Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft CRASHES into Earth after getting stuck in orbit for 50 years on doomed Venus mission
A SOVIET-era spacecraft has crashed down to Earth more than half a century after its failed launch to Venus.
The space vessel hurtled back down in an "uncontrolled reentry", the European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking confirmed.
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The European Space Agency debris office agreed that the spacecraft had reentered - after it failed to appear over a German radar station.
It's not yet clear where the speeding spaceship crash landed - or how much of it survived the fiery descent.
Experts said ahead of time that the wreckage could arrive whole, given it was built to withstand a landing on Venus - the solar system's hottest planet.
The hunk of space junk, called Kosmos 482 Descent Craft, was first launched in 1972 with the intention of it touching down on Earth's neighbouring planet.
But this mission failed - and the probe has been stuck in low Earth orbit ever since.
Marco Langbroek, a lecturer in space situational awareness at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands predicted the lander's return in a blog post.
Scientists said there was a very slim chance of the machine smashing into people or buildings.
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Sky News
4 hours ago
- Sky News
Rachel Reeves turning around UK's finances 'like Steve Jobs did for Apple', claims minister
Rachel Reeves will turn around the economy the way Steve Jobs turned around Apple, a cabinet minister has suggested ahead of the upcoming spending review. Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle compared the chancellor to the late Apple co-founder when asked on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips where the £86bn for his department is coming from. The package, confirmed ahead of the full spending review next week, will see each region in England granted £500m to spend on science projects of their choice, including research into faster drug treatments. Asked by Trevor Phillips how the government is finding the money, Mr Kyle said: "Rachel raised money in taxes in the autumn, we are now allocating it per department. "But the key thing is we are going to be investing record amounts of money into the innovations of the future. "Just bear in mind that how Apple turned itself around when Steve Jobs came back to Apple, they were 90 days from insolvency. That's the kind of situation that we had when we came into office. "Steve Jobs turned it around by inventing the iMac, moving to a series of products like the iPod. "Now we are starting to invest in the vaccine processes of the future, some of the high-tech solutions that are going to be high growth. We're investing in our space sector... they will create jobs in the future." The spending review is a process used by governments to set departmental budgets for the years ahead. Asked if it will include more detail on who will receive winter fuel payments, Mr Kyle said that issue will be "dealt with in the run-up to the autumn". "This is a spending review that's going to set the overall spending constraints for government for the next period, the next three years, so you're sort of talking about two separate issues at the moment," he said. 0:42 Scrapping universal winter fuel payments was one of the first things Labour did in government - despite it not being in their manifesto - with minsters saying it was necessary because of the financial "blackhole" left behind by the Tories. But following a long-drawn out backlash, Sir Keir Starmer said last month that the government would extend eligibility, which is now limited to those on pension credit. It is not clear what the new criteria will be, though Ms Reeves has said the changes will come into place before this winter. Mr Kyle also claimed the spending review will see the government invest "the most we've ever spent per pupil in our school system". However, he said the chancellor will stick to her self-imposed fiscal rules - which rule out borrowing for day-to-day spending - meaning that while some departments will get extra money, others are likely to face cuts.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Scientists issue urgent warning to festivalgoers over terrifying new drug that's 500 TIMES stronger than heroin – as two people die from suspected overdoses in Britain
Scientists have issued an urgent warning to festivalgoers over a terrifying new drug that is sweeping the country. Nitazenes are ultra-powerful synthetic opioids, similar to fentanyl, which can be up to 500 times stronger than heroin. Even a tiny dose can be enough to trigger fatal overdoses - with two people killed in the UK this week alone. Now, ahead of the summer festival season, experts warn that the deadly drug poses a 'huge public health risk'. Originally used by criminals to supercharge weak heroin, nitazenes are now being cut into common party drugs and even pharmaceuticals. Speaking to MailOnline, experts have raised concerns that musical festivals will be unable to keep attendees from accidentally taking these deadly drugs. Dr Adam Holland, co-chair of the Faculty of Public Health Drugs Special Interest Group, told MailOnline: 'We haven't been able to keep drugs out of prisons, so we're certainly not going to be able to keep drugs out of festivals. 