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Earth is believed to once have had a twin called “Theia”.

It was a Mars-sized planet that is believed to have collided with Earth around 4.5 billion years ago, leading to the creation of the Moon. This theory is supported by lunar rocks from the Apollo missions, which show similar isotopic compositions to Earth's rocks, suggesting a common origin. The impact from Theia likely changed Earth's rotation and axis tilt, influencing Earth's day length and seasonal dynamics. The giant impact hypothesis remains the most compelling explanation for the Moon's formation and characteristics.

Innovation

NASA Has Officially Greenlit the Dragonfly

NASA has officially greenlit the Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Titan, Saturn's moon rich in organic compounds. This approval advances the mission into its final design phase, followed by the construction and testing of the spacecraft and its scientific instruments.

Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, expressed enthusiasm for the mission, stating, "Dragonfly is a spectacular science mission with broad community interest, and we are excited to take the next steps on this mission. Exploring Titan will push the boundaries of what we can do with rotorcraft outside of Earth.”

In early 2023, Dragonfly cleared all the success criteria of its Preliminary Design Review. Despite this progress, adjustments were needed to align with the available funding, requiring an updated budget and schedule. This revised plan was conditionally approved in November 2023, with final approval pending the fiscal year 2025 budget process. Meanwhile, the mission has been allowed to continue with final design work and fabrication to keep it on track.

The fiscal year 2025 budget request has now confirmed Dragonfly with a total lifecycle cost of $3.35 billion and a launch target of July 2028. This represents a significant increase in cost and a delay of over two years from the mission's initial selection in 2019.

Scheduled to arrive at Titan in 2034, the Dragonfly rotorcraft will explore numerous locations on the moon in search of prebiotic chemical processes that are believed to be similar to those on early Earth. This mission marks NASA's first use of a rotorcraft for scientific exploration on another planetary body. Equipped with eight rotors, Dragonfly operates similarly to a large drone, poised to bring unprecedented insights from one of our solar system's most intriguing moons.

World News

Scotland’s Ghost Distilleries

The rare whisky market has surged in recent years, with ghost distilleries playing a key role in reviving exclusive blends.

Last month, two rare casks of Scotch whisky sold at Sotheby’s for a total of £1.75m. Both were ghost casks of drams left over from two now closed distilleries. – one from Brora, Sutherland (1982 vintage), and the other from Port Ellen, Islay (1979).

Ghost distilleries are highly sought-after due to their unique stocks, which are hard or impossible to replace, making them increasingly rare and desirable.

The demand for ghost distilleries has also led to interest in releases from other closed distilleries like Port Dundas. Only a few barrels remain from Port Dundas' 39 million liters of whisky, coveted by enthusiasts and collectors.

Port Dundas whisky, once famous for its grain whisky in blends like Johnnie Walker and J&B, adds to its appeal. These final barrels are highly valued, potentially leading to exclusive blends in the future.

Entertainment

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its 2024 class of inductees.

In the performer category, this year welcomes Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, and A Tribe Called Quest.

Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick, and Norman Whitfield will receive the Musical Excellence Award.

The announcement occurred during the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night” episode on “American Idol.”

These inductees were chosen from earlier announced nominees for their significant impact on rock & roll.

Among the nominees were Sinéad O’Connor, Lenny Kravitz, and Mariah Carey. Eligibility requires artists or bands to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to nomination.

The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, streamed live on Disney+, with a later broadcast on ABC and availability on Hulu the next day.

Sports

A Surfer’s Magical Moment

Gabriela Bryan clinched her inaugural world championship tour victory at the Western Australia Margaret River Pro.

In the final showdown, the Hawaiian surfer, 22, triumphed over 18-year-old Sawyer Lindbald with a total score of 15.93, sealing the win with an impressive 8.10 on a single wave, almost two points ahead of Lindbald's total.

During a noteworthy moment in the final, Bryan found herself sharing a wave with a pod of dolphins, adding an unusual twist to her victory. Reflecting on the experience, Bryan remarked, "I’m just so happy we got good waves today and all the girls put on a really good show. It’s insane, I just won. When I kicked out, I was just wow! That wave was sent to me by someone, the dolphins in it. It was magical."

Mind Stretchers

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What is everyone's favorite tree?

Answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
Windows.

Chris Hostetler got the correct answer first!

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]

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