- Taurid Resonance Swarm Alert: A new study highlights the potential threat posed by the Taurid Resonance Swarm, a dense cluster of celestial bodies within an annual meteor shower. Researchers emphasize the need for enhanced monitoring and planetary defense strategies, particularly during key years in 2032 and 2036 for targeted observations.
- China's Tiangong Space Station Milestone: China successfully launched its 10th crew to the Tiangong Space Station with the Shenzhou 21 mission. This mission features the youngest astronaut sent to space by China and includes 27 scientific experiments, including vital biological research on rodent mammals in microgravity.
- Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Test: Blue Origin completed a significant static fire test of its New Glenn rocket, preparing for its inaugural flight carrying NASA's Escapade mission to Mars. The mission aims to study Mars' magnetosphere and features a humorously named booster, "Never tell me the odds."
- Radical Mundanity and the Fermi Paradox: A new theory proposes the Radical Mundanity principle as a potential answer to the Fermi paradox. It suggests that technological civilizations may not progress to super-advanced states, leading to quieter, less detectable technosignatures than previously assumed.
- ESA's Space Safety Initiative: The European Space Agency is expanding its space safety program to address natural and man-made hazards. Key missions include Vigil for solar storm warnings, HERA for asteroid impact studies, and a focus on active debris cleanup with a zero debris approach for future satellites.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, 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 and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
Taurid Resonance Swarm Study
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
China's Tiangong Space Station Mission
[China National Space Administration](http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/)
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Test
[Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/)
Radical Mundanity Theory
[Nature Astronomy](https://www.nature.com/natastronomy/)
ESA's Space Safety Program
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Avery: Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 the podcast that brings you the latest news
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 from across the cosmos. I'm your host, Avery.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 Anna: And I'm Ana. It's great to be with you
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 today, Avery. We'll be looking at a swarm of
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 asteroids that could cross Earth's path.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 China's latest mission to the Tiangong Space
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 Station, and a major rocket test from blue
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 origin.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Avery: We'll also dive into a fascinating new theory
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 about the Fermi paradox and why we might
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 not be seeing advanced alien civilizations.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 And finally, we'll cover the European Space
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Agency's ambitious new plan to keep space
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 safe for everyone.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 Anna: It's a lot to cover, so let's get started.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 Avery: Alright, our first story is one that hits
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 close to home. A new study is focusing
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 on something called the Taurid Resonance
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 Swarm. Anna, this sounds a little ominous.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 What exactly are we talking about here?
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 Anna: Well, the Taurids are an annual meteor
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 shower, but this SWORD swarm is a specific
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 dense cluster of celestial bodies
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 within that broader stream of debris.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 The concern and the focus of this new
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 research is that this swarm's orbit could
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 intersect with Earth's in the future.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 Avery: So a, higher potential for impact events.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:18 What are the researchers recommending?
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 Anna: They're not sounding a five alarm fire just
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 yet. Instead they're emphasizing the need for
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 enhanced monitoring and for bolstering our
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 planetary defense strategies. It's about
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 understanding the risk more clearly.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 Avery: Right? Proactive observation. The study
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 mentions a couple of specific years.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 2032 and 2036.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 What's the significance there?
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 Anna: Those are identified as prime opportunities
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 for targeted surveys. During those
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 years, the orbital mechanics will give us a
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 much better vantage point to observe the
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 swarm, map out the objects within it, and get
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 a more accurate assessment of any potential
00:01:58 --> 00:01:58 threat.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 Avery: So this is a call to get our best telescopes
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 ready for some crucial work in the next
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 decade. A classic case of good science giving
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 us the foresight we need to stay safe.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 Anna: Exactly. And staying safe is always
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 a good idea.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 Avery: Now moving from potential threats to definite
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 triumphs, let's talk about human spaceflight.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 China has successfully launched its 10th crew
00:02:22 --> 00:02:23 to the Tiangong Space Station.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 Anna: That's right, avery. The Shinzo 21
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 mission is now on its way. And by the time
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 listeners hear this, they should have
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 arrived. The crew consists of three
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 taikonauts, and it's a mission with a few
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 interesting milestones.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 Avery: I saw that one of the crew members is the
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 youngest person China has ever sent to space.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Anna: Yes, just 32 years old. It
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 shows a new generation of space explorers is
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 taking flight. And they have a very Busy
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 schedule ahead. The mission plan includes
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 27 new scientific experiments to
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 be conducted on the station.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 Avery: 27. That's a heavy workload. Anything
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 particularly noteworthy in that list?
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 Anna: One experiment that stands out is a study
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 on rodent mammals in orbit. This
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 kind of biological research is fundamental to
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 understanding how microgravity affects
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 complex living organisms over time. We
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 which is crucial for planning long duration
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 missions to the moon or Mars, of course.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Avery: And the launch itself was remarkably
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 efficient, wasn't it?
