Mars exploration: Why ESA are testing tech in the Highlands
Dr Claire Cousins is from the University of St Andrews and is working with the European Space Agency (ESA) on the ExoMars Mission. According to Dr Cousins, the team of international scientists are setting themselves a "big goal", trying to understand the ancient environment from about four billion years ago. The trials have included cameras of the type to be used as the rover's "eyes", and kit that can detect ancient biology preserved in the rock.Dr Cousins explains there are only a few places on Earth that are suitable for this kind of testing, and these billion-year-old mudstone are perfect. "They haven't been cooked and squeezed and crushed under mountain belts."They have been beautifully preserved - a slice of time," she said. "We don't know yet if there was ever life on Mars, but these are the kinds of rocks that are going to preserve it," Claire added.
What is the Mars mission all about and when will it take place?
The ExoMars rover was due to land on Mars back in 2021 but complications meant it's launch has had to be delayed until 2028. If all goes to plan, the rover will land on Mars in 2030. It is the first time scientists in Britain have built a rover. It will drill into the surface of Mars in order to study the composition of the planet, and investigate whether there was once life there.
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Why Niger is investigating the $5 million sale of the largest Mars rock found on Earth
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice It's the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth — a 54-pound (25-kilogram) meteorite that fetched more than $5 million at a New York auction last month, setting a world record. But in the West African nation of Niger, where the rusty-red rock was unearthed in the Sahara Desert, officials have launched an investigation into what they call possible 'illicit international trafficking,' claiming it may have been smuggled out of the country. Here's what to know about the meteorite and the legal dispute: How it was found Sotheby's said the rock, named NWA 16788, was blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and traveled 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth. It was discovered in the Sahara in northwestern Niger by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, according to the auction house. His identity was not disclosed. Nor was the identity of the buyer last month. Meteorite hunting is growing in arid Saharan countries like Niger. Though meteorites can fall anywhere on Earth, the Sahara has become a prime spot for their discovery in part due to the favorable climate for their preservation. Hunters often search for space rocks that can be sold to collectors or scientists. The rarest and most precious are from Mars and the moon. According to the Heritage academic journal, the rock was sold to an international dealer before it ended up in a private galley in Italy. A team of scientists from the University of Florence examined the rock last year to learn more about its structure and where it came from before falling to Earth, the publication said. The meteorite was also briefly on display in Rome before it was next seen in public in New York last month during the auction. Why Niger is investigating Following the sale, Niger raised questions about how the meteorite came to be sold at auction. Niger's government announced an investigation last month to determine the circumstances of the meteorite's discovery and sale, saying in a statement it was 'akin to illicit international trafficking.' Last week, President Abdourahamane Tiani suspended the export of 'precious stones, semi-precious stones and meteorites nationwide' in an effort to ensure their traceability. Sotheby's said in a statement sent to The Associated Press the meteorite was exported from Niger and transported in line with all relevant international procedures. 'As with everything we sell, all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved." the statement read. Authorities in Niger did not respond to AP questions. What international law says While global agreements are in place to regulate the trade of cultural artifacts, there is ambiguity about whether meteorites are covered. Patty Gerstenblith, a cultural heritage lawyer and expert on illicit trade, said that under the UNESCO convention on cultural property — which Niger and the U.S. have ratified — meteorites can qualify as cultural property. However, Gerstenblith said Niger needs to prove it owned the meteorite and that it was stolen, as illegal export from the country does not make the meteorite illegal in the U.S. 'If the meteorite was not stolen and if it was properly declared upon import into the U.S., then it would not seem that Niger can recover the meteorite,' she told the AP. Some countries, like Morocco, one of the leading sources of meteorites on the international market, require restitution if the objects are discovered on their territory. But enforcement has been challenging due to the vast desert areas and informal trading networks.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Whisky waste and fungi turned into compostable packaging
