After ten years of battling the legal system to keep from being extradited to the US, a judge has ordered that the case of accused hacker Gary McKinnon be resolved either now or never with authorities either allowing him to be extradited or not. McKinnon, who is widely considered the most sought hacker in the world after hacking into NASA and Pentagon computers in 2001 and 2002 is currently wanted in the US for seven counts of hacking. His motivation, he says, was to uncover secrets on UFOs.
It's the scene in the disaster movie where the plot really starts rolling. At 4:30 in the morning a phone rings and a respected astronomer receives a call informing him that an asteroid is heading toward Earth. After a moment of talk, the astronomer looks dead into the distance and makes an expository appeal that this is "the big one." Only in the case of 2012 BX34, the phone call ended far less dramatically.
One of the most daunting tasks in both space travel and speculation merges the two in trying to accurately describe what an alien race would be like if we actually did meet them - explaining their complex system of travel as well as their ability to survive the long journey that would last years between the stars. And as our understanding of the scale of the universe around us becomes more concrete, so have the channels through which potential alien visitors have been described. And in doing, three different theoretical types of alien visitors have arisen that humanity may do well to avoid contacting.
The thick veil of Venus has been for years a barrier between inquiring minds and the surface of this planet hostile to human life. And even as eyes turned to scrutinize the surface of Mars, Venus has been seen as a planet far too inhospitable to ever host life - or at least life as we would understand it. But this shocking image retrieved from Russia's 1982 Venus mission suggests that the probe encountered something while on the surface that may give validity to recent claims that Venus may host life.
Even as 2012 arrives and uncertainty about the future abounds, technology is getting more incredible by the month. And yet even as the trend of broad strides toward high tech continues, there have been many attempts by the past to look into the future with open minds and open hearts. And as these hopeful images of the future past are played again, maybe we can get some idea of which technologies of today may be made manifest tomorrow - and which ones might be forever fantasy. Here are a few examples of how yesterdays prognosticators got it all wrong - and a few uncannily accurate predictions as well.
The word grunt in Russian means ground. But when the ill fated Phobos Grunt was launched in December of 2011, no one knew how quickly the $163 million probe would be grounded permanently. But as speculation over the device's fate increases as it slowly spirals back to Earth, a few are questioning whether the Grunt could have been shot down or in some other way sabotaged. But what was Putin referring to when he said he knew there were powerful secret weapons that could have shot it down?
It has long been theorized that other stars could have planets just like our Sun, but it wasn't until a few years ago when astronomers began gathering evidence of extrasolar planets suggesting that the universe as we know it may be much more habitable than we once thought. And now a new analysis suggests that on average every star could have its own planets - and some among them may very well be like Earth. The analysis is yet another bridge in the gap between humanity and the populated but silent universe suggested by the Drake Equation.
The idea of harpooning a comet seems in some way similar to the story of Moby Dick and the Great White Whale. But as humanity's ambitions escalate to titanic proportions, a new development by NASA will make safe what would ordinarily be an extremely dangerous mission - the harpooning of an entire comet as it soars through space.
Here's a brainteaser that left some sky-watchers scratching their heads when the moon suddenly and unexpectedly went black during the daytime in an impossible astronomical display. Why is it impossible to see a Lunar Eclipse during a perfectly cloudless day? Conventional wisdom suggests it's because Lunar eclipses happen when the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon make a straight line. So what often overlooked law of physics made it possible for witnesses in the Rocky Mountains to see both the Sun and the Lunar Eclipse at the same time?
When we think of the amount of effort that went into capturing a tiny chunk of the moon, the wealth is quite a sight to see. The Apollo program resulted in hundreds of pounds of the tiny rocks being brought back to Earth for the public, but a significant number of them have gone missing - or have been outright stolen since then. NASA recently reported that it hopes to increase its inventory controls to afford better mastery over the samples returned to Earth after studying the rocks lost.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI as it is more commonly known is not used to suddenly getting unexpected attention from the military - at least not as far as we know. But recently the Air Force began expanding its surveillance program not only on Earth, but in space as well - and it seems particularly interested in the Allen Telescope Array, once a key component in the search for extraterrestrial signals from space. So why the sudden interest by the military?
In the 1961 episode of the Twilight Zone, "The Invaders" we came face to face with the difference size may play between humanity and extraterrestrials in a large way. Of course it wasn't the first time the idea that aliens may be extremely small (or extremely large compared to us) but it did become a cultural staple that suggested to us that our own understanding of even the most basic things could change significantly if we were to expand beyond our own world. And a few principles in energy and time travel suggest that future explorations into time and space may not be quite as big as we once thought.
