Category Archives: Space

Exploding stars led to humans walking on two legs, radical study suggests

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Scientists say surge of radiation led to lightning causing forest fires, making adaptation vital

It was the evolutionary leap that defined the species: while other apes ambled around on all fours, the ancestors of humans rose up on two legs and, from that lofty position, went on to conquer the world.

The benefits of standing tall in the African savannah are broadly nailed down, but what prompted our distant forebears to walk upright is far from clear. Now, in a radical proposal, US scientists point to a cosmic intervention: protohumans had a helping hand from a flurry of exploding stars, they say.

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100 years on: the picture that changed our view of the universe

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Arthur Eddington’s photograph of the 1919 solar eclipse proved Einstein right and ushered in a century where gravity was king

A hundred years ago this month, the British astronomer Arthur Eddington arrived at the remote west African island of Príncipe. He was there to witness and record one of the most spectacular events to occur in our heavens: a total solar eclipse that would pass over the little equatorial island on 29 May 1919.

Observing such events is a straightforward business today, but a century ago the world was still recovering from the first world war. Scientific resources were meagre, photographic technology was relatively primitive, and the hot steamy weather would have made it difficult to focus instruments. For good measure, there was always a threat that clouds would blot out the eclipse.

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Black hole may have swallowed neutron star, say astronomers

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Scientists analyse whether gravitational wave detectors picked up signs of collision

Astronomers may have spotted a neutron star being swallowed by a black hole for the first time, marked by a belch of gravitational waves rippling across the cosmos.

If confirmed, the detection by the twin Ligo detectors in the US and the Virgo detector in Italy would be the first evidence that black holes and neutron stars can pair up in binary systems. The observations could also reveal new details about the nature of such dramatic mergers, including whether the neutron star was ripped apart before crossing the black hole’s threshold or whether it slid seamlessly into oblivion.

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International Space Station hit by major power shortage

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SpaceX delivery delayed after old power-switching unit malfunctions

The International Space Station has been hit by a major power shortage that has forced a delivery from SpaceX to be delayed.

SpaceX was supposed to launch a shipment on Wednesday. But an old power-switching unit malfunctioned at the space station on Monday and knocked two power channels offline. The six remaining power channels still worked normally, according to Nasa.

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Most ancient type of molecule in universe detected in space

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Helium hydride is thought to have played starring role in early universe

The most ancient type of molecule in our universe has been detected in space, scientists have revealed, backing up theories of how the early chemistry of the universe developed after the big bang.

The positively charged molecule known as helium hydride is believed to have played a starring role in the early universe, forming when a helium atom shared its electrons with a hydrogen nucleus, or proton. Not only is it thought to be the first molecular bond, and first chemical compound, to have appeared as the universe cooled after the big bang, but it also opened up the path to the formation of molecules of hydrogen.

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Plane with world’s longest wingspan takes off and successfully lands – video

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A manned giant six-engine aircraft with the world’s longest wingspan – surpassing Howard Hughes’s infamous Spruce Goose – took off from California on its first flight on Saturday. The twin-fuselage Stratolaunch jet lifted off from Mojave air and space port and climbed into the desert sky 70 miles north of Los Angeles. It successfully landed two hours later. The aircraft is designed to carry as many as three satellite-laden rockets under the centre of its enormous wing, which stretches 385ft, or 117 metres

Airplane with world's longest wingspan takes flight, beating Spruce Goose record

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Airplane with world’s longest wingspan takes flight, beating Spruce Goose record

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Stratolaunch jet, brainchild of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, may be used to launch small satellites into space

A giant six-engine aircraft with the world’s longest wingspan – surpassing Howard Hughes’ infamous Spruce Goose – took off from California on its first flight on Saturday.

The behemoth, twin-fuselage Stratolaunch jet lifted off from Mojave Air and Space Port and climbed into the desert sky 70 miles north of Los Angeles. It landed two hours later.

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‘We have not managed to land successfully’: Israel’s moonshot fails

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Spacecraft crashes in to lunar surface after engine and communications breakdown

An Israeli spacecraft has crashed into the lunar surface, ending the first privately funded attempt to land on the moon.

About the size of a washing machine, the 585kg (1,290lb) robotic lander experienced an engine and communication failure in the last seconds of touchdown.

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Black hole picture captured for first time in space breakthrough

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Network of eight radio telescopes around the world records revolutionary image

Astronomers have captured the first image of a black hole, heralding a revolution in our understanding of the universe’s most enigmatic objects.

The picture shows a halo of dust and gas, tracing the outline of a colossal black hole, at the heart of the Messier 87 galaxy, 55m light years from Earth.

