Month: July 2021

Walmart Simply Launched a Ton of Superb Drone Offers

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

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Drones are awesome; of that, there is no question. They can do a lot of things, too, like carry or move items, record videos, or snap in-air photos, or even race. If you know where to look, there are usually a ton of excellent drone deals going on as well.

That’s precisely what’s happening over at Walmart, as the retailer is slashing prices on a bevy of drone models. You can get the Contixo F16 for $69, or $31 off. The Contixo F22 RC Foldable Quadcopter is $139, or $81 off. Then there’s the Contixo F24 Pro 4K UHD Drone for $249, or $151 off. You can read all about those drones and Walmart’s deals on them below.

Contixo F16 FPV Drone with 1080P Camera – $69, was $100

One of Contixo’s smaller drones, the F16 allows first-person-view flying thanks to its 1080P HD camera and built-in Wi-Fi. It has one-key take-off, auto-landing, and headless modes. There’s also a follow-me mode with gesture controls to snap shots of yourself with cool panoramic views. The entire drone folds up so it’s smaller and more portable, making it easy to bring on trips. Normally $100, Walmart is offering the Contixo F15 FPV Drone for $69 with free 2-day shipping.

Contixo F22 RC Foldable Quadcopter Drone with 1080P Camera – $139, was $220

The Contixo F22 RC Quadcopter Drone is foldable and comes with a carrying case. More importantly, it offers a ton of different features that are for various skill levels. Expert flyers can take full control or use the auto-flying features for convenience, while beginners can use everything they need to learn how to fly. It has a built-in and integrated 4K UHD camera with Wi-Fi. Modes include one-key landing and take-off, selfie or gesture control mode, TapFly with the mobile app, auto return, auto hover, and much more. It comes pre-assembled and ready to use. Normally $220, Walmart is offering the Contixo F22 RC Foldable Quadcopter Drone for $139 with free 2-day shipping.

Contixo F24 Pro 4K UHD Drone with Carrying Case – $249, was $400

The Contixo F24 Pro 4K UHD Drone is packed to the rotors with features, but most notably it has a high-capacity battery — 2,500mAh — that offers up to 30 minutes of flight time per charge. The 4K UHD-ready camera captures ultra-high-definition content whether you’re shooting videos or snapping photos. Modes include follow me, orbit, gesture, selfie, first-person, headless, and 1-key take-off and landing. Normally $400, Walmart is offering the Contixo F24 Pro 4K UHD Drone for $249 with free 2-day shipping.

More drone deals available now

Don’t like any of the drones listed above? We rounded up some of the other awesome deals on drones. Check them out!

We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.

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Health

Biden urges states to supply money funds of $ 100 for vaccinations

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Mack-Lehigh Valley Operations Manufacturing Facility in Macungie, Pa., July 28, 2021.

Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters

President Joe Biden on Thursday called on state and local officials to offer residents $ 100 in cash as an incentive to get a Covid-19 vaccine.

During a White House speech on Thursday afternoon, Biden cited an investigation by the University of California at Los Angeles in which about a third of those unvaccinated said a cash payment would make them more likely for an injection, according to details of the plan approved by the administration.

“The American Rescue Plan (ARP) has allocated resources to states, territories, and communities that can be used to provide incentives to increase vaccination rates to provide $ 100 to anyone who gets vaccinated,” the government said in an explanation before the speech.

Biden also announced that his government will require federal employees to demonstrate their vaccination status or undergo a series of strict safety protocols as well as other steps aimed at increasing vaccination rates.

The latest vaccine surge comes as coronavirus cases begin to rise again in the US, with the highly contagious Delta variant boosting infection rates. People infected with the Delta variant carry up to 1,000 times more viruses in their nasal passages than other strains, which, according to the federal health authorities, leads to a higher degree of transmission even among those who have been vaccinated.

Infectious disease experts have warned of a possible spike in infections in the fall season, when Americans go back into the house and employers start moving workers back to the office.

Health officials claim the Covid vaccines provide strong protection against the variant, especially against serious illness and death. Nevertheless, the rate of vaccination in the US has slowed in recent months.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that nearly 800,000 shots were recorded nationwide on Sunday, the highest single-day total in weeks, but still well below the peak.

The seven-day average of reported vaccinations rose 16% over the past week to 615,000 daily vaccinations on Thursday, compared to more than 3 million daily vaccinations reported in mid-April.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced that officials there will pay $ 100 to anyone who goes to a city-operated vaccination site for their first dose of a vaccine.

Biden’s comments come two days after the CDC reversed course of its previous guidelines and advised fully vaccinated Americans living in areas with high rates of Covid infection to return to wearing face masks indoors. According to a CNBC analysis, the guidelines cover about two-thirds of the US population.

While the Delta variant continues to hit unvaccinated people the hardest, some vaccinated people could carry higher amounts of the virus than previously thought and potentially transmit it to others, said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday. She added that the variant “behaves uniquely differently from previous virus strains”.

“This pandemic continues to pose a serious threat to the health of all Americans,” Walensky told reporters on a call.

Science

Unusual Intersecting Sand Dunes on Mars

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

In our exploration of Mars, we’ve seen some strange but naturally occurring shapes. Polygons – a shape with at least three straight sides and angles, typically with five or more – have been seen in several different Martian landscapes, and scientists say these shapes are of great interest because they often indicate the presence of shallow ice, or that water formerly was present in these areas.

For example, the Phoenix lander saw polygon shapes on the ground in the Mars arctic region, and these shapes were produced by seasonal expansion and contraction of ground ice. The HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found large polygon-shaped ridges, and networks of giant polygonal troughs created by ancient lakes that have evaporated.

But HiRISE (the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) has also seen these odd shapes within dry, dusty sand dunes. In our lead image, these polygon-shaped sand dunes have an almost honeycomb-like appearance.

“Polygons form by the intersecting ridges of sand dunes,” the HiRISE team explained on their website. “If this deposit were to become indurated and eroded, we might not be able to tell that they originated as wind-blown dunes, and interpret the polygons as evidence for a dried-up lake, for example.”

The HiRISE team says the dune field seen above is about 1 km across.

But could there be a connection between these strange-shaped dunes and water? These types of dunes often accumulate in the bottoms on craters, which is also a good setting for an ancient or temporary lake. The image below is from HiRISE, showing Victoria Crater on Mars (where the Opportunity rover explored), showing a crisscrossing, polygon-shaped dune field.

Victoria Crater, as seen by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Opportunity rover can be seen on the crater rim. Credit: NASA/JPL

But there are quite different conditions on Mars that form dunes, as opposed to how they form on Earth. So, I guess we’ll have to keep exploring Mars to find the answer!

Here are some other polygon shapes seen on Mars:

Detailed image of large-scale crater floor polygons, caused by desiccation process, with smaller polygons caused by thermal contraction inside. The central polygon is 160 meters in diameter, smaller ones range 10 to 15 meters in width and the cracks are 5-10 meters across. Credit: NASA/JPL
View of Mars’ surface near the north pole from the Phoenix lander. Polygon shapes can be seen in the soil. Credit: NASA/JPL-Calech/University of Arizona

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Entertainment

Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium is quickly altering the title of its venue and social media pages in assist of Kanye West, who at present lives on the premises, to finish “DONDA”

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

Roommate, it looks like the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is completely behind Kanye West’s temporary residence in the arena to complete his album “DONDA!” The popular Atlanta venue temporarily changed its name and social media pages to support Kanye West’s efforts to complete his “DONDA” album by living on the premises.

Kanye West is known for giving fans the music they yearn for – which is why his latest decision to live on the grounds of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta until he arrives doesn’t surprise many. Album “DONDA” is ready .