NASA explorations are generally thought to be about the best parts of what being human is all about. The thrill of discovery, cooperation, and the powerful image of humanity reaching beyond its humble beginnings to stretch out into the stars is only one of numerous important elements in the Mars story. And yet it seems like the exploration of distant planets may inadvertently destroy very simple alien life if it explores without caution a place like Titan. So far they have been careful with prospective alien ecosystems, but how will we explore a planet where any single point could secretly harbor alien life?
Scientists have developed a way of tracking the habitability of planets where life may exist outside of Earth. And so where science was once hoping to discover life on other worlds by chance, a new system that categorically evaluates each new prospective world studied according to a series of criteria and then assesses the likelihood of each world actually harboring life has been developed.
In the 1960's a space race style competition was going on internationally with the ultimate realization when man first actually made it to the moon and set foot on its surface. After this, the cold war ended shortly afterward and as a result competitions like these have seemed lest urgent. Instead, the profit driven world of more terrestrial matters has supplanted the "less profitable" ventures such as space exploration. But there may soon be an upcoming race that will be both as profitable and as promising to mankind as the space race: the race of super computing. And it may have just as much of an effect on our lives as the race into the stars - without the same limitations.
Life on Pluto, once thought to be virtually impossible, is now being discussed - possibly for the first time after a new model has come forward suggesting the planetoid may have vast liquid oceans beneath the surface ice heated by something scientists hadn't thought of before. And even if life doesn't become part of the final equation on Pluto, the very concept of a radiation heated world is enough to give a second look at what we once thought we knew about life on other worlds.
The Russian Probe, Phobos Grunt will be crashing back to Earth within the next two months - so say Russian scientists who are disappointed at the failure of their latest project. The probe was first launched last Wednesday destined for the Martian Moon Phobos. And it seems this is only one of several ill fated Russian probes heading toward the Martian Moon only to have their journey cut short. Is there a conspiracy in the works? Or is there a more logical explanation for this strange occurrence? With scientists racing against the clock to correct the error expected to destroy the Probe entirely, it's still not entirely clear what went wrong.
Saturns Moon Titan has had a long journey in the constant consciousness of science since its discovery in 1655 by French Astronomer Christiaan Huygens. The mystery of Titan was comparable according to many astronomers to another astronomical body which has constantly evaded even the most penetrating scrutiny of science, Venus. And as astronomers look closer at this mysterious moon of water orbiting Saturn, it appears the case for life is quickly coming together. Not only may there be an ocean beneath the icy surface, there may actually be quite a bit more.
Can you imagine being stuck in a small box no larger than 1,500 square feet for a period of weeks? What about for over 500 days? That's precisely what volunteers just got finished doing in a study that lasted over a year attempting to watch the movements and actions of six volunteers to see if the isolation would give them a phenomenon known among astronauts as cabin fever or "space madness." The study was an attempt to get a deeper insight into the journey to Mars.
Physics, which has been considered a single set of rules designed to determine how the universe works in a given time span has revealed yet another possibility to surprise scientists. Not only were the ideas we previously had about the laws of physics thrown into question, scientists are wondering if we will ever fully understand what makes this universe tick as we look further out into it. And so scientists may have to once again revise the definition of what is possible.
Generally when we think about an embassy, we think about a group of humans who are transferred to another location and set up their own space within that country, which is to be respected as though it were the border to the country itself. But in times when an actual embassy becomes too dangerous or when the practical applications of actually living in another country are no longer practical an alternative may be necessary. And the US government has come up with a novel approach to the idea of diplomacy by making a "virtual embassy." But while the idea may seem odd for our own planet, it may be a brilliant solution to one of the problems of sovereignty and diplomacy on other worlds.
In the long history of the Apollo program, there were a number of dreams proposed to launch mankind into the future- one of which would eventually be realized in time. The first human footprints on the moon helped a whole generation refine their dreams and what it meant to be human. But now a second trip to China is being proposed - this time by China - and it has some, like Billionaire Robert Bigelow concerned.
It seems a goal of mankind's to gradually spread ourselves across the stars and become a space faring civilization. Whether we meet others on our journeys or not is of course part of the equation, but most of all our voyage through the heavens has for the most part been connected to our own planet. And now astronomers are debating which star system may be the most fruitful to visit first. While some suggest we may have finally closed the book on interstellar travel, still others are suggesting we may have yet to see just how far the human race could go.
While it may not mean much to us in 2011, perhaps at some future date if the human race achieves that level of space travel pilots nearing the moon may hear the words broadcast over their ships' radios, "This is the Lunar patrol. You have been detected nearing the forbidden zone. Please turn back immediately." And the policy making that sci-fi sound-byte a reality is being enacted now according to the first land restriction to place certain areas of the moon "off-limits." And though it may not be enforceable now, the reasons for it are promising as they happen only at the forefront of a contest to put a robot on the Lunar surface from a privately funded organization. Of course it also raises some suspicion about why some areas would be considered "off limits" to begin with.
