Russian military could target satellites in Ukraine conflict, NRO chief warns: Report

Russian military could target satellites in Ukraine conflict, NRO chief warns: report | 'Almost intact' shrine found in Jordanian desert is 9,000 years old | Scientists say planetary intelligence is real, but Earth doesn't qualify yet Created for ignoble.experiment@arconati.us |  Web Version February 24, 2022 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE      Amazing science every day SIGN UP ⋅   WEBSITE   Top Science News Russian military could target satellites in Ukraine conflict, NRO chief warns: report (Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies) Various satellites could be targets of the Russian military as it invades Ukraine, said the head of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which operates the nation's fleet of spy satellites. "I think we're seeing pretty clearly that Russia is committed to doing what they want to do in Ukraine, and they want to win," NRO Director Christopher Scolese said Wednesday (Feb. 23) at the National Security Space Association's Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, SpaceNews reported. "So I think it's fair to assume that, to the extent that they can, and to the extent that they feel it won't extend the conflict out of their control, that they will extend it into space," Scolese added. Russian military forces invaded Ukraine early Thursday local time, according to the New York Times. Full Story: Live Science (2/24)      History & Archaeology 'Almost intact' shrine found in Jordanian desert is 9,000 years old (South Eastern Badia Archaeological Project) Archaeologists have uncovered a 9,000-year-old shrine in Jordan's eastern desert that was likely used in the practice of religious hunting rituals, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The site lies in the Khashabiyeh Mountains, located in the eastern Al-Jafr Basin, according to a statement released by the Jordan News Agency. A team of Jordanian and French archaeologists excavated the site in 2021 and found a variety of artifacts and geologic treasures, including 150 marine fossils, animal figurines, well-made flint tools, an altar and hearth, and two large stones with carved, human facial features. The team also discovered an architectural model of a "desert kite," a type of mass trap used to capture wild gazelles and deer. Full Story: Live Science (2/24)      Amazing Earth Scientists say planetary intelligence is real, but Earth doesn't qualify yet (Shutterstock) A group of astrophysicists has proposed that individual planets are capable of developing intelligence — not the kind of smarts like knowing your ABCs, but rather an intelligence associated with the interconnectedness of the life inhabiting them. However, don't assume that our planet is in this intelligent league. Earth is still one major step away from developing true planetary intelligence, a milestone that, if achieved, could help us prevent the impending climate catastrophe, the scientists said. In the new study, published Feb. 7 in the International Journal of Astrobiology, a group of researchers argues that a planet can be deemed intelligent if it demonstrates cognition — the capacity to know something about what's happening and act on that knowledge. This could happen if nature and technology on planets like Earth can evolve to the point where they are so interconnected that they can recognize potential issues and create feedback loops to counter them. Full Story: Live Science (2/24)      Space Exploration China rover spots strange glass spheres on far side of the moon (Xiao et al., Science Bulletin) China's Yutu-2 rover has spotted two strange glass spheres on the far side of the moon. Glistening like translucent pearls against the moon's dry and dusty landscape, the lunar "spherules"' are the first of their kind to be found on the lunar surface and formed fairly recently, researchers say. Glass has been spotted on the moon before; by both the Yutu-2 rover and NASA’s Apollo 16 mission. It forms when silicon-rich minerals, such as pyroxene and feldspar, are rapidly superheated. Full Story: Live Science (2/24)      Curious Creatures Largest Jurassic pterosaur on record unearthed in Scotland (Natalia Jagielska) During low tide on Scotland's Isle of Skye, a graduate student hunting for dinosaur bones looked down at the coastal rocks and made the discovery of a lifetime: the remains of the largest pterosaur on record from the Jurassic period. Since collecting the specimen in 2017 — an eventful excavation that involved cutting out the pterosaur chunks with diamond-tipped saws and almost losing the fossil when the tide returned — researchers have studied its anatomy and determined that it's a previously unknown species. They gave the beast the Scottish Gaelic name Dearc sgiathanach (jark ski-an-ach), a double meaning of "winged reptile" and "reptile from Skye," as Skye's Gaelic name (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach) means "the winged isle." Full Story: Live Science (2/22)      Daily Quiz POLL QUESTION: What artifacts were discovered at a newfound shrine in Jordan's eastern desert? (Learn the answer here) Animal figurines Flint tools An altar An architectural model of a "desert kite" All of the above   Sign Up  |    Update Profile  |    Unsubscribe Privacy Policy  |    Cookies Policy  |    Terms and Conditions CONTACT US: FEEDBACK  |    ADVERTISE Future US LLC © 1100 13th St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005