An adult male brown knot spider (Latrodectus geometricus). Credit: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Invasive brown widow spiders on three continents were heavily infected with a single strain of Rhabdochlamydia, a bacterium related to major human and animal pathogens including chlamydia. However, a bite from these spiders will not infect humans with chlamydia. Until now, … Read more
L1527 and Protostar (MIRI image). Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute The cosmos seems to come to life with a crackling explosion of pyrotechnics in this new image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Taken with Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), this fiery hourglass marks the scene of a very young object in the process of becoming … Read more
A GROUP of scientists from the UK and Switzerland have created what they claim is the most difficult maze ever designed. The team, led by physicist Felix Flicker from the University of Bristol, generated pathways called irregular repeating patterns. A group of physicists has created the toughest maze ever — and it has important implications … Read more
Image shows a Hamiltonian cycle (visited atoms not shown). Credit: University of Bristol In new research, physicists have harnessed the power of chess to design a series of intricate mazes that could eventually be used to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Their unique labyrinthine creations, inspired by the knight’s moves on a … Read more
Diagram of H3+ production in Jupiter. Aurora H3+ emission near the magnetic poles is caused by precipitating electrons, and extreme UV radiation from the sun irradiates the day side and dominates H3+ production near the equator. No significant H3+ is expected at low latitudes on the nightside, making it an ideal DM signal area. Credit: … Read more
The team’s on-chip levitation platform. a, The top optical layer consists of two orthogonal pairs of split single-mode optical fibers. One of the pairs (along y) creates a standing wave at λy = 1,550 nm, while the second pair (along x) creates a standing wave at λx = 1,064 nm. The distances between the fibers … Read more
A group of sheep. Credit: INRAE - Sophie Normant Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique often used to study the brains of sheep. Until now, it was only performed under general anesthesia, to ensure the immobility of the animal. However, anesthesia leads to stress and other negative side effects, in addition to jeopardizing the … Read more
VLITE 340 MHz image of GLIMPSE-C01 from February 27, 2021. The clean beam is shown as a white ellipse in the lower left corner and has dimensions of 5 0 × 4 7 with a position angle of 52°. The cross indicates the central position of GLIMPSE-C01. The dashed white circle shows the core radius … Read more
Photo: Anna Kukekova, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Domesticated animals play a prominent role in our society, with two-thirds of American families enjoying the companionship of pets and many others relying on animal products for their dietary needs. But the process of domestication remains somewhat of a mystery. Convincing wild animals that they are safe enough … Read more
Theoretical computer scientists John Kallaugher, left, and Ojas Parekh find tasks where quantum computers outperform regular computers, a concept called quantum advantage, at Sandia National Laboratories. Credit: Craig Fritz As the hare learned from the tortoise, speed isn’t everything. Theoretical computer scientists from Sandia National Laboratories and Boston University have discovered that quantum computers are … Read more