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Earth Sciences

Voyager 1 Revives 1981 Radio

NASA’s Voyager 1 team continues to face and overcome challenges to keep the farthest manmade object from Earth sending data back home. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 has traveled an incredible 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) from Earth, moving beyond the heliosphere into the uncharted depths of interstellar space. Recently, a routine command to activate the probe’s heaters unexpectedly triggered a failsafe that shut down non-essential systems, including the X-band radio transmitter essential for sending scientific data. This transmitter has been the primary link to Earth, and without it, communication has been limited to the probe’s backup S-band transmitter, which hasn't been used since 1981 and is only able to confirm the probe’s orientation and receive commands.

NASA engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) identified faint X-band signals through the Deep Space Network but completely lost contact on October 19. Now working with extreme caution, they are avoiding commands that might deplete the probe’s limited power reserves. The S-band transmitter, while unable to send telemetry or scientific data, allows minimal communication, buying time for the team to troubleshoot and attempt to bring the X-band system back online. Every command must be carefully calculated to preserve the spacecraft’s dwindling energy as it continues its historic journey.

Earlier in 2024, JPL had resolved a different problem that had blocked two-way communication for several months. Engineers identified and isolated corrupted code within the probe’s flight data system, restoring its ability to transmit valuable scientific data by May. This accomplishment allowed Voyager 1’s instruments to resume their work monitoring plasma waves, magnetic fields, and interstellar particles, offering glimpses into regions of space no other human-made object has reached. "These spacecraft never cease to amaze me," remarked Suzanne Dodd, Voyager’s project manager, capturing the enduring spirit of the mission as it pushes the boundaries of human exploration.

Sports

NHL Owner Gifts Employees $50K

In late October, news broke that Jeff Vinik, owner of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, was planning to sell the team. The reported buyers are two New York-based money managers, with the sale scheduled to transition over the next three years. While the move initially appeared to be a standard business transaction, Vinik’s farewell gesture to his employees quickly set it apart.

In a heartfelt email to the 300 employees of the Jeff Vinik Sports Group, Vinik announced a $20 million bonus pool as a parting gift. Each employee will receive a minimum of $50,000, a detail that highlights Vinik’s reputation as an unusually generous owner. “He’s the best owner in the sport,” said Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois, adding that colleagues from other sports echo his admiration for Vinik’s leadership and values.

This generosity aligns with Vinik’s longstanding commitment to his community and team. Since purchasing the Lightning in 2010, during a challenging financial period, Vinik has prioritized using his wealth to give back. His impact includes a $10 million donation to Tampa Bay charities in 2011, ongoing support for community-focused programs, and major contributions to disaster relief efforts. From transforming the Lightning into a successful franchise to actively supporting the Tampa Bay community, Vinik’s legacy as an owner who values people over profits remains unmatched in professional sports.

Environment

Massive Marine Preserve

A new marine protected area (MPA) covering 287,000 square kilometers has been established near the Azores in the eastern Atlantic, making it the largest MPA network in the North Atlantic. This area, comparable in size to Virginia and Georgia combined, significantly expands protections for the unique marine ecosystems around the Azores—a volcanic archipelago of nine islands belonging to Portugal. Now, 15% of Azorean waters are fully protected, with another 15% highly protected, limiting or banning fishing and other extractive activities to safeguard marine life, including deep-sea corals, whales, dolphins, sharks, manta rays, and the rare hydrothermal vent ecosystems unique to the region.

This initiative resulted from a collaborative process led by the regional government, involving scientists, local citizens, industry representatives, and officials who worked together to design the MPA network. The planning followed a detailed scientific survey, with contributions from Pristine Seas, the Waitt Institute, and the Oceano Azul Foundation, who conducted extensive expeditions in the region using advanced tools to document biodiversity and assess human impact. Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas, praised the Azores' approach as a global model for ocean protection, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and the scale of protection achieved in this ecologically significant area.

The new MPA aligns with global commitments, particularly the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference’s goal to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. Currently, only 8% of oceans are protected, with less than 3% designated as fully or highly protected. In a related move, Brazil's Pará state recently established a protected area around some of the Amazon Rainforest's largest trees, covering 1.3 million acres, comparable to Yosemite and Grand Tetons national parks combined. Together, these conservation efforts underscore the growing international resolve to protect critical ecosystems and preserve biodiversity.

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Mind Stretchers

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I am a plant you use in food, and my name consists of 5 letters. Remove the first letter of my name, and you'll get a form of energy. Get rid of two, and you'll get something necessary for life. Scramble together the last 3 letters, and you can drink it.

What am I?

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