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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Landing on the red planet
Up, up, and away! The question of whether Mars supports life, or if it has in any point of its history, has been on the minds of people – both scientists and common folk – for a very long time. Flyby explorations of the red planet in the 1960s ended hopes of an inhabited world. In 1971, the Mariner 9 mission entered orbit around Mars and the photographs it returned showed surface features that could have been generated by liquids that had flown. In such circumstances, the logical next step in Mars exploration was to place landers on the surface, with the necessary technology to analyse Martian soil and atmosphere. Budget constraints, however, meant that the concept of a single, long-duration Mars lander had to be revised and replaced with two orbiters and two landers with a shorter planned surface observation time. The result was the two-part Viking mission, with both Viking 1 and Viking 2 having an orbiter and lander. Using smaller launch vehicles and scaled-down mission objectives, the mission aimed at investigating Mars for signs of life with a targeted minimum of 90 days on the planet. The Viking project was managed by NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. While the orbiters of the twin spacecraft were based on the Mariner 9 spacecraft and built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, the lander was built by Martin Marietta under contract to NASA Langley with JPL in charge of handling operations. On August 20, 1975, Viking 1 was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Even as it was making its way on its 304-day voyage to Mars, its twin, Viking 2, was launched on September 9 to begin its 320-day journey. From one anniversary to another On June 19, 1976, Viking 1 was in the vicinity of our neighbouring planet, entering into an elliptical orbit around Mars. The mission planners had grand ideas, planning for the Viking 1 lander to reach the Martian surface on July 4. This was special because it would have meant that the landing would coincide with the bicentennial of the U.S. – the 200th anniversary of the nation's founding. Even the best laid plans, however, might not fruition. Photographs that Viking 1 sent from its orbit showed the landing site that had originally been chosen for July 4 was rougher than expected. As celebrations made way for safety, another two weeks were needed to search and finalise a new, safer touchdown site for landing. Viking 1's orbit was adjusted and on July 20, the lander separated from the orbiter and began its descent towards the Martian surface. Once the soft landing in the Chryse Planitia region of Mars was successful, it almost immediately started beaming back photographs of its landing site. Even though the bicentennial celebrations in Mars had been missed out, Viking 1 lander had made it to the Martian surface on another anniversary – one that is now equally revered, even throughout the world. For it was on July 20, 1969 that the Apollo 11 mission had achieved its grand success, allowing human beings to set foot on the moon for the first time ever. Viking 2, meanwhile, entered into orbit around the red planet on July 25, with its lander successfully landing on the surface in Utopia Planitia on September 3. Picture perfect The lander, which weighed 978 kg and looked in a way like a much bigger version of the Surveyor lunar lander, began relaying back information from the time it separated from the orbiter. This meant that even during the complicated atmospheric entry sequence, Viking 1 lander was taking air samples. Once landed, the spacecraft took in its surroundings. In addition to high-quality, high-resolution images, the lander also managed panoramic views. While the 300-degree panorama of the lander's surroundings showed parts of the spacecraft too, what mattered more was the rolling plains of the Martian environment. Though pictures were high on the agenda, the lander did several other things as well. The seismometer might have failed, but the other instruments and equipment provided valuable data. Instruments recorded temperatures on the Martian surface and these ranged from minus 86 degrees Celsius before dawn to minus 33 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. A little over a week after landing, Viking 1's robot arm scooped up the first soil samples on July 28 and this was deposited into a special biological laboratory. Data from Viking 1 indicated that there were no traces of life, but it did enhance our understanding of the planet's surface and atmosphere. It helped characterise Mars as a cold planet with volcanic soil and an abundance of sulphur, different from any known material found on the Earth and its moon. The Martian atmosphere was shown to be thin, dry and cold, and primarily composed of carbon dioxide. Evidence for ancient river beds and vast flooding were also gathered. Outdoing expectations The primary mission for both Viking 1 and Viking 2 ended in November 1976. Activities, however, continued well beyond that as both orbiters and landers exceeded their planned 90-day lifetimes by a distance. While Viking 1 and 2 orbiters continued their missions until August 17, 1980, and July 24, 1978, respectively, the landers observed weather changes on the surface until November 