Latest news with #NewScientist
NDTV
10 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
Solar Eruptions Are Killing Off SpaceX's Starlink Satellites, NASA Study Reveals
Solar eruptions are impacting the lifespan of satellites in Earth's orbit, especially large constellations like SpaceX's Starlink. According to a report by New Scientist, the sun's 11-year activity cycle, known as the solar maximum, peaked in late 2024, causing increased geomagnetic storms. The study, led by NASA scientist Denny Oliveira, found that these storms cause satellites to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere faster than expected, reducing their lifespan by up to 10 days. "We found that when we have geomagnetic storms, satellites re-enter faster than expected [without solar activity]," he said. With over 7,000 Starlink satellites currently in orbit and thousands more planned, the effect is significant. SpaceX aims to have over 30,000 satellites orbiting the Earth in the future. This rapid expansion has led to a notable increase in satellite re-entries, with several occurring each week. According to Mr Oliveira, this is a historic phenomenon, with multiple satellites re-entering simultaneously. "It's the first time in history we have so many satellites re-entering at the same time. Between 2020 and 2024, 523 Starlink satellites were tracked re-entering our atmosphere, where they are designed to entirely burn up. In a few years, we will have satellites re-entering every day," he added. Starlink satellites typically re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at the end of their life, either intentionally or due to atmospheric drag when they fail. However, recent geomagnetic events have accelerated this process. According to NASA scientist Denny Oliveira, 37 Starlink satellites re-entered the atmosphere after just five days, a significant reduction from the typical duration of over 15 days. Potential Benefits: Some experts believe that increased re-entries could help remove dead satellites from orbit, reducing collision risks. However, this also limits the use of satellites in lower orbits and raises concerns about debris surviving atmospheric re-entry. Concerns and Implications: Collision Risks: With thousands of satellites planned for launch, the risk of collisions increases. Starlink satellites are already involved in numerous close encounters, with one instance prompting the European Space Agency to perform an evasive manoeuvre. Atmospheric Impact: The burning of satellites in the atmosphere could alter its chemistry, potentially affecting the climate. Experts warn that the accumulation of aluminium oxide from burning satellites could lead to unforeseen consequences. Astronomical Impact: The brightness of Starlink satellites can interfere with astronomical observations, prompting concerns from the International Astronomical Union and American Astronomical Society.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Intrigued by Strange Behavior of Distant Planet
A team of astronomers observed a confused exoplanet orbiting its two parent stars in a highly unusual way. As New Scientist reports, the planet, which was first discovered in 2004, is located in a system called Nu Octantis 72 light-years away, and is twice the size of Jupiter. After it was spotted, some physicists thought its mere existence was impossible due to its extremely close proximity to its twin stars. But according to a new paper published in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers is proposing a wild new theory to explain how the planet could exist while also having such an extremely tight orbit. They propose that one of the stars and the planet orbit the second star in two opposite directions. In other words, the planet is retrograde, or orbiting the star in reverse. "The existence of this planet has been controversial, because there were no observational precedents and we expect planets to form in prograde orbit if they form at the same time as the stars," coauthor and University of Hong Kong professor Man Hoi Lee told IFLScience. To make matters even more unusual, the researchers propose that the planet's orbit is sandwiched between the two stars, forcing it to thread the needle during each orbit. It's an erratic dance that highlights how much there's still to learn about the complex orbital mechanics of multi-star systems. "It invites scientists to consider a wider range of star and planet scenarios regarding both formation and evolution," University of Texas at Arlington professor Manfred Cuntz, who was not involved in the research, told New Scientist. One of the system's stars is a white dwarf, indicating it's nearing the end of its life cycle and making Nu Octantis an even more exotic outlier. The scientists estimate that the system was formed 2.9 billion years ago. However, the planet came to be much later. The researchers propose that it either used to orbit both stars, and changed to its unusual trajectory after one of the stars turned into a white dwarf, or it accreted its considerable mass from said white dwarf. But more research is needed before they can develop a more accurate picture of how the planet evolved. "Observations of other planets in tight binary systems with late-stage or post-main- sequence stellar components will provide additional clues for us to better understand the formation and dynamical evolution of planetary systems," the team wrote in its paper. The researchers are already excited to get a closer glimpse of a similar binary star system, such as HD 59686, which also hosts an enormous gas giant with six times the mass of Jupiter. More on binary star systems: Alpha Centauri Sending Stream of Objects Into Our Solar System, Scientists Propose
Economic Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
New study uncovers the world's most and least satisfying jobs, and the results will shock you: Is it not about money or status?
