- Groundbreaking Evidence of Stellar Demise: Astronomers have captured stunning visual evidence of a star's double detonation, revealing new insights into type 1A supernovae and their role in measuring the universe's expansion rate. We discuss the implications of this discovery and how it reshapes our understanding of stellar explosions.
- - Revolutionary Algae Bioplastics for Mars: Explore the innovative potential of bioplastics derived from green algae, which could enable self-sustaining habitats on Mars. This technology could transform how we approach building on other planets while also offering sustainability solutions for Earth.
- - Skywatching Alert: ISS and Tiangong: For skywatchers, we share tips on spotting the International Space Station and China's Tiangong Space Station in the pre-dawn sky. Learn about their orbits and how to track their visibility, providing a unique opportunity to witness these incredible feats of engineering.
- - The Universe's Fate: A Big Crunch? A new study proposes that our universe might eventually face a big crunch in approximately 33.3 billion years, challenging long-held views on cosmic expansion. We delve into the research that supports this theory and its implications for our understanding of dark energy.
- - The Martian Meteorite Auction: Discover the story behind the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth, a meteorite set to auction for up to $4 million. We discuss its origins, scientific significance, and the debate surrounding its sale versus preservation for public study.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Stellar Demise Evidence
[European Southern Observatory](https://www.eso.org/)
Algae Bioplastics Research
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Skywatching Resources
[Heavens Above](https://heavens-above.com/)
Big Crunch Study
[Cornell University](https://www.cornell.edu/)
Mars Meteorite Auction
[Sotheby's](https://www.sothebys.com/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your ultimate guide to
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 the latest in space and astronomy news. I'm
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 Anna, your host and today we're diving into the
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 groundbreaking visual evidence of a star's double
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 detonation demise, shedding new light on
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 cosmic expansion. Then we'll
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 explore how revolutionary algae bioplastics could
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 enable self sustaining habitats on Mars.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 For all you skywatchers, I'll share how you can spot
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 both the International Space Station and and China's
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 Tiangong Station in the pre dawn sky. This week. We'll
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 also discuss a new study suggesting the universe might be headed
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 for a big crunch in billions of years.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 And finally, we'll talk about the largest piece of Mars ever
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 found on Earth. A massive rock set for auction
00:00:42 --> 00:00:43 and the debate surrounding it.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 It's going to be an exciting journey, so let's get
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 started. For the first time
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 ever, astronomers have captured stunning visual
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 evidence of a star's dramatic exit, a
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 double detonation that marks its explosive death.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 This groundbreaking discovery centres around a type of
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 stellar explosion known as a type 1a
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 supernova, which plays an absolutely crucial role
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 in our understanding of the universe. These
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 specific supernovas are not just spectacular cosmic
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 fireworks. They are vital for accurately measuring
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 the universe's expansion rate, a topic currently
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 at the heart of a major cosmological debate.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 What's more, type 1A supernovas are also the primary
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 source of iron found throughout the cosmos, making
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 their explosion mechanisms a puzzle astronomers are
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 keen to solve. The evidence for this twin eruption
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 was found by scientists studying two concentric rings of
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 calcium surrounding
00:01:36 --> 00:01:40 SNR0509.67.5,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 which is the remnant of a star that met its explosive end
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 centuries ago. While astronomers have long theorised that
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 white dwarfs, the dense husks of dead stars,
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 typically explode after steadily accumulating material from
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 a companion star until they reach a critical mass known
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 as the Chandrasekhar limit. Hints have suggested other
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 mechanisms might be at play. Using the
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 researchers found those two distinct calcium rings,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 which offer clear proof that white dwarfs can indeed
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 detonate well before reaching the Chandrasekhar mass limit.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 This confirms the existence of the double detonation
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 mechanism in nature. The proposed scenario
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 is fascinating. The white dwarf first blankets
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 itself in stolen helium from its neighbour.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 This helium then ignites, sending a shockwave
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 inward that causes the dead star's core to ignite in a
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 second, much larger explosion. Studying
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 these dual detonations has profound implications,
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 particularly for how we use type 1A supernovas as
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 standard candles, cosmic benchmarks that
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 explode with consistent Brightness, allowing
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 astronomers to measure vast distances and calculate the
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 universe's expansion rate. This tangible
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 evidence not only helps solve a ah, long standing
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 mystery, but also offers a truly visual
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 spectacle revealing the inner workings of such a
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 dramatic cosmic event.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 Moving on, let's head over to Mars. Imagine building a
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 home on Mars that literally grows itself. It sounds
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 like something out of science fiction, but scientists are making
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 strides towards this very possibility with a
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 revolutionary new bioplastic derived from green
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 algae. This innovation could be a game changer for
