Photo: NOAA Climate.gov

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is a large ocean current—or polar vortex—that flows clockwise around the continent of Antarctica, with wind speeds of around 155 miles per hour. But due the impacts of climate change, the vortex has been gradually growing faster and faster over the past several years. The most recent change to the trajectory of the vortex occurred on March 4, when it started spinning backwards.

The existence of the vortex has been known to sailors for centuries, but geologists believe that the ACC has existed since the Antarctic continent separated from Australia about 34 million years ago. Because of this, scientists have long studied this phenomenon, including a recent study that was published in March 2024 that details the history of the vortex over a 5 million year period. It is not unusual for it to change its trajectory, as some polar vortexes can change for days, weeks, or even months at a time when temperatures in the stratosphere increase by around 90°F over the course of a couple of days. This is precisely what happened in early March.

According to NOAA's polar vortex blog, the winds on the ACC are beginning to slow down, indicating that it will probably return to normal soon. In the past, disruptions to the polar vortex have caused widespread weather impacts across the globe. For example, in 2019, a massive cold front hit the Midwestern United States due to the vortex splitting apart into smaller currents.

As climate change continues to get worse, the polar vortex will continue to disrupt, probably at a more frequent rate. Other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, will also become more frequent and more dangerous. Stories like this emphasize the importance of fighting climate change and limiting the harm that we do to our planet.

In early March, a large polar vortex called the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) changed its trajectory. Researchers believe this was caused by a sudden spike in the temperature of the stratosphere and expect it to return to normal soon.

Photo: NOAA Climate.gov

h/t: [Live Science]

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READ: Antarctic Polar Vortex Is Now Spinning in the Wrong Direction and Could Impact Global Weather

Photo: JDunbarPhoto/Depositphotos

Have you ever wondered how certain animals like alligators manage to survive through harsh weather? Well, as a wave of frigid weather hit North Carolina and Texas, the alligators living in those states cleverly survived the cold by turning into living, breathing ice cubes in a process known as brumation. The animals do this by allowing pond water to freeze around them. Once submerged, the alligator keeps only its snout above the water's surface, enabling it to breathe until the pond thaws out again.

When ice crystals begin to form over the alligator's body, their metabolism and heart slow down (sometimes to three beats per minute), and their bodies slowly become suspended in the icy water. This state of dormancy is the reptile equivalent of hibernation. But unlike mammals, alligators do not actually fall asleep during this period and still have brief periods of activity so that they can drink.

Rescuers have found several of these semiaquatic animals frozen at an alligator sanctuary near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Another alligator was found suspended in a freezing pond at the Gator Country Rescue Center in Beaumont, Texas. If you come across any frozen gators, there's no need to be alarmed—just remember to exercise caution around wild animals and refrain from trying to wake them up.

In order to get through cold temperatures, alligators enter a hibernation-like state called brumation and allow themselves to become frozen in ponds.

Photo: TallyPic/Depositphotos

Watch these alligators breathe while in a frozen pond.

h/t: [Live Science]

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READ: Wild Alligators Become “Frozen Solid” To Survive a Cold Snap in Texas and North Carolina

Photo: ASphoto777/Depositphotos

On a daily basis, we often find ourselves holding onto happiness. These moments inspire a positive posture that is infectious, in the best way. But, have you ever stopped to think about what happiness means to you? Happiness can be defined in many different ways, which is why there are several factors that are considered when determining the happiest countries in the world, as the World Happiness Report has been doing every year since 2012. The report—a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board—has just recently released its report for 2024 and the results are fascinating.

Taking six main factors into consideration—levels of GDP (income), life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom, and corruption—it turns out that Finland has once again earned the number one spot. This is the seventh consecutive year the nation has outranked all 140 countries that were considered in this report. Denmark came in second, Iceland is third, and Sweden is fourth. All of these Nordic countries have a particular focus on an appreciation of nature. Spending more time in natural environments and less work-induced stress are the perfect recipe to increased happiness. As a surprise to some, given the war and civil unrest in the country, Israel ranked within the top five. Anat Fanti, a researcher at Bar-Ilan University reported in The Jerusalem Post, “Even this year, which was one of the most difficult in the country’s history, Israel ranked in the top five of the International Happiness Index.” Fanti highlights the importance of happiness and how traumatic events can influence this rating.

