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NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled a dramatic cosmic interaction occurring in the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a dwarf galaxy approximately 10 per cent the mass of the Milky Way, has been observed losing much of its gaseous halo. The phenomenon is attributed to the gravitational and environmental forces exerted by the Milky Way during the LMC’s close approach, as detailed by researchers led by Dr Andrew Fox of the European Space Agency in Baltimore.

LMC’s Halo Dispersal Observed

The study highlights the effect of ram pressure, a force generated as the LMC moves through the Milky Way’s dense halo of gas. This pressure has stripped away most of the LMC’s original gaseous halo, leaving behind only a compact remnant. Dr Fox, the principal investigator, noted that while significant mass has been lost, the remaining halo is still visible, trailing behind the dwarf galaxy like the tail of a comet.

Survival and Star Formation Potential

Despite this significant loss, the LMC retains enough material to sustain star formation. According to researchers, its relatively larger mass has enabled it to withstand the stripping forces. Dr Fox said that the LMC is a survivour. Smaller galaxies would not have retained their gas, resulting in a collection of ageing stars without the potential for new ones. The retained gas, while diminished, allows for the creation of new star-forming regions, keeping the galaxy active.
Scientific Insights

The findings provide valuable insights into galactic interactions and the role of ram pressure in shaping galaxy evolution. While the LMC’s closest encounter with the Milky Way has passed, scientists predict that the remnants of its gas halo will eventually merge with the Milky Way’s own gas, enriching its galactic ecosystem.

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‘Ghost’ Plume Found Beneath Oman May Explain India’s Ancient Tectonic Shift

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June 23, 2025

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‘Ghost’ Plume Found Beneath Oman May Explain India’s Ancient Tectonic Shift

A long-hidden plume of magma beneath Oman’s Salma Plateau may have played a surprising role in shaping the Indian subcontinent’s ancient journey, researchers report. This “ghost” plume — hot material trapped beneath Earth’s thick crust — cannot erupt but may have shifted the Indian tectonic plate’s course during its dramatic collision with Eurasia tens of millions of years ago. First detailed in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the finding reveals a new class of deep mantle plumes that shape continents silently, without the typical signature of surface volcanoes.

Hidden ‘Ghost’ Plume Beneath Oman May Have Steered India’s Collision Path with Eurasia

As per a Live Science report, the plume was detected using seismic data from Oman’s dense sensor network. Under the leadership of geophysicist Simone Pilia, the group discovered that the plume altered the way sound waves moved through Earth’s layers, which in turn pointed to its presence. Unlike most mantle plumes, which rise and erupt through the oceanic plates, Dani is amagmatic and does not create surface eruptions because of the thick continental crust above the plume. This finding means that there may potentially be many hidden plumes lurking beneath continents.

The Dani plume is the first such non-eruptive plume beneath a continental plate, which is broadening scientists’ view of how mantle dynamics unfold out of sight. The researchers also calculated the movement of the Indian plate and found that it took a significant turn between 40 and 25 million years ago, which might have been affected by the shear stress created by the plume. The plume’s effects on topography are expected to be small regionally, but its geological role could be relatively large.

While plumes typically leave a visible volcanic trail—like Hawaii’s island chain—the Dani plume’s evidence may have been erased by subduction activity in the nearby Makran zone. Still, researchers say this finding opens the door to discovering more “ghost” plumes, particularly in regions with similar thick crusts, such as Africa. As seismic technologies advance, more silent subterranean forces shaping Earth’s history may come to light.

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Blue Origin’s Crewed Suborbital Launch Delayed Again Due to Weather Conditions

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June 23, 2025

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Blue Origin’s Crewed Suborbital Launch Delayed Again Due to Weather Conditions

High winds have once more prevented Blue Origin from launching six people to suborbital space on the company’s New Shepard rocket. The mission, NS-33, was initially scheduled to launch on Saturday, June 21, from the company’s launch site in West Texas. However, adverse weather conditions forced a postponement, and a second attempt on Sunday morning was scrubbed as well due to continued high winds. Blue Origin has yet to announce when the next launch window will be, but they stated via social media that the team is “assessing our next launch opportunity.”

Blue Origin’s 13th Human Spaceflight NS-33 Delayed Again as Six Civilians Await Suborbital Trip

As per a report by Space.com, NS-33 will mark the 33rd overall flight of the New Shepard vehicle and Blue Origin’s 13th human spaceflight mission. Most previous flights have supported uncrewed research missions, but this flight will carry six civilian passengers, including Allie and Carl Kuehner, known for their work in conservation and exploration; philanthropist and beekeeper Leland Larson; entrepreneur Freddie Rescigno, Jr.; author and attorney Owolabi Salis; and retired lawyer Jim Sitkin. The delay adds to the mission’s significance as it continues Blue Origin’s trajectory of expanding commercial spaceflight.

The New Shepard system, fully autonomous and reusable, delivers passengers to suborbital space for brief yet profound experiences—roughly 10 to 12 minutes in duration. Riders experience several minutes of weightlessness and view Earth from the edge of space before the crew capsule safely returns under parachutes. The first human spaceflight for Blue Origin took place in July 2021, which lifted off with founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Dutch student Oliver Daemen.

Yet the delay of NS-33 is a reminder that even the most sophisticated spaceflight activity is no match for the weather. Its next launch try has not been confirmed, but the company’s fourth flight with humans this year is eagerly awaited.

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Green Rooftops Could Help Cities Like Shanghai Filter Out Tons of Microplastics from Rainwater

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June 23, 2025

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Green Rooftops Could Help Cities Like Shanghai Filter Out Tons of Microplastics from Rainwater

The research team at Tongji University collaborated with a colleague from the Shanghai Academy of Landscape Architecture Science and Planning, finding that growing plants on roofs can be an effective method for removing microplastics from the air. In this study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the team measured the amounts of microplastics on the plants and soil in which they grow. Previous research has shown that growing plants on roofs can reduce heating and cooling bills, as well as clear the air surrounding them of pollution.

Testing Plant Types and Microplastic Exposure

As per the study, the research team found whether the growing plants have microplastics or not. To know this, they planted two different types of plants, which are used on rooftops in Shanghai. Further, they introduced microplastic particles in the air near those plants at common levels found in Shanghai. The researchers then introduced simulated rains, after measuring the microplastic levels in the soil and on the plants.

Green Roofs Trap the Majority of Microplastics from Rain

What they found was that the plants did a great job of pulling the microplastics from the rain by growing through the air above them. The green roof system created by researchers consisted of a soil layer, which pulled the microplastics from the rainwater that falls on it to around 97.5%.

Microplastics Mostly Captured in Soil, Not on Leaves

And after conducting the measurements through multiple rains, the team came to know that the percentage of microplastics removed further increased with the intensity of the rainfall.

The researchers found that leaves were collecting less of the microplastics, but the bulk was deposited in the soil in a better way, rather than in a fibre-like shape.

Shanghai’s Green Roof Potential to Capture Microplastics

The team noted that Shanghai currently has only 38.33 million square feet of roof occupied by vegetation. However, based on their findings, they suggest, it is possible that Shanghai could capture around 56.2 metric tons of microplastic every year if the rooftops of all the buildings were made green.

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