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NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
NASA Launches AI Model To Understand Solar Eruptions, Predict Space Weather
NASA is raising the bar in solar science with the debut of the Surya Heliophysics Foundational Model, an artificial intelligence system built to decode the Sun's complex behavior. Trained on nine years of continuous observations from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), Surya is designed to analyse vast amounts of solar data, helping scientists better understand solar eruptions and predict space weather that threatens satellites, power grids, and communication systems. Developed with IBM and other partners, Surya processes vast streams of solar data to provide insights that were once out of reach. The model already shows promise in one of heliophysics' toughest challenges: predicting solar flares. In collaboration with @NASA, we've open-sourced Surya on @huggingface — a new foundation model designed to help researchers protect infrastructure through accessible, accurate modeling of space weather. It's going to totally change how we forecast solar storms. See how.🧵 — IBM (@IBM) August 20, 2025 Early tests demonstrate that Surya can generate visual forecasts up to two hours in advance, outperforming current methods by 16%. NASA is making Surya openly available, the model on HuggingFace and the code on GitHub, to encourage scientists, educators, and innovators worldwide to build on its capabilities. The foundation of Surya's success lies in the unique dataset from SDO. Since its launch in 2010, the spacecraft has provided an unbroken, high-resolution record of the Sun, capturing images every 12 seconds across multiple wavelengths along with detailed magnetic field measurements. This 15-year archive, spanning an entire solar cycle, gives Surya the depth and consistency needed to detect subtle patterns in solar activity that shorter datasets would miss. NASA officials see Surya as a major step forward. "We are advancing data-driven science by embedding NASA's deep scientific expertise into cutting-edge AI models," said Kevin Murphy, chief science data officer at NASA Headquarters. "This model empowers broader understanding of how solar activity impacts critical systems and technologies that we all rely on here on Earth." Surya's development was supported by the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot, a National Science Foundation initiative with industry partners such as NVIDIA, providing the computing power needed for advanced AI research. As Joseph Westlake, director of NASA's Heliophysics Division, noted: "Just as we use meteorology to forecast Earth's weather, space weather forecasts predict the conditions and events in the space environment that can affect Earth and our technologies. Applying AI to data from our heliophysics missions is a vital step in increasing our space weather defense to protect astronauts and spacecraft, power grids and GPS, and many other systems that power our modern world."


News18
6 hours ago
- News18
Can Magnets Help Astronauts Breathe On Mars? NASA Shares Video Of Radical Tech
Last Updated: NASA Mars Oxygen Tech: From water to breathable air, NASA's new concept could reshape life support for deep space travel. NASA Mars Oxygen Tech: A future where astronauts breathe air on Mars not through bulky machines but through the quiet play of water, magnets and microgravity may not be science fiction for long. That is the vision behind a new study led by the Georgia Tech Research Corporation in collaboration with commercial partner Giner Labs, a long-time leader in space electrolysis technology. Living and working on Mars is not only about landing rockets or building habitats. It is also about something as basic as breathing. Astronauts on long journeys and on the Red Planet will need a steady, reliable source of oxygen, a resource that cannot be shipped in tanks from Earth. To meet that challenge, researchers working with NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program are testing an idea that sounds almost magical: using magnets and swirling water to make air in space. NASA, sharing a video on Wednesday, explained the project in a post that read, 'Living and working on Mars will require innovative technologies to produce oxygen for future explorers. That's why researchers, working with NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program, are developing a powerful new idea using swirling fluids and strong magnets to produce breathable air." At the heart of this concept is a magnetohydrodynamic electrolytic cell, a system that can split water into oxygen and hydrogen without any moving parts. In microgravity, where pumps or centrifuges are difficult to operate and maintain, this could be a game changer. Current machines depend on loops of water, pumps and filters to separate gases from liquids. In the new system, powerful magnetic fields take over the job, guiding the fluids so that oxygen and hydrogen separate naturally. Researchers estimate that this approach could reduce the weight and complexity of oxygen-generating equipment by as much as 50 percent compared to existing systems like the Oxygen Generation Assembly used on the International Space Station. For a Mars-bound crew of four, who would together consume around 3.36 kilograms of oxygen each day, such savings could mean lighter spacecraft, fewer spare parts and a more reliable life support system. If the concept proves successful, its impact could go beyond life support. The same principles could be used in water-based propulsion for small satellites or in future missions that harvest Martian ice to make oxygen and fuel directly on the planet. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...


News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Watch: Meteor Falls On Earth, Rare Crash Recorded On Camera
Last Updated: A rare celestial event stunned onlookers in Canada and it was all caught in an unexpected way. In January 2025, Joe Wellidman from Prince Edward Island, Canada, witnessed a jaw-dropping sight while out walking his dog. A meteor, blazing through the sky at nearly 60,000 km/h, crashed to Earth—an event his home's doorbell camera recorded in full, sound included. This marks the first-ever instance of a meteor impact being captured with audio. While meteors are common during events like the Perseid meteor shower, catching one on camera is incredibly rare. What Are Meteors? Meteors are fragments of rock or metal from space that enter Earth's atmosphere. Every day, around 44,000 kilograms of meteoritic material falls toward Earth. Most of it burns up before reaching the ground, but some pieces make it through. NASA estimates that about 48 tons of space debris hits Earth daily—yet being recorded as it lands is an exceptional occurrence. Scientists say the risk of dying from a meteor strike is extremely low. According to Professor Carrie Nugent, the odds of being hit by a 140-meter asteroid are higher than being killed by lightning—but still extremely rare. The risk is lower than being attacked by an elephant or a wild wolf. Historic Meteor Incidents Confirmed deaths from meteors are almost unheard of. In 1888, in Iraq, a young man reportedly died after being struck by a meteor, according to Ottoman Empire records. Another famous case occurred in 1954, in Alabama (USA), when a meteor tore through a woman's roof and struck her while she slept. She survived but was left with a massive bruise. Such incidents highlight just how extraordinarily rare these encounters are. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...