Ranking at number six and seven are the Netherlands and Norway, respectively. The Dutch art of doing nothing (niksen) and access to healthcare in the Scandinavian nation of Norway deeply influence a sense of happiness. According to psychologist Ragnhild Bang Nes, affordable education and a healthy sense of work-life boundaries dramatically makes a positive impact on the quality of everyday life. Luxembourg and Switzerland are next on the list. Outside of financial stability, these countries value quality time spent in nature. Rounding out the top 10 countries on the list is Australia. The serene beaches, variety of wildlife and intense sunlight are contributing factors to this ranking. With a population of nearly 26 million people, Australia is beautifully positioned to continue increasing happiness of the people who call that nation home.

Surprisingly, the United States dropped to the 23rd spot, eight spots lower than the previous year. This marks the first time the U.S. has ranked outside of the top 20. It is reported that this drop is due in large part to the unhappiness of American youths. This falls in line with an interesting observation that finds those of older generations had a higher report of happiness, while young adults reported lower levels of happiness. The whole report dives deeper into the data based on different factors. This year, the World Happiness Report also has a new chapter on the world's biggest population: India.

Though every nation is different, one thing is for certain: happiness is important to people all around the world. Regardless of location or language, there is a unifying factor to that warm feeling in your heart when you are filled with joy.

The World Happiness Report has unveiled the “happiest country in the world” for 2024 and Finland has maintained its number one ranking for the seventh consecutive year.

Finland tops the overall rankings for a seventh successive year but, for the first time, our researchers have also ranked countries by generation.

Lithuania is the happiest nation for the under-30s, while Denmark tops the table for those over 60.

2/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/emmX7N3HG5

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

 

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The report ranks 140 countries based on six key factors: levels of GDP (income), life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom, and corruption.

Elsewhere, Serbia (37th), Latvia (46th), Bulgaria (81st) and Congo (Brazzaville) (89th) continue to climb the rankings, as the nations with biggest increases in average life satisfaction since they were first measured by the Gallup World Poll in 2013.

4/16 | #WHR2024

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

…but it’s not the case everywhere! Take these two regions, for example.

Central and Eastern Europe’s younger population is, on average, much happier than their older counterparts.

But in North America and ANZ, the reverse is true.

6/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/I0ZnoHspQz

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

The World Happiness Report also looks at happiness based on age.

Are our children happy? Chapter 3 of World Happiness Report 2024 examines the state of #wellbeing among the world’s children and adolescents.

8/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/EjyrzT2Ufc

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

At the other end of the life course, Chapter 4 of World Happiness Report 2024 looks at the complex relationship between #wellbeing and dementia.

10/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/JFnABdvnnN

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

The 2024 World Happiness Report also features our first chapter dedicated to the world’s biggest nation: India.

Chapter 5 contains a study of #wellbeing among India’s growing older population.

12/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/Z0BwxEpekf

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

This year, the report has also taken a look at the nation with the largest population: India.

Researchers also identified the top drivers of life satisfaction among older adults in India: living arrangements, self-rated health, and levels of discrimination were found to be the top three predictors of life satisfaction in this study.

14/16 | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/ppuzBFruaV

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

Read the full report and explore World Happiness Report 2024 at https://t.co/BTDhl6za73

The World Happiness Report is a partnership of @Gallup, @OxWellResearch, the @UNSDSDN, and the WHR’s Editorial Board.

16/ends | #WHR2024 pic.twitter.com/Zhrui8y2JA

— World Happiness Report (@HappinessRpt) March 20, 2024

Watch Professor John F. Helliwell, founding editor of the World Happiness Report, share his insights on the 2024 data, including the country rankings.

