Space Nuts Episode: Ryugu's Microbial Mystery, Martian Moon Origins, and Galactic Collisions
Join Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson as they explore the latest cosmic revelations. From unexpected microbial contamination of Richie asteroid samples to a groundbreaking theory on the formation of Mars's moons, and the first results from a new instrument on the William Herschel Telescope, this episode is packed with stellar insights and astronomical wonders.
Episode Highlights:
- Richie Asteroid Contamination: Delve into the challenges of keeping extraterrestrial samples free from Earth's microbes. Despite stringent sterilisation efforts, Richie samples returned by Hayabusa2 show signs of terrestrial contamination, raising questions about planetary protection protocols.
- Martian Moons' New Origin Theory: Discover a fresh perspective on how Phobos and Deimos may have formed. A new model suggests that these moons originated from debris of an asteroid that broke apart due to Mars's gravitational forces, offering an alternative to previous impact and capture theories.
- Galactic Collisions Unveiled: Explore the first findings from the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope. By studying Stefan's Quintet, astronomers reveal the staggering speeds of shock waves from colliding galaxies, shedding light on cosmic interactions and future Milky Way-Andromeda collision scenarios.
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Stay curious, keep looking up, and join us next time for more stellar insights and cosmic wonders. Until then, clear skies and happy stargazing.
00:00 - Andrew Dunkley: Coming up on this edition of Space Nuts
01:15 - This episode will be officially released two days after your 800th birthday
02:29 - Justin Jackson says Ryugu samples show effort to keep them clean has failed
12:12 - If that can happen in a room that's designed not to allow it
12:47 - New theory put forward about origin of moon's phobos and Deimos
21:22 - Andrew Dunkley says spherical potatoes could be useful in space missions
22:46 - Fred looks at an instrument connected to the William Herschel telescope
26:45 - Professor Gavin Dalton has been working on the William Herschel Telescope
31:30 - We've got similar collision speeds as Andromeda.
✍️ Episode References
Imperial College London
[imperial.ac.uk](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/)
Meteoritics and Planetary Science Journal
[wiley.com](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19455100)
phys.org
[phys.org](https://phys.org/)
Durham University
[durham.ac.uk](https://www.dur.ac.uk/)
NASA Spaceflight
[nasaspaceflight.com](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/)
JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency)
[jaxa.jp](https://www.jaxa.jp/)
William Herschel Telescope
[ing.iac.es](http://www.ing.iac.es/astronomy/telescopes/wht/)
Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
[ing.iac.es](http://www.ing.iac.es/)
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