In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists have launched the world’s first wooden satellite into space to explore the material’s suitability for orbit. Named LignoSat, derived from the Latin for “wood,” the satellite was sent into space on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday. It will later be deployed into orbit, where researchers will observe how the wood withstands the extreme conditions of space over a period of six months.

The initiative, a collaboration between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, began in 2020. In 2022, they conducted exposure tests aboard the ISS for over 240 days, ultimately selecting Hoonoki, a type of Magnolia wood known for its strength, stability, and workability. This wood is traditionally used in Japan for crafting sword sheaths due to its shatter-resistant properties, according to Reuters.

Since space is devoid of water and oxygen, the wood is shielded from fire and decay, Kyoto University scientists explain. Additionally, they will evaluate the wood’s potential to protect semiconductors from space radiation, Reuters reports.

“If our wooden satellite succeeds, we plan to propose it to Elon Musk’s SpaceX,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut and professor at Kyoto University. The team envisions that wooden satellites could reduce space pollution, as they would not emit aluminum oxide when burning up upon re-entry, unlike traditional metal satellites. Over the next 50 years, Doi’s team envisions growing wood for timber-based habitats on the Moon and Mars. “With timber, a material we can cultivate ourselves, we could construct homes and sustain life in space indefinitely,” Doi told Reuters.

Scientists suggest that a day on Earth might extend to 25 hours in the future due to the Moon’s gradual drift away from our planet.

Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison indicates that the Moon is receding from Earth at a rate of approximately 3.8 centimeters per year. This phenomenon could result in Earth days lasting 25 hours in 200 million years. Historically, a day on Earth lasted just over 18 hours around 1.4 billion years ago.

Stephen Meyers, a professor in the geoscience department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, points to the gravitational interactions between Earth and the Moon as a primary cause. “As the Moon moves away, the Earth is like a spinning figure skater who slows down as they stretch their arms out,” explained Meyers.

Meyers and his team are using ‘astrochronology’ to study ancient geological processes. “We want to be able to study rocks that are billions of years old in a way that is comparable to how we study modern geologic processes,” he said.

The concept of the Moon’s recession is not new, but the Wisconsin research delves deeper into its historical and geological context. By examining ancient geological formations and sediment layers, researchers have tracked the Earth-Moon system over billions of years. They found that while the Moon’s current recession rate is relatively stable, it has fluctuated due to various factors such as Earth’s rotational speed and continental drift.

Warnings are being issued for the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) due to a new study emphasizing the rising hazards and risks from climate change.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) have created a new climate risk index, revealing that all states within the IHR, including the eight northeastern states, are exposed to varying degrees of climate change danger.

The report, titled “Climate-change-induced risk mapping of the Indian Himalayan districts using the latest IPCC framework,” was shared with The Diplomat. It highlights that Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand are particularly vulnerable. The research was led by Assistant Professor Krishna Malakar and research scholar Aayush Shah from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT-M.

The study indicates that, while districts in the Western Indian Himalayan Region (WIHR) are generally more at risk, the three most risk-prone districts are in the Eastern Indian Himalayan Region (EIHR). WIHR faces more hazards and higher exposure, though EIHR exhibits greater vulnerability.

Spanning 12 states and approximately 1,550 miles from west to east, the IHR covers 16.2 percent of India’s land area and is home to about 47 million people, or 3.88 percent of the country’s population. The region is crucial for environmental stability, offering dense forests, biodiversity conservation, vital water sources, and sustainable tourism.

This IIT-M report follows several studies in recent years on the impacts of climate change in the Himalayas. A study by the Forest Research Institute, conducted with other institutes four years ago, found the eastern region more risk-prone than the west. IIT-M’s findings suggest that both regions are vulnerable, with the western area more susceptible to climate change risks.

Based on the IPCC framework, the IIT-M report combines physical and socio-economic indicators to assess hazards in the Himalayan region, aiming to create a climate change risk index for IHR districts. It utilized data from India’s 2011 census and other government sources to develop a comprehensive and replicable index.

To calculate risk, the study considered hazard, vulnerability, and exposure. Eleven physical indicators, such as earthquakes, cold wave days, floods, snowfall, and hailstorms, represented hazards. Vulnerability included susceptibility to harm and adaptation capacity, while exposure measured significant climate fluctuations’ impact on a region.

Shimla in Himachal Pradesh was identified as the most hazard-prone district, followed by East Sikkim in the Northeast. The high-hazard category included 32 districts—23 in the west and nine in the east. Medium-hazard districts were evenly divided between the two zones with 22 districts, while the low-hazard category comprised 17 districts—15 in the east and two in the west. The lowest hazard category included 25 eastern zone districts.

The west is more hazard-prone, with 34 out of 47 districts in the highest and high-hazard categories, and only two in the low-hazard category. Conversely, the east had 25 districts in the lowest hazard category out of 62, with 51 districts in the lowest, low, and medium hazard categories.

The study found that 64 out of 109 IHR districts are highly vulnerable, with the highest vulnerability districts spread across nine states. The eastern zone is more vulnerable, with 43 out of 62 districts classified as highest and high-vulnerability, while the western zone is more risk-prone due to higher hazards and greater exposure.

Climate change’s adverse impacts are evident across the IHR, with erratic rainfall causing floods and droughts, particularly in the northeastern region. For example, Assam has recently faced severe floods, resulting in 109 deaths.

To combat climate change, the Indian government implemented the National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2010, including a focus on the IHR. However, this plan has not sufficiently mitigated climate change’s adverse effects in the region.

The IIT-M study underscores the need for effective communication with remote Himalayan areas to mitigate climate change impacts. This strategy would enable residents to plan and respond swiftly to minimize losses, particularly those in poorly constructed structures during disasters like the Kedarnath floods in Uttarakhand.

The report also calls for better integration of Himalayan communities into the mainstream, noting that many residents belong to rural tribal communities. Suggestions include increasing employment opportunities, improving infrastructure, healthcare, access to cleaner fuels, education, and diversifying income sources beyond agriculture.