NASA will be making a ‘big announcement’ about its upcoming Solar Probe Plus mission targeting the sun.

Extending its eye of exploration inward, NASA is ready to make a big announcement on May 31 regarding its new mission to explore the sun. The recently designed Solar Probe Plus will be launched in the summer of 2018 to examine the heart of our solar system. It will come closer to the star than any spacecraft launched before, approaching to within four million miles. That is well inside Mercury’s orbital distance, and it will be a part of space never before explored by humanity.

The Solar Probe Plus, Closer To the Sun Than Ever Before

Selam, the skeletal remains of a 3.3 million years old toddler, are bringing new data on the human spine.

The ancient skeleton of a 3.3 million years old baby, known as Selam, is bringing new evidence on the development of the human spine. This seems to indicate that humans were capable of walking around and running very much earlier than initially believed.

Selam is part of the Australopithecus afarensis, a species made famous thanks to “Lucy”. At the time, these were the earliest remains of a human ancestor. The skeleton of this baby was dated as being 3.3 million years old and was discovered in Dikika, Ethiopia.

Selam Comes With Unexpected Features

Selam presented quite an unexpected feature as its spine was noted to be very much similar to our own. This nearly complete skeleton displays 12 thoracic vertebrae and also has 12 pairs of ribs. It is one less than in most apps and comes sooner than expected.

This could make the Australopithecus afarensis a benchmark in the evolution process of ancient to modern human anatomy, according to the team.

“Selam has provided us the first glimpse into how our early ancestors’ spines were organized,” said Carol Ward. She is the study’s lead author and part of the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Previous research also tried to determine the start of the transition point towards bipedalism. But evidence only showed this to have begun taking place some 60,000 years ago. Although Selam only reached around 2.5 years, the age of her remains, about 3.3 million years, is vital for this study.

The study team also underlined out the importance of the place on the spine where the thoracic vertebrae start transitioning to the lower back. In Selam’s case, this happens at the level of the 11^th vertebra. This same location was noted in many of our ancestors, but not in modern humans. These have more vertebrae in their lower back.

Zeresenay Alemseged, who discovered Selam back in 2000, also pointed out its importance. He stated that this toddler skeleton represents one of the earliest evidence of the point and transition process of humans as they evolved to bipedalism.

Study results were released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Because of its bizarre dimming, Tabby’s is seen as one of the strangest stars in the galaxy.

Astronomers have been very busy over the weekend after a team of specialists noted that one of the strangest stars in the galaxy is once again at work. Tabby’s star is the reason behind all this hassle as it is once again inexplicably and bizarrely dimming its light.

Tabby’s is officially known as KIC 8462858 but is also commonly called “Boyaijan’s star”. This cosmic body started raising questions as scientists noted its unusual pattern of inconsistent dimming and brightening. These have led to the emergence of many hypotheses. They range from comets, moons, to its being an alien megastructure.

Now, scientists are once again turning their attention to Tabby’s star following an urgent call. On May 19^th, specialists asked as many people to turn their telescopes towards the sky in the hopes of gathering data on “Boyaijan’s star”.

One of the Strangest Stars is Dimming Once Again

The scientists to issue this call are hoping that thanks to the great number of telescopes trained towards the sky, they will manage to finally crack Tabby’s mystery.

“At about 4 a.m. this morning [May 19] I got a phone call … that Fairborn [Observatory] in Arizona had confirmed that the star was 3 percent dimmer than it normally is,” said Jason Wright.

He is an associate professor part of the Pennsylvania State University and manager of one of the studies on Tabby’s star. Wright took part in a live webcast on the matter.

He stated that this percentage confirms that the perceived dimming is not a statistical fluke. This also means that specialists have the chance to study the live dimming pattern of the star. Tabetha Boyajian, for whom the star is nicknamed, and her team, were the first to note these cycles back in September 2015.

Initially, scientists were expecting a regular series of brightening and dimming. This would be consistent with the star having a moon or being passed by a swarm of comets.

But Tabby’s changes are in line with neither. So scientists started taking greater attention to the cosmic body. Still, they were unable to predict the duration or appearance of the next dimming. So this latest pattern of dimming is a new chance at studying Boyajian’s.

It will offer scientists fresh new data on the matter, and more information than before. However, most point out that it will still take some time before an exact cause will be established.

Image Source: Wikimedia

NASA’s Opportunity just reached the main target of its current mission, the Perseverance Valley.