The Science Behind the Smiles Heavenly Careers: Writing, Healing, and the Soul's Work iStock Among the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. The Daily Grind: Where Satisfaction Sputters iStock Interestingly, the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. Prestige and Pay: Mere Illusions? Why the Self-Employed Are (Usually) Happier A Culturally Grounded Truth—But With Global Echoes In a world where we often equate job titles with success and salaries with happiness, a groundbreaking new study flips the script on everything we thought we knew about career satisfaction. Conducted by researchers at the University of Tartu in Estonia, the study explores a deceptively simple question: What makes a job truly satisfying?And the answers might just surprise to an article on the New Scientist, drawing on data from over 59,000 people and a whopping 263 different professions, the research team—led by Kätlin Anni—dug deep into the Estonian Biobank . Participants had not only donated blood but also answered detailed surveys about their careers, income levels, personalities, and overall satisfaction with life. The result? Arguably the most comprehensive look yet at what jobs actually make people happy—or no, it's not about driving a Porsche to a high-rise the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. These jobs, while vastly different in day-to-day function, share a common thread: a strong sense of purpose. Whether it's tending to the spiritual needs of a community, saving lives, or crafting words that move people, these careers seem to offer something money can't buy— says that these findings highlight a powerful truth: jobs offering a sense of achievement and service to others deliver a deeper kind of fulfillment. Even if they don't come with the glamor of a corner office or the thrill of a million-dollar deal, they connect with something elemental in the human the other end of the spectrum, jobs in kitchens, warehouses, manufacturing, transportation, and sales were associated with the lowest satisfaction scores. Add to that roles like security guards, mail carriers, carpenters, and even chemical engineers, and the pattern becomes clearer—when routine meets rigidity, joy often exits the the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. The stress and lack of autonomy, it seems, can sap even the most prestigious role of its of the most revelatory insights from the research was that neither job prestige nor a fat paycheck was a reliable predictor of satisfaction. 'I was expecting job prestige to be more associated with satisfaction, but there was only a slight correlation,' Anni admits. The takeaway? A big title or a six-figure salary doesn't necessarily translate to waking up excited for autonomy, creativity, and the chance to make a tangible impact played far more decisive roles in how people felt about their jobs—and their there's one group that seems to have cracked the happiness code, it's the self-employed. Their secret? Freedom. The ability to set their own schedules, make decisions independently, and shape their workdays allows them a level of agency often missing in more conventional doesn't mean self-employment is for everyone, but it does speak volumes about the value of autonomy in the workplace—a factor that might be worth prioritizing over perks and the study is based in Estonia, its findings resonate far beyond its borders. Although cultural norms might influence how job satisfaction is experienced, the overarching trends—purpose over prestige, autonomy over authority—are universally an era increasingly defined by burnout, quiet quitting, and career pivots, these findings arrive like a timely reminder: fulfillment isn't found in your bank balance or your LinkedIn bio. It's found in the quiet hum of work that feels right—for the next time you daydream about your ideal job, don't just chase the dollar. Ask yourself what kind of work would actually light you up inside. Science now backs what many have long suspected—happiness at work has less to do with status and everything to do with meaning.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
New study uncovers the world's most and least satisfying jobs, and the results will shock you: Is it not about money or status?
In a world where we often equate job titles with success and salaries with happiness, a groundbreaking new study flips the script on everything we thought we knew about career satisfaction. Conducted by researchers at the University of Tartu in Estonia, the study explores a deceptively simple question: What makes a job truly satisfying? And the answers might just surprise you. The Science Behind the Smiles According to an article on the New Scientist , drawing on data from over 59,000 people and a whopping 263 different professions, the research team—led by Kätlin Anni—dug deep into the Estonian Biobank . Participants had not only donated blood but also answered detailed surveys about their careers, income levels, personalities, and overall satisfaction with life. The result? Arguably the most comprehensive look yet at what jobs actually make people happy—or miserable. And no, it's not about driving a Porsche to a high-rise office. Heavenly Careers: Writing, Healing, and the Soul's Work Among the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. These jobs, while vastly different in day-to-day function, share a common thread: a strong sense of purpose. Whether it's tending to the spiritual needs of a community, saving lives, or crafting words that move people, these careers seem to offer something money can't buy—meaning. You Might Also Like: Manager calls employee 'just a number' and mocks him as replaceable. Techie quits and costs company Rs 2.5 crore loss. How? Anni says that these findings highlight a powerful truth: jobs offering a sense of achievement and service to others deliver a deeper kind of fulfillment. Even if they don't come with the glamor of a corner office or the thrill of a