The latest scientific news covers a range of topics, from failed satellite launches to the search for extraterrestrial life. On Wednesday, North Korea’s new “Chollima-1” satellite launch rocket failed due to instability in the engine and fuel system, according to state news agency KCNA. The propellant and payload sank at sea, while South Korea’s military recovered parts of the launch vehicle.
Meanwhile, scientists are expanding their search for intelligent extraterrestrial life by monitoring a dense region of stars towards the center of our galaxy. They are searching for a type of signal that could be produced by potential intelligent extraterrestrials that has previously been ignored. Rather than focusing on narrowband radio signals or unusual single transmissions, this new initiative focuses on a different type of signal that could allow advanced civilizations to communicate across vast distances.
New Zealand also launched its own space policy on Wednesday, highlighting the growing geopolitical risks associated with space and the need to work with like-minded partners to protect national security. The policy notes that strategic competition on Earth is increasingly replicated in space, jeopardizing security and stability in this critical domain.
In North Korea, analysts say that the country’s latest space launcher appears to be a new design using engines developed for nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The rocket, also named Chollima-1, failed during its first launch attempt on Wednesday when its second leg failed to start as expected and it crashed into the Yellow Sea.
Spanish startup PLD Space canceled the test launch of its first reusable suborbital rocket scheduled for Wednesday morning due to strong high-altitude winds but intends to try again soon. Last but not least, researchers have conducted the most comprehensive genomic study ever conducted on primates. They sequenced and analyzed genomes from 233 primate species and found fundamental genetic traits unique to humans while refining timelines for separation from chimpanzees and bonobos.
According to authoritative sources, an independent NASA panel studying UFOs held its first public meeting on Wednesday. The 16-member body of leading experts in scientific fields ranging from physics to astrobiology discussed preliminary findings and identified the paucity of high-level data quality and a lingering stigma as the greatest barriers to unraveling such mysteries. A report is expected later this summer.
Sources:
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2473453-reuters-science-news-summary?amp