World Happiness Report: Website | X

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READ: World Happiness Report Releases 2024 List of “Happiest Countries in the World” and Finland Is #1 Again

Photo: StefanMal/Depositphotos

The April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse is upon us. Since all of the continental U.S. will get at least a partial eclipse, why not join in on the fun? Given the rarity of the event—this will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the lower 48 until 2044—it's best to make the most out of the experience. To make this sweeping event smooth and memorable, here's everything you need to know about the eclipse, as well as some handy tips.

The Basics

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the surface of the Sun. We owe this to a unique coincidence. While the Sun is about 400 times bigger than the Moon, it is also about 400 times farther away—that's why they appear to be about the same size in the sky from our point of view.

Photo: NASA

The Path of Totality

The eclipse will be seen across North America. However, only a strip of land, roughly 4,000 miles long and 115 miles wide will get a total solar eclipse. The eclipse will begin in Mazatlán, Mexico, before crossing the border in Texas, and continuing its way to the northeast—Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Very small corners of Tennessee and Michigan will also be able to view totality of the eclipse. You can browse this map to make sure if your location is in the path, or how much you'll get to see from the eclipse, and check here for the exact start and peak times.

Many wonder what they'll get to see if they are not in the path of totality. At best, you'll see the Sun almost covered, and the leaves in the trees projecting crescent-shaped shadows, but it will not get dark. For you to experience the day-to-night turn, you must be inside the path. As one Redditor put it, 100% totality is Disney World, while 99.9% totality is the Disney World parking lot.

It is not recommended to go out of your way to reach a destination within the path of totality. There is sure to be a lot of traffic in and out of these areas—in 2017 there were record-breaking traffic jams, and the same is expected this year. Hotel rooms and flights are going for hundreds of dollars, and availability is extremely limited in most places. If you're undecided about making last-minute plans, make a list of pros and cons—some are willing to break the bank for the experience, while others are happy to follow it from their home. Think what's best for you. NASA will also have a livestream of the eclipse for you to follow wherever you are.

Photo: ChinaImages/Depositphotos

Safety

If you want to watch the solar eclipse, you need solar eclipse glasses. These are specially made to protect your eyes. Regular sunglasses don't offer any protection at all, so don't see them as an alternative. If you're in the path of totality, you need to keep them on all the time except for the few minutes of totality, when the Sun's corona appears. If your area only gets a partial eclipse, you need to keep them up any time you want to look at the Sun. Also, put them on before looking at the Sun and don't take them off before you've looked away.

“With the coming eclipse in April, ophthalmologists advise people to be careful and not assume that short glances at the Sun are safe. Damage can occur, they say, in less than a minute,” reports The New York Times. “With every eclipse, ophthalmologists see patients who looked at the Sun and complain afterward that their vision is distorted: They see small black spots, their eyes are watery and sensitive to light. Usually, the symptoms resolve, although it may take several weeks to a year.”

To guarantee they give you the protection you need, make sure your eclipse glasses are ISO 12312-2 compliant. The American Astronomical Society put together a list of vetted vendors where you can get your glasses from. This includes some large retail chains. Many cities will also host events where glasses will be given away.

If you aren't able to get a pair of eclipse glasses or would feel more comfortable with an indirect viewing method, you can make a simple projector with two pieces of cardboard. Just make a tiny prick in the center of one of the cards, and project the shadow onto the other one without ever looking up at the Sun yourself. If you have the time, you can make a simple cardboard projector following this NASA tutorial. In a pinch, a colander can also project the shadows on the ground.

Photo: Andrew_Rybalko/Depositphotos

Weather

While many eclipse chasers are already looking at forecasts, it's hard to determine the conditions so far ahead. While the southwest edge of the eclipse path has better odds at a clear sky, cloud cover can be difficult to pin down, even hours before the eclipse. Still, you should be able to experience the day-to-night phenomenon, as well as the Purkinje effect—as the lights dim, our eyes get more sensitive towards the blue end of the spectrum.

