NASA just redirected an asteroid by smashing a spacecraft into it

NASA just redirected an asteroid by smashing a spacecraft into it | Earliest traces of opium use, found in Israel, may have been an 'offering to the gods' | What is the largest known star in the universe? (What about the smallest?) Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 27, 2022 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [Twitter](  [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] [NASA just redirected an asteroid by smashing a spacecraft into it]( [NASA just redirected an asteroid by smashing a spacecraft into it]( (NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory) NASA has intentionally slammed a spacecraft into an asteroid in the first ever test of Earth’s planetary defense system. NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft smashed into the asteroid Dimorphos at 7:14 p.m. ET on Monday (Sept. 26) in humanity’s first attempt to alter an asteroid’s trajectory. NASA believes the impact will be a vital demonstration of how humans could one day nudge a dangerous asteroid away from a catastrophic collision course with our planet. Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Just the Facts, Ma'am "I stopped watching TV news a year ago, so sick of the bias everywhere. But in doing so, I was out of the loop. I decided to give 1440 a try & I've not been disappointed. Finally, Walter Cronkite-style reporting! Just the facts. I also love that I can click a link to see more on many stories. Keep up the good work!" [Join for free now.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] History & Archaeology [] [Earliest traces of opium use, found in Israel, may have been an 'offering to the gods']( [Earliest traces of opium use, found in Israel, may have been an 'offering to the gods']( (Israel Antiquities Authority) The earliest evidence of opium usage in the ancient world has been discovered at a burial site in central Israel that dates to around 14th century B.C., during the Late Bronze Age. Residue of the narcotic, which is made using the seed capsules of the poppy plant, was found inside more than a half dozen 3,500-year-old pottery vessels at the site, which is located at Tel Yehud just outside Tel Aviv, a region formerly known as Canaan. Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Life’s Little Mysteries [] [What is the largest known star in the universe? (What about the smallest?)]( [What is the largest known star in the universe? (What about the smallest?)]( (NASA/GSFC/SDO) As far as stars go, our sun gets a lot of fanfare. Not only does life on Earth literally revolve around it, it dwarfs the rest of the stars in the sky — from our perspective, at least. But if you zoom out to the far reaches of our galaxy, the sun no longer looks like such a giant. In fact, it's pretty average in size. So what is the largest known star in the universe? Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Innovation in HIV Research Sponsored Content from Gilead Sciences [Advancing Transformational Innovation in HIV Research]( Learn about Gilead Sciences' innovative approach to continuous scientific discovery as part of the company's leadership and commitment that aims to help end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere. [Find out more]( [] Your Health [] [Which flu shot should I get?]( [Which flu shot should I get?]( (NANOCLUSTERING/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY) It's the time of year for flu shots, but you might not know that there is more than one kind of flu vaccine. Indeed, half a dozen different types of flu shots are available for the 2022-2023 season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So which one should you get? In general, flu shots are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older. The specific types of vaccines you can get depend mainly on your age, and certain flu vaccines are preferentially recommended for older adults. In addition, certain health conditions may affect which flu shot you can get. Here's a rundown of the different types of flu vaccines available, and who's recommended to get them. Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/26) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Astronomy & Astrophysics [] [The Milky Way is 'rippling' like a pond, and scientists may finally know why]( [The Milky Way is 'rippling' like a pond, and scientists may finally know why]( (NASA JPL-Caltech R. Hurt) Imagine the Milky Way's 100 billion stars as a flat, tranquil pool of water. Now, picture someone dropping a stone the size of 400 million suns into that water. The tranquility is shattered. Wave after wave of energy ripples across the galaxy's surface, jostling and bouncing its stars in a chaotic dance that takes eons to calm. Astronomers suspect that something like this may have really happened — not just once, but several times over the past several billion years. Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/27) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Your Brain [] [How does the brain store memories?]( [How does the brain store memories?]( (Tom Deerinck, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)) Memory is one of the building blocks of the brain. It can help keep us safe — that red stove burner is hot, don't touch it! — and forms the basis of our identities and narratives about our lives. So how does the brain store memories and retrieve them? Full Story: [Live Science]( (9/27) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Quiz [] POLL QUESTION: True or false: Emotion is an important component of memory-making; both positive and negative emotional situations are better-remembered than neutral events. (Learn the answer [here]() [Vote]( [True]( [Vote]( [False](   [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