Latest news with #IFLScience
Metro
11-07-2025
- Science
- Metro
A mysterious, ancient '12-mile wide interstellar visitor' is racing towards us
It sounds like the start of a cheesy science-fiction film. A gigantic, ancient, icy… thing spotted hurtling towards us by a lonely astronomer. But this is exactly what happened for stargazers following the discovery of a weird interstellar object called 3I/ATLAS, or 'third interstellar', this month. The object is big – possibly as wide 12 miles, larger than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs – and is speeding towards us at 130,000mph. 3I/Atlas was spotted on July 1 by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, when it was 420million miles away. After being given the catchy name, 'A11pl3Z', scientists soon realised that the object came from interstellar space. As you read this, 3I/ATLAS is about 416million miles away from the Sun and travelling from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. This is only the third time that astronomers have found an uninvited guest in our solar system. First was Oumuamua, a Manhattan-sized, cigar-shaped rock that passed close to us in 2017. For a time, one astronomer suspected it was an alien spaceship. Then, in 2019, the comet Borisov paid us a drive-by visit. Dr Alfredo Carpineti, an astrophysicist living in London, told Metro that our latest 'interstellar interloper' is 'very exciting'. 'What makes it very special is that this object is very different compared to the previous two visitors, Oumuamua and Comet Borisov. It's moving almost twice as fast, for example,' the senior staff writer for IFLScience said. What first gave away that 3I/Atlas is not of our solar system was its eccentric, hyperbolic orbit, meaning it'll loop around the Sun before being flung back out into space. By tracing its celestial footsteps, Dr Carpineti said, it shows that it 'might come from a whole different region of the galaxy compared to the other two'. 'It might be a lot older, at least 7billion years old,' he added. 'Much older than the solar system.' The trajectory of 3I/ATLAS hints that it came from the Milky Way's 'thick disk' – the retirement home of stars on the outskirts of our galaxy – according to a paper seen by Dr Carpineti for IFLScience. Researchers say 3I/ATLAS probably formed around an ancient star and is made up of a lot of water ice. Scientists say it is a comet, a giant, dirty snowball. As it soars towards the Sun, the ice will melt and create a wispy tail. When sunlight bounces off this plume of gas and dust, called a coma, this makes the object appear very bright. A big clue that 3I/ATLAS is a comet is how bright it is – enough that it's already visible using modest-sized telescopes. Asteroids, space rubble, have far darker surfaces. We'll learn more about what 3I/ATLAS is as it zooms closer and closer to us, Dr Carpineti said. More Trending But don't worry, it won't get too close for comfort. 'This interstellar interloper is a cosmic curiosity and it poses no threat to Earth,' he added. 'The closest it will get to the Sun is 210million kilometres, a little bit closer than Mars,' which would be around Halloween or early December. 'At that point, the Earth will be on the other side of the Sun, so we won't even be able to see it at closest approach.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: The Simpsons predict the future – again – after scientists plan artificial solar eclipse MORE: Earth is spinning so fast that today will be shorter – but is time going faster? MORE: Scientists now believe Earth is sunken near the centre of a giant cosmic void
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Did Something Hit Saturn? Astronomers Investigate Possible Impact Flash
Astronomers are investigating a mysterious flash spotted on Saturn that may be the first recorded instance of a space object crashing into the ringed planet, according The Independent. The phenomenon was captured on July 5 by Mario Rana, a NASA employee and amateur astronomer, who filmed a brief glow on Saturn's disc. The footage, now under review by the Planetary Virtual Observatory and Laboratory (PVOL), is part of the DeTeCt project, which monitors gas giants for signs of collisions. "Marc Delcroix reports a potential impact in Saturn captured in a few frames in a video observation obtained by Mario Rana. The potential impact would be very faint and is unconfirmed," PVOL said in a statement quoted by outlet. They added: "The very short impact flash occurred on Saturn between 9 am and 9.15 am UTC. It is very important to get other videos of Saturn taken during that time frame." Unlike rocky planets where asteroid impacts leave visible craters, gas giants like Saturn have outer layers of hydrogen and helium that can absorb impacts without obvious traces. According to IFL Science, astronomers estimate that large objects - over 1 kilometre wide - strike Saturn only once every 3,125 years. Smaller meteoroids are thought to hit more often. IFL Science noted that past data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft suggested Saturn's rings act as a massive impact detector, registering ripples caused by incoming debris. "Current-day impact rates for small particles at Saturn are about the same as those at Earth - two very different neighbourhoods in our solar system - and this is exciting to see," said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in a 2013 remark cited by IFL Science. Though unconfirmed, the July 5 flash could offer rare visual evidence of such an event. PVOL is urging astronomers worldwide to review their recordings from the same window to help verify the sighting. If confirmed, the impact would mark a first-of-its-kind observation, shedding new light on the dynamic nature of Saturn's atmosphere and the frequency of cosmic collisions in our solar system.
