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👩🏽‍🚀 Mars astronauts may require kidney dialysis on return, elephants found to name-call each other like humans, Titan submersible transcript proven fake

Plus: Chinese doctor performs ‘world’s 1st’ robotic surgery from 5,000 miles away

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Space is one of the most inhospitable environments for humans. Despite this, space agencies and private companies such as SpaceX have ambitious plans to send humans on a journey as long as to Mars.

A new study indicates that a round trip to Mars could significantly impact astronauts’ kidneys.

This research, led by experts from various institutions, including University College London (UCL), reveals concerning insights. For more on this development, check out today’s Must-Read.

🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Director, Platform Engineering
> Engines Project Engineer II, Engine Integration IPT

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MUST READ

👩🏽‍🚀 ‘Catastrophic’: Mars astronauts may require kidney dialysis on return

Earth residents are shielded from harmful space radiation every second of the day by the planet’s magnetic field.

However, the human body is not designed to withstand persistent, fatal exposure to space radiation, such as solar winds from the sun and galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) from deep space.

According to the new study, galactic cosmic radiation may alter the structure and function of the kidneys. This alteration in the organ’s original shape may increase the risk of kidney stones and other health complications. In some cases, it may cause “permanent damage” to astronauts’ kidneys during long-duration missions to Mars.

🐘 Holy trunk! Elephants name-call each other like humans, scientists stunned

Researchers have identified a system of communication in elephants that goes beyond imitation. The researchers say that elephants are highly social and vocal creatures. They talk to one another constantly. They could tell that “a lot is going on,” but they couldn’t quite decipher what.

Nonetheless, they observed that a mother could call a whole group to come over, and then, in another call, though similar, only one elephant would respond.

So that seemed to indicate that a specific line of communication happened between them: all of you come over versus “you” come over here, a minute, which inspired more questions as to what information their calls contain.

🚢 Titan submersible transcript proven fake, passengers were unaware of danger

A federal officer and his team closely investigating the Titan submersible recently declared the transcripts between the submersible and the mother ship to be “fake.”

The log (transcript) was viewed countless times. It claimed that a series of alarms turned a dive to the resting place of the Titanic. As a result, it threw the Titan into an emergency, putting the lives of five people aboard in danger.

However, the US federal government team noted that the transcript was entirely fictional after almost a year of the incident. The group discovered no derogatory signs. This means the five passengers aboard weren’t warned of any catastrophic event that could threaten their lives.

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INTERESTING ENGINEERING SHOP

HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

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> Academics are often accused of "splitting hairs," but a team at Trinity College Dublin has now devised a machine to do just that—investigating the knotty problem of split ends. (More)

ENERGY

> In a discovery that could transform industries to greener efficiencies, scientists studied archaea, which was described as a microbial ancestor to humans two billion years ago. (More)

> A research team recently developed a solid electrolyte with unique properties. This innovation enables an ultra-thin lithium metal solid-state battery platform with high stability and energy density. (More)

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INNOVATION

> Recently, researchers crafted and shared a method for developing brain cortical organoids. As per a statement by the scientists, this creation is “essentially miniature artificial brains with functioning neural networks.” (More)

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VIDEO

> Humanoid robots, once science fiction, are now real alternatives from companies like Tesla and Boston Dynamics, raising questions about their use in crimefighting or if they are simply scary. (More)

> With a resolution above 3.2 gigapixels, a nearly three-ton weight, and the ambitious task of carrying out an unprecedented decade-long exploration, the largest digital camera ever built for optical astronomy is ready to be installed under the clear skies of northern Chile. (More)

> Retired astronaut William Anders, who was one of the first three humans to orbit the moon, capturing the famed "Earthrise" photo during NASA's Apollo 8 mission in 1968, died on Friday. (More)

IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS

In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, Can you find the missing number?

To find the answer,

Multiply the upper and lower numbers to get A.
Multiply the left- and right-hand-side numbers to get B.
The answer is: 1

Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

FROM THE WEB

> Having explored how the heart is formed in utero, researchers are reporting how cells and molecules act during early formation and what might cause the heart disease called spongy heart

> A study revealed that from 1980 to 2020, fine particulate matter was associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths globally

> How do pathogens invade the lungs? Using human lung microtissues, a team at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel has uncovered the strategy used by a dangerous pathogen

> A new surveillance report found that bacteria causing the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea have increased in drug resistance

> A surprising yellow haze of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of a gas “dwarf” exoplanet about 96 light years away makes the planet a prime target for scientists trying to understand how worlds are formed

> Study finds juvenile dolphins who play together are more successful as adults

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