Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may be light on oxygen, lowering habitability hopes
New research pours cold water on the likelihood of Europa being habitable, as it seems that the moon produces less oxygen than previously thought......»»
Does the Milky Way have too many satellite galaxies?
The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are well-known satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, but there are more. It is surrounded by at least 61 within 1.4 million light years (for context the Andromeda galaxy is 2.5 million light years away) but there.....»»
Spectral evidence found for Dirac spinons in a kagome lattice antiferromagnet
A new study, published in a recent issue of Nature Physics, sheds light on the long-anticipated emergence of quasiparticles, akin to the famous Dirac particles obeying the relativistic Dirac equation. These quasiparticles, known as Dirac spinons, wer.....»»
Protein assembly research shows molecular roll of the dice delivers winning combinations
Australian researchers have shed light on the shape-shifting capabilities of protein assemblies, with results that could revolutionize fields from biomanufacturing to vaccine development......»»
Solar storm puts on brilliant light show across the globe, but no serious problems reported
A powerful solar storm put on an amazing skyward light show across the globe overnight but has caused what appeared to be only minor disruptions to the electric power grid, communications and satellite positioning systems......»»
The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky: How a researcher used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way
What did our ancestors think when they looked up at the night sky? All cultures ascribed special meaning to the sun and the moon, but what about the pearly band of light and shadow we call the Milky Way?.....»»
Saturday Citations: Dietary habits of humans; dietary habits of supermassive black holes; saving endangered bilbies
The onset of solar maximum has resulted in severe geomagnetic storms, with the possibility of aurora borealis events this weekend as far south as the northern United States. Do not be alarmed if you see awesome displays of light over your neighborhoo.....»»
Apple inching closer to ChatGPT deal with OpenAI
Talks between Apple and OpenAI have advanced so far, that a deal is reportedly close to completion that may bring ChatGPT generative AI technology to iOS 18 in some fashion.ChatGPT is in the App Store nowA report published late on Friday is light on.....»»
How the Moon got a makeover
The Moon's former surface sank to the depths, until volcanism brought it back. Enlarge (credit: NASA Goddard/ASU) Our Moon may appear to shine peacefully in the night sky, but billions of years ago, it was given a facial.....»»
Apple set to deliver AI assistant for transcribing, summarizing meetings and lectures
Apple later this year hopes to make real-time audio transcription and summarization available system-wide on many of its devices, as the iPhone maker looks to harness the power of AI in delivering efficiency boosts to several of its core applications.....»»
Scientists unlock key to breeding "carbon gobbling" plants with a major appetite
The discovery of how a critical enzyme "hidden in nature's blueprint" works sheds new light on how cells control key processes in carbon fixation, a process fundamental for life on Earth......»»
Harnessing breadfruit starch for bioethanol production
In a bid to address the growing demand for renewable energy, a team of scientists has turned to an unlikely source—the humble breadfruit. A recent study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts has shed light on the bioprocessing of.....»»
Hubble Space Telescope glimpses spiral galaxy UGC 9684
The celestial object showcased in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is the spiral galaxy UGC 9684, which lies around 240 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. This image shows an impressive example of several.....»»
Parity-time symmetry: Unlocking faster and stronger optical signal processing
In the era of big data, signal processing faces significant challenges in terms of capacity and energy consumption due to the torrent of data to process. With over 90% of data transmitted through light, optical signal processing may offer unprecedent.....»»
Researchers shed new light on carboxysomes in key discovery that could boost photosynthesis
A research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has discovered how carboxysomes—carbon-fixing structures found in some bacteria and algae—work. The breakthrough could help scientists redesign and repurpose the st.....»»
Rolling with the punches: How mantis shrimp defend against high-speed strikes
Mantis shrimp are small creatures known for their superlatives. Their eyes have 12 to 16 different color receptors versus our own three, and can detect the polarization of light. Their punches are famously fast, accelerating on par with a 22-caliber.....»»
NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission
The damage to the Orion capsule from the Artemis I mission is already top of mind for NASA as it works to make the Artemis II mission safe for humans. But a new agency report has revealed the extent of the problem, including scores of cracks in Orion.....»»
Researchers harness blurred light to 3D-print high-quality optical components
Canadian researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called blurred tomography that can rapidly produce microlenses with commercial-level optical quality. The new method may make it easier and faster to design and fabricate a variety of optic.....»»
New rhizobia-diatom symbiosis solves long-standing marine mystery
Nitrogen is an essential component of all living organisms. It is also the key element controlling the growth of crops on land, as well as the microscopic oceanic plants that produce half the oxygen on our planet. Atmospheric nitrogen gas is by far t.....»»
White Sands propulsion team tests 3D-printed Orion engine component
When the Orion spacecraft carries the first Artemis crews to the moon and back, it will rely on the European Service Module contributed by ESA (European Space Agency) to make the journey. The service module provides electrical power generation, propu.....»»
Webb presents best evidence to date for rocky exoplanet atmosphere
Researchers using NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope may have detected an atmosphere surrounding 55 Cancri e, a rocky exoplanet 41 light-years from Earth. This is the best evidence to date for a rocky planet atmosphere outside our solar system......»»