Unique electron bursts observed by space probes Probes from NASA’s Voyager spacecraft have detected a peculiar type of electron burst in a quiet region of space. The unusual thing about the bursts is that they appear to precede shock waves significantly in what study co-author Don Gurnett has called “a brand-new mechanism.” Gizmodo Quantum supremacy […]
Calcite layers boost hardness of ants’ bodies A layer of calcite covers the bodies of leaf-cutting worker ants, allowing them to take on much bigger enemy ants, according to findings published by Nature Communications. Researchers tested ants with and without the thin calcite layer and found that the mineral makes the ants’ exoskeletons at least […]
New Horizons finds light in the darkness of space The New Horizons space probe, which has moved beyond its exploration of Pluto, has found evidence that space itself has its own glow. When researchers removed visible light sources from images of the open universe sent back from the space probe, now about 4 billion miles […]
Social learning in otters Otters learn to survive by observing others in their social circles. The experiment with Asian short-clawed otters, in which the animals learned to open containers filled with meatballs after watching their peers do it, “is the first to show evidence of social learning and long-term memory in Asian short-clawed otters,” says […]
Strange exoplanet with oceans of lava discovered Astronomers have discovered an extremely hot Earth-sized planet hundreds of light-years away that has oceans made of lava, supersonic winds and rainfall made of rocks. K2-141b is very close to its star, and most of the planet is always in daylight because it is locked in place, facing […]
How long ago were Denisovans on the Tibetan Plateau? Denisovans were present on the Tibetan Plateau as far back as 100,000 years ago, according to mitochondrial DNA found in layers of cave sediment. Other sediment samples dating back approximately 60,000 to possibly 30,000 years ago could suggest the Denisovans were in the region when humans […]
Need a particle accelerator? How about a black hole? Researchers have figured out a way it would be possible for black holes to act as particle accelerators. Previously, it was thought that only theoretical “extremal” black holes would be able to allow fast-moving particles to get near enough to the event horizon without falling in […]
Humans may pose SARS-CoV-2 risk to wildlife There is a significant risk that SARS-CoV-2 will be transmitted by people to wildlife populations, where it could spread and imperil already endangered species. The virus could persist in short-lived species, such as mice, and it could mutate in wild animal populations and be reintroduced into human populations […]
Well-preserved, ancient dunes spotted on Mars Scientists have discovered well-preserved paleo-dunes dating back a billion years in Mars’ Valles Marineris region. The dunes, found using data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey Orbiter, are helping researchers learn more about the consistency of Mars’ geologic history. EarthSky Ants’ sophisticated brain power Ants have been […]
Time-lapse video highlights supernova flare NASA and the European Space Agency have released a time-lapse video of a supernova flaring culled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. The video, created from about a year’s worth of Hubble observations, shows a white dwarf exploding then fading away in the NGC 2525 galaxy about 70 million light-years from […]