Heaviest element yet detected in an exoplanet atmosphere
Using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), astronomers have discovered the heaviest element ever found in an exoplanet atmosphere—barium. They were surprised to discover barium at high altitudes in the atmospheres o.....»»
One half of this wild exoplanet reaches temperatures of 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit
On the planet WASP-39 b, one side is in perpetual morning and the other is in perpetual evening......»»
Scientists replicate enzyme that captures carbon
Scientists from King's College London have recreated the active site of Acetyl-CoA Synthase, an enzyme involved in capturing carbon from the atmosphere. The research, carried out in collaboration with Imperial College London, advances our understandi.....»»
Observations detect a nearby hypervelocity stellar/substellar object
Using the Keck II telescope, astronomers have detected an object that may be a brown dwarf or a low-mass star, exhibiting a very high radial velocity. The object, designated CWISE J124909.08+362116.0 is located some 400 light years away. The finding.....»»
Exoplanet-hunting telescope to begin search for another Earth in 2026
Europe's next big space mission—a telescope that will hunt for Earth-like rocky planets outside of our solar system—is on course to launch at the end of 2026......»»
Discovery alert: With six new exoplanets, 5,500 discovery milestone passed
On Aug. 24, 2023, more than three decades after the first confirmation of planets beyond our own solar system, scientists announced the discovery of six new exoplanets, stretching that number to 5,502. From zero exoplanet confirmations to more than 5.....»»
Scientists add the human element to long-term flood predictions
To better predict long-term flooding risk, scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a 3D modeling framework that captures the complex dynamics of water as it flows across the landscape. The framework seeks to p.....»»
Exoplanet caught in "hairpin turn" signals how high-mass gas giants form
Astronomers have discovered a planet that has the most oblong orbit ever found among transiting planets. The exoplanet's extreme circuit—which looks closer to a cucumber than a circle—follows one of the most drastically stretched-out orbits of al.....»»
Astronomers detect dozens of new pulsating white dwarfs
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have detected 32 new bright pulsating DA white dwarfs of the ZZ Ceti subclass. The finding was reported in a research paper published July 9 on the pre-print server arXiv......»»
How to clean your computer monitor — the right way
Sometimes your computer monitor gets dirty. Here are tips on how to clean your screen and keep it clean. The vital element in monitor cleaning is patience......»»
Studies investigate the impact of agriculture on air quality in Lombardy
In the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, researchers in northern Italy noticed that notwithstanding the partial suspension of travel and industrial production in the region, the level of particulate matter in the atmosphere remained high......»»
Webb investigates eternal sunrises, sunsets on distant world
Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have finally confirmed what models have previously predicted: An exoplanet has differences between its eternal morning and eternal evening atmosphere. WASP-39 b, a giant planet with a diameter 1.3 time.....»»
Minneapolis is on the leading edge of biochar, a carbon sequestering material full of promise and still under research
Minneapolis is on track to become one of the first U.S. cities to invest in biochar, a multifunctional, charcoal-like material said to help grow bigger plants, reduce storm water runoff and remove carbon from the atmosphere......»»
How astronomers are using pulsars to observe evidence of dark matter
Tantalizing evidence of potential dark matter objects has been detected with the help of the universe's "timekeepers." These pulsars—neutron stars which rotate and emit lighthouse-like beams of radio waves that rapidly sweep through space—were us.....»»
Caught in the actinium: New research could help design better cancer treatments
The element actinium was first discovered at the turn of the 20th century, but even now, nearly 125 years later, researchers still don't have a good grasp on the metal's chemistry. That's because actinium is only available in extremely small amounts.....»»
Nearby exoplanet could be first known ocean world: Webb telescope
A planet relatively close to Earth could be the first ever detected with a potentially life-sustaining liquid ocean outside our Solar System, according to scientists using the James Webb space telescope......»»
SpaceX rocket accident leaves company"s Starlink satellites in wrong orbit
A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company's internet satellites in an orbit so low that they're doomed to fall through the atmosphere and burn up......»»
Complex impact of large wildfires on ozone layer dynamics unveiled
In a revelation that highlights the fragile balance of our planet's atmosphere, scientists from China, Germany, and the U.S. have uncovered an unexpected link between massive wildfire events and the chemistry of the ozone layer. Published in Science.....»»
AI model harnesses physics to autocorrect remote sensing data
Turbulence, temperature changes, water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and other gases absorb, reflect, and scatter sunlight as it passes through the atmosphere, bounces off the Earth's surface, and is collected by a sensor on a remote sensing.....»»
Scientists find new way global air churn makes particles
You can think of our atmosphere as a big chemistry set, a global churn of gaseous molecules and particles that constantly bounce off and change each other in complicated ways. While the particles are very small, often less than 1% of the thickness of.....»»
Melting high-mountain glaciers would release greenhouse gases into atmosphere, suggest scientists
The retreat of high mountain glaciers has accelerated since the 1980s, resulting in increased glacier runoff. However, it remains uncertain whether melting mountain glaciers enhance or release greenhouse gases, and whether areas exposed to glacier re.....»»