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- Sponge Garden | Space Splash | Pandemic Poop - The Convo Kit #35
Sponge Garden | Space Splash | Pandemic Poop - The Convo Kit #35
We got a mattress in a box this week. As you can probably imagine, it’s the PERFECT size for a rocket ship. The mattress is pretty ok, too.
1 More Thing: Last week’s asteroid game and this week’s surprise are at the end of this email.
-Steve
Join The Convo for weekly briefings on tech, space, and science news!
Who Lives On A Volcano Under The Sea?
SPONGEBOB SQU…uh, Geodia-sponges. Deep below permanent ice, scientists discovered dense sponge gardens at Langseth Ridge. The ridge was formed by now-extinct volcanos near the North Pole.
Symbiotic bacteria help sponges turn old organic matter into fuel
Mobile sponges leave spicules (think: dead skin) later consumed by their bacteria
Average Geodia-sponge life span= 300 years
These sponge gardens ditch photosynthesis for chemosynthesis to survive; harvesting energy from volcanic chemical reactions. Exclusive to the Arctic, these ecosystems humbly remind us of nature’s extreme resilience.
International Splish Splash
The International Space Station (ISS) is going down in a blaze of glory. NASA will bring the space-lab into Earth’s atmosphere over the SPOUA in 2030 due to the aging station’s safety concerns.
SPOUA = South Pacific Oceanic Uninhabited Area
ISS will intentionally begin losing altitude in 2026
Three unmanned cargo ships will control the descent with their engines
In addition to normal research, the station will open for private businesses to train and attach their own modules for testing. NASA will assist private companies in safely building future space-stations for research and really sick off-site meetings.
Pandemic Poop
The CDC is putting the “#2” in SARS-COV-2. In addition to traditional methods, they are currently tracking Covid surges via wastewater analysis.
40-80% of people with Covid shed viral RNA in their feces prior to experiencing symptoms
CDC is currently measuring Covid RNA in over 400 wastewater systems
Meaning they are tracking the waste of ~53 million Americans
Wastewater provides researchers with data on variants and carriers that may not have been tested. Early success has inspired the CDC to invest in wastewater tracking for future E. coli and influenza outbreaks.
Lockheed Martian
Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to build the first rocket to launch from another planet, Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The vehicle is a part of NASA and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) plan to bring some of Mars to Earth.
Goal: Study Perseverance Rover’s samples, in person
6 year contract worth up to $194 million
Martian launch may actually be the easy part…
MAV needs to fit in a specialized lander with a rover for transferring Perseverance’s samples. It’ll then launch to rendezvous with an ESA return-spacecraft in orbit. Fortunately, enough time will have passed for space-fans to transition from Webb-anxiety to MAV-stress.
Spinal Implant
Nine patients with recently severed spines are able to walk thanks to a new implant. This is the first time anyone has walked after such a traumatic spine injury.
Severed spine injuries prevent the brain from properly signaling some body parts
Implant acts as a signal booster across damaged sections of spine
Patients have relearned to walk, bike, and even swim (with assistance)
While not a cure for paralysis, it greatly increases independence and quality of life. More clinical trials are needed before widespread use, but early results are promising and could be paired with future stem cell therapies.
1 More Thing
Thank you for reading!
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