11, 1982, and April 12, 1980, respectively. The Viking 1 lander first started sending out daily weather reports as part of the Viking Monitor Mission, which was eventually replaced to be a weekly report. Following the death of Thomas A. Mutch, who led the imaging team for the Viking project, on October 6, 1980, the Viking 1 lander and the site where it remains were renamed the Thomas Mutch Memorial Station. The Viking 1 lander operated faultlessly until November 11, 1982, when a human error brought about its end. A faulty command sent from Earth interrupted communications with the lander, and further attempts to resume contact were of no avail. The landers of Viking 1 and 2 together returned 4,500 images from the two landing sites. Having been on the Martian surface for 2,307 Earth days or 2,245 Martian sols, Viking 1 lander set the record for the longest operating spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Viking 1 held this record until May 19, 2010, when the Opportunity rover finally broke the record. Opportunity set that record at 14.5 Earth years or 5,111 sols, with its mission ending only during a planet-wide dust storm in 2018.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Energy Innovation Center approved, NextGen MURR working group formed by UM Curators
The University of Missouri Board of Curators is celebrating a couple votes it took Thursday for projects at the Columbia campus. The first established an Energy Innovation Center and the other created a working group as the NextGen MURR develops. The Energy Innovation Center will research new methods of energy production. Engineering, physics, computer science, chemistry and biochemistry researchers will advance energy production, storage and distribution efforts, the university said in a news release. "We are excited about advancing our mission in energy innovation and discovery. Research relating to energy creation, distribution and performance is critically important," said Todd Graves, curators board chair. "This new facility will be built to promote multidisciplinary collaboration and attract the brightest minds tackling the world's toughest energy challenges." A solution the center could find is one to lessening the power consumption impact needed by artificial intelligence and data centers, the university noted. The Energy Innovation Center is a partnership between the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Science, and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), with contributions from the School of Law, the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business and the Missouri School of Journalism. More: MU alum, former Ameren employee to direct NextGen MU Research Reactor construction The NextGen MURR is a new research reactor in addition to the current MURR, which creates radioisotopes used in cancer research and treatment the world over. The working group made up of board of curators members, Mizzou staff, a federal regulator and corporate leaders is the advisory board for all phases of the NextGen project. It is headed up by Blaine Luetkemeyer as board chair, who also is on the board of curators. A special session of the Missouri General Assembly allocated $50 million toward the project, after it had been removed during the regular session state budgeting process. Mizzou entered partnerships in April with South Korean groups on design and licensing of the NextGen MURR. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How UM Curators votes will impact future campus projects
Associated Press
26-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
More Than 86% of College Freshmen Return for Their Second Semester
New Report Provides First Look at Students Returning and Transferring for Their Spring Semester HERNDON, VA / ACCESS Newswire / June 26, 2025 / The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported today that over 86 percent of the college freshman class of 2023 returned for their second semester. This represents the second-highest persistence rate in the past nine years. The 2025 Persistence and Retention report is the latest in a series that tracks the percentage of students that stay in college after their freshman year, and now, for the first time, includes data on the percentage of students that remain in college after their first semester. The report also finds that 83.7 percent of students returned to their same institution for their second semester. The results indicate that 13.6 percent of 2023 freshmen were no longer enrolled by the spring term and 2.6 percent of students had transferred institutions by the spring. 