Bloated 'alien' creature that washed ashore in Australia possibly identified

Lightning strikes Artemis I mission's 'Mega Moon rocket' launch pad during tests | Should you get a second booster shot for COVID-19? | What's the longest lightning bolt ever recorded? Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( April 5, 2022 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [Twitter](  [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] [Lightning strikes Artemis I mission's 'Mega Moon rocket' launch pad during tests]( [Lightning strikes Artemis I mission's 'Mega Moon rocket' launch pad during tests]( (NASA) Four lightning bolts struck the launch pad of the "Mega Moon rocket" during tests on April 2 at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket, part of the Artemis I mission to deliver humans to the moon, is the world’s most powerful and stands at 322 feet (98 meters) tall. Three of the strikes, which zapped tower two, were low intensity, NASA said in a statement. The fourth, a higher intensity bolt, struck tower one. At the time, the Orion spacecraft (where the crew will sit) and Space Launch System (the giant rocket) were powered up on Launch Pad 39B, during a so-called wet dress rehearsal. That dress rehearsal stopped on Sunday (April 3) due to an issue with two fans that are "needed to provide positive pressure to the enclosed areas within the mobile launcher and keep out hazardous gases," NASA said in another statement. Full Story: [Live Science]( (4/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [Never Stop Learning]( From big space discoveries to ancient mysteries and future tech, our Knowledge magazines are packed with engaging, authoritative content for all ages. With expert editorial teams across history, science and technology, we have everything you need to feed your curiosity. [Subscribe today!]( ADVERTISEMENT [] COVID-19 [] [Should you get a second booster shot for COVID-19?]( [Should you get a second booster shot for COVID-19?]( (Milan Markovic via Getty Images) Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized second booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. This authorization applies to individuals age 50 and older, as well as certain immunocompromised people ages 12 and older. Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that second boosters are "especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19." So if you qualify for a second booster, is it worth seeking one out right away? And are there any potential downsides to getting the shot now? Full Story: [Live Science]( (4/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Life’s Little Mysteries [] [What's the longest lightning bolt ever recorded?]( [What's the longest lightning bolt ever recorded?]( (Mariana Suarez/AFP via Getty Images) "Thunder is impressive," Mark Twain wrote, "but it is lightning that does the work." Anyone who's watched a lightning storm will understand what he meant: Lightning is one of nature's most awe-inspiring phenomena, illuminating the skies with its fearsome forks. According to the U.K. Met Office, lightning strikes the planet up to 1.4 billion times a year, or an estimated 44 times every second. And it's more than just a light show: Lightning plays a critical role in keeping Earth's electrical balance in check; aids in fixing nitrogen, thereby helping plants grow; and potentially even helps to clear the atmosphere of pollutants. But some lightning strikes work harder than others. While most lightning flashes measure 2 to 3 miles (3.2 to 4.8 kilometers) in length, some truly colossal bolts occasionally crackle above our heads, forking their way across hundreds of miles of sky. But how big can lightning actually get? And should we be worried about these gigantic bolts? Full Story: [Live Science]( (4/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Climate Change [] [It's 'now or never' to stop climate disaster, UN scientists say]( [It's 'now or never' to stop climate disaster, UN scientists say]( (Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images) The time is "now or never" to limit catastrophic temperature rises and climate breakdown, UN scientists have said in a final warning to governments. "Rapid, deep and immediate" cuts to global carbon dioxide emissions, which need to begin declining by 2025 and halve by 2030, must be made immediately across every section of society if temperature changes are to remain at or below the dangerous threshold of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius), according to a new report by the UN's latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Full Story: [Live Science]( (4/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Curious Creatures [] [Bloated 'alien' creature that washed ashore in Australia possibly identified]( [Bloated 'alien' creature that washed ashore in Australia possibly identified]( (PETER HARRISON via Getty Images) A weirdly bloated creature, whose head has been defleshed and body looks more like a swollen, discolored beast of myth than anything real, washed up on an Australian beach last week. And though it's anybody's guess the identity of the stranded corpse, experts contacted by Live Science have some ideas. Full Story: [Live Science]( (4/4) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Poll Question [] POLL QUESTION: A strange, bloated creature washed up on an Australian beach last week — what do you think it is? (See a video of the odd beast [here]() [Vote]( [A kangaroo]( [Vote]( [A wallaby]( [Vote]( [A Brushtail possum]( [Vote]( [An alien]( [Vote]( [Something else entirely](   [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:livescience@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( Future US LLC © 1100 13th St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005