News Feeds

Electron transport in bilayer graphene exhibits a pronounced dependence on edge states and a nonlocal transport mechanism, according to a recent study.

Electron transport in bilayer graphene exhibits a pronounced dependence on edge states and a nonlocal transport mechanism, according to a recent study.

Scientists warn efforts to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5°C will fail as data confirms 2024 was the hottest year in human history

If you were Captain of the first USS Enterprise, where would you go!? Humanity is on the cusp of reaching out among the stars, maybe not just yet, nor in our lifetimes but it is just around the corner cosmologically speaking. A new paper explores the new technology that could make it a reality but also carefully considers the ethical aspects. Before we make the first journeys we need to be clear about the ethical considerations too so that our exploration is sustainable and responsible.

In 1961 Yuri Gagarin completed the first human spaceflight. In the decades that followed human visitors arrived on the Moon and countless probes have visited the planets. Exploring the stars is a challenge of another level but with theoretical concepts like nuclear propulsion and even warp drive it may not be so far away. Project Orion proposed nuclear powered spacecraft while Project Breakthrough Starshot proposed sending small spacecraft to the stars. The challenges are still vast but no longer insurmountable. 

Yury Gagarin before a space flight aboard the Vostok spacecraft. April 12, 1961 Credit: RIA Novosti

The human drive for exploration has meant the prospect of interstellar travel has always been the obvious next step. As the desire and technology finally start to make this a reality, the ethical debate must also begin as we consider the complex moral implications as we step out among the stars. 

In a fascinating paper authored by Florian Neukart, Professor of Quantum Computing from the Institute of Computer Science in the Netherlands, the focus is to explore the multitude of different elements to interstellar travel. This includes factual elements such as propulsion systems, habitat construction and life support and also sociological, ethical and philosophical issues too. Humans travelling to and exploring planets in our Solar System is one thing but just imagine travelling to and arriving at a world with alien inhabitants. Seems perhaps the stuff of science fiction but once we start travelling across the gulf between the stars, it becomes a real possibility. The paper underlines the deep need to consider all facets of interstellar travel. 

This artist’s impression depicts the exomoon candidate Kepler-1625b-i, the planet it is orbiting and the star in the centre of the star system. Kepler-1625b-i is the first exomoon candidate and, if confirmed, the first moon to be found outside the Solar System. Like many exoplanets, Kepler-1625b-i was discovered using the transit method. Exomoons are difficult to find because they are smaller than their companion planets, so their transit signal is weak, and their position in the system changes with each transit because of their orbit. This requires extensive modelling and data analysis.

Among the questions posed by the paper is the deeply emotive; Should we pursue interstellar travel given the unknowns, or might our resources be better spent addressing urgent Earth-bound challenges? To answer questions like this demands insights from physics, engineering, biology, ethics and social sciences.

The paper includes insight into the current technological capabilities in consideration of the current theoretical frameworks of interstellar travel. It discusses multiple possible technologies such as the Magnetic Fusion Plasma Drive, nuclear thermal propulsion, ion drives and even warp drives. Life support systems and habitat protection technology are also considered and discussed. 

Artist impression of a starship with warp drive (Credit : Alorin)

I feel however that, whilst the technology will undoubtedly get us to the stars, the debates about whether we should will continue for some time. One thing is for sure, the many different aspects of interstellar travel must be carefully weighed up and considered with suitable frameworks being established. Not only will this protect us as we extend our travels into deep space but it will protect environments and life that we come across along the way.

Source : Toward the stars: Technological, ethical, and sociopolitical dimensions of interstellar exploration

The post The Cosmos is Waiting for us to Explore. But we Should Choose our Path Wisely. appeared first on Universe Today.

Earthquakes that occurred near an oil extraction site in Surrey, UK, in 2018 and 2019 had been put down to coincidence, but a new analysis with an updated look at the geology of the area suggests the seismic events may indeed have been linked to drilling

The first known death from a bird flu virus in the US has sparked fears about another pandemic, yet the overall risk to the general public still remains low

Catalysts do several surprising things to assist with daily life -- from bread making to turning raw materials into fuels more efficiently. Now, researchers have developed a way to speed up the discovery process for a promising new class of these helpful substances called single atom catalysts.

After months of delay, the cool La Niña climate pattern has emerged in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which increases the risk of drought in parts of the Americas

Construction materials such as concrete and plastic have the potential to lock away billions of tons of carbon dioxide, according to a new study by civil engineers and earth systems scientists. The study shows that combined with steps to decarbonize the economy, storing CO2 in buildings could help the world achieve goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers find cell migration doesn't only rely on generating force. A professor of mechanical engineering and materials science found that groups of cells moved faster with lower force when adhered to soft surfaces with aligned collagen fibers.

Laboratory experiments designed to deform ice at its pressure-melting temperature were like grabbing a bagel at the top and the bottom, then twisting the two halves to smear the cream cheese in the middle, according to new research. The resulting data could lead to more accurate models of temperate glacier ice and better predictions of glacier flow and sea-level rise.

It turns out that the cartilage inside your ears and nose is different from that found elsewhere in the body, with a fatty structure that makes it look like bubble wrap, and this long-overlooked tissue could prove useful in certain surgeries

Researchers have developed IRIS, a smart ring that allows users to point and click to control smart devices. The prototype Bluetooth ring contains a small camera which sends an image of the selected device to the user's phone. The user can control the device clicking a small button or -- for devices with gradient controls, such as a speaker's volume -- rotating the ring.

Researchers have developed new measurement techniques and methods to measure emissions from category-L vehicles in realistic operation and to determine corresponding limit values.

Imagine a future where your phone, computer or even a tiny wearable device can think and learn like the human brain -- processing information faster, smarter and using less energy. A breakthrough approach brings this vision closer to reality by electrically 'twisting' a single nanoscale ferroelectric domain wall.

Researchers have recently achieved a significant breakthrough in the development of next-generation carbon-based quantum materials, opening new horizons for advancements in quantum electronics. The innovation involves a novel type of graphene nanoribbon (GNR), named Janus GNR (JGNR). The material has a unique zigzag edge, with a special ferromagnetic edge state located on one of the edges. This unique design enables the realization of one-dimensional ferromagnetic spin chain, which could have important applications in quantum electronics and quantum computing.

Scientists have developed inhalable lung cancer therapeutics utilizing mucoadhesive proteinic nanoparticles.

A team developed a method that makes it easy to measure the wrinkles in thin membranes used on large spacecraft using just a single camera.

Scientists have created a catalyst for hydrogen generation from ammonia that becomes more active with time, and by counting atoms revealed changes that boost the catalyst's performance.

A battery that needs feeding instead of charging? This is exactly what researchers have achieved with their 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery. The living battery could supply power to sensors for agriculture or research in remote regions. Once the work is done, it digests itself from the inside.