Photography

There will be many people photographing the eclipse, so it's perfectly ok if you just want to take it in with your eyes. Still, if you want to give it a try, we previously talked to photographer Jon Carmichael about capturing the eclipse. “If you’re more of a professional or hobbyist with a DSLR or mirrorless camera,” he told My Modern Met, “you may want a telephoto lens (200-400mm) to get closer detail of the eclipse or a wider lens if you want to capture the scenery around you.” He added, “Also, be sure to have a sturdy tripod, a shutter remote to prevent camera shake, solar filters to protect your eyes, and a camera sensor. It's entirely possible to photograph the eclipse on a budget, especially with how far phone cameras have come.”

You can read our entire conversation with Carmichael and all of his tips here.

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READ: April 8 Eclipse: Everything You Need To Know Before This Once-in-a-Lifetime Astronomical Event

A 13th-century diagram of veins. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

Think of medieval doctors and you probably picture a man dressed in robes, perhaps with a plague mask. In the popular imagination, medicine of the Middle Ages is all leeches, bloodletting, and mystical charms and potions. But to a medieval mind, our modern surgery, pharmaceuticals, and blood tests might look just as divorced from scientific reality.

Modern scholars of the history of medicine are attempting to put the record straight by situating these historic practitioners in a long history of scientific inquiry and deduction. Historian Meg Leja of SUNY Binghamton, who recently penned an article for The Conversation, and Peregrine Horden, whose research was recently published in Social History of Medicine, are trying to shift the needle.

As commented on by Leja, Horden's article situates bizarre medieval “cures” in contexts that explain the rationale behind the (usually gross) regime. These nasty cures could use the fluids and organs of animals, while others involved mixing herbal ingredients like garlic and mugwort. Historic practitioners were undoubtedly successful in curing ailments—treating infections with antibacterial poultices made with honey or concerns for fresh air allude to modern cures. Unfortunately, without modern developments in childbirth, pharmacology, or surgery, saving patients was certainly harder. The regular reoccurrence of deadly pandemics such as plague also devastated patients.

These medieval doctors received inherited medical knowledge from the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. Yet in the early Middle Ages, often called the Dark Ages, books were rare, and universities just began to form after the year 1000 CE. Monks carefully guarded and copied the remains of ancient knowledge left in Europe.

As physicians began to train at universities, they learned to combine this knowledge with practice and rigorous observation. A patient's fluids and appearance could tell them a lot, just like they inform modern medicine. They then rationally tried to adjust what they observed back to a normal state, perhaps by letting blood to purge toxins or altering a diet to affect the humors of the body.

Early texts from the Dark Ages and into the later medieval period recorded recipes for treatments, signs of disease in urine, and views of veins gained from autopsies. As medieval doctors were far from the only practitioners of healing, their patients would have had a wide variety of treatments to choose from. While today's patients may prefer a modern X-ray with good reason, there's less reason to look down our noses at the medieval “quacks.”

One may think of the Dark Ages as a time of quack doctors and magical cures, but medieval medicine was not as divorced from science as we might think.

A 14th-century chart to interpret urine colors. (Photo: Trinity College, Cambridge, CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED)

A 14th-century dentist extracting teeth. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

A 19th-century facsimile of the 10th-century Bald's Leechbook. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

A selection pf household remedies combined into a book in the 15th century. (Photo: Cambridge University Library/Scriptorium: Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts Online, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED)

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine, Cambridge University]

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READ: Here’s Why Medieval Medicine Was Not as Bad as We Think

Image: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

This year is full of exciting astronomical events. In just a few weeks, a good chunk of North America will get to see a total solar eclipse, which could also feature a green “devil comet.” Now, NASA has revealed that yet another stellar occurrence will take place later this year. The star system T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, is predicted to experience a nova outburst, which would make it visible to the naked eye between now and September.

