145 articles from WEDNESDAY 3.5.2023

Study finds J0049−2525 is the most massive pulsating white dwarf

Astronomers have conducted photometric observations of a white dwarf known as J004917.14−252556.81. Results of the observational campaign detected photometric variability of this object, making J004917.14−252556.81 the most massive pulsating white dwarf known to date. The finding is reported in a paper published April 18 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Great apes found to engage in reciprocal food exchange under the right circumstances

A trio of psychologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of York and Duke University has found that great apes may sometimes engage in reciprocal food exchange under the right circumstances. In their study, reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Avi Benozio, Bailey House and Michael Tomasello conducted treat-giving experiments with captive chimpanzees...

Single-molecule valve: Breakthrough in nanoscale control

A research group has succeeded in regulating the flow of single molecules in solution by opening and closing the nanovalve mounted on the nanofluidic device by applying external pressure. The research group fabricated a device with a ribbon-like, thin, soft glass sheet on the top, and at the bottom a hard glass substrate having nanochannels and nanovalve seats. By applying external pressure to the...

Indo-Pacific corals more resilient to climate change than Atlantic corals

In the face of global warming and other environmental changes, corals in the Atlantic Ocean have declined precipitously in recent years, while corals in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are faring better. By describing several species of symbiotic algae that these corals need to grow, an international team has found that these mutualistic relationships from the Indo-Pacific may be more flexible and...

Astronomers find distant gas clouds with leftovers of the first stars

Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), researchers have found, for the first time, the fingerprints left by the explosion of the first stars in the universe. They detected three distant gas clouds whose chemical composition matches what we expect from the first stellar explosions. These findings bring us one step closer to understanding the nature of the first stars that formed after the Big...

Indigenous people living near oil fields in the Peruvian Amazon have high levels of metals in their urine

Indigenous communities living near oil exploration sites in the Peruvian Amazon have high levels of mercury, cadmium and lead in their bodies. This is the conclusion of a study led by Cristina O'Callaghan Gordo, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). She is also a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and co-director...

Astronomers find distant gas clouds with leftovers of the first stars

Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), researchers have found for the first time the fingerprints left by the explosion of the first stars in the Universe. They detected three distant gas clouds whose chemical composition matches what we expect from the first stellar explosions. These findings bring us one step closer to understanding the nature of the first stars that formed after the Big Bang.

'Gluing' soft materials without glue

If you're a fan of arts and crafts, you're likely familiar with the messy, sticky, frustration-inducing nature of liquid glues. But researchers now have a brand-new way to weld squishy stuff together without the need for glue at all. They've demonstrated a universal, 'electroadhesion' technique that can adhere soft materials to each other just by running electricity through them.

Fungal attacks threaten global food supply, say experts

Climate crisis is exacerbating damage caused by crop-destroying fungi, risking ‘global health catastrophe’Fast-rising fungal attacks on the world’s most important crops threaten the planet’s future food supply, scientists have said, warning that failing to tackle fungal pathogens could lead to a “global health catastrophe”.Fungi are already by far the biggest destroyer of crops. They...

Hubble Captures Extraordinarily Bright Interacting Galaxies

Portal origin URL: Hubble Captures Extraordinarily Bright Interacting Galaxies Portal origin nid: 486888Published: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - 07:00Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: This new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope shows interacting galaxies known as AM 1214-255.Portal image: Two blue-white, comma-shaped galaxies: at upper-right...