Mars update

Summary: Curiosity has found signs that Mars used to have a large amount of drinkable water in its past. In fact, there were at least two wet stages and sufficient water for microbial life to have formed. Curiosity has also found calcium sulfate veins which are an indicator of water movement along with more coarse pebbles to large to be moved by wind, but just the right size to be moved by a flowing river.

What Curiosity has not found, though, is evidence of methane. Previous measurements from Earth or from satellites had indication that Curiosity would find 10 parts per billion or more of the gas. The existing theory for the methane seen from telescopes was that it was produced by small methane-producing mugs that could potentially live underground. But this theory is loosing its base foundation.  As with all science, more measurements must be drawn before a definite conclusion can be reached.

But what's next for the future of Mars exploration? It could be a robotic snake. The idea is that a little snake companion would accompany its big sister vehicle and provide assistance. Whether this is gathering samples from tight spaces or providing an anchor for the vehicle to pull itself out a position it got stuck in. It has the potential to be a quick solution to any number of little issues.



Live Science (drinkable water)
Science Mag (lack of methane)
BBC News (lack of methane)
Live Science (Snake robot)

Anti Neutrinos and new flavors

Summary: Neutrinos are particles that tend to switch identities (flavors) and an underground particle detector in China is helping to provide more information on these weird particles. They do this by creating mikllions of quadrillions of electron antineutrinos. That's right, finally another article that relates to antimatter! The Daya Bay neutrino oscillation data has helped researchers to pin down the probability of of the electron neutrino occupying each possible mass state.

The studying of neutrino oscillations may also provide new clues to the great mystery of the matter-antimatter unbalance in our universe.

All of these findings and more will be presented this week at NuFact2013 in Bejing.



Live Science

Extreme science jobs

Summary: This feature present 7 extreme science jobs from saturation diver to astronaut to crocodile physiologist. It is a very short but interesting read that demonstrates the wide variety of jobs available within the larger science label.




Live Science

10 new black holes

Summary: NASA's NuSTAR X-ray telescope has successfully discovered 10 super massive black holes. NuSTAR has been designed to hunt for these huge black holes in hopes of better understanding how common they are and what this means for our understanding of how the universe was formed.


Live Science

Saddle Shaped Universe

Summary: Based on data, it is possible that the universe may be saddle shaped instead of flat. On the other hand, it could be a statistical error. We should know for sure next year with data expected to be gathered from the Planck team.


Live Science

High Flying Internet

Summary: Google will soon be launching Project Loon, a fleet of high altitude balloons that could provide Internet to people in hard to reach areas. The huge balloons are incredibly thin (.3in) and will fly in the Earth's Stratosphere (double the height at which planes fly). The balloons are predicted to stay afloat for 100 days before landing and being picked up. The balloons will be carefully programmed and monitored to keep them in the correct area of sky by manoeuvring them up and down to catch the right air currents. The project will be tested first in New Zealand before progressing to more remote areas.

BBC News

UPDATE
Recently, some of these test flights have been mistaken for UFOs. Check out the articles below.
Live Science
Wired