NASA’s Artemis II mission is set to mark a significant milestone in space exploration. Scheduled to launch in the coming weeks, this mission will be the first crewed mission to go beyond low-Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission will involve a lunar flyby, where the spacecraft will use the moon’s gravity to loop around and return to Earth at high speeds.
Lee Billings, the senior desk editor for physical science at Scientific American, provided insights into the Artemis II mission. He explained that the mission is a crucial step in NASA’s efforts to send astronauts back to the moon. Unlike its predecessor, Artemis I, which was uncrewed, Artemis II will have humans on board, making it a higher-stakes endeavor. The crew of Artemis II will set records for being the farthest humans from Earth and the fastest humans in history upon their return.
Artemis II will focus on human studies and space medicine research, with astronauts being instrumented and sensored extensively to study their responses to the deep-space environment. The mission will not land on the moon but will provide valuable data for future missions, including Artemis III, which aims to land on the lunar surface.
The preparations for the Artemis II mission include a series of tests and rehearsals, such as the upcoming “wet dress rehearsal” where cryogenic propellant fuel will be pumped into the rocket to ensure its readiness for launch. The mission’s success is crucial in the context of growing global interest in lunar exploration, with countries like India and China also planning missions to the moon.
In other scientific news, researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a groundbreaking device called Revoice to help stroke patients regain their voice. The device uses sensors embedded in a soft collar to track throat movement and heart rate, enabling AI agents to reconstruct words and sentences based on the wearer’s silent speech and physiological signals. This innovation could revolutionize communication for stroke patients and individuals with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
Additionally, a recent discovery of cave art on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has pushed back the timeline of human settlement in Australia. The hand stencil found in a limestone cave dates back at least 67,800 years, making it the oldest-known cave art to date. This finding provides valuable insights into ancient societies and the evolution of human creativity.
Furthermore, a study on bat navigation revealed that bats rely on the Doppler shift phenomenon to navigate complex environments. By detecting changes in sound based on their movement, bats can assess their surroundings and control their speed effectively. The findings from this study could have implications for advancing drone technology in the future.
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This article was rewritten and adapted for a WordPress platform from a segment by Kendra Pierre-Louis on Scientific American’s Science Quickly podcast.
