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A computer-generated image of the surface of Venus shows Maat Mons, a 5-mile-tall volcano near the planet’s equator that erupted in 1991, according to a new study.  (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Planetary scientists have found groundbreaking evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus. Archives from NASA’s Magellan (opens in new tab) mission show telltale signs that Maat Mons, a 5-mile-high (8 kilometers) volcano on Earth’s hellish twin, was active in 1991.

Magellan, launched in May 1989, was the first spacecraft to map the entire surface of Venus. The mission’s radar images revealed that Venus is peppered with volcanoes, but at the time scientists couldn’t tell whether any of them were still active.

Now, a new analysis of these 30-year-old archives has detected a volcanic vent swelling with lava in the Atla Regio region, near the planet’s equator.

The discovery was inspired by NASA’s next mission to our sister planet, which will launch within a decade. VERITAS (opens in new tab) (Venus Emissivity, Radio science, InSAR, Topography And Spectroscopy) led by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, will scan Venus from surface to core to understand how a rocky planet so similar to ours became a scorching hell-hole.

“NASA’s selection of the VERITAS mission inspired me to look for recent volcanic activity in Magellan data,” Robert Herrick (opens in new tab) , a research professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and member of the VERITAS team, who led the search of the archival data, said in a statement (opens in new tab) . “I didn’t really expect to be successful, but after about 200 hours of manually comparing the images of different Magellan orbits, I saw two images of the same region taken eight months apart exhibiting telltale geological changes caused by an eruption.”

Related: NASA captures stunning, first of a kind images of Venus’ surface 

Researchers described the two images in a study, published Wednesday (March 15) in the journal Science (opens in new tab) . They also presented their results at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (opens in new tab) in The Woodlands, Texas, on Wednesday.

Maat Mons is the tallest volcano on Venus, towering 26,250 feet (8,000 meters) above the barren volcanic plains and deformed terrain of the planet’s surface. In a picture taken in February 1991, a volcanic vent associated with Maat Mons appears nearly circular, with signs of drained lava on its exterior slopes, and covers an area of less than 1 square mile (2.2 square kilometers). In October, Magellan captured the same vent brimming with a lake of bubbling lava; it was misshapen and had doubled in size.

But the orbiter photographed the vent from different orbits and with poor resolution, making it difficult for the scientists to compare the images. They managed to line them up manually, however, and build computer models of the vents, which helped them determine what caused the geological changes.

“Only a couple of the simulations matched the imagery, and the most likely scenario is that volcanic activity occurred on Venus’ surface during Magellan’s mission,” Scott Hensley (opens in new tab) , a senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who worked on the Magellan radar mission, said in the statement. “While this is just one data point for an entire planet, it confirms there is modern geological activity.” RELATED STORIES—Alien life on Venus? No chance, says new NASA study

—One of the largest solar storms ever detected just erupted on the far side of the sun

—Massive ancient lava flow seen from space looks like a giant black scar on the New Mexico desert 

The gush of lava from Maat Mons’ crater would have been similar in size to the eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano in 2018, the researchers said in the statement.

This finding gives scientists a taste of the discoveries NASA’s upcoming mission will likely reveal. VERITAS is the first spacecraft to return to Venus since the 1990s. Its mission is to create 3D models of the planet to reveal its innermost secrets.

“Venus is an enigmatic world, and Magellan teased so many possibilities,” Jennifer Whitten (opens in new tab) , an assistant professor at Tulane University in New Orleans and a member of the VERITAS team, said in the statement. “Now that we’re very sure the planet experienced a volcanic eruption only 30 years ago, this is a small preview for the incredible discoveries VERITAS will make.” 

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YouTuber Jake Paul strikes defeat against former boxing champ Mike Tyson in Texas

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YouTuber Jake Paul strikes defeat against former boxing champ Mike Tyson in Texas

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has defeated one of the greatest-ever fighters, former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson, who’s more than twice his age.

The bout was won on a unanimous points decision at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – home of the Dallas Cowboys and the biggest NFL stadium in the US.

The fight was already controversial but then arguably failed to live up to the hype. Boos were heard from the crowd in the final two rounds, after a perceived lack of action.

Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
The heavyweight boxing match took place in Arlington, Texas. Pic: AP

Boxing careers compared

This was not Paul’s first professional fight. The 27-year-old American YouTube star made his debut in 2020 with his most high-profile clash against Tyson Fury’s brother Tommy Fury last year, which he lost by a split decision.

The so-called “Problem Child” has since defeated former UFC contender Nate Diaz, professional boxer Andre August, former Gold Gloves champion Ryan Bourland and most recently MMA fighter Mike Perry.

In contrast, “Iron Mike” Tyson, 58, was ranked among the best heavyweight boxers of all time.

More on Jake Paul

During his career, he knocked out 44 opponents – retiring from professional boxing in 2005 after defeat against Kevin McBride.

He returned to the ring in 2020 for a bout against fellow boxing icon Roy Jones, which ended in an unofficial draw.

Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
Mike Tyson struggled at times against Jake Paul, 31 years his junior. Pic: AP

‘Someone’s getting put to sleep’

Earlier this week, Paul said he believed the bout would not go the distance. “No, someone’s getting put to sleep,” he said. “It’s going to be a war, and we’re both heavy hitters. It’s not going the full 16 minutes.”

Tyson was more reflective: “I’ve been through so many ups and downs since my last fight with Kevin McBride,” he said.

“I’ve been in rehab. I’ve been in prison, been locked up. Never in a million years did I believe I’d be doing this.”

Several states would not allow the bout to go ahead, and the Texas Athletic Commission only agreed to the fight if there were changes, due to Tyson’s age.

It limited the contest to eight rounds lasting a maximum of two minutes instead of three. Both boxers were also required to wear heavier gloves, designed to lessen the force of punches.

The fight was initially scheduled for 20 July, but was postponed when Tyson suffered an ulcer flareup.

Taylor defends title

Katie Taylor, center, celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
Katie Taylor celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano in Texas. Pic: AP

Meanwhile, among the undercard fights, Irish boxer Katie Taylor successfully defended her super lightweight world title against Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano.

But it was tight. Taylor claimed the rematch 95-94 for all three judges in an epic battle.

The bout came two and a half years after the pair fought at Madison Square Garden, which Taylor won on a split decision.

Bout suffered from buffering

Earlier in the evening thousands of Netflix users in the US reported problems seeing the coverage, with some posting on social media about buffering.

At one point, more than 98,000 people had reported issues according to Downdetector, which tracks outages.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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US

YouTuber Jake Paul strikes defeat against former boxing champ Mike Tyson in Texas

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YouTuber Jake Paul strikes defeat against former boxing champ Mike Tyson in Texas

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has defeated one of the greatest-ever fighters, former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson, who’s more than twice his age.

The bout was won on a unanimous points decision at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – home of the Dallas Cowboys and the biggest NFL stadium in the US.

The fight was already controversial but then arguably failed to live up to the hype. Boos were heard from the crowd in the final two rounds, after a perceived lack of action.

Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
The heavyweight boxing match took place in Arlington, Texas. Pic: AP

Boxing careers compared

This was not Paul’s first professional fight. The 27-year-old American YouTube star made his debut in 2020 with his most high-profile clash against Tyson Fury’s brother Tommy Fury last year, which he lost by a split decision.

The so-called “Problem Child” has since defeated former UFC contender Nate Diaz, professional boxer Andre August, former Gold Gloves champion Ryan Bourland and most recently MMA fighter Mike Perry.

In contrast, “Iron Mike” Tyson, 58, was ranked among the best heavyweight boxers of all time.

More on Jake Paul

During his career, he knocked out 44 opponents – retiring from professional boxing in 2005 after defeat against Kevin McBride.

He returned to the ring in 2020 for a bout against fellow boxing icon Roy Jones, which ended in an unofficial draw.

Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
Mike Tyson struggled at times against Jake Paul, 31 years his junior. Pic: AP

‘Someone’s getting put to sleep’

Earlier this week, Paul said he believed the bout would not go the distance. “No, someone’s getting put to sleep,” he said. “It’s going to be a war, and we’re both heavy hitters. It’s not going the full 16 minutes.”

Tyson was more reflective: “I’ve been through so many ups and downs since my last fight with Kevin McBride,” he said.

“I’ve been in rehab. I’ve been in prison, been locked up. Never in a million years did I believe I’d be doing this.”

Several states would not allow the bout to go ahead, and the Texas Athletic Commission only agreed to the fight if there were changes, due to Tyson’s age.

It limited the contest to eight rounds lasting a maximum of two minutes instead of three. Both boxers were also required to wear heavier gloves, designed to lessen the force of punches.

The fight was initially scheduled for 20 July, but was postponed when Tyson suffered an ulcer flareup.

Taylor defends title

Katie Taylor, center, celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Image:
Katie Taylor celebrates after defeating Amanda Serrano in Texas. Pic: AP

Meanwhile, among the undercard fights, Irish boxer Katie Taylor successfully defended her super lightweight world title against Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano.

But it was tight. Taylor claimed the rematch 95-94 for all three judges in an epic battle.

The bout came two and a half years after the pair fought at Madison Square Garden, which Taylor won on a split decision.

Bout suffered from buffering

Earlier in the evening thousands of Netflix users in the US reported problems seeing the coverage, with some posting on social media about buffering.

At one point, more than 98,000 people had reported issues according to Downdetector, which tracks outages.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

Politics

Elon Musk ‘shot down’ OpenAI’s ICO plan in 2018 over credibility concerns

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<div>Elon Musk 'shot down' OpenAI's ICO plan in 2018 over credibility concerns</div>

According to a court filing, Elon Musk said that the proposed initial coin offering (ICO) “would simply result in a massive loss of credibility for OpenAI.”

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