Daily Archives: May 20, 2022

Lets suppose you were an astronaut who just landed on the planet Mars. What would you need to survive?

For starters, heres a short list: Water, food, shelter and oxygen.

Oxygen is in the air we breathe here on Earth. Plants and some kinds of bacteria provide it for us.

But oxygen is not the only gas in the Earths atmosphere. Its not even the most abundant. In fact, only 21% of our air is made up of oxygen. Almost all the rest is nitrogen about 78%.

Now you might be wondering: If theres more nitrogen in the air, why do we breathe oxygen?

Heres how it works: Technically, when you breathe in, you take in everything thats in the atmosphere. But your body uses only the oxygen; you get rid of the rest when you exhale.

The Martian atmosphere is thin its volume is only 1% of the Earths atmosphere. To put it another way, theres 99% less air on Mars than on Earth.

Thats partly because Mars is about half the size of Earth. Its gravity isnt strong enough to keep atmospheric gases from escaping into space.

And the most abundant gas in that thin air is carbon dioxide. For people on Earth, thats a poisonous gas at high concentrations. Fortunately, it makes up far less than 1% of our atmosphere. But on Mars, carbon dioxide is 96% of the air!

Meanwhile, Mars has almost no oxygen; its only one-tenth of one percent of the air, not nearly enough for humans to survive.

If you tried to breathe on the surface of Mars without a spacesuit supplying your oxygen bad idea you would die in an instant. You would suffocate, and because of the low atmospheric pressure, your blood would boil, both at about the same time.

So far, researchers have not found any evidence of life on Mars. But the search is just beginning; our robotic probes have barely scratched the surface.

Without question, Mars is an extreme environment. And its not just the air. Very little liquid water is on the Martian surface. Temperatures are incredibly cold at night, its more than -100 degrees Fahrenheit (-73 degrees Celsius).

But plenty of organisms on Earth survive extreme environments. Life has been found in the Antarctic ice, at the bottom of the ocean and miles below the Earths surface. Many of those places have extremely hot or cold temperatures, almost no water and little to no oxygen.

And even if life no longer exists on Mars, maybe it did billions of years ago, when it had a thicker atmosphere, more oxygen, warmer temperatures and significant amounts of liquid water on the surface.

Thats one of the goals of NASAs Mars Perseverance rover mission to look for signs of ancient Martian life. Thats why Perseverance is searching within the Martian rocks for fossils of organisms that once lived most likely, primitive life, like Martian microbes.

Among the seven instruments on board the Perseverance rover is MOXIE, an incredible device that takes carbon dioxide out of the Martian atmosphere and turns it into oxygen.

If MOXIE works the way that scientists hope it will, future astronauts will not only make their own oxygen; they could use it as a component in the rocket fuel theyll need to fly back to Earth. The more oxygen people are able to make on Mars, the less theyll need to bring from Earth and the easier it becomes for visitors to go there. But even with homegrown oxygen, astronauts will still need a spacesuit.

Right now, NASA is working on the new technologies needed to send humans to Mars. That could happen in the next decade, perhaps sometime during the late 2030s. By then, youll be an adult and maybe one of the first to take a step on Mars.

Phylindia Gant, Ph.D. Student in Geological Sciences, University of Florida and Amy J. Williams, Assistant Professor of Geology, University of Florida

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Could People Breathe The Air On Mars? - IFLScience

Mars solar eclipse captured by NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover captured footage of Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, crossing the face of the sun.

Damien Henderson, Storyful

Michael Flynn graduated college May 9, but he didnt quite finish. There isone more thing hes working on, and its significant.

The Keansburg 22-year-old is studying the atmosphere of Mars and coauthoring a research paper that could impact future exploration of the Red Planet.

Its his final project at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida,, from which he graduated with distinction after attending on a full scholarship through Army ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps).

One of our best students not only in the classroom but also in his work doing research, said Embry-Riddle professor John Hughes, chair of the universitys physics department. To have an undergraduate doing cutting-edge research thats going to get published, its a great thing for the student and something the university can be proud of.

