The implications of "Oumuamua on the panspermia theory
On October 19, 2017, astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey detected an interstellar object (ISO) passing through our solar system for the first time. The object, known as 1I/2017 U1 'Oumuamua, stimulated significant scientific debate and is still co.....»»
New theory claims to unite Einstein"s gravity with quantum mechanics
A radical theory that consistently unifies gravity and quantum mechanics while preserving Einstein's classical concept of spacetime has been announced in two papers published simultaneously by UCL (University College London) physicists......»»
Aging societies more vulnerable to collapse, suggests analysis
Societies and political structures, like the humans they serve, appear to become more fragile as they age, according to an analysis of hundreds of pre-modern societies. A new study, which holds implications for the modern world, provides the first qu.....»»
New unified theory shows how past landscapes drove the evolution of Earth"s rich diversity of life
Earth's surface is the living skin of our planet—it connects the physical, chemical and biological systems......»»
New theory explains how magnetic switchbacks form in the solar wind
A new study develops a theory of how magnetic switchbacks are formed around the sun. This quantitative model can be used to predict magnetic field variations and potentially explain the heating and acceleration of the solar wind......»»
The miraculous effect of music: Concerts bind people together
Why does music exist? Some researchers believe that music is so widespread across human cultures because it brings people together. The theory is that during evolution, human groups who were musical worked better together, and therefore music may hav.....»»
Deoxygenation levels similar to today"s played major role in marine extinctions 200 million years ago
Scientists have made a surprising discovery that sheds new light on the role that oceanic deoxygenation (anoxia) played in one of the most devastating extinction events in Earth's history. Their finding has implications for current-day ecosystems—a.....»»
The way a sperm tail moves can be explained by mathematics worked out by Alan Turing
Alan Turing might be best know for his work helping to crack Germany's "Enigma" communications code during the second world war. But he also came up with a theory where patterns can form just through chemical compounds spreading out (diffusing) and r.....»»
A new theory to explain the nature of volcanic fountaining
A multi-institutional team of Earth scientists, meteorologists, geologists and volcanologists has developed a new theory to explain the nature of volcanic fountaining. In their project, reported in the journal Nature Communications, the group studied.....»»
Researchers untangle the relationships between bacterial languages
A combination of machine learning and lab experiments has given researchers a peek into the different languages bacteria use to communicate. Understanding how bacteria communicate—and when they can't—has implications for treating drug-resistant b.....»»
Study shows tropical cyclones substantially raise the social cost of carbon
Extreme events like tropical cyclones have immediate impacts, but also long-term implications for societies. A new study published in the journal Nature Communications shows that accounting for the long-term impacts of these storms raises the global.....»»
Low-pH-dependent RNA binding and oligomerization of SID-1 transmembrane family proteins: Implications for RNA transport
In C. elegans, the protein SID1 plays a crucial role in the systemic RNA interference process by facilitating the transport of exogenous double-stranded RNA into the cytoplasm. Previously, Chen-Yu Zhang's group has already demonstrated that intact pl.....»»
Quinoa research punctures 100-year-old theory of odd little "water balloons"
Quinoa and many other extremely resilient plants are covered with strange balloon-like "bladders" that for 127 years were believed to be responsible for protecting them from drought and salt......»»
RCS coming to iPhone, Apple Black Friday, Ask9to5Mac
Benjamin and Chance react to the shocking news that Apple is adopting RCS for iPhone messaging, likely with iOS 18 next year, and its implications on the ecosystem at large. We also answer your begging questions in #Ask9to5Mac, on this special holida.....»»
Study highlights need for increased transparency, precision in estimation of costs associated with biological invasions
Numerous studies have analyzed the financial implications associated with the control and impact of invasive alien species. The varied methodologies employed in assessing the monetary costs, the diverse categories of costs reported, and the varying s.....»»
Cultural capital is key to a sense of belonging for college students of color
College students' sense of belonging is believed to have important and far-reaching implications, contributing to academic achievement and persistence at college as well as offering protective effects against anxiety and depression......»»
IBM suspends ads on X after they appeared next to Nazi posts
The decision came a day after owner Elon Musk endorsed an apparent antisemitic conspiracy theory......»»
Research highlights data gap in SARS-CoV-2 cases in animals
COVID-19 in animals? The question got lost in the shuffle during the ongoing global pandemic. Research on SARS-CoV-2 has primarily focused on its implications for humans, despite the virus most likely being a zoonosis, a disease transmitted from anim.....»»
The universe is expanding faster than theory predicts—physicists are trying to explain the mismatch
Astronomers have known for decades that the universe is expanding. When they use telescopes to observe faraway galaxies, they see that these galaxies are moving away from Earth......»»
People think white AI-generated faces are more real than actual photos, study says
'Hyperrealism' bias has implications in robotics, medicine, and law enforcement. Enlarge / Eight images used in the study; four of them are synthetic. Can you tell which ones? (Answers at bottom of the article.) (credit: Nighting.....»»
"Bouncing" comets could deliver building blocks for life to exoplanets
How did the molecular building blocks for life end up on Earth? One long-standing theory is that they could have been delivered by comets. Now, researchers from the University of Cambridge have shown how comets could deposit similar building blocks t.....»»