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Study shows: Nuking an incoming asteroid could actually work

Firing a nuclear warhead at an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth could stop 99 percent of it from hitting the planet, according to a new study. Every two years the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California runs a simulation on the result of an asteroid impact. In this year’s scenario, a fictional 329ft (100m) asteroid, dubbed 2021 PDC, wasn’t detected until it was only six months from hitting the planet – not enough time to send up a spaceship to nudge it, or take any action on the planet to save many lives. However, new research by Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland, found that a megatonne nuke, exploding near the surface of the asteroid, would destroy it without leaving thousands of large fragments still heading for the Earth. ‘If we employ a robust nuclear disruption technique by at least one month before impact, we can prevent 99 percent or more of the impacting mass from hitting the Earth,’ study lead author Patrick King told Gizmodo. How it would work? A large one megatonne nuclear warhead would be fired from Earth to the asteroid heading for the planet. This is 50 times more powerful than Little Boy, which was dropped on Hiroshima by the US in 1945. It would be set to detonate just above the surface of the asteroid. This would send a shockwave that should rip the space rock apart, causing it to fragment into thousands of much smaller pieces. Experts tracked the likely trajectory and found if the nuke went up two months before the rock was due to hit the Earth, 99 percent of fragments would miss the planet. It is likely that the one percent that arrived should break up in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing no damage. This is an idea that has become a staple of Hollywood disaster films, most famously in the 1998 movie Armageddon, in which Bruce Willis and a crew of deep-core drillers are sent up to a giant incoming asteroid to blow it up. Unlike in Armageddon, the Johns Hopkins University team believes it would be enough to just fire the nuke at the asteroid from the ground – no need to get Willis out of retirement. This isn’t the first time NASA, or other planetary scientists, have investigated the idea of using a nuke to destroy an incoming asteroid, but the team looked at the potential path of the many resulting fragments. Previously, it was thought that even if we did succeed in blowing up a large space rock, some of the fragments would still be large enough to destroy cities and cause mass destruction. Simulated exercises in May, funded by NASA, found that even firing a nuke at a space rock six months before it hit the Earth wouldn’t bring it down. However, the team from Johns Hopkins disputes these findings, taking a much closer look at the nuclear explosion and fragments caused by it ‘going up’. To understand the true path of fragments from a destroyed asteroid, the team simulated their resulting orbit and trajectory, tracking them from the detonation of a megatonne nuke, through to their resulting orbit around the sun. The team included the impact the gravity of other planets in the inner solar system, such as Venus and Mars, might have on their trajectory and whether it could nudge them into hitting the Earth. Their simulation found that this massive bomb, 50 times more powerful than Little Boy, which destroyed Hiroshima in WW2, would do the trick if ignited near the surface of a 328ft (100m) space rock on its way to the Earth. They tested their findings at five different distances from the planet, finding it worked in all cases – so would be a viable option for last-minute arrivals. Obviously, the more in advance of the impact the nuke is fired, the better, as it further reduces the volume of incoming materials, they found. An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions or the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt. A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane, and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system. A meteor is what astronomers call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up. This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere. If any of these meteoroids make it to Earth, it is called a meteorite. Meteors, meteoroids, and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets. For example, if Earth passes through the tail of a comet, much of the debris burns up in the atmosphere, forming a meteor shower. The larger the asteroid heading for the planet, the more in advance you’d need to fire the nuke in order to limit large fragments from still causing untold damage. It is still possible to have 99 percent of the resulting fragments of a large asteroid miss the Earth, but you’d need to hit it six months in advance, rather than one or two months with a smaller rock. ‘We employed several approximations in order to make the study feasible, but we believe that we have captured the essential physics necessary to make general observations about nuclear disruption as a technique,’ King told Gizmodo. ‘Much of our uncertainty is driven by our inherent uncertainty in the properties of the asteroids themselves; we definitely need to support more space missions to investigate their properties in more detail.’ It wouldn’t always be a viable option, according to King, who said there is always a possibility of many smaller pieces still hitting the Earth, causing worse problems than a large impact. ‘By making several fragments instead of one single impactor, it is possible that we multiply the threat,’ he wrote in the paper. ‘On the other hand, disruption has its own advantages, and a disruption could succeed >>Read more
