NASA alert!

While astronauts have already exhibited bone density loss after space missions, a new study claims that they could also impact their cognitive performance.

When astronauts who had been on board The international Space Station for an average period of six months became subjects of a study published in Frontiers in Physiology, the analysis suspected their interstellar stay had taken a toll on their cognitive stay. Previous analyses have already established that space heroes’ bodies face issues like radiation exposure, bone density loss and insomnia trouble. Nevertheless, cognitive abilities taking a hit during one’s space mission is a relatively new groundbreaking twist

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Moreover, the SpaceX Crew-8 members—NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin—returned to Earth in late October after spending 235 days in space. Immediately after their capsule’s splashdown, the quartet was hospitalized at a local Florida hospital instead of their routine post-splashdown check-ups at their home base in Houston.

They were discharged the same day. However, an unspecified person on the team was asked to stay back at the hospital overnight due to a yet-to-be-revealed “medical issue.” The Crew-8 NASA trio remain tight slipped about the reasons even during their subsequently planned press conference, prioritising “medical privacy.”

‘God of Chaos’ asteroid approaching Earth on November 13 sparks worldwide concern

Introduction

NASA is on heightened alert as a large asteroid, named 99942 Apophis and ominously nicknamed the “God of Chaos,” approaches Earth. Apophis is set to make its closest pass on November 13, sparking worldwide interest and concern. Though scientists assure that this pass will occur at a safe distance of about 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometres), the asteroid’s proximity to Earth and its potential consequences have made it a central topic in the field of asteroid studies.

NASA is closely tracking asteroid 99942 Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos,’ as it passes near Earth today. While the asteroid will remain at a safe distance, scientists are examining potential gravitational interactions that could shift its trajectory. Apophis’s close approach highlights the critical need for monitoring near-Earth objects.

Asteroid Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos’: Size, threat, and what it means for Earth’s future

Measuring approximately 450 metres in length and 170 metres in width, Apophis is comparable to New York’s Empire State Building. If it were to strike Earth, its impact would release an amount of energy comparable to hundreds of nuclear bombs. The collision would generate catastrophic shockwaves, destroying structures, levelling forests, and likely causing massive tsunamis if it hit an ocean. While Earth has experienced significant asteroid impacts in the past, an asteroid of Apophis’s size would rank among the most devastating in human history.

Near-Earth Object (NEO) status and “astro quakes”

Discovered in 2004, Apophis was soon classified as a “near-Earth object” (NEO), a category that includes asteroids and comets passing close to Earth’s orbit. While many NEOs are harmless, Apophis’s size and trajectory mean it could experience gravitational interactions with Earth. As Apophis enters Earth’s gravitational influence, scientists predict it may undergo what are called “astro quakes.” According to asteroid researcher Ronald-Louis Ballouz and his team, these earthquakes could cause intense vibrations on Apophis’s surface. Gravitational forces could jolt the asteroid’s surface and potentially alter its structure or orbit. These vibrations may affect how Apophis behaves in future approaches, as even minor changes in an asteroid’s structure can influence its flight path over time.

Why is Apophis unusual and noteworthy?

While thousands of NEOs pass close to Earth, Apophis is particularly noteworthy for its size, orbit, and the level of public and scientific attention it has drawn. Few asteroids of this size come so close to Earth’s orbit. Apophis also travels at high speeds, enhancing the potential damage it could cause. The asteroid’s combination of size, trajectory, and past uncertainties about its path made it a high priority for NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which has tracked Apophis for almost two decades to refine our understanding of its orbit and future interactions with Earth.

Predicting Apophis’s path: Current safety assurances and future defence innovations

Currently, scientists predict that Apophis will not collide with Earth for at least the next century, giving some reassurance that it is not an immediate threat. However, researchers continue to observe its orbit closely, especially given the possibility of minor orbital shifts during close encounters with Earth. Because asteroids are constantly influenced by factors like solar radiation, gravitational pulls from other bodies, and even internal forces within the asteroid itself, their orbits can shift unexpectedly over time.

NASA and other space agencies are also exploring technologies to prevent potential asteroid impacts, inspired partly by objects like Apophis. This includes missions that aim to redirect the path of hazardous asteroids by altering their orbit slightly. The recent DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission successfully demonstrated that a spacecraft could intentionally collide with and adjust the course of an asteroid. Should Apophis or a similar asteroid ever pose a serious threat to Earth, these experimental techniques may serve as a basis for future defence strategies.