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 human missions to other worlds, tackling the immense
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 challenge and cost of transporting building materials from
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 Earth. The concept is elegantly simple.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 If a habitat is constructed from this bioplastic and it can
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 grow algae within its structure, that algae can then
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 produce even more bioplastic. This creates a
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 self sustaining closed loop system that could allow
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 extraterrestrial settlements to not only sustain themselves,
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 but also expand over time. It truly
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 echoes the living ships seen in sci fi
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 classics like Stargate Atlantis or Star Trek.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 In lab experiments, researchers successfully
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 recreated the challenging atmospheric conditions of
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Mars, where the air pressure is significantly
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 lower and the atmosphere is rich in carbon
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 dioxide. Despite these harsh conditions,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 a common green algae called Dunaliella
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 tertiolecta thrived inside a 3D
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 printed growth chamber made from this new
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 bioplastic, which is a type of polylactic
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 acid. The bioplastic material proved
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 crucial, blocking harmful UV radiation
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 while still allowing enough light to penetrate for
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 photosynthesis. Critically, the chamber also
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 created a pressure gradient that allowed liquid water to
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 stabilise within its walls, a key element for life
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 that is otherwise unstable on the Martian surface.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 This research indicates that even on seemingly barren
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 worlds, organic growth could be harnessed to construct human
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 habitats. This builds upon previous work by
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 the same team, which showed that sheets of silica
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 aerogels could mimic Earth's greenhouse effect to
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 enable biological growth on other planets.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 Combining these two lines of research could pave the way
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 for a truly sustainable human presence beyond
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 Earth. The next step for the team is to demonstrate that
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 these bioplastic habitats can be grown in a vacuum,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 simulating conditions for missions to other deep space
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 locations like the Moon.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 Beyond the exciting prospects for space exploration,
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 this kind of biomaterial technology is expected
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 to have significant spin off benefits for sustainability here
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 on Earth, offering innovative solutions for our own
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 planet's future.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 Okay, let's make a quick trip back to Earth. For
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 skywatchers across most of the US and southern Canada,
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 and indeed for many in North America and Europe, there's
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 a fantastic opportunity this week to witness two of
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 humanity's largest orbiting outposts within minutes
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 of each other. I'm talking about the International Space
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 Station or iss, and China's Tiangong
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 Space Station. If you're up during the pre dawn
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 hours, you might even catch both in the sky at the same
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 time on certain mornings. It's truly
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 remarkable how many satellites now orbit Earth, though.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 Most of the over 30 objects are
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 space junk, too small to see with the unaided
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 eye. But there are about 500 that are large
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 enough and low enough in orbit to be visible.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 As the distinguished British scientist Desmond King Healy
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 once put it, a satellite looks like a star that has
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 taken leave of its senses and decided to move off to another part
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 of the sky. The International Space
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 Station is by far the biggest and brightest of these man made
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 objects. Imagine something almost the length of
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 a football field, including the end zones.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Powered by solar arrays longer than a Boeing
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 777's wingspan.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 Orbiting at an average altitude of about
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 416 kilometres and moving at a
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 staggering 28 kilometres per hour,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 the ISS completes roughly 15.5
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 orbits per day. Because of its massive
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 size and highly reflective solar panels, it
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 can appear up to two and a half times brighter than Venus
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 and sometimes even flare to an incredible
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 magnitude, making it much brighter than any star.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 Then there's Tiangong, China's Heavenly Palace Space
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 Station. While smaller than the ISS,
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 about 1/5 the size, it's still a prominent
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 object in the night sky. It orbits at a slightly
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 lower altitude of about 393 kilometres
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 and can appear as bright as Venus or Jupiter on its
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 most favourable passes. Currently,
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 between the ISS and Tiangong, there are
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 14 humans living and working in space.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 Now, if you're wondering when and where to look, it's easier
