Tapescripf for listening comperehension 6: Science in a minute

Saturn, according to recent estimates, is about 4.503 billion years old, but its famous rings are only about 100 million years old. Scientists have been trying to find out why those rings are so much younger than the planet itself. A new study published in the Journal of Science, and led by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, suggests that at one time Saturn had at least one extra moon, along with its current stable of 83 moons. Dubbed chrysalis by the authors, the study proposes that the moon was ripped apart when it grazed its host planet about 160 million years ago. The researchers’ findings suggest that it then broke into fragments that may have continued to float in orbit. It's thought that those fragments broke into even smaller icy bits over the years and formed Saturn's iconic rings. I’m VOA’s Rick Pantaleo.

Dental professionals say our permanent teeth are meant to last a lifetime, if we take care of them. This includes regular brushing and flossing our teeth. Those who don’t take care of these crucial oral health chores, often find out how easy it is to lose control of good dental health. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have conducted a proof-of-concept study that someday could lead to the development of what they call, swarms of shapeshifting microrobots that would automate these important dental health procedures. The scientists say that packs of these microrobots made of iron oxide nanoparticles can be configured and directed to floss, brush, and rinse your teeth. They add that the nanoparticles produce a catalytic reaction that creates antimicrobials that also kills (sic) harmful oral bacteria. I’m VOA’s Rick Pantaleo.

American pop and country singing and songwriting superstar Taylor Swift has won a countless number of awards, including multiple Grammys, Golden Globes, and others presented to her throughout the world. Now Taylor Swift is being honored by the scientific community. Derek Hennon, Jackson Means, and Paul Marek from Virginia Tech have discovered a new species of millipede that has been named in her honor. The species discovered in the US Appalachian Mountains is called Nannoria Swiftae, or the Swift twisted-claw millipede. The scientists write about their new discovery in a research paper published in the journal zooKeys. I’m VOA’s Rick Pantaleo.

Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton had hoped to be the first to cross Antarctica on land. Shackleton led his team aboard a ship called Endurance that would sail to Antarctica via the Weddell sea. After leaving South Georgia Island in December 1914, Shackleton’s Endurance quickly ran into heavy pack ice. The ice would eventually trap, crush, and sink the ship, nearly a year after beginning its trip. It was reported that all members of Shackleton’s Endurance crew survived. 106 years after the sinking of the Endurance, The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust has announced that its Endurance22 expedition has located the ship. According to a press release, Endurance was found within four miles south of the position that had been recorded by the ship’s captain Frank Worsley in 1915. I’m VOA’s Rick Pantaleo.