Mercury Could Be Littered With Diamonds
Scientists think the diminutive planet’s surface could be covered with space gems, thanks to an abundance of carbon and pressure from colliding asteroids......»»
See the gorgeous images of Mercury taken by BepiColombo
The European Space Agency's BepiColombo spacecraft recently made a close flyby of Mercury, and it snapped some stunning pictures along the way......»»
BepiColombo"s best images yet highlight fourth Mercury flyby
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has successfully completed its fourth of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury, capturing images of two special impact craters as it uses the little planet's gravity to steer itself on course to enter orbit around Merc.....»»
Fourth Mercury flyby begins BepiColombo"s new trajectory
Teams from across ESA and industry have worked continuously over the past four months to overcome a glitch that prevented BepiColombo's thrusters from operating at full power. The ESA/JAXA mission is still on track, with a new trajectory that will ta.....»»
Q&A: Scientist discusses the MESSENGER mission to Mercury
Twenty years ago, the MESSENGER mission revolutionized our understanding of Mercury. We sat down with project head and former Carnegie Science director Sean Solomon to talk about how the mission came together and the groundbreaking work it enabled......»»
California legislature passes controversial “kill switch” AI safety bill
Governor will balance worries about "over-regulation" with calls from AI luminaries. Enlarge / California governor Gavin Newsom will likely soon face a decision on whether to sign SB-1047. (credit: Ray Chavez/The Mercury News via.....»»
"Mercury bomb" threatens millions as Arctic temperatures rise, study warns
The Yukon River flows west across Alaska toward the Bering Sea, eroding Arctic permafrost along its banks and transporting sediment downstream. Within that sediment lurks a toxic stowaway: mercury......»»
Wildfires are increasing toxic mercury in streams in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, study finds
Wildfires have been burning across Idaho this summer, and their list of harmful impacts is long, from worsening health conditions because of smoke to challenges recovering millions in costs to fight them......»»
Rising mercury pollution in soil could be related to climate change, study suggests
In 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury went into effect, designed to help curb mercury emissions and limit exposure across the globe. However, a new study of mercury levels in soil suggests that the treaty's provisions might not be enough. A stu.....»»
In world first, Russian chess player poisons rival’s board with mercury
At least it wasn't novichok. Enlarge / Amina Abakarova allegedly spreading mercury on her rival's chess board. Russia is no stranger to unique poisonings. State agents have been known to use everything from polonium-lac.....»»
Mercury Weather gets new widget and extra data provider with its latest update
As I once wrote here on 9to5Mac, Mercury is an elegant weather app for Apple devices for those looking for an alternative to the native iOS Weather app. The developers behind the app have just released a major update to it, which adds things like a.....»»
Researchers develop high-sensitivity technique to detect mercury in soil
Environmental pollution by heavy metals is a major social problem. Among these metals, mercury (Hg) is strictly controlled due to its high toxicity. Focusing on soil, which is closely related to our daily lives, the environmental standard for mercury.....»»
Local dragonflies expose mercury pollution patterns
A new study has unveiled surprising findings about mercury pollution: where it comes from and how it moves through the environment vary significantly depending on the ecosystem. In drier regions, most mercury is deposited through rain and snow. In we.....»»
Norway could lead the fight against plastic pollution
Norway's coastline is littered with plastics from around the world. Plastic pollution is a global problem, but Norway can be a role model in putting an end to it......»»
A review of the applications of mercury stable isotopes for tracing volcanism in geologic events
Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that can exist stably as a gas, with high volatility and global distribution in the atmosphere. Volcanoes represent a primary natural source of Hg in the atmosphere, with significant effects on Hg cycles on both global.....»»
Researchers investigate mercury concentrations in fish and wildlife on a global scale
A paper, titled "Global Mercury Concentrations in Biota: Their Use as a Basis for a Global Biomonitoring Framework" and published in the journal Ecotoxicology, describes for the first time currently available mercury data for fish and wildlife on a g.....»»
Mission control is trying "restlessly" to save a spacecraft to Mercury
A joint European and Japanese spacecraft bound for Mercury has encountered thrust problems that could jeopardize the future of the mission. A complex mission to Mercury that began its epic space voyage six years ago has encountered critical thr.....»»
Europe is uncertain whether its ambitious Mercury probe can reach the planet
"We are working hard on resolving these uncertainties." An artist's rendering of the BepiColombo mission, a joint ESA/JAXA project, which will take two spacecraft to the harsh environment of Mercury. (credit: ESA) This.....»»
Ultra-spicy One Chip Challenge chip contributed to teen’s death, report says
The high dose of capsaicin paired with a heart defect appear to have contributed. Enlarge (credit: Sarah Dussault/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images) An autopsy report of a Massachusetts teen who tragical.....»»
Beethoven likely didn’t die from lead poisoning, new hair analysis reveals
There was also mercury and arsenic but none of the toxins likely caused composer's death. Enlarge / Portrait of Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820. Toxocology analysis of the composer's locks of hair showed high levels of lea.....»»
Beethoven likely didn’t die from lead poisoning, new DNA analysis reveals
There was also mercury and arsenic but none of the toxins likely caused composer's death. Enlarge / Portrait of Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820. Toxocology analysis of the composer's locks of hair showed high levels of lea.....»»