From lost oceans to new found worlds, 2015 was an eventful year for the scientific community. Here at readthetrieb.com, we count the Top 5 of space related news, so you never have to be ashamed to speak at your friends astrophysicist party again.
1. Water on Mars
Yeah, you read right, we finally found water on our neighboring planet Mars! After years of hypothesis and hopes, NASA examined dark lines on Martian soil called “Recurring slope linea“, which appeared during the “warm“ months of summer. They consist of a mixture of water and perchlorate, a salt, which lowers the water’s freezing point to a degree of -10° Fahrenheit.
Water, which is considered a crucial puzzle piece for life, was speculated to have been flowing freely on Mars since the 70s. And now that we’ve found water on Mars, scientists hope to discover life on it aswell.
Who knows, maybe “Mars Attacks“ is not that far fetched after all?
2. Reusable rockets
California based space company SpaceX has archived another milestone this December, as they finally landed a rocket on earth. Because rockets, which cost an estimated amount of a commercial airplane, have been only usable once, spaceflight has been astronomical expensive. Now, we can hope for future travel agencies to offer a ride to the moon for the rather affordable price of a transatlantic flight. See you space, cowboy!
From lost oceans to new found worlds, 2015 was an eventful year for the scientific community. Here at readthetrieb.com, we count the Top 5 of space related news, so you never have to be ashamed to speak at your friends astrophysicist party again.
Water on Mars
Yeah, you read right, we finally found water on our neighboring planet Mars! After years of hypothesis and hopes, NASA examined dark lines on Martian soil called “Recurring slope linea“, which appeared during the “warm“ months of summer. They consist of a mixture of water and perchlorate, a salt, which lowers the water’s freezing point to a degree of -10° Fahrenheit.
Water, which is considered a crucial puzzle piece for life, was speculated to have been flowing freely on Mars since the 70s. And now that we’ve found water on Mars, scientists hope to discover life on it as well.
Who knows, maybe “Mars Attacks“ is not that farfetched after all?
Reusable rockets
California based space company SpaceX has archived another milestone this December, as they finally landed a rocket on earth. Because rockets, which cost an estimated amount of a commercial airplane, have been only usable once, spaceflight has been astronomical expensive. Now, we can hope for future travel agencies to offer a ride to the moon for the rather affordable price of a transatlantic flight. See you space, cowboy!
Another Earth
This year we have found another earth-like planet in the constellation swan, which comes with the handy name of Kepler 452-b, discovered in its parent star system Kepler 452 by its famous namesake, the Kepler Telescope.
The 1400 light years distant planet is situated in the so called Goldilockszone, a zone, which is considered habitable because it is just in the right place for its water to be neither solid nor evaporated by its star heat.
Well, now that there is only the small obstacle of discovering the warp drive left, we might just have found ourselves a new home. So what are you waiting for, NASA? Do it!
Pictures of Pluto
The space probe New Horizons finally did its name justice as it was the first manmade object to pass by Pluto on June 15.
Pluto, which, according to the person you ask, whether has the shape of the beloved comic dog or a heart on its surface, is a dwarf planet with two thirds of the mass of our own moon and covered in a thick layer of ice. The probe passed by at an approximated speed of 14,5 kilometer per second and is now on its way the Kuiperbelt, an asteroid field on the edge of our solar system.
Apparently Mars has not been the dry and dusty planet we know of from Matt Damon’s blockbuster hit “The Martian“, but was once a life-friendly planet with a large and up to a mile deep ocean covering its northern hemisphere. The pool party lasted up until four billion years ago, as Mars’ iron core went from liquid to solid. This resulted in Mars’ inability to sustain its magnetic field, which in the long run led to the evaporation of most of its liquid water.
So, the next time you are going for a swim in your nearest ocean, give our buddy earth a slap for being better at protecting life’s most precious resource.
3. Another Earth
This year we have found another earth-like planet in the constellation swan, which comes with the handy name of Kepler 452-b, discovered in its parent star system Kepler 452 by its famous namesake, the Kepler Telescope.
The 1400 light years distant planet is situated in the so called ?Goldilockszone?, a zone, which is considered habitable because it is just in the right place for its water to be neither solid nor evaporated by its star heat.
Well, now that there is only the small obstacle of discovering the warp drive left, we might just have found ourselves a new home. So what are you waiting for, NASA? Do it!
4. Pictures of Pluto
The space probe New Horizons finally did its name justice as it was the first manmade object to pass by Pluto on June 15.
Pluto, which, according to the person you ask, whether has the shape of the beloved comic dog or a heart on its surface, is a dwarf planet with two thirds of the mass of our own moon and covered in a thick layer of ice. The probe passed by at an approximated speed of 14,5 kilometer per second and is now on its way the Kuiperbelt, an asteroid field on the edge of our solar system.
Apparently Mars has not been the dry and dusty planet we know of from Matt Damon’s blockbuster hit “The Martian“, but was once a lifefriendly planet with a large and up to a mile deep ocean covering its northern hemisphere. The pool party lasted up until four billion years ago, as Mars’ iron core went from liquid to solid. This resulted in Mars’ inability to sustain its magnetic field, which in the long run led to the evaporation of most of its liquid water.
So, the next time you are going for a swim in your nearest ocean, give our buddy earth a slap for being better at protecting life’s most precious resource.
