121 articles from WEDNESDAY 21.9.2022
Neptune and its rings shown in striking new light by Webb telescope
Farthest planet from sun and its satellites revealed in unprecedented detail by space telescope’s infrared imagerThe James Webb space telescope has turned its gaze away from the deep universe towards our home solar system, capturing an image of a luminous Neptune and its delicate, dusty rings in detail not seen in decades.The last time astronomers had such a clear view of the farthest planet...
How many ants are there? The number is 'incredibly difficult to comprehend'
A new study estimates there are 20 quadrillion ants on the planet. That's 20 thousand million millions, or 20,000,000,000,000,000 with 16 zeroes. And it's likely an...
New method allows scientists to determine all the molecules present in the lysosomes of mice
Small but mighty, lysosomes play a surprisingly important role in cells despite their diminutive size. Making up only 1-3% of the cell by volume, these small sacs are the cell's recycling centers, home to enzymes that break down unneeded molecules into small pieces that can then be reassembled to form new ones. Lysosomal dysfunction can lead to a variety of neurodegenerative or other diseases, but...
Study proves efficacy of nanomaterial-based disinfectant developed to combat COVID-19 spread
A team of UCF researchers have proven the efficacy of a nanomaterial-based disinfectant they developed to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Through their experiments, they found that the disinfectant was able to kill several serious viruses including SARS and Zika. The results of their findings were recently published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
Search for clues may explain collapse of ancient city in Mexico
Built more than a thousand years before the Aztec arrived in central Mexico, Teotihuacan was once one of the largest cities in the world. Its stone temples, comparable in size to Egypt's pyramids, still draw fascinated visitors, as does the mystery surrounding the city's sudden fall around 550 AD.
Researchers demonstrate chemically sensitive LiDAR method
Researchers have developed a new laser-based technique that can simultaneously perform LiDAR and remote chemical measurements. LiDAR, which stands for light detection and ranging, uses a laser to measure distances, or ranges. Adding chemical information to LiDAR measurements could be useful for applications like remote chemical mapping, detecting trace amounts of chemicals, monitoring industrial...
Experimental drug shows signs of slowing motor neurone disease
Biogen drug Tofersen showed promising results when taken for six months beyond previous trialAn experimental drug for motor neurone disease (MND) has shown signs of slowing the progress of the devastating illness in a landmark trial.The results provide fresh hope after a phase-three trial of the same drug had previously failed to make a meaningful difference to patient outcomes after six months of...
The priorities for food-security research under extreme events
Fixing hunger is as challenging as ever. Many food producers, including farmers, hunters and fishers are food-insecure; meaning they're not always sure where their next meal will come from. More than 50% of the roughly 600 million who are food insecure live in conflict zones. The risk that multiple misfortunes can cascade, such as a war in one region and crop failures in others, increase the...
Spain grants personhood status to threatened lagoon
Spain granted personhood status Wednesday to a large saltwater lagoon to give its threatened ecosystem better protection, the first time such a measure has been taken in Europe.
Space station gets 3 new residents after Russian launch
The International Space Station welcomed three new residents Wednesday following a smooth Russian launch.
Mexico ups protection at pre-Hispanic ceremonial site
Mexico has declared a pre-Hispanic site in the central state of Guanajuato as an archaeological monument zone protecting it from the possibility of encroaching development and expressing a commitment to continue excavating the ancient ruins.
Researchers use rare-earth metals in alloy powders to produce green, eye-catching sparklers
Sparklers can be a lot of fun—glimmering, fizzing and spitting out arcs of light from handheld sticks or tubes on the ground. But the metals that they're usually made with limit what the sparks can look like. Now, researchers in ACS Omega report that rare-earth metals in alloy powders can produce flashes that shift from golden to green and continuously branch.
Hurricane Fiona heads toward Bermuda, US advises citizens to defer travel
Hurricane Fiona churned toward Bermuda as a powerful Category 4 storm on Wednesday as Puerto Rico struggled to restore power and water after receving a crushing blow.
Scientists find evidence for food insecurity driving international conflict 2,000 years ago
Ancient Palmyra has gripped public imagination since its picturesque ruins were "rediscovered" in the seventeenth century by western travelers. The most legendary story of ancient Palmyra is that of Queen Zenobia, who was ruling over a thriving city in the Syrian Desert and dared to challenge the Roman Empire, but ultimately was defeated.
Who wants to go to the moon? Europe names astronaut candidates
The European Space Agency announced a team of seven astronauts on Wednesday to train for NASA's Artemis mission to the moon—but only one will have the chance to become the first European to walk on the lunar surface.
Cleaner water linked with smaller cockles that die younger
Cockles have been harvested along the south Wales coast for centuries. The Burry Inlet and Loughor estuary, near Swansea, is a major habitat for the popular and widespread common cockle (Cerastoderma edule).
Four-legged jumping robots to explore the moon
A four-legged robot trained through artificial intelligence has learned the same lesson as the Apollo astronauts—that jumping can be the best way to move around on the surface the moon. An update on LEAP (Legged Exploration of the Aristarchus Plateau), a mission concept study supported by ESA to explore some of the most challenging lunar terrains, has been presented today at the Europlanet...
New endoscope uses bendable GRIN lens for 3D microscopy
Researchers have created a flexible needle-like endoscopic imaging probe that can acquire 3D microscopic images of tissue. The bendability is possible thanks to a new flexible graded index (GRIN) lens developed by the researchers.
Simulator illuminates the search for life around the Milky Way's most common stars
Italian researchers have demonstrated experimentally for the first time that microorganisms can photosynthesize using the infrared-dominated light emitted by the most common type of star in the Milky Way. The results from the Star Light Simulator, presented at the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) 2022, suggest that life could develop around stars different from our Sun and produce oxygen-rich...
Trees can't outrun climate change. Should humans give them a lift?
One tree at a time, David Saville has made it his life's work to bring back West Virginia's red spruce forests—and maybe help preserve the species hundreds of miles farther north while he's at it.