New research has found that the true colors of Uranus and Neptune are actually similar, with a bluish-green tinge, exposing the cause of years of misunderstanding.
The two outermost “ice giant planets” in the solar system are very similar in size, mass and atmospheric conditions, but image data has always shown that Uranus is light green, while Neptune is dark blue. However, recent research has reworked old data and obtained new images, and has discovered that the colors of the two planets are actually very similar, tending towards blue-green.
Neptune and Uranus seen in true colors for the first time
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 5, 2024
NASA’s Voyager 2 probe collected data during flybys of Uranus and Neptune in 1986 and 1989. The data showed that Uranus has a beautiful aquamarine color, while Neptune has a blue hue. However, conditions such as atmospheric composition and size of the two planets are almost the same, and why their colors are so different has always puzzled astronomers. They also used data from other telescopes to develop an atmospheric model, noting that Uranus’ “atmospheric flow is slower, leading to the accumulation of haze” and therefore appears “paler” than Neptune.
New research has revealed the true colors of some of our Solar System’s gas giants. While Voyager 2 images in the 1980s depicted Uranus and Neptune as green and deep blue respectively, British astronomers revealed their true colors: pic.twitter.com/KmBLQ46rKh
— The Royal Society (@royalsociety) January 5, 2024
Researchers reanalyzed images taken at the time and discovered that the problem that had plagued astronomers for decades was just a misunderstanding: It turned out that the colors of the two planets were actually very similar, both blue-green. The Oxford University team pointed out that Voyager 2 only used a single wavelength of light to observe Uranus and Neptune at a time, and previous images were a composite of three monochromatic observations. Past images of Neptune may have been colored to show details of Neptune’s atmosphere, which resulted in changes in the actual color.
Image from the official website of the University of Oxford
Heymans, Astronomer Royal and professor of astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh, explained on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “They’ve done something that I think everyone has done on Instagram at some point, which is adjust the colour.” , deputy director of the Royal Astronomical Society, said image enhancement is a common processing method in astronomical research because it allows objects to be observed more clearly.
Image from the official website of the University of Oxford
To get the true colors of Uranus and Neptune, the Oxford team collected data using the Hubble Space Telescope’s Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and the Very’s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) Large Telescope (VLT). The composite image created by Voyager 2 has been recalibrated. These new images show that both Uranus and Neptune actually appear an icy blue-green color. The discovery resolves years of confusion among astronomers about the color differences between the two planets.
MEMSIC research found that the content of “plastic particles” in bottled water was 100 times higher than expected, with up to 240,000 particles per litre, causing potential health risks.
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Recently, a research report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science pointed out that the amount of plastic particles contained in commercially available bottled water far exceeds previous estimates, being up to 100 times higher. According to Agence France-Presse, scientists used innovative technology to detect an average of 240,000 plastic particles per liter in bottled water from many popular brands, 10 to 100 times higher than previous estimates, the which raised potential health concerns and required urgent intervention. more in-depth research.
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Yan Beizhan, associate professor of geochemistry at Columbia University and co-author of the study, said in an interview with AFP that if the public is concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it is important to switch to alternative sources of drinking water such as tap water A reasonable choice. However, he also reminded: “We do not recommend not drinking bottled water when (the body) needs it, because the risk of dehydration could outweigh the potential dangers of exposure to nanoplastic particles.”
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In recent years, the world has paid increasing attention to plastic particles (microplastics). These particles, which decompose from larger plastic materials, can now be found across the planet, from the polar ice caps to the mountaintops, affecting entire ecosystems and even finding their way into drinking water and everyday food. Plastic particles usually refer to plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, while nanoplastic particles are even smaller, less than 1 micron, are extremely small and can pass through the digestive system and lungs directly into the blood and even reach organs like the brain. and heart Affects the fetus through the placenta.
— Dr. Kristie Leong (@DrKristieLeong) January 9, 2024
Although early laboratory studies linked plastic particles to toxic effects such as reproductive abnormalities and stomach problems, current research on their effects on ecosystems and human health remains relatively limited. The research team also tested three major brands of bottled water, but did not reveal the names of these brands on the basis that “all bottled water contains nanoplastic particles and it may not be fair to list just three brands.” Research results show that each liter of bottled water contains 110,000 to 370,000 plastic particles, of which up to 90% are on the nanoscale. The most common of these particles is nylon, which can come from the plastic filter used to filter the water, followed by the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material of the bottle itself, which can be released when the bottle is pressurized. Other types of plastic particles can enter the water when you open the bottle cap. The research team plans to test tap water, and preliminary results show that the content of plastic particles in tap water is significantly lower than that in bottled water.
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2024-01-12 02:20:59
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