A NASA statement recently announced that the aerospace agency’s Mars Exploration Rover, the Opportunity, just reached the primary target of its current mission, the Perseverance Valley. The research team extended the rover’s current two-year mission so it could take a closer look at this interesting location.

The “Perseverance Valley” is a fluid-carved valley which was incised on the inert slope at the rim of a vast crater on Mars. Opportunity started getting close to the area in early May and has since started beaming back data.

Next Target: The Perseverance Valley

Images taken by the rover’s camera offer a better look at the different areas of this valley. Previously, researchers had to work with images captured from orbit above Mars. Now, they can start turning to the high-resolution images taken by the Opportunity.

“The science team is really jazzed at starting to see this area up close and looking for clues to help distinguish among multiple hypothesis about how the valley formed,” stated Matt Golombek.

He is an Opportunity Project Scientist and part of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California. Golombek points out that research has yet to determine how the Perseverance Valley came to exist.

This was carved into the rim of the Endeavour Crater, some billions of years ago, by a process still unidentified. Scientists put forth and are analyzing a number of possible factors. For example, water could have helped shaped this valley.

Or it could have been the result of a debris flow. As water lubricated a mix of boulders and mud, this may have helped form a path that later developed into a valley.

Perseverance Valley may have even appeared as the result of wind erosion, a much drier process than the other variants.

Now, Opportunity’s primary target for this mission is to try and determine which was the most likely cause. It will do so by gathering data from any of the remaining evidence. Scientists hope that this information will help them determine the most likely formation process.

Image Source: NASA

Researchers recently spotted a rare and bizarre phenomenon in Antarctica known as the dragon skin ice.

An international team of researchers just revealed that they recently spotted a rare and odd phenomenon in Antarctica. Referred to as the “dragon skin ice”, this was last noted in the region back in 2007. The scientists that witnessed it are currently on their way to the Ross Sea. On their way there, they are also taking a closer look at sea ice of Antarctica.

Guy Williams is a researcher at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. He is also part of the Ross Sea international expedition and the one to release the news about this strange phenomenon.

“Dragon-skin ice is very rare, bizarre evidence of a darker chaos in the cryospheric realm, not seen in Antarctica since 2007,” said Williams.

The Rare Dragon Skin Ice, An Explanation

Scaly sheets of ice characterize this rare phenomenon. These are similar to either dragon scales or the microscopic structures on a butterfly’s wing. Dragon skin ice is considered a rare sight. As it is, some point out that it might be a phenomenon characteristic of the Antarctica winter, which is still quite unexplored.

Dragon skin ice is said to be an effect of winds or waves on slushy ice. As either one of them hits the ice, it goes to sculpt into it into this unique fashion. Williams also noted that dragon skin ice might be a variation of the so-called “pancake ice”. This is the name given to sea ice that forms into small disks and then stacks upon one another.

The dragon skin was observed among Antarctica’s coastal polynyas. This is an area of open waters well known for its considerable production of ice which is driven forth and kept active by the force of katabatic winds.

The team of scientists is quite interested in these winds and area. They are studying the impact of the polynyas on both the local and global oceanography.

At the time of the dragon skin ice report, the international team of 27 researchers and its U.S. icebreaker, the Nathan B. Palmer, were stuck. They were stalled by the intense waves and winds in the area. As such, they were waiting for them to calm them to continue their study of the water beneath the ice shelf.

Image Source: Wikimedia

A team of scientists just named a newly discovered species of Ankylosaurus the Zuul crurivastator.

In a new publication in the Royal Society Open Science, researchers revealed their recent discovery of the Zuul crurivastator. The specimen, a new genus of the Ankylosaurus species, was discovered in the Judith River Formation of northern Montana.

As the team pointed out, this is the most intact ankylosaurus specimen found in North America to date. Bearing a Ghostbusters-inspired name, the newly discovered dinosaur bears a striking resemblance to the demonic demigod of the same name featured in the movie.

“Crurivastator” or the latter part of its name translates to “destroyer of shins”. Contradictory to its ominous title, this dinosaur was not a predatory animal. Instead, it appears to have been a peaceful vegetarian. One that reserved its clubbed tail only for predators.

The species most likely roamed North America, particularly the Judith River Formation area. It did so during the late Cretaceous period, about 75 million years ago.

Zuul Is Quite An Extraordinary Discovery

Typical finds from the Judith River Formation consists of teeth and bone fragments. The discovery of a partially mummified specimen with preserved soft tissue is considered exceptionally rare. Researchers also refer to this new specimen as ROM 75860 and regard it as one of the best finds from this region to date.