'We've been focused on second fall persistence for years, but that's too long to wait for many institutions, who seek earlier indicators of student success,' said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 'Today's report helps schools focus on supporting students who are at risk sooner. This is especially important for part-time students, older students and those who start at community colleges, where first spring persistence rates are lower.' Persistence refers to continued enrollment in college, whether at the same or a different institution. The report now tracks this measure at two key points: first spring persistence (enrollment in the spring term immediately following the first fall) and second fall persistence (enrollment in the second fall term). Retention refers to the same milestones, but specifically captures continued enrollment at the student's starting institution. More college freshmen returning for a second year: The percentage of 2023 freshmen who returned for a second year of college - the second fall persistence rate for the 2023 cohort - is 77.6 percent, and the percentage of 2023 freshmen who returned to their same institution for the second year - the second fall retention rate - is 69.5 percent. These rates represent increases of 0.3 percentage points and 0.4 percentage points, respectively, from the previous year's freshman class. Both metrics have now risen for four consecutive years, marking their highest levels in the past nine years. Part-time students face substantial disadvantage: Among fall 2023 starters, first spring persistence was 67.4 percent for part-time students, compared to 92.1 percent for their full-time peers. Similarly, second fall persistence was 53.2 percent for part-time starters, versus 84.4 percent for full-time starters. The magnitude of this gap varies significantly by institutional sector. The private for-profit 4-year sector reported the smallest differences in persistence rates between part-time and full-time students (7.8 percentage points in first spring persistence and 11.6 percentage points in second fall persistence). In contrast, the private nonprofit 4-year sector exhibited the largest disparities, with gaps of 24.9 percentage points for first spring and 38.2 percentage points for second fall persistence. Younger students continued to persist and be retained at higher rates: Among full-time starters in the Fall 2023 cohort, those aged 20 or younger had a spring persistence rate of 93.2 percent, compared to 79.0 percent for those aged 21-24 and 72.6 percent for those 25 or older. First spring retention rates followed a similar pattern: 90.6 percent for students 20 or younger, 77.6 percent for those 21-24, and 71.4 percent for those 25 or older. Computer science persistence and retention decline an outlier: Second fall persistence and retention rates increased for students pursuing bachelor's degrees in 9 of the top 10 most popular major fields, with Visual and Performing Arts showing notable gains (persistence: 88.1%, +1.0 percentage points; retention: 80.9%, +1.1 percentage points). Computer Science was the only top 10 major field to experience a decline in both second fall persistence and retention rates (persistence: 86.1%, -0.8 percentage points; retention: 78.1%, -0.8 percentage points). This pattern also held for first spring persistence and retention rates, where all top 10 major fields saw stability or growth-except for Computer Science, which saw small declines. The Persistence and Retention report series examines early college enrollment outcomes for beginning postsecondary students, tracking both first spring and second year persistence and retention rates. Students are considered persisted if they remain enrolled at any institution and retained if they remain at their starting institution-either in the spring term following initial enrollment (first spring) or in the fall of their second academic year (second fall). In both timeframes, students who complete a credential before the applicable term are also included in the corresponding rates. The report is designed to help institutions understand trends and patterns in this important early success indicator, and identify disparities by institutional type, state, degree level, starting enrollment intensity, major field, and student demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and race and ethnicity. All data prior to the 2023-24 academic year reflect any newer and additional data that participating institutions have reported to the National Student Clearinghouse since last year's publication. About the National Student Clearinghouse® Research Center™ The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is the research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse. The Research Center collaborates with higher education institutions, states, school districts, high schools, and educational organizations as part of a national effort to better inform education leaders and policymakers. Through accurate longitudinal data outcomes reporting, the Research Center enables better educational policy decisions leading to improved student outcomes. To learn more, visit CONTACT: National Student Clearinghouse [email protected] SOURCE: National Student Clearinghouse press release
Saudi Gazette
30-05-2025
- Health
- Saudi Gazette
How groundbreaking innovations and early detection are redefining diabetes care in KSA