Metro
03-07-2025
- Metro
Watch meteor blaze across the sky above Scotland and explode 'like a rocket'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Look, up in the sky! Is it a, er, plane crashing? A bomb? An eerie orange ball of light? No, it was a meteorite. For a few brief moments today, a bright fireball lit up the midnight skies above Scotland. The meteor was spotted streaking above Glasgow, Argyll and Bute and as far northwest as the Outer Hebrides at about 12.50am today. The glowing object was even spotted zooming above Edinburgh Airport. ☄️| Did anyone else catch that meteor last night?Our CCTV cameras caught glimpses of it above the should we say air-space? — Edinburgh Airport (@EDI_Airport) July 3, 2025 Meteors are rocks from the asteroid belt that sometimes travel millions of miles through deep space and enter the Earth's atmosphere with a bang. Their high velocity means that these rocks, even ones no smaller than a walnut, generate a fireball and can cause a sonic boom when they break. Andy McNeill, who saw the event in Appin, told the BBC: 'There was a bright flash over the house which also caused the Wi-Fi to reset, and then maybe 20 to 30 seconds later an explosive bang. 'There was also contrail in the sky, striking broadly east to west.' Merseyside lorry driver Ringolds Abolins told the broadcaster that, for a minute, he thought the meteor was a 'rocket or missile'. 'It burned out in two to four seconds. It was so quick and was a small green line behind,' he added. Others on social media said the boom of the meteor was akin to an 'earthquake', a 'lightning bolt' or a 'sonic boom'. The sighting comes only days ahead of the Delta Aquarid meteor shower, also known as the Southern Delta Aquariids, which peaks around mid-July. As beautiful as these celestial fireworks displays are, what you're usually seeing are the leftovers of a comet – a filthy snowball that leaves behind a trail of rocks and ice. When the Earth passes through this cosmic waste, the debris burns up and creates a dazzling display. If a meteor is exceptionally bright, it's called a bolide, which is a cosmic fireball that explodes in an intense flash with clear fragmentation. More Trending If one survives a buffeting by our atmosphere and crashes into the ground, it's a meteorite. These tend to be about the size of a human fist, a far cry from the sometimes football field-size rock they once were. Alfredo Carpineti, an astrophysicist and science writer for IFLScience, told Metro it would be tricky to estimate how large today's meteor was 'But if it was caught by camera on the UK Fireball Alliance,' he added, referring to the network of cameras that capture the objects as they enter the atmosphere, 'there might be a chance to find some fragments.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'My second film took a decade to make and is not your average period drama' MORE: Human leg washes up on beach 80 miles from missing man's body MORE: Trump says he will 'look' at deporting Musk and 'might have to put DOGE on' him
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
A camera trap in Niokolo-Koba National Park captured rare video of what might be the last remaining elephant in Senegal, last seen in 2019. The new footage was captured by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, and Senegal's Directorate of National Parks, and it shows Ousmane, an elephant named after a park ranger and known as the ghost elephant. 'Rare sightings, stealthy behavior and near-mythical status due to their low numbers have earned this lone bull the title of 'ghost elephant,'' Alyssa Cuevas, a Panthera spokeswoman, told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. The black-and-white footage was captured as the elephant strolled by the camera at night, giving it a ghost-like appearance. IFL Science posted it on YouTube. 'When it was last spotted in January 2019, it was thought to be one of only 5 to 10 elephants remaining in the park – a drastic change from the hundreds that once called Niokolo-Koba home and a shocking reminder of the implications of poaching and habitat loss,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'Shortly thereafter, a scientific study by Panthera and DPN revealed the male is likely the only elephant left in Senegal, although an anecdotal report might suggest the presence of several elephants in the area.' Elephant numbers in Senegal have declined to near extinction, but this new sighting has 'sparked discussions of greater protections for the elusive elephants that remain, including whether it might be possible to establish a breeding population in the park,' IFL Science reported. Also on FTW Outdoors: Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3 months later Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors that 'there's hope for this lonely creature,' citing other successes. 'The Critically Endangered West African lions that also reside in the park are currently making a comeback – the lion population has more than doubled since Panthera's work began in 2011, driven by persistent anti-poaching and scientific monitoring efforts,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'That positive news is reflected in UNESCO's recent announcement removing Niokolo-Koba National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the strides that have been made in protecting wildlife that call the park home, such as one of only two remaining populations of lions in West Africa and the region's largest remaining leopard population. 'The footage also comes just months after another camera trap in the park captured images of the Endangered giant pangolin for the first time in 24 years, another development reviving hope for the near-extinct species.' Photo courtesy of Panthera. This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
USA Today
16-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
‘Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
'Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor? A camera trap in Niokolo-Koba National Park captured rare video of what might be the last remaining elephant in Senegal, last seen in 2019. The new footage was captured by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, and Senegal's Directorate of National Parks, and it shows Ousmane, an elephant named after a park ranger and known as the ghost elephant. 'Rare sightings, stealthy behavior and near-mythical status due to their low numbers have earned this lone bull the title of 'ghost elephant,'' Alyssa Cuevas, a Panthera spokeswoman, told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. The black-and-white footage was captured as the elephant strolled by the camera at night, giving it a ghost-like appearance. IFL Science posted it on YouTube. 'When it was last spotted in January 2019, it was thought to be one of only 5 to 10 elephants remaining in the park – a drastic change from the hundreds that once called Niokolo-Koba home and a shocking reminder of the implications of poaching and habitat loss,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'Shortly thereafter, a scientific study by Panthera and DPN revealed the male is likely the only elephant left in Senegal, although an anecdotal report might suggest the presence of several elephants in the area.' Elephant numbers in Senegal have declined to near extinction, but this new sighting has 'sparked discussions of greater protections for the elusive elephants that remain, including whether it might be possible to establish a breeding population in the park,' IFL Science reported. Also on FTW Outdoors: Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3 months later Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors that 'there's hope for this lonely creature,' citing other successes. 'The Critically Endangered West African lions that also reside in the park are currently making a comeback – the lion population has more than doubled since Panthera's work began in 2011, driven by persistent anti-poaching and scientific monitoring efforts,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'That positive news is reflected in UNESCO's recent announcement removing Niokolo-Koba National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the strides that have been made in protecting wildlife that call the park home, such as one of only two remaining populations of lions in West Africa and the region's largest remaining leopard population. 'The footage also comes just months after another camera trap in the park captured images of the Endangered giant pangolin for the first time in 24 years, another development reviving hope for the near-extinct species.' Photo courtesy of Panthera.
