The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe The Skeptics Guide #1045 - Jul 19 2025
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Jul 19, 2025 Explore the bizarre exoplanet KELT-9b, a gas giant heating up the cosmos! Discover the thrilling revival of Voyager 1's thrusters, enabling communication after years of dormancy. Dive into the ethical dilemmas of vaccine approvals and the need for better media platforms. Navigate the booming space tourism industry, questioning the distinction between astronauts and tourists. Plus, enjoy a playful game involving real and imaginary creatures linked by 'pig' and contemplate cultural perceptions of meat flavors.
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KELT-9b Exoplanet's Extreme Conditions
- KELT-9b is a giant, ultra-hot exoplanet with a 36-hour orbit almost over its poles.
- Its star exhibits gravity darkening with hotter poles and cooler equator, causing dynamic atmospheres.
Voyager 1 Thrusters Reactivated
- NASA engineers reactivated Voyager 1's thrusters last working in 2004 by flipping a power switch.
- This saved the mission because backup thrusters were clogging and loss of orientation would end communication.
Urgency in Limiting Warming Below 1.0°C
- Melting land ice now drives sea level rise more than thermal expansion.
- To avoid catastrophic ice melt, global warming must stay below 1.0°C, but we're already beyond that level.