Sandy clouds swirl around brown dwarfs According to new modeling based on telescope data collected nearly 20 years ago, silicate-rich clouds swirling around brown dwarfs likely form when the chemistry and temperature –1,000 to 1,700 degrees Celsius — of the atmospheres of the substellar objects align. Full Story: Space Plant cycles affected by urban lighting […]
Robots recreate evolutionary journey of ancient ammonites By studying the dynamic interaction between maneuverability and stability in robotic ammonites, a team of researchers has traced the evolution of shell variations of live ammonite shells in response to different needs and advantages. “Throughout their evolution, externally shelled cephalopods navigated their physical limitations by endlessly experimenting with […]
Jawbone discovery shows vicious bear dog’s power, reach The discovery of a near-complete jawbone of a newly identified species of “bear dog” indicates the ancient beasts were powerful predators with a global presence when they roamed the earth up to 23 million years ago. The flat-footed, long-snouted bear dogs ranged in size from 9 to […]
Tissue study shows ancient squid as ferocious predator The modern vampire squid may be a docile, soft-bodied animal, but new data suggests its prehistoric ancestor, Vampyronassa rhodanica, was a muscular ocean predator. Researchers analyzed fossilized soft tissues and found that the ancient cephalopods, which date back 164 million years, came equipped with a streamlined body […]
Jupiter feasted on baby planets to fuel growth Researchers constructed a model based on gravitational data from NASA’s Juno space probe and other sources to examine the core of Jupiter, finding its center is filled with planetesimals, baby planets that the massive giant used to fuel its own growth. Full story: Live Science Lack of […]
Kelp forests thriving in Patagonia’s cool waters Large kelp forests are thriving and healthy in Patagonia, according to a study the region’s cold spells are maintaining the 200-year-old forests along the coast of the southern end of South America. Researchers studied roughly 40 years of surface temperature data taken along the coastline and found that […]
Milky Way’s closest quasar brimming with radio emissions Using a newly developed technique known as “self-calibration,” a team of Japanese astronomers has captured revolutionary photos of the closest quasar to the Milky Way, revealing a soft band of radio emission in the quasar’s galaxy. “By applying the same technique to other quasars, we expect to […]
AI identifies viruses with high zoonotic potential Artificial intelligence identified viruses in the bunyavirus, rhabdovirus, filovirus and flavivirus families as the viruses most likely to spill over from animals to humans, and the platform may help researchers better estimate risks of zoonosis within viral families. The computer model also identified the Amazon River basin as […]
Martian meteorite suggests no life on Red Planet After examining the remnants of a meteorite knocked loose from Mars 1.3 billion years ago, scientists found the 725-gram rock had only trace amounts of exposure to hydrogen, almost certainly confirming there has not been life on the Red Planet. United Press International It’s our own fault […]
Aerosol pollution reduces Pacific’s storm activity Increasing aerosol pollution from China and India has had a cooling effect, leading to reduced storm activity in the Pacific Ocean in recent decades, according to a study that relied on computer simulations. As a result, as the governments of those countries aim to reduce aerosol pollution, they also […]