Short Wave

A Dirty Snowball, Cancer-Sniffing Ants And A Stressed Out Moon

Feb 3, 2023
Dive into the wonders of a green comet returning after 50,000 years and how our ancient ancestors might have reacted. Discover the quirky rivalry between Jupiter and Saturn as the former claims supremacy with its moon count. Uncover the extraordinary potential of cancer-sniffing ants, trained to detect tumors by smell—imagine if humans had such a gift! Join lively discussions about these captivating scientific stories and more that connect the cosmos with current events.
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ANECDOTE

Stargazing Date

  • Emily Kwong and her partner plan a stargazing date.
  • They hope to see comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), last seen by Neanderthals.
INSIGHT

Comet Composition

  • Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) last visited Earth 50,000 years ago.
  • Comets are essentially "dirty snowballs" of dust, ice, and gas, remnants of our solar system's formation.
INSIGHT

Green Comet

  • The "green comet" gets its nickname from the green light emitted when photographed.
  • The green glow comes from the sun reacting with diatomic carbon in the comet.
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