Volcanoes, meteorites may be tied to life’s start Meteorites and volcanoes could have produced iron particles that served as a catalyst for creating life forms on Earth. Scientists conducted experiments using metallic particles from meteorites and ash from Sicily’s Mount Etna to see how iron may have helped convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen into hydrocarbons […]
Simulated accretion disks may explain black hole growth Researchers using the Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments produced spinning columns that mimicked artificial accretion disks by accelerating and then colliding plasma jets. One of the research team’s primary goals is to understand how black holes are able to grow when accretion disks’ orbits stay […]
Human pangenome captures genetic diversity A draft human pangenome published in Nature aggregates the genomic sequences of 47 people from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe and captures more genetic variation than previous reference genomes have. The researchers computationally aligned the sequences to form a map with branching paths that indicate genetic variation, and the […]
Mars formations may derive from similar material Scientists who reviewed data from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer on NASA’s Opportunity rover say Mars’ Burns formation and underlying Grasberg formation may have originated from a similar source material. Dust particles or ash from volcanic eruptions may have solidified before they were blown to the site and […]
Researchers compare hundreds of mammalian genomes Researchers working on the Zoonomia Project, an international study comparing the traits and genomes of some 240 mammal species, including humans, have released some of their findings in 11 papers published in Science. Researchers found conserved stretches of DNA common across species that are largely unchanged by evolution, and […]
Colour-changing dressing to aid in wound monitoring A wound dressing composed of a nanocellulose mesh with bromthymol blue dye that changes from yellow to blue when the wound has become infected has been developed. Being able to see instantly whether a wound has become infected, without having to lift the dressing, opens up for a […]
Scientists use AI to sharpen first black hole image Scientists have used artificial intelligence to refine the first image of a black hole taken in 2019. The picture reveals a skinnier doughnut-shaped ring and darker center than the original image. Full Story: The Associated Press Volcanic eruptions led to 2 ancient extinctions Carnivores died in […]
Tiger personality may be correlated with health Surveys of caretakers for 248 Siberian tigers at two fenced wildlife sanctuaries in China suggest that tigers have distinct personalities. Nearly 40% of the tigers’ behaviours fell into the “majesty” category, described as confident, competitive, and ambitious, or the “steadiness” category, reflecting obedience, tolerance, and gentleness. Those demonstrating […]
Quantum hair: The solution to the Hawking paradox? Researchers claim to have solved the Hawking paradox, or the conflict between quantum mechanics and the idea that black holes destroy all information about the stars that served as their creators. They suggest the radiation around black holes, also known as quantum hair, can hold onto information […]
Rising seas, oxygen depletion led to mass extinction Rising seas likely contributed to high hydrogen sulfide levels and oxygen depletion that killed marine life during Earth’s Devonian period over 350 million years ago. Researchers analyzed black shale samples from the Bakken Formation underlying parts of North Dakota and Canada, finding that waters were drained of […]