million-dollar deal, they connect with something elemental in the human psyche. iStock Among the professions that ranked highest in satisfaction were clergy members, healthcare professionals, and writers. The Daily Grind: Where Satisfaction Sputters At the other end of the spectrum, jobs in kitchens, warehouses, manufacturing, transportation, and sales were associated with the lowest satisfaction scores. Add to that roles like security guards, mail carriers, carpenters, and even chemical engineers, and the pattern becomes clearer—when routine meets rigidity, joy often exits the scene. Interestingly, the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. The stress and lack of autonomy, it seems, can sap even the most prestigious role of its appeal. iStock Interestingly, the study found that highly structured jobs with lots of responsibility, such as corporate managers, also fared poorly in satisfaction. Prestige and Pay: Mere Illusions? One of the most revelatory insights from the research was that neither job prestige nor a fat paycheck was a reliable predictor of satisfaction. 'I was expecting job prestige to be more associated with satisfaction, but there was only a slight correlation,' Anni admits. The takeaway? A big title or a six-figure salary doesn't necessarily translate to waking up excited for work. You Might Also Like: In new job trend, many employees are resigning without another offer. HR expert's explanation will surprise you Instead, autonomy, creativity, and the chance to make a tangible impact played far more decisive roles in how people felt about their jobs—and their lives. Why the Self-Employed Are (Usually) Happier If there's one group that seems to have cracked the happiness code, it's the self-employed. Their secret? Freedom. The ability to set their own schedules, make decisions independently, and shape their workdays allows them a level of agency often missing in more conventional employment. That doesn't mean self-employment is for everyone, but it does speak volumes about the value of autonomy in the workplace—a factor that might be worth prioritizing over perks and promotions. A Culturally Grounded Truth—But With Global Echoes While the study is based in Estonia, its findings resonate far beyond its borders. Although cultural norms might influence how job satisfaction is experienced, the overarching trends—purpose over prestige, autonomy over authority—are universally recognizable. In an era increasingly defined by burnout, quiet quitting, and career pivots, these findings arrive like a timely reminder: fulfillment isn't found in your bank balance or your LinkedIn bio. It's found in the quiet hum of work that feels right—for you. So, the next time you daydream about your ideal job, don't just chase the dollar. Ask yourself what kind of work would actually light you up inside. Science now backs what many have long suspected—happiness at work has less to do with status and everything to do with meaning.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
What Are Alien Dyson Spheres, Why Are They So Janky, and Why Are They Doomed to Go Undetected?
In the 1960s, physicist Freeman Dyson proposed that advanced alien civilizations could be building enormous megastructures around a star to harness its energy. Such a move would allow a civilization to advance from a Type I to a Type II civilization on the Kardashev scale, harvesting the energy available from a star directly instead of from a given planet's surface. These shells, dubbed Dyson spheres, could be giving off distinct technosignatures, astronomers have suggested, making them observable, potentially, from many light-years away. But despite our best efforts, we have yet to make first contact, let alone with an alien-built megastructure siphoning off the energy released by a star. And, as New Scientist reports, there could be a good reason for that. According to Brian Lacki, a scientist involved with the Breakthrough Listen Initiative — which searches for evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations — Dyson spheres may destroy themselves long before we can encounter one. In a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper, Lacki proposed that having satellite-like objects swarming a star all at once could result in a disastrous, cascading effect in the case of a collision. "When you have a whole bunch of things moving together like that in a swarm, a natural question is going to be, do they sometimes bump into each other?" Lacki told New Scientist. "At their orbital speeds, that can be disastrous." In many ways, the risk of that kind of scenario is already playing out in the orbit of our own planet. Scientists have long warned that satellites circling the Earth could collide with each other or with one of the countless pieces of space junk, potentially triggering a knock-on effect, called Kessler syndrome. Experts have warned that it's only a matter of time until a collision could trigger a catastrophe. According to Lacki, aliens would have to tread very carefully to ensure that satellites aren't crossing each other's paths. "You just can't have that much material around a star without it colliding with itself and eventually shredding itself to pieces, unless each of those swarm components is careful about managing its orbit," Penn State astrophysics professor Jason Wright, who was not involved in the research, told New Scientist. Lacki's conclusion leaves an intriguing possibility: we may still be able to detect the signatures of already collapsed megastructures orbiting distant stars. However, without that visible technosignature, they would be incredibly difficult to spot. As far as harnessing the power of the Sun is concerned, researchers have previously found that we would need to demolish a Jupiter-sized planet to build a Dyson sphere around our host star, an enormous — and likely risky — endeavor. More on Dyson spheres: Scientists Identify Seven Star Systems That May Be Hosting Alien Megastructures