To show that they’ll ride with Ye until he decides he’s ready to go, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium has temporarily changed its name on Twitter to “DONDA Studio in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium” and has an official nameplate outside the Venue.

As we reported earlier, Kanye West and his team created a studio space and living space, and hired a chef to prepare his meals while he lives in the stadium. Apparently he was so inspired by the crowd during the “DONDA” listening session on July 22nd that he decided to stay back to finalize things on his album, which now has a target release date of August 6th.

The Shade Room also received an exclusive video of Kanye working on the music for the album at the stadium.

Would you like tea right in your text inbox? Call us at 917-722-8057 or click here to join!

Sport

Aaron Rodgers explains the low season drama with Packers in a tremendous, sincere press convention

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

Finally, Aaron Rodgers speaks.

The Packers quarterback confirmed he did not want to enter the 2021 season as a “lame duck quarterback,” and given his reputation with the organization, he felt he wanted a bigger voice in the room when it came to staff and a place at the table.

Rodgers spoke for the first time after training on Wednesday:

Some highlights from Rodgers’ insightful, refreshingly honest press conference:

– The Genesis: Rodgers said his problems with the Packers this off-season began with a conversation in February in which he expressed a desire to say more about things that directly affected his job. He said nothing really developed or changed on that front, which led to a conversation later in March:

“When I thought, ‘If you can’t commit to me beyond 2021 and I don’t participate in the recruiting process at the free agency, if I’m not a part of the future instead of letting me be lame? -Duck Quarterback, if you want to take a chance and move forward then go ahead and do it, “Rodgers said.

MORE: 5 Things The Packers Can Do To Keep Aaron Rodgers Past 2021

– Rodgers said, among other things, he wanted to help the organization grow and learn from its mistakes; First and foremost, Rodgers wanted to help the organization learn from his opinion that the organization disrespected veterans en route out of Green Bay. He said he was in contact with several former packers to see how they were treated after leaving the organization.

He had a list: Charles Woodson, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, James Jones, to name a few players who were either disrespected, knocked down, or not signed on their way out of Green Bay.

Aaron Rodgers says he’s been thinking about retiring. Enjoyed out of season. But when he got back into training he realized: “I know I can still play and I still want to play.”

At the same age, Brett Favre said goodbye by saying, “I know I can play, but I don’t think I want to.”

– Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 28, 2021

– Rodgers said several times that the Packers was never about the money with the team, and while extension talks were being held, he reiterated that it wasn’t about the money, it was about the safety of the team.

– To that end, Rodgers said the organization’s lack of discussion about his future with the organization after the 2021 season bothered him and was one of the main problems he had with the organization that off-season. He wouldn’t commit to playing with the Packers after 2021, but he would keep himself open to it.

BENDER: After Aaron Rodgers got Packers up to speed, he has to deliver in 2021

– Rodgers mentions that he was seriously considering retiring several times during the offseason and would refuse to acknowledge whether or not this year would be his last with the Packers. “It’s a business – it’s an incredible opportunity to play this game – but it’s tough business,” Rodgers said.

– On Relationship with Head Coach Matt LaFleur: “I love Matt and we had a lot of fun together.” Rodgers says he was not involved in discussions about hiring LaFleur, but their relationship is strong.

– About his relationship with General Manager Brian Gutekunst: “I would say it’s professional at this point.”

– On his silence this off-season: “I didn’t want to get a piss match with this organization,” Rodgers said. He said any leaks related to the drama or rift with the team weren’t from him, including the report on the bomb trade inquiry on Night 1 of the 2021 NFL draft.

Rodgers adjusts in Green Bay for another year, maybe his last, before moving from green and gold to possibly greener pastures.

Science

One other crowd sourcing request – with that?

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

We have another article on EverythingClimate.org that could use additional review.

Comments and suggestions please on Death Valley’s 130-degree F reading is a world record

Pros: The old record of 134 degrees F in 1913 is flawed and should be discarded.

But the observation is not considered an official world record. In 2013, the World Meteorological Organization officially decertified the officially hottest temperature ever in world history, a display of 136.4 degrees Fahrenheit from Al Azizia, Libya, in 1923. (Burt was a member of the WMO team that made the determination .) The abandonment of the Libyan record was given the official world record for a measurement of 134 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley on July 10, 1913.

However, this record was heavily contested by Burt and Herrera.

“The old Death Valley record from July 1913 is 100% wrong (not just 99.9%), as are any other temperature readings of 130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher from Africa in the past,” Burt said.

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/08/death-valley-california-may-have-recorded-hottest-temp-in-world-history/

Burt wrote an extensive blog post on Weather Underground in 2016, questioning the 1913 Death Valley record, stating that the official readings of 134, 130, and 131 degrees Fahrenheit, taken on Dec. July 1913, were probably the result of an inexperienced observer. However, in order to decertify the Death Valley record of 1913, an official committee of inquiry from the World Meteorological Organization would have to be set up to investigate the matter, a year-long process for which there is currently no motivation.

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/08/death-valley-california-may-have-recorded-hottest-temp-in-world-history/

In 2012 the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) banned the temperature of 58.0 ° C (136.4 ° F), long regarded as the hottest air temperature ever recorded on earth, on September 13, 1922 in El Azizia, Libya After this record was removed from the books, the temperature of 134 ° F (56.7 ° C) recorded on July 10, 1913 at the Greenland Ranch in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California became the default the hottest air temperature in the world ever recorded. In this guest blog we will examine the credibility of this measurement. This blog is courtesy of William T. Reid, a geographer and climatologist who has been studying the desert climate of California, and in particular the temperature record in Death Valley, for around 30 years. Mr. Reid and I worked together to arrive at a reasonable conclusion as to the validity of this significant planetary weather record: It is possible to show that a temperature of 134 ° F in Death Valley was on July 10, 1913 Basically not possible from a meteorological point of view, using an officially sanctioned USWB shelter and thermometer, and following proper procedures.

https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/an-investigation-of-death-valleys-134f-world-temperature-record.html

Since the record high observations at Greenland Ranch from July 7-14, 1913 cannot be explained meteorologically, the conclusion of this investigation is that the observer, Oscar Denton, knowingly or inadvertently exaggerated the maximum temperatures during this period. This was probably the result of his lack of experience as an official USWB observer, coupled with the strong notion that the temperature measurements from the USWB instrument protection over the cooling influence of the irrigated Lucerne lawn were inadequate. Given the much higher temperatures displayed on other household thermometers on the ranch, Mr. Denton may have felt that the “official” Stevenson screen observations did not accurately reflect the extreme heat he took for granted. The July 1913 heatwave was the first for which he was “responsible” as an official COOP observer, and perhaps he was unfamiliar with measuring temperature in a controlled environment, i.e. a Stevenson screen supplied by the USWB and official equipment ( Thermometer). they accompany such. So he drew on his own experience of the heat in Death Valley and the temperatures associated with it, exaggerating the temperatures shown on the maximum thermometer to values that he thought were more realistic.

The Greenland Ranch weather station was in a very conservative location, a relatively cool place in Death Valley. If the 129 ° F to 134 ° F observations at Greenland Ranch from July 9th to 13th were authentic, then the peaks at the nearest surrounding stations during this 5-day period would have been much hotter than actually observed.

Finally, it cannot be conclusively established that Mr. Denton intentionally or unintentionally exaggerated his observations. However, it is possible to show that on July 10, 1913, Death Valley had a temperature of 134 ° F Basically not possible from a meteorological point of view using an officially sanctioned USWB shelter and thermometer and observing proper procedures. Thus, the best explanation for the July 1913 record high report (s) is an observer’s error.

https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/an-investigation-of-death-valleys-134f-world-temperature-record.html

Cons: 134 degrees in 1913 is still the official record and there is no need to change it.

