Category: 7. Science

There’s a meme that’s been floating around on social media recently, offering encouragement to turn our everyday perspective upside down.

“In the entire Universe, wood is rarer and more valuable than diamonds.”

While diamonds are surprisingly common in the Universe – being made from (very abundant) carbon crystallised in the high pressures of asteroid collisions and gas giant atmospheres – wood is stupendously rare.

It requires life and a whole succession of evolutionary inventions, like DNA and photosynthesis, not to mention the presence of liquid water and a stable atmosphere.

As far as we know, these conditions exist only on Earth. 

And if wood is rare, what about an intelligent, self-aware, communicative and inquisitive being, such as… you?

Life elsewhere in the Universe

In 1961, Frank Drake came up with an equation to calculate the odds of intelligent life evolving, known as the Drake Equation.

It has five factors:

1. the rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of life (some stars are very unstable or violent)
2. the fraction of those stars with planets
3. the number of planets per star that are suitable for life
4. the fraction of those planets on which life actually appears
5. the fraction of those on which intelligent life evolves

Currently, we only have numbers for the first two: we know there are around six or seven new stars born each year in the Milky Way, and it seems likely that the majority of stars have at least one planet.

Estimates for the number of those planets suitable for life (meaning the planet needs to be the right size and temperature) suggest hundreds of millions of potentially habitable planets in our Galaxy.

How many of those actually develop life we can only guess about.

So far, we only know it happened on our planet, but if we’re optimistic, we could assume that simple algae-like life develops on most suitable planets.

However, algae is a far cry from trees. And making the jump from trees to intelligent life?

Again, we can only guess.

Whether or not you’re an optimist, life must certainly be one of the most rare and most precious things in the Universe.

How rare is life?

Drake extended his equation to consider the chance of finding other intelligent civilisations by adding two further factors:

6. the fraction of civilisations that develop technology that we could detect (such as radio signals, laser beams or spaceships)
7. the length of time those civilisations exist for (considering the vast distances of space).

Humans have only been making signals that could be detected in space for about 100 years.

If you put all this together with some reasonable guesses, you end up with about one planet with intelligent life per galaxy at any one time.

So, we’re it!

That means that human life – your life – is extraordinarily rare and that all life is deeply precious. You are one of the most incredible beings that has ever been created by this Universe.

Our mental health takes a plunge when we see ourselves and the life around us as something that doesn’t matter.

The ecosystem then becomes just something to serve us and we stop caring.

But, by turning this perspective upside down and recognising the value and rarity of life, we find a deeper connection and appreciation for all living things.

This article appeared in the August 2025 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine

One of the James Webb Space Telescope’s superpowers is its ability to investigate the cosmic dawn, the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

The telescope has once again lived up to its reputation, spotting light from a galaxy which existed only 280 million years after the Big Bang, the most distant ever detected.

Known as MoM-z14, it displaces the previous record holder, JADES-GS-z14-0, which existed 300 million years after the Big Bang.

How Webb sees galaxies at the beginning of time

When looking for these distant galaxies so early in the Universe, the James Webb Space Telescope investigates objects with high redshift.

Redshift, often denoted by z, is where the wavelength of light becomes stretched as it travels to us through expanding space.

The redder the light, the higher the redshift and the more distant the object.

You may have heard of the phenomenon in the case of sound; it’s similar to how an ambulance siren drops in pitch as the vehicle speeds away from you. 

By detecting redshifted light with JWST’s infrared instruments, astronomers can determine the distance and composition of early galaxies.

What Webb found at MoM-z14

The newly discovered galaxy, MoM-z14, has a redshift of just over 14.

While the detection of such a distant object is impressive, what’s more surprising is the existence of these galaxies themselves.

“JWST has revealed a stunning population of bright galaxies at surprisingly early epochs, z > 10, where few such sources were expected,” the authors noted in their early pre-publication study.

At this stage in the Universe’s history, astronomers had not anticipated detecting any galaxies using JWST.

Instead, they have found more than 100 relatively bright galaxies from the period just after the cosmic dawn.

JWST observations have also identified the presence of heavier elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, in MoM-z14.

This suggests that even earlier, less chemically evolved galaxies exist.

These galaxies, composed solely of the light elements hydrogen and helium, are still waiting to be discovered.

The researchers comment: “JWST appears poised to drive a series of great expansions of the cosmic frontier – previously unimaginable redshifts, approaching the era of the very first stars, no longer seem far away.”

On July 28, 2025—an asteroid roughly 230 feet across (think the size of a large airplane) named 2025 OW will zip past Earth at nearly 47,000 miles per hour, sailing by at a comfortable distance of about 393,000 miles—that’s about 1.6 times farther than the Moon.But before you grab your flashlight and bunker gear, take some deep breaths. NASA says this is completely routine. Even though the rock is big enough to get attention, it poses absolutely no threat to Earth.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) stress that fast-moving space rocks are just part of everyday life in the solar system. “Close approaches happen all the time,” NASA’s media specialist Ian J. O’Neill told ABC News, “and if there was any threat, you’d hear about it clearly from us.”So yes, the asteroid is big—but its orbit is mapped out with precision, and scientists know exactly where it’s going to be for the next century. In short: no surprises, no panic, just routine monitoring.

Can you see it? Not this time

Curious to catch a glimpse of 2025 OW through binoculars or a telescope? Don’t bother. According to Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA, it won’t be visible to the naked eye or standard backyard gear. But the stage is set for a much cooler spectacle coming in 2029, when asteroid Apophis makes an even closer pass—close enough to be visible from Earth without equipment

Just how often do asteroids come close?

A lot more than you’d think. Smaller rocks and space dust—about 100 tons daily—hit Earth harmlessly as they burn up in the atmosphere. Larger asteroids, like 2025 OW, pass near Earth every few years, but Earth impacts of that size happen roughly once every 10,000 years.For real danger to become a concern, the object would have to be at least 460 feet wide and close enough to cross Earth’s orbit in a risky way. 2025 OW doesn’t tick those boxes, even though it’s bigger than 150 feet

What’s next after 2025 OW? Apophis 2029

The next head-turner in asteroid news is 99942 Apophis, due to zoom past Earth in April 2029, at just 38,000 km—which is closer than geostationary satellites. It’s about 1,100 feet wide, and early predictions of possible impact have since been ruled out for at least the next century, according to NASA.“Asteroid Apophis will safely pass close to Earth on April 13, 2029,” NASA says. Monitoring asteroids like 2025 OW is part of NASA’s planetary defense mission—basically an early-warning radar for killer space rocks. Even if most asteroids pose zero risk, the idea is to catch potential threats before they get close, so we can plan mitigation—think spacecraft diversion or evacuation strategies. When objects like YR4 or Apophis show up, scientists run simulations, refine orbits, and assess risk over years.So yes, a plane-sized asteroid is cruising by Earth on July 28th, but there’s no cause for alarm. Space is busy with close calls all the time—most of which we don’t even feel or notice. NASA’s tracking programs give us peace of mind—and a reason to stay excited about cosmic neighbors we never see.Keep an eye on the headlines for 2029’s Apophis, which might actually put on a visible-light show. And don’t sweat 2025 OW—it’s a friendly reminder of our ongoing lunar and planetary watchdog operations.

SpaceX launched 24 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit early Sunday morning (July 27), on the company’s second flight in less than 24 hours dedicated to growing its megaconstellation.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 12:31 a.m. EDT (0431 GMT or 9:31 p.m. PDT local on July 26) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The flight marked the 19th flight for the Falcon’s first stage (B1075), which successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship positioned in the Pacific Ocean.

For many years, NASA has explored deep space using radioisotope power systems. These nuclear power systems generate electricity for spacecraft and scientific instruments by converting the heat released from the natural decay of radioactive materials.

The radioisotope plutonium-238 (plutonium oxide) has been NASA’s go-to heat source fuel. However, interest in using americium-241 has long existed. Now, NASA, in collaboration with the University of Leicester, is turning that interest into reality by putting americium-241 to the test.

The project centers around a free-piston Stirling convertor, which turns radioisotope heat into electricity. Unlike traditional engines that use crankshafts, the Stirling convertor operates with pistons that float freely inside the engine. This design minimizes wear since it doesn’t rely on piston rings or rotating bearings. As a result, the convertor can produce more energy over time, supporting longer, more demanding deep space exploration.

The test setup featured contributions from both collaborators. The University of Leicester supplied the heat source simulators and generator housing, while NASA Glenn’s Stirling Research Lab provided the test station, convertor hardware, and support equipment. The Stirling generator testbed was powered by two electrically heated americium-241 heat source simulators, which were the same size as the real ones.

The test yielded satisfactory results. One key strength of the testbed design, as witnessed from the test, is its ability to sustain electrical power even in the event of a Stirling convertor failure. This breakthrough points to a viable future for the Americium-Radioisotope Stirling generator as a dependable energy source for extended deep space missions.

I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.

Earth’s underground networks of fungi need urgent protection, say researchers — the guardian

Scientists from the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (Spun) have created the first high-resolution biodiversity maps of Earth’s underground mycorrhizal fungal ecosystems.

The research, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, found that 90% of the biodiverse hotspots of mycorrhizal fungi were in unprotected ecosystems. Loss of the ecosystems could lead to reductions in carbon drawdown, crop productivity and ecosystem resilience to climate extremes.

Mycorrhizal fungi have “remained in the dark, despite the extraordinary ways they sustain life on land”, said Dr Toby Kiers, the executive director of Spun.

“They cycle nutrients, store carbon, support plant health, and make soil. When we disrupt these critical ecosystem engineers, forest regeneration slows, crops fail and biodiversity above ground begins to unravel … 450m years ago, there were no plants on Earth and it was because of these mycorrhizal fungal networks that plants colonised the planet and began supporting human life.

“If we have healthy fungal networks, then we will have greater agricultural productivity, bigger and beautiful flowers, and can protect plants against pathogens.”

Sex at birth is not always random — mum’s age and genetics can play a part — nature

In families with several children of the same sex, the odds of having another baby of that sex are higher than of having one of the opposite sex, according to a large study¹ that investigated the maternal and genetic factors that influence the sex of offspring.

The results, published in Science Advances today, find that in families with three boys, there is a 61% chance that the next sibling is male. For families with three girls, there was a 58% chance that the next child would be female. […]

The authors note that changes in vaginal pH as women age could explain this phenomenon. For instance, the changes could influence the sex of the child by affecting whether sperm carrying the X chromosome or the Y chromosome are more successful at fertilizing the egg, says Polyakov.

From Cochise to Congress: How Local Extremism Threatens Wolves—and the Endangered Species Act — counterpunch

This spring, after a few confirmed wolf-related livestock kills in Cochise County, Arizona, some ranchers claimed unverified additional losses and pushed county officials to take drastic action. Backed by industry groups and emboldened by national political shifts, they called for the Mexican gray wolf to be stripped of its endangered status and for the recovery program to be defunded—part of a broader nationwide campaign to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). […]

There are now no wolves in Cochise County. And this fact is being celebrated by those pushing the false narrative that we cannot coexist with wolves.

Such power plays distort policy, intimidate decision-makers, and create a chilling effect on any meaningful enforcement of the ESA. These wolves were part of the most genetically valuable population in the recovery program. The removals were clearly aimed at appeasing livestock interests, even though the recovery of wolves is a broadly-valued federal mandate under the ESA. Why do the loudest and most extreme voices—those pushing misinformation and hostility—get outsized consideration over wildlife watchers, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and the majority of the public who support wolf recovery?

New global study shows freshwater is disappearing at alarming rates — phys.org

New findings from studying over two decades of satellite observations reveal that Earth’s continents have experienced unprecedented freshwater loss since 2002, driven by climate change, unsustainable groundwater use and extreme droughts. The study, led by Arizona State University and published today in Science Advances, highlights the emergence of four continental-scale “mega-drying” regions, all located in the northern hemisphere, and warns of severe consequences for water security, agriculture, sea level rise and global stability.

The research team reports that drying areas on land are expanding at a rate roughly twice the size of California every year. And, the rate at which dry areas are getting drier now outpaces the rate at which wet areas are getting wetter, reversing long-standing hydrological patterns.

Record marine heat waves in 2023 covered 96% of oceans, lasted four times longer than average — phys.org

Heat waves aren’t just getting worse on land, the majority of the world’s oceans are experiencing record-breaking temperatures too. These marine heat waves are getting longer, more intense and reaching farther than ever before. In particular, 2023’s marine heat waves (MHWs) exhibited the longest duration, widest extents, and highest intensities on record—and 2024 wasn’t any better.

While humans might feel the impact of land-based heat waves more directly, these MHWs are affecting human activities in alarming ways too. MHWs disrupt marine ecosystems, causing coral bleaching, mass migration and the die-off of various types of sea life. This leads to the reduced availability of seafood resources and, ultimately, job and economic losses in many marine-dependent industries.

Watch the Earth split in real time: Stunning footage reveals a 2.5-meter fault slip in seconds — SCIENCE DAILY PLUS YOUTUBE VIDEO

A colossal 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked central Myanmar in March 2025, marking the strongest quake in over a century. What makes this event groundbreaking isn’t just the seismic power, it’s the unprecedented footage captured by a CCTV camera near the fault line.

Researchers at Kyoto University used this rare video to measure the fault’s movement in stunning detail, confirming a rapid, pulse-like rupture and a subtle curve in the slip path. This real-time visual data opens a new frontier in earthquake science, potentially transforming how we understand and predict seismic behavior.

Physicists discover new state of quantum matter — phys.org

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have discovered a new state of quantum matter. The state exists within a material that the team reports could lead to a new era of self-charging computers and ones capable of withstanding the challenges of deep space travel.

“It’s a new phase of matter, similar to how water can exist as liquid, ice or vapor,” said Luis A. Jauregui, professor of physics & astronomy at UC Irvine and corresponding author of the new paper in Physical Review Letters.

“It’s only been theoretically predicted—no one has ever measured it until now.”

Ancient Voice Box Finally Reveals How Dinosaurs May Have Sounded — science alert

Despite what the movies tell us, dinosaurs probably didn’t roar at their prey. It’s more likely that they chirped like birds, based on a well-preserved new fossil with an intact voice box.

A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered an almost-complete skeleton of a new dinosaur species in northeastern China.

This two-legged, 72 centimeter (2.4 foot) long herbivore was named Pulaosaurus qinglong after Pulao, a tiny dragon from Chinese mythology that, the story goes, cries out loudly.

Why penguins ride the currents instead of swimming straight home — earth.com

The findings suggest that the birds keep track of the changing tidal cycle and use it to their advantage.

Magellanic penguins are expert navigators. A new study shows they don’t just head straight home from foraging trips. They ride ocean currents and tides, save energy, and grab snacks along the way. […]

The results showed that penguins don’t follow the shortest path. Instead, they adopt curved, S-shaped routes shaped by tidal flows. These winding paths help them conserve energy and find more food.

Record-breaking divers are pushing human limits and reshaping scientists’ view of our species — bbc

Fascinating article not easily summarized- it includes detailed stories about divers who go to great depths, the consequences, and what scientists have learned from studying them.

Humans have a long history of diving to forage from the seabed and today elite freedivers are reaching greater depths than ever. Some researchers argue humans belong in the sea.

NASA unveils incredibly precise new satellite tool that anyone can use: ‘You can zoom in to your country, your state, your city block’ — yahoo news

NASA’s new web portal reveals ground movements across North America with precision that captures tiny shifts smaller than an inch, reported NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This tool helps people monitor the Earth’s movements, whether caused by natural phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic activity or human activities such as the extraction of underground resources.

By converting complex satellite radar signals into user-friendly visual maps, NASA has made what was once specialist knowledge available to everyday users.

“You can zoom in to your country, your state, your city block, and look at how the land there is moving over time,” said David Bekaert, OPERA project manager and radar scientist. “You can see that by a simple mouse click.”

Right now, you can explore data for areas such as the American Southwest, parts of Mexico’s northern region, and greater New York. The portal displays information for millions of spots on the map. When you click anywhere, you’ll see a chart showing that location’s movement history back to 2016.