010 --> 00:12:00.730 the ISS for a six month mission of Science 280 00:12:00.730 --> 00:12:01.370 and research. 281 00:12:01.930 --> 00:12:04.810 Avery: And of course, in true SpaceX fashion, the 282 00:12:04.810 --> 00:12:07.530 Booster B1094 will 283 00:12:07.530 --> 00:12:10.330 attempt a return to launch site landing. And 284 00:12:10.330 --> 00:12:13.090 the crew Dragon capsule Endeavor will be 285 00:12:13.090 --> 00:12:15.870 flying to the ISS for the sixth time as 286 00:12:16.020 --> 00:12:18.740 after 515 days of refurbishment. 287 00:12:19.300 --> 00:12:21.780 Anna: Wrapping up the week, SpaceX has a third 288 00:12:21.780 --> 00:12:24.700 Starlink mission on August 2nd. And then on 289 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:27.300 August 4th, another Chinese Changzang 12 290 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:29.460 rocket will launch from Winchinchuang 291 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:32.460 carrying more Guawang satellites. Given 292 00:12:32.460 --> 00:12:34.500 that this is the second launch of Guawang 293 00:12:34.500 --> 00:12:37.060 satellites this week, it looks like China is 294 00:12:37.060 --> 00:12:39.380 pushing hard to expand its constellation 295 00:12:39.380 --> 00:12:42.020 rapidly, aiming to fulfill its goal of 296 00:12:42.020 --> 00:12:44.420 13,000 satellites and provide 297 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:47.020 reliable Internet for its people. It's 298 00:12:47.020 --> 00:12:49.260 certainly going to be a busy week for space 299 00:12:49.260 --> 00:12:49.860 watchers. 300 00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:53.380 From the incredible pace of launches, let's 301 00:12:53.380 --> 00:12:55.420 shift our focus to something even more 302 00:12:55.420 --> 00:12:58.420 fundamentalthe very definition of where life 303 00:12:58.420 --> 00:13:01.180 can exist. A groundbreaking new study 304 00:13:01.180 --> 00:13:03.300 is challenging our traditional views on 305 00:13:03.300 --> 00:13:06.020 habitability, proposing that life doesn't 306 00:13:06.020 --> 00:13:07.700 always need sunlight to thrive. 307 00:13:08.340 --> 00:13:10.980 Avery: That's right, Anna. Uh, this study, led by 308 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:13.940 Demetra Attri at NYU Abu Dhabi, 309 00:13:14.530 --> 00:13:17.370 suggests that high energy radiation from deep 310 00:13:17.370 --> 00:13:20.210 space, specifically galactic cosmic 311 00:13:20.210 --> 00:13:22.890 rays, could actually support life in 312 00:13:22.890 --> 00:13:25.770 dark underground environments on planets like 313 00:13:25.770 --> 00:13:28.530 Mars and moons such as Europa and 314 00:13:28.530 --> 00:13:31.370 Enceladus. It really flips the script on 315 00:13:31.370 --> 00:13:33.650 what makes a planet or moon livable. 316 00:13:33.730 --> 00:13:36.570 Anna: It's fascinating because we usually associate 317 00:13:36.570 --> 00:13:39.410 ionizing radiation with harm damage to 318 00:13:39.410 --> 00:13:42.190 cells, DNA and proteins. Space 319 00:13:42.190 --> 00:13:44.990 agencies even consider cosmic rays a major 320 00:13:44.990 --> 00:13:47.350 threat to astronauts. But this research 321 00:13:47.350 --> 00:13:49.670 highlights another side. In certain 322 00:13:49.670 --> 00:13:52.150 environments, radiation doesn't just destroy, 323 00:13:52.390 --> 00:13:53.430 it creates. 324 00:13:53.910 --> 00:13:56.710 Avery: Exactly. When these energetic charged 325 00:13:56.710 --> 00:13:59.550 particles hit ice or rock, they can break 326 00:13:59.550 --> 00:14:02.070 apart water molecules in a process called 327 00:14:02.070 --> 00:14:05.070 radiolysis. This reaction releases 328 00:14:05.070 --> 00:14:07.840 electrons and other useful products. On 329 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.440 Earth, we found bacteria in deep South 330 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:13.240 African gold mines that use these electrons 331 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:15.680 as an energy source, much like plants use 332 00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:17.920 sunlight for photosynthesis, thriving 333 00:14:17.920 --> 00:14:20.360 kilometers below the surface without any 334 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.200 light at all. 335 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:23.840 Anna: So Autry's team used a, uh, physics 336 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.400 simulation tool to calculate how much energy 337 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:29.080 cosmic rays could deposit beneath the 338 00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:31.200 surfaces of Mars, Europa and 339 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:34.200 Enceladus. They then estimated how much 340 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:37.080 of that energy could support life, leading to 341 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.680 a new concept they call the rhz, 342 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:42.480 or Radiolytic Habitable Zone. 343 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:45.640 Avery: This RHZ shifts the focus away from 344 00:14:45.640 --> 00:14:48.360 the traditional Goldilocks zone, that sweet 345 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:50.640 spot around a star where temperatures allow 346 00:14:50.640 --> 00:14:53.120 for liquid water. Instead, the 347 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.040 RHZ looks underground at places where 348 00:14:56.040 --> 00:14:58.240 water, ice and cosmic radiation 349 00:14:58.560 --> 00:15:01.120 combine to create energy rich environments. 