Not a comet or asteroid, this strange celestial object is being approaching the Earth

An infrared telescope belonging to the NASA detects two objects that are approaching the Earth. But one of them, identified as 2016 WF9 made the scientists confusion.

NEOWISE telescope first spotted the WF9 on November 27, 2016. The object was apparently shot from the direction of the Jupiter and entered the path of Earth's orbit in 4.9 years.

An illustration of a comet pass through the moon and Earth. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1hVrqV)

And the WF9 estimated to be close to the Earth orbit on February 25, 2017. At that time the WF9 will be racing at a distance of about 51 million kilometers from the Earth. NASA said at that distance, the WF9 not endanger the inhabitants of Earth.

However, the astronomers are very curious about WF9 due to the object characteristic was unique, that is between the asteroids and comets.

According to NASA, the comet is a cosmic snowball, which is composed of gas, rocks, and frozen dust. The size is usually equivalent to a small town. When approaching the sun and exposured to heat, the comet is usually releasing dust and gas into space.

NASA NEOWISE Telescope was made to find potentially hazardous celestial objects. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1hVrqV)

And in 2015 Rosetta spacecraft of the European Space Agency (ESA) was recording the activity of comet 67P that produces a burst of gas and dust when the streaking toward the sun.

But the WF9 could not be classified as a comet. Its diameter is only about 0.5 to 1 kilometer. The color is darker and reflect less light that hits its surface. The amount of reflected light and orbits similar to other comets, but the WF9 not have the cloud of gas and dust that commonly owned by comets in general.

While the asteroid is a rock that surrounds the sun, size ranges from 1,000 km to the most minor form of dust particles. Usually they are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter's, though some are approaching even entered the Earth (then called as a meteor).

The astronomers said that the space objects came from the same pathways of the WF9 possibility of having multiple places of origin. That means the possibility of WF9 previously was a comet. In addition, the object also alleged was thrown from a group of dark objects in an asteroid belt.

"Perhaps, in the course of time this object lost the majority of content," said James Bauer, a NASA astronomer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California.

If the WF9 confirmed to be a comet, it will be the 10th comet that discovered by NEOWISE since the telescope was activated in December 2013. But if it is defined as an asteroid, the WF9 will become the 100th asteroid discovered by NEOWISE.

NEOWISE itself is a NASA telescope has a task to detect the space objects approaching the Earth and potentially endanger civilization on this planet. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE SUN]

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Scientists developed an advanced robotic hand technology

Scientists from Cornell University succeeded in making history. They have managed to develop an advanced robotic hand which has the sensitivity like a human hand.

A robotic team of Cornell University has managed to develop an advanced robotic hand technology. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1guzfb)

Yes, this robotic hand developed by a robotic team led by Robert Shepherd, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University was filled with optical fibers that can detect how light passed through the hands changes as it moves and comes into contact with other objects. 

Unlike other robotic hand that has a sensor on the outside, this product puts the sensors inside making it more similar to the human hands. Typically, robots that sense what they touch rely on the object being able to conduct electricity, which the robot could then detect to try to learn things about what it’s touching.

The Cornell researchers said, that the technology is expected to help the disabled people with prosthetic hands to get their lives back. Due to these robotic hand has the ability to restore people’s sense of touch, or could give biologically inspired robots a more delicate and sensitive style of physical contacts.

As quoted from Recode on Monday, December 19, 2016, according to Huichan Zhao the Cornell doctoral candidate who is the lead author on the research on the soft robo-hand published in the Science Robotics journal this month said that she estimates that her team’s soft robotic hand could be made for as cheap as US. $50 (approx Rp.677 thousand). *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RECODE]

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The scientists recorded the sightings of a mysterious Ghost shark

In a rare sighting, scientists recorded the image of a scary shark with a bluish color and gray that was swimming in the waters of the northern hemisphere. "The ghost sharks" recorded was actually not a shark, but chimaera, or relatives who split from the evolutionary cousin sharks approximately 300 million years ago.

These water crature is only known to live near New Zealand and Australia. However, the marine biologists say that this video footage could show a greater range of locations than they previously realized.

Is this Hydrolagus Trolli or the pointy-nosed blue chimaera? (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gtEsm)

"Usually, people probably would not have seen them around this area, so it is a little bit lucky this discovery," said Program Director for Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Dave Ebert, as quoted from National Geographic on Monday, December 19, 2016.

Researchers did not set out to find Hydrolagus Trolli or pointy-nosed blue chimaera when they sent a remotely operated underwater vehicle to explore the waters off of California and Hawaii in 2009. Instead, the scientists involved in this project is a geologist but they studied motherlode marine biology also.

Chimaera which is also known as baronang, ratfish, ghost sharks or chimaeras were prefer cold water from the deep sea. Physically, chimaeras have a bit of their sea dinosaur-like ancestors with scary stripes along the head and body.