The nova outburst only occurs about every 80 years, and since T CrB last exploded in 1946, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. The system is located 3,000 light-years away from Earth, and its light is usually magnitude +10—too dim to see without a telescope. However, the nova will make a jump to magnitude +2, meaning it will have a brightness similar to that of the North Star, Polaris.

Contrary to the supernova, which marks the end of a star's life, the nova only expels the outer layers of accumulated material. The energy thrust out of the star temporarily increases its luminosity several thousand times its normal level, providing us with a unique chance to see it.

“Once its brightness peaks, it should be visible to the unaided eye for several days and just over a week with binoculars before it dims again, possibly for another 80 years,” says NASA. T CrB is only one of five recurring novas in our galaxy, and its structure as a binary system with a white dwarf and red giant is what makes it go nova every 80 years.

“The stars are close enough that as the red giant becomes unstable from its increasing temperature and pressure and begins ejecting its outer layers, the white dwarf collects that matter onto its surface,” explains NASA. “The shallow dense atmosphere of the white dwarf eventually heats enough to cause a runaway thermonuclear reaction—which produces the nova we see from Earth.”

As its name suggests, T Coronae Borealis is part of the Corona Borealis constellation, or the Northern Crown. It can be spotted as a small, semicircular arc near Bootes and Hercules. When the nova occurs, it will appear as a “new” bright star. “Look up after sunset during summer months to find Hercules!” suggests NASA. “Scan between Vega and Arcturus, near the distinct pattern of Corona Borealis.”

Bradley Schaefer, professor emeritus at Louisiana State University told Astronomy Magazine, “This is the one big chance you have of seeing the brightest nova of the generation.” Since he points out that T CrB could go up any night or month now, it's best to stay updated and keep an eye on it.

The star system T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, is predicted to experience a nova outburst, which would make it visible to the naked eye between now and September.

Image: NASA

“This is the one big chance you have of seeing the brightest nova of the generation,” Bradley Schaefer, professor emeritus at Louisiana State University. Here's how to find the Corona Borealis constellation, home to T Coronae Borealis, in the night sky:

View of Granada War Relocation Center from the interpretive signs at the entrance. (Photo:  International Astronomical Union (IAU) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

h/t: [NASA]

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NGC 5468, a galaxy containing Cepheid variable stars. (Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam G. Riess (JHU, STScI))

From the moment of the Big Bang, our universe started expanding and has not stopped. By studying the red shift of far away galaxies, modern scientists have even determined that the pace of this expansion is increasing. Dark energy pushes this expansion, and astronomers and physicists have struggled to come to terms with what's known as the Hubble Tension. Named for the famed telescope that has been used to study the expanding universe, the conundrum is that, in the words of NASA, “the current rate of the expansion of the universe is faster than what astronomers expect it to be, based on the universe's initial conditions and our present understanding of the universe’s evolution.” This problem and what it says about gaps in our knowledge of the universe has recently been confirmed by researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Until recently, there was some concern that the data—coming from the Hubble Telescope—which underlay the Hubble Tension could itself be flawed. If so, perhaps no true unexplainable problem existed. However, a study recently published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters lays this debate to rest. The study announced that by using the most superior modern techniques, they could eliminate “unrecognized crowding of Cepheid photometry” in Hubble's data as a cause of the mystery. “With measurement errors negated, what remains is the real and exciting possibility we have misunderstood the universe,” lead author and Nobel Prize-winner Adam Riess, a physicist at Johns Hopkins University, said in a NASA statement.

The rate of the expansion of the universe is known as the Hubble constant. However, at the outer reaches of our observable universe, this constant as predicted does not match what is actually happening. The Lambda CDM—the current governing system of measuring universe expansion by examining the cosmic microwave background—breaks down at these points. Another measuring system, used by the paper authors to confirm the Hubble Tension exists, is based on observing Cepheid variables. These are dying, pulsating stars whose light's red-shift can expose the past of the universe. The prior concern was that the further one goes back the cosmic ladder, the more these signals would essentially blur into one another, possibly skewing the data to create the tension.