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Thats not all. Later this month Flynn is attending the U.S. Armys "Air and Space Basic Course" at West Point. He is among the first ROTC cadets ever chosen to attend the exclusive two-week event.

Not bad for a kid who grew up curious about the night sky.

Flynn attended high school at Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) on Sandy Hook. There, as at Embry-Riddle, he made the most of his opportunities.

He has a combination of talent and work ethic, and thats a really good combination, Hughes said. Almost every time I walked into the lab, he was in there working.

This past semester Flynn was named was Embry-Riddles Outstanding Student in Space Physics, his major. He not only posted the majors highest grade-point average; his collaboration with physics professor Michael Hickey on the Mars project turned more than a few heads.

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Flynn and Hickey are studying the effect the planets ferocious sandstorms have on Martian atmosphere. Theyre looking at the gravity waves generated when the wind blows across four large mountains, including the gargantuan Olympus Mons. At 72,000 feet high two-and-a-half times taller than Mount Everest Olympus Mons is the solar systems biggest mountain.

They are hoping to publish their findings by summers end.

This is important if we want to travel to Mars, if we want to have satellites over Mars, just understanding the complexities of the atmosphere, Flynn explained.

Mapping these patters could help scientists anticipate huge fluctuations in temperature, wind speed and atmospheric density. That willbe vital for any attempt to send humans to Mars.

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Flynn can envision it.

I would say, from what Ive studied, that if you had the right shelter its possible, he said. There are cases of sandstorms with winds at certain locations that can actually become supersonic (above 760 mph) at specific heights. That could be dangerous. But if you had a strong enough shelter, it could be possible.

Before that, though, Flynn has some business closer to home.

Mars InSight just detected the largest Marsquakes ever recorded

Were learning more about the red planet every day.

Buzz60, Buzz60

On May 8, Flynn was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He has a job lined up in the Armys cyber command. Training begins early next year in Georgia. An internship last summer gave him a glimpse of the work.

It was really eye-opening, he said. I cant talk about the specifics of everything I saw, but I was able to do a project that involved satellite communication systems and the different ways we can control satellite systems.

Thats where his heart lies.

Im really interested in satellite physics and satellite communication systems, Flynnsaid.

The ultimate gig? A post with Army Space Operations, which could be crucial tothe nations future defense. He must attain the rank of captain in order to apply, so thats a few years off. For now, hes building a resume and gaining experience. The upcoming course at West Point will add to it all.

I am really excited about this opportunity where I can apply what Ive learned to the Army, and take the knowledge the Army is going to give me and apply that for national defense, Flynn said. I feel like Ive been mostly prepared for it.

As far as Hughes is concerned, you can take the mostly out of that sentiment.

One thing Im quite sure of? the professor said. Hell be successful no matter where he ends up.

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shores interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com.

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Mars atmosphere studied by Keansburg NJ man starting West Point course - Asbury Park Press

On the pre-dawn of Sunday, 29 May, Jupiter and Mars lie just 0.6 degrees (36 arcminutes) apart over the east-southeastern horizon. Over a flat horizon, brilliant Venus can be seen lying over 25 degrees further east of Jupiter and Mars. This is the view from London at about 45 minutes before sunrise (at 4.50am BST). AN graphics by Greg Smye-Rumsby.

Keep the diary free towards the end of May to witness another very close conjunction between two of the major planets in the Solar System. In an echo of Jupiters early morning coming-together with dazzling Venus at the start of May, Jupiter and Mars are separated by just over half a degree before sunrise on 29 May. This time Jupiter is the brighter planet, outshining the red planet Mars by three magnitudes. Both planets lie low in a heavily twilight sky to the east-south-east in the run-up to dawn, so finding an observing spot with an unobstructed horizon is essential to get a good view.

