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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of the most

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<v Speaker 1>exciting developments in space science and exploration. I'm your host, Anna,

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<v Speaker 1>and today we've got an absolutely packed show with stories

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<v Speaker 1>from across the cosmos. We'll be diving into a mysterious

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<v Speaker 1>fast radio burst that's challenging everything we thought we knew

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<v Speaker 1>about these enigmatic signals, and we'll explore record breaking supersonic

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<v Speaker 1>winds on a distant exoplanet that would make Earth's strongest

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<v Speaker 1>hurricanes look like a gentle breeze. We'll also look at

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<v Speaker 1>some groundbreaking achievements in space technology, including a remarkable breakthrough

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<v Speaker 1>in oxygen production aboard China's space station and a historic

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<v Speaker 1>first for European space launches. Plus, we've got fascinating new

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<v Speaker 1>discoveries about rapidly spinning black holes and innovative plans for

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<v Speaker 1>powering future lunar missions. So strap in as we embark

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<v Speaker 1>on this cosmic journey through the latest and most captivating

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<v Speaker 1>space news of the day. Scientists have made a fascinating

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<v Speaker 1>discovery that's challenging our understanding of one of space's most

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<v Speaker 1>mysterious phenomena, Fast radio bursts FRBs, a newly detected burst

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<v Speaker 1>designated FRB two zero two four zero two zero nine A,

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<v Speaker 1>has been found in a place we wouldn't expect, on

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<v Speaker 1>the outskirts of an ancient, dead elliptical galaxy. These FRBs

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<v Speaker 1>are incredibly energetic pulses of radio light that flash across

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<v Speaker 1>the universe for just milliseconds. Since their first discovery in

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<v Speaker 1>two thousand and seven, we've detected over one thousand of them,

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<v Speaker 1>but this one is special. Until now, we've only found

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<v Speaker 1>FRBs in young, active galaxies where stars are still being born.

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<v Speaker 1>What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is that this FRB

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<v Speaker 1>was detected in a galaxy that's eleven point three billion

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<v Speaker 1>years old, practically a cosmic senior citizen. Not only that,

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<v Speaker 1>but it's located in an unusual spot, about one hundred

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<v Speaker 1>thirty thousand light years from the galaxy center, in a

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<v Speaker 1>region where very few stars exist. The leading theory has

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<v Speaker 1>been that FRBs come from magnetars highly magnetized neutron stars

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<v Speaker 1>formed when massive stars die in spectacular supernova explosions, but

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<v Speaker 1>this new discovery doesn't fit that explanation. The galaxy where

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<v Speaker 1>this FRB was found is simply too old and inactive

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<v Speaker 1>to support the formation of new magnetars through this process.

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<v Speaker 1>The burst was first picked up in February twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>four by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, and it

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't just a one time event. Between February and July,

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<v Speaker 1>it pulsed twenty one more times, giving scientists plenty of

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<v Speaker 1>opportunities to study its behavior. This discovery suggests we might

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<v Speaker 1>need to rethink our theories about FRBs, As Northwestern Universities

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<v Speaker 1>one five Fong puts it, just when we think we

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<v Speaker 1>understand an astrophysical phenomenon, the universe throws us a curveball.

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<v Speaker 1>It's possible there could be a whole subclass of FRBs

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<v Speaker 1>associated with older systems that were only now beginning to understand.

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<v Speaker 1>At just two billion light years from Earth, this FRB

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<v Speaker 1>is giving us a front row seat to what might

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<v Speaker 1>be an entirely new cat category of cosmic phenomena, reminding

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<v Speaker 1>us once again that the universe still has plenty of

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<v Speaker 1>surprises in store for us. And here's another surprising discovery

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<v Speaker 1>for you. Hold on to your telescopes because astronomers have

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<v Speaker 1>just discovered something extraordinary on the distant exoplanet WASP one

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<v Speaker 1>hundred twenty seven B. Using the European Southern Observatories very

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<v Speaker 1>large telescope in Chile, they've detected the fastest planetary winds

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<v Speaker 1>ever measured, and we're talking about speeds that make Earth's

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<v Speaker 1>most violent storms look like gentle breezes. These incredible winds

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<v Speaker 1>are whipping around WASP one hundred twenty seven bees equator

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<v Speaker 1>at a mind boggling thirty three thousand kilometers per hour.