By finding “no significant difference in the mean distance measurements determined from HST and JWST,” the study clarified the tension does in fact exist. “Combining Webb and Hubble gives us the best of both worlds. We find that the Hubble measurements remain reliable as we climb farther along the cosmic distance ladder,” said Riess. This leaves scientists with a problem of immense magnitude in their quest to learn the true origins and present state of the universe. Exactly how fast is it expanding? The JSWT is an essential tool in this study, as it continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge into the final frontier.

The new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed just how much we still do not know about the origins of our universe.

Showing how the Hubble constant is calculated. (Photo: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI))

The Hubble Tension is the name assigned to the problem of accurately understanding just how fast the universe is expanding and why it does not match what we know.

h/t: [Live Science]

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An artist’s impression of the quasar J059-4351. (Photo: ESO/M. Kornmesser)

Stars dominate our nighttime visual universes, dazzling us with beauty and sparkle as they rise in the evening and shift with the seasons. Chief among the stars is our Sun, so bright you cannot look directly at it without vision damage. However, stars—and even our Sun—are not the brightest things in the universe. Quasars hold that highest honor. These are celestial phenomenon within the active galactic nuclei category: at the center is a black hole sucking in matter from the surrounding space, including stars themselves. The matter swirls into an accretion disk, where the gas and stars and matter all collide to produce heat, visible to us as light. Excitingly, researchers have discovered the brightest quasar yet known—500 trillion times brighter than our own Sun.

This speck of light in a vast universe was photographed by telescopes in the 1980s but categorized initially as a star. Modern technology has vastly accelerated the process of discovering quasars, as artificial intelligence can be trained to scan for signatures of these phenomena. Last year, researchers using the Siding Spring Observatory and the Very Large Telescope in Chile realized the “star” was in fact a quasar, now known as J0529-4351. According to a statement from the European Southern Observatory, the quasar is 12 billion light-years away, meaning the light we see is from the distant past. “We have discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date,” Christian Wolf, lead author paper in Nature Astronomy, said in a statement. “It has a mass of 17 billion Suns, and eats just over a Sun per day. This makes it the most luminous object in the known Universe.”

The black hole is no longer expanding at the rate it once did. “It is a surprise that it has remained unknown until today, when we already know about a million less impressive quasars. It has literally been staring us in the face until now,” stated co-author Christopher Onken. However, the “past” of the quasar can tell us a lot. Because of its massive size, it is the perfect fit for new techniques intending to measure the mass of black holes. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, a quasar with a light-sucking black hole at its center is the brightest thing in the universe, and the next big thing in astronomy.

Scientists have discovered the brightest quasar yet known, 500 trillion times as bright as our own Sun.

ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) captures the quasar. (Photo: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2/Dark Energy Survey)

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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In late February 2024, history was made when the first female-led space company, 4SPACE, took Jeff Koons‘ art to the Moon. The successful launch makes Koons the first artist to have authorized artwork on the lunar surface and everything came together thanks to the vision of 4SPACE founder Chantelle Baier.

Baier founded 4SPACE as a vehicle to bridge non-traditional space companies with the space industry. Under her leadership, 4SPACE has achieved the first authorized art gallery to be sent to the Moon in 2024, a significant milestone in the footprints on the Moon. And it seems fitting that Koons, a pioneer of the contemporary art world, would be the first creative to hold this honor.

Jeff Koons: Moon Phases comprises 125 unique artworks, each consisting of three components: a sculpture that was installed on the Moon, a sculpture that stays on Earth, and an NFT that corresponds with the sculptures on the Moon and the Earth. The 125 miniature stainless steel Moon Phase sculptures are currently displayed on the Moon in a cube, which was designed and built by 4SPACE in consultation with Koons.

