The Goldstone Solar System Radar, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, made these observations of the recently discovered 150-meter-wide asteroid 2024 MK, which made its closest approach — within about 295,000 kilometers of Earth — on June 29. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Deep Space Network’s Goldstone planetary radar had a busy few days observing asteroids 2024 MK … Read more
The half-radius of the Milky Way compared to that of local disk galaxies. Credit: Nature Astronomy (2024). DOI file: 10.1038/s41550-024-02315-7 A small team of astronomers from the University of Yunnan, the University of Utah, New Mexico State University and the University of St. Andrews has developed a new model of the Milky Way based on … Read more
The exposure-corrected image of SPT J2031. Credit: Diwanji et al., 2024. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray spacecraft, astronomers from the University of Alabama in Huntsville have observed a merging cluster of galaxies known as SPT-CLJ 2031-4037. They discovered a rarely seen strong shock front in this cluster of galaxies. The finding was reported in a research … Read more
This figure shows the synthesis of metallic 1D mirror twin boundaries via Van der Waals epitaxial growth (top) and the large 2D semiconductor integrated circuit constructed from these boundaries (bottom). By controlling the crystal structure of molybdenum disulfide at the atomic level using Van der Waals epitaxial growth, metallic 1D mirror twin boundaries were freely … Read more
A group of scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago recently discovered fossilized grape seeds that could provide a link between dinosaurs and the many types of wine available today. The South American study found nine new fossil grape species that are at least 19 million years old. The oldest species was found in a … Read more
Camera trap footage in Udzungwa. From left to right: Female leopard, hyena, male leopard. Credit: Rasmus W. Havmøller Who is stronger? A lone leopard or the cackling of hyenas? And who can best handle people? Researchers from the University of Copenhagen studied this closely in a large East African nature reserve surrounded by rural settlements. … Read more
Laser light passing through the transparent crystal and exciting the thorium core. Credit: James Terhune, Hudson Group, UCLA For nearly 50 years, physicists have dreamed of unlocking the secrets of increasing the energy state of the nucleus of an atom using a laser. This achievement would make it possible to replace today’s atomic clocks with … Read more
This still from the simulation shows a supermassive black hole, or quasar, surrounded by a swirling disk of material called an accretion disk. Credit: Caltech/Phil Hopkins group A team of astrophysicists led by Caltech has for the first time successfully simulated the journey of primordial gas from the early universe to the stage where it … Read more
The tiny roundworm C. elegans is the subject of a new study examining 3’UTRs. These short segments of RNA play a crucial role in regulating genes. The resulting map, the product of 20 years of research, is the most complete dataset of its kind for any animal and will help advance our understanding of gene … Read more
Credit: Harrison Haines from Pexels The remarkable aurora in early May of this year showed the power that solar storms can emit as radiation, but every now and then the sun does something much more destructive. These explosions of protons, which come directly from the sun’s surface and are known as “solar particle events,” can … Read more