Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know that just like Earth, the moon experiences quakes?

These “moonquakes” are caused by tidal forces generated by Earth’s gravitational pull. Moonquakes are much weaker than earthquakes, but they can last for up to an hour due to the moon’s dry, rigid crust.

Earth Sciences

China’s Moon Probe

The Chinese space program recently achieved another milestone as its Chang’e-6 probe landed on the Moon's far side, specifically in the South Pole-Aitken Basin. This mission aims to drill into the lunar soil, known as regolith, to collect samples.

This mission follows five successful lunar missions, including Chang’e-4, which established a weather station on the Moon’s far side, and Chang’e-5, which brought back lunar samples from the polar region—the first since the Apollo missions.

The Apollo Crater, where Chang’e-6 landed, contains some of the Moon's oldest regolith, estimated to be around 4 billion years old.

Chang’e-6 includes an orbiter, lander, ascent vehicle, and re-entry module. The lander's mechanical drill arm will collect samples, which will be sent back to Earth via the ascent vehicle, orbiter, and re-entry module. Communication with the probe will be managed through the Queqiao-2 satellite, as direct communication with the Moon’s far side is not possible. If successful, China will be the first nation to land and sample on the far side of the Moon.

Chang’e-6 is the final sample-return mission in the Chang’e series. Future missions, Chang’e-7 and 8, will focus on in-situ experiments to support a permanent Chinese robotic base on the Moon.

The Chinese space program has made significant progress in the last six years. Chang’e-4 and 5 were complete successes, and the CNSA also successfully sent its first orbiter, lander, and rover to Mars on the first attempt. It is hoped that the study of these samples could help scientists solve mysteries about the hemisphere of the moon that permanently faces out into space.

Environment

World’s Largest Genome Discovered

On New Caledonia, a species of fern has been discovered with the longest genome (is the entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.)of any known living organism.

Its genome is 50 times longer than a human's, 7% longer than the previous record-holder, and 20% longer than the animal with the longest genome. While humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, this fern has 416. If unraveled, its DNA would stretch higher than Big Ben in London.

Dr. Ilia Leitch from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, remarked on the significance of this discovery, highlighting the diverse nature of plant DNA and its implications for understanding global biodiversity. She also noted the potential to explore the biological limits of genome size.

Twenty-thousand species have had their genomes sequenced and through that we learned that having a large genome isn't always beneficial. Larger genomes demand more resources for replication, repair, and transcription, and require a larger cell nucleus.

Dr. Leitch explained to Reuters that species with larger genomes are more prone to extinction, similar to how simpler machines tend to be more durable than complex ones.

Previously, the longest genome was held by the Japanese flowering plant Paris japonica, while the African marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) has the longest animal genome. The smallest genome belongs to the fungus Encephalitozoon intestinalis, with 2.6 megabase pairs. In comparison, the New Caledonian fern has 168 gigabase pairs, akin to comparing the file size of Tetris to a modern game like The Witcher.

Entertainment

Paris Games’ Star-Studded Lineup

NBC is adding pop culture to the Paris Olympics to boost excitement and viewership. Highlights include Megan Thee Stallion dancing with dressage horses and Peyton Manning riding a giant baguette blimp over the Eiffel Tower. These partnerships aim to draw more viewers to the Games.

After low ratings for the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics during the pandemic, NBC wants to engage a broader audience. With over 11 million attendees expected for the Summer Games starting July 26, NBC hopes to mix Olympic stories with popular personalities.

Snoop Dogg, who gained popularity during the Tokyo Games, will be a primetime correspondent in Paris. He will visit city landmarks, attend events, and interview Olympians like A’ja Wilson, Sunisa Lee, Jagger Eaton, Sara Hughes, and Kelly Cheng.

Kelly Clarkson and NFL legend Peyton Manning will host the opening ceremony along the Seine. Leslie Jones will contribute to on-air and social media coverage, and podcaster Alex Cooper will host live watch parties in Paris, providing real-time insights and fan interaction.

NBC's promotional spots feature celebrities like Cardi B with Sha’Carri Richardson, Lily Collins as "Emily in Paris" pitching wardrobe ideas to sprinter Noah Lyles, Paris Hilton revealing the Olympics logo, and Dolly Parton’s version of “We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You.”

Mind Stretchers

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Double it and multiply it by 4. Then divide it by 8 and you’ll have it once more. What number is it?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
The road!— Chris Hostetler got this one first (again) way to go Chris! 🌞 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.