Einstein’s theory helps map pulsar’s beams Researchers used Einstein’s theory of general relativity to map the structure of the pulsar PSR J1906+0746 and, by doing so, they also confirmed the theory. Astronomers observed the pulses coming from PSR J1906+0746 over the course of 14 years. ScienceAlert Whale’s song can reveal where it has been The […]
Frog brain study looks for parenting clues Some poison dart frogs take an active role in parenting their young rather than disregarding eggs once they are laid, and researchers found brain regions in males and females that could offer clues about such behavior. Scientists compared neural activity in three species of poison dart frogs that […]
Pumping ocean water onto Antarctic ice sheet may save it Researchers say pumping massive amounts of ocean water onto the collapsing ice sheet in West Antarctica over a 10-year period may stabilize it and possibly prevent extreme sea level rise, but they also say such an effort would be expensive and could harm the area’s […]
Supermassive black holes heading for collision found A pair of supermassive black holes about 2.5 billion light-years away appear to be on a collision course with each other in a few more billion years, but astronomers say they can learn a lot about gravitational wave background noise now by observing them. Science Alert Ancient bird […]
Near-death experiences may be linked to REM sleep disorders Many people who report having had near-death experiences also report having had REM sleep disorder symptoms. REM is the sleep phase that features vivid dreaming, and researchers say a combination of the waking and REM states could be linked to the near-death experiences. Live Science Jellyfish-like […]
Fungus induces nonstop mating in cicadas Substances made by a fungus infecting cicadas, Massospora, are causing the insects to mate incessantly. The study discovered several firsts, including the first psilocybin to be produced by a fungus that was not a mushroom and the first nonplant organism to generate an amphetamine, cathinone. Science News New EEG […]
New crater spotted on Mars ranks among largest seen to date The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has observed a fresh crater on the Red Planet, NASA officials say. The space agency released an image that shows a hole gouged on the planet’s surface, made sometime between September 2016 and February of this year. Space.com Artificial islands […]
Robotics, seals used to figure out reason for Antarctic sea ice holes Researchers used robotic floats and tagged elephant seals to learn why huge holes called polynyas are opening up in Antarctic ice. Strong storms and a higher salt content in the surface waters of the Southern Ocean are likely contributing to the formation of […]
Dragonfish teeth owe translucence to nanoscale structures Nanoscale structures make the teeth of deep-sea dragonfish translucent so they’re invisible to prey. The sharp, thin teeth are obscured in the dragonfish’s mouths due to the way the nanostructures minimize the scattering of light. Science News 10M-light-year-long magnetic field detected between galaxy clusters Two galaxy clusters appear […]
CO 2 used as water alternative in fracking experiment Researchers in China have used carbon dioxide instead of water in a fracking process that could potentially be more environmentally friendly. CO2 was used in five wells drilled in a Chinese oilfield, producing as much as 20 times more oil than the water method, researchers said […]