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Luxury train journeys: Discover the world in a new light on a voyage through spectacular scenery

Agatha Christie once said: ‘Trains are wonderful… to travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches, and rivers, in fact, to see life.’ She was right. Here we round up some of the world’s most spectacular rides. GOING, GOING, GHAN The shiny, stainless-steel carriages of The Ghan – pictured – sweep across the immense dusty red-soil plains of Australia The 54-hour, 1,851-mile journey between Darwin and Adelaide — or vice versa — on The Ghan, is superb. Shiny, stainless-steel carriages sweep across immense dusty red-soil plains, stopping in Alice Springs, which is a springboard to see the famous sandstone monolith of Uluru. The Ghan is a shortening of The Afghan Express, the name given to Afghan camel herdsmen who crossed the Outback in the 1800s. INTO INDIA India’s Shimla service from Kalka is nicknamed the ‘toy train’, with a twisty 60-mile route through 107 tunnels There are more than 68,000 miles of rail tracks in India, making it a wonderful country to explore by train. Some of the finest rides are along narrow-gauge lines into the former hill stations of British colonial rule at Darjeeling and Shimla, both in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Shimla service from Kalka is nicknamed the ‘toy train’, with a twisty 60-mile route through 107 tunnels. NO-RUSH RUSSIA Preparing to dine in luxury on the Trans-Siberian Express. Traveling on the railway gives you an idea of the sheer enormity of Russia Crossing from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway, you get an idea of the sheer enormity of Russia — the ride covers 5,752 miles. The service also runs from Moscow to Beijing, either through Mongolia (4,735 miles) or Manchuria (5,623 miles). In Siberia, vast pine forests spread out, interrupted by cities with great smokestacks and villages with simple abodes. ON A SWISS ROLL Carriages on the Glacier Express (pictured) have panoramic windows so you can see all the peaks Join the Glacier Express in winter to see the snow-capped mountains of the Swiss Alps rising all around. The route covers 181 miles from Zermatt to St Moritz. Carriages have panoramic windows so you can see all the peaks. SPEED IN JAPAN Zip along coastlines and between mountains on Japan’s Shinkansen trains. Above, the bullet train passes Mount Fuji Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet) trains reach 186mph and are famous for their punctuality. Zip along coastlines and between mountains. Many tours begin in Sapporo in the north and finish in Hakata in the south. PERFECT PYRENEES Climb aboard the Little Red Train (pictured above) for a 38-mile journey between Rivesaltes and Axat Slide along the narrow-gauge tracks of the French Pyrenees aboard the Little Yellow Train, rising from an altitude of 427 meters in Villefranche de Conflent to Bolquere-Eyne, France’s highest railway station at 1,592 meters. The 39-mile route passes through 22 stations. In good weather, passengers can sit in open-sided carriages. Join the Little Red Train for a 38-mile journey between Rivesaltes and Axat, drinking in views of vineyards and chateaux. STEAM DREAM Sip champagne on the Northern Belle as it passes through the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, with the impress Ribblehead Viaduct, pictured, one of the highlights Enjoy a ride on the Northern Belle train along the 73-mile Settle-Carlisle line. The route takes you through the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, with highlights including the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct. Expect a Pullman dining car, champagne, and fine dining. ANDES ADVENTURE Ten-day ‘Peru by Rail’ trips with the Belmond Andean Explorer and Hiram Bingham trains Inside the five-star Belmond Andean Explorer, which is a grand sleeper train Travel between the ancient Inca capital of Cusco and Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, before continuing to the whitewashed city of Arequipa, on the five-star Belmond Andean Explorer, a sleeper train. This three-day journey takes in magnificent mountain scenery, including the El Misti volcano rising near Arequipa. From Cusco, a day trip on the Hiram Bingham train takes you to the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. ACROSS AFRICA Enjoy an odyssey across Africa’s great plains on the ‘Coast to Coast – African Kingdoms’ tour, pictured, with the possibility to stop for safaris How about a coast-to-coast ride across Africa? Join a ‘Rovos Rail — Pride of Africa’ luxury train on the Katanga-Benguela route across Angola into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The route links up with tracks into Zambia and Tanzania on a 2,650-mile odyssey across great plains, through remote valleys, and along mighty rivers, with the possibility to stop for safaris. You’ll ride in comfortable 1950s vintage carriages, plus there’s a swanky restaurant car. ROCKY RITUAL Take to the tracks between Denver in Colorado and Moab in Utah on a new, two-day Rocky Mountaineer service. Following the swirling waters of the Colorado River, the train snakes into canyons and crosses a desert-like landscape. Some carriages have panoramic glass roofs. It goes slowly so you’ll be sure to get lots of super snaps. TOP TRAIN TRAVEL TIPS Read up about where you will be passing by — it adds to the enjoyment. Always investigate the dining carriage — you might bump into interesting people. Watch the scenery (not a smartphone screen). Enjoy a sundowner if you are traveling by sleeper train. Take a pack of cards (and/or Scrabble or your favorite game) for evenings. Dress up for dinner on luxury trains — it all adds to the Agatha Christie-ish atmosphere (minus any murders, hopefully).
