MI weekly selection #203
Strange objects near neighboring galaxies brighten, then dim
A pair of unknown objects near neighboring galaxies appear to produce extremely bright X-ray flares, then dim after about an hour. Astronomers aren’t sure what these objects are, noting that nothing like them has ever been spotted in the Milky Way.
Landslides appear to have occurred on Charon
Evidence of landslides has been discovered on Charon, Pluto’s largest moon. Researchers aren’t sure what caused the landslides, which have never been detected on any Kuiper Belt object before, but potential triggers include subsurface tectonic movement or meteorite impacts.
Neanderthal DNA linked to immune system differences
A pair of studies have found evidence that Neanderthal DNA may be responsible for ethnic differences in infection response and may make people of African descent more likely to develop autoimmune diseases.
Carbon dioxide transformed into ethanol using nanotechnology
Researchers have stumbled upon a way to make ethanol using carbon dioxide and nanotechnology.
Fossils of bus-sized sauropod found in Australia
A long-necked, long-tailed dinosaur with wide hips has been identified as a new species of sauropod that roamed what is now Queensland, Australia, about 95 million years ago. Savannasaurus elliottorum was about the size of a bus and likely devoured huge meals of an array of plants.