Important Innovations

  DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane NEW, SMART CAR COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY                                                       Source:  Skoda                                                                                                                               Czech Republic automaker Skoda is developing new car-to-pedestrian communications technology to help people cross the street more safely Animated messages & symbols are displayed on the car's illuminated grille, indicating, for example, that it's not safe to cross the street The system is unique technology using LED strip holders that are programmable & can be controlled separately Skoda is also developing a robot called IPA2X that is designed to help elderly, kids and the disabled to cross a road safely The robot is more than 6.5 feet tall & loaded with sensor

  DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane ESA SPACE MISSION TO JUPITER TO FIND LIFE                                                                                                                        Source: Juice Blastoff & Selfie from Space The European Space Agency (ESA) just launched a 1st-of-its-kind mission to Jupiter & its 3 moons to search for alien life The spacecraft is called Juice or the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer & it will be the first to orbit a moon other than the Earth's Moon Developed by ESA & Airbus, it will undertake an arduous 8 year, 4.1 billion mile journey to Jupiter, arrive in 2031 & stay there for 8 years Big Goal: search Jupiter & particularly its ocean-bearing moons for any signs of life, which some scientists say is a good possibility Highly advanced technology onboard includes:   Most powerful r

  New Images from the James Webb Space Telescope                                                       Source:  NASA Peering Into the Universe More Than 13 Billion Years Ago The world's most advanced space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, has started providing pictures from the depths of space and time.  The images are simply breathtaking and historic.  They provide humanity the first opportunity to look back more than 13 billion years ago and ponder the origins of the Universe and the origins of all of us.  Webb is designed for infrared astronomy and is a marvel of technology and innovation. Pictures That Travel Way Back in Time Today, NASA released a picture of Stephan's Quintet, a group of 5 galaxies that are 290 million light-years away (Image #1).  The image has 150 million pixels and is composed of 1,000 separate image files.  It shows the galaxy in the center crashing through the group.  The second set of 2 images documents the death of a star in unprecedented

  4 Astronauts Aboard Recycled Capsule and Recycled Rocket                                   Source:  NASA & Space X Flying in Proven Flight Systems This morning, Space X launched a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a recycled, reused Falcon 9 rocket booster, dubbed B1061, by SpaceX.  The launch made history multiple times. It is the first time that astronauts have flown on a recycled, reused Crew Dragon capsule, named Endeavor, coupled with a reused Falcon 9 first stage launch rocket.  It is also the first time that astronauts representing three different space agencies - NASA, Europe's ESA and Japan's JAXA, have ridden in the same space capsule.  Space X's Endeavor made history last May when it became the first commercial space vehicle to ferry NASA astronauts to the ISS as part of the first launch of astronauts from the US in twenty years.  Today's flight not only made history.  It provided a spectacular light show in the skies fro

  SAT to Precisely Measure Climate Change Impact on Oceans                                                  Source:  NASA & ESA Keeping a Watchful Eye on Oceans & Climate Change A new NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) satellite to precisely measure rising sea levels from climate change was launched into orbit this weekend onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, from California.  The satellite will be able to precisely measures sea levels on 90% of the world's oceans.  This is the latest in a series of ocean monitoring satellites.  But the technologies on this satellite are so precise they will be able to provide sea level measurements within a few centimeters. Weather Forecasting Data Assistance According to NASA, the new satellite will also help improve the accuracy of weather forecasts as it will provide new, in-depth data on humidity levels and atmospheric pressure.  The satellite is named the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich after NASA former director Michael Freilich who is co

  Supernova 5Billion Times Brighter Than the Sun                                 Source:  ESA Hubble & NASA Photo Photo From Hubble Telescope Before It Faded Away The Hubble Telescope captured images of one of the most spectacular light shows in the universe ever seen.  It was a supernova that outshone every star in its galaxy.  The supernova, called SN2018GV, put on a gorgeous display with the radiance of 5 billion suns before it gradually started fading away.  Fortunately for us, it was caught in a series of images by the Hubble Telescope, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA.  The supernova was first spotted by Hubble in January 2018, 70 million light years from Earth.  Binary Star SN2018GV was a binary dwarf star that was pulling in matter from its companion star.  In space, once a star starts pulling in matter from its companion equal to 1.44 times the mass of the sun, a thermonuclear process starts to begin and the combining star starts to explode.  In effect,

  Discovery of  Underground Lake & Nearby Salt Ponds                                            Source:  European Space Agency's Mars Express Water Could Mean Some Form of Life Exists on Mars There may be life on Mars.  Scientists have found evidence of a large underground lake and a number of small salt ponds nearby.  This discovery raises the possibility that some form of "Martian" life exists on Mars.  Scientists say where there is water, there is life. ESA's Mars Express Spacecraft The new science comes from Europe.  Italian scientists used data from the European Space Agency's Mars Express Spacecraft.  They specifically analyzed data from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument (the MARSIS). They determined that the lake is large - 18.6 miles by 12.4 miles.  The scientists says that the subglacial lake could have important consequences for "astrobiology and the presence of habitable niches on Mars". The extra fi