According to the National Weather Service, this dispute is not an issue and 1913 holds the record. See the tweet below from July 9, 2021.

Tune in to social media and you’ll hear shouting that says, “Many forecasters believe the 1913 readings should be decertified as unreliable, just like the 2012 readings in Libya. If decertified, which is likely, this would be the new record that dwarfs last year’s measurement of 129.2 degrees F in Kuwait. “

The “many meteorologists” boil down to the opinion of Christopher Burt of popular weather website Weather Underground, who is promoting decertification based on his favorite theory that hot grains of sand in a dust storm added warmth to the thermometer bulb on July 10th. 1913. Or that there was an “observer error”. But there is no science or history to support it; it’s just an opinion.

The only way to prove the grain of sand theory would be to set up an experiment in Death Valley with a test stand on a day like this 130 ° F reading last weekend to blow grains of sand into the weather protection where the thermometer is located. You would have to use the actual sand there as sand varies greatly in size and composition. Burt wants you to believe the weather station is unreliable, but history says otherwise.

There is little doubt about the reliability of the Greenland Ranch weather station in Death Valley, California. The US Weather Bureau (now known as the US National Weather Service) established this weather station in 1911 in partnership with the company that operated the ranch. In their own words, the US Weather Bureau “carefully tested the maximum and minimum thermometers” and found that “the instrument protection at this station is the same as that used at several thousand other weather stations used by the Weather Bureau in the United States to be entertained ”. The US Weather Bureau sums it up by stating: “The extreme maximum temperature of 134 ° F recorded on July 10, 1913 is the highest natural air temperature ever measured on the surface of the earth with a standard tested thermometer exposed in a standard ventilated instrument guard became “.

https://climaterealism.com/2021/07/media-attack-the-highest-temperature-record-on-earth-in-a-ploy-to-make-present-day- Temperatures-unprcedented/

Click on any of the images above to view the history of the station. The images are from the Monthly Weather Review publication.

But here is something that the media tends to ignore. July 1913 had several days at or above 128 ° F. For Death Valley this is simply “business as usual”. In fact, in 1913, over 100 years ago of “global warming,” Death Valley’s official weather station at Greenland Ranch hit 130 ° F or higher three times in July. This was an intense stretch of hot weather from the 5th to the 14th when the high temperatures reached 125 ° F or more each day. In fact, this 10-day track is still considered to be the hottest track ever recorded in Death Valley. The hottest days during this period occurred on the 9th through the 13th when the high temperature hit at least 129 ° F, with the hottest being on July 10 when the record-breaking 134 ° F was recorded.

Here is the table of high temperature records for Death Valley. Note that the top three records occurred in July 1913. Six of the top 25 records were in July 1913. So much for Burt’s opinion of “meteorologically impossible” and “observer error”.

https://climaterealism.com/2021/07/media-attack-the-highest-temperature-record-on-earth-in-a-ploy-to-make-present-day- Temperatures-unprcedented/

Until it is decertified by the World Meteorological Organization, this “unreliable” opinion about a well-known temperature record that has been accepted for over 100 years remains completely wrong. The highest temperature of 134 ° F as the hottest ever remains a fact.

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Health

“Not clear” whether or not Covid-19 vaccine boosters are essential

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford receives Astrazeneca-Oxford Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) vaccine from pharmacist Anmol Thrush at Shoppers Drug Mart in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April 9, 2021.

Nathan Denette | Swimming pool | via Reuters

AstraZeneca is not yet sure whether a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine is needed for further protection against the virus, the company’s CEO told CNBC on Thursday.

Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe, Pascal Soriot said the company had no “exact answer” as to whether booster shots were required.

“This immunity has two dimensions – antibodies [which] decrease over time, but the second, very important dimension of vaccination is the so-called T cells. They tend to protect people from serious illness, but they also offer durability, “Soriot explained.

“With the technology we use, we have a very high production of T cells. We hope that we can have a permanent vaccine that will protect over a long period of time. So whether we need a third booster vaccination or not is not yet clear. “Only time can tell.”

T cells are a type of white blood cell that play various roles in the body’s defense against an invading virus. For example, they can attack the pathogen or help various white blood cells to produce antibodies.

Antibodies prevent viruses from entering cells, but they don’t last as long as T cells.

Soriot added that the only way to be sure if a booster dose is really needed is to watch if the vaccine’s effectiveness decreases over time.

“We know that [our vaccine] has a decrease in antibodies [over time] – We haven’t seen a drop in efficacy yet, but it’s a little early to judge, time will tell, and I hope the T cells provide this lasting, long-term protection. “

On Wednesday, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CNBC’s “The Exchange” that the company was “very, very confident” that a third dose of its vaccine would provide sufficient immunity to protect against the faster-spreading Delta variant of Covid.

Bourla’s comments came after a study found that the effectiveness of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine decreased an average of 6% every two months, and that the vaccine was most effective between a week and two months after receiving the second dose of vaccine.

Bourla also told CNBC on Wednesday that the vaccine’s effectiveness dropped to about 84% four to six months after the second dose.

Increase in vaccination income

AstraZeneca sales of its Covid-19 vaccine reached nearly $ 1.2 billion in the first half, the company said on Thursday.

Revenue from vaccine sales helped the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant increase its total first-half sales by 23% year over year to $ 15.5 billion, AstraZeneca said in its earnings report.

Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine revenue more than tripled in the second quarter from the three months before.

Excluding vaccine sales, the company’s half-year profit increased 14% from the first half of 2020.

After acquiring US pharmaceutical company Alexion, AstraZeneca updated its forecast for the year to forecast total sales to grow by a low twenties percentage. Revenue from its Covid-19 vaccine was not included in the guidelines in view of “increased risks and uncertainties from the effects of Covid-19, including the effects of potential new drugs for Covid-19 in clinical development”.

The company also indicated that fluctuations in its financial performance are expected to persist between quarters.

Nearly 4 billion shots of Covid-19 vaccines have been given globally, data collected by Bloomberg shows.

According to Our World in Data, vaccination programs have now been launched in 214 countries and territories, most of which have approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use.

Entertainment

David Beckham’s son Romeo is his mini self with matching blonde hair

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

David Beckham‘s fans love how much he looks like son Romeo Beckham on her latest photo.

On Wednesday July 28, Romeo posted a picture on Instagram relaxing on the couch while his father lays his head on the 18-year-old’s shoulder. In the picture, both guys have pale blonde hair, which makes them look more alike than ever.

The teenager simply labeled his post with a black heart emoji. In the meantime, Victoria Beckham proved that she was proud of her two boys by posting the photo on her page and adding the caption: “Family time [two-heart emoji] @davidbeckham @romeobeckham x. “

Fans were quick to point out how similar the couple looked in the comment section. “Twinning handsome guys [heart emojis]“Wrote one person. Another user wrote: “Same, but different.”

A third person said: “Romeo looks more like David than David!”

Back in May, David teased Romeo for getting rid of his longer dark locks in favor of the platinum look. In his post at the time, the 46-year-old soccer star, known for his bleached bonnet in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reminded Romeo of who did it first by writing, “Nice hair [heart emoji] @romeobeckham I wonder where you got this idea from. “

Sport

2021 NFL coaching camp – Greatest questions, roster projections for all 32 groups

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

7:00 AM ET

NFL NationESPN

NFL training camp for the 2021 season opened last week for the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, who will play in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 5. The reigning champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened camp Sunday, while the rest of the league followed Tuesday.

The NFL got back to a semi-normal offseason schedule with seven new head coaches taking over for the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.

The league will also have its first 17-game regular season schedule. It opens Sept. 9 with the the Bucs playing host to the Cowboys.

