Category: World News

Asteroid Bennu, recently sampled by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, may have originated from a water world, according to new research.

In 2020, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected a sample of regolith—rocks and dust—from Bennu and brought it back to Earth, traveling 200 million miles. Researchers hoped the 4.3-ounce (121.6-gram) sample would reveal secrets of the solar system’s past and the prebiotic chemistry that might have led to life on Earth.

An early analysis, published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science, found that Bennu’s regolith contains carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds, essential for life. This composition offers a glimpse into the early solar system, with the rocks remaining unchanged for over 4.5 billion years.

However, the sample also contained magnesium-sodium phosphate, which wasn’t detected in previous remote sensing data. This suggests Bennu might have splintered off from a small, primitive ocean world. “The presence of phosphates and other elements suggests a watery past for Bennu,” said Dante Lauretta, co-lead author of the study and OSIRIS-REx principal investigator.

Meanwhile, scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified an ocean world candidate, K2-18b, 120 light-years away in the constellation Leo. This “sub-Neptune” planet, believed to be 8.6 times larger than Earth, shows signs of a water ocean under a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, supported by the abundance of methane and carbon dioxide and a shortage of ammonia detected.

A monolith appeared in the Nevada desert, prompting speculation about its origin. The Las Vegas Police Department discovered the structure during a search and rescue mission north of Las Vegas Valley.

“We see a lot of weird things … but check this out!” the police posted on social media.

The monolith resembles those that appeared globally in 2020. Located near Gass Peak, a hiking area in the Nevada desert about an hour north of Las Vegas, the tall, rectangular, reflective structure was photographed in rugged terrain.

“HOW did it get up there??” the Las Vegas Police Department questioned on social media.

The monolith resembles those in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” a 1968 film by Stanley Kubrick, featuring imposing black structures created by an unseen alien species, based on Arthur C. Clarke’s writing.

Similar monoliths appeared around the world four years ago, including in the Utah desert, Romania, California, and the Isle of Wight. Their discovery puzzled local authorities, and speculation arose about their purpose, possibly as part of an art installation. However, no one has claimed responsibility.

Unlike the Utah monument, which was around 12 feet, this one is at six feet, five inches and has three faces. The monolith was made of folded sheet metal and held together with rebar and concrete, authorities said.

A monolith also appeared on a hilltop in Wales in March. It also offered no clues about its origin.

During construction on the grounds of Kenilworth Castle in England, researchers have unearthed eight stone balls that were once hurled from catapults. These artifacts, dating back to the 13th century, are remnants of one of England’s longest sieges: when Henry III attacked Kenilworth Castle, which was held by rebels.

The catapult shots vary in size, with weights ranging from “that of a cabbage to that of a giant panda,” (1kg and 105kg) as described by the London Times’ Jack Blackburn. These projectiles were fired during the 172-day siege on the central England castle in 1266.

“It’s not every day we get lucky enough to stumble across historical remains like this by chance. … Imagine the surprise of the team when we unearthed these impressive stone projectiles that are nearly 800 years old.” says Will Wyeth, properties historian for English Heritage, per BBC News.

Henry III’s siege on Kenilworth was part of the Second Barons’ War, which erupted in 1264 when a group of noblemen seized power from the monarchy. Several years earlier, the lords had tried to limit Henry III’s authority by creating the Provisions of Oxford, which established the monarch’s accountability to a council of barons. When the king failed to honor the provisions, the lords—led by Simon de Montfort, the Earl of Leicester—took control.

During the conflict, royal forces used nine siege engines, including catapults, and fired some 60,000 crossbow bolts. However, behind the castle’s 14-foot-thick walls, the rebels had siege engines of their own. The recently found catapult shots came from both sides of the conflict.

English Heritage describes the battle:

“The king’s stone-throwing machines, erected all around the castle, bombarded it with a continuous stream of missiles. They were thwarted, however, by the superior range of the weaponry inside—one chronicler described the stone projectiles from the two sides ‘clashing in the air.’ The king had to send to London for larger machines”

The rebels held Kenilworth through six months of attacks before surrendering due to starvation and disease. The siege became one of Henry III’s most significant military campaigns, and the newly discovered remnants serve as reminders of the battle’s intensity.

Records indicate that a single well-aimed missile destroyed one of Henry III’s wooden siege towers, which contained approximately 200 crossbowmen.

Something you might be surprised to find out, what you are thinking of as a catapult, is most likely not what was actually used in the siege. If you are curious to find out what it most likely was, check out this great video by Shadiversity.