“The Moon Phase artworks are associated with individuals who made important accomplishments in human history,” 4SPACE revealed in a written statement. “The list of names is universal, from various cultures throughout the world, fields, and time periods. Displayed in front of each artwork, the names memorialize the figures. In this way, Koons honors some of the greatest achievements of the past to inspire future generations.”

The work made its way into space via the Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander, Odysseus, named after the hero of Homer's Greek epic. The Nova-C is part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.

When Odysseus touched down on the lunar surface, it became the first successful U.S. moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. And it is the first time that a privately owned spacecraft has successfully landed.

We had a chance to speak with Baier about this momentous occasion and what it means to her, as well as what it took to make this outer space art gallery come to life. Read on for My Modern Met's exclusive interview.

What sparked your initial love of space?

I was born in the land of the living sky in Canada, where there was no light pollution, and I was surrounded by the vastness of trillions of twinkling stars in the sky. We would spend a lot of time stargazing, so naturally I dreamt of going to the Moon since I was a kid. I began to realize NASA has led to wonderful advancements that help us here on Earth, and I began to learn how important space is for our future. The idea of exploration beyond Earth’s gravity and traveling the Moon and Mars ignited my curiosity to learn more about space and the earth.

Photo: David Bellman

What motivated you to start 4SPACE?

I was encouraged by a mentor of mine, Dr. Chris McKay, to set up 4SPACE to hone in on my diverse skillset that ranges from technical knowledge to the entertainment/fashion industry. 4SPACE was set up as a vehicle to bring non-traditional space companies into the space industry. With this non-linear way of thinking, our focus is on commercializing the space industry by incorporating branding, marketing, and outside-of-the-box ways of approaching traditional industries.

What accomplishment are you most proud of since 4SPACE was founded?

We just became the first woman-owned company on the Moon. We also became the first company to place a clear art gallery with Jeff Koons Moon Phases statues on the Moon on board the Intuitive Machines Lunar Lander that successfully landed on February 22, 2024.

Photo: Chris Farina

How did you become involved in the Jeff Koons project?

In 2021, I contacted a small company that had just won an award from NASA to go to the Moon. Their mission had scientific NASA payloads, and I had an idea for a project to be placed on the Moon. The lunar lander didn’t have enough power for our payload, so I had to redesign a powerless payload. My investor had a great relationship with Jeff Koons' son Sean, and we commissioned him to design 125 statues.

What type of research went into creating the display for his art?

Extensive work in many different areas spanning material research, adhesives that would survive the trip to the Moon, space radiation, lunar environment, and analysis.

What type of work went into getting permission to leave something like this on the Moon?

Currently, there aren’t any permissions per se. It is our ethos to think of sustainability, scientific relevance, marketing, commercializing, and the return on investment in a circular way of thinking in every project. We understand the rare opportunity we have, we know these projects will be placed on the Moon and remain there forever, so we want them to have scientific relevance, paired with new ways of marketing, branding, and connecting our everyday lives to the Moon. Our approach is to ensure multiple facets of success in each project that positively support the space industry, NASA objectives, and what’s relevant to our partners whether it be artists, brands, you name it.

How does it feel to have 4SPACE involved in such a groundbreaking project?

Out of this world. It’s truly an honor to be a part of this historic mission to the Moon and to have had such a cultural impact and footprint.

What do you hope that people take away from this work?

I hope to inspire a new way of thinking. I hope to show the world that you can dream and achieve your goals no matter what challenges you face. I came from very modest roots, and I believe we need to support each other and work together to create a better world here on Earth. Utilizing the new opportunities that the Space Industry has to offer, everyone brings hope to us here on Earth. New ways of exploring that open up new jobs and hopefully a bright future.

If I can take a world famous artist and put his work on the Moon… please take my word, there is a new industry coming and it’s the space industry.

4SPACE: Website

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by 4SPACE.