NFL Nation reporters have put together camp previews and 53-man roster projections for every team, which are linked below. The roster projections are ESPN+ content.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

How does quarterback Josh Allen take another step forward after his MVP runner-up season in 2020?

2 Related

Buffalo’s quarterback set franchise records in passing yards (4,544) and touchdowns (37) and finished second in the MVP voting to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. With all but one of his wide receivers returning, along with his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the pieces are in place for more progress in 2021. He said he wants to improve his decision-making and accuracy on in-breaking routes and throws to his left — where eight of his 10 interceptions occurred last season. Though he is dynamic as a runner, Allen can also work on his ball security this offseason, as his 23 fumbles over the past two seasons rank third behind Daniel Jones (New York Giants) and Carson Wentz (Indianapolis Colts) for the most in the NFL over that span. Read more from Marcel Louis-Jacques

Will quarterback Tua Tagovailoa make the much-hyped Year 2 jump?

In early glimpses of Tagovailoa this spring, he looked stronger physically with more zip on his throws. His wide receivers also noticed better footwork, mechanics, comfort and chemistry with them. The truth will come in training camp. Tagovailoa’s rookie season was up and down. Lasting memories are of him getting replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick twice in the fourth quarter of games. Tagovailoa is the unquestioned starter in 2021, and he is fully healthy after a year removed from a devastating hip injury while at Alabama. Read more from Cameron Wolfe

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Louis Riddick breaks down New England’s QB battle between Cam Newton and Mac Jones and why he’d love to see the rookie start against Tom Brady in Week 4.

Does Mac Jones show enough to make it a real competition with Cam Newton for the starting quarterback job?

Jones impressed players and coaches in spring practices, when the focus was more on teaching than evaluation, by keeping pace mentally and seldom making the same mistake twice. He’s established a solid foundation to compete for the top job in training camp, when it’s more about evaluation and the pace at which the team moves increases significantly. Once Jones takes the reins, it’s hard to imagine the Patriots turning back to Newton. They’re all-in at that point. So one would think if it’s close between Newton and Jones, it will tilt the needle more toward Newton. Read more from Mike Reiss

Are the Jets rushing rookie quarterback Zach Wilson into the lineup?

Yes, but it’s not like the Jets are the outliers. Four of the past eight quarterbacks drafted in the top five, dating to 2016, were opening-day starters as rookies. At this point, the Jets have no choice, as they opted not to bring in competition for Wilson. Despite a ton of first-team reps in the spring, Wilson needs seasoning. He faced a weak schedule at BYU and saw a lot of plain coverages. The coaches say he’s a sponge, and they will do everything possible to put him in quarterback-friendly situations (a run-first, play-action pass mentality), but it still amounts to on-the-job training. It will get bumpy, but the Jets are prepared to ride it out in what looms as a transition year. With low outside expectations, Wilson and the offense can grow together in 2021, setting up a long runway into 2022. Read more from Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

How much will quarterback Lamar Jackson improve as a passer?

The Ravens are hoping for a significant improvement, especially when you consider the offseason investment. Baltimore added receivers Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins. It’s more than growth in passing numbers for Jackson. It’s expanding where he throws the ball — horizontally and vertically. With Bateman and Watkins, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman said defenses will have to defend from sideline to sideline. Jackson has proven he’s a winner, leading Baltimore to the postseason in each of his three seasons. Now, surrounded by his most talented supporting cast, he needs to prove he can consistently make defenses pay for trying to stop him running. Read more from Jamison Hensley

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Chad Johnson is extremely confident Joe Burrow and the Bengals will win the AFC North this season.

How will quarterback Joe Burrow look after the knee injury?

The early returns for Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback were nothing but positive. Six months after Burrow had reconstructive left knee surgery to repair multiple ligaments, he participated in every OTA and the one-day minicamp. Burrow wore a brace, but he looked comfortable in limited participation. However, the Bengals minimized any chance of contact, and Burrow didn’t face a pass rush during offseason workouts. The true test for the 2020 top overall pick will come when he gets pressured in the pocket for the first time. And once the health questions are answered, there’s another big unknown looming over Burrow: Can he continue to make progress in Year 2 and unlock a more explosive vertical passing attack that was absent in 2020? Read more from Ben Baby

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0:46

Odell Beckham Jr. says seeing the Milwaukee Bucks win an NBA title has given him extra motivation to bring a Super Bowl to Cleveland.

Will quarterback Baker Mayfield make another leap beyond last year’s bounce-back season?

Last season, Mayfield finished in the top 10 in QBR while quarterbacking the Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years and improving throughout the season. In fact, from Week 7 to Week 15, only Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, the last two MVPs, ranked ahead of Mayfield in QBR. Mayfield now seems primed to build off the breakout campaign. This was the first offseason he didn’t have to learn a new playbook or adjust to a different head coach. He has a scheme that fits his skill set. He and coach Kevin Stefanski share a tremendous rapport. And the entire offense around him from last season returns. That continuity is a big reason why he could take another big leap. Read more from Jake Trotter

How will the Steelers replace the big-name departures, like Bud Dupree and Steven Nelson, on defense?

The Steelers found at least one of those answers just days before the start of training camp, signing former Pro Bowl edge rusher Melvin Ingram to a one-year deal. He should be expected to compete with Alex Highsmith for the starting job opposite of T.J. Watt, and there’s also the option to use him as a part of a three-man rotation at outside linebacker. His signing goes a long way to solve the depth problem presented by Dupree’s departure, giving the Steelers more flexibility at a position that also includes journeyman Cassius Marsh and sixth-round pick Quincy Roche. Read more from Brooke Pryor

AFC SOUTH

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2:11

Booger McFarland asserts it’s time for the Texans to trade Deshaun Watson because of the distractions surrounding the QB, particularly his request to be traded.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson reported to training camp. What does that mean for his future with the Texans?

Watson’s camp is waiting to hear from the NFL about his status for the 2021 season after 22 lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate behavior were filed during the offseason. Even though he has reported to training camp, he could still be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, which would mean he could not play but would be paid. Although Watson showed up to the facility to avoid the $50,000 per day fine, it probably doesn’t change much about his future with the Texans. For the majority of the offseason, Houston has had to operate as if Watson would not be their starting quarterback in 2021. They signed Tyrod Taylor and Jeff Driskel and drafted Davis Mills to plan for a future without Watson. Watson’s desire for a trade has not changed, a source told ESPN, and the Texans are willing to field offers. Read more from Sarah Barshop

Can Colts coach Frank Reich fix quarterback Carson Wentz?

All eyes will be on Wentz, who was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason. Reich, as he did with Philip Rivers in 2020, went out on a limb for the Colts to acquire Wentz. He had an MVP-caliber season before tearing his ACL in December 2017 with Reich as his offensive coordinator. Wentz is coming off a 2020 season where he was sacked 50 times, threw 16 interceptions and was benched in favor of Jalen Hurts. Wentz doesn’t have to throw for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns for 2021 to be considered successful. He simply has to be effective, and that’s something each of the Colts past three starting quarterbacks have done in their first season under Reich, who emphasizes quick throws. Andrew Luck (67.3) and Jacoby Brissett (60.9) had their highest-completion percentages under Reich, while Rivers (68.0) had the second highest of his career. Read more from Mike Wells

Rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence inherits a Jaguars team that went 1-15 in 2020. AP Photo/John Raoux

Will Trevor Lawrence be the next to surpass 4,000 yards, and can he threaten Justin Herbert’s record of 31 TD passes?

