Tag: Earth

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-Top News Science World

Powerful Solar Storm Could Disrupt Earth’s Communication, Power Grids

Alongside the breathtaking auroras, concerns loom over potential disruptions to Earth’s communications networks, tonight and into the weekend

A remarkable celestial event is underway as a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections dazzle the skies, potentially extending the spectacle as far south as Alabama and Northern California. However, alongside the breathtaking auroras, concerns loom over potential disruptions to Earth’s communications networks, tonight and into the weekend, CNN reported.

The rarity of this solar storm harks back to October 2003, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, marking a significant celestial occurrence not witnessed in many years.

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, voiced apprehension regarding the implications of the solar storm on our technologically reliant society. Drawing parallels to the Carrington Event of 1859, Nye emphasised the vulnerability posed by our heavy dependence on electricity and electronics, underscoring the potential ramifications should disruptions occur, as reported by CNN.

Despite existing mitigation measures, Nye cautioned that not all infrastructure, particularly transformers, may be adequately equipped to withstand the onslaught of such a solar event, leaving room for unforeseen complications.

Amidst an otherwise tranquil week, most regions of the Lower 48 States enjoy clear skies, offering prime viewing opportunities for the northern lights. However, some areas are less fortunate, with cloud cover obstructing the spectacle. From the Northeast to the Midwest, and parts of Texas and Louisiana, patches of clouds threaten to obscure the celestial display.

The ongoing geomagnetic storm has escalated to an “extreme” level, rated 5 out of 5 by the Space Weather Prediction Center, marking a significant escalation in solar activity not witnessed since 2003.

This surge in solar activity manifests in the form of mesmerising auroras, illuminating Earth’s poles with vivid displays of colour. However, the heightened solar activity also poses risks to communication networks, satellite operations, and high-frequency radio communications, prompting vigilance from authorities, including the Biden administration, according to CNN.

Scientists caution that the surge in solar flares and coronal mass ejections emanating from the sun could disrupt communications on Earth well into the weekend. The sun, currently in a phase of heightened activity known as solar maximum, is expected to continue its robust performance through mid-to-late 2024.

Solar cycles, characterised by fluctuations in sunspot activity, dictate the sun’s behaviour, transitioning from periods of relative calm to intense activity and back again. The current cycle, Solar Cycle 25, has exceeded expectations in terms of activity, with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center noting an uptick in sunspot counts compared to the previous cycle’s peak.

This heightened activity has been accompanied by potent solar flares and coronal mass ejections, phenomena that can disrupt Earth’s ionosphere, impacting communications and GPS systems with immediate effect. Additionally, spacecraft and astronauts face risks from energetic particles released by the sun, necessitating robust protection measures, CNN reported. (ANI)

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

Take a sip, make a difference

From earth's waste to mugs(ianslife)

The use of rice husk is a prime example of how sustainable alternatives can be found in unlikely places. This initiates restoration and a circular economy that benefits both the environment and local communities…reports Ronit Jain

Sustainability has become a hot topic in recent years, and for good reasons. As we become more aware of the aftermath of our actions on nature, looking for ways to reduce waste and live more sustainably will do the planet good and initiate rejuvenation. Even starting small, like switching from single use plastic to reusable, sustainable and durable mugs, can subsequently make a bigger difference and promote healthier lifestyle and planet.

But what is Earth’s Waste?

Agriculture is a vital industry that feeds the world’s population, it does however produce a vast amount of by-products. Every year around 500 million tons of crop residue is generated in India. The abundance of this agricultural waste presents a serious ecological problem owing to the release of carbon dioxide, long-lasting smoke and methane produced from its combustion.

Rice husk is the outer layer of rice grains that is removed during the milling process. It is a highly produced crop residue in India. Though when properly sourced, rice husk is ideal for product manufacturing as it is toxin-free, bio-degradable, and carbon-neutral, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional materials such as fragile ceramics and plastics. Not only does this help reduce waste and carbon emissions but also supports local farmers by providing a market for their crop residue.

The use of rice husk is a prime example of how sustainable alternatives can be found in unlikely places. This initiates restoration and a circular economy that benefits both the environment and local communities.

Mugs made out of Rice Husk are an excellent example of a sustainable product that provides consumers with a safer, healthier, and more eco-conscious option. They are durable and can withstand high temperatures, hence they are suitable for use with hot and cold beverages, making them a convenient option for everyday use and busy lifestyles.

We believe the search for safer and more eco-friendly alternatives is crucial and must continue as new technologies and materials emerge. By promoting the use of reusable materials and eco-friendly materials in product manufacturing, we can reduce the carbon footprint and mitigate the negative impact of these materials on the environment.

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-Top News USA

NASA’s Lucy captures images of Earth, Moon

NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures images of Earth, Moon ahead of gravity assist.

To reach these distant asteroids, the Lucy spacecraft’s trajectory includes three Earth gravity assists to boost it on its journey to these enigmatic asteroids…reports Asian Lite News

A NASA spacecraft named Lucy, the first mission to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, has captured an stunning image of Earth, along with a photo of the Earth and the Moon, as part of gravity assist to gain some of the orbital energy it needs to travel to this never-before-visited population of asteroids.

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft captured the image of Earth at a distance of 620,000 kms. The upper left of the image includes a view of Hadar, Ethiopia, home to the 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor fossil for which the spacecraft was named, the US space agency said in a statement.

Lucy is the first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, an ancient population of asteroid “fossils” that orbit around the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter.

To reach these distant asteroids, the Lucy spacecraft’s trajectory includes three Earth gravity assists to boost it on its journey to these enigmatic asteroids.

The image was taken with Lucy’s Terminal Tracking Camera (T2CAM) system, a pair of identical cameras that are responsible for tracking the asteroids during Lucy’s high-speed encounters.

