Hubble pushed to the edge

Plus: Apollo 11 moon dust will go on auction next month, against NASA's wishes Mar 31, 2022 [View in browser]( The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a record-setting image showing the farthest individual star ever observed. Doesn’t that give you the chills? Born when the universe was still young, "Earendel", from the Old English word for "rising light" or "morning star,” might be up to 50 times more massive than our sun. Just imagine what incredible mysteries we’ll discover in the universe once the James Webb Space Telescope comes online. Before we meet Hubble in orbit, we have the perfect video showing how zippers are made from start to finish. It’s strangely satisfying. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let's peer deeper into space. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Here's how zippers are made from start to finish]( Let's pay a visit to a zipper factory. [Here's how zippers are made from start to finish]( SCIENCE [Hubble pushed to its horizon: a star 900 million years after the Big Bang]( [Hubble, orbiting the Earth, with the sun and stars as background.]( Scientists [released data from the Hubble Space Telescope]( on a star or star system roughly 900 million years after the Big Bang — the cataclysmic beginnings of the universe. - The object was nicknamed "Earendel," which means "morning star" or "rising light" in Old English. Scientists estimate Earendel's mass to be more than 50 times that of the sun, with a redshift of 6.2. In addition to its unwieldy size, the mystery object is incredibly distant. It's so distant, in fact, that only the James Webb Space Telescope could top Hubble's incredible findings. This makes the observation a first of its kind, since, while Hubble has spotted galaxies 300 or 400 million years after the Big Bang (before Earendel), these were great collections of stars, and never a singular point. The star or star system in the new study is either singular, or binary — marking the earliest star (or stars) seen this far back in time. Once the JWST — which could see back 13.7 billion years — begins its proper scientific missions, it could see stars just like this one, [from the dawn of the early universe](. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Exxon Mobil puts its wasted "flare gas" to good use. By mining bitcoin?]( [Exxon Mobil, bitcoin.]( ExxonMobil [has been working with Crusoe Energy Systems]( to turn wasted energy, or flare gas, into electricity used to power thousands of bitcoin miners. - The new venture aims to make use of the natural gas often burned off by drillers because, in addition to it being an environmental hazard, drillers are also burning money. This is where bitcoin mining becomes quite an opportunity since it only requires an internet connection and can be done from anywhere. And their efforts seem to be paying off. In a March statement, North Dakota’s Department of Natural Resources stipulated that 93 to 94 percent of natural gas is being captured and reused. On-site bitcoin mining also ensures that no methane is combusted. Oh, well. It would be better if ExxonMobil focused on diverting away from fossil fuels but, regardless, this new use of their flares is still a small [step in the right direction](. [Read More]( CULTURE [Apollo 11 moon dust will go on auction next month, against NASA's wishes]( [Buzz Aldrin on the moon.]( Ever wanted to own a piece of the moon? Fine art auctioneers Bonhams [will auction moon dust collected by Neil Armstrong]( during the Apollo 11 mission next month on April 13. - Anyone wanting to get their hands on the historic space dust will likely face strong competition at auction, and the item might go for as much as $1.2 million. The lunar dust is "the only example of verified Apollo 11 moon dust that can be legally sold." The one that got away. NASA has long claimed that it is the only legal owner of lunar dust, and it has spent the last few decades suing people who have obtained legitimate samples from the Apollo mission. NASA frequently wins these battles. However, the moon dust up for sale at Bonhams has slipped out of its hands, and the space agency is now unable to recover it. While there certainly isn't a shortage of lunar dust samples for scientists to analyze, NASA will be wondering how exactly it managed to lose track of such an iconic artifact. It's hard to argue that such [a valuable piece of space history]( shouldn't be on public display for all to see. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS NASA argues that Neil Armstrong's dust sample belongs to "the American people". Whose side are you on? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [I agree with NASA. An artifact from space cannot be privatized.]( [I’d like to bid, please.]( [Well, they shouldn’t have lost it in the first place.]( [It’s just… dust.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked if you’d like to live in the Hummer H1 X3, which houses two stories on the inside. Nearly none of you seem very enthusiastic. What’s the big deal? It’s basically a caravan. 34% No. Sounds smothering. 29% Maybe for a few nights. 27% Yes. Housing needs an update. 11% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ Evil has a blockbuster audience; Goodness lurks backstage. Evil has vivid speech; Goodness bites its tongue. ” Toni Morrison in “Goodness and the Literary Imagination” (2019) AND ANOTHER THING... - A new Top Gun trailer pits an F-14 against an Su-57. [Here’s how they actually compare](. - Neuroscientists are exploring whether shapes like squares and rectangles — [and our ability to recognize them]( — are part of what makes our species special. (The New York Times $) - A company's new robot [can change from four-wheel drive to bipedal]( in seconds. - From a "butt crack rock" to a cannonball, [entertaining images from Mars]( amuse scientists and excite conspiracy theorists and alien fans. (CNET) - In a rare window to the beginnings of human technology, a Neanderthal "workshop" in Spain [reveals European tools from 43,000 years ago](. - Europe is about to decide [whether to make everyone's salaries public]( a move that could dramatically narrow the gender pay gap. (WIRED $) - Could the war in Ukraine [trigger a global food crisis]( According to the U.N. food chief, it’s causing the worst food crisis since WWII. [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. 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