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 than you might think. From now through the end of
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 July, North Americans and Europeans will have
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 numerous chances to spot both stations,
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 primarily because nights are shorter, allowing these
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 low Earth orbit satellites to remain illuminated by the
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 sun for longer periods. Since
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 both stations circle earth roughly every 90
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 minutes, you might even catch them on several
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 consecutive passes. They have slightly different
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 orbital altitudes and inclinations, which
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 makes seeing them simultaneously a less common event. But
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 it is possible to find out the exact
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 viewing schedule for your specific location. I highly
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 recommend visiting either Chris Peet's Heavens above website or
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 NASA's spot the station. Both are excellent
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 resources. Heavens above allows you to input your
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 precise latitude and longitude to generate accurate
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 sighting data for both the ISS and Tiangong.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 NASA's Spot the Station offers a
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 widget where you simply enter your location and it
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 provides details like the time of the flyover, how long it
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 will be visible, its maximum height in the sky,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 and the direction it will appear and disappear from your
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 view. Just remember that predictions can change
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 slightly due to orbital adjustments, so it's a good idea to
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 check frequently for updates. Happy sky
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 gazing.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 Next up, let's talk about an old, yet mysterious
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 dark energy for generations,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 humanity has looked up at the stars and pondered the ultimate
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 fate of our universe. Will it expand forever
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 into the cold, empty vastness, or is there a more dramatic
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 end in store? A new study published by
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 physicists from Cornell University, Shanghai, Jiao
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 Tong University, and other institutions suggests
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 we might finally have a surprising and specific answer.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 Using data from several astronomical surveys, including
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 the Dark Energy Survey and the Dark Energy
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 Spectroscopic Instrument, researchers have
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 developed a model that predicts our universe will meet
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 its end in a big crunch in approximately
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 33.3 billion years.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 Considering the universe is currently 13.8
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 billion years old, this gives us roughly 20
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 billion years before the curtain falls. This
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 prediction challenges the long held assumption that the
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 universe will expand indefinitely.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 Instead, it suggests that after reaching its maximum
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 expansion in about 7 billion years, the
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 universe will begin to contract until everything eventually
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 collapses back into a single point. The key
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 to this theory lies in understanding dark energy, the
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 mysterious force that makes up about 70% of the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 universe and drives its expansion.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 For a long time, it was assumed that dark energy behaved like a
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 cosmological constant, maintaining a steady
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 pressure that pushed space apart indefinitely.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 However, recent observations hint that dark energy
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 might actually be dynamic. The researchers
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 propose a model involving an ultralight particle called
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 an axion, combined with what's known as a
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 negative cosmological constant. You can think of it
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 like a massive rubber band. Initially, the universe
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 expands as this rubber band stretches, but
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 eventually the elastic force becomes stronger than the
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 expansion, causing everything to snap back together.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 According to this new model, the universe will continue
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 expanding, but at a gradually slowing rate
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 until it reaches its maximum size, about
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 69% larger than today in roughly
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 7 billion years. Then gradual
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 contraction will begin as gravitational forces
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 and the negative cosmological constant take
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 over, leading to a rapid collapse in the final
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 moments. It's important to note that this
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 prediction comes with significant uncertainty.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 The researchers acknowledge that their model has large
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 margins of error due to limited observational
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 data, and the negative cosmological
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 constant that drives their prediction remains highly
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 speculative. Alternative scenarios, including
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 eternal expansion, are still very much on the table.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 What makes this research particularly exciting is
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 isn't just the prediction itself, but the fact
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 that we may soon be able to test it.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 Several m major astronomical projects Launching in the
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 coming years are set to provide much more
