May 19th, 2024 - A fascinating discovery was made recently in the vast expanse of our universe: a giant cosmic butterfly, officially known as IRAS 23077+6707, is fluttering through space about 1,000 light-years away from Earth.  While it was initially spotted in 2016, its true nature remained a mystery for years. However, thanks to new research using advanced telescopes, this cosmic enigma has now been revealed as the largest planet-forming disk ever observed. The enigmatic cosmic butterfly When Ciprian T. Berghea from the U.S. Naval Observatory first observed ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - TOPICS: Researchers have developed a method to detect the first stars of the universe by observing the unique flares produced when these stars are torn apart by black holes. These findings could allow us to understand more about the early universe, with the help of NASA 's latest telescopes which can observe the resultant infrared emissions. Shortly after the Universe began with the Big Bang , the first stars, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, began to form. The properties of these first-generation stars, Pop III, are very different from stars like our own Sun or even the ones that are ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - Long considered cold-blooded behemoths, new research challenges the conventional wisdom about dinosaurs . The study suggests that some of these ancient creatures may have been warm-blooded , a revelation that could rewrite our understanding of their evolutionary history and physiology. Climate impact on dinosaurs' warm-blooded traits Picture this: It's the Early Jurassic period. Intense volcanic activity triggers a global warming event known as the Jenkyns event. This dramatic climate shift leads to the extinction of various plant species. It paves the way for the emergence of ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - One week ago, a spectacular northern lights display wowed millions of Americans . Experts and aurora chasers say that was likely just the beginning of the spectacles as our sun heads into what's known as the "solar maximum." But when exactly will the northern lights appear again? Even though experts say conditions are primed for more aurora shows over the next few years, predicting exactly when and where they occur will continue to be a challenge. Even the best predictions can only accurately be made a few days or even hours in advance. For those who caught the forecast in time last week and ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - What if Indiana Jones had been able to use artificial intelligence? With AI, Indy could have quickly analyzed ancient texts, deciphered hieroglyphics and  cross-referenced historical data, speeding up his research and reducing the time spent in dusty libraries. He could have been much more efficient in  his efforts to save  the world.  Real life archaeologists aren't saving the world ,  but  they are trading their trusty tools for AI.   And,  in the process, they're uncovering ancient trade routes, markets  and  systems of commerce. AI is ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - TOPICS: An astrophysicist discovered a fiery red exoplanet with intense volcanic activity, influenced by tidal forces similar to those affecting Jupiter 's moon Io. UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane had to double check his calculations. He wasn't sure the planet he was studying could be as extreme as it seemed. Kane never expected to learn that a planet in this faraway star system is covered with so many active volcanoes that seen from a distance it would take on a fiery, glowing-red hue. "It was one of those discovery moments that you think, 'wow, it's amazing this can actually ... [Read More]

May 18th, 2024 - The COVID-19 pandemic is over, but the virus that caused it is still here, sending thousands of people to the hospital each week and spinning off new variants with depressing regularity. The virus's exceptional ability to change and evade immune defenses has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend annual updates to COVID-19 vaccines. But some scientists worry that the remarkable success of the first COVID-19 vaccines may work against updated versions, undermining the utility of an annual vaccination program. A similar problem plagues the annual flu vaccine campaign; immunity ... [Read More]

May 17th, 2024 - What if your earbuds could do everything your smartphone can do already, except better? What sounds a bit like science fiction may actually not be so far off. A new class of synthetic materials could herald the next revolution of wireless technologies, enabling devices to be smaller, require less signal strength, and use less power. The key to these advances lies in what experts call phononics, which is similar to photonics. Both take advantage of similar physical laws and offer new ways to advance technology. While photonics takes advantage of photons – or light – phononics does ... [Read More]