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Nokia is releasing a new version of its 6310 ‘brick phone’ – and yes, it still has Snake!

Nokia is re-releasing one of its classic mobile phones, the 6310 ‘brick’ to mark 20 years since it was first released in the UK. HMD Global, makers of Nokia phones, said the device would have the original and iconic silhouette of the classic 6310 with its trademark long battery life. The phone will come with a copy of the 90s classic mobile game Snake, and a sturdy form factor that gave it the nickname ‘the brick’ when it first came out in 2001. There will be ‘subtle changes’ to mark the passing of 20 years of technological evolution, including bigger buttons and a zoomed-in menu for ease of reading. It comes with a larger 2.8 inch 320×240 pixel screen, compared to the 1.8 inches 120×160 pixel screen found on the original and is on sale for £59.99. HMD Global, makers of Nokia phones, said the new device (pictured right) would have the original and iconic silhouette of the classic 6310 (pictured left) with its trademark long battery life HMD Global, makers of Nokia phones, said the new device (pictured right) would have the original and iconic silhouette of the classic 6310 (pictured left) with its trademark long battery life NOKIA 6310: SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES The Nokia 6310 was first released in 2001 and has been re-released in 2021 to mark its 20th anniversary. The new version comes with a larger screen, larger buttons, but the same long battery life and sturdy body. Name: Nokia 6310 (20th anniversary) Price: £59.99 Colors: Yellow, Black Camera: 0.3 megapixels Memory: 16MB RAM, 8MB internal Screen: 2.8 inches curved Shell: Polycarbonate Battery standby: 21.7 days Battery talk time: 19.4 hours Features: FM Radio (Wired/Wireless), MP3 player Included: Micro USB Charger Nokia says the new version of its iconic device, beloved of teenagers when it was first released for its reliability, long battery life, and sturdy form will also include a wireless FM radio. ‘That yearning for nostalgia makes the new Nokia 6310 the perfect tonic,’ a Nokia spokesperson explained, talking about the anniversary release. The new handset has been ‘refreshed and reinvented,’ to match modern needs. This includes a larger screen and buttons, making it easier to read messages and connect with loved ones, Nokia says. ‘With the Nokia 6310, it is all fun and games,’ the firm said, adding ‘you can listen to your favorite news channels, sports games, or music stations on the go with reliable connectivity or play an intense game of Snake!’ One thing Nokia hasn’t changed is the battery, with the new device lasting weeks between charges, just like the original. In fact, it can go a whopping 21 days between charges if left on standby! The phone charges using a MicroUSB cable and can run for 19 hours on battery when being actively used in a call, according to Nokia’s website. The Nokia 6310 was first launched in 2001, updated to the 6310i in 2002, and finally discontinued in 2005 with the release of the Nokia 6230 and others. The original came with a 1.8-inch screen, whereas the new version will include a much larger 2.8-inch screen. Nokia says the new version of its iconic device, beloved of teenagers when it was first released for its reliability, long battery life, and sturdy form will also include a wireless FM radio When the original version was released back in 2001, it could send emails, texts, and picture messages had basic internet access and simple Java-based applications, including Snake. It was about 3.9 ounces and could store 174 KB of data, with a battery that lasted up to 408 hours on standby, or for seven hours of constant talk time. The new version is built from a tough polycarbonate shell that can ‘take the knocks and bumps of everyday life’. COMPARED: NOKIA 6310 2001 vs 2021 Adam Ferguson, Head of Product Marketing at HMD Global said the device plays on the memory of the old. ‘They don’t make them as they used to is a phrase we’ve disowned,’ Mr. Ferguson said. ‘We still bring that signature build quality to all of our devices. ‘We recently launched the new Nokia XR20, a life-proof smartphone that in my eyes, is a modern-day Nokia 3310 in a smartphone. ‘And now the Nokia 6310 is back and better than ever.’ It isn’t clear whether Nokia is working on a new smartphone that is a ‘6310 in a smartphone,’ or whether this is a limited anniversary release of an old classic. However, Mr. Ferguson added: ‘For all feature phone lovers, it’s the original and iconic model, and whilst its 2.8-inch curved window screen may be new, it still retains its familiar design and functionality. ‘As one of the trailblazers in making mobile go mainstream in 2001, it’s no surprise to see its impact 20 years on. ‘It’s a legacy that the new Nokia 6310 will continue way into the next 20 years.’ That 90s home! Retro-obsessed man, 23, spends £5,000 transforming his home into a time capsule complete with retro TVs, pine furniture, landline phones, and a very chunky laptop A self-confessed 1990s fanatic has revealed how he’s so obsessed with the era he transformed his home into a time capsule to the decade – complete with dated Ikea furniture, VHS players, telephone alarm clocks. Jack Walter, 23, from Bakewell, Derbyshire has spent roughly £5,000 pursuing his passion for the era and even drives a ‘G reg’ Austin Mini Metro. The illustrator often scours charity shops and eBay while wearing high-waisted Levi jeans and Sweater Shop jumpers and says he finds comfort in the era and hoped to recreate the ‘coziness’ of his parents’ house from when he was a child – though he admits people think he’s ‘mad’ for not enjoying the present day. And due to living in the countryside, he claims his 90s phone with extendable aerial ensures he gets better signal than his mobile phone. ‘It started as me recreating my parents’ house from when I was little, with the coziness,’ Jack >>Read more
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What is Bitcoin and how does it work?