Footage of the divers was finally released this week by Monteray Bay Aquarium Research Institute. If the creatures featured in the video confirmed was true the pointy-nosed blue chimaera, it would be the first time for scientists to see one of them is in the northern hemisphere. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC]

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The dwarf planet Ceres turned out to be covered by ice

The dwarf planet Ceres is a rocky place that is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and is based on research done by NASA, it also contains a lot of ice on its dark surface.

The study, published in several reports in the journals Science and Nature Astronomy can lead to commercial mining on asteroids for both robotic and human expeditions to the moon.

A snapshot of Ceres' surface, with overlaid animation showing the locations of "bright spots" that reflect sunlight. Scientists have discovered that one of these bright spots contain water ice. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grVRl)

Is a NASA spacecraft named Dawn was surrounding the Ceres since March 2015, in the 14-months mission to study Vesta, the second largest object in the belt.

Based on the study, Ceres contains 10 percent water, now frozen into ice, according to a physicist named Thomas Prettyman of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, which is also one of the researchers.

Dawn, a NASA's spaceprobe in an artist illustration. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1AcjFfG)

By studying the solar system on the objects like Ceres will provide an overview of how the system is formed. When compared with Vesta is dry, then the condition of Ceres is more like Enceladus and Europa, the frozen moon of Saturn and Jupiter. So also when compared with Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars, Prettyman said further.

The concentration of hydrogen on Ceres (right) and Vespa (left). Blue areas are where hydrogen content is higher, while red areas have lower levels of hydrogen. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grVFj)

Scientists were still debating whether Ceres has a salty sea, which creates a perception will grow dwarf planet outside the solar system that might be able to accommodate life, said the deputy leader of Dawn mission, Carol Raymond of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"By finding a place rich in water in the past, we can find clues to the likely life of the early solar system," Raymond said through a written statement.

The informations collected by Dawn shown, that Ceres using the water to form minerals. Then the scientists combining the mineral data with computer models to study the interior.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | POPULAR MECHANICS | SPACE]

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The new X-ray technology is capable to detect the hidden gold on the rocks

A new X-ray technology can provide information in "real-time" on the content of gold in rocks that can help revolutionize the assay industry by by saving time, costs and reduce toxic waste. The inventor of this new gold detection technology named PhotonAssay X-ray is Dr. James Tickner of CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) said that the new method using high-strength X-rays to bombard the rock samples and activate the gold atoms in it.

Gold nugget. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grNtc)

A detector is used to capture "the signs of the unique" to exude the level of concentration of gold atoms and other elements to determine the feasibility of a gold mining area.

Tickner said the new method will provide information in "real-time" to the mining operator, something they never had in the past.

"Existing analysis methods can take a day or more to return a result, which can be a real problem if miners needs informations right now to manage their operations," Tickner said in a statement on Thursday.

"Our patented PhotonAssay will be a game changer, capable of delivering accurate results in just a few minutes without generating the toxic waste products which have been problematic in other assay systems," Tickner added.

(L-R): Mr Anthony McLellan, Chairman of Chrysos, and Dr. James Tickner, CSIRO’s lead inventor of the PhotonAssay X-ray gold detection technology. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1grNtc)

Tickner said the invention would prove useful in a field, especially in Australia, which is in decline. By quickly analyzing soils and rocks, miners can determine whether or not it is pursuing, while the technology can also be used to determine the presence of other, lower quality ores as well.

"We have to focus on improving the accuracy, sensitivity and simplicity of the technology to make it useful for low-grade Australian mining operations. By providing reliable and fast information to the clients, we increasing their potential to maximize their profits and increase productivity, even on the lower quality ores," Tickner said further.

This technology will be sold through Chrysos Corporation, of which the CSIRO will have a stake of 34 percent. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CSIRO | XINHUA]

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Beans and peas to be more filling than meat

A recent study in the journal Food & Nutrition showed the protein in beans and peas is more satisfying than the protein contained in beef and pork. In one study were 43 young men consumed three different foods, each containing beans, peas or meat.

Scientists said that beans and peas increase fullness more than meat. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gnVN1)

"Bean-based protein-rich foods contain more fiber than beef, which may contribute to increase the feeling of fullness," said lead researcher Professor Anne Raben of University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.

In addition, when the participants consumed beans and peas, as they receive intake 12 calories lower at the next meal. Other findings that are not less interesting from the research are beans and peas tasted much more tasty and satisfying than meat.

"People can eat rich fiber foods, with a little protein, and achieve the sensation of fullness. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to obtain definitive evidence especially based on beans and peas as both can contribute to weight loss," said Raben as reported of eurekalert.org. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | EUREKALERT]

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