MI weekly selection #575

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot oscillates in time-lapse images

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot squeezes in and out as its movement speeds and slows, surprising scientists with its oscillating size. The paper puts together time-lapse footage of three months of observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, and the insights could provide cosmic context for Earth’s hurricanes.

Full Story: Popular Science

Effects of temporary 1.5 ºC breach could be irreversible

Experts are casting doubt on the long-held idea that the effects of a temporary breach of the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels could be reversed if temperatures decline, according to a study in Nature that suggests even a short-term breach of target could result in environmental changes that persist for centuries. “Instead of being able to reverse warming, we might need substantial amounts of carbon removal to stop warming from increasing further in the first place,” said Joeri Rogelj, study co-author.

Full Story: ABC News (Australia)

Laser beams measure 0.1-nanometer spans in molecules

Illumination of fluorescent molecules by laser beams allows accurate measurements of distances as short as 0.1 nanometers, a typical atom’s width, and as long as 12 nanometers. “We wanted to go from a microscope that maps positions of macromolecules relative to each other, to taking this bold step of going within the macromolecule,” says Steffen Sahl, one of the researchers who have developed the method, which has a wider range than many traditional tools.

Full Story: Phys.org

The link between earthquakes and gold nuggets

New research suggests ongoing earthquakes may play a role in creating large nuggets of gold in the veins of quartz found in ancient mountain areas. Scientists who pounded quartz crystals in a gold-bearing solution and saw bits of gold stick to the quartz contend voltage created by earthquakes’ tectonic stress contribute to a chemical reaction involving hydrothermal fluids.

Full Story: Eos

Underinformed brains think they know more than they do

People tend to be confident in their judgements when they know only one side of an argument, say researchers, who note those people are often willing to change their minds when they learn all the facts. “Our brains are overconfident that they can arrive at a reasonable conclusion with very little information,” says Angus Fletcher, a co-author of the paper in PLOS One that also notes the flexibility does not apply to political or other long-held beliefs.

Full Story: NBC News