173 articles from THURSDAY 12.1.2023

Tokamak experiments provide unique data for validating spacecraft heat shield ablation models

When a spacecraft enters a thick atmosphere at a high velocity, it rapidly compresses the gas in front of it. This creates temperatures high enough to ionize the gas molecules into a hot, dense plasma. To protect against damage, spacecraft are typically covered by a heat shield material that burns in a controlled manner. This process is called ablation. Though current materials are effective for...

Hubble Finds Hungry Black Hole Twisting Captured Star Into Donut Shape

Portal origin URL: Hubble Finds Hungry Black Hole Twisting Captured Star Into Donut ShapePortal origin nid: 484949Published: Thursday, January 12, 2023 - 17:15Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have recorded a star's final moments in detail as it gets gobbled up by a black hole.Portal...

Surprise magma chamber growing under Mediterranean volcano

Using a novel imaging technique for volcanoes that produces high-resolution pictures of seismic wave properties, a new study reveals a large, previously undetected body of mobile magma underneath Kolumbo, an active submarine volcano near Santorini, Greece. The presence of the magma chamber increases the chances of a future eruption, prompting the researchers to recommend real-time hazard...

All in the planning: State policies working to fix Gulf nutrient pollution

Tackling nutrient pollution in the Gulf of Mexico is a big job, requiring coordination between dozens of states whose waters flow into the Mississippi. Although a 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency memo set a framework for each state to reduce its nutrient load, it was up to the states to set their own policies in motion.

Building better enzymes—by breaking them down

Enzymes have the potential to transform the chemical industry by providing green alternatives to a slew of processes. These proteins act as biological catalysts, and with the help of molecular engineering, they can make naturally occurring reactions shift into turbo mode. Tailor-made enzymes could, for example, lead to nonpolluting drug manufacture; they could also safely break down pollutants,...

Washing fabrics by hand reduces microplastic release compared with machine washing

From tiny plankton to massive whales, microplastics have been found throughout the ocean food chain. One major source of this pollution are fibers shed while laundering synthetic fabrics. Although many studies show microfibers are released during machine washing, it's been less clear how hand washing contributes. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Environmental Science & Technology Water report...

Midterm elections show a silver lining for US democracy: Survey

According to the most recent Bright Line Watch survey, titled "Rebound in Confidence: American Democracy and the 2022 Midterm Elections," which was fielded right after the 2022 November elections, more voters in the United States now trust the integrity and fairness of elections than they did prior to the midterms, according to previous Bright Line Watch polls.

Effect of cultivar, cropping on female/male asparagus yields

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a dioecious perennial plant. Male plants have a higher yield than female plants; therefore, all-male cultivars are more commonly produced. In contrast, female plants have a higher spear weight than that of male plants. To increase profitability, selective cultivation of only female plants would increase the yield of asparagus with a thick spear, which has a...

US government logs more than 500 UFO reports with hundreds unexplained

Although many are attributed to drones or balloons, others point to the spying capabilities of rival nationsThe US government is examining 510 UFO reports, more than triple the number in its 2021 file. While many were caused by drones or balloons, hundreds remain unexplained, according to a report released on Thursday.The 2022 report (pdf) by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) said that...

Scientists uncover coral-algae reward, punishment system

In human society, reward and punishment are introduced as an incentive to induce cooperation. However, some people still try to cheat to win. So, is there a system with clear rewards and punishments in the world of other organisms? The answer is "yes."

Study examines how the Spanish far right frames traditional perspectives as 'love'

The rise of the far right in Western democracies in recent years has revived interest in how these movements and parties engage in politics. Given the generalizations that indicate that these ideologies are only constructed based on hate speech, two researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) argue that this political tendency in Spain also uses love and other positive feelings to a...