Tag Archives: ship

Hayabusa 2 Delivers Breathtaking Close-Up Images of Asteroid Bird Ship During Flight

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On July 5, 2026, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa2 spacecraft achieved a groundbreaking milestone by completing its first asteroid encounter during its extended mission. The spacecraft passed near a fascinating two-lobed asteroid close to Earth, known as Torifune. It successfully captured and transmitted stunning close-up visual and thermal images.

This image of the near-Earth asteroid Tryphne was taken on July 5, 2026, with the ONC-T instrument aboard JAXA’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Image credit: JAXA / University of Tokyo / Chiba Institute of Technology / Tokyo University of Science / AIST / Paris Observatory / IAC.

Launched in 2014, JAXA’s Hayabusa2 was initially designed to explore the carbon-rich near-Earth asteroid Ryugu, which holds primordial material from the solar system’s formation. Upon arrival in 2018, the spacecraft spent over a year mapping Ryugu and deployed a small “hopping” lander along with the German-made MASCOT lander for sample collection.

In April 2019, Hayabusa2 initiated a daring experiment by firing a copper projectile into Ryugu, creating an artificial crater. Researchers aimed to gather samples shielded from billions of years of space weathering.

The spacecraft later descended to collect freshly excavated material, which, when analyzed after the return capsule landed in Australia in 2020, revealed water-bearing minerals, organic molecules, and compounds that provide insights into the early solar system’s chemical makeup, dating back 4.6 billion years.

In a remarkable twist, unlike many missions that conclude after returning their samples, Hayabusa2 continued its journey.

After releasing its sample capsule, the spacecraft resumed its engines for a long-term mission to visit the near-Earth asteroid 1998 KY26 in 2031.

On its path, Hayabusa2 performed a high-speed flyby of the small asteroid Tryphne, also referred to as 2001 CC21, scheduled for 2026.

This thermal image of the asteroid Tryphne was captured on July 5, 2026, by the TIR instrument aboard JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft. Image credit: JAXA / Maebashi Institute of Technology / Chiba Institute of Technology / University of Aizu / Hokkaido University of Education / National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

The flyby occurred at 6:30 PM on July 5, Japan time, with Hayabusa2 approaching the asteroid at an impressive speed of approximately 5 kilometers per second.

The spacecraft utilized its Optical Navigation Camera (ONC-T) to capture visible-light images, revealing Torifune as an asteroid with dual elongated lobes reminiscent of a snowman.

“Observations with NIRS3 (near-infrared spectrometer), TIR (thermal infrared imager), and LIDAR (light detection and ranging) instruments were conducted an hour before the closest approach,” mission members reported.

“Data collection continued right up until the nearest point of approach, but no observations were made post-encounter,” they added.

“Currently, only a portion of the data collected by scientific instruments has been transmitted to Earth. The remaining data will be shared during upcoming operations.”

Source: www.sci.news

Exploring the Ship of Theseus Paradox: Insights from Its Wikipedia Page

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Your Feedback is Valuable to New Scientist. We welcome insights or articles of interest to our audience. Please email us at feedback@newscientist.com.

A Ship is Coming In

We asked our readers, and you delivered. In our recent feedback request, we sought the most fitting adjective for the Wikipedia page discussing the Ship of Theseus paradox. To clarify, this philosophical puzzle explores whether an object remains the same when all its components are replaced. Interestingly, the Wikipedia page itself has undergone extensive editing, making it a prime example of the very paradox it describes.

In our mailbag, you’ll find a wide array of suggestions, including Tim Molesley’s “automatic paradigm” and Bryn Glover’s “automatic causes.”

Among the standout contributions was Martin Baston, who drew inspiration from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. In the show, the character Trigger receives a medal for maintaining the same broom for 20 years, albeit with 17 new heads and 14 new handles. Thus, Martin proposed describing the Ship of Theseus Wiki page as a “trigger.”

However, the prevailing consensus labels it “self-logical.” Peter Jeffrey, Peter Gutfreund, and others pointed out that an autological word expresses a characteristic it possesses. For example, “noun” is a noun, and “sesquipedalian” refers to a sesquipedalian.

Yet, there is a debate about whether “autological” can refer to entire articles. Philip Penton humorously suggested, “If you need another term for your article, consider ‘autobloomian.’”

