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Under bright-blue morning skies, China launched its first crewed space mission in five years Thursday, sending three science-minded military pilots rocketing to a new orbiting station they’re expected to reach around midafternoon.

The astronauts, already wearing their spacesuits, were seen off by space officials, other uniformed military personnel and a crowd of children waving flowers and flags and singing patriotic songs. The three gave final waves to a crowd of people waving flags, then entered the elevator to take them to the spaceship at the Jiuquan launch center in northwestern China.

The astronauts are traveling in the Shenzhou-12 spaceship launched by a Long March-2F Y12 rocket that blasted off shortly after the target time of 9:22am (6:52am IST) with near-perfect visibility at the launch center on the edge of the Gobi Desert.

The two veteran astronauts and a newcomer making his first space flight are scheduled to stay three months in the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, conducting experiments, testing equipment, and preparing the station for expansion before two laboratory modules are launched next year.

The rocket dropped its boosters about two minutes into the flight followed by the coiling surrounding Shenzhou-12 at the top of the rocket. After about 10 minutes it separated from the rocket’s upper section, extended its solar panels and shortly afterward entered orbit.

About a half-dozen adjustments will take place over the next four to six hours to line up the spaceship for docking with the Tianhe at about 4pm (1:30pm IST), the mission’s deputy chief designer, Gao Xu, told state broadcaster CCTV.

The travel time is down from the two days it took to reach China’s earlier experimental space stations, a result of a “great many breakthroughs and innovations” Gao said.

“So the astronauts can a have a good rest in the space which should make them less tired,” Gao said.

Other improvements include an increase in the number of automated and remote-controlled systems that should “significantly lessen the pressure on the astronauts,” Gao said.

The mission brings to 14 the number of astronauts China has launched into space since its first crewed mission in 2003, becoming only the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to do so on its own. Two astronauts on those past missions were women, and while this first station crew is all male, women are expected to be part of future station crews.

The mission is the third of 11 planned through next year to add the additional sections to the station and send up crews and supplies. A fresh three-member crew and a cargo ship with supplies will be sent in three months.

China is not a participant in the International Space Station, largely as a result of US objections to the Chinese programs secrecy and close military ties. However, China has been stepping up cooperation with Russia and a host of other countries, and its station may continue operating beyond the International Space Station, which is reaching the end of its functional life.

China landed a probe on Mars last month that carried a rover, the Zhurong, and earlier landed a probe and rover on the moon’s less explored far side and brought back the first lunar samples by any country’s space programme since the 1970s.

After the Tianhe was launched in April, the rocket that carried it into space made an uncontrolled reentry to Earth, though China dismissed criticism of the potential safety hazard. Usually, discarded rocket stages reenter the atmosphere soon after liftoff, normally over water, and don’t go into orbit.

The rocket used Thursday is of a different type and the components that will reenter are expected to burn up long before they could be a danger, said Ji Qiming, assistant director of the China Manned Space Agency.

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New Study Uncovers Discrepancies in Universe’s Expansion Rate

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January 22, 2025

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New Study Uncovers Discrepancies in Universe’s Expansion Rate

Recent findings have intensified debates surrounding the universe’s expansion, suggesting discrepancies in its speed may challenge long-standing cosmological models. Observations from advanced instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope indicate variations in the rate of expansion across different regions, leaving scientists searching for explanations. Researchers have now strengthened the evidence for this inconsistency, hinting at potential gaps in the understanding of physics and cosmology that have guided theories for decades.

Study Reveals Contradictory Measurements

According to findings published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, data collected from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has provided new insights into the Hubble constant, the measure of the universe’s expansion rate. Using the Coma galaxy cluster, located roughly 320 million light-years from Earth, the study determined an expansion rate of 76.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec (km/s/Mpc). This conflicts with earlier measurements based on the cosmic microwave background (CMB), which suggested a lower value of 67 km/s/Mpc.

Clashing Methods Deepen the Puzzle

The discrepancy arises from two primary methods of calculating the Hubble constant. Early-universe data derived from the CMB aligns with predictions from the standard cosmological model. In contrast, readings from Cepheid variable stars and Type Ia supernovae — utilised to measure distances in later cosmic stages — consistently yield higher expansion rates. Efforts by teams such as DESI aim to refine these measurements further but continue to amplify the tension.

Experts Call for New Theories

As reported by Live Science, Professor Dan Scolnic of Duke University, the study’s lead author, remarked that the results challenge fundamental assumptions about the universe’s structure. He said that this is not just a matter of resolving a difference; it suggests that our cosmological models might need reevaluation.

As studies progress, scientists remain focused on identifying errors or gaps in existing methods, while others explore entirely new frameworks for understanding the universe’s evolution.