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 Anna: Extremely. The launch was flawless. And
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 the spacecraft is on a fast track trajectory.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 It's expected to rendezvous and dock with the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 Tiangong Space Station in a record
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 setting. Three and a half hours.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 Avery: Three and a half hours. That's faster than
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 some cross country flights. It's incredible
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 to see that process become so refined. A
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 huge success for the Chinese space program.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Next up, we have some exciting news from the
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 commercial space industry here in the U.S.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 blue Origin has hit a major milestone with
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 its massive New Glenn rocket.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 Anna: Yes, this is a big step forward for them.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 They successfully completed a 40 second
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 static fire test of the New Glenn's first
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 stage. This involves firing up the seven
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 BE4 engines while the rocket is
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 securely bolted to the launch pad.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 Avery: The final big dress rehearsal before an
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 actual launch. And this first launch has a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 very important payload.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 Anna: It does. This test is a crucial milestone
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 for the upcoming launch of NASA's Escapade
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 mission. New Glenn's inaugural flight is
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 slated to carry these twin spacecraft which
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 are designed to orbit Mars and study its
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 unique magnetosphere.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 Avery: Sending a NASA planetary science mission on
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 the very first flight of a new rocket.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 That's a huge vote of confidence.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 Anna: It certainly is. And in the spirit of
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 reusability, Blue Origin will also be
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 attempting to recover the first stage booster
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 after launch. They'll land it on a drone ship
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 out in the Atlantic.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 Avery: I heard they gave the booster a special name
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 for this mission.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 Anna: They did. In a wonderful nod to Star wars.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 The booster is named Never tell me the odds.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Avery: That's brilliant. You have to appreciate the
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 humor. Let's hope the odds are ever in its
00:05:18 --> 00:05:18 favor.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 Anna: Can't you just see the meetings where they
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 come up with these names? A bit of space fun.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Avery: Okay, for our next story, we're shifting
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 from the practical to the highly theoretical.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 We're talking about one of the biggest
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 questions in all of science, the Fermi
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 paradox. The famous question of where
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 is everybody?
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Anna: It's a question that has puzzled scientists
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 for decades. Given the sheer number of stars
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 and planets, the universe should be teeming
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 with technological life. Yet we see no
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 evidence of it. A New study proposes an
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 answer it calls the Radical Mundanity
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 principle.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Avery: Radical Mundanity? It sounds like the
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 opposite of science fiction. What's the idea?
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 Anna: The principle suggests that we might be
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 making a flawed assumption. We assume that
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 technological civilizations will inevitably
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 progress to super adv. Advanced levels,
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 building Dyson spheres, colonizing galaxies,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 and so on.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 Avery: Right. Things that would be pretty easy to
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 spot from a distance.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 Anna: Exactly. Radical Mundanity proposes that
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 this kind of super advancement might not be
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 possible, or that it's just not a path
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 civilizations take. Instead, they might hit
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 technological plateaus or face existential
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 crises that prevent them from becoming
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 galactic superpowers.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 Avery: So they could be out there, but they're just
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 quieter, harder to detect because they aren't
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 rearranging star systems for energy.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 Anna: That's the conclusion of the study. It
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 suggests there might be a modest number of
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 civilizations out there with technology
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 levels that are only modestly higher than our
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 own. Their technosignatures would be far
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 fainter and harder to find.
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 Avery: That's a really humbling thought. It changes
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 the search from looking for gods to looking
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 for peers. It makes the silence of the
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 universe feel a bit less absolute.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 Anna: For our final story today, let's look at how
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 we are working to protect our corner of the
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 galaxy. The European Space Agency, or
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 esa, is significantly expanding its
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 space safety program.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 Avery: This sounds like a great idea from the
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 Europeans. Tell me more.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 Anna: This is a really important initiative. Space
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 is an environment with a lot of hazards, both
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 natural and man made. ESA is taking a
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 comprehensive approach to counter threats
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 like asteroids, powerful solar storms,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 and the growing problem of space debris.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 Avery: Let's break that down. What are some of the
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 key missions involved?
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 Anna: On the space weather front, a cornerstone
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 mission is Vigil. It will be a dedicated
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 observatory positioned to give us advanced
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 warnings of potentially dangerous solar
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 flares and coronal mass ejection.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 Avery: Critical for protecting satellites and even
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 power grids on Earth and for planetary
00:08:01 --> 00:08:01 defense.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 Anna: They are continuing with the HERA mission,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 which will study the aftermath of NASA's dart
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 impact. And they're developing a new mission
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 called Ramses, which is a rapid
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 response interceptor concept for asteroids.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 Avery: Okay, that covers the natural threats, but
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 what about the junk we've created ourselves?
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 Anna: That's arguably the biggest part of the new
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 strategy. The the program is heavily focused
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 on active debris cleanup missions. But
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 even more importantly, ESA is pushing
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 for what it calls a zero debris approach for
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 all future satellites. The goal is
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 to stop adding to the problem.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 Avery: A, leave no trace policy for space.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 That's fantastic. It's absolutely essential
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 if we want to ensure that space remains
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 usable and safe for generations to come.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 Anna: Amen to that.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 Avery: And that's all the time we have for today's
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 episode of Astronomy Daily. From asteroids in
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 our neighborhood to the grandest cosmic
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 questions, there's always something new to
00:09:01 --> 00:09:01 discover.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 Anna: It really demonstrates the incredible range
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 of activity and research happening in space
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 science every single day.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 Avery: A huge thank you for tuning in. For more
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 details on all the stories we discussed
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 today, please visit our website at,
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 astronomydaily.IO until next
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 time. I'm Avery.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.