Since receiver is the Jaguars’ best position group on offense, Lawrence should at least threaten the 4,000-yard mark, but whether he becomes the fifth rookie QB in NFL history to surpass it will depend on the defense. Last season’s unit gave up the most yards and points in franchise history, and while coach Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke did a very good job rebuilding the secondary, there are still major questions about the defensive line and pass rush. If the Jaguars again find themselves trailing by double digits in the second half of games, they’ll have to rely on Lawrence pretty heavily. The TD mark seems more reachable, even if the Jaguars aren’t always chasing points, because of the addition of WR Marvin Jones Jr. and RB Travis Etienne to a group of playmakers. Read more from Mike DiRocco

What are realistic expectations for the passing game after losing Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith?

The outlook for the Titans’ passing game was uncertain before they acquired superstar wide receiver Julio Jones. Losing Davis and Smith took a total of 106 receptions, 1,432 yards, and 13 touchdowns from the offense. On the surface, those numbers seem like an insurmountable obstacle to overcome. But adding Jones to the mix provides an impact player who can really make opposing defenses pay if they decide to focus on stopping budding star receiver A.J. Brown. Like Brown, Jones is capable of breaking tackles to gain yards after the catch (Jones had 127 yards after first contact in 2019 in 15 games, tied for 18th in the NFL). That brings physicality to the passing game. Tennessee also added 6-foot-3 Josh Reynolds, giving them three big receivers who can easily play on the inside or outside depending on what matchups offensive coordinator Todd Downing wants to create. Read more from Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Can Von Miller rebound from his 2020 injury, and how does Bradley Chubb fit in?

The NFL season is just around the corner. Here are the biggest questions heading into training camp and roster projections for all 32 teams. Read more »
• Full 2021 schedule | Depth charts »
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When the Broncos selected Bradley Chubb with the fifth pick of the 2018 draft they thought the team would pile up sacks as Von Miller and Chubb terrorized quarterbacks for years to come. And in 2018 the two did combine for 26.5 sacks. But due to injuries over the past two seasons, the pair hasn’t even played in the same game since Week 4 of the 2019 season when Chubb tore an ACL against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Miller then missed last season with an ankle tendon injury he suffered just days before the regular-season opener. Miller has attacked the offseason and wants to prove he can be the dominant game-altering player he has been during his career. Chubb had ankle surgery this offseason, but he is expected to be full-go by the start of the regular season. A healthy Miller and Chubb should have enough time to get to the quarterback with a reworked secondary behind them. Read more from Jeff Legwold

Who’s the No. 2 wide receiver after the Chiefs lost Sammy Watkins to free agency?

The Chiefs had added a significant offensive threat each season since quarterback Patrick Mahomes became their starter, beginning with Watkins in 2018 and followed by Mecole Hardman and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. But that streak ended this year and at a curious time, since the Chiefs have nobody proven to replace Watkins as the No. 2 receiver behind Tyreek Hill. Hardman is the leading candidate, but it takes a leap of faith to believe he can handle the job. The Chiefs have largely resisted giving him more playing time the past two seasons when Watkins has been out of the lineup with injuries. Mahomes has seemed frustrated with Hardman at times, particularly during last year’s Super Bowl. Read more from Adam Teicher

Is it a make-or-break season for quarterback Derek Carr?

To be fair, Carr has never publicly complained about his station with the Raiders. He claimed he would “probably quit football” than play for another team, saying he’d “rather go down with the ship” if he had to. He torpedoed his own trade value with the decree, but with his contract situation, Carr, in search of another extension, might be entering a make-or-break season, even if he is coming off career highs in passing yards (4,103), passer rating (101.4) and Total QBR (71.0). The guaranteed money in the five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2017 is all paid out, and he is entering the penultimate year of the deal. And a reimagined offensive line, in the wake of center Rodney Hudson, right guard Gabe Jackson and right tackle Trent Brown all being traded away, offers a hint of apprehension. Read more from Paul Gutierrez

What does quarterback Justin Herbert need to do to build on his rookie success?

I’ve been told Herbert has been working extremely hard in his first real offseason after the COVID-19 pandemic made last offseason completely virtual. He’s exceptionally smart (was an academic Heisman winner) and dedicated to becoming great after setting an NFL rookie record with 31 touchdown passes last season. Herbert is learning another new system after the Chargers’ coaching change, but a lot of it remains from last year, and new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has been impressed. Herbert needs to have this system down, to the footwork and the calls, to the release of the ball. He didn’t have an in-person offseason last year, so he is hungry and ready to build on his 4,336 yards, in which he completed 66.6% of his passes. Read more from Shelley Smith

NFC EAST

Will running back Ezekiel Elliott rebound from a subpar season?

There is no way to sugarcoat Elliott’s 2020 season. It was far from what was expected and made worse by a high-priced contract. He had a career-low 979 yards and lost a career-high five fumbles. He had two 100-yard games. It’s too easy to count him out. The five games he played with Prescott last season might be proof, although the fumbles were troubling. He was on pace for a 1,165-yard season with Prescott on the field. In the spring, Elliott looked to be moving well. Teammates said he is in great shape and eager to show he has a lot of high-level play left in his career. Read more from Todd Archer

What should we expect from running back Saquon Barkley after his knee injury?

Speaking to people around the league and with the Giants, there doesn’t seem to be much concern about Barkley returning as a dominant player. As one general manager said at the time of his injury, “He is a Adrian Peterson-like freak.” But that doesn’t mean he will have an Adrian Peterson-like comeback season after he tore his ACL. Peterson rushed for more than 2,000 yards in 2012, and was back at 100% usage by Week 1. The Giants are going to bring Barkley along slowly. It’s possible he is not back by Week 1 or not handling anywhere near a full workload. The Giants want him to be part of the organization long term, and he has his eyes on a new contract. Rushing him back would be irresponsible. Everyone seems incentivized to play this slowly and cautiously. Read more from Jordan Raanan

Is Jalen Hurts the answer at quarterback?

Teammates often describe Hurts as a “natural leader,” and responded positively when he took the reins for the final quarter of the 2020 season in place of Carson Wentz. He had some good moments amid trying circumstances, highlighted by his performance in an upset Week 14 win against the New Orleans Saints in his first professional start. Management felt good enough about his ability to part with Wentz and set him up as the QB1 for this season. But with upwards of three first-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft, the Eagles are hedging their bets. If Hurts doesn’t bump up his passing numbers (52% completion rate, 6 TDs, 4 INT) and provide sufficient evidence he is the guy, Philadelphia is in position to use those picks to either trade for a veteran QB or move up and take one in next year’s draft. Read more from Tim McManus

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1:10

Dan Orlovsky believes WFT will win the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

Will Chase Young become a top-five edge rusher?

Perhaps not this season, but he will come close. To do so, Young must surpass players such as the 49ers’ Nick Bosa, the Chargers’ Joey Bosa, Browns’ Myles Garrett, Bears’ Khalil Mack and Steelers’ T.J. Watt, among others. That’s asking quite a bit in his second season. Young finished with 7.5 sacks last season, including four in his last six games. But here’s what some elite pass-rushers did in their first two years: Mack (four sacks to 15); T.J. Watt (seven to 13); J.J. Watt (5.5 to 20.5); Denver’s Von Miller (11.5 to 18.5). Young played through a hip injury last season while developing as a pass-rusher. He made big plays with four forced fumbles and three recoveries, including one he returned for a touchdown. He’s a driven player. Washington’s best interior pass-rusher, Matt Ioannidis, missed most of last season, so his return helps. Read more from John Keim

NFC NORTH

When will rookie quarterback Justin Fields overtake Andy Dalton?

NFL Nation reporters break down every division, plus our national staff weighs in on breakout players, fantasy stars and more.

