Moon cave that could shelter astronauts found beneath the Sea of Tranquility
Scientists have found a subterranean cavity beneath the Sea of Tranquility, which may provide shelter for future lunar astronauts in the form of a cave. Lunar caves, formed by volcanic processes during the moon’s early history, are connected to surface pits. The long, wide cave, found by reviewing archival data, could be used to protect astronauts from radiation and temperature swings and provide a new avenue for studying lunar rocks.
Astronomers have detected an exoplanet with an unusual orbit shaped like a cucumber that may be turning into another type of world. The orbit changes temperatures on the planet, and it may be moving closer to its star. In hundreds of millions of years, the planet could become a hot version of Jupiter.
Separately, the plan is to send a spacecraft named Ramses to accompany an asteroid on a close approach to Earth in April 2029. The spacecraft could capture quakes and landslides on the space rock as it is affected by Earth’s gravity.
Pets with flat faces or puffy cheeks may have eyelid disease, which causes discomfort. Some dog and cat breeds are genetically more likely to have issues with malformed eyelids. Cosmetic surgery has helped pets overcome the pain of misshapen eyelids, which is critical to their health.
The Curiosity rover made an unexpected discovery during its mission on Mars. It found yellowish-green sulfur crystals inside a rock and a whole field of them within an ancient channel carved into the side of Mars’ Mount Sharp. The origin of the sulfur remains a mystery.
The African Space Agency is launching satellites to improve life on Earth, monitoring water quality, and preventing illegal activities.
A fossil revealing the complete side view of an ancient shark called Ptychodus was found in Mexico. The shark had rows of large, rounded teeth that crushed shelled prey. The complete skeleton unraveled the mystery of the prehistoric fish’s appearance.
Cut marks on the fossilized remains of an armadillo-like creature in Argentina reveal that humans butchered the animal over 20,000 years ago, indicating early human settlement in the Americas.
Other stories include experts in New Zealand determining whether a creature that washed ashore is a spade-toothed whale, NASA transmitting a hip-hop song to Venus, a record-breaking number of Siamese crocodile eggs hatching in Cambodia, and a blazing meteor disintegrating above New Jersey.