Jupiter and Neptune are hitting Earth with a Comet
In 20 years, scientists believe that Jupiter’s strong gravitational field will pull asteroids and comets into the Solar System. However, recent research shows that Jupiter and Neptune are in fact “throwing” these objects into the inner Solar System, raising the possibility that one day an object could hit the Earth. .
Sources: JPL
There is liquid water on Pluto
Judging by data from NASA’s New Horizons probe, there is an ocean no less than 100 kilometers deep beneath Pluto’s 300-kilometer-thick ice crust. The salinity of this ocean is about 30% – equivalent to the Dead Sea on Earth.
Sources: Brown University
There are no less than 15.000 large asteroids in near-Earth space
As part of a program launched by NASA in 2005, scientists are currently discovering an average of 30 new objects in the Solar System each week. In contrast, in 1998, this number was only found over the course of one year.
Sources: Sci-news
What did the Earth 4,5 billion years ago look like?
If we travel back in time and see the Earth 4,5 billion years ago, we will notice that the color of the Earth is not blue but red yellow. Around our planet there are debris that formed the Moon after the collision between Earth and Theia. Then the Moon was as bright as the Sun is today and affects our planet’s gravity 25 times more.
The influence of the Moon has led to huge lava flows on Earth. In addition, our planet can rotate once on its axis in just 6 hours.
The Solar System may not yet have a ninth planet
Mathematical modeling indicates that the Solar System may have a ninth planet 20 times further from the Sun than Neptune. It is believed to be 10 times the mass of the Earth. And it will have a name when officially confirmed found.
Sources: The Astronomical Journal
There may have been life on Mars
A self-driving vehicle that roams the surface of Mars non-stop (Mar Rover Curiosity) has discovered traces of boron in some rocks inside a crater on the Red Planet. The presence of this element suggests that there was once water on the surface of Mars, which may have once existed.
Sources: LANL
COROT-7b – volcanic planet where rocks fall like rain
This exoplanet is very close to its star, so the surface temperature is hot enough to vaporize rocks and gravel condensing in the air. It can also turn hail into a lake of molten lava.
Sources: wikipedia
There may be habitable planets orbiting the nearest stars
In August 8, scientists discovered the exoplanet Proxima B, which orbits the habitable zone around the star Proxima Centauri. Its surface temperature matches that of liquid water. If scientists can figure out whether the planet has a magnetic field and an atmosphere, it’s entirely possible that Proxima B could harbor life.
Sources: QMRO
Stephen Hawking has launched a program to search for extraterrestrial life
Mr. Hawking’s plan involves building a spacecraft that uses thousands of miniature instruments to search for habitable planets. The ultimate goal of the project is to reach Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to us. The spacecraft would have to reach 20% of the speed of light, which would make it possible to reach the distant star in just 24 years.
Sources: breakthroughinitiatives
To realize how small we are, check out this photo
The diameter of VY Canis Majoris, one of the most massive stars, is approximately 2000 times that of our Sun and 155.000 times that of Earth.
Sources: businessinsider
Scientists have found evidence to confirm the existence of black holes
In February 2, scientists discovered evidence for the existence of gravitational waves. To this day, this discovery has confirmed the existence of black holes. Furthermore, if scientists can study the waves formed by the Big Bang, they will eventually be able to identify the mechanism that led to the formation of the Universe.
Sources: Caltech
Venus once had life
Today, Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System. However, about 4 billion years ago, there were liquid oceans that existed for about 2 billion years. This shows that Venus was completely capable of life before.
Sources: ESA
Saturn’s rings and moons are younger than the age of the dinosaurs
Saturn has 62 satellites and several rings. Recent data suggest that the planet’s ring formation did not coincide with itself (about 4 billion years ago). Computer modeling has shown that most of the gas giant’s moons and all of its rings appeared relatively recently, when dinosaurs were still roaming the Earth.
Sources: Space
