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Every time SpaceX's Starship system jumps off the launch pad, it unleashes an unmistakable roar over South Texas that heralds the most powerful rocket ever built.
The 33 engines boost the spacecraft, which could eventually take NASA astronauts to the moon's surface, on a supersonic journey toward space.
But the first two test flights ended in explosions in 2023.
SpaceX doesn't consider these fiery mishaps failures. Instead, the company uses flight testing to gather crucial data and make improvements before launching the next vehicle.
And this week, another spaceship flew from the Starbase facility over the Texas sky, with the team hoping the third time would be the charm.
Defying gravity
Starship's eventful third test flight reached multiple milestones before ending prematurely and likely breaking up.
The spacecraft was expected to crash into the Indian Ocean at the end of its hour-long flight, but SpaceX lost Starship's signal shortly after the vehicle reentered Earth's atmosphere.
During a live view of the entry, a glowing red halo could be seen around the spacecraft, indicating the scorching temperatures the heat shield was encountering.
However, Starship's third flight flew longer and higher than both previous tests.
The spacecraft reached orbital speeds and performed tests of the capabilities that will be needed for future flights.
A long time ago
People have been adorning themselves for thousands of years, but for the first time, researchers have discovered how Stone Age people wore their piercings.
When researchers excavated Boncuklu Tarla, an archaeological site in southeastern Turkey, they found facial piercing decorations near the ears and mouths of the remains in the graves.
Specific tooth wear patterns revealed that the people buried at the site likely had piercings under their lower lips, similar to an ornament known as a labret.
The story continues
Fantastic creatures
In the world of amphibians, axolotls manage to stay young - in a sense - forever.
"They maintain their youthful appearance throughout their lives. They are teenagers, at least in appearance, until they die," said Dr. Randal Voss, a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
These cute and newts resemble cheerful Muppets with their big eyes and frilly gills.
Unlike other amphibians such as frogs, axolotls never make the transition to land. And while axolotls have taken the internet by storm, poor water quality in their home on Mexico's Lake Xochimilco has left them critically endangered. Now conservationists are getting creative to protect these unusual creatures.
Throughout the universe
Since November, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has been experiencing a communications problem that has caused one of its computers to send a signal but no useful data back to the mission team on Earth.
But engineers hope that a "poke" they sent to the aging probe, and the surprising response they just received from Voyager 1, can help them better understand the problem and solve it nearly 15 billion miles away.
Launched in 1977 along with its twin Voyager 2, Voyager 1 is currently the farthest spacecraft from Earth.
And like the Voyager probes and their iconic Golden Records, NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission will feature 2.6 million names, an original poem and meaningful artwork for Jupiter's ocean moon.
Wild kingdom
The last time a total solar eclipse occurred over the United States was in 2017. During this historic event, scientists noticed animals behaving strangely when the sky suddenly went dark over the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.
Gorillas prepared to sleep, Galápagos tortoises began to mate, and giraffes gathered and set off at a gallop.
As the April 8 total solar eclipse approaches, researchers are preparing for increased activity in nocturnal creatures and anxious or sleep-motivated patterns in other creatures, as the moon's shadow obscures the sun's bright light from view for a few moments.
And scientists invite the public to join in by helping collect the sights and sounds of unusual animal behavior.
Discoveries
Take a closer look at these insightful stories:
- The James Webb Space Telescope has helped astronomers pinpoint icy molecules that could be used to form potentially habitable planets, perhaps sparking a cosmic margarita around two young stars.
- Archaeologists have uncovered the lavish tomb of a religious leader called "Lord of the Flutes," who was buried next to gold objects and several dozen sacrificial companions in Panama 1,200 years ago.
- New research based on brain tests suggests that watching cute puppy videos or interacting with dogs can boost brain waves associated with rest and relaxation.
- The unexpected appearance of an Arctic walrus in Scarborough, England, and a trippy nighttime image of a starling are just some of the winning entries from the 2024 British Wildlife Photography Awards.
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