Whisky by-products and fungi have been used to create compostable packaging tipped as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Arbikie Distillery in Montrose, Angus, partnered with academics to use mycelium, the root structure of fungi, and distillery by-products such as spent grain. The project, MycoPack, is a collaboration between distillers and academics at Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Dundee, in a bid to turn waste into packaging for the circular economy. The packaging created is lightweight, fire-retardant and compostable, and acts as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, according to experts. Arbikie Distillery produces vodka, gin and whisky, using ingredients grown almost entirely on-site such as barley, potatoes and peas, and hopes to become 'the world's first climate positive distillery' with the introduction of a hydrogen electrolyser. Over the next 10 months the research team will focus on proof of concept, testing material and design, with help from academics Dr Dongyang Sun, of Edinburgh Napier University, and Dr Wenbin Zhou, of University of Dundee. The project focuses on developing mycelium-based composites using distillery by-products, which is intended for protective packaging for whisky products, such as gift boxes currently made from moulded plastic or foam. It is one of 11 collaborative projects awarded funding by Scotland Beyond Net Zero, a collaboration between universities to support the country's drive to net zero, aimed at accelerating the transition to a green economy. Kirsty Black, distillery manager at Arbikie, said: ' Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. 'Our collaboration on MycoPack represents an exciting step forward – combining innovation and purpose to create packaging made from mycelium that's not only environmentally responsible but deeply aligned with our values. 'Together, we hope to pioneer solutions that respect the planet and inspire change across the industry.' Dr Wenbin Zhou, lecturer in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Dundee, said: 'At the University of Dundee, we're excited to lead the design and use of additive manufacturing to shape whisky by-products into compostable, locally rooted, and elegant sustainable packaging. 'We aim to show how sustainable design and advanced manufacturing can support Scotland's journey to net zero by turning waste into low-carbon value— bringing circular economy principles to life through innovation and collaboration.' Dr Dongyang Sun, lecturer in Engineering at Edinburgh Napier University said: 'Our mycelium-based packaging aims to deliver the protective qualities needed for whisky products, while avoiding the long-term environmental impact of plastic. 'Made from distillery by-products, it can be composted at the end of its life, offering a promising step towards more sustainable packaging solutions. 'At Edinburgh Napier, we're proud to pioneer sustainable biomaterials from underused resources. 'MycoPack lets us showcase how fungal composites and circular design can transform whisky by-products into protective packaging that's beautiful, compostable, and low-carbon, delivering both environmental benefit and industry value for Scotland's net zero transition.'
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Commander of NASA's Apollo 13 mission Jim Lovell dies aged 97
Legendary astronaut Jim Lovell, who commanded the almost-doomed Apollo 13 lunar mission has passed away, aged 97. Lovell helped turn the 1970 failed moon mission into a success by safely returning the crew back to Earth after an oxygen tank exploded. NASA's Sean Duffy announced the commander's passing, and said the astronaut's life and work 'inspired millions of people across the decades'. Duffy said: 'Jim's character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements. 'From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the moon and beyond.' Lovell was a veteran of spaceflights Gemini VII, Gemini XII, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. The 1968 Apollo 8 crew, with Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders, was the first manned mission to leave Earth's orbit, and the first to fly to and circle the moon. Though they could not land on the lunar surface, their mission still put the U.S. ahead of the Soviets in the space race. Letter writers said the crew's historic 'pale blue dot' photo of Earth from the moon, a world first, and their Christmas Eve reading from the Bible's Genesis helped lift America during the turbulent year. Tom Hanks played Lovell in director Ron Howard's acclaimed 1995 film Apollo 13. The movie was inspired by Lovell's 1994 book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage Of Apollo 13. Lovell recalled a meeting with Howard, in which the director asked him which actor he would want to play him. Lovell added: 'I said, Kevin Costner and Hanks never lets me forget that... But Hanks did a great job.' Lovell made a cameo appearance in the film as the commander of the U.S. Navy ship that retrieves the astronauts and shakes hands with Hanks. Lovell, who had a moon crater named in his honor, retired as an astronaut in 1973, working first for a harbor towing company and then in telecommunications. He had four children with his wife Marilyn, who died in 2023.