NASA has been under fire recently from a number of former explorers who say it is quickly losing sight of its one time herculean goals - goals that it would often not only meet but exceed. When NASA attempted to get a rocket to the moon the mission was modified to actually allow human footfalls on the Lunar surface for the first time rather than a simple flight around it. But now the very man who was chosen to make that one small step for man is saying we've taken one giant leap in the wrong direction.
Space Debris has been a topic of conversation for a few days since the announcement by NASA that one of its large satellites will soon be brought back to Earth, but what is the perspective on space debris? And how much of a danger does this falling junk from the sky pose to the average person? As we look deeper into the question we explore a few cases where the sky fell in the wrong place at the wrong time.
For years grid experts have chimed in alongside NASA to warn that the sun could one day disrupt our grid connected power supplies. It would seem that day has already arrived. After a series of massive eruptions from the sun power outages have been reported in Chile, Texas City, New Jersey, and Seattle among others. While the power outages may be a coincidence and caused by a series of failures either planned or otherwise, there is a growing voice of discontent over the vulnerability of plugged in power systems and the possibility that more may be on the way. So does the Sun have a part in all of this?
All marvels of architecture are carefully crafted, meticulously made, and viewed with a reverence that says, "This is what humanity is capable of when we work together." But there is one marvel of architecture so profoundly ambitious, most scientists say we will be unable to make it - even in a thousand years. This structure is the Dyson Sphere. And even when we consider the scope of all the largest structures built before it, the Dyson Sphere would dwarf them all. But building this sphere may very well be the ultimate fate of many civilizations before us, and our own future.
A Delta 2 rocket launched Saturday is heading up into the point between Earth and the Moon where its precious cargo will have minimal gravitational pull from either direction. NASA's goal? Discover once and for all what's inside the moon. The tiny sensors on-board the twin satellites can detect so finely that they are taking into consideration other astral bodies - including Pluto. And if discovering what's inside the moon isn't enough, the name NASA has given the project has more than a few doing a double take.
The phenomenon of out of place artifacts or "Oopas" as they are often called has been around for centuries, and some of the artifacts themselves indicate they have been around for centuries or even longer. From the automobile spark plug discovered in million year old coal deposits deep underground to the Baghdad battery and the Antikythera mechanism, we're all familiar with artifacts that seem to defy all known logic. But what if we were to discover out of place objects in space?
The details behind NASA's next move and speculation over whether the $160 billion International Space Station will be abandoned is still percolating, but the theories behind the shuttle's abandoning later this year are by no means entirely new. Increased activity from the Sun has served as a breeding ground for conspiracy theories. And it seems this same speculation is getting an interesting amount of vindication as talks over whether the ISS is to be abandoned by November begin.
There are very few likely events in Earth's future more dangerous to life on our planet than the possible collision of a massive asteroid. Even an Earthbound object only a few hundred meters in diameter could cause significant damage to an area interrupting power supplies, destroying necessary infrastructure, and affecting the lives of millions in the process. But the European Space Agency's ambitious Don Quijote plan is designed to impact significantly larger targets heading toward Earth.
Each year somewhere between 74 million and 156 million pounds of meteorites impact with Earth, increasing its mass slightly and causing it to be ever more attractive to passing space rocks. But a recent discovery by scientists has made the incredible revelation that these meteorites could have life within them. The meteorites were revealed to not only contain the building blocks for life, but do so in the precise way scientists predicted to validate the "space seed" theory also known as panspermia.
After the massive solar flare that occurred on the 15th of February and March 9th of this year, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found themselves doing a double take at data streaming in from the SOHO space observatory. And this latest X class flare, which was seven times larger than the last two which each elicited responses of awe and wonder from space-watchers, has caused power and phone companies to make preparations for an event that could hit the 10th or 11th of August if Earth is hit by the glancing blow of a CME.
With a press conference earlier today, NASA announced that not only did the red planet have water, but in fact may have vast flowing repositories of the all important compound in vast quantities beneath the permafrost. The announcement has already prompted questions about the potential for life on the red planet. How is our image of Mars as a cold dead barren world gradually changing with each new discovery? And what might this mean for future space exploration?
The first Protoplanet has been orbited as of July 16th, 2011. Amid much fanfare at NASA and little elsewhere, one of the final projects of the space program prior to the massive budget cuts it saw in 2010 finally made its way around a body that was not quite an asteroid and yet not quite a planet. The Vesta orbit marks a milestone in NASA’s rich history but sadly may prove to be one of the final triumphs of the space program in the near future if interest and funding to not return to space exploration.
If alien disclosure were to happen, immediately the government would face an administrative nightmare as millions of scientists would find their specialized skill sets suddenly economically unavailable due to lack of need. And so as a result a number of steps may be taken ahead of time to soften the blow. One of these steps is being undertaken right now within NASA, raising some questions about whether disclosure might be around the corner.