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Sooner rather than later. The Bears are eager for Fields to emerge as a true franchise quarterback, but coach Matt Nagy insists Fields will not be rushed out there before he is ready. The Bears have waited 70-plus years to have a great quarterback, so what’s another couple of months? The Bears are confident Dalton, who performed well in the offseason program, can do the job in the short term. Nagy anointed Dalton the Week 1 starter because the veteran is light years ahead of Fields in terms of experience and proficiency within the playbook. However, the gap is likely (hopefully for the Bears) to close quickly. Best-case scenario: Dalton — and the Bears — get off to a good start, which allows Fields to develop behind the scenes until they are ready to turn him loose. The most educated guess has Fields taking over around the midway point of the season, barring an injury to Dalton, which would sabotage the entire plan. Read more from Jeff Dickerson

Can D’Andre Swift become a three-down back who breaks the Lions drought of 1,000-yard rushers?

As a rookie, Swift had to pay his dues. He played behind veteran Adrian Peterson, who led the team in 2020 with 604 rushing yards, but Swift was actually the more effective option. But now, all signs point to Swift as being “the guy” in Detroit. Swift spent much of this offseason training with Mo Wells at the House of Athlete training facility in Florida, where he focused on full-body strength and conditioning, with hopes of showing his versatility in the passing game as well. Lions running backs coach Duce Staley has also worked with the second-year back to understand coverages. Swift would become the Lions’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Reggie Bush in 2013. Read more from Eric Woodyard

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1:23

Dan Orlovsky thinks the Packers won the faceoff with Aaron Rodgers.

Now that it appears Aaron Rodgers will be back for at least one more year, how successful would a ‘Last Dance’ season be?

That all depends on how Rodgers is received. Surely, coach Matt LaFleur and his offensive staff — who were put in the unenviable position of trying to develop Jordan Love while hoping for a Rodgers return — will be thrilled. But what about the players? Will there be any locker-room backlash from other players who may feel like Rodgers has put himself above the team? And given Rodgers’ read-between-the-lines comments this offseason, it became fairly clear his beef was with upper management. So what happens when Rodgers passes GM Brian Gutekunst in the hallway or bumps into team president Mark Murphy while boarding the team charter for a road game? At best, it’s an awkward situation. At worst, it creates an uneasiness throughout the team. If all of that can be blocked out, then there’s no reason to think the Packers can’t make one more run at it with Rodgers. Read more from Rob Demovsky

What does the future hold for quarterback Kirk Cousins after the Vikings drafted Kellen Mond?

Cousins is not at risk of losing his starting status this season after the Vikings drafted Mond 66th overall. Mond, a four-year Texas A&M starter, has a long way to go before Minnesota could think about making a change at quarterback, which is why he ended up in the perfect spot given the time he’ll have to develop. Nonetheless, the Vikings have the building blocks of a contingency plan should Cousins, 32, underperform in 2021. That makes this a make-or-break season for Cousins, who has two years remaining on the $66 million extension he signed in March 2020, most of which is fully guaranteed. Read more from Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

What type of role will No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts have within the offense?

Pitts should have a dynamic role in the offense from the first game of the season. Top 5 draft picks usually see playing time early on, and in his spring workouts Pitts looked like he fit in pretty smoothly. Quarterback Matt Ryan was throwing to him often, and they were developing a rapport. He’s also a player that coach Arthur Smith is going to line up all over the field to create mismatches. That’s a staple of a Smith offense and a tenet of his entire philosophy. Having the ability to almost be positionless — Pitts is listed as a tight end but can play any tight end role, can be a fullback/H-back if need, as well as a receiver outside or in the slot — is going to be huge for what Smith wants to create.Read more from Michael Rothstein

What will a healthy Christian McCaffrey do for the offense?

• Lane Johnson’s ‘Bro Barn’
• NFL camp: Top questions, roster projections
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• What’s next for Watson and Texans?
• HOFer Flores’ impact goes beyond Raiders

Let’s forget the Panthers haven’t won their last 11 games when the most versatile back in the league was healthy. The key here is the offense is more explosive with McCaffrey, who in 2019 became the third player in NFL history to top 1,000 yards receiving and rushing in the same season. The Panthers averaged 26 points in the three games McCaffrey played last season, 20.9 points in the 13 he didn’t. For a team that lost eight games by eight or fewer points, a 5.1 differential likely cost a few wins. McCaffrey should make quarterback Sam Darnold better. He’ll give the third pick of the 2018 draft a security blanket he never had with the Jets and help improve his career 59.6 completion percentage. Read more from David Newton

Will wide reciever Michael Thomas return to form?

No matter who’s playing quarterback, this question might be even more important to the Saints’ prognosis. Thomas missed nine games last season with a nagging ankle injury that he suffered in Week 1 and never fully returned to form while catching his only touchdown pass in the playoffs. The Saints have huge question marks in the passing game after releasing veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders and tight ends Jared Cook and Josh Hill during a salary-cap purge this offseason. So they desperately need Thomas to get back as close as possible to the form that earned him the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award in 2019, when he shattered the league record with 149 receptions. The Saints didn’t hold any traditional practice sessions in the spring, so we have to wait for camp to see how healthy he looks. Read more from Mike Triplett

How is Tom Brady’s surgically repaired knee progressing? Will he have any limitations in camp?

Brady showed no signs of injury during the Bucs’ three-day mandatory minicamp and participated in everything except blitz periods, as coach Bruce Arians didn’t want an overzealous defender turning the corner and inadvertently bumping into him. But teammates have said they don’t even notice the injury. “It’s a little weird because you hear about it in the media and stuff like that, but as far as day-to-day, any time we’re throwing with him it doesn’t feel like a thing that he recently had, like an operation or whatever,” wide receiver Chris Godwin said. “We don’t think about it. If we see him out there then he’s physically able to go and he does a really good job, which is being a professional coming ready to bring his A-game.” Brady’s wearing the knee sleeve, his footwork looks pristine, and he’s taking a ton of reps. We’ll know he’s fully healed though when he stays in for blitz periods and is throwing a bit more on the move. Read more from Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

How effective will J.J. Watt be in the Cardinals’ defense?

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s scheme will give Watt — signed as a free agent this offseason — opportunities to blitz and rush the passer. That’s the way Watt prefers to play. Plus, Watt will have Chandler Jones on the opposite side, which will open up one-on-one opportunities. Jones is coming off a biceps injury that ended his season in Week 5, and he’s focused on returning to 2019 form, when he had 19 sacks. He’s been posting his workouts on social media and looks like he’s in some of the best shape of his career. If that translates to the field, then his production will force teams to decide who to double team: him or Jones. Read more from Josh Weinfuss

Is Matthew Stafford the quarterback that coach Sean McVay needs to make his offense go?

The Rams’ offense has been in steady decline following a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, and the hope is Stafford will be the catalyst in turning it around with his leadership, throwing ability and experience. Through 12 seasons in Detroit, Stafford became the all-time leader in every meaningful Lions passing category but did not win a playoff game in three appearances. In L.A., Stafford will not only be able to rely on his own talent, but his arrival has injected energy into McVay as a playcaller. Stafford will be surrounded by playmakers, including receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and DeSean Jackson and tight end Tyler Higbee, but there could be depth issues in the backfield. Read more from Lindsey Thiry

How soon can rookie Trey Lance be ready to play and push Jimmy Garoppolo for the starting quarterback job?

The Niners have no timeline for Lance to start, and there’s no need to do it any time soon. Coach Kyle Shanahan said if Lance turns it into a competition with Garoppolo then he’s OK letting that play out to a natural conclusion. In other words, San Francisco is prepared to have Garoppolo as the starter and allow Lance time to get settled in before asking too much of him. But there are signs Lance can be ready sooner than expected. Lance had a lot of responsibilities at North Dakota State, which runs a pro-style offense with some concepts similar to what Shanahan does. That should help him adapt. Make no mistake, Shanahan’s playbook is a different animal, but Lance has proved a fast learner and capable of making a run at the starting job. Read more from Nick Wagoner

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2:39

Dan Orlovsky examines the Seahawks’ path to a Super Bowl and concludes they have the talent to win again with Russell Wilson.

