How silence sounds

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The Futurist is your daily tech, cosmic, and science (both weird or otherwise) newsletter with articles and content curated just for you.

In today's edition:

// Old phone cables

// Mirror-like planets

// The sound of silence

// European astronauts

Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 moon missions will include European astronauts

"Both the Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 moon-landing missions, which are slated to launch in 2028 and 2029, respectively, will feature one European Space Agency astronaut, ESA Director Josef Aschbacher told Space.com. Another ESA astronaut is guaranteed to fly on a future Artemis moon mission, but which one is not decided yet."

// Space.com »

Astronomers solve mystery of how a mirror-like planet formed so close to its star

"The planet LTT9779 b, which is located around a Sun-sized star about 260 light-years from Earth, has a higher albedo than that of Venus, about 80 percent. One big question for scientists is how the planet could reflect so much light, as it's hot enough that it should not have any clouds. This is because it is located extremely close to its star, orbiting once every 19 hours."

// Ars Technica »

The sound of silence? Researchers demonstrate people hear it

"Silence might not be deafening but it's something that literally can be heard, concludes a team of philosophers and psychologists who used auditory illusions to reveal how moments of silence distort people's perception of time."

// Science Daily »

Old phone cables appear to be contaminating U.S. soil and water with lead

"Thousands of abandoned telephone cables throughout the US are likely leaching toxic lead into American soil and waterways, an extensive new report by The Wall Street Journal has revealed. These leaded cables, which were used and later left behind by the likes of telecom giants Verizon and AT&T, among others, have reportedly contaminated a number of major rivers, including the Mississippi River in Louisiana, the Detroit River in Michigan, the Willamette River in Oregon, and the Passaic River in New Jersey. As a result, lead has found its way into playgrounds, lakes, and backyard bayous."

// Futurism »