Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a key milestone in its space program with the successful sea-level hot test of the CE20 Cryogenic Engine. Conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, the test is a critical step in enhancing the engine's performance and reliability. Meanwhile, the CE20 engine powers the upper stage of ISRO’s LVM3 launch vehicle, which has played a pivotal role in missions like Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and the upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight project. This achievement shows Isro’s ongoing efforts to develop advanced space technology, enhance payload capacities, and strengthen India’s position in global space exploration.
In a recent study, a new species of amphipod, Dulcibella camanchaca, from the Atacama Trench, located off the coasts of Peru and Chile. The species name camanchaca, which translates to "darkness", has been taken from indigenous languages in nearby western South America. Found at a staggering depth of 7,902 meters during the 2023 Integrated Deep-Ocean Observing System (IDOOS) Expedition, this discovery sheds light on the hidden biodiversity of the deep ocean. The deep ocean, one of Earth's most mysterious and diverse regions, continues to reveal secrets about its unique ecosystems. The discovery highlights the Atacama Trench as a biodiversity hotspot and underscores the importance of continued exploration of the deep ocean.
Someone struck a match against the night…
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 11, 2024
Webb discerned distinct star clusters in the Firefly Sparkle galaxy, which existed 600 million years after the big bang - the first discovery of an actively forming galaxy as lightweight as the young Milky Way. https://t.co/cJenCOWLsc pic.twitter.com/BWCarEPMPQ
(Credit - X/@NASAWebb)
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying a young galaxy named Firefly Sparkle, which dates back to the early universe. This galaxy resembles bioluminescent fireflies due to its gleaming star clusters, which provides astronomers with a unique glimpse into what the Milky Way may have looked like in its infancy. Located approximately 600 million years after the Big Bang, Firefly Sparkle is still in the process of assembling and has a mass equivalent to about 10 million solar masses. Researchers believe that early galaxies like Firefly Sparkle formed through the collapse of dense gas clouds under extreme conditions.
The human brain possesses an extraordinary ability to store and recall memories across a lifetime. Scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the Medical University of Vienna are finally opening up the hippocampal CA3 region or black box of the human brain, the part that stores memories. The hippocampus is known for its role in learning and associative memory, with the CA3 region responsible for processing information and completing memory patterns. The collaboration between neurosurgeons and physiologists has provided valuable insights into human brain structure and function, paving the way for advancements in understanding memory processes and potential treatments for neurological disorders.
