NASA Astronauts Finally Return, Seals Hold Their Breath, and Penguin Poop Stresses Out Krill
Mar 24, 2025
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Two NASA astronauts are back on Earth after an unexpected nine-month space adventure! Dive into how gray seals master their breath-holding skills with an oxygen gauge. Discover the surprising impact of penguin poop on krill in Antarctica, revealing stress levels and ecological consequences. This week’s news is packed with fascinating science that showcases the wonders of nature and space!
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Quick takeaways
NASA astronauts faced an extended nine-month delay in their return due to complexities in space mission logistics and scheduling conflicts.
Research highlights how gray seals possess a unique ability to gauge their oxygen levels, revealing insights into diving mechanisms applicable to other species.
Deep dives
NASA Astronauts Return After Extended Mission
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth after an extended stay on the International Space Station, which lasted significantly longer than planned due to scheduling issues. Originally intended to spend a week in space, their return was delayed for nine months due to earlier mission constraints that required adjustments to crew rotations. This situation highlights the complexities and challenges of space logistics, where technical difficulties lead to cascading scheduling conflicts. Such delays emphasize the reality of space travel, where planning and timing are crucial for ensuring safe and coordinated missions.
Impressive Discoveries by the James Webb Space Telescope
Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope provide exciting insights into a planetary system located 130 light-years away, successfully capturing images of carbon dioxide gas on an exoplanet. This achievement validates the telescope's capabilities in analyzing the chemistry of distant planetary atmospheres and contributes to our understanding of planetary formation processes like core accretion, akin to those that formed our own gas giants, Saturn and Jupiter. The data collected from this relatively young system, HR 8799, could aid researchers in drawing parallels between its formation and the early days of our solar system. With expectations for JWST's operational life potentially extending beyond its planned five years, further discoveries about the cosmos are highly anticipated.
Environment and Wildlife Research Updates
Recent discussions surrounding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest significant cuts to its budget and workforce, with plans that could eliminate over a thousand scientists, raising ethical concerns about the agency's ability to rely on sound scientific evidence for environmental decisions. Additionally, new research reveals how gray seals manage to hold their breath for extended periods by directly sensing oxygen levels in their blood, a capability that may have broader implications for understanding diving behaviors in other species. Furthermore, the impact of penguin guano on Antarctic krill behaviors highlights the interconnectedness of species in marine ecosystems and the potential effects of climate change on these relationships. Both studies emphasize the importance of scientific research in understanding environmental dynamics and advocate for the necessity of rigorous scientific inquiry amid potential legislative changes.
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Recent Science Updates: Astronauts Return, Space Discoveries, and EPA Concerns
Two NASA astronauts are finally back on Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay in space. What kept them up there so long? Meanwhile scientists have discovered that gray seals have a built-in oxygen gauge that helps them hold their breath for more than an hour. And in the Antarctic, researchers found that penguin poop seriously stresses out krill. Catch up on these stories and more in our Monday news roundup.
E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.