Undiscovered 'minimoons' may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species?

Undiscovered 'minimoons' may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species? | 'The law is way behind the time': Mining asteroids and the moon remains a huge legal gray area | There's an asteroid out there worth $100,000 quadrillion. Why haven't we mined it? Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( February 19, 2024 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [X](  [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] [Undiscovered 'minimoons' may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species?]( (Nicholas Forder) [Undiscovered 'minimoons' may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species?]( In 2006, astronomers with the NASA-backed Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona discovered a peculiar body floating amid the sea of thousands of human-made satellites orbiting our planet. After taking a closer look, they determined that the object wasn't just another piece of space junk. Rather, it was a natural satellite that had been temporarily yanked into a tagalong orbit with the Earth, similar to the moon. This "minimoon" was just a few meters in diameter. But unlike the actual moon, this cosmic body was a transient Earth companion, traveling around the planet for only a year before being ejected from our planet's orbit. Because of their proximity to Earth, minimoons have warranted close scientific scrutiny. But more recently, some experts have eyed minimoons and other near-Earth asteroids for a different reason: They have the potential to act as stepping stones in our exploration of the cosmos. [Read More]( [] ['The law is way behind the time': Mining asteroids and the moon remains a huge legal gray area]( Can we mine the moon and asteroids? NASA wants to make it happen, but it's still a huge legal gray area, experts say. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/16) [] [There's an asteroid out there worth $100,000 quadrillion. Why haven't we mined it?]( While asteroids are rich sources of precious and valuable materials, scientists still haven't fully committed to mining them. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/16) [] [Can we refuel 'dead' satellites in space? Bold new missions aim to try.]( When a satellite runs out of fuel, it becomes little more than space junk. Now, space agencies and private companies want to change that. Here's how scientists plan to refuel satellites — in orbit. Full Story: [Live Science]( (2/19) [] History & Archaeology [] [Stunning rock art site reveals that humans settled the Colombian Amazon 13,000 years ago]( (University of Exeter) [Stunning rock art site reveals that humans settled the Colombian Amazon 13,000 years ago]( The first humans to settle the Amazon Basin arrived around 13,000 years ago as part of a mass migration that quickly swept across the Americas, researchers have discovered. [Read More]( [] Health [] [Does Viagra reduce the risk of Alzheimer's? Here's what we know.]( (Bloomberg / Contributor via Getty Images) [Does Viagra reduce the risk of Alzheimer's? Here's what we know.]( Viagra is best known for triggering erections, but several studies have suggested that the drug may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease. What do we know so far? [Read More]( [] Animals [] [Watch hypnotizing footage of mysterious deep-sea worm dancing in the twilight zone]( (Ocean Schmidt Institute) [Watch hypnotizing footage of mysterious deep-sea worm dancing in the twilight zone]( Schmidt Ocean Institute spots a bioluminescent deep-sea worm that creates a hypnotizing display as it swims in circles. [Read More]( [] Technology [] [Future electric cars could go more than 600 miles on a single charge thanks to battery-boosting gel]( (Andriy Onufriyenko via Getty Images) [Future electric cars could go more than 600 miles on a single charge thanks to battery-boosting gel]( By using gel, researchers have found a way to incorporate silicon into batteries while negating its destructive tendency to expand — meaning future EVs could use the technology to go much further on a single charge. [Read More]( [] Daily Quiz [] How much dark matter per pound of normal matter is there in the universe? (Learn the answer [here](.) [Vote]( [1 pound.]( [Vote]( [2 pounds.]( [Vote]( [5 pounds.]( [Vote]( [10 pounds.](   [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:livescience@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( [Future]( Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036