Mars’ Olympus Mons May Awaken!

A new study of Martian gravity conducted by an international team of astronomers has revealed a large area of weaker gravity beneath the Tharsis Plateau, where Olympus Mons is located.

This is most likely a giant magmatic plume extending about 1,600 km—essentially, a flow of lava slowly rising from the planet’s interior.

In the future, this process may well lead to an eruption of the largest volcano in the Solar System, dormant for millions of years. Moreover, three neighboring smaller volcanoes might also become active.

The summit of Olympus Mons stands at an altitude of 22 km, effectively beyond the Martian atmosphere. Therefore, it would eject smoke and lava into space. However, according to scientists’ forecasts, the volcano itself would be completely destroyed by this eruption, should it occur.

A MASSIVE X7.1 Solar Flare Has Occurred on the Sun—it became the second most powerful in the last seven years.

Scientists are expecting strong geomagnetic storms rated G3 to G5 and auroras across the entire Northern Hemisphere.

An enormous plasma ejection will hit Earth on the night from Friday to Saturday.

A Robotic Hand That Detaches and Crawls—But Don’t Be Alarmed, It’s All Part of the Plan!

Engineers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and MIT have unveiled a five-fingered robotic hand that can detach from its main manipulator and crawl independently. Operating autonomously, the hand can grasp objects beyond the reach of the primary robot, then return and reattach itself.

Each finger of the robotic hand has four degrees of freedom and can bend in both directions relative to the plane of the hand. The developers used a genetic algorithm to determine the optimal number of fingers and their placement on the cylindrical palm.

In the basic configuration, the autonomous hand uses only two fingers to grasp and hold one, two, or even three objects, while the remaining fingers are employed for locomotion.

This innovation could be extremely useful for working in confined spaces.

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People seem to have stopped fearing ichthyosaurs altogether – now they’re regarded as the first evolutionary attempt at creating dolphins. But ichthyosaurs came in many forms – some were very large, very predatory, and very toothy.

The reputation of ichthyosaurs as true monsters can be restored, for example, by the Himalayasaurus, despite its name, found in Tibet in the 1970s (not entirely despite the name, its full name is Himalayasaurus tibetensis) – even present-day Tibet was once the ocean floor. This leviathan reached 15 meters in length and weighed about 35 tons, making it one of the largest predators in the planet’s history.

Recently, they found a relative of the Himalayasaurus, with much smaller teeth, which, nevertheless, managed to bite off the tail of another massive marine reptile and swallowed the rest, somehow managing to eat something about two-thirds of its own size. It seems that the Himalayasaurus could have swallowed an average-sized Tyrannosaurus rex whole, without even biting off the tail! However, it would have been difficult for them to meet – the Himalayasaurus lived in the Triassic period, 215 million years ago, meaning that less time has passed between T. rex and us than between Himalayasaurus and T. rex.

I’m not sure what it was swallowing instead of Tyrannosaurs, but it is believed that this Triassic sea titan was the strongest of all known Mesozoic predators.

@science

Exploring Ancient Life in 2-Billion-Year-Old Rocks

Scientists have made an extraordinary discovery in the Bushveld Igneous Complex of South Africa, where 2-billion-year-old rocks host microbial life. These microorganisms have thrived deep underground, inside mineral-filled veins, without sunlight or significant external energy sources. Advanced imaging techniques, including infrared and electron microscopy, revealed colonies of microbes in clay-sealed veins, indicating that these ancient environments could have supported life for billions of years.

In 1963, Polaroid’s chemists marked a breakthrough in photography.

For over 15 years, they tested more than 5,000 different reagents, all with the goal of perfecting the process of color printing.


#history #science

We are continuing our survey to learn more about where our readers are from. The interim results can be seen in the chart here. It’s amazing to see that Science is being read in all corners of the globe! Thank you for your support and participation!

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Severe geomagnetic storms, reaching up to G4 class or even higher, are expected on Earth from Thursday to Friday. These storms could also be the longest-lasting of the year.

🚀✨ A Rare Celestial Visitor is Approaching Earth! 🌌🌠

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, a comet discovered in 1965, is making its closest approach to Earth this month – a sight that won’t happen again for thousands of years! This icy wanderer will be visible through binoculars or small telescopes, offering a rare chance to catch a glimpse of a comet that’s been traveling through the cosmos for millions of years.

Mark your calendars for mid-October, when it will be closest to us, passing at a distance of about 33 million miles (53 million kilometers). The best viewing time will be just before dawn, as it appears near the constellation Cancer.

🌠 Fun fact: Comets like Tsuchinshan-ATLAS are considered “time capsules” from the early solar system, containing ancient materials that date back billions of years.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the mysteries of the universe! 🪐🔭 #CometTsuchinshanATLAS #Astronomy #Stargazing #SpaceExploration #CosmicWonders

A comet passes by the Sun!

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), which under certain conditions is currently visible to the naked eye, has been captured by the SOHO spacecraft. In the center of the image, the Sun is obscured by a coronagraph, while solar eruptions can be seen all around.

#science #space #comet

Wow, those new Ilon Musk bots are awesome!

@science #robots

Scientists have developed a pill that could replace exercise and dieting.

The drug, called LaKe, activates muscle metabolism and improves endurance by mimicking the effects of prolonged physical activity.

Additionally, the pill reduces fat levels and provides other health benefits—much like running a 10-kilometer race.

Initial tests on mice have already shown positive results, and the next step will be human trials.

👍 — This is exactly what we need!

Today, SpaceX successfully caught its Super Heavy booster for the first time using “mechanical arms.”