The current H5N1 avian flu epidemic, which originated in 2021, has extended its reach worldwide, affecting locations ranging from California to Eastern Europe and even the Antarctic. This development raises concerns among scientists who worry about the potential devastation of bird populations by this lethal pathogen. Millions of birds have already perished, and authorities have identified cases within commercial poultry stock as well. While the bird flu doesn’t pose a significant threat to humans, it does cause disturbances in the poultry market and supply chains, negatively impacting both consumers and businesses. In a promising turn of events, some birds have developed antibodies to the virus, leading to some researchers feeling optimistic that the situation will resolve itself. 

NASA launched a spacecraft named Psyche to explore the Psyche asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter on Oct. 13. The spacecraft took flight via SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, and it will arrive near the Psyche asteroid in 2029, spending over two years in orbit to study the asteroid’s surface, magnetic field, composition and gravity. The Psyche asteroid’s resemblance to Earth’s core and potential composition entirely of metal distinguishes it from other asteroids. Scientists hope that the Psyche mission will provide insights into the early history of planet formation and help researchers understand more about the internal structure of celestial bodies. 

An annular solar eclipse traversed the Western Hemisphere on Oct. 14, starting in Oregon at around 12:15 p.m. ET. An “annular” eclipse occurs when the Moon covers the Sun’s center, leaving the Sun’s outer edges visible and creating a “ring of fire” effect. Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas also experienced the eclipse, and millions in cities like Seattle, Los Angeles and Houston witnessed a partial eclipse despite their locations beyond the annular path. The event sparked early watch gatherings in places on the annular path like the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. The eclipse ended in the easternmost tip of South America after crossing Central America.

Australian astronomers announced on Oct. 19 that an 8-billion-year-old radio burst detected in June 2022 originated further away than earlier observed signals. Researchers in Australia and the Netherlands found that these previously unexplained “fast radio bursts” are not as rare or unique as originally believed.  Astronomical objects including magnetars, which emit energy through their magnetic fields, and pulsars, which do so through rotation, create these bursts, which range in duration from one millionth of a second to a couple of seconds. This has led researchers to conclude that a variety of sources cause them, as before these findings, astronomers had struggled to understand the underlying factors that contributed to these blips. Because these bursts travel through the universe and are therefore affected by its constituent gasses, astronomers use them to determine outer space’s makeup and mass. Since scientists currently can’t account for all of the universe’s normal matter, these pulses can play an important role in helping scientists better understand the composition of the universe.