Weekend Science Roundup March 09, 2024

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa produces plenty of oxygen every day, according to new findings based on data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The moon has long been of interest to astrobiologists because of the possibility that life could exist in its subsurface ocean. - Isaac Schultz Read More

A German man seems to be no worse for wear after having allegedly gotten more than 200 covid-19 vaccine doses. In a new study out this week, scientists examined the man’s blood and saliva and found no evidence that the “hypervaccination” he went through harmed his immune response to covid-19 or his general health. If anything, the repeated shots might have made the man less vulnerable to covid-19 infection, though no one should follow in his footsteps. - Ed Cara Read More

Colossal Biosciences, which calls itself “the world’s first de-extinction company,” has created stem cells it thinks will hasten the company’s marquee goal of resurrecting the woolly mammoth. The team’s research describing the accomplishment will be hosted on the preprint server bioRxiv. - Isaac Schultz Read More

Veterinary scientists seem to have unraveled a mystery about why certain dogs simply can’t ever get enough to eat. In research out this week, they found evidence that a common mutation in Labrador retrievers causes them to experience greater hunger than usual while also reducing their metabolic rate, both of which make the dogs predisposed to obesity. The findings might help better understand and treat obesity in both dogs and their owners. - Ed Cara Read More

For more than 45 years, the Voyager 1 spacecraft has been cruising through the cosmos, crossing the boundary of our solar system to become the first human-made object to venture to interstellar space. Iconic in every regard, Voyager 1 has delivered groundbreaking data on Jupiter and Saturn, and captured the loneliest image of Earth. But perhaps nothing is lonelier than an aging spacecraft that has lost its ability to communicate while traveling billions of miles away from home. - Passant Rabie Read More

A 2.9-ton cargo pallet, once used for a critical battery upgrade mission on the International Space Station (ISS), is now approaching the end of its journey and is expected to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere in the coming days. - George Dvorsky Read More

An ambitious NASA project designed to test satellite refueling in space, known as OSAM-1, has been discontinued after significant technical, cost, and scheduling difficulties. The cancellation comes in the wake of an October 2023 report from NASA’s Office of Inspector General that cited “poor performance” by Maxar, the primary contractor for the project. - George Dvorsky Read More

We’re rapidly approaching the quarter mark of the 21st century, but instead of being at the brink of a radical transformative stage, such as the futuristic vision akin to Arthur C. Clarke’s Star Child from 2001: A Space Odyssey, we’re still throwing proverbial bones into the sky. - George Dvorsky Read More

This week’s puzzle is difficult. Not because it has an exceedingly complicated solution, but because the idea that underlies it is deep and ingenious. I only know of one method to solve it, but I’m curious whether alternative approaches exist. Feel free to spitball half-baked ideas in the comments. You might find working together on solutions an enriching experience. But also, your life depends on it. - Jack Murtagh Read More

SpaceX teased a tentative date for the third launch of its Starship rocket. The company posted a link on X for viewing Starship’s third flight test next week after having completed a wet dress rehearsal for its massive rocket on Sunday night. - Passant Rabie Read More