It could very well be the most complete ankylosaur skeleton found in North America, ever. With a complete skull, tail club, and viable soft tissue, it could prove to be of great help. Thanks to Zuul, scientists may better identify other ankylosaurines in future digs.

“ROM 75860 represents a new ankylosaurine genus and species, Z. crurivastator from the Judith River Formation.”

The completeness of the Zuul crurivastator makes it a pretty important as it could also help researchers better understand the evolution of the ankylosaur in the late Cretaceous period. It could also potentially indicate the richness in biodiversity of the Judith River Formation of northern Montana. In its turn, this may also place the region on the map for future potentially abundant finds.

Image Source: Wikimedia

Environmentalists are alarmed about the large scale deaths of some hundreds of leopard sharks.

Environmentalists are alarmed about the large scale deaths of some hundreds of leopard sharks that have been washing up dead in San Francisco Bay area. This is the highest death roll for these sharks in the last six years. This event is concerning because of its large numbers which mark the biggest yet decline of the leopard shark population. And it started happening not even two months ago.

Leopard Sharks Most Likely Affected By Toxins

Specialists consider toxins as the biggest problem and the probable cause of this situation. Both mature adults and newborns sharks may be dying because of them. The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation stated that the sharks died after consuming food infected with chemical waste. Trash and debris piled up in the Bay Area from waterways and drains.

“This is an issue of San Francisco Bay sharks and associated wildlife being exposed to toxic watershed … due to Tide Gate entrapment and subsequent discharges into the San Francisco Bay,” mentioned the foundation.

This problem is getting serious considering the fact that hundreds of leopard sharks have already died. Unfortunately, this shows, once again, that human activity may endanger and even kill animals. Environmentalists mentioned that more and more sharks are probably going to die. This is their usual pupping season. Because of it, leopard shark specimens are gathering to breed and mate during spring and summer. On their way, they can pass through shallow waterways, which can harbor the toxins.

Rainy seasons can increase the level of toxins found in these waters. As these toxins are washed out from the ground into the bay, they eventually make their way into fish. As these can get eaten by the sharks, they too are affected and infected. Sharks, like any other animals species, are important for the food chain, and this high die-off could bring unexpected consequences.

Sharks aren’t the only victims as other marine animals have washed up dead in San Francisco Bay as well. These included some manta rays and halibuts. The dead marine animals washed up in the San Francisco Bay area despite the fact that its waters are clean. Specialists named human-made lagoons, sloughs, and the saltwater marshes as the most likely source of the infection.

Image Source: Wikimedia

SOFIA, one of NASA’s associates, helped find a nearby planetary system, very similar to ours.

A NASA-affiliated telescope project captured hyper-detailed images that reveal a nearby planetary system remarkably similar to our own, only much younger at only 500 million-years-old.

Epsilon Eridani: Our Planetary System, Only Younger?

“It really is impressive how esp Eri, a much younger version of our Solar System, is put together like ours.”

A large pod of killer whales attacked a gray whale calf, launching a killing spree that’s been baffling scientists.

A large pack of orcas attacked a gray whale calf on April 20th, launching a killing spree that has baffled scientists. Since their first attempt, the group of killer whales killed at least five gray whale calves near Monterey Bay, California.

This Pod Of Killer Whales Already Made Over 5 Victims

Nancy Black, a marine biologist and co-owner of the Monterey Bay Whale Watch, calls the killing spree “unprecedented”. In an interview to the media, she says that she hasn’t seen anything like it in 30 years of experience. She also filmed a recent attack.

The killing is unusual, both in the size of the killer whale pod and in its efficiency. Ms. Black says that she witnessed the pack separate a gray whale calf from its mother in about 20 minutes. Such a feat would normally take hours. Although the first attack consisted of as many as 33 orcas, usually, such pods are made up of 5-10 killer whales.

Another surprising detail: pods of killer whales typically move in and out of the bay area. But in this case, they have held their position, presumably lying in wait for more gray whales and other prey.

Gray whales typically migrate 10,000-12,000 miles on a round trip, from lagoons in Mexico to their feeding grounds in the Arctic Seas. These attacks are preventing some from reaching their destination. However, one gray whale mother successfully defended her calf against the pod.

A reason for the attacks has yet to be established. Ms. Black theorizes that the orcas may be teaching their young to hunt since the youngest in the pod is not yet six months old. They could also be binge-feeding.

Whatever the reason, these killer whales likely won’t stop anytime soon. Since gray whales typically continue to migrate through May, they will have no shortage of prey.

Image Source: Wikimedia