The recent record breaking bout of solar activity has the internet abuzz once again as people all over the world begin wondering just how the world can stand by as the sun changes so drastically and still believe nothing out of the ordinary is happening. On June 7th the massive amount of solar activity had experts and solar enthusiasts alike basking in more than just solar radiation as rumors of impending doom began spreading across the web.
In the past year we’ve heard dozens of doomsday prophecies coming from all angles. But one of the most disturbing that seems to coincide almost perfectly with the December 2012 theory is drawn not from theories, but from observations about our solar system. And the conclusions made are based not entirely on speculation, but on history. And if they do occur in the way Alexey Demetriev suggests, it will change the entire planet as we know it and might kickstart a whole new age for the human race. Even NASA has gotten in on the doomsday theory, though many are saying the picture they paint is too conservative. And yet throughout it all the mainstream media has remained eerily silent.
When it was first discovered that the Lunar surface had water spread throughout it, scientists were baffled, but nowhere near as interested or as confused as now when theories are beginning to suggest the Moon may have as much water as Earth proportionally. What would a Lunar surface rich in much needed water mean for future exploration?
It’s a shocking question that ten years ago could only be asked to billionaires with connections to the Russian Space Program. But as space tourism grows as an industry and the next generation of space planes and rockets designed to propel tourists into space, the question is finally one that is being tabled to a larger group of adventurers intent on enjoying those first few moments of weightlessness among the stars. And projections for the future suggest the future of space tourism may one day within our lifetimes affordable for anyone for approximately the same price as a plane ticket around the world. But as more people venture into space, will humanity rekindle its interest in traveling to other planets?
Certainly a strange piece of footage from NASA that some are paying close attention to. The footage was originally incidental and from the International Space Station and then broadcast to the public through NASA's live stream. After the footage made its way Online the first few viewers could believe their eyes. A strange object appears in the void of space and shortly afterward a NASA spokesperson cuts in abruptly and tells the Astronauts to pause the live feed.
Rocks from the Lunar surface are some of the highest priced rocks in the world as one of the most rare minerals on the planet. And there is one other thing about these rocks - It's completely illegal to buy or sell them. Despite this, one woman in California is suspected of setting off to make $1.7 million on the rocks. The rock, due to its Lunar origins was worth more than any gold and most diamonds.
The long search for a planet that could sustain life is finally officially over as European scientists gathered to announce that the distant planet was indeed habitable. Normally news like this would be of such intense interest as to make headlines, but with public interest on more terrestrial matters it may be some time before the rest of the world catches on that an important step in astrobiology has just been taken. We may be looking a planet with alien life straight in the face. And now it's official.
The Aerostat, by Lockheed Martin is an impressive balloon to say the least. Its size varies, but from the footage which was later uploaded to Youtube, you can see the device would have been larger than a house while inflated. So it's easy to understand why residents of one community in Canyon Del Flores were shocked when it came crashing down in their front yards. The spy balloon, which was operating over US airspace when rogue winds tore it away from its controllers was quickly cut up and carted away.
Planets once thought to be too cold could be host to life according to scientists who are looking into the possibility of detecting them by their auroras. The new discovery suggests that even planets operating outside of the known "Goldilocks Zone" of planets and even traveling on their own without a sun to orbit could sustain life on them. And one could potentially be heading toward Earth right now with life on its surface.
With scientists looking up at the sky with interest, it appears a 55 million ton asteroid may soon be approaching Earth and getting closer than the distance between the Earth and the moon soon. But how close will the object get? And how did it manage to stay out of headlines in the midst of the chaos of our current year? And if this sounds like just another asteroid passing by, it's not. It is actually the largest to ever to get this close.
At Cape Canaveral an assembly was held celebrating the 50 year anniversary since the first American shot out into space. Crowds gathered outside Cape Canaveral to witness the celebration of exactly 50 years of space flight since 1961, listening to speakers talking about the first man to lift off, Alan Shepard as others as they paused amid the chaos of 2011 to commemorate one of the proudest moments in mankind's history.
A mysterious picture proclaiming to show a demonic face on the surface of Mars harkens back to the mid 90's when the red planet's first martian face hit the media full force. This latest find, discovered by researchers looking over data from the European Space Agency Portal. But is this the real deal? Clever Fakery? Or are there just too many variables here to really tell?
A curious little metal from the University of Technology in Sydney may have started off small and thin, but it's making big waves as some are claiming it to be the next big thing when it comes to materials. It's not a metal, but rather a new form of paper. But before you crumple it up and toss it aside, imagine a notebook made of paper that could cut through steel. That's just what a new project called Graphene allegedly can do. And it may change everything from space travel to medicine along the way.