Mairi McKissock also contributed valuable insights. She uncovered the opposite of autological—“foreignness,” a term that fails to describe itself. For instance, the word “monosyllabic” is inherently polysyllabic. This led Mairi to examine another intriguing paradox, the Grelling-Nelson paradox. “Is the word ‘alien’ foreign? If so, it proves itself to be autological. If not, it fails to do so and thus becomes foreign,” she posited.

Now that the feedback is yielding more questions than answers, let’s change direction and explore another segment of the mailbox.

Discovering Niche Markets

The conversation surrounding niche science-themed tourism continues steadily. Criteria for winning include parks adorned with foraminiferal sculptures or gardens exclusively made of moss.

Andrew Taubman, a volunteer at the Australian Museum, reported significant progress in digitizing their extensive entomology collection. He recently aided in the digitization of the Lamprogaster genus, which oddly lacks a dedicated Wikipedia page, showcasing how obscure these insects truly are. Similarly, Rosalinda Hardiman’s collection of handpicked beach pebbles, gathered during her years of open water swimming, is not publicly available. She seeks feedback on whether to exhibit them, and the response is a resounding yes.

In Australia, Sari Somerstrom introduced us to the Puseum in Richmond, Tasmania, which specializes in animal waste. Their website claims to be “the only facility of its kind in Australia”. According to Sari, the book is “not only interesting but packed with fascinating facts.” However, concerns arise about its niche appeal, given the universal nature of defecation.

Turning to John Blakey, he highlighted two hidden gems. The first is a Gas Museum in Hobro, Denmark, dedicated to the intriguing history of gas production and distribution. Though John hasn’t visited yet, he considers it a must-see.

Yet, John’s second recommendation truly stands out: Kornets Hus, or “House of Grain,” located in northern Jutland. This venue celebrates all things corn and grains, set in a dedicated center amid a cornfield. “It’s so obscure; no one has left a review on TripAdvisor,” John remarked, although there is a separate page for the museum café, which had a handful of reviews as of mid-May.

Precious Chihuahua

While I usually refrain from quoting feedback directly, this particular insight comes from renowned author Janet Winterson of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. While browsing Apple News, she noted the amusing use of dogs as a unit of measurement. A recent article mentioned a “giant 11,000-carat ruby worth millions,” likening its weight to that of a dog.

To highlight the absurdity of this comparison, an English Mastiff can weigh over 100 kg, while a Chihuahua might only weigh about 1 kg. Such comparisons invite confusion, much like stating that a building’s height lies somewhere between two stories and the Burj Khalifa. Further information reveals that this gemstone weighs around 2.2 kg, a weight consistent with a Chihuahua.

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Please send your submissions to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com, and include your home address. Weekly and past feedback can be accessed on our website.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship: Origins and Insights into the Deadly Virus

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The cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored off the coast of Cape Verde.

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An outbreak of hantavirus has been reported on the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, anchored off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. This virus can result in severe illness in humans, with a mortality rate of up to 50%.

So far, seven individuals have been infected, with three fatalities confirmed.

Understanding Hantavirus

Hantaviruses are a category of viruses carried by rodents known to cause severe illnesses in humans. Infection typically occurs through exposure to infected rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva.

Different hantaviruses cause various clinical syndromes across the globe. In the Americas, they can lead to a severe illness known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), which has a fatality rate of about 50%. In Europe and Asia, they primarily cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), affecting kidneys and blood vessels.

It is estimated that there are 10,000 to over 100,000 hantavirus infections annually worldwide, with the highest rates in Asia and Europe.

The specific strain of hantavirus affecting those on board the ship remains unidentified. “There are multiple species, at least 24, that can be harmful to humans,” says Adam Taylor, a researcher at Lancaster University, UK. “Until we determine which strains are involved, we cannot fully understand the situation.”

Where Was the Ship Located?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified of this outbreak. On May 2, a statement announced an outbreak of severe acute respiratory illness onboard the MV Hondius, including two fatalities and one critically ill passenger.

The cruise departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, and traveled across the South Atlantic, with stops including Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, and Ascension Island. WHO identified the Argentine port as a focal point for investigations into the outbreak due to the presence of the Andes virus, known for limited person-to-person transmission in South America.

A total of 147 individuals from 23 nationalities were onboard, consisting of 88 passengers and 59 crew members. The extent of contact with local wildlife during the voyage remains unclear, as per WHO’s statement.