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Discover Ancient Megaliths Around the World That Rival Stonehenge

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January 22, 2025

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Discover Ancient Megaliths Around the World That Rival Stonehenge

Stonehenge is often hailed as a masterpiece of ancient engineering, but it is neither the oldest nor the largest megalithic site on Earth. Around the globe, other remarkable structures rival its grandeur, with some predating it by thousands of years. From Göbekli Tepe in Turkey to the Carnac Stones in France, these monuments showcase the ingenuity of early societies. This list, as reported by Live Science, explores seven awe-inspiring megaliths that rival the fame of Stonehenge.

1. Göbekli Tepe, Turkey

Dating back over 11,000 years, Göbekli Tepe predates Stonehenge by millennia. Situated in southeastern Turkey, this UNESCO World Heritage site consists of T-shaped pillars up to 18 feet tall. Intricate carvings of animals and abstract symbols adorn the pillars, hinting at its possible use for religious ceremonies or social gatherings. Built during the hunter-gatherer era, Göbekli Tepe challenges our understanding of early human achievements.

2. Avebury, England

Located near Stonehenge, Avebury boasts the largest known stone circle in the world, with a diameter of approximately 1,378 feet. Constructed around 2500 BCE, this Neolithic site also features two smaller inner circles and avenues of paired standing stones. Researchers believe Avebury was part of a broader ceremonial landscape tied to ancient communities practising agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

3. Ring of Brodgar, Scotland

This Neolithic henge on the Orkney Islands was built around 2500 BCE. Originally comprising 60 stones, 36 remain today, ranging in height from 6.9 to 15.4 feet. With a diameter of 341 feet, the stone circle is surrounded by 13 prehistoric burial mounds, suggesting it was a site for rituals honouring the dead.

4. Ale’s Stones, Sweden

Ale’s Stones, found near the fishing village of Kåseberga, consists of 59 boulders arranged in a ship-like formation. Estimated to be between 1,000 and 2,500 years old, the site remains a mystery. Some researchers speculate it was used as a solar calendar, while its exact purpose remains unclear.

5. Rujm el-Hiri, Golan Heights

This site, dating back around 6,000 years, features concentric stone circles with a central tumulus. Known as the “Wheel of Giants” or the “Levantine Stonehenge,” its function is debated. The tumulus may indicate its use as a burial site, potentially for significant figures of the era. While earlier theories proposed astronomical purposes, recent studies cast doubt on this idea.

6. Spanish Stonehenge, Spain

Submerged for decades by a human-made lake, the Dolmen of Guadalperal emerges during droughts. Dating back 7,000 years, this structure includes around 150 standing stones arranged around a central oval area. Engravings on a large entrance stone depict a human figure alongside what might be a river or snake.

7. Carnac Stones, France

Located in Brittany, the Carnac stones are approximately 6,000 years old. This vast collection of about 3,000 stones includes rows, circles, and isolated menhirs, some reaching 21 feet in height. While some stones appear to mark graves, the rituals performed here over millennia remain shrouded in mystery.

They highlight the incredible diversity of megalithic sites worldwide, underscoring humanity’s enduring fascination with monumental stone structures. Each site reflects the ingenuity, cultural significance, and ritual practices of the ancient societies that built them.

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Giant Ice Age Landforms Found Beneath North Sea Reveal Ancient Glaciers

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January 22, 2025

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Giant Ice Age Landforms Found Beneath North Sea Reveal Ancient Glaciers

Buried landforms from a massive ice sheet that existed approximately 1 million years ago have been uncovered deep beneath the North Sea. These findings, revealed through high-resolution imaging, depict large-scale structures formed during the mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT). Researchers have stated that the ice sheet, which extended from present-day Norway to the British Isles, left behind significant imprints before retreating. The discoveries are helping scientists understand historical glacial dynamics and their relation to shifting climatic patterns.

Revelations from High-Resolution Imaging

According to a study published in Science Advances, these landforms were detected using sound wave data. Christine Batchelor, a senior lecturer in physical geography at Newcastle University, explained to Live Science that the findings suggest the presence of one expansive ice sheet during this period, challenging earlier assumptions about multiple smaller ice sheets shaping the region. The evidence was found under 1 kilometre of sediment, with distinct patterns on the seabed indicating how the ice sheet advanced and retreated.

Key Landform Patterns Identified

Grounded ice sheets are known to sculpt the underlying sediment during their movements, producing erosional and depositional features. Batchelor detailed that streamlined features aligned with ice flow direction were formed during the ice’s advance. Meanwhile, transverse imprints, including crevasse-squeeze ridges, were left during its retreat. These features occur when soft sediment is pushed into cracks at the ice base before the sheet lifts off, aided by water undercutting.

Implications for Climate Change Research

The mid-Pleistocene transition is considered a pivotal time in Earth’s glacial history, marked by more intense and prolonged glacial periods. The study provides clues about how ice sheets respond to climate shifts. Researchers aim to use these findings to model historical ice sheet behaviours and draw parallels with current environmental feedback mechanisms, offering insights into the processes influencing today’s climate systems.

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