What Is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a digital currency that was created in January 2009. It follows the ideas set out in a whitepaper by the mysterious and pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. The identity of the person or persons who created the technology is still a mystery. Bitcoin offers the promise of lower transaction fees than traditional online payment mechanisms and, unlike government-issued currencies, it is operated by a decentralized authority. Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency. There are no physical bitcoins, only balances kept on a public ledger that everyone has transparent access to. All bitcoin transactions are verified by a massive amount of computing power. Bitcoins are not issued or backed by any banks or governments, nor are individual bitcoins valuable as a commodity. Despite it not being legal tender, Bitcoin is very popular and has triggered the launch of hundreds of other cryptocurrencies, collectively referred to as altcoins. Bitcoin is commonly abbreviated as “BTC.” Understanding Bitcoin The bitcoin system is a collection of computers (also referred to as “nodes” or “miners”) that all run bitcoin’s code and store its blockchain. Metaphorically, a blockchain can be thought of as a collection of blocks. In each block is a collection of transactions. Because all the computers running the blockchain has the same list of blocks and transactions, and can transparently see these new blocks being filled with new bitcoin transactions, no one can cheat the system. Anyone, whether they run a bitcoin “node” or not, can see these transactions occurring live. In order to achieve a nefarious act, a bad actor would need to operate 51% of the computing power that makes up bitcoin. Bitcoin has around 12,000 nodes, as of January 2021, and this number is growing, making such an attack quite unlikely. But in the event that an attack was to happen, the bitcoin miners—the people who take part in the bitcoin network with their computer—would likely fork to a new blockchain making the effort the bad actor put forth to achieve the attack a waste. Balances of bitcoin tokens are kept using public and private “keys,” which are long strings of numbers and letters linked through the mathematical encryption algorithm that was used to create them. The public key (comparable to a bank account number) serves as the address which is published to the world and to which others may send bitcoins. The private key (comparable to an ATM PIN) is meant to be a guarded secret and only used to authorize bitcoin transmissions. Bitcoin keys should not be confused with a bitcoin wallet, which is a physical or digital device that facilitates the trading of bitcoin and allows users to track ownership of coins. The term “wallet” is a bit misleading, as bitcoin’s decentralized nature means that it is never stored “in” a wallet, but rather decentrally on a blockchain. Peer-to-Peer Technology Bitcoin is one of the first digital currencies to use peer-to-peer technology to facilitate instant payments. The independent individuals and companies who own the governing computing power and participate in the bitcoin network—bitcoin “miners”—are in charge of processing the transactions on the blockchain and are motivated by rewards (the release of new bitcoin) and transaction fees paid in bitcoin. These miners can be thought of as the decentralized authority enforcing the credibility of the bitcoin network. New bitcoin is released to the miners at a fixed, but periodically declining rate. There are only 21 million bitcoin that can be mined in total. As of January 30, 2021, there are approximately 18,614,806 bitcoin in existence and 2,385,193 bitcoin left to be mined. In this way, bitcoin other cryptocurrencies operate differently from fiat currency; in centralized banking systems, currency is released at a rate matching the growth in goods; this system is intended to maintain price stability. A decentralized system, like bitcoin, sets the release rate ahead of time and according to an algorithm. Bitcoin Mining Bitcoin mining is the process by which bitcoins are released into circulation. Generally, mining requires the solving of computationally difficult puzzles in order to discover a new block, which is added to the blockchain. Bitcoin mining adds and verifies transaction records across the network. For adding blocks to the blockchain, miners are rewarded with a few bitcoins; the reward is halved every 210,000 blocks. The block reward was 50 new bitcoins in 2009. On May 11th, 2020, the third halving occurred, bringing the reward for each block discovery down to 6.25 bitcoins. A variety of hardware can be used to mine bitcoin. However, some yield higher rewards than others. Certain computer chips, called Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), and more advanced processing units, like Graphic Processing Units (GPUs), can achieve more rewards. These elaborate mining processors are known as “mining rigs.” One bitcoin is divisible to eight decimal places (100 millionths of one bitcoin), and this smallest unit is referred to as a Satoshi. If necessary, and if the participating miners accept the change, bitcoin could eventually be made divisible to even more decimal places. History of Bitcoin 18.08.2008: The domain name bitcoin.org is registered. Today, at least, this domain is “WhoisGuard Protected,” meaning the identity of the person who registered it is not public information. 