'If you're going to take unregulated drugs, we strongly recommend testing them to ensure you're taking what you think you're taking.' What are nitazenes? Nitazenes are a group of chemicals originally developed as painkillers in the 1950s that were never licenced to be used as medicines. They are a type of drug called 'synthetic opioids' which means they were made in a lab but work on the same receptors in the brain as natural drugs like heroin and opium. However, the big difference between nitazenes and heroin is that the synthetic variants are significantly stronger and much more deadly. Even the weakest type of nitazene is about as strong as fentanyl, with the most potent being about 100 times stronger. This is a major problem for drug users because they have no way of knowing which types of nitazenes are in their drugs, making accidental overdoses much more likely. Dr Holland says: 'Most nitazenes are extremely dangerous. You only need to consume a tiny amount of these drugs to fatally overdose, and they could be found in a range of substances.' This week, a man, 28, and a woman, 20, allegedly overdosed after taking pills containing nitazenes after visiting a nightclub in south London. What are nitazenes? Nitazenes are a group of chemicals called synthetic opioids. This means they are not found in nature but act on the same parts of the brain as drugs like heroin and opium. Nitazenes were originally developed to be painkillers but were never licenced since they were too dangerous and unpredictable. They can range from 50 to 500 times stronger than heroin and cause overdoses in very small amounts. In the last two years alone they have already caused over 400 deaths in the UK. Authorities believe that the pills were sold as 'oxycodone', a powerful prescription painkiller often used by clubbers to help fall asleep after taking other drugs. Recently, nitazenes have spread wildly through the UK drug market, leading some experts to warn of a 'second wave for the UK drug-related death crisis '. In the last two years, 485 people have died after using nitazenes and the official figures show a rapid increase. Of those deaths, 333 took place in 2024 alone - a 166 per cent increase on previous years. Additionally, Dr Holland says this is 'certainly an underestimate' of the true figure as monitoring systems try to catch up with new drugs. What should festivalgoers look out for? With major festivals such as Glastonbury and Download rapidly approaching, there are now serious concerns that nitazenes could lead to a spike in deaths. The problem is that nitazenes are increasingly being cut into common party drugs and sold to unsuspecting users. Fake pills sold online, such as this counterfeit diazepam (Valium) tablet, have been found to contain the super-strength drug Which drugs are most likely to contain nitazenes? Oxycontin Oxycodone Valium Xanax Heroin Even more worryingly, dealers are increasingly selling products containing nitazenes which have been repackaged in blister packs to look like prescription medication. Dr Holland says: 'In terms of nitazenes, most people using drugs in festivals and nightlife settings would be at the greatest risk from drugs purchased as benzodiazepines - like Valium or Xanax - or opioids, which they might be taking at the end of the night to come down, or to help them sleep.' MailOnline analysis of data from the UK's only drug testing facility WEDINOS has revealed that two-thirds of samples that contained nitazenes were supposed to be legal medications that could be purchased legally. Two-thirds of those 'legal' drugs containing nitazenes were purchased by people trying to buy Valium. Why are festivals more dangerous this year? This public health risk may be even higher this year because the government is still restricting access to testing services. Currently, the Home Office is allowing licenced 'back-of-house' testing at festivals. This means drug-testing services such as The Loop, the only licenced festival drug testing service, can test surrendered or confiscated drugs and issue warnings if anything dangerous is found. What to do if someone overdoses on opioids Keep calm and follow these steps: Make sure that you're not in any danger first Keeping yourself safe is important. Call 999 and ask for an ambulance Check to see if there is anything obstructing their airways Place the person in the recovery position You can find out how to do this here If you have Prenoxad, inject it into their thigh or upper arm muscle If you have Nyxoid, place the spray in their nose and press the plunger Wait with the person until the ambulance arrives, and give the used naloxone kit to the paramedics Source: Katy Porter, CEO at The Loop, told MailOnline: 'The deaths in London, following a night out clubbing, have demonstrated the increasing and wider risk of exposure to nitazenes. 'Drug checking, accessible to the public, can identify substances of concern in circulation alongside purchase intent, and importantly communicate risk directly to an individual, and assisting in the prevention of overdose.' However, experts say the Government is putting lives at risk by maintaining a ban on 'front-of-house' drug checking. These services would allow users to hand over a sample of their drugs to be tested and receive information about what it contains and in what purity. This service was entirely legal until 2023 when the Conservative-led Home Office suddenly moved to block festivals from testing drugs. In light of this, experts warn that authorities should be ready to deal with a higher number of potentially fatal overdoses. Dr Holland says: 'Whatever you think about drugs, a significant proportion of the population is always going to use them - evidence suggests that drug checking prevents the use of dangerous drugs like nitazenes. 'The Government is currently preventing drug checking services from being offered in festivals, which is counterproductive, and likely to increase the risk of incidents in the coming festival season.' How to tell if someone has overdosed Keep an eye out for these signs that someone is having an overdose: Deep snoring/gurgling noises You can't wake the person up, and they don't respond if you shake their shoulders or call their name A blue tinge to the lips, nail beds or other extremities They have stopped breathing You should always call 999 if you think someone is having an overdose. Don't be scared that you'll get in trouble. The ambulance will not bring the police with them except in very particular cases. Source: Likewise, Dr Kars de Bruijne, senior research fellow at the Clingendael Institute, told MailOnline: 'Whether there is a festival or not, Nitazenes are available on the streets and pose huge public health risks. 