Science

In The Astrophysical Journal, a University of Michigan-led study detailed how the Sun’s magnetic field evolves as it moves through space, providing insights into solar wind acceleration. Using data from rare alignments of the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, researchers observed that the Sun’s magnetic field transitions from sharp oscillations to smoother waves, with

A new pulsar, PSR J1922+37, has been discovered with a spin period of 1.92 seconds using the Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in China, according to a report. The finding was made in the direction of the open cluster NGC 6791. If confirmed as a member of this cluster, it would be the first

Fossilised plant remains unearthed near the now-abandoned town of Rainbow, Utah, have defied classification. The plant, named Othniophyton elongatum, was initially discovered in 1969, but recent analysis has shown it is unrelated to any known plant families, living or extinct. The fossil, dating back around 47 million years, was preserved in the Green River Formation,

Pipes designed to enable one-way liquid flow without the use of valves have been developed, drawing inspiration from the intestinal structure of sharks. Tesearchers at the University of Washington have created tubes featuring an internal helix, which mimics the corkscrew-shaped intestines found in sharks. This design may pave the way for more durable fluid transport

Research published in Astronomy & Astrophysics has cast doubt on the supposed discovery of an intermediate-mass black hole in the star cluster Omega Centauri. Initial findings suggested a black hole with a mass equivalent to 8,200 times that of the Sun resided at the cluster’s core. However, a reanalysis indicates the high-velocity stars in this

New research on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located approximately 400 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus, suggests that prevailing models of planet formation may require revision. According to a study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, astronomers found a mismatch between the chemical composition of the planet’s atmosphere and the surrounding protoplanetary disk from which

NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who embarked on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024, will now extend their stay on the International Space Station (ISS) until March 2025. The return, initially set for February, has been postponed due to a delay in SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, NASA confirmed on December 17. The decision was

The discovery of 4,000-year-old human remains at Charterhouse Warren in Somerset has unveiled a harrowing chapter of British prehistory. The analysis of over 3,000 bone fragments belonging to at least 37 individuals, ranging from newborns to adults, has indicated an unprecedented level of violence. The findings, published in Antiquity, revealed evidence of scalping, decapitation, defleshing,

SpaceX successfully launched the Rapid Response Trailblazer-1 (RRT-1) mission on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 7:52 PM from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The mission, commissioned for U.S. national security purposes, highlights a significant military achievement in reducing the traditional mission planning cycle from two years to under six months.

NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander was recently spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in an image taken on October 23, 2024, using its High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera. The image shows dust build-up on the lander’s solar panels, which now match the reddish-brown colour of the Martian surface. Reports suggest this observation continues

Jared Isaacman, billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut, has been nominated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next NASA administrator, as per several reports. Isaacman, who was born in Union, New Jersey, in February 1983, amassed his fortune by founding the payment-processing company Shift4 Payments at the age of 16. His nomination was

An ancient silver amulet, discovered in a third-century grave near Frankfurt, Germany, is being hailed as a groundbreaking find that reshapes perspectives on the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire. According to a study published by the Leibniz Center for Archaeology (LEIZA) on December 11, the artefact, dated between AD 230 and 270, contains

The spiral galaxy NGC 5643, situated approximately 40 million light-years away in the constellation Lupus, has been brought into focus through the lens of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. According to reports, the galaxy’s symmetrical structure, known as a “grand design spiral,” is characterised by its prominent, well-defined spiral arms, which are outlined by young,

A humpback whale has undertaken an extraordinary migration spanning over 8,000 miles and three oceans, breaking records for the longest documented journey between breeding grounds. This exceptional voyage, reported in Royal Society Open Science, is believed to be influenced by changing oceanic conditions or evolving mating strategies, as suggested by researchers. According to Professor Darren

A galaxy nicknamed the Firefly Sparkle has been detected by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, marking a significant discovery. According to research published in Nature on December 11, this galaxy existed approximately 600 million years after the Big Bang and has a mass similar to the Milky Way at a comparable stage of development. The

Recent research, published in Nature, has raised questions about the volcanic processes occurring on Jupiter’s moon Io, particularly regarding the absence of a global magma ocean beneath its surface. Data collected by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, combined with historical information from the Galileo mission, suggest that Io’s interior is more solid than previously believed. This revelation

A major glacial lake outburst flood, among the largest ever recorded, has been documented in East Greenland, releasing more than 3,000 billion litres of meltwater, as per reports. The event, observed by researchers from the University of Copenhagen’s Niels Bohr Institute, took place between September 23 and October 11 and was caused by the sudden

A decade of observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled significant changes in the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, as per reports. These findings, gathered as part of NASA’s Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) programme, were presented at the American Geophysical Union’s December meeting in Washington, D.C. The OPAL initiative has tracked

Research indicates that Earth’s solid inner core, a metal sphere encased within the molten outer core, could be undergoing changes in both rotation and surface structure. Studies involving seismic waves from earthquakes have revealed that the core’s rotation may have slowed, paused or even reversed relative to Earth’s surface approximately 15 years ago. New findings

Over the past three months, vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 has been detected in wastewater across multiple European countries, raising concerns among public health experts. According to reports, samples from Spain, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Finland have tested positive for the virus. Despite no reported cases of paralysis, health authorities remain on high alert.