31.10.2008: A person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto makes an announcement on the Cryptography Mailing list at metzdowd.com: “I’ve been working on a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party. This now-famous whitepaper published on bitcoin.org, entitled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” would become the Magna Carta for how Bitcoin operates today. 03.01.2009: The first Bitcoin block is mined, Block 0. This is also known as the “genesis block” and contains the text: “The Times 03.01.2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks,” perhaps as proof that the block was mined on or after that date, and perhaps also as relevant political commentary. 08.01.2009: The first version of the bitcoin software is announced on the Cryptography Mailing list. 09.01.2009: Block 1 is mined, and bitcoin mining >>Read more
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Mexico City goes yellow on coronavirus risk map

Mexico City goes to medium-risk yellow on the coronavirus stoplight system on Monday, bringing 12 weeks of high-risk orange light restrictions to an end. For the first time since the federal government’s coronavirus stoplight system was introduced last June, Mexico City will switch to medium-risk yellow as case numbers and hospitalizations continue to fall. City official Eduardo Clark announced Friday that the risk level will be lowered on Monday, bringing 12 consecutive weeks of high-risk orange light restrictions to an end. Prior to February 15, when the capital switched to orange, red-light maximum-risk restrictions had been in place for eight weeks. For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Mexico City has seen sustained improvements in the different indicators used to determine the stoplight color, said Clark, who is the director of the government’s Digital Agency for Public Innovation. He said that 16.5% of hospital beds set aside for coronavirus patients are currently occupied, the lowest level in over a year. There are 1,404 Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Mexico City, 277 fewer than last Friday. Estimated active coronavirus cases in the capital have also declined from more than 8,000 a week ago to 6,419. However, even with the decline, Mexico City — the country’s coronavirus epicenter since the beginning of the pandemic — still has far more active cases than the other 31 states, according to Health Ministry estimates. The only other states with more than 1,000 estimated active cases are México state and Tabasco with 1,558 and 1,085, respectively. Nevertheless, restrictions will be eased in Mexico City due to the downgrade in the official risk level. Stores and movie theaters will be permitted to increase their capacity to 40% of normal levels starting Monday, and restricted opening hours will no longer apply to banks. Hotels will be able to host events with attendance of up to 50% of normal levels, and restaurants will be allowed to add extra tables in outdoor dining areas. Starting next Wednesday, open-air sporting events will be permitted, while indoor venues such as theaters will be allowed to open at up to 30% capacity from May 17. Children’s parties at party halls with up to 50 guests will be allowed starting May 27 as long as the risk level in Mexico City doesn’t increase, and public expos will be permitted as of the same date with attendance capped at 30% of normal levels. The shift to yellow will bring Mexico City in line with the majority of Mexico’s states. On the map currently in force, 20 states are yellow, six are orange and six are low-risk green. The federal Health Ministry will present an updated map at Friday night’s coronavirus press briefing. The national coronavirus situation has also improved considerably in recent weeks: the number of new cases reported in April was 30% lower than March while Covid-19 deaths were down 22%. Mexico’s accumulated case tally rose to almost 2.36 million on Thursday with 2,846 new cases reported. The official Covid-19 death toll increased by 166 to 218,173. However, a new analysis by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine puts Mexico’s real death toll at over 600,000. Meanwhile, Mexico’s national Covid-19 vaccination program continues to make progress in inoculating the adult population, with the first doses given to people aged 50–59 this week. A total of about 20.5 million doses had been administered by Thursday night, including more than 1 million in Mexico City. Most of the doses have gone to people aged 60 and over and frontline health workers. Mexico had received 26.6 million doses of five different vaccines, meaning that about three-quarters of those delivered had been used by late Thursday. Source: MexicoNewsDaily.com
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