'It is advisable that there is general preparedness by authorities to respond to cases of overdosing and support with proper treatment.' A Government spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The Policing Minister and Minister for Public Health and Prevention have already written to festival organisers highlighting the serious threat posed by synthetic opioids and other drugs. 'They urged festival organisers and Police Crime Commissioners to work closely with health partners to ensure naloxone, which reverses the effect of an opioid overdose, is readily available. The spokesperson added that 'confiscated and surrendered drugs will continue to be tested at music festivals to identify toxic substances in circulation, and help prevent drug-related overdoses.' However, the Government maintains that it will not licence a testing service that offers 'personalised results' to users and adds that offering testing without a licence may be considered an offence. Why are nitazenes now such a problem for the UK? The sudden rise in popularity is largely down to nitazenes' low cost and high strength. Coming in either a liquid or powder form they are easy to bulk out with other substances to create low-cost drugs with an extremely high profit margin. Dr de Bruijne says: 'The reason that dealers could try nitazenes - despite them being extremely dangerous - is that they are highly addictive and thus generate demand and in very tiny amounts can be consumed without leading to an overdose.' However, the real boost for nitazenes came after the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan following the removal of American troops. The Taliban have cracked down on farmers growing opium poppies - the precursor for heroin - crippling the world's supply of the drug. Prior to the pandemic a kilo of heroin sold for roughly £16,000, but that has now jumped to around £26,000 per kilo, according to anecdotal reports. Meanwhile, the average purity of heroin on the streets has dropped to between 10 and 20 per cent in 2024 compared to 45 per cent in 2022. Dr de Bruijne says this has pushed organised crime groups to seek out synthetic alternatives such as nitazenes. Being so potent, nitazenes can also be moved across borders in smaller volumes before being diluted for sale which has made it hard to stop their spread. Current research suggests that the nitazene-containing drug 'kush' is being imported to West Africa via the UK and Europe in large quantities. However, it isn't yet clear where the nitazenes in the UK are coming from. Dr de Bruijne says: 'The simple answer is that we don't know if they are produced in the UK or Europe 'There is known production of Nitazenes in China. But there are indications that some of the mixture might happen in Western Europe or the UK and there are rumours about potential production of Nitazenes in Western Europe too.'
Wales Online
7 hours ago
- Wales Online
Strawberry Moon will appear red in sky for last time until 2043
Strawberry Moon will appear red in sky for last time until 2043 The moon will take on a strange appearance this week A red moon low on the horizon The full Moon this week will appear unusual for people across the UK thanks to a phenomenon that won't be seen as well again until 2043. June's full Moon is known as the Strawberry Moon because it is the time of year, in North America, when wild strawberries were harvested. And this year the Strawberry Moon will live up to its name and could take on a red tinge. That's because the Moon will be the lowest we will see until 2043 - staying close to the horizon after it rises as a full Moon on June 10 and 11. The fact it is lower on the horizon will mean that, to people looking from the UK, it will take on a red tinge. When the Moon hangs low on the horizon, its light has to travel through a much thicker slice of Earth's atmosphere than when it's overhead. That extra distance does two things: Rayleigh scattering: Molecules of nitrogen, oxygen, plus tiny aerosols in the air scatter short-wavelength light (violet, blue, green) far more efficiently than long-wavelength light (orange, red). The longer the light's journey through that haze, the more of the blues are stripped away, leaving mainly reds and oranges to reach your eyes. Article continues below Dust, smoke, and pollution: Close to the ground, the air contains more dust, water vapour, and human-made pollutants. These larger particles selectively absorb and scatter light, too, but they do it in a way that further mutes the blues and greens while letting the warmer colours through. Put those two effects together and the Moon takes on a coppery or crimson tint whenever it's near the horizon. The same physics explains why sunsets are red — and why a 'blood Moon' during a lunar eclipse looks red: all of the sunlight reaching the eclipsed Moon has been filtered through Earth's thick, dusty atmosphere at sunrise and sunset around the planet. Article continues below The name Strawberry Moon comes from Algonquin and other Native American traditions, as well as old European naming systems. It marks the start of the strawberry harvesting season in parts of North America. Early colonists adopted and passed on this term. For the UK, the full Strawberry Moon on June 11, 2025, will be best seen in the evening of June 10 at moonrise, rather than on the morning of June 11 when it's technically 100% illuminated. Moonrise on June 10 will be between 9pm and 9.30pm and the Moon will be full in the morning on June 11 at 8.43am - after sunrise. The Moon will trace its lowest path of the year, so rising at dusk on June 10 gives it its most dramatic and reddish appearance. At meridian transit (its highest point at night), it'll only reach about 10°–12° above the horizon - about two fists held above the horizon.
