Possible organic compounds found in Mars crater rocks
A study published in Science analyses multiple rocks found at the bottom of Jezero Crater on Mars, where the Perseverance rover landed in 2020, revealing significant interaction between the rocks and liquid water. Those rocks also contain evidence co.....»»
Unraveling differences in temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition under various oxygen conditions
Soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is a key process that affects soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. Investigating the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOM decomposition and its regulating mechanisms is important for improving pred.....»»
Discovery of organic catalyst could lead to cheaper fuel cells
With atmospheric carbon dioxide at record highs, the search for clean-energy alternatives to the use of fossil fuels is growing increasingly urgent......»»
NASA discovered bacteria that wouldn"t die. Now it"s boosting sunscreen.
While disinfecting spacecraft headed for Mars, NASA found a stubborn type of bacteria that was tough to clean but great at withstanding UV radiation. Many people associate NASA with exploring new worlds in space, but few know it's also finding.....»»
A novel machine learning model for the characterization of material surfaces
Machine learning (ML) enables the accurate and efficient computation of fundamental electronic properties of binary and ternary oxide surfaces, as shown by scientists from Tokyo Tech. Their ML-based model could be extended to other compounds and prop.....»»
Traces of DNA in the stomachs of predatory snails provide new insights into the ecology of placozoans
Placozoans are among the simplest animals and occur worldwide in coastal waters. It was previously assumed that the tiny creatures, which measure just a few millimeters, live either on hard surfaces—such as rocks, corals, and mangrove roots—or fl.....»»
Study reveals giant store of global soil carbon
Soil carbon usually refers only to the organic matter component of soils, known as soil organic carbon (SOC). However, soil carbon also has an inorganic component, known as soil inorganic carbon (SIC). Solid SIC, often calcium carbonate, tends to acc.....»»
NASA technology helps guard against lunar dust
Defeating dust may be a small concern for most people on Earth, but for astronauts and spacecraft destined for the moon or Mars, it is a significant hazard that must be mitigated. That's why researchers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are s.....»»
Research finds dairy farmers receptive to methane-reducing seaweed feed
New England's dairy industry continues to evolve in response to significant market challenges that include a decreased demand for milk and higher production and land costs. However, there is also ongoing evidence that organic dairy farming can provid.....»»
Rock permeability, microquakes link may be a boon for geothermal energy
Using machine learning, researchers at Penn State have tied low-magnitude microearthquakes to the permeability of subsurface rocks beneath the Earth, a discovery that could have implications for improving geothermal energy transfer......»»
Pork labeling schemes "not helpful" in making informed buying choices, say researchers
Researchers have evaluated different types of pig farming—including woodland, organic, free range, RSPCA assured, and Red Tractor certified, to assess each systems' impact across four areas: land use (representing biodiversity loss), greenhouse gas.....»»
Elon Musk’s Latest Mars Pitch Has Potential
SpaceX has made significant progress toward what once seemed an unattainable goal......»»
Elon Musk just gave another Mars speech—this time the vision seems tangible
"These are unthinkable numbers, but we’re not breaking any physics to achieve this." Enlarge / SpaceX will continue to iterate on Starship. (credit: SpaceX) Elon Musk has been talking publicly about his sweeping vision.....»»
Tiny cracks in rocks may have concentrated chemicals needed for life
The gentle flow of warm fluids could have given pre-life chemistry a boost. Enlarge / Active geology could have helped purify key chemicals needed for life. (credit: Christof B. Mast) In some ways, the origin of life is.....»»
Click chemistry: Research team creates 150 new compounds
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) chemists have created a new collection of molecular compounds and begun testing them as potential leads in the search for new drugs. Among these molecules, they found several that show promise for development as a.....»»
Mapping lava tubes on the moon and Mars from space
Sometimes, all you need for a new discovery is some creative math. That was the case for a new paper by Edward Williams and Laurent Montési of the University of Maryland's Department of Geology. They released a brief paper at the Lunar and Planetary.....»»
What"s the earliest the moon could have formed?
Astronomers are pretty sure they know where the moon came from. In the early solar system, a Mars-sized object dubbed Theia smashed into Earth. This cataclysmic collision knocked a huge mass of material into orbit, which coalesced and cooled into the.....»»
Mars may not have had liquid water long enough for life to form
Lab experiments suggest gullies on Mars might form when carbon dioxide heats up. Enlarge (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona) Mars has a history of liquid water on its surface, including lakes like the one th.....»»
The omnipresence of PFAS—and what we can do about them
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—also known as "forever chemicals"—are everywhere. Created in the 1940s, these synthetic compounds are an unseen ingredient in many items that we use in our daily lives, like cleaning products, food pack.....»»
A new estimate of US soil organic carbon to improve Earth system models
Soil contains about twice as much carbon as the atmosphere and plants combined. It is a major carbon sink, capable of absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases. Management of soil carbon is key in efforts to mitigate climate.....»»
Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor rocks the fashion in new Doctor Who trailer
The return of Russell T. Davies as show runner has been a welcome one. Ncuti Gatwa officially begins his tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor in May, when the new Doctor Who season premieres. Heads up, Whovians! We've got a newly regenera.....»»