SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 142
*How Mars Got Its Moons
A groundbreaking study suggests that Mars acquired its moons, Phobos and Deimos, after a passing asteroid was torn apart by the planet's gravity. This new hypothesis, based on NASA's supercomputer simulations and published in the journal Icarus, challenges previous theories of their origin, such as capture or major impact. The upcoming Martian Moons Exploration mission by JAXA, with NASA's involvement, aims to further investigate these theories by collecting samples from Phobos.
*Starship Test Flight 6
SpaceX has successfully completed its sixth test flight of the Starship Mega rocket, overseen by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The test included a splashdown of the booster in the Gulf of Mexico and a successful orbital journey of the Starship, which trialled new heat shield materials and descent strategies. This marks the final test for this version of Starship, with an upgraded version expected to fly soon.
*Revisiting Earth's Ore Deposits
New research reveals that the largest iron ore deposits in Western Australia's Pilbara are around a billion years younger than previously thought. Using advanced geochronology techniques, scientists have dated these deposits to between 1.1 and 1.4 billion years, reshaping our understanding of Earth's geological history and aiding future exploration efforts.
The Science Report
A study suggests that a daily hour-long walk for those over 40 could extend life expectancy by five years. Meanwhile, global plastic waste is projected to double by mid-century, but a combination of policies could reduce it by 90%. Additionally, switching to a vegan diet could lower food costs by 19%, unlike the Mediterranean diet. The Bent Spoon Award was given to the Cancer Council of Western Australia for endorsing pseudoscientific practices like Richie.
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00:00 New study suggests Mars got its two moons after asteroid was torn apart
04:57 SpaceX has undertaken a successful sixth test flight of its Starship Mega rocket
08:17 Super heavy booster is attempting an offshore landing off the Gulf coast of Texas
10:18 The next milestone is Starship uh, is in terminal guidance
14:29 Starship is approaching the peak heating phase of entry
19:56 SpaceX's Starship rocket successfully carried its first ever biological payload
23:07 A new study finds planet Earth's largest iron ore deposits are younger than previously thought
33:14 A new study looked at physical activity and life expectancy
35:54 Western Australian Cancer Council endorsed pseudo medical and unscientific treatments
38:33 Space Time is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through various podcasting platforms
✍️ Episode References
Icarus Journal
[https://www.journals.elsevier.com/icarus](https://www.journals.elsevier.com/icarus)
NASA Ames Research Centre
[https://www.nasa.gov/ames](https://www.nasa.gov/ames)
Martian Moons Exploration (MMX)
[https://mmx.jaxa.jp/en/](https://mmx.jaxa.jp/en/)
SpaceX
[https://www.spacex.com](https://www.spacex.com)
Curtin University
[https://www.curtin.edu.au](https://www.curtin.edu.au)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
[https://www.pnas.org](https://www.pnas.org)
British Journal of Sports Medicine
[https://bjsm.bmj.com/](https://bjsm.bmj.com/)
Journal of Science
[https://www.sciencemag.org/](https://www.sciencemag.org/)
Journal of the American Medical Association
[https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama)
Australian Sceptics
[https://www.skeptics.com.au](https://www.skeptics.com.au)