A 1 kilometre wide green comet will make its closest pass to Earth tomorrow morning. But you might have to wait a little longer to catch a glimpse of the action. The green comet, also known by the catchy name of comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will be passing earth tomorrow for the first time in about 50,000 years and it'll be closer than it's ever been before.
Researchers are super excited and say it could give us some new clues about how our solar system was formed. Scientists reckon that the green glow comes from a radioactive molecule on the comet's surface. So when it warms up in the sun, it breaks apart and radiates a green colour. The best time to see it in Australia is between the 9th to 11th of February. It might be too faint to see with the naked eye. So a good pair of binoculars or a small telescope might do the trick.
VICTORIA SINGLE USE PLASTICS
Some single-use plastics are now banned in Victoria. Yep, it's now illegal for plastic straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, polystyrene food and drink containers, and plastic cotton bud sticks to be sold or supplied throughout the state. While things like coffee cups, lids and standard plastic takeaway containers are still allowed because there are worries there aren't enough alternatives around. At the moment, about one-third of Victoria's litter is made up of single-use plastics. The state government says it's also exploring whether it should ban soft plastic packaging on items like fresh veggies.
SNAKE SEASON
It's snake season here in Australia which means they're a lot more active at the moment than in the cooler months. But do you know what to do if you see one? Snakes encounters can be pretty unexpected. And at this time of year these slippery suckers are out and about more than usual which also means more run-ins with humans! In fact in Queensland alone, more than 100 snake bites have already been reported this year! So what should you do if you see one? Well, we spoke to Cassie Della-Flora from Adelaide Snake Catchers to find out.
MUSHROOM FACTORY
This massive factory once produced some of Australia's most iconic cars. But now, it's set to produce thousands of tonnes of mushrooms every year! And it hopes to be the first of its kind in Australia, growing all sorts of exotic mushrooms on a factory scale. Also, some of the people who used to work here when it was a car factory have now been given new jobs working on the mushrooms!
SPACE WHIRLPOOL
Now, turn your eyes to space. And to that strange cyclone-looking thing in the night sky. This timelapse, captured on top of Hawaii's tallest mountain, shows what looks to be a whirlpool spinning through space. Researchers at the observatory say they reckon it had something to do with a recent SpaceX launch, but so far, SpaceX hasn't confirmed it.
VIKING FEST
And finally, to Scotland, where a Viking Fire Festival is underway! It's been a yearly tradition now for more than 100 years and this year, there was plenty of space for everyone with women and girls being allowed to take part for the first time ever. It really was a spectacle to behold, with a thousand fire torches, elaborate costumes, and a replica viking ship that ended up getting set on fire.
__________________________________________
Make sure to like & subscribe to our videos if you want to stay in the know!
👉 Subscribe [ Ссылка ]
We have 1000s of stories on all sorts of topics - if you're looking for help to understand something, you'll probably find it on BTN [ Ссылка ]
Follow us on Social Media:
TikTok [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
For the past 50 years, Behind the News has been helping to break down current issues and events for young people all around the world. The program is a high-energy, fun way for people to learn about the stories we see in the news while providing background information that isn’t usually given by other news bulletins.
