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NASA and its partners have published the first wave of information about the samples collected in the OSIRIS-REx mission. "The findings do not show evidence for life itself, but they do suggest the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were widespread across the early solar system, increasing the odds life could have formed on other planets and moons," NASA said in a press release.The OSIRIS-REx mission used some pretty fascinating tech to autonomously acquire rocks and dust from an asteroid called Bennu. Asteroids can act as time capsules, and Bennu reflects what was happening in the solar system roughly 4.5 billion years ago. After a total journey of 3.9 billion miles, the capsule returned safely to Earth on September 24, 2023.One paper about Bennu, appearing in the journal Nature Astronomy, revealed that the samples contained 14 amino acids and five nucleobases also found in life forms on Earth. They also uncovered high levels of ammonia in the Bennu samples, as well as formaldehyde; when those two combine in the proper conditions, they can form complex molecules such as amino acids.The second publication appeared in Nature, and it detailed the environment those molecules formed in. Their assessment found evidence of a "brine," identifying a set of minerals that could have been left behind as salt water evaporated."Data from OSIRIS-REx adds major brushstrokes to a picture of a solar system teeming with the potential for life," said Jason Dworkin, OSIRIS-REx project scientist at NASA Goddard. "Why we, so far, only see life on Earth and not elsewhere, thats the truly tantalizing question."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/preview-nasas-osiris-rex-mission-teases-new-insights-on-how-life-began-223033717.html?src=rss
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As Los Angeles reels from the loss of lives and homes to the Easton and Palisades fires, scientists are asking why the events of this January have been so catastrophic. Climate change very likely played a part in setting the stage that caused multiple fires to sweep through the region, according to analysis from the World Weather Attribution, an international research initiative. "Eight of the eleven models examined also show an increase in extreme January [Fire Weather Index], increasing our confidence that climate change is driving this trend," the group said of their investigation. Earth is currently 1.3°C hotter than it was before the industrial era began. The WWA found that extreme Fire Weather Index conditions are 35 percent more likely to occur in the LA area at this temperature. If the planet increases 2.6°C from its pre-industrial temperature, extreme conditions become another 35 percent more likely. Based on current policies, a 2.6°C higher temperature is the minimum increase the Earth is projected to reach by the year 2100. The researchers noted, however, that the growing odds of those peak conditions is not a linear progression. Other factors also contributed to the widespread devastation across the Los Angeles area, including lack of rain; the region had not received significant rainfall since May 2024. This type of drought condition is 2.4 times more likely at the Earth's current temperature than at its pre-industrial level. Santa Ana winds also caused the rapid spread and difficulties containing the blazes. The team said that the impact of wind is not always reflected well in climate models. The World Weather Attribution conducts rapid studies into extreme weather events to analyze whether climate change was a factor. The international team of researchers aim to address the impact of climate in natural disasters "while the impacts of the extreme weather event are still fresh in the minds of the public and policymakers, and decisions about rebuilding are being made."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/climate-change-increased-the-odds-of-los-angeles-devastating-fires-researchers-say-211652200.html?src=rss
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A day after the plight of Garmin users whose devices have been stuck in a boot error gained media attention, the company says it has found a solution. We have resolved the underlying issue causing some devices to be stuck on the start up screen, a Garmin spokesperson told Engadget, pointing us to a support page the company recently updated. Unfortunately, if your wearable or cycling computer is displaying a blue triangle of death, the potential fix may involve losing some data in the process. Depending on the device, Garmin says a factory reset is required. In other cases, you may only need to reset the power on your wearable and sync it with either the Garmin Connect app on your phone or via Garmin Express on a PC. Garmin has provided additional troubleshooting information for those with devices that are still malfunctioning after a power reset, with the required steps varying by product line. For instance, in the case of the companys popular Forerunner family of running watches, youll need to power off your device, then press down and hold the Start/Stop and Back buttons until you hear a beep. At that point, release the Start/Stop button, but continue holding the Back button until you hear a second beep. Your watch will then display Garmin's language selection screen. If it was previously paired with your phone, youll need to remove the device from your Bluetooth settings before you can continue the reset process. If its been a while since youve synced your watch, Garmin warns a factory reset will result in the loss of some data, including information relating to Garmin Wallet, Connect IQ content such as watch faces and, most notably, Body Battery insights. However, once you sync your device with Garmin Connect, most (if not all) of that data should be restored.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/garmin-says-it-has-fixed-the-blue-triangle-boot-error-that-was-bricking-some-devices-204919328.html?src=rss
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