Tag: atomic

Apr62020 by adminNo Comments

Whale sharks: Atomic tests solve age puzzle of world’s largest fish

Science

Data from atomic bomb tests conducted during the Cold War have helped scientists accurately age the world's biggest fish.Whale sharks are large, slow moving and docile creatures that mainly inhabit tropical waters. They are long-lived but scientists have struggled to work out the exact ages of these endangered creatures. But using the world's radioactive legacy they now have a workable method that can help the species survival.Whale sharks are both the biggest fish and the biggest sharks in existence. Growing up to 18m in length, and weighing on average of about 20 tonnes, their distinctive white spotted colouration makes them easily recognisable. These filter feeders l...

Jun252019 by adminNo Comments

Nasa puts up deep-space atomic clock

Science

Nasa has put a miniaturised atomic clock in orbit that it believes can revolutionise deep-space navigation. About the size of a toaster, the device is said to have 50 times the stability of existing space clocks, such as those flown in GPS satellites. If the technology proves itself over the next year, Nasa will install the clock in future planetary probes. The timepiece was one of 24 separate deployments from a Falcon Heavy rocket that launched from Florida on Tuesday. The other passengers on the flight were largely also demonstrators. They included a small spacecraft to test a new type of "green" rocket fuel, and another platform that aims to propel itself via the pressure of sunlight caught in a large membrane; what's often ca...