Does Seahawks GM John Schneider have another big summer trade up his sleeve?

He’s made one in three of the last four years — Sheldon Richardson in 2017, Jadeveon Clowney in 2019 and Adams last year. And that’s not counting the trades he made at the deadline for Duane Brown in 2017 and Carlos Dunlap II last October. The man is not afraid to take a big swing. If he takes another one, cornerback is the most logical target. Schneider knows that it’s the Seahawks’ iffiest position group with no established blue-chip talent. Stephon Gilmore would fit the bill, but that would presumably require a new deal for an over-30 player in addition to whatever draft capital Seattle would have to give up. Read more from Brady Henderson

Science

A New Plan to Seek for Extraterrestrial Artifacts at Earth and Throughout the Photo voltaic System

Post author By Mans Life Daily
Post date July 29, 2021

On October 19th, 2017, astronomers made the first-ever detection of an interstellar object (ISO) in our Solar System. This body, named 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), was spotted shortly after it flew by Earth on its way to the outer Solar System. Years later, astronomers are still hypothesizing what this object could have been (an interstellar “dust bunny,” hydrogen iceberg, nitrogen icebergs), with Harvard Prof. Abraham Loeb going as far as to suggest that it might have been an extraterrestrial solar sail.

Roughly three years later, interest in extraterrestrial visitors has not subsided, in part because of the release of the Pentagon report on the existence of “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.” This prompted Loeb and several of his fellow scientists to form the Galileo Project, a multi-national, multi-institutional research team dedicated to bringing the search for Extraterrestrial Technological Civilizations (ETC) into the mainstream.

On Monday, July 26th, the Project was officially announced via a live stream presentation that kicked off at 12:00 PM EST (09:00 AM PST). The event was hosted by Michael Wall, a senior writer at Space.com and the author of “Out There” (2018), which deals with humanity’s ongoing search for alien life. Co-hosting the event and leading its Q&A session was Faye Flam, a journalist and science writer with Science Magazine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9VwS6VAA3w

Throughout the conference, Loeb and Project co-founder Dr. Frank Laukien explained the purpose and inspiration behind this new project. Consistent with the approach of Galileo Galilee, Loeb and Laukien state that their Project will conduct a scientific and “agnostic” search for indications of ETCs by (as they describe it) “Daring to Look Through New Telescopes” (more on that below).

A Brave Theory

In addition to being the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University, Loeb is also the Director of Harvard’s Institute for Theory and Computation (ITC), the Founding Director of the Black Hole Initiative (BHI), and the Chair of the Breakthrough Starshot Advisory Committee. In 2018, he and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Shmuel Bialy released a study titled “Could Solar Radiation Pressure Explain ‘Oumuamua’s Peculiar Acceleration?“ which detailed their controversial theory.

In it, Bialy and Loeb argued that ‘Oumuamua’s profile, orbital behavior, and sudden acceleration away from our Sun was not consistent with any known natural object. Instead, they showed that all of these parameters could be explained if ‘Oumuamua was actually a lightsail, a spacecraft that relies on a highly reflective surface and radiation pressure for propulsion (similar in concept to a solar sail).

This was followed by numerous papers that further investigated the possibility and showed that ‘Oumuamua’s behavior was consistent with that of a lightsail. In his 2020 book, Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth, Loeb further detailed the research he and his colleagues performed that led them to this theory and his ongoing attempts to get the scientific community to take this possibility seriously.

As Loeb summarized in a press statement released concurrently with the conference:

“In 2017, the world for the first time observed an interstellar object, called ‘Oumuamua, that was briefly visiting our solar system. Based on astronomical observations, ‘Oumuamua turned out to have highly anomalous properties that defy well-understood natural explanations.

“We can only speculate whether ‘Oumuamua may be explained by never seen before natural explanations, or by stretching our imagination to ‘Oumuamua perhaps being an extraterrestrial technological object, similar to a very thin light-sail or communications dish, which would fit the astronomical data rather well.”

Throughout it all, one possibility that Loeb kept coming back to was the potential to send missions to intercept such objects in the future. The mere fact that ‘Oumuamua was detected showed considerable promise, even though it was spotted on its way out of the Solar System. The observation of the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov about a year later further bolstered the case for an intercept mission.

As Loeb himself has indicated in a series of studies, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (VRO) and similar survey telescopes will be able to do that very thing when they become operational. In particular, it is anticipated that when the VRO commences its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), it will be able to detect ISOs entering our Solar System at a rate of a few per month.

Cockpit video showing an anomalous aerial encounter in 2015. Credit: US Navy

Loeb also emphasized how the detection of ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov validated theories about how common ISOs are. In fact, research conducted by multiple astrophysicists indicated that (on average) 7 ISOs pass through our Solar System every year, and hundreds of them could still be here. In fact, according to one research study, it is even possible that there is an entire orbit in the outer Solar System populated by nothing but ISOs.

If there is even a remote possibility that a tiny fraction of these objects are ‘Oumuamua-like in nature (that is to say, possibly artificial), then studying these objects would be a tremendous boon for humanity. With relative ease and little expense, we would finally have proof that intelligent civilizations with advanced technology (and likely predate our existence by eons or more) exist in our galaxy.

I’m not Saying it was Aliens…

Loeb also strongly emphasized how their efforts were spurred on by the recent release of the “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). This report details the many UAP sitings that have taken place in the US and the many government-led investigations that have been conducted into this phenomenon.

While news of the report’s release certainly triggered a great deal of excitement and speculation from the general public, the report is very clear that there was “wide variability in the reports” and that the datasets were too poor to support conclusions or “allow for detailed trend or pattern analysis.” In response, Loeb explained how this emphasizes the need for investigations that are led by the scientific community:

“After the recent release of the ODNI report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), the scientific community needs the determination to systematically, scientifically and transparently look for potential evidence of extraterrestrial technological equipment. The impact of any discovery of extraterrestrial technology on science, our technology, and on our entire world view, would be enormous.”

Galileo facing the Roman Inquisition. Credit: De Agostini Picture Library/U. Marzani/Bridgeman Images

The release of this report has also triggered additional interest in UAPs and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In fact, Loeb noted that since the existence of the Galileo Project first became known, Harvard University has received $1.75 million in donations that they have been able to put towards their research goals. Ultimately, the Project will span years and require a great deal more funding, but $1.75 million is not a bad start!

Galileo and Fermi

During the conference, Loeb welcomed his friend and Project co-founder Frank Laukien. Dr. Laukien is the CEO of Bruker Corporation, a manufacturer of scientific instruments for molecular and materials research and industrial applications. He is also a Visiting Scholar with Harvard’s Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology and (like Loeb) a member of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative (HOLI).

Laukien also indicated that beyond his expertise in the fields of biochemistry and astrobiology, his role on the Project is to be the “resident skeptic.” To illustrate, using points often raised in the context of the Fermi Paradox, Laukien explained why finding ETCs could be far more difficult than imagined:

“Just consider, you might think that in our Solar System, on Earth, there is one intelligent species and civilization – so that’s one for one – so that seemed like it’s pretty likely. But then again, on Earth, in the four billion years of life, there have been (or are today) about 100 million species and only one out of [those] has built a civilization. Also, if you think of time, astronomically, life on Earth is almost four billion years old, but our species is only 200,000 years old.

“And only for 10,000 years, since the last Ice Age, have we had something like a civilization. And finally, only in the last hundred years or so, have we been able to send out radar signals. So that, if some other civilization has a SETI program, their search for extraterrestrial intelligence, only in the last hundred years have we sent out signals.”