The T2CAM system was designed, built and tested by Malin Space Science Systems; Lockheed Martin Integrated the T2CAMs onto the Lucy spacecraft and operates them.

Lucy spacecraft also captured an image of the Earth and the Moon from a distance of 1.4 million km.

These Earth flybys provide Lucy with the speed required to reach the Trojan asteroids – small bodies that orbit the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter.

On its 12-year journey, Lucy will fly by a record breaking number of asteroids and survey their diversity, looking for clues to better understand the formation of the solar system.

ALSO READ-NASA calls off Tuesday moon launch  

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-Top News Tech Lite

Axiom Space’s first private mission crew returns safely to Earth

At the conclusion of their mission, Ax-1 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy completed 17 days in space, NASA said…reports Asian Lite News

After spending about 17 days in space, American private space habitat company Axiom Space’s first-ever private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) safely returned to Earth on Monday.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft undocked from the space-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at 9:10 p.m. EDT, and had a splashdown off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 1:06 p.m. EDT on Monday.

“Splashdown! The #Ax1 astronauts have made a safe return to Earth in @SpaceX Dragon after completing the first all-private crew mission to the @Space_Station and paving a path for a future of innovation in low Earth orbit,” Axiom Space wrote in a tweet.

Ax-1 mission, which was initially planned for 10 days, was scheduled to arrive on Earth on April 20, but predicted bad weather in the splashdown zone pushed things back. And these poor conditions persisted, causing additional delays.

At the conclusion of their mission, Ax-1 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy completed 17 days in space, NASA said.

SpaceX Dragon Endeavour, the Ax-1 spacecraft, returns to Earth with more than 200 pounds of science and supplies, including NASA experiments and hardware.

“Thanks once again for all the support through this amazing adventure that we’ve had,” Lopez-Alegria shared on Twitter after undocking from the ISS.

“Even longer and more exciting than we thought. We really appreciate your professionalism, and with that we’ll sign off,” he added.

The four-person, multinational Ax-1 crew conducted work for more than 25 research projects.

The astronauts also assisted in delivering Axiom-sponsored research and manufacturing investigations on self-assembling technology for future space habitats, devices to purify air on space stations, and more.

The Ax-1 crew is the first all-private crew to travel to the ISS. Ax-1 is the first of several proposed Axiom missions to the ISS and an important step toward Axiom Station, the world’s first private space station in low-Earth orbit, which can serve as a global academic and commercial hub.

Elon Musk’s space venture SpaceX has been contracted to fly three more Axiom astronaut missions to the ISS over the next two years.

ALSO READ-UK space sector creates 3,000 jobs in a year

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-Top News UK News

UK working to clear up dangerous space debris

While two space debris clearing firms Astroscale and ClearSpace have been injected with funding to spearhead a UK mission to clear the junk from orbit…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK has turned its attention to getting rid of the around 900,000 pieces of debris currently orbiting Earth – which include spent rocket bodies and tools from astronauts.

The UK Space Agency is set to work with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to help make the sector more sustainable.

“The sustainability challenges this new era creates must be addressed as a priority to ensure that the space sector can thrive,” UNOOSA director Simonette Di Pippo said.

While two space debris clearing firms Astroscale and ClearSpace have been injected with funding to spearhead a UK mission to clear the junk from orbit.

Science minister George Freeman said: “Growing reliance on satellites for a range of everyday utilities from SatNav to meteorology is making the space tech sector increasingly valuable to the UK economy. These new projects will support our leading role in cleaning up our orbit, which has been neglected for far too long, and will help keep satellites operating safely so they can continue to provide vital services such as communications and climate change monitoring.”

Space debris can stay in orbit for hundreds of years and present a real danger to the rapidly increasing number of new satellites being launched each year.

Further action is being taken to improve the UK’s SST services that can predict hazards in orbit and alert satellite operators to potential collisions in space. This builds on existing work with the Ministry of Defence to bring together data and analysis for civil, military and commercial space users, as set out in the National Space Strategy.

These are just the latest developments the UK Space Agency is making in cleaning up space. In 2020 it awarded seven UK companies a share of over £1 million to help track debris in space.

In January 2021, the UK Space Agency and UNOOSA signed an initial agreement to support international efforts to promote space sustainability through a series of events and engagement activities. Today’s announcement continues this partnership.

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-Top News USA

‘Climate change is an existential risk’

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen

“The Biden administration adapted a whole-of-government approach to aggressively tackle climate change, said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen…reports Asian Lite News

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that her Department will take a “whole-of-economy” approach to tackle the “existential risk” of climate change.

“The Biden administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to aggressively tackle climate change. My goal, at Treasury, is to support this work with a whole-of-economy approach,” Yellen said in remarks to the Institute of International Finance on Wednesday.

“Specifically, we are committed to directing public investment to areas that can facilitate our transition to net-zero and strengthen the functioning of our financial system so that workers, investors, and businesses can seize the opportunity that tackling climate change presents,” she said.

President Joe Biden at Pentagon.(photoInstagram)

Noting that climate change is an “existential risk” to the future economy and way of life, Yellen said that massive investments are needed over the next 10 years to facilitate the transition to net-zero carbon emissions.

“One estimate placed the needed incremental investments at over $2.5 trillion for the US alone. Private capital will need to fill most of that gap,” she said.

“We also recognise the financial sector has an opportunity to play an important role in financing and leading the transition of the global economy to a net-zero economy,” added the Treasury Secretary.

Yellen’s remarks came after the Treasury Department announced on Monday that it was creating a new “Climate Hub” in the department to help coordinate economic policies that address climate change.

“With a view of all Treasury climate initiatives, the Hub will enable Treasury to move nimbly and efficiently in prioritizing climate action,” the Department said.

Also read:EU reaches deal on first climate law