Science This Week | Volcanoes on Venus, ‘plastic’ rock on remote island and more

Find the latest news and updates in the world of science.

This week has been filled with the most riveting findings. From finding evidence of active volcanoes on Venus to heatwaves being worse at the bottom of the sea, here are the latest discoveries and findings in the field of science.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a low-cost star sensor for astronomy and small CubeSat class satellite missions. The star sensor named Starberry-Sense can help small CubeSat class satellite missions find their orientation in space. Based on commercial/off-the-shelf components, this star sensor costs less than 10% of those available in the market. The brain of the instrument is a single-board Linux computer called Raspberry Pi, which is widely used among electronics hobby enthusiasts

A fresh analysis of radar images obtained more than three decades ago has yielded new evidence indicating Venus, Earth’s planetary next-door neighbour, is currently volcanically active - a dynamic world with eruptions and lava flows. Researchers said radar images taken by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft showed that a volcanic vent about 1.6 km wide on the Venusian surface expanded and changed shape over an eight-month span in 1991. The vent is situated on Maat Mons, which at about 9 km tall is the planet’s highest volcano and second-highest mountain.

NASA on Wednesday unveiled the first prototype for a newly designed next-generation spacesuit specially tailored and accessorised for the first astronauts expected to venture back to the moon's surface in the next few years. The outfits worn to the moon by Artemis astronauts will look very different from the bulky spacesuits of yore. The new suits are more streamlined and flexible than the old Apollo get-ups, with greater range of motion and variability in size and fit. They are designed to fit a broad range of potential wearers, accommodating at least 90% of the U.S. male and female population, NASA said.

The discovery of rocks made from plastic debris in Trindade island which is a remote turtle refuge is sparking alarm. Melted plastic has become intertwined with rocks on the island, located 1,140 km (708 miles) from the southeastern state of Espirito Santo, which researchers say is evidence of humans' growing influence over the earth's geological cycles. Scientists ran chemical tests to find out what kind of plastics are in the rocks called "plastiglomerates" because they are made of a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris held together by plastic.

The smoke from recent wildfires is threatening to slow and even reverse the recovery of Earth's ozone layer, according to a study. Ozone layer is the protective cover shielding the Earth from the Sun's damaging ultraviolet radiation. Researchers noted that a wildfire can pump smoke up into the stratosphere, where the particles drift for over a year. While suspended there, these particles can trigger chemical reactions that erode the ozone layer.

Heatwaves unfolding on the bottom of the ocean can be more intense and last longer than those on the sea surface, new research suggests, but such extremes in the deep ocean are often overlooked. Researchers found that these bottom heatwaves ranged from 0.5 degrees Celsius to 3C warmer than normal temperatures and could last more than six months — much longer than heatwaves at the surface.