>>2168309
I've been expecting them.
I'll put on some coffee if they wanna stop on by.
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
September 30, 2024
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over Mexico
The new comet has passed its closest to the Sun and is now moving closer to the Earth. C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is currently moving out from inside the orbit of Venus and on track to pass its nearest to the Earth in about two weeks. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, pronounced "Choo-cheen-shahn At-less,", is near naked-eye visibility and easily picked up by long-exposure cameras. The comet can also now be found by observers in Earth's northern hemisphere as well as the south. The featured image was captured just a few days ago above Zacatecas, Mexico. Because clouds were obscuring much of the pre-dawn sky, the astrophotographer released a drone to take pictures from higher up, several of which were later merged to enhance the comet's visibility. Although the future brightness of comets is hard to predict, there is increasing hope that Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will further brighten as it enters the early evening sky.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://www.ecoticias.com/en/nasa-starts-holoportation-technology/6950/
NASA succeeds for the first time in “teleporting” an astronaut: They only needed a hologram
09/30/2024
The line between science fiction and reality continues to blur as NASA successfully achieves a significant milestone in communication and collaboration: the “transportation” of an astronaut.
However, that was not the teleportation one might find in many science fiction movies like Star Trek, where material objects are transported.
But, one can only imagine how NASA uses holograms and augmented reality to make scientists on the Earth ‘beam up’ on the ISS in a manner that opens up a new chapter in communicative interaction and transportation.
It can be used for outer space exploration and daily talking.
Holoportation technology: a new frontier to combat astronaut isolation and enhance collaboration
Altogether, holoportation is a leap forward in countering loneliness typical for astronauts who spend time aboard the ISS.
The opportunity to broadcast people like genuine live 3D holograms creates new possibilities in the workplace and interpersonal relationships.
Imagine the astronauts who have been sent to work in a space station or on a mission to colonize Mars and are thousands of light years from home.
This technology can join family or ground control in their environment. This assists in eradicating loneliness and feeling like they are the odd ones on earth.
Therefore, NASA’s innovation is not solely for mental health; it also has its uses.
The doctors on Earth can perform a physical examination on the ISS as if they are physical with the astronauts, or the engineers can observe technical problems or the astronauts on the ISS.
As Dr Schmid pointed out, this is an entirely new form of human advancement in exploration that can take the human entity out of the planet.
Our physical body is absent, yet our human personality or being is undoubtedly present.
How holoportation overcame the challenges of distance and speed: insights into the technology’s resilience
The most outstanding aspect of this system relates to its ability to perform under harsh conditions.
The ISS orbits at 17,500 mph, and yet the technology was integrated smoothly, as seen in the video, which shows the efficiency of the technology.
If the astronaut returns to the place after days, the holoportation system makes it possible for the projected person to be exactly as they were when the process was interrupted.
Holoportation can be named a crucial step in combating loneliness experienced by astronauts who live and work on the ISS.
The prospects of projecting people as realistic 3D holograms make new possibilities of professional and personal interactions possible.
For example, consider astronauts in a space station or on a mission to Mars, let alone a few thousand miles away from home.
With this technology, they are followed by family members or even ground control in their environment, thus eliminating loneliness and feeling they are far away from the earth.
The most outstanding feature of this system is the ability to work under the harshest conditions possible.
The ISS moves at 17,500 miles per hour in orbit, yet the technology integrates smoothly, proving its reliability.
This way, if the astronaut returns to the spot after days, the holoportation system allows the projected person to continue from where the interruption occurred.
1/2
From augmented reality to teleportation: how NASA’s holoportation technology is evolving beyond the stars
NASA’s transition to holoportation is rooted in a tradition of testing AR. Augmented reality technology has been incorporated into NASA’s processes in different ways, including training simulation and space station repair.
Microsoft’s HoloLens has partnered with NASA for several years since the AR device was initially unveiled to communicate between astronauts and specialists on the ground.
The HoloLens headset is integrated with a Windows 10 PC, a microphone, camera, and speakers so that the users can see each other and exchange manuals and diagrams.
A holographic interface enables users to interact and rotate data, drawings or virtual objects in real-time.
NASA used this tool to help the ISS crew members work with engineers on the ground to solve technical problems.
However, in 2022, NASA made virtual teleportation a reality through holoportation, an innovation that elevated AR beyond anything ever thought of.
The technology then allowed the scientists to ‘somehow’ be present in space despite the fact their physical bodies could not be.
