Florence Heliere’s Post

Scientists are finding crazy cool stuff in space that could explain where life came from! Over the past few years, space missions have discovered that organic molecules, basically the building blocks of life, are all over the universe. These molecules are found in comets, asteroids, and interstellar dust, and they could hold the key to how life on Earth started. The whole thing started back in 1986 when the Giotto spacecraft found a bunch of organic compounds in the coma of comet 1P/Halley. Then, in 2015, the Rosetta spacecraft found glycine (a building block of proteins) on a comet! More recently, data from Rosetta and missions like Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx revealed thousands of carbon-based compounds, including amino acids, on asteroids. Some experts even think these organic molecules could have been delivered to Earth in the early days, helping set the stage for life. So, how do these molecules form in space? It turns out, in cold molecular clouds and around young stars, atoms stick together and form key compounds like methane and methanol. Over time, things get even more complex—maybe even to the point of life! These findings suggest that maybe Earth got its life ingredients from space. Scientists will keep exploring these cosmic mysteries with future missions like NASA’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s Juice, hoping to discover even more about the origins of life. Could there be life elsewhere in the universe? Only time (and more space missions) will tell! #OrganicMolecules #LifeInSpace #Astrobiology #SpaceExploration #CosmicChemistry #Comets #Asteroids #BuildingBlocksOfLife #AreWeAlone #SpaceScience Organic molecules on asteroids hint at life beginning in deep space - Earth.com

❄️ Hello, explorers of the icy unknown! 🌨️ This is your ARM Observatory Park Ranger 🤠, guiding you into the heart of one of Earth’s most mysterious frontiers—the Arctic. 🌬️ The Arctic isn’t just cold; it’s a dynamic, shifting landscape where the effects of climate change are magnified, reshaping the environment faster than almost anywhere else on the planet. Enter #ARMMOSAiC—the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate expedition, which ARM supported in 2019 and 2020. It wasn't just any adventure; it was a mission to unlock the secrets of arctic clouds, sea ice, and the complex dance between the atmosphere and the ocean. 🌊☁️ 🌐 Why does this matter? Arctic ice acts as the Earth's cooling blanket, influencing global weather and sea level. Understanding these changes as the ice recedes becomes critical for communities, industries, and ecosystems worldwide. That’s why ARM played a key role in MOSAiC, by providing sophisticated atmospheric instruments to help scientists study these ice-air interactions, clouds, and energy fluxes using #ARMData. #DOEClimateScience #ClimateScience Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

I wish to thank my long time friend, Dr. Kerry Joels (whose long career includes NASA, the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, the White House Young Astronaut Program as Director of Curriculum, and the Challenger Center for Space Science Education and Founder, Total Learning Research Institute) for bringing to my attention the below story. "Mars radiation levels are measured for the first time and will help astronauts prepare" by Eric Ralls, Earth.com staff writer I picked out a few highlights that caught my attention: The article reports that scientists have pieced together the first comprehensive energy spectrum of protons during a recent solar eruption event which occurred on February 15th, 2022. China’s Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter's onboard device, the Mars Energy Particle Analyzer (MEPA) - with a capacity to measure a wide energy range from 2–100 MeV, and thus suitable for monitoring the presence of high-energy protons - registered a solar energetic particle event that had remarkable intensity and energy. The accelerated protons in this event had energies that were high enough to penetrate the Martian atmosphere and induce radiation enhancement on the surface. It was wonderfully fortuitous that the event was simultaneously detected by the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Orbiter (MAVEN), and the Curiosity rover on the Martian surface. This marked the first time an Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) event was observed by so many different radiation and particle detectors focused on Martian conditions. Talk about exhibit A of space exploration involving critical sharing of various foreign space programs' capabilities. As the writer says, "This accomplishment significantly deepens our understanding of the radiation conditions around Mars — a crucial step in ensuring the safety of astronauts on future exploration missions to the planet." For more details, see the article at: https://lnkd.in/eFJtem6P

The choices we make today help create a more sustainable world and propel the transformation towards a resilient, thriving global society. We have a new Earth Observation Science Strategy and it outlines a bold vision for Earth sciences through 2040: https://lnkd.in/dTzJwEzM

ESA has just published its new Science Strategy to 2040 after an extensive consultation process. It outlines ESA's priorities for Earth Observation science, from discovery science to specific societal challenges. This will guide ESA's EO programmes over the next 10-15 years. European Space Agency - ESA #climatechange #ESA #biodiversity #sustainability #spacedata #EarthObservation

ESA releases new strategy for Earth observation. Happy to read the following: "[...] The combination of multi-sensor satellite, airborne and in-situ observations, combined with enhanced modelling, are an important element in the development of capabilities for all overarching themes such as the water cycle, carbon cycle and ecosystem health. The development of higher resolution sensors, across the complete electromagnetic spectrum from the lowest radar and radiometer frequencies through optical and UV wavelengths, combined with other geophysical EO data such as gravity and magnetic field observations, provides important constraints on global change and episodic events, from the Earth’s core to the outer atmosphere. [...]" #ESA #DataIntegration #InSitu #EarthObservation #WaterCycle #CarbonCycle #EcosystemHealth #Environment #EnvironmentalMonitoring #Security

A clear statement of intent, great to have a well-documented strategy.

Global surface mass anomalies observed by the GRACE-FO satellites (for the month indicated on the map). Over land, red colors indicate below-average terrestrial water amounts, while blue colors show above-average water amounts (including ice, snow, soil moisture and groundwater. Over oceans, red colors indicate below-average ocean bottom pressure, while blue colors show above-average bottom pressure. Amazing collaboration between governments with extensive monitoring capabilities.

Yes, it is your knowledge that can make an important change.

Read more about our ongoing collaboration with the University of Rhode Island, where we're working with Dr. Brice Loose, Dr. Tim Short, and Dr. Strawn Toler to enhance the Submersible Wet Inlet Mass Spectrometer (SWIMS) for ocean exploration. 🌊 This innovative instrument, which incorporates one of INFICON's Transpector® Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers, allows scientists to measure dissolved gases in ocean waters in real-time, providing crucial data for understanding the dynamics of polar seas and the impacts of climate change. By supporting this cutting-edge research, we are proud to contribute to advancements in Earth Science exploration. 🔬 ➡️ Read more about this exciting project and its potential impact on our understanding of the world's oceans: https://lnkd.in/dACKiBUP #INFICON #Innovation #IntelligentSensorSolutions #Oceanography #Research #Collaboration #Exploration #ClimateChange #UniversityOfRhodeIsland #URI #Innovation