The body's immune system provides protection against harmful viruses, bacteria, and other foreign bodies. However, in some individuals, this protective mechanism can turn on the body itself. Such is the case with type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly targets the very cells responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. According to Dr Mohammed Al-Sofiani, Associate Professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at King Saud University, many patients with type 1 diabetes usually present to the emergency room with symptoms like severe fatigue, weight loss, excessive urination, and excessive thirst. He explains that in people with type 1 diabetes, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for producing insulin - the hormone that controls blood glucose. However, even after the antibodies form, there is a long asymptomatic phase, and the clinical onset of type 1 diabetes happens only after significant beta cell destruction has already occurred. This period presents a critical window of opportunity for early intervention and diagnosis. Dr Al-Sofiani further notes that the challenge lies in identifying the disease before it reaches its final stage when insulin therapy becomes a medical necessity. One particularly dangerous complication of this disease is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a condition in which the blood becomes acidic due to an accumulation of ketones. Often the first sign of type 1 diabetes in children, DKA can be life-threatening. In Saudi Arabia, the mortality rate for diabetic ketoacidosis is estimated at 2 to 3.5 per cent, underscoring the urgent need for early diagnosis and preventive care. Professor Dr Bassam Saleh Bin Abbas, Consultant, Head Section of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Pediatric Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center emphasises the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes is caused by autoimmune attacks which lead to partial or complete deficiency of insulin, type 2 diabetes stems from a resistance to insulin's effects. Therefore, type 2 diabetes can be treated with drugs that increase the function of these receptors, while type 1 diabetes requires insulin therapy instead. He also remarks that preventive drugs approved by the American and Saudi FDA are now available in Saudi Arabia. These are particularly helpful for the relatives of those with type 1 diabetes as they typically have a genetic predisposition for this disease. It is also beneficial for those who have already developed the antibodies, even without any symptoms. Notably, preventive drugs can help delay the onset of the disease in such individuals by a median of 2 to 2.7 years. In Saudi Arabia, Sanofi is redefining diabetes treatment practices through its trailblazing innovations, further catalysing the shift from reactive to proactive, patient-centric healthcare. Furthermore, through these advancements, the company aims to provide families with what they desire the most, which is to delay disease onset and the need for lifelong insulin therapy. While type 1 diabetes can often feel too sudden and overwhelming, its detrimental impact can be minimised through early detection and preventing disease progression. In addition to being a key scientific milestone, such medical breakthroughs lay the foundation for a robust national healthcare system, built on the tenets of prevention, early action and better outcomes.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Army gave a historic response to enemy: CM
Indore: CM , while addressing the in Indore on Friday, said that terrorists killed people in the by asking their religion, which was a conspiracy to incite . However, Indians remained united and thwarted this bid by Pakistan. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "In the Pahalgam attack, terrorists sowed the seeds of conspiracy by asking the religion of the people before killing them. Behind this, there was a conspiracy by terrorists and Pakistan to incite a fight between Hindus and Muslims in our country. I am happy that the entire nation thwarted this bid by staying united," the CM said. "Such is the strategy and working style of India's Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) that even the President of the United States (Donald Trump) had to correct his statements (to mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan)," the CM said. He added that from 1857 to 1947, anyone who dared to cast an evil eye on Bharat Mata (Mother India) was met with united resistance from the people of the country. The CM said that in this new era, the gave a historic response to the enemy in a short span of time. The entire world witnessed our strength, unity, and the use of modern weapons through Operation Sindoor, which helped India gain a position alongside the USA and Israel to give such a befitting reply to its enemies with their courage, bravery, valour, and heroism. The Tiranga Yatra witnessed a large number of people participating and carrying the Indian flag. The rally, which commenced from Bada Ganpati Square, was welcomed by over 200 different community and organisational platforms along its route. The 1.5 km distance to Rajwada Chowk took more than one and a half hours to cover. The CM announced that the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar is being celebrated across the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Coincidentally, her birth anniversary according to the Hindu calendar and her wedding anniversary both fall on May 20, which is also the death anniversary of her father-in-law, Malharrao Holkar. In view of this, a cabinet meeting will be held in Rajwada, Indore, on May 20. CM dedicates Chacha Nehru Hosp to people: CM dedicated the transformed Chacha Nehru Children's Hospital and Research Center, the largest govt pediatric hospital in state, to people of Madhya Pradesh in Indore. The hospital's revitalisation was achieved through significant public participation and contributions. The work for the first phase was completed in May 2025.