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 precise measurements of dark energy's behaviour.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 These future observations could potentially confirm,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 refine or even rule out the Big Crunch
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 scenario entirely once and for all.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 Even if confirmed, a 20 billion year countdown
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 hardly constitutes an immediate crisis for us.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 To put it in perspective, complex life on Earth has only
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 existed for about 600 million years.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 20 billion years represents a time frame so vast
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 that our sun will have died and our galaxy will have
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 collided with Andromeda long before any cosmic collapse
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 even begins. Nevertheless, this
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 research represents a remarkable achievement in our
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 understanding of the cosmos, providing us with a
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 concrete timeline for what could be the most dramatic event possible.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 The end of the universe itself.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 Shifting gears from the vast cosmic scale to something
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 a little closer to home, or at least closer to Earth,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 we have a fascinating story about a very special
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 rock. The most massive piece of Mars ever
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 found here on Earth could soon sell for up to US$4 million
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 in a Sotheby's auction later this month. This
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 incredible meteorite, officially named NWA
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 16788, weighs a staggering
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 24.67 kilogrammes, or about
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 54.39 pounds. That makes it
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 approximately 70% larger than the previous
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 record holder, another Martian meteorite found
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 in mali back in 2021.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 This massive chunk of Mars was discovered by a
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 meteorite hunter in November 2023
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 in the sparsely populated Agadez region of Niger,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 an area more renowned for its dinosaur fossils
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 than its meteorites. The Shanghai
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 Astronomy Museum confirmed the rock's Martian
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 identity after a small sample was sent there. And
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 now this interplanetary treasure has a significant price
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 tag. According to the Sotheby's listing,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 the meteorite shows minimal terrestrial
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 weathering, which means its physical and chemical makeup
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 haven't been significantly altered since it landed in the
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 Sahara Desert. In other words,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 NWA 16
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 is likely a relatively recent arrival on Earth,
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 having fallen from outer space not too long ago.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 Its characteristics tell us a lot about its journey.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 Based on a high percentage of a glass called
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 maskelynite, along with some shock melted areas,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 scientists believe this rock was likely sent hurtling
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 through space when a severe asteroid crashed into
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 Mars. The Sotheby's listing further explains
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 that the meteorite was formed from the slow cooling
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 of Martian magma and and is characterised by a
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 coarse grained texture, primarily composed of
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 pyroxene, masculinite and
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 olivine. However, the sale of such a
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 rare specimen has sparked a debate among some
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 scientists. Palaeontologist Steve
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 Brusot from the University of Edinburgh
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 expressed concern to CNN stating that it would
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 oligarch, suggesting it belongs in a museum
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 where it can be studied and enjoyed by the public.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 On the other hand, planetary scientist Julia Cartwright
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 from the University of Leicester offered a different
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 perspective, telling CNN that the scientific
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 interest will remain and the new owner may be
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 very interested in learning from it, meaning we could
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 still gather a lot of science from this unique find.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 The Sotheby's auction is scheduled to begin on July
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 16th.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 That brings us to the end of another fascinating episode of
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 Astronomy Daily. I hope you've enjoyed exploring
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 the latest cosmic revelations with me. From the
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 explosive end of distant stars and the potential for life
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 sustaining habitats on Mars, to the visible
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 wonders of our orbiting space stations and the grand theories
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 about the universe's ultimate fate.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 And of course, the journey of that very special Martian
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 rock. It's been a pleasure sharing these stories
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 with you. Before we sign off, I want to extend a huge
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 thank you for tuning in. If you want to catch up on all
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 the latest space and astronomy news or listen to any of our
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 previous episodes, be sure to visit our website at
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 astronomydaily IO. That's astronomydaily
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 IO. You can also subscribe to
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. To ensure you
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 never miss an episode, I'm Ana, your host,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 and I look forward to joining you again tomorrow for more
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 captivating insights from the universe. Until
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 then, keep looking up.