21 MAY 2024 · New rockets are set to take to the skies in 2024, ushering in a new era of space exploration. Among them is the Ariane 6 rocket, developed by ArianeGroup for the European Space Agency. After a delay of four years due to various challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ariane 6 is finally slated for its maiden flight between June 15 and July 31, 2024. Designed as Europe’s response to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the Ariane 6 promises to be more cost-effective, thanks to innovative manufacturing techniques. Another contender is the Vega C rocket, produced by Italian aerospace company Avio. Following a setback in December 2022, Vega C is gearing up for a comeback in the fourth quarter of 2024. Its relaunch is eagerly anticipated as it aims to address the pressing need for small rockets in the European space launch market.

21 MAY 2024 · Billionaire Jeff Bezos’s company has created a prototype solar cell using simulated lunar soil, a step forward in utilizing lunar resources. With the Artemis program, NASA aims for sustained human presence on the Moon, rather than just short-term visits. Achieving this goal will require harnessing lunar resources. Jeff Bezos’s space company, Blue Origin, hopes to contribute to this endeavor with its Blue Alchemist solar energy project, according to Cnet on February 13. Blue Origin has been developing solar cells and transmission wires from simulated lunar soil since 2021, and has now produced a working prototype.

21 MAY 2024 · Blue Origin Transports 6 Passengers to the Edge of Space After Two-Year Hiatus. Blue Origin's rocket transported passengers to the edge of space for the first time after nearly a two-year hiatus following an unsuccessful unmanned test flight. The New Shepard rocket and passenger capsule launched at 21:36 on May 19 Hanoi time from Blue Origin's facility on a private ranch in West Texas, according to CNN. NS-25, the company's seventh manned flight to date, carried six passengers: venture capitalist Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, founder of French brewery Brasserie Mont-Blanc, software engineer and businessman Kenneth L. Hess, retired accountant Carol Schaller, pilot Gopi Thotakura, and retired U.S. Air Force commander Ed Dwight. Dwight was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to become America's first Black astronaut candidate.

21 MAY 2024 · Seashells might seem like harmless souvenirs from a beach trip, but scientists have highlighted why it's best not to take them home. A 2014 study cited by IFL Science on May 18 revealed that researchers investigated the removal of seashells from beaches and concluded that this action causes "significant damage" to many species that rely on them. Seashells play a crucial role in coastal ecosystems. In addition to stabilizing beaches and providing nesting materials for birds, they also offer habitat or attachment surfaces for many marine organisms, including algae, seagrass, sponges, and crustaceans. They also provide a source of calcium carbonate, which can dissolve in seawater and be recycled back into the ocean.

18 MAY 2024 · A vessel powered by burning wood pellets could reduce carbon emissions by 22% compared to ships using fossil fuels. Japanese transportation companies NYK Line, NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers (NBP), and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding are collaborating with the UK renewable energy company Drax to develop the world's first wood pellet-powered cargo ship. According to the recently signed memorandum of understanding, the ship is expected to set sail in 2029. This collaboration aligns with Japan's shift towards green energy sources. Japan is transitioning from fossil fuel-based electricity production to low-carbon and renewable sources, while the demand for wood pellets in the country—typically made from forestry residues and sawmill waste—is increasing. These wood pellets are primarily imported from North America.

18 MAY 2024 · UAE - The Warsan company's plant in Dubai will process 2 million tons of waste per year and meet the electricity needs of 135,000 households. In Dubai, nearly half of the discarded waste contributes to powering homes. Most of the waste is collected at the plant operated by the waste management company Warsan. According to Tim Clarke, the company's CEO, about 45% of Dubai's total waste is sent to this facility. Operating since March this year, the Warsan plant will use 2 million tons of waste annually to generate electricity, enough to power around 135,000 households, CNN reported on May 17.

18 MAY 2024 · BRAZIL - Snake Island is the only place on Earth where the critically endangered golden lancehead pit viper can be found, with numbers reaching into the thousands. Snake Island is a small island off the coast of Brazil, home to thousands of highly venomous snakes. These snakes, measuring up to 1.2 meters, belong to the golden lancehead pit viper species (Bothrops insularis). They are so venomous that the Brazilian Navy has prohibited public access to the island since the 1920s. The island is located about 34 kilometers off the southeastern coast of Brazil and spans an area of 43 hectares, roughly equivalent to 80 American football fields. The island is covered by rainforests for more than half of its area, while the rest is barren land and rocky outcrops.

18 MAY 2024 · The spacecraft of the American startup Inversion Space will act as a warehouse, delivering goods to any location on Earth within an hour.Inversion Space, a U.S. startup founded in 2021, aims to revolutionize military logistics with the concept of a "warehouse in space," Interesting Engineering reported on May 17. The company plans to deploy reusable reentry spacecraft to store goods in orbit and deliver them anywhere on Earth within an hour.The pioneering mission, Ray, is expected to launch as early as October. In this mission, the experimental spacecraft will be sent into space on SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare flight. Ray will test technologies to support the development of a larger spacecraft, according to Inversion Space co-founder and CEO Justin Fiaschetti.

12 MAY 2024 · Japan has added fin whales, a marine mammal species that was once considered vulnerable, to its list of commercially hunted species, raising concerns among conservationists.The Japanese government announced on May 9th that fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) are now the target of whaling ships within its exclusive economic zone, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). The addition of fin whales brings the total number of commercially hunted whales in Japan to 4 species, along with minke whales, Bryde's whales, and sei whales.The latest addition to the supplementary decision is particularly surprising due to the size and rarity of this species. At 25 meters long, fin whales are the second-largest animals on Earth in terms of length, second only to blue whales. They can live up to 90 years and have a wide range of habitats across the world's oceans.

12 MAY 2024 · The stonefish holds the record for the largest venomous spines of any fish, as recognized by the Guinness World Records.Stonefish have 13 venomous spines hidden along their dorsal fin. They inhabit coral reefs and typically hunt fish and crustaceans by lying motionless and waiting for prey to approach, then striking rapidly, according to the Australian Museum in Sydney.The toxin from this fish is secreted from the spines running along its back, containing highly potent venom that can cause intense pain and even lead to death. The sharp spines act as a defensive mechanism and are erected vertically when the fish feels threatened.Each spine on the back is equipped with two venom glands on the outside. The severity of the injury is assessed based on how many spines the victim has come into contact with and the depth at which the spines penetrate the skin.