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‘A terrible thing’: India’s destruction of satellite threatens ISS, says Nasa

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Space agency chief says shooting down of satellite has created 400 pieces of orbital debris

India’s destruction of one of its satellites has been labelled a “terrible thing” by the head of Nasa, who said the missile test created 400 pieces of orbital debris and posed a threat to astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Jim Bridenstine was addressing employees five days after India shot down a low-orbiting satellite in a missile launch that it says elevated the country to the elite tier of space powers.

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Nasa cancels all-female spacewalk, citing lack of suit in woman’s size

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Space agency blames shortage of outerwear after first-of-its-kind mission falls through

Nasa’s plans for an all-female spacewalk have fallen through – at least in part because the agency doesn’t have enough spacesuits that fit the astronauts.

Early this month, Nasa announced that Christina Koch and Anne McClain would take part in the first-of-its kind mission on 29 March, walking outside the international space station (ISS) to install new batteries. In the past, missions have been all-male or male-female.

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SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashes down successfully in Atlantic

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Nasa’s quest to resume manned space flight from the US moves a step closer

The SpaceX commercial astronaut capsule has splashed down successfully in the Atlantic Ocean, marking a significant step in Nasa’s quest to resume manned space flight from the US.

The Crew Dragon capsule, whose lone occupant was a test dummy named Ripley, spent a week docked at the International Space Station (ISS) before returning to Earth on Friday morning.

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Nasa astronauts to carry out first all-female spacewalk

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Christina Koch and Anne McClain to make history at International Space Station on 29 March

The first all-female spacewalk is to take place later this month, 35 years after a woman first took part in one.

The US space agency Nasa said astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain will walk outside the International Space Station on 29 March on a mission to replace batteries installed last summer.

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SpaceX Crew Dragon docks at International Space Station

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Capsule is the first US-made, designed-for-crew spacecraft to dock in eight years

SpaceX‘s new crew capsule has arrived at the International Space Station, completing its second milestone in just over a day.

No one was onboard the Dragon capsule that launched on Saturday on its first test flight, only an dummy.

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SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launches successfully

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Launch brings US plans to resume sending people into space in own spacecraft closer

Astronauts could be flying again from US soil as early as this summer after the flawless launch of SpaceX’s privately built Crew Dragon capsule opened “a new era in American excellence”, according to the head of the space agency Nasa.

Related: Spacewatch: Nasa to launch new crewed craft in 2019

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‘FarFarOut’: Nasa astronomer finds potential furthest object in solar system

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Mystery shrouds ‘very faint’ planetary body that appears to be 140 times further from the sun than Earth

A new object has been discovered in the distant reaches of our solar system and given the name FarFarOut, according to a prominent astronomer.

At 140 times further away from the sun than our own planet is, the newly identified body – if its discovery is confirmed – will become the furthest known object in our solar system.

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Japan’s Hayabusa 2 successfully touches down on Ryugu asteroid

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The probe was due to fire a pellet into the surface of the asteroid to try to capture dust

A Japanese spacecraft has successfully touched down on a speeding asteroid 300 million kilometres from the Earth as it attempts an audacious manoeuvre to collect samples and bring them back for scientists to study.

The Hayabusa 2 probe touched down on the asteroid Ryugu at around 11:30pm GMT on Thursday. Data from the probe showed changes in speed and direction, indicating it had reached the asteroid’s surface, according to officials from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

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Nasa confirms Mars rover Opportunity is dead

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Robot the size of a golf buggy has sent data to Earth for 15 years but fell silent eight months ago and Nasa says mission is complete

Nasa declared the 15-year mission of the veteran Mars rover Opportunity finally over on Wednesday, crediting the robot as having “transformed our understanding of our planet”.

The golf buggy-sized vehicle last made contact with Earth eight months ago, after being caught in a global dust storm.

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Giant leap for art: Lichfield Cathedral to become ‘lunar landscape’

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Installation will transform cathedral floor to mark 50 years since Apollo 11 moon landing

It’s hard to imagine anything less like a lunar landscape than the medieval glories of Lichfield Cathedral. But this summer, an artist will transform its magnificent tiled floor into a representation of the moon’s surface to mark half a century since Neil Armstrong took “one small step for [a] man and one giant leap for mankind”.

The three-spired cathedral in Staffordshire has commissioned the art installation as part of its annual summer show, which this year is called Space, God, the Universe and Everything. Peter Walker, the cathedral’s artist-in-residence, will also use light and sound installations inspired by space and the planets.

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