For the other Astronuts out there

We only get warm water from taps here.
Love a good heatwave.

 

Lots of ifs and buts, but interesting.
"Many of us look to the stars for answers to life’s most complex questions. But actually, some of the greatest mysteries lie beneath our very feet.
One might think we’d know the Earth pretty well by now but, in fact, our planet’s core remains shrouded in enigma.
Indeed, there are two gigantic blobs located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean that occupy around six per cent of the world’s entire volume. And yet, we’re still not entirely sure what they’re made of or where they came from.
There are a number of hypotheses, including that they are piles of oceanic crust that have accumulated over billions of years.
But a more interesting theory is that they are huge chunks of an ancient planet that hit the Earth around 4.5 billion years ago.
To give an indication of just how massive these things are, the structure under Africa – an area known as Tuzo – is thought to be around 800km (497 miles) tall – the equivalent of some 90 Mount Everests stacked on top of one another, as IFL Science notes.
The problem with determining the origin of these monster formations is that there are no direct ways of observing the Earth’s core."
Scientists have discovered two giant mystery structures lurking under Africa (msn.com)

 

Link not working unfortunately.

 

Interesting, hadn't thought of it though I should have.
"We can now understand the ionosphere better thanks to aggregated measurements from millions of Android phones.
The ionosphere is a swirling sea of charged particles that lies in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ions accumulate when solar radiation collides with atmospheric gas molecules, knocking off some of their electrons. Variations in the free electron density across the ionosphere are one of the largest sources of error in satellite navigation systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). Spatial and temporal fluctuations in the ionosphere’s plasma based on the season, time of day, and geographical factors, such as distance from the equator, affect the trajectory of satellite signals and interfere with GPS location accuracy. More powerful disruptions to satellite communication and navigation systems are caused by bursts of radiation from solar storms— like the ones in May 2024, which produced spectacular aurorae across both the northern and southern hemispheres.
In a new study published today in Nature, we report the use of aggregated sensor measurements from millions of Android phones to map the ionosphere at a level of accuracy that matches — or, in some parts of the world, far exceeds — that of conventional monitoring infrastructure. Although each mobile phone on its own provides noisy readings, we demonstrate that a vast crowdsourced network of aggregated signals can act as a highly sensitive scientific instrument. Most importantly, we can accomplish this while maintaining important privacy protections — without identifying any contributing individual devices. This approach yields particular benefits in regions including India, Southeast Asia, and central Africa, where monitoring stations are sparse but mobile phone use is widespread.
Efforts are underway to deliver the location accuracy improvements enabled by this research to Android users. Knowing the current ionospheric conditions allows a GPS receiver to reduce location error by several meters. This level of increased accuracy could be incredibly helpful to users. For example, being able to differentiate between a highway and a parallel rugged frontage road can ensure dispatchers send the correct first responders to the correct place and provide help more quickly. Additionally, we found that mobile phone measurements capture scientifically important features of the ionosphere, providing unprecedented detail in regions with few monitoring stations. As worldwide concern grows about the risks and consequences of a major solar storm, phone sensor ionosphere mapping may provide needed insight into ionospheric phenomena."
Mapping the ionosphere with the power of Android

 

I've heard of plasma engines for space craft - but small thrust over a long time....

How do plasma jet engines work?



The focused microwaves excite charged particles in the plasma, forcing them to oscillate wildly and generating a release of energy, including producing heat of 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees F). This, in turn, creates thrust along the quartz tube which acts as a rudimentary jet nozzle to direct the thrust.

Reminds me of some of the "space craft" back engineered - Using a thermoelectric generator (Turning heat into electricity.)
OP stop rolling your eyes...

 

Indeed…

 

Will you STOP getting technical ?! My SE5a runs exceedingly well on an ICE.
Bloody Colonials....