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NASA’s long-awaited flagship observatory — the James Webb Space Telescope — is slated for take-off after October this year, as the space agency continues its talks with the European Space Agency (ESA) to fix a final launch date. This comes after their initial announcement in July last year in which the Webb Telescope was due for take-off on Halloween, October 31, 2021. According to NASA, the launch of the Webb Telescope is being tentatively planned “approximately four months after the first launch of the Ariane 5” that is slated for late July. Ariane 5 is the rocket on which the Webb telescope will be launched.

To ensure a safe take-off for the telescope, two Ariane 5 launches have been scheduled before the final launch of the telescope from the spaceport in French Guiana. In August, the Webb Telescope will be shipped to the launch site, post which a minimum of two months will be set aside for the launch processing.

According to a NASA statement, the observatory has completed all the post-environmental testing deployments, and it is in its final integration and folding stages.The mission “remains on schedule for a launch readiness date no earlier than October 31, 2021.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is garnering a lot of attention among space enthusiasts who are in deep anticipation of the studies and findings that this telescope will facilitate. Work on this telescope was initiated back in 1997 for a launch that was expected to happen in 2007. However, extensive testing and technical glitches have delayed the launch by more than a decade, leaving the space community in deeper anticipation for its take-off this year. 

According to NASA, this is the “largest space telescope ever built.”

The excitement surrounding the Webb is not without reason. Going by NASA’s own words, the James Webb Telescope will study the origins of our universe, and help scientists unravel the mystery behind the creation of solar systems including our own.

The Webb, with its longer wavelength coverage and enhanced sensitivities, will complement the Hubble Space Telescope in getting a closer look at “the beginning of time,” helping scientists study the creation of the first-ever galaxies. It will also help scientists look through dust clouds in order to study the luminaries and cosmic bodies being born today.

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2,300-Year-Old Celtic Helmet Found in Poland’s Łysa Góra Site!

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September 16, 2024

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2,300-Year-Old Celtic Helmet Found in Poland’s Łysa Góra Site!

Archaeologists in Poland have unearthed a remarkable find: a 2,300-year-old bronze helmet, along with other artifacts, marking the first evidence of Celtic settlement in northern Poland. This discovery, led by Bartłomiej Kaczyński from the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw, indicates that Celts were present in the region to secure their amber supplies. Previously, Celts were known to have colonised southern Poland around 400 B.C., but evidence of their presence in the north was scarce until now.

Details of the Helmet

The helmet, crafted from thin bronze and styled in the Celtic “Berru” fashion, features a conical top and a distinctive nape, reflecting its association with Celtic elites, the State Archaeological Museum announced in a Facebook post. It was found at the Łysa Góra archaeological site near Chorzele, about 105 kilometres north of Warsaw. The discovery is significant as it represents the most northeastern site in Europe where Celts have been documented.

Other Artifacts Unearthed

In addition to the helmet, the excavation revealed over 300 ancient artifacts, including four iron axes and an iron sword, archaeologist Bartłomiej Kaczyński . These items suggest that the Celts may have introduced iron metallurgy to the area. The team also uncovered Celtic ornaments, brooches, and several tools not previously known in Poland, such as iron chisels, scythes, and scissors. This challenges the earlier belief that Celtic interactions in northern Poland were minimal.

Importance of the Site

The findings indicate that the Łysa Góra site was a crucial trading post on the “amber trail” leading from the Baltic Sea coast. Amber, highly prized in the Mediterranean world, was a key commodity for the Celts. The site’s location suggests it played a significant role in protecting and trading amber between different regions.

Overall, these discoveries shed light on the extent of Celtic influence and their strategic importance in ancient trade networks.

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Strange Signal From Greenland Landslide Reveals Climate Change Effects

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September 16, 2024

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Strange Signal From Greenland Landslide Reveals Climate Change Effects

In September 2023, scientists monitoring seismic activities worldwide detected an unusual signal. This signal, distinct from the typical earthquake rumble, resonated as a continuous hum, maintaining a singular frequency. For nine consecutive days, this hum echoed across the globe, spanning from the Arctic to Antarctica, leaving researchers baffled. Initially classified as a “USO” — an unidentified seismic object — the source of the signal was eventually identified. A colossal landslide in Greenland‘s Dickson Fjord was responsible for the mysterious hum. The event involved a massive amount of rock and ice, enough to fill approximately 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, plummeting into the fjord. This caused a mega-tsunami, with waves towering up to 200 metres, double the height of London’s iconic Big Ben.

The Landslide’s Source

The landslide was directly linked to the ongoing effects of climate change. Due to the thinning of a nearby glacier, the fjord’s stability had been compromised. The glacier had lost tens of metres in thickness over decades, leading to a weakened structure. When the mountain finally gave way, the sheer force of the collapse generated seismic waves that reverberated around the planet.

Implications of the Event

In their study published in Science, the research team noted that the signal was created by standing waves within the fjord caused by the rockslide. These findings underscore the cascading and hazardous feedback loops between the Earth’s ice, water, and land systems as the climate continues to warm.

As global temperatures rise, landslides, tsunamis, and similar events in polar regions could become more frequent.

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Supercooling of Earth’s Inner Core May Finally Reveal its True Age

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September 16, 2024

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Supercooling of Earth's Inner Core May Finally Reveal its True Age

Earth‘s inner core, made of solid iron and nickel, lies over 5,100 kilometres below the surface. Despite its crucial role in shaping Earth’s conditions and generating its magnetic field, the core’s age has remained a mystery. Thanks to advancements in mineral physics, scientists are now closer to understanding how and when the core formed. The solid core is vital for maintaining Earth’s magnetic field, which shields us from harmful solar radiation, making the planet habitable for billions of years.

Inner Core’s Formation and Freezing Process

The inner core, which was once molten, solidifies as the Earth cools down. This cooling process causes the iron-rich liquid surrounding the core to freeze, expanding the inner core outwards, although the temperature at the core remains scorching, at over 5,000K (around 4,726°C). The freezing of iron releases lighter elements like oxygen and carbon, creating a buoyant liquid that rises into the outer core, producing electric currents. These currents drive the Earth’s magnetic field, which is responsible for phenomena like the northern lights.

Supercooling and the Core’s Age

Geophysicists use thermal models to study Earth’s magnetic history. These models have revealed that supercooling, where a liquid cools below its freezing point without solidifying, could explain the core’s formation. Recent studies suggest that iron at the core may need to be supercooled by up to 1,000K before freezing. However, this level of cooling implies that the core might be much younger, between 500 and 1,000 million years than previously thought. Current evidence suggests the core may have experienced less than 400K of supercooling.

The age of Earth’s inner core remains a topic of intense study, with scientists exploring the possibility that the core could be younger than estimated due to this supercooling phenomenon. Understanding this could reshape our knowledge of Earth’s magnetic history.

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