In this article, we will take a look at some moments from last year, 2023, that belong to the science fiction shelves in the library. The year 2023 witnessed some astonishing moments that initially seem to be out of a science fiction book. From the space rock that crashed onto Earth to a perilous underwater journey that ended in tragedy, here are some moments from last year that belong to the science fiction shelves in the library.
Explosion of the Titanic Submarine
On June 18, the Titan submarine embarked on an exciting trip to view the wreck of the Titanic, the ship known for its tragic end. However, after just 1 hour and 45 minutes of diving, the submarine lost contact with its mother ship, the “Polar Prince.” After four days of its disappearance, a remotely operated submarine discovered the wreckage containing parts of the Titanic. It was found just 500 meters from the bow of the Titanic. The coast guard announced the discovery of the wreckage and indicated that the Titanic had exploded, and all passengers were lost immediately.
Alien Mummies in Mexico
On September 13, journalist and UFO enthusiast Jaime Maussan presented specimens at a legislative event in Mexico. At that time, Maussan stated that the bodies believed to have been found near the ancient and mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru were unrelated to life on Earth. As expected, the scientific community had its doubts. However, in November, researchers announced in a legislative session in Mexico that the previously exhibited three-fingered Peruvian mummies were real. However, they cautiously avoided believing in the extraterrestrial origin of the remains.
NASA’s First Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
September was truly a month for extraterrestrial activities. In addition to the Peruvian mummies that month, NASA also revealed a report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). In its report, the American space agency stated that it found no evidence that the recently reported unidentified aerial phenomena were of extraterrestrial origin. However, Bill Nelson, NASA’s Administrator, noted that this finding does not mean that the space agency denies the existence of life elsewhere in the universe.
Special Delivery from Space
In October, NASA successfully delivered the largest soil sample collected from the surface of an asteroid called Bennu to Earth. The materials, dating back to about 4.5 billion years, were collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in 2020. Finally, the precious samples traveled an estimated distance of about 67,000 miles (107,826.05 kilometers) to land on Earth. The celestial sample could hold answers to questions like how Earth became habitable and much more, as the asteroid samples consist of “the original material of the solar system” and are considered remnants of the early solar system.
Moon Collision
You’ve heard of car accidents, but 2023 was the year of space collisions. In August, Russia’s first lunar mission in 47 years failed, with the Luna-25 spacecraft spiraling out of control and colliding with the Moon. The spacecraft was attempting to land at the Moon’s South Pole and collect geological samples from its surface. This was seen as a precursor to a potential human settlement on the Moon.
The Dark Side of the Moon
After Russia’s failure, India successfully landed on the South Pole or the dark side of the Moon. On August 23, the Chandrayaan-3 mission made its historic journey, landing the Vikram lander and the rover Pragyan on the unexplored side of the Moon. Not only was India the first country to land on the unexplored side of the Moon, but it also etched its name in history as one of only four countries to touch the lunar surface.
Object
Mysterious Object Scares Australia’s Coast
In July, a large mysterious object was found on a remote beach in Western Australia. Initially, it was believed to be debris from India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. However, India denied any connection to the object, and its origins remain unknown. It was eventually transported to a secret location.
Life on Mars?
In October, NASA announced that it had found evidence suggesting that there was life on Mars… in the past. Using data collected by NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover, a team of researchers concluded that the planet in ancient times had a massive network of rivers flowing with liquid water. “We find evidence suggesting that Mars was likely a river planet,” said Benjamin Cardenas, the lead researcher of the study and a geology professor at the University of Pennsylvania. The results were published in Geophysical Research Letters.
Mohita Kaur Garg: “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of inflicting injury and remedying it.” – Albus Dumbledore (J.K. Rowling) As a Harry Potter fan, Mohita truly believes that words carry inexhaustible magic, which is why she chose journalism. She enjoys writing articles about science, technology, politics, and trending news topics, and tweets from her account @MoohitaKaurGarg.
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