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| Rock formation in northern Australia. Image credit: Jochen J. Brocks. Click to enlarge. |
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| Early Earth Had Toxic Oceans |
| Oct 7, 2005 - Researchers from NASA have confirmed that it would have been impossible for advanced life forms, like fish or mammals, to live in the Earth's early oceans because it was such a toxic environment. The scientists studied ancient rock formations, and found evidence of photosynthetic bacteria living as recently as 1.6 billion years ago. This bacteria would have required both sunlight and an environment rich in hydrogen sulfide - this environment would have been quite toxic for air breathing creatures. (Full Story) |
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| ESA's CryoSat is Ready for Launch |
| Oct 7, 2005 - ESA's CryoSat ice observation satellite is scheduled for a Saturday launch from Russia's Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Once in orbit, the satellite will used a specialized radar altimeter to measure changes in land and sea ice thickness over a three-year period. Until now, scientists have known that Arctic sea ice is shrinking, but not if it's thinning. Existing Earth observation satellites don't have the resolution to detect smaller pieces of pack ice, so CryoSat will help fill the gaps. (Full Story) |
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| Large craters across the surface of Dione. Image credit: NASA/JPL/SSI. Click to enlarge. |
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| Large Craters on Dione |
| Oct 7, 2005 - This Cassini photograph shows several of the large craters that pockmark Dione, one of Saturn's moons. The most prominent crater in the image is 188 km (73 mile) Dido, and the smaller crater above it is Antenor. On the sunlit side you can see some of the wispy markings, which Cassini has revealed to be a complex system of fractures in the moon's surface. (Full Story) |
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