350 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:03.760 It depends on how much radiation penetrates, 351 00:15:03.760 --> 00:15:06.320 uh, a planet's thin atmosphere or icy shell, 352 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:08.120 and how deep it can reach. 353 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:10.960 Anna: Their simulations showed that Saturn's moon 354 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.760 Enceladus actually had the greatest potential 355 00:15:13.760 --> 00:15:16.560 to support life through radiolysis. With 356 00:15:16.560 --> 00:15:19.280 Mars following closely and Jupiter's moon 357 00:15:19.280 --> 00:15:21.920 Europa coming in third. These icy 358 00:15:21.920 --> 00:15:24.320 bodies, often thought of as lifeless because 359 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.840 of their cold, sunless surfaces, could 360 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:29.240 harbor dense underground ecosystems 361 00:15:29.400 --> 00:15:31.000 fueled by this radiation. 362 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:33.880 Avery: And the key here, as with so many discussions 363 00:15:33.880 --> 00:15:36.360 about extraterrestrial life, is water. 364 00:15:37.020 --> 00:15:39.020 Even small pockets of liquid water 365 00:15:39.020 --> 00:15:41.220 underground would allow these chemical 366 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:43.940 reactions to happen more easily, providing a 367 00:15:43.940 --> 00:15:46.540 medium for complex molecules to form and 368 00:15:46.540 --> 00:15:49.380 react. It means those suspected oceans 369 00:15:49.380 --> 00:15:52.060 beneath the ice of Europa or Enceladus 370 00:15:52.140 --> 00:15:54.540 could be prime locations for alien life. 371 00:15:54.860 --> 00:15:57.620 Powered by cosmic rays hitting the surface 372 00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:57.980 ice. 373 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:00.980 Anna: This study truly broadens our definition of 374 00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:03.980 habitability. Life might not need warmth from 375 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:06.380 a star or even geothermal heat from a 376 00:16:06.380 --> 00:16:09.140 planet's core. Cosmic rays, long 377 00:16:09.140 --> 00:16:11.700 feared, could actually be a life giving 378 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:12.500 energy source. 379 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:14.980 Avery: In the right conditions, it completely 380 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:17.460 redefines where we might look next. Instead 381 00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:20.300 of just focusing on warm, sunlit worlds, we 382 00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:23.020 can now consider cold, dark places. As long 383 00:16:23.020 --> 00:16:25.020 as they have some water beneath the surface 384 00:16:25.020 --> 00:16:27.740 and are exposed to cosmic rays, it 385 00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:29.940 offers hope that the universe may be teeming 386 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:32.540 with life, quietly thriving in hidden 387 00:16:32.540 --> 00:16:34.890 oceans, powered by the stars themselves. 388 00:16:35.370 --> 00:16:37.890 Anna: What an episode. Avery. We've journeyed from 389 00:16:37.890 --> 00:16:40.570 the puzzling mysteries of Uranus and its 390 00:16:40.570 --> 00:16:42.610 strangely dark moons, which are still 391 00:16:42.610 --> 00:16:45.290 baffling scientists, to the incredibly 392 00:16:45.290 --> 00:16:47.930 dynamic local hot bubbles surrounding our 393 00:16:47.930 --> 00:16:48.570 solar system. 394 00:16:48.810 --> 00:16:50.970 Avery: It's been a whirlwind. And let's not forget 395 00:16:50.970 --> 00:16:53.130 the sheer excitement of this week's launch 396 00:16:53.130 --> 00:16:55.730 roundup. With so many missions heading into 397 00:16:55.730 --> 00:16:58.090 space, including crewed flights and 398 00:16:58.170 --> 00:17:00.570 groundbreaking Earth observation satellites. 399 00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:03.920 Anna: Absolutely. But perhaps the most mind bending 400 00:17:03.920 --> 00:17:06.800 discussion was about the radiolytic habitable 401 00:17:06.800 --> 00:17:09.120 zone, pushing the boundaries of where life 402 00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:11.400 could exist beyond our traditional sun 403 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:14.120 drenched views. It really makes you rethink 404 00:17:14.120 --> 00:17:15.240 what's possible out there. 405 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:17.760 Avery: It certainly does. It's been a privilege to 406 00:17:17.760 --> 00:17:20.000 share all this incredible space and astronomy 407 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.480 news with our listeners today. Don't forget, 408 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:24.600 if you want more news and commentary from us, 409 00:17:24.760 --> 00:17:27.720 simply visit astronomydaily.IO. 410 00:17:28.010 --> 00:17:30.130 Anna: We hope you enjoyed exploring the cosmos with 411 00:17:30.130 --> 00:17:32.450 us on Astronomy Daily. Thank you for tuning 412 00:17:32.450 --> 00:17:34.450 in, and we look forward to sharing more 413 00:17:34.450 --> 00:17:36.970 cosmic insights with you in our next episode, 414 00:17:36.970 --> 00:17:39.530 which will be tomorrow, of course. Until 415 00:17:39.530 --> 00:17:40.810 then, keep looking up.