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READ: Female Space Pioneer Makes History By Sending Jeff Koons’ Art to the Moon [Interview]

A Chaunacops (a genus of bony fish in the sea toad family Chaunacidae) is seen at a depth of 1388.65 meters on Seamount SF2 inside the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park. (Photo: Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

In an era of widely accessible information and technological advances, it is easy to think scientists know everything there is to know about Earth. In reality though, the ocean is still a vast mystery. UNESCO estimates as little as 5% of it has been explored. This past January and February, scientists Dr. Javier Sellanes and Dr. Erin Easton led a team of international researchers, organized through the Schmidt Ocean Institute, to a remote region of the southeast Pacific. There they began to uncover strange new worlds thought to be unlike anywhere else. With the crucial help of an underwater robot, over a hundred new species have potentially been discovered.

The remotely operated vehicle ROV SuBastian, a robot that can dive to previously inaccessible depths of 14,000 feet, facilitated the crew of the Falkor (too) finding many diverse species in underwater mountain ranges, better known as ridges, off the coast of Chile. The Salas y Gómez, Nazca, and Juan Fernandez ridges are home to over 200 seamounts, or individual mountains, created by volcanic activity. Each seamount provides shelter to an underwater community that seems otherworldly, with long-living, slow-growing, and slow to reproduce species found nowhere else. These species are especially vulnerable to damage from human and oceanic forces.

Among specimens collected during the expedition, the team believes they have discovered new species of squat lobsters, which have arms longer than their bodies, and cactus-like sea urchins. They have also found vertebrates such as the Chaunacops fish, known as coffinfish. The coffinfish survives very  deep underwater only by remaining motionless on the seafloor for the majority of its life.

While the images of brilliantly colored and alien-like sea life are mesmerizing in themselves, the data collected by the expedition will serve a critical purpose in conservation efforts.

In 2016, Chile banned bottom trawling on seamounts in its jurisdiction, but most of the ocean is outside of any one nation's borders. Therefore international efforts are needed to protect these magical oceanic mountain ranges. The hope is this expedition will help create a Marine Protected Area under the UN's 2023 High Seas Treaty. This will further restrict bottom trawling, a fishing method which rips up coral reefs and indiscriminately catches species from the seafloor in its net.

Over the next several years, scientists will work to confirm that the specimens collected by the ROV SuBastian are indeed previously unknown species. Another expedition of the seamounts is already in progress, keeping the Falkor (too) crew busy. In the meantime, we can all appreciate how much beauty there is yet to be discovered under the sea.

The crew of the Falkor (too) spent just over a month off the coast of Chile and discovered hundreds of undersea animals.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) SuBastain is deployed from Research Vessel Falkor (too) at the beginning of a scientific dive. (Photo: Alex Ingle / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

This expedition resulted in images of rarely seen sea creatures, such as the whiplash squid, as well as animals thought to be previously unknown.

A spiraling coral documented at 1419 meters deep on Seamount JF1, within the bounds of the Mar de Juan Fernández Multiple Uses Marine Protected Area off the coast of central Chile. (Photo: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

A rarely-seen whiplash squid (Mastigopsis hjorti) documented at 1105 meters depth after inking at Seamount 17 (Ikhtiandr) in the Nazca Ridge. (Photo: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

Oblong Dermechinus urchins documented at a depth of 516 meters on Seamount JF2. An international group of scientists aboard a recent Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition believe they have discovered more than 100 new species living on seamounts off the coast of Chile, including deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, and squat lobsters. (Photo: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

A squat lobster documented in coral at a depth of 669 meters on Seamount JF2. An international group of scientists aboard a recent Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition believe they have discovered more than 100 new species living on seamounts off the coast of Chile, including deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, and squat lobsters. (Photo: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

Confirming that the species are new will take several years.

Erin Easton (Chief Scientist, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) and Elyssia Gonzalez (Student, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) work together in the Research Vessel Falkor (too)'s Main Lab.  (Photo: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY-NC-SA)

The expedition explored seamounts that had never been studied prior.

Schmidt Ocean Intitute: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Popular Science]

All Images via Schmidt Ocean Institute.

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READ: Underwater Robot Discovers More Than 100 New Species in Chile