Presently, Jupiter and Mars are located among the stars of south-eastern Pisces, with the red planet, shining at magnitude +0.75 and placed slightly higher in the sky, lying 5.4 degrees south-east (to the right of) of magnitude 2.24 Jupiter. At the beginning of the month, the planetary pair lay over 15 degrees apart.

At the beginning of civil twilight (when the Sun lies six degrees below the horizon) at 4.18am BST from London on the pre-dawn of Friday, May 20, both planets lie around 10 degrees high in the east-south-east. Unfortunately, their altitude progressively worsens towards more northerly parts of the UK; from Edinburgh, both planets lie around just four degrees high.

Before the main event, the Moon muscles in on the show to provide a picturesque if lowly scene for pre-dawn observers and imagers. On the morning of 25 May, a waning 25 per cent-illuminated crescent Moon lies about four degrees south of Jupiter and Mars. At this time they lie around 2.5 apart but by the pre-dawn of 28 May the planets are within a degree of each other, a separation persists for the next two mornings.

Closest approach, a separation of around 36 arcminutes (0.6 degrees), occurs on the following morning, the pre-dawn of Sunday, 29 May. Jupiter (magnitude 2.3) lies above and slightly to the left of Mars (+0.7) in the east-south-east. By about 4am from London (the beginning of civil twilight) Jupiter has climbed to an altitude of around 12.5 degrees from London (nearly 19 degrees by sunrise).

The scenario is barely worse on the following pre-dawn, Monday, 30 May, when Jupiter and Mars have just over 42 arcminutes of Pisces real estate between them. By the end of May, the pair are separated by 1.3 degrees.

In case the sky is hazy, itll be a good idea to have a pair of binoculars or a portable small telescope on hand. Jupiters disc, around 37 arcseconds in apparent diameter, could be discerned if the seeing is not too destructive, though Mars comparatively tiny 6.3 arcsecond globe will probably be too challenging to resolve telescopically.

During June, Jupiter and Mars gradually move further apart, both on their way to a much-improved morning outlook by mid-summer. In mid-June they lie nearly ten degrees apart.

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Get ready for Jupiter and Mars' close confrontation Astronomy Now - Astronomy Now Online

Tesla, Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk whose acquisition of Twitter, Inc (NYSE: TWTR) appears to be on thin ice briefly turned his focus back to politics on Thursday.

The U.S., like many countries around the globe, has become more divided over recent years, battling over issues from gun control to abortion rights. Former President Donald Trump appeared to both revel in and amplify the division andPresident Joe Biden has had little effect on any attempt to rectify the matter.

The Political Focus: A party more moderate on all issues than either Reps or Dems would be ideal, Musk said on Twitter. He went on to add, This is what most people in America want, but unfortunately its not realistic.

It is somewhat the case in Canada, where five main political parties vie for control of the federal government every four years. One of Musks followers used that fact to bridge Musks thoughts on the U.S.s two-party system and the South African-borns two-year stint in Canada: Ah, you see youre still a Canadian at heart!, to which Musk replied, Its true haha.

Although Musk is unable to change the political system in the U.S., he plans to tackle what he believes is the divisiveness on Twitter caused by its algorithm, which he says should be open-source in order to remove bias. Musk has historically been an outspoken proponent against "cancel culture,"which he feels is rampant on Twitter and other social media apps, even vying as the future CEO to reinstate Trumps account.

See Also:As Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg See Wealth Evaporate In 2022, Russia's Richest Man Vladimir Potanin Adds $4B

The Pivot To Mars: Musks mini-tweet storm on U.S. politics prompted at least one of his followers to question why the billionaire was choosing to make himself a target for the Democrats by becoming politically active and creating controversy. Musk replied that unless the woke mind virus is stopped, civilization will be destroyed before ever reaching Mars.

Musk, who for years has held ambitions to colonize Mars, also took the time to weigh in on how he would like the political system on the planet to work. I suggest no parties and just direct voting by the people of concise laws that everyone can understand, he said.

2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Elon Musk On American Politics, Laws On Mars And Being Canadian At Heart - Benzinga - Benzinga