Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

Searching for the earliest galaxies in the universe      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers have used data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations and discovered 87 galaxies that could be the earliest known galaxies in the universe. The finding moves the astronomers one step closer to finding out when galaxies first appeared in the universe -- about 200-400 million years after the Big Bang.

Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

NASA's Webb Telescope reveals links between galaxies near and far      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new analysis of distant galaxies imaged by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows that they are extremely young and share some remarkable similarities to 'green peas,' a rare class of small galaxies in our cosmic backyard.

Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Physicists confirm effective wave growth theory in space      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Physicists have used spacecraft data to confirm an important theory of plasma physics that improves our understanding of space weather.

Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Invasive rats transform reef fish behavior      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have discovered for the first time that invasive rats on tropical islands are affecting the territorial behavior of fish on surrounding coral reefs. The new study shows that the presence of invasive black rats on tropical islands is causing changes in the territorial behavior of the jewel damselfish -- a herbivorous species of tropical reef fish that 'farm' algae in the branches of corals.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

James Webb telescope reveals Milky Way-like galaxies in young universe      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal galaxies with stellar bars -- elongated features of stars stretching from the centers of galaxies into their outer disks -- at a time when the universe was a mere 25% of its present age. The finding of so-called barred galaxies, similar to our Milky Way, this early in the universe will require astrophysicists to refine their theories of galaxy evolution.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Hubble finds that ghost light among galaxies stretches far back in time      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In giant clusters of hundreds or thousands of galaxies, innumerable stars wander among the galaxies like lost souls, emitting a ghostly haze of light. These stars are not gravitationally tied to any one galaxy in a cluster. The nagging question for astronomers has been: how did the stars get so scattered throughout the cluster in the first place? Several competing theories include the possibility that the stars were stripped out of a cluster's galaxies, or they were tossed around after mergers of galaxies, or they were present early in a cluster's formative years many billions of years ago.

Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Tweets, news offer insights on invasive insect spread      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study shows the potential for using Twitter and online news articles to track the timing and location of invasive insect spread in the United States and around the globe. Researchers say these sources are promising for filling in gaps when official data are not widely available.

Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Ethereal color variant of mysterious plant is actually a new species      (via sciencedaily.com) 

It was thought that there was only one species of the ghost-like Monotropastrum humile plant found in woodlands across East and Southeast Asia. In a major new discovery, botanists reveal that a rosy pink colored variant is actually a distinct new species, shaking up our understanding of this unusual-looking genus of plants. This 20-year study emphasizes the importance of combining various analytical methods to fully understand and protect biodiversity.

Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Slime for the climate, delivered by brown algae      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Brown algae take up large amounts of carbon dioxide from the air and release parts of the carbon contained therein back into the environment in mucous form. This mucus is hard to break down for other ocean inhabitants, thus the carbon is removed from the atmosphere for a long time, as researchers now show. They reveal that the algal mucus called fucoidan is particularly responsible for this carbon removal and estimate that brown algae could thus remove up to 550 million tons of carbon dioxide from the air every year -- almost the amount of Germany's entire annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Human activities degrade hippopotamus homes at Bui National Park, Ghana, researchers find      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers found that the number of common hippopotamus in the Bui National Park declined by about 70 percent following the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the reserve. From 209 individuals before the dam construction, the number declined to 64. Land cover changes led to severe reduction in forest cover and destruction of riparian areas through flooding. In addition, poaching activities increased during and after the construction period.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Measuring gamma-ray bursts' hidden energy unearths clues to the evolution of the universe      (via sciencedaily.com) 

When stars die out, they emit gamma-ray bursts. Although scientist can calculate the explosion energy from dying stars, it is difficult to do when the conversion efficiency is low or unknown. Using light polarization, a research group has found a workaround for this, enabling astronomers to calculate the hidden energy of gamma-ray bursts.

Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Alien planet found spiraling to its doom around an aging star      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The condemned planet could help answer questions about the fate of other worlds as their solar systems evolve.

Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

Webb Space Telescope reveals previously shrouded newborn stars      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers took a 'deep dive' into one of the first images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and were rewarded with a surprising discovery: telltale signs of two dozen previously unseen young stars about 7,500 light years from Earth.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Mapping the middle ground: Balancing mining activities with survival of Utah's rare plants      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team is mapping out new modeling strategies so that proposