New images released by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed a beautiful red butterfly in space some 1,400 light years away from the sun. But actually it is not a butterfly, but a massive cloud of dust and gas, in shape of a butterfly, which serves as a nursery for hundreds of baby stars. Officially named Westerhout 40 (W40) the butterfly, is a nebula ― a giant cloud of gas and dust in space where new stars are born.
The butterfly’s two “wings” are giant bubbles of hot interstellar gas blowing from the hottest most massive region of stars. Inside the massive clouds of gas and dust, the force of gravity coalesces materials into dense clumps and clusters. Sometimes, when the clumps reach a critical density, stars are formed at the cores of these dense clumps. Radiations and winds spew out millions of tons of gas and dust out into space when those stars eventually explode and subsequently halts new star formation. The Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope revealed that the red tinge of the W40 nebula is due to the presence of organic molecules of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in an excited state.
Some of the youngest stars are surrounded by dusty disks of materials, which glow with a yellow or red hue. The Spitzer Space Telescope is managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California while the Science Operations are conducted at Spitzer Science Center at Caltech in Pasadena.
The first ever all-female spacewalk, a historical leap for womankind, has been canceled for now due to lack of space-suit of the right size. The spacewalk, although, was not meant to be a historical moment and was scheduled as a routine to change the powerful lithium-ion batteries of the International Space Station (ISS). The significance of the original lineup for the Friday’s “extravehicular activity” (EVA) was recognized only after the schedule was discussed in a meeting, said NASA officials at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The two astronauts, Anne C. McClain, and Christina H. Koch would both need to wear a medium-size torso―essentially the shirt of the spacesuit― component. Ms. McClain had thought that she would be able to work in a large sized torso, but after her spacewalk last Friday, she wore a medium-size torso and learned that it fit her better. Of the two medium-size torso only one is readily available at the International Space Station. The other one has yet to be configured properly for a spacewalk and could take hours. Instead of that NASA decided to simply switch out the astronauts. The mission itself is unchanged.
On Friday, Ms. Koch is still scheduled to participate, along with a fellow male astronaut Nick Hague. In the end, both women will have done a spacewalk ― just not together. The lithium-ion batteries being installed on this mission store solar energy when the space station, orbiting earth at a distance of 200 miles is not directly receiving sunlight.
NASA’s spaceship New Horizon, launched in 2006, started its voyage with the aim to explore the uncharted territories beyond the solar system. On January 1, 2019, this spaceship threw a New Year gift to astronomy enthusiast across the globe when it flew-by close to a mysterious tiny rock revolving around the sun for billions of years in the dusk. The powerful cameras of New horizon captured closest images of the body, named as Ultima Thule – officially known as MU69. It is the farthest object visited by mankind.
It was reported on March 18th, 2019 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference that this double-lobed distant world caught by New Horizon space draft created in the early days of the solar system. That gentle crash, plus the Frankenstein body, suggests that planetesimals like Ultima Thule form from clouds of dust and rock clumping together under the force of their own gravity. Before New Horizons, it wasn’t clear if these proto-planets formed from cloud collapse or from small rocks slowly sticking together to form larger rocks over time.
Ultima Thule
The further new analyses by a team of researchers
show that this tiny space rock formed from a rotating cloud of even
smaller rocks that collapsed into two individual objects. Those objects then
gently collided in the early days of the solar system. The first map of the
space rock’s geology may help explain that flatness. The map shows distinct
mounds on both lobes whose borders are still visible today.
The quickening development of the universe is the perception that the extension of the universe is to such an extent that the speed at which a far off cosmic system is subsiding from the eyewitness is constantly expanding with time.
The expanding universe
The quickened development was found amid 1998, by two autonomous activities, the Supernova Cosmology Project and the High-Z Supernova Search Team, which both utilized far off sort Ia supernova to quantify the acceleration. The thought was that as sort 1a supernovae have nearly the equivalent natural brilliance (a standard flame), and since articles that further away seem dimmer, we can utilize the watched splendor of these supernovae to gauge the separation to them. The separation would then be able to be contrasted with the supernovae’s cosmological redshift, which estimates how much the universe has extended since the supernova occurred. The surprising outcome was that objects known to mankind are moving far from another at a quickened rate.
Cosmologists at the time expected that subsidence speed would dependably be decelerating to the gravitational fascination of the issue known to man. Three individuals from these two gatherings have consequently been granted Nobel Prizes for their discovery. Confirmatory proof has been found in baryon acoustic motions, and in examinations of the grouping of cosmic systems.
Dark energy expansion
Supernova observations.
The first evidence for acceleration came from the observation of Type Ia supernovae, which are exploding white dwarfs that have exceeded their stability limit. Because they all have similar masses, their intrinsic luminosity is standardizable. Repeated imaging of selected areas of the sky is used to discover the supernovae, then follow-up observations give their peak brightness, which is converted into a quantity is known as luminosity distance. Spectral lines of their light can be used to determine their redshift.
Bryon acoustic osscillations
In the early universe, before recombination and decoupling occurred, photons and matter existed in a primordial plasma. Purposes of higher thickness in the photon-baryon plasma would contract, being compacted by gravity until the weight turned out to be excessively substantial and they extended again. This constriction and extension made vibrations in the plasma similar to sound waves. Since dim issue just communicates gravitationally it remained at the focal point of the sound wave, the cause of the first overdensity. While decoupling happened, around 380,000 years after the Big Bang, photons isolated from the issue and could stream uninhibitedly through the universe, making the astronomical microwave foundation as we probably are aware it.
Supernova expansion
This left shells of baryonic matter at a fixed span from the overdensities of a dull issue, a separation known as the sound skyline. As time passed and the universe extended, it was at these anisotropies of issue thickness where systems began to shape. So by taking a gander at the separations at which worlds at various redshifts will in general bunch, it is conceivable to decide a standard precise measurement separation and utilize that to contrast with the separations anticipated by various cosmological models.
Dark energy
The most imperative property of dim vitality is that it has negative weight (frightful activity) which is circulated moderately homogeneously in space. P=wc^2p where c is the speed of light and ρ is the vitality thickness. Diverse hypotheses of dull vitality recommend distinctive estimations of w, with w < − 1/3 for vast speeding up. The most straightforward clarification for dull vitality is that it is a cosmological steady or vacuum vitality; for this situation w = −1. This prompts the Lambda-CDM display, which has for the most part been known as the Standard Model of Cosmology from 2003 through the present since it is the least difficult model in great concurrence with an assortment of late perceptions. Riess et al. discovered that their outcomes from supernovae perceptions favored growing models with positive cosmological consistent (Ωλ > 0) and a current quickened development (q0 < 0).
Phantom energy
Current perceptions permit the likelihood of a cosmological model containing a dull vitality part with the condition of state w < −1. This ghost vitality thickness would end up unbounded in limited time, causing such a gigantic gravitational aversion, that the universe would lose all structure and end in a Big Rip. For instance, for w = − 3/2 what’s more, H0 =70 km·s−1·Mpc−1, the time staying before the universe finishes in this Big Rip is 22 billion years. Theories for the consequence to the universe As the universe extends, the thickness of radiation and standard dull issue decays more rapidly than the thickness of dim vitality and, in the long run, dim vitality commands. In particular, when the size of the universe pairs, the thickness of issue is decreased by a factor of 8, yet the thickness of dim vitality is about unal-tered (it is actually steady if the dull vitality is a cosmological consistent).
In models where dull vitality is a cosmological consistent, the universe will extend exponentially with time in the far future, coming ever nearer to a de Sitter spacetime. This will, in the long run, lead to all proof for the Big Bang vanishing, as the inestimable microwave foundation is redshifted to bring down forces and longer wavelengths. In the long run, its recurrence will be low enough that it will be consumed by the interstellar medium, as for being screened from any onlooker inside the universe. This will happen when the universe is under multiple times its present age, prompting the finish of cosmology as we probably am aware it as the far off universe turns dim.
An always growing universe with non-zero cosmological steady has mass thickness diminishing after some time, to a dubious moment that zero issue thickness is come to. Every issue (electron, protons, and neutrons) would ionize and break down, with articles disseminating without end. Options for a definitive destiny of the universe incorporate the Big Rip referenced over, a Big Bounce, Big Freeze or Big Crunch.
A bunch of the glimpses of Super worm moon at the night of 20th March 2019 around the globe which is the 3rd and last super moon of the year 2019. What makes this full moon additionally unique is that it is harmonizing with the spring equinox in the Northern side of the equator.
The Super worm equinox moon captured in Nyon, Switzerland.
Nyon, Switzerland
Nyon, Switzerland
The mesmerizing Super worm moon in Brennan 20th March 2019.
Brennan 20th March 2019
A beautiful view of Super worm moon in new England spring equinox 2019.
New England
The previous evening’s super worm moon over Preston. The third and final super moon of 2019.
HORSEHEAD (IC 434) & FLAME (NGC 2024) NEBULAE UNDER
CITY LIGHTS – (MUHAMMAD ALI)
Shown here is a narrowband image of a horsehead and flame nebulae taken under a heavy light polluted city. Muhammad Ali is one of the founding members of Lahore Astronomical Society (LAST) and a passionate astrophotographer.
DATE & LOCATION:
November-December 2018. Lahore, Pakistan.
A horse head and flame nebulae
PLANETS PASSING INFRONT OF THE CORE OF MILKYWAY GALAXY
– (ABUBAKER SHEKHANI)
The night sky is not black and it is evident here in this image of a portion of Sagittarius arm of Milky Way galaxy taken from a dark site away from city lights. Abubaker shekhani is one of th founding members of Karachi Astronomers Society (KAS).
DATE & LOCATION:
March 2018. Ranikot Fort, Sindh, Pakistan.
Sagittarius arm of Milky Way galaxy
AIRBUS A380 TRANSITING WANING GIBBOUS MOON – (MIAN
MATEEN)
It is a quite a sight when you are looking at moon and suddenly a plane passes in front of moon. Exactly this happened when Mian Mateen was taking images of moon and suddenly Thai Airways Airbus A380 made a silhouetted pass in front of moon.
DATE & LOCATION:
December 2018. Lahore,
Pakistan.
Thai Airways Airbus making a silhouetted pass in front of the moon.
SAGITTARIUS ARM OF MILKYWAY GALAXY, MARS & NANGA
PARBAT – (MYRA AHMAD)
This image of Sagittarius arm of Milky Way galaxy taken from Fairy Meadows. From up there, one can have amazing views of Nanga Parbat aka Killer Mountain (8126 m) under billions of stars. Myra Ahmad being a medical student is very passionate about astronomy & astrophotography as well.
DATE & LOCATION:
August 2018. Fairy Meadows, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan.
We all are the descendants of the first form of life originated about 4 billion years ago o the planet Earth. Yet the complexity increases so is the study on the different life form existing and their way of origination. Science tells us that the life emerges as a result of reproduction of the daughter cells. Bu how the first form of life originated is a question of research among scientists.
Cassini flew by plumes of Enceladus
Enceladus
– Saturn’s ocean world
Five
mid-sized Saturn’s moons Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys,
Dione and Rhea orbit within Saturn’s E ring, beyond the main ring system. These
are nearly spherical moons and have relatively low density and high albedo. The
interiors of these moons are made up of water ice surrounding a small silicate
core, whereas the surfaces are composed mainly of water ice.
All surfaces of moons in
the E ring, except Enceladus, are dominated by impact craters and have been
considered as geologically inactive for billions of years. The high albedo and
relatively young un cratered geology of wide areas on Enceladus was discovered
during Voyager Saturn flybys. In 2004-05 Cassini performed a number of flybys
of Saturn’s icy satellites.
Clearly, the most spectacular discovery was the geological activity near Enceladus’ South Pole. An anomaly in the magnetic field near Enceladus observed by the Cassini Magnetometer in February 2005, led to a closer flyby to investigate the phenomenon. On 14 July 2005 Cassini performed a flyby of Enceladus with the closest approach of ~ 168 km from the moon’s surface. The onboard Cassini’s Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) acquired images of Enceladus’ South Polar Terrain (SPT) and discovered jets of icy particles emitting from 135 km long fractures, situated at ~ 55°S latitude. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) aboard Cassini pointed out endogenic activity from SPT. The CIRS instruments detected 3 to 7 gigawatts of thermal emission from the SPT centered on the four linear stripes, the so-called “tiger stripes”.
Image NASA
The High Rate Detector (HRD) of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) onboard Cassini observed a great increase in the flux of icy dust particles jettisoned from Enceladus’ the South Pole into space. The analyses made clear that many of these ice particles escape Enceladus’ gravitational influence and form the E ring. Likewise, the onboard Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) detected water gas emerging from the same surface area. The onboard Ultraviolet and Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) observed the gas plume.
A potential astrobiological candidate
The Cassini’s instruments
(INMS and CDA) already provided evidence of an organic enriched Enceladian
plume gas and ice grains, which indicate interesting subsurface chemistry and
maybe even prebiotic chemistry.
In 2015, Cassini makes a
final deep dive into Enceladus’ south polar plume and detected molecular
hydrogen. In the beginning, the source of this molecular hydrogen was not
clear, whether it comes from the breakup of water molecule inside the
instrument or it comes directly from Enceladus’ subsurface ocean. But finally,
scientists found out that molecular hydrogen, they detected, originated
directly from the subsurface ocean of Enceladus.
Image NASA
Scientists found a large
quantity of molecular hydrogen emerging from Enceladus, which is produced
continuously probably from a hydrothermal vent in a similar way as it is
produced in hot vents at the bottom of Earth’s ocean. In these earth’s
hydrothermal vents, we know some of the earth’s oldest life forms —
microorganisms exist. These microorganisms are called methanogens, which are
found near hydrothermal vents without light and oxygen. These organisms convert
hydrogen and carbon dioxide to methane. For them, molecular hydrogen is candy
for these microbes. According to chief scientists on this project, if these
earth’s methanogens transfer to Enceladus subsurface ocean, they can be
survived because they would have food in the form of molecular hydrogen.
Recently a group of scientists in NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory did breakthrough research in this regard in order to propose the presence of life on other planets. Knowing the fact that the first life was formed at the hydrothermal vent. The scientists used beakers filled with a matte that were present in the primordial ocean. These resembling hydrothermal vents at the lab level acted as reservoirs for the building blocks of life. If we have these hydrothermal vents here on Earth, possibly similar reactions could occur on other planets, said JPL’s Erika Flores, co-author of the new study.
As known by the progress of science, amino acids and different organic compounds are important to form a living system. Researchers mixed water, minerals, and the amino acids precursor pyruvate and ammonia, an essential element of life. Astrobiologist Laurie Barge, the lead investigator and the first author on the new study, said Understanding how far you can go with just organics and minerals before you have an actual cell is really important for understanding what types of environments life could emerge from.
Image NASA
In hydrothermal vent where life formed first, the hot fluids releasing from Earth cracks interact with the Coldwater of the ocean creating a flux necessary for the life to develop and evolve. Keeping in mind the condition present there, barge and her team heated their beakers at 158°For 70°C at an alkaline pH. Since in early time the Earth was preoccupied with mineral iron hydroxide or the Green Rust than from Oxygen so the team removed oxygen from a mixture and kept the atmosphere similar for accurate results. Barge said investigating how things like the atmosphere, the ocean and the minerals in the vents all impact, this can help you understand how likely this is to have occurred on another planet.
The presence
of green rust with minimal oxygen in the beakers lead to chemical reaction
forming amino acid alanine and alpha hydroxy lactate. The latter is the
by-product of the amino acid reaction which many scientists have theorize can
form complex organic compounds that lead to life.
This research of finding ingredients of life by Barge and her team was a result of nine years ofhardwork. It was a completely new work done in this domai. The early basis on this topic was laid by JPL chemist Michael Russell who worked on whether ingredients of life are found at hydrothermal vents and what amount of energy flux is present there. Barge and her team are hoping to find more ingredients and inch her way up the chain of life. We have shown that in geological conditions similar to early Earth, and maybe to other planets, we can form amino acids and alpha hydroxy acids from a simple reaction under mild conditions that would have existed on the seafloor.
This line of research is important as scientists study worlds in our solar system and beyond that may host habitable environments. Understanding how life could start in an ocean without sunlight would assist scientists in designing future exploration missions, as well as experiments that could dig under the ice to search for evidence of amino acids or other biological molecules.
The future Mars missions could return samples from the Red Planets rusty surface, which may reveal evidence of amino acids formed by iron minerals and ancient water. We don’t have concrete evidence of life elsewhere yet,said Barge. But understanding the conditions that are required for life origin can help narrow down the places that we think life could exist
Modern-day Journalism is changing its trends on a daily bases and swift towards the digital versions. In a continuously changing scenario, a science writer needs to make headway on some skills to create its place in the digi-tal universe. Here I am narrating a bunch of tips to make your way out as a science writer in mainstream media. I would like to assure that one can build its career on solid basis within a year or so by following these guide-lines. A decade ago, writers would’ve had to put a lot of effort and time even an entire life to get a significant post in media but today a science writer fully equipped with modern techniques can be successful within a few months.
Go Social
Journalism is all about socializing and getting involved with as many persons as one can, specifically related to media. What one needs to learn is to break the walls and come out from its comfort zone. One should be more accustomed to outreaches and frequently got visited those places where he/she can meet media professionals and further enhance public relation. It can be a workshop in universities, science exhibitions, conferences, or seminars.
People to know
Science communication is a mandatory part if you are willing to work as a science journalist. The social media is also a tool that helps to get in quick touch with people around and to make close contacts. This will help you to keep updated from all the activities is happening nationwide. The more you connect with local and international science communities, the more you will be keep updated about scientific breakthroughs and advancement.
Are you social media savvy?
It would be great if you already are a Social media Savvy because social media is playing a vital role in communication around the globe. For a layman, it might a way of liking or commenting on celebrity’s posts and pages or watching videos only, but there is something beyond his imag-ination. It is a free ticket to link worldwide and helps him to grow and evolve. In Pakistan, social media accounts of a science communicator are important more than anything else because we are lacking in scientific research and genuine platforms to get recognition through our talent.
Public Relation is more important
Consequently, public relation is more important for a science writer, just evaluate yourself, how many Science editors of mainstream media you personally know about? Initially, whether you are getting paid or not, write for everyone, use the viewership or readership of news channels to build your audience. Your publications on mainstream news websites will lead you towards the scientific societies of Pakistan and later globally.
Language
Urdu is definitely our national language and one should prefer Urdu writing to get more engagements in public. However, being a bilingual writer will give you great exposure. At least, an intermediate level English writing skills will help you to reach more field related people than Urdu. So if you are not influential in any of these two languages, getting start learning, though there is not a perfect tool but reading more English magazines and books will eventually help you to further horn your English writing skills.
Be Technical
As the world is growing faster one should fully be equipped with technical knowledge and skills that eventually drag down his efforts at a faster pace. Since basic photo editing and video editing is an essential part of modern-day digital writing, a little knowledge of word press will also help in the speedy approach. It will be great to run a personal blog in order to get recognition until you grow in mainstream media.
So! What are you waiting for? Just muscles up and take a fresh breath, kick off your science writing career as a blogger. But one should keep in mind that success and failure are parts of life, none of them are final. It is the courage, determination, and persistence that count. Good Luck to you all.
A series of science festivals organized by Khwarizmi Science Society
The Khwarizmi Science Society (KSS) is one of Pakistan’s most active science associations: organizing seminars, national workshops, public and popular lectures, sponsoring students’ science projects, maintaining an online magazine “Takveen”, screening video presentations and science movies, and arranging field visits and symposiums of high quality. Most of these events are announced and reported in the local press and locally published science communiqués.
The major objectives of the KSS include but not limited to scientific meetings and dialogue, encouraging students to take up careers in science, Student-scientist interaction, Popularization and public dissemination of science, Fostering collabo-rations between individuals and organizations, and Resource Sharing.
The Khwarizmi Science Society (KSS) is a pioneer in bringing the communities closer to the world of science. 2019 has been a remarkable year for those involved in science outreach. The series of science-fests and Astro-fests initiated by the KSS two decades ago continues as two major events were held in the areas surrounding Lahore.
The year started with a positive note when the KSS took its mobile science lab to Harsukh School located in a farmhouse near Bedian Road on 29th January. The people at Harsukh were equally welcoming and were able to gather students and parents from other schools as well. Apart from scientific exhibitions demonstrated by the KSS, the team at Harsukh gave it a cultural touch by adding music, art, and color to it.
The second event of the year took place at Syedanwala Higher Secondary School, Girls Campus, Kasur when scientific exhibits were put up for public observation. The exhibits comprised of mathematical games, Newton’s cradle and snake pendulum explaining basic concepts of physics and telescopic observation.
The ground was full of people keen to dive into the world of science. The students at Syedanala School created some of the most colorful scientific exhibits and explained scientific concepts to the public on the go. Moreover, butterfly and insect collections and stuffed species specimens were also available for public observation. A team from LUMS introduced the art of calligraphy to the visitors as well.
Like the previous events, these science-fests were open to all and invited people of all ages, genders, and walks of life. The KSS looks forward to continuing this journey of scientific outreach this year with even bigger and inclusive events by making them reachable to as many people as possible.
Scientists’ expertise has long been crucial for nuclear negotiations — as exemplified by Ali Akbar Salehi of Iran and Ernest Moniz of the United States. Credit: Thomas Imo/Photothek/Getty
Just days ago, it looked as if India and Pakistan were ready to go to war. Ambulance drivers and trauma surgeons were told to cancel leave; airports were shuttered and the skies cleared of commercial flights. The world held its breath as the two nuclear-armed nations shot down each other’s fighter jets. Thankfully, both sides have stepped back.
By coincidence, US–North Korea nuclear talks in the same week ended prematurely with no deal. North Korea will, however, continue its moratorium on nuclear tests for now, while the United States continues to suspend major joint military activities with South Korea.
The United States and North Korea are at least beginning to climb the ladder towards disarmament, however shakily. The South Asian countries, by contrast, are not even on the first rung. The big lesson from these most recent events is the need for an urgent global, or at a minimum bilateral, effort — one that includes researchers — to address the risks of undeclared nuclear arsenals. Stockpiles, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, are expanding.
Scientists have been at the heart of the most successful nuclear agreements, from the Soviet–US talks that laid the foundations for the global Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996 to negotiations in 2015 on what is known as the Iran nuclear deal.
Researchers are central because they have advanced knowledge of the science and technology of nuclear-weapons development, testing, dismantling and verification. Indeed, it is often researchers such as Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and former US energy secretary Ernest Moniz — who both worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge — who negotiate and write the words.
Historically, nuclear diplomacy has focused on global agreements; the latest is the troubled Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which opened for signature on 20 September 2017. But India and Pakistan — along with Israel — will not sign until the five permanent nuclear-weapons states (the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom) agree to do so, and that is even less likely. A more effective approach would be to build on existing agreements, starting with a 30-year-old bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, in which scientists and engineers from each side swap lists of facilities, with their governments pledging not to attack.
This accord could be broadened to include a pledge that lists are accurate and that neither side will attack essential infrastructure, especially large dams, says Toby Dalton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington DC. He adds that the countries could also agree to exchange information on the ability of domestic extremist groups to acquire nuclear technology.
This could be instigated by each country’s scientists, or through membership of the InterAcademy Partnership of scientific academies that work together on global problems. They have a duty to use these links, and their influence with the media and politicians, to take this step.
One of the biggest hurdles to all such undertakings, bilateral or multilateral, is an understanding that the greater threat is doing nothing towards disarmament. In that respect, the US–North Korea talks are at least in play. Eventually, India and Pakistan also need to begin a formal process. The people of South Asia were genuinely shaken by last week’s military action. The world can no longer afford to live with the risk that this action could have led to all-out war.
Nature567, 5 (2019)
The editorial was originally published in Nature, 6th March 2019 and is re-publishing here with prior permission.
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