A glimpse into the future: how holoportation will revolutionize industries beyond space exploration
Although NASA is currently developing a holoportation for space travel, this technology has a lot of use in areas other than space.
The oil and gas, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors have started using the idea of holographic teleportation to work remotely.
HoloLens technology is already used in companies like Chevron for site visits, product checks, and repair work.
For example, Chevron utilises HoloLens to display real-life representations of a machine or structures for the experts far from the facility, thereby saving on travel costs and enhancing the effectiveness of the facility’s maintenance.
The AR headset’s main benefit is observing the on-site employees perform complex tasks as the experts coach them through such processes by pointing out what the employees need to do directly in the physical environment.
Holoportation can, therefore, be described as a revolution in the medical industry in healthcare delivery.
For instance, a surgeon in New York can physically be transported to a surgical operation in Africa through a 3D image, or even a doctor can prescribe treatment to a patient on another continent.
The same technology that made it possible to ‘teleport’ to the ISS could be used to close the healthcare gap and bring medical knowledge.
2/2
Why space archaeologists are finding more Mayan ruins than ever before (exclusive)
September 30, 2024
Satellites are helping scientists spot more ancient Mayan ruins than ever before, which is no small feat considering how thick the forest is in the indigenous group's ancestral lands.
"Archeologists have mapped more Mayan sites, buildings and features in the past 10 years than we had in the past — preceding — 150 years," Brett Houk, an archaeology professor at Texas Tech University, told attendees at a NASA-led space archaeology conference Sept. 18 to which Space.com received an exclusive invite.
Archaeologists are finding these ruins faster due to better satellite technology.
Using a pulsed laser technique called lidar, or light detection and ranging, satellites can peer through the dense canopy surrounding typical Mayan sites, Houk explained at the two-day livestreamed NASA and Archaeology From Space symposium.
The Maya are indigenous peoples whose ancestral lands include modern-day Mexico, Guatemala and northern Belize, according to Britannica.
Prior to the 16th century, when the Spanish invaded the area, the Maya were the dominant regional group.
They created large pyramids and stone structures, managed agriculture and kept records using writing.
Mayan sites such as Chichén Itzá in Mexico are today marked as sites of significant world heritage by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
But there are many other Mayan zones that are unexcavated, and even unknown to modern society, given that heavy forest blanketed their buildings after the sites were abandoned.
Houk alluded to "new lidar missions" — their names are currently embargoed as the team finishes peer-reviewed publications — that are helping his team, whose work is co-led by the University of Texas' Amy Thompson.
The satellites are helping the scientists pick up more ruins across a swath of permitted territory in northeastern Belize.
The survey covers a region about 10 times the size of Manhattan: 250 square miles (650 square kilometers). It's rich in ruins.
The team found 28 more monumental sites "in just a couple of days in the lab, staring at the data," as Houk says, and are planning to follow up on some of the areas with excavations.
One planned for next summer will examine canal and water management in the region, for example.
Mayan society not only altered due to pressure from the Spanish, but also as a result of ongoing climate change, as far as numerous studies can determine.
Human-induced global warming is one of the most pressing issues for societies worldwide today, leading to accelerating floods and extreme weather; examining Mayan technology may therefore help bring their ancient "lessons learned" to today.
"People and communities adapted to changing environmental conditions and rainfall, designing what appears to be a resilient mosaic of land use," said Tim Murtha, of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, speaking of his own team's independent space study of Mayan technology.
Examples included corn-growing terraces, and catchments for conveying and storing water in drought conditions.
Small satellites provide more opportunities for examining Earth's surface, as they tend to fly closer to our planet; higher orbits require more fuel and money.
Flyovers, or "revisits" as the industry terms it, are therefore more frequent with a diminutive cubesat than a larger satellite peering at Earth from a slightly higher altitude.
Other conference presenters paid tribute to companies such as Planet Labs, which have provided some Earth observations particularly valuable for archaeology.
But the drawback is cost and access; scientists try to use open data or declassified satellite imagery where possible, as satellite companies also focus on turning a profit for their investors.
Artificial intelligence could play a role in spotting ruins in satellite pictures down the line, but training and getting access to the appropriate algorithms are also expensive difficulties, presenters said.
They asked for more education and accessibility to benefit future archaeology investigations.
https://www.space.com/mayan-ruins-space-archaeology-more-found