In short, Faulkien’s position is that while life may be ubiquitous in our galaxy, intelligent life may not. And even if there are multiple civilizations out there that we could communicate with right now, there are numerous astrophysical barriers and issues of timing that get in the way. This represents the counterpoint to Loeb’s own arguments about the likelihood of intelligence predating our own.

In true Fermi Paradox fashion, Loeb argued a combination of statistical likelihoods and the Copernican Principle:

“We now know from the Kepler satellite data that about half (plus or minus a quarter) of Sun-like stars have an Earth-like planet. Meaning an Earth-sized planet, roughly the same separation from the host star. So out of modesty, we should assume that under similar circumstances, we might get similar outcomes.

“In tens of billions of other systems within the Milky Way Galaxy, we can no longer ignore the possibility that technological civilizations predated us, and that we are not the most intelligent kid on our cosmic block. Most stars formed billions of years before the Sun. We know that by observing star formation in the Universe.

“Therefore, there was enough time for another technological civilization – just one – that is more advanced than ours to fill the Milky Way Galaxy with probes. With objects, because a billion years is enough time to travel across the Milky Way and basically populate it with artificial intelligence systems that perhaps, combined with 3D printers, can replicate themselves.”

As he explained, they decided to name the Project after famed Renaissance astronomer Galileo Galilee because of the symmetry between his rigorous testing of the heliocentric model and the search for ETCs. This is a theme that Loeb alluded to several times in his book, claiming that the resistance he has experienced from the public and the scientific community bears a resemblance to the resistance Galileo faced in his time.

According to the popular legend, after Galileo was forced to publicly recanted his views and state that the Earth did not move around the Sun, Galileo allegedly muttered the rebellious phrase, “And yet it moves” (Latin: “Eppur si muove“). According to Laukien, the same basic defiance to conventional thinking is at the heart of their Project:

“I find it amusing that according to the popular legend… even when prosecuted [Galileo] muttered the rebellious phrase, “And yet it moves,” referring to Earth moving around the Sun, of course. And Avi, in his wonderful book, Extraterrestrial, a few times has made the rebellious phrase, “And yet it accelerated.”

“That was, of course, referring to ‘Oumuamua, the interstellar unknown object for which we don’t know if it has natural or extraterrestrial explanations. But in some ways, the extraterrestrial explanations, which are only plausible, not approved, are the least unsatisfactory.”

Laukien went on to explain how another popular legend involving Galileo inspired their Project. In the course of advocating the Copernican model of the Universe (aka. heliocentrism), Galileo encountered resistance from religious authorities and scientists alike who preferred the Ptolemaic (geocentric) model. When he offered to show them the observational evidence and even gave them the chance to see for themselves, they refused.

Artist’s impression of the interstellar object, `Oumuamua, experiencing outgassing as it leaves our Solar System. Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, ESO, M. Kornmesser

“There were philosophers and allegedly perhaps even the Pope himself at the time who refused to look through new and improved Galileo’s telescope,” he said. “They said, ‘we know already the Earth is at the center of the Universe, we will not look through your telescope.’ And we do not want to repeat that mistake. We want to take an agnostic scientific look through the telescope.”

Goals and Instruments

As Loeb explained in the course of the conference, the Galileo Project will have three major avenues of research. They include:

Obtain High-resolution, Multi-detector UAP Images, Discover their Nature:
For this aspect of their research, Loeb and his colleagues will employ advanced algorithmic approaches that leverage Artificial Intelligence/Deep Learning (AI/DL) to differentiate atmospheric phenomena (i.e., birds, balloons, commercial or consumer drones) from potential technological objects that could be extraterrestrial in origin. The devices employed will also attempt to capture megapixel-quality images that could discern millimeter-scale features.

Search for and In-Depth Research on ‘Oumuamua-like Interstellar Objects:
The research group will also utilize existing and future astronomical surveys, such as the aforementioned Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (VRO), to discover and monitor the properties of interstellar visitors. In addition, they will conceptualize and design (potentially in collaboration with space agencies or space ventures) a launch-ready space mission to intercept ISOs as they approach the Sun.

Search for Potential ETC Satellites:
The Project will use the same advanced algorithms and AI/DL object recognition and fast filtering methods to search for potential extraterrestrial satellites in orbit of Earth. This will initially be done using ground-based observatories but will eventually rely on orbital telescopes as well.

Artist’s impression of Breakthrough Starshot. Credit: Breakthrough Initiatives

Loeb and his colleagues also plan to create a network of smaller telescopes equipped with high-contrast imaging cameras. Each will be part of a detector array that will rely on conventional radar, Doppler radar, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar, or high-resolution visible and infrared band detection. These arrays will be orthogonal and complementary in nature, observing different parts of the spectrum to ensure full-scale coverage.

Amir Siraj, a former graduate student who studied under Loeb, is the Director of Interstellar Object Studies for the Galileo Project – as well as the youngest laureate in the category of science for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Siraj shared some details of what this network will look like with Universe Today via email:

“We are interested in building a network of fast-slewing sub-meter telescopes connected to wide-field cameras. Real-time signal processing, powered by artificial intelligence, will deliver slewing commands to the telescope, based on the appearance of objects of interest captured by the wide-field camera.

“If we reach a significantly higher level of funding, we will be interested in constructing an interstellar object intercept mission. One form this could take is a compact solar sail, parked at a Lagrange point and capable of unfurling and chasing down an interstellar object if a suitable target is identified.”

The Time Has Come

In summary, Loeb indicated that the Project also owes its inception to the thousands of extrasolar planets that have been discovered in recent years. To date, 4,438 exoplanets have been confirmed in 3,290 star systems, with another 7,605 candidates still awaiting confirmation. However, it is the terrestrial exoplanets (aka. “Earth-like”) ones that orbit within their parent stars’ circumsolar Habitable Zone (HZ) that are of particular interest.

Artist’s impression of how an Earth-like exoplanet might look. Credit: ESO.

While only 165 terrestrial planets have been discovered that are similar in size to Earth, next-generation observatories like the James Webb and Nancy Grace Roman space telescopes are anticipated to find many more. These discoveries suggest that life as we know it could be ubiquitous in the cosmos. For all of these reasons, says Loeb, the Galileo Project is an idea whose time has come:

“Given the recently discovered abundance of habitable-zone exoplanets, with potential for extraterrestrial life, the Galileo Project is dedicated to the proposition that humans can no longer ignore the possible existence of ETCs. Science should not reject potential extraterrestrial explanations because of social stigma or cultural preferences that are not conducive to the scientific method of unbiased, empirical inquiry. We now must ‘dare to look through new telescopes’, both literally and figuratively.”

Since he first proposed it, Prof. Loeb’s explanation for ‘Oumuamua has garnered a great deal of controversy, support, and even ridicule from the scientific community. Time and again, Loeb responded by showing that his hypothesis fits the facts and stressed how the existence of ETCs – and that they could be buzzing our Solar System from time to time – is a possibility that needs to be taken seriously.

If nothing else, the Galileo Project represents a determined effort to transfer the study of UAPs from government and military entities to the scientific community. Rather than being treated as a matter of national security (which is to say, clandestine and secretive in nature), the research into these phenomena needs to be performed with a commitment to openness and transparency.

In this respect, the Galileo Project is not unlike Breakthrough Listen and many other efforts that have benefitted from a combination of public support, premier facilities, and the best scientific minds in the businesses. And much like how the growth of the commercial space industry (aka. NewSpace) has energized space exploration, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is also benefiting from citizen science, public engagement, and public-private partnerships.

For more information on the Galileo Project or to be apprised of updates, check out their home page at Harvard University. In the meantime, you can watch the full public announcement here:

Further Reading: The Galileo Project, Harvard Projects

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