Einstein Authors: Valerio Faraoni, Professor, Physics & Astronomy, Bishop’s University and Andrea Giusti, Postdoctoral fellow, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Einstein’s theory of gravity — general relativity — has been very successful for more than a century. However, it has theoretical shortcomings. This is not surprising: the theory predicts its own failure at spacetime […]
The strength of the wind has an important influence on ocean circulation. This is particularly true for extreme events such as storm fronts, tropical storms and cyclones. These weather patterns, which last from a few days to a few weeks, will change in the future due to climate change. In particular, the average energy input […]
anticipate Authors: Victoria Cano Sánchez & Patricia Fuente García, PhD candidates at the University of the Basque Country, Dept. of Linguistics and Basque Studies (UPV/EHU) and members of The Bilingual Mind Research Group (Gogo Elebiduna) Have you ever wondered why are we able to respond and comprehend others as fast as we do? The answer […]
Humans hunting lions 48,000 years ago Neanderthals living about 48,000 years ago hunted and carefully butchered a cave lion, an extinct species, according to an analysis of lion remains uncovered in southeastern Germany. The study reveals the “earliest direct evidence of a large predator being hunted and killed in human history,” said Gabriele Russo, author […]
An international research team has presented a new quantum platform based on the electron spin of single atoms on a solid surface, achieving a ‘multiple qubit (quantum bit)’ system using three electron spins. Unlike previous atomic quantum devices on surfaces where only a single qubit could be controlled, the researchers have successfully demonstrated the ability […]
microbial dark matter Author: Ramón Muñoz-Chápuli has been Professor of Animal Biology in the University of Málaga until his retirement. He has investigated for forty years in the fields of developmental biology and animal evolution. In recent years, single cell genomics and metagenomic studies of environmental samples have enabled insights into “microbial dark matter”, the […]
Voyager II, a NASA solar system exploration spacecraft launched in 1977, measured highly unusual magnetic fields around Uranus and Neptune. Scientists considered exotic states of so-called superionic ice as a possible explanation due to these states’ increased electrical conductivity. A new work demonstrates the existence of the previously undiscovered Ice XIX phase. It shows that […]
Hypoxia Author: Marta Irigoyen is a postdoctoral researcher at CIC bioGUNE Despite the fact that c ancer treatments have greatly improved during recent years, chemoresistance remains a major problem in eradicating cancer cells. Drug resistance involves not only many cell intrinsic mechanisms but also extrinsic induced chemoprotection by the tumor microenvironment . In fact, this […]
Oldest human North American footprints Scientists have used new methods of analysis to trace human footprints, the earliest known fossilized human footprints in North America, in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park. Researchers examined quartz grains under the tracks using optically stimulated luminescence dating to determine that the layers were at least around 21,500 years […]
Throughout the past 500 million years, our planet has experienced a total of five mass extinctions. One of these – the Permo-Triassic mass extinction event – led to the demise of roughly 90% of Earth’s species. Most of these events have coincided with the formation of a supercontinent, where Earth’s tectonic plates slowly come together […]