Pluto’s atmosphere is cold and hazy. Recent observations have shown it to be much colder than predicted theoretically, suggesting an unknown cooling mechanism. Atmospheric gas molecules, particularly water vapour, have been proposed as a coolant; however, because Pluto’s thermal structure is expected to be in radiative–conductive equilibrium, the required water …
On the future of lunar exploration The future of lunar exploration is to witness a healthy competition, though a rat race cannot be ruled out completely. I think it should be more like an Olympic race where everyone gets the best from themselves. But it should not be a race …
On the future of lunar exploration The future of lunar exploration is to witness a healthy competition, though a rat race cannot be ruled out completely. I think it should be more like an Olympic race where everyone gets the best from themselves. But it should not be a race …
On changes in the manner space technology is evolving, and its effect on lunar explorations One of the major changes currently happening in lunar exploration is that space technology is no longer a prerogative of large organisations. It is being evolved at the level of individuals. Smart-I is a good …
astrophysicists from Kolkata-based S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and Centre for Space Physics (affiliated to the University of Calcutta) have finally found an explanation for the unusual behaviour of a star 3,000 parsecs (1 parsec equals 3.26 light years) away. Named ss 433, the star ejects matter …
how planets form: Elongated dust clouds, rather than fluffy blobs of dust, are the seeds of planet formation. This is the finding of experiments conducted by J
An image of the resource-rich southern hemisphere of Saturn's planet-sized moon, Titan, picked up by visible and infrared spectrometers aboard the Cassini spacecraft. The circular feature visible in the picture may be a crater. The yellow areas correspond to the hydrocarbon-rich regions, while the green areas are frozen ice. The …
why is Mars rustier than the Earth? This question has been raised by many experts, as both the planets were formed from the same materials. More importantly, the red planet has more than twice as much iron oxide in its outer layers as the Earth. David Rubie and colleagues from …
air stinkers: Harmful smog can form inside homes through reactions between air-fresheners and the ozone pollutant, indicates findings of researchers from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The reactions generate formaldehyde, classed as a probable carcinogen, and related compounds that many experts believe are responsible for respiratory problems. touch and infect: …
only mother's son: Japanese and Korean scientists have created a mouse without using a sperm. The feat is akin to the birth of Dolly, the world's first cloned mammal. Bees, ants, aphids, some fish and reptiles reproduce without having sex in a process called parthenogenesis. But creating a living mammal …
four billion years ago, the Moon orbited much closer to the Earth than it does now, causing massive tides to flow every few hours. These tides could have led to the evolution of early dna-like molecules. Richard Lathe of the uk-based organisation Pieta Research has recently propounded this hypothesis in …
Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system. With a colourful ring system surrounding the planet, it is highly attractive. Only brief observations, using telescopes, Pioneer-11, Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 in situ recorders have been made. Comparatively impressive details of Saturn have already been obtained. A space mission named …
astronomers have found a large world of ice and rock circling the Sun beyond the most distant planet Pluto. Preliminary observations suggest it may be up to 1,800 kilometres across, making it the largest body to be discovered orbiting the Sun since Pluto was discovered in 1930. Designated as 2004 …
Are humans alone in the Milky Way galaxy? To date, no one has an answer to the question, but US astronomers have found that Earth-like planets with enough water to support life could be fairly common. They ran 44 computer simulations of the planet formation process, and in each simulation …
function mars() { var popurl="html/20040131_mars.htm" winpops=window.open(popurl,"","width=550,height=500,scrollbars=yes") } The world's powers celebrated Christmas 2003 in style: they sent robotic geologists to the red planet Mars, Earth's uninviting and hostile neighbour. Two major space-faring powers, the European Union (eu) and the us, extended their race for space supremacy to Mars with their …
We may celebrate Christmas Day this year in the name of science. On that day, the 400 million kilometer voyage of Beagle 2 will end: it will land on Mars, culminating Europe's first mission to explore other planets. In what is clearly a race with the us, it will try …
dupont scientists have discovered that soyabeans grown in space are similar to crops grown on the Earth. A 97-day long research, conducted on the International Space Station, was the first project during which a crop's growth cycle was completed in space
a good seven decades after Pluto was discovered in 1930, astronomers have discovered another object beyond Pluto. The discovery is significant because it might throw light on the very origins of the planets in our solar system. The new object, tentatively named Quaoar, is about six billion kilometres away from …
by extracting gases from inside the famous Martian meteorite alh 84001, researchers have revealed tantalising mixed news for people who believe that the planet could support life. The work suggests that Mars once had a magnetic field as strong as the Earth's. alh 84001 was kicked off Mars 15 million …
our planet has been getting a little bulky around the equator since 1998. The intriguing observation has been made by Christopher Cox from the Maryland-based technology company Raytheon, and Benjamin Chao from us National Aeronautical and Space Administration. The researchers analysed observations made by nine satellites and found that Earth's …