2 Super-Earths Just Discovered Source:  Gliese 887 2 Exoplanets That Could Support Life A team of German scientists have discovered two, Super-Earths just 11 light years away from Earth.  The astronomers spotted them near the red dwarf star Gliese 887.  They are outside of our solar system and they could sustain life. Earth Like University of Gottingen astronomer Sandra Saffers reported in the journal Science that the 2 exoplanets provide the best possibilities for the search for life outside of our solar system.  In their report, the astronomers said they believe the exoplanets could contain liquid water and have a rocky surface like the Earth. They also have calculated that the surface temperature on these exoplanets at 158 degrees (F) or 70 degrees (C). Gliese 887b & Gliese 887c The newly discovered Super-Earths have been named Gliese 887b and Gliese 887c.  NASA says more than 4,000 exoplanets have been discovered in space.  Exoplanets have a mass larger than t

New World Being Created in a Swirling Orange Disc Source:  European Space Agency  Creation of a Planet Deep in Space Astronomers have discovered a new planet being born inside a swirling orange disc surrounding a distant young star.  And, the team of international astronomers who discovered it say this is the first time that humanity has witnessed the birth of a planet.  They add this discovery will help them to better understand how planets come to exist around stars. Celestial Creation As you can see in the picture, the new planet is forming in the very bright yellow twist in the inner region of the orange, swirling disc that surrounds the young star AV Aurigae.  It was spotted by the European Space Agency's European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in northern Chile. 520 Light Years Away The birth of the new planet is taking place 520 light years from Earth.  Lead astronomer Anthony Boccaletti of the Observatoire de Paris in France says the image shows

European Space Agency Asteroid Find Source: NASA-ESA Asteroid Image Space Rock in Earth-Crossing Orbit The European Space Agency (ESA) has discovered a huge asteroid moving at warp speed.  32,000 miles per hour to be exact. The asteroid is a big one with a diameter of 262 feet.  That's about  the size of a commercial aircraft wing tip to wing tip.  ESA has named the space rock 2020 Ft3 and they've added it to their Risk List of asteroids that could hit Earth. 2089 - 2110 Timeframe 2020 Ft3 follows an Earth-crossing orbit, making it a member of the Apollo family of asteroids.  The space rock is world's away from Earth.  ESA believes the chances of it striking the Earth are very  small.  And, they and NASA have calculated, if by some slight chance it were to hit, it would  not happen before 2089.  They  add, the remote possibility of a strike would be

Hubble's 30 Years of Discoveries Source:  Hubble Space Missions Ahead The Hubble Telescope has been  exploring and discovering new worlds in space for thirty years.  It was deployed in space on April 25, 1990. More than anything else, it has showed mankind the Universe around us. Early Years The first few years of its space tour of duty were riddled with technical problems, particularly with its mirrors.  But new technology and new cameras were launched and deployed by astronauts on Hubble. Hubble Field By 1994, it began its riskiest and richest mission - the Hubble Field.  For ten days scientists used Hubble to examine what seemed like a dark spot in the Universe. No signs of any brightness, probably no stars. What Hubble found were thousands of distant stars and  galaxies.  Those findings,  back in 1994, have forever changed our view of the Universe, as an immense world of discovery. Wh

Hubble Telescope's Dramatic Discovery Source:  NASA's Hubble Space Telescope A Star is Born The Hubble Space Telescope has just discovered and provided spectacular images of a dazzling pink cloud that is a birthplace in the universe for massive stars.  The cloud is known as LHA 120-n 150.  It's a cloud of dust and gas surrounded by sparkling young stars.  You might call it a "space nursery" for baby stars. Distant Views into Space. The pink cloud is located near the Tarantula Nebula, which is a known hot spot for star formation.  The images that Hubble is now providing to astronomers will help them learn how massive stars are created.  Astronomers' theoretical models indicate that massive stars should form within clusters.  But astronomers are now learning through observation that at least 10% of massive stars form in isolation in space. Time Tunnel into the Past Hubble is a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency. 

New NASA, ESA, South Korea Virtual Network to Monitor Air Pollution Source:  UK Government - Air Pollution in Europe Hourly Air Quality, Air Pollution Updates NASA, the European Space Agency and South Korea are joining forces to create a new constellation of satellites with highly advanced instrumentation to monitor global air quality and air pollution.  The system is so advanced it is capable of monitoring, tracking and providing hourly updates on air quality anyplace on Earth. South Korea Launch The environmental watch from space was just kicked off by South Korea's launch of its Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer, aboard its ocean monitoring satellite.  NASA will launch similar instruments in 2022.  The European Space Agency will launch its own satellites and instruments in 2023.  It will be the world's first, real time, air quality monitoring system covering the globe with updates every hour. Global Air Quality Monitoring Networ

NASA Diligently Searching Source:  NASA What's Underground on Mars? NASA scientists have a fascinating and very innovative theory.  They're exploring the possibility that some forms of life could be supported underground and inside caves on Mars.  They believe there's a chance that water may exist underground to support life on the Red Planet. 2020 Launch In July 2020 NASA will launch its Mars 2020 rover with a mission to search for life on the Red Planet.  It will touch down on the Martian surface on the targeted date of February 18, 2021 at a location called Jezero Crater.  NASA calls the area  one of the most scientifically interesting landscapes on Mars. Search for Water and Life Jezero Crater was once home to an ancient river delta that may contain signs of microbial life. The possibility exists that there is water underground on Mars.  Exploring for water and life is rover's big mission.   The rover will join lander InSight that rece