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<v Speaker 1>To put that in perspective, that's nearly six times faster

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<v Speaker 1>than the planet's rotation speed. Even Neptune, which held the

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<v Speaker 1>previous record for fastest winds in our Solar system, only

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<v Speaker 1>manages speeds of about one thousand, eight hundred kilometers per hour.

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<v Speaker 1>WASP one hundred twenty seven B itself is quite the

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<v Speaker 1>fascinating world. Located about five hundred light years away. It's

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<v Speaker 1>slightly larger than Jupiter but much less dense, earning it

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<v Speaker 1>the nickname Puffy Planet. What makes these observations even more

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<v Speaker 1>remarkable is that scientists have detected a clear pattern in

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<v Speaker 1>these supersonic winds. One side of the atmosphere is racing

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<v Speaker 1>toward us, while the other side is moving away at

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<v Speaker 1>the same incredible speed. The research team's observations have revealed

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<v Speaker 1>more than just wind speeds. They've confirmed the presence of water, vapor,

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<v Speaker 1>and carbon monoxide in the planet's atmosphere, and discovered that

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<v Speaker 1>its poles are cooler than the rest of the planet.

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<v Speaker 1>There's even a slight temperature difference between its morning and

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<v Speaker 1>evening sides, showing that this distant world has complex weather

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<v Speaker 1>patterns similar to what we see in our own Solar System.

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<v Speaker 1>This discovery is particularly significant because until recently, astronomers could

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<v Speaker 1>only measure basic characteristics of exoplanets, like their mass and radius. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>thanks to advanced instruments like those on the Very Large Telescope,

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<v Speaker 1>we can actually map the weather on these distant worlds

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<v Speaker 1>and analyze their atmospheres in detail. This is helping us

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<v Speaker 1>better understand not just how these planets formed, but potentially

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<v Speaker 1>giving us insights into the origins of our own Solar System.

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<v Speaker 1>What's particularly interesting is that this kind of detailed observation

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<v Speaker 1>can currently only be done from ground based observatories. Even

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<v Speaker 1>our most advanced space telescopes don't yet have the velocity

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<v Speaker 1>precision needed for these measurements, but with new facilities like

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<v Speaker 1>the Extremely Large Telescope under construction. We're looking forward to

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<v Speaker 1>exploring even finer details of these alien weather patterns, and

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<v Speaker 1>maybe even studying the atmospheres of smaller rocky planets. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>a bit closer to Earth, the science goes on in

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<v Speaker 1>a groundbreaking development aboard China's Tiangong space station, the Shenzo

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen crew has successfully demonstrated the world's first in orbit

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<v Speaker 1>artificial photosynthesis technology. This remarkable achievement isn't just about growing

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<v Speaker 1>plants in space. It's about creating oxygen and rocket fuel

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<v Speaker 1>components right there in orbit, marking a significant leap forward

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<v Speaker 1>in our ability to sustain long term space missions. The

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<v Speaker 1>experiments took place in a relatively simple drawer shaped device

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<v Speaker 1>where semiconductor catalysts work their magic by converting carbon dioxide

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<v Speaker 1>and water into oxygen and ethylene, a hydrocarbon that can

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<v Speaker 1>be used to create spacecraft propellants. What makes this particularly

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<v Speaker 1>impressive is that, unlike conventional methods that require high temperatures

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<v Speaker 1>and pressure, this process works efficiently at room temperature and

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<v Speaker 1>standard atmospheric pressure. This innovation could be a game changer

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<v Speaker 1>for space exploration. Currently, the International Space Station relies on

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<v Speaker 1>electrolysis for its oxygen needs a process that consumes about

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<v Speaker 1>one third of the station's total life support energy. While effective,

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<v Speaker 1>this method simply wouldn't be practical for long duration missions

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<v Speaker 1>to the Moon or Mars. The new Chinese technology offers

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<v Speaker 1>a more energy efficient alternative that could help solve one

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<v Speaker 1>of the biggest challenge in space exploration, how to keep

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<v Speaker 1>astronauts breathing without constantly resupplying from Earth. The implications go

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<v Speaker 1>beyond just producing oxygen. The system is cleverly designed to

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<v Speaker 1>be upgraded while in orbit, allowing scientists to test different

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<v Speaker 1>catalysts and reactions. By adjusting the catalyst, they can produce

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<v Speaker 1>various useful products, including methane for propulsion or formic acid

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<v Speaker 1>that could be used to synthesize sugars. This flexibility could

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<v Speaker 1>prove invaluable for future space missions where resources need to

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<v Speaker 1>be carefully managed and recycled. This development positions China at

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<v Speaker 1>the forefront of sustainable space technologies, demonstrating a crucial capability

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<v Speaker 1>that will be essential for humanity's long term presence in

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<v Speaker 1>space as we look toward establishing permanent bases on the

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<v Speaker 1>Moon and eventual missions to Mars. The ability to generate

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<v Speaker 1>essential resources like oxygen and fuel in situ could be

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<v Speaker 1>the key to making these ambitious goals achievable. And some

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<v Speaker 1>news for our European listeners. Europe has just marked a

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<v Speaker 1>historic milestone in its space exploration journey, with German startup

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<v Speaker 1>Rocket Factory Augsburg securing the first ever license for vertical

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<v Speaker 1>rocket launches from mainland Europe. This groundbreaking authorization from the

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<v Speaker 1>UK Civil Aviation Authority allows them to conduct launches from

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<v Speaker 1>the sax of Word Spaceport, located on the remote Shetland

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<v Speaker 1>Islands off Scotland's coast. The license permits up to ten

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<v Speaker 1>launches per calendar year, with a maximum of two launches

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<v Speaker 1>within any given month. This careful regulation emphasizes both public

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<v Speaker 1>safety and environmental impact considerations. For RFA, this isn't just

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<v Speaker 1>a regulatory win, it's a powerful endorsement of their technical

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<v Speaker 1>capabilities and represents a significant shift in European space innovation.

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<v Speaker 1>The company has already made significant progress in their launch preparations,

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<v Speaker 1>though they faced a setback last August when a static

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<v Speaker 1>fire test of their RFA one rockets first stage ended

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<v Speaker 1>in an explosion. However, they're now back on track, focusing

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<v Speaker 1>on building a new first stage equipped with nine helix

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<v Speaker 1>staged combustion engines. The good news is that other crucial components,

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<v Speaker 1>including the second stage, third stage, orbital transfer vehicle and

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<v Speaker 1>the faring are already flight qualified. This development is part

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<v Speaker 1>of a broader emergence of European launch startups, with companies

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<v Speaker 1>from Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom all working to

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<v Speaker 1>develop their own orbital rockets. The Sacks of Word spaceport

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<v Speaker 1>isn't alone either. Similar facilities in Norway and Sweden are

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<v Speaker 1>also preparing to host launches, signaling a new era of

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<v Speaker 1>European space capability. What we're witnessing is nothing less than

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<v Speaker 1>the dawn of a new commercial space age in Europe.

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<v Speaker 1>After decades of relying on launches from French Guiana, Europe

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<v Speaker 1>is finally developing the infrastructure and capability to send rockets

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<v Speaker 1>into orbit from its own soil, marking a significant step

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<v Speaker 1>toward independent access to space. Now our obligatory black hole

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<v Speaker 1>story for the day, and it's a beauty in a

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<v Speaker 1>fast discovery that's reshaping our understanding of the cosmos. Astronomers

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<v Speaker 1>have found that supermassive black holes are spinning much faster

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<v Speaker 1>than we previously believed. This revelation comes from an extensive

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<v Speaker 1>survey conducted by the Sloane Digital Sky Survey's Reverberation Mapping project,

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<v Speaker 1>which looked at black holes spanning billions of years of

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<v Speaker 1>cosmic history. What makes this finding particularly intriguing is that

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<v Speaker 1>these rapid spin rates are telling us something fundamental about

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<v Speaker 1>how these cosmic giants grew over time. The traditional view

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<v Speaker 1>suggested that supermassive black holes primarily got bigger through dramatic

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<v Speaker 1>galaxy mergers. However, these new measurements are painting a very

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<v Speaker 1>different picture. The research team found that black holes from

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<v Speaker 1>about ten billion years ago were spinning particularly fast, faster

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<v Speaker 1>than their more recent counterparts. This suggests that rather than

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<v Speaker 1>growing through violent mergers, these ancient cosmic monsters built up

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<v Speaker 1>their mass more gradually, consuming nearby gas and dust in

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<v Speaker 1>a smooth, controlled manner. It's like watching a graceful dancer

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<v Speaker 1>rather than a chaotic mosh pit. What's even more surprising

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<v Speaker 1>is that when galaxies merge, it actually tends to slow

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<v Speaker 1>down the spin of their central black holes. This helps

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<v Speaker 1>explain why we see a mix of different spin rates

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<v Speaker 1>in more recent times, rather than the more uniform rapid

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<v Speaker 1>spins we observe in the early universe. These findings are

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<v Speaker 1>opening up exciting new directions for black hole research. The

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<v Speaker 1>James Webb Space Telescope is continually discovering more distant supermassive

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<v Speaker 1>black holes for scientists to study, and detailed follow up

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<v Speaker 1>observations will help us better understand how these mysterious objects

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<v Speaker 1>grow and evolved over cosmic time. It's like doing cosmic archaeology,

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<v Speaker 1>piecing together the history of the universe's most enigmatic objects.

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<v Speaker 1>This research challenges our previous assumptions about black hole formation

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<v Speaker 1>and growth, reminding us once again that the universe often

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<v Speaker 1>has surprising ways of doing things that were only just

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<v Speaker 1>beginning to understand. In further Chinese space news, today, Chinese

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<v Speaker 1>researchers have unveiled an innovative solution to one of the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest challenges in lunar exploration, keeping spacecraft powered during the

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<v Speaker 1>long lunar night. They're exploring the possibility of using laser

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<v Speaker 1>wireless power transmission from satellites orbiting the Moon to supply

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<v Speaker 1>energy to surface vehicles and equipment. The Moon's unique rotation

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<v Speaker 1>means that any given location experiences about fourteen days of

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<v Speaker 1>complete darkness, with temperatures plunging to a bone chilling minus

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<v Speaker 1>two hundred degrees celsius. This poses a significant challenge for

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<v Speaker 1>solar powered spacecraft, which need to maintain some level of

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<v Speaker 1>power just to survive these extreme conditions. This laser system

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<v Speaker 1>could be particularly valuable for exploring permanently shadowed craters near

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<v Speaker 1>the lunar poles. These craters, never touched by direct sunlight,

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<v Speaker 1>are thought to contain valuable water ice, a crucial resource

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<v Speaker 1>for future lunar operations. Traditional power solutions like radioisotope generators

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<v Speaker 1>have limited output and are expensive, while nuclear reactors, though powerful,

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<v Speaker 1>bring their own set of safety and complexity concerns. The

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<v Speaker 1>concept works by using laser beams to transmit power wirelessly

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<v Speaker 1>from orbiting satellites to receivers on the lunar surface, which

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<v Speaker 1>then convert the light into usable electricity. While promising, the

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<v Speaker 1>technology still faces several hurdles, including improving efficiency, managing transmission ranges,

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<v Speaker 1>and solving various operational challenges. This research ties into China's

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<v Speaker 1>ambitious international Lunar Research Station plans, with missions planned for

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty six and twenty twenty eight to explore the

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<v Speaker 1>lunar South Pole. As they work toward establishing a permanent

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<v Speaker 1>presence on the Moon in the twenty thirties. Solving the

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<v Speaker 1>energy supply challenge will be crucial for sustainable lunar exploration

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<v Speaker 1>and development. While the technology is still in development, it

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<v Speaker 1>sense a potentially game changing approach to powering lunar missions,

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<v Speaker 1>offering flexibility and scalability in the vacuum of space. It's

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<v Speaker 1>another step forward in humanity's ongoing efforts to establish a

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<v Speaker 1>lasting presence on our celestial neighbor. Well. That brings us

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<v Speaker 1>to the end of another fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily.

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<v Speaker 1>From mysterious radio bursts to supersonic planetary wins and groundbreaking

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<v Speaker 1>developments in space technology, it's been quite a journey through

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<v Speaker 1>the cosmos today. If you'd like to stay up to

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<v Speaker 1>date with all the latest space and astronomy news, head

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<v Speaker 1>over to our website at Astronomy Daily dot io. There

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<v Speaker 1>you'll find our constantly updating news feed and can catch

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<v Speaker 1>up on all our previous episodes, and don't forget to

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<v Speaker 1>follow us across social media. You can find us as

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<v Speaker 1>astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, YouTube, music, Tumbler,

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<v Speaker 1>and TikTok. We love seeing your comments and questions, so

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<v Speaker 1>don't be shy about reaching out. If you're enjoying the show,

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<v Speaker 1>makes sure or you're subscribed wherever you get your podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>whether that's Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast platform.

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<v Speaker 1>That way, you'll never miss an episode as we continue

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<v Speaker 1>to explore the wonders of space together. This has been

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<v Speaker 1>Anna with Astronomy Daily. Until next time, keep looking up.

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<v Speaker 1>There's always something amazing happening in our universe. Star Star

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<v Speaker 1>Snary