What Are the Symptoms of Hantavirus?

Initial symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Some patients may develop respiratory complications. Diagnosis typically involves specialized blood tests.

How Does Hantavirus Spread?

The primary route of infection is contact with infected rodents, particularly through inhalation of virus particles from contaminated rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.

“For this reason, investigations often focus on potential exposure to rodent-contaminated areas,” stated Roger Hewson from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Hantaviruses are not generally believed to be easily transmissible between humans.”

While rarer, infection may also occur through rodent bites. High-risk activities include cleaning poorly ventilated spaces, farming, and sleeping in rodent-infested environments. According to WHO, human-to-human transmission has only been recorded for the Andes virus in the Americas, occurring with close and prolonged contact, mainly among family and intimate partners, particularly during the early stages of the disease.

Current Outlook on the Infection Spread

According to Taylor, there is no need for panic. “Transmission of hantaviruses usually requires contact with animal products, not person-to-person contact,” he emphasized. “While precautions are in place on board, they are just that—precautions.”

Hewson added that it’s crucial not to make assumptions based on the cruise ship context. “Infection confirmation among passengers does not clarify whether the exposure occurred on the ship, prior to embarkation, during shore excursions, or through common environmental contact,” he remarked. “Therefore, public health surveillance, lab confirmations, and possible virus sequencing are vital.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Container Ship Trials New System to Capture Its Own CO2 Emissions

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Approximately 3% of all carbon emissions come from shipping

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A container ship with a total length of 240 meters. sounion trader recently completed testing its onboard carbon capture system while cruising around the Persian Gulf. The ship has space to hold tons of carbon dioxide, joining a small but growing number of ships seeking to reduce their impact on climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions onboard. is difficult to find.

“We're miniaturizing systems that were designed for huge power plants,” he says. Louja Wen Seabound, a UK-based startup that is helping test run Sounion Trader.

Shipping accounts for approximately 3% of global CO2 emissions. To reduce it, shippers are using cleaner fuels, painting their hulls with foam to improve fuel efficiency, and even going back to sail. However, short-term options for achieving the industry's commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 are limited.

Another possibility is to capture ship emissions. keep on board, but faces major obstacles. One is to provide energy to recharge the chemical adsorbents used to absorb CO2. tristan smith Researchers at University College London say some existing systems increase fuel use by a third just to capture half of the CO2 emissions.

The system, and the carbon it captures, also takes up space on the ship that would normally be used for valuable cargo. “Space is an issue,” he says. jasper ross At the Dutch research institute TNO. “Especially when you're talking about long voyages.” About three tonnes of CO2 is produced for every tonne of fuel burned. George Malupas At the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute. Once captured and stored, the added mass can affect the ship's stability and reduce fuel efficiency.

Wen said Seabound's small-scale tests captured about 1 tonne of CO2 per day. Although this is only a fraction of the ship's overall emissions, a full-scale system could capture as much as 95 percent of the ship's CO2, she says.

To save energy, Seabound moves some of its processes onshore. On ships, the exhaust air passes through a calcium oxide adsorbent and reacts with CO2 to form solid calcium carbonate pebbles. The company will then wait to refill the adsorbent until the pebbles are offloaded at the port for permanent storage. The tradeoff is space. Seabound's approach means the ship must carry tanks of sorbent with every ton of her CO2 captured. Still, Wen said the company aims to retrofit 1,000 ships for carbon capture by 2030.

Dutch company Value Maritime has taken a similar approach, using liquid amine adsorbents to capture carbon dioxide and refill it offshore. Yvette van der Sonmen Value Maritime says 26 ships are currently using its system in parallel with existing sulfur pollution scrubbers to capture up to 40 percent of CO2 in their exhaust, but the process is still being managed by third parties. Not certified by She said the company sells some of the captured CO2 to greenhouses to use as fertilizer for plants, but much of it remains in tanks at the port.

Such systems may now look attractive for reducing emissions, Smith says. However, the rapid scale-up of cleaner transportation fuels could quickly make them obsolete unless very high recovery rates can be achieved at sufficiently low costs. “The shipping industry currently has a very short window to decarbonize, because it has been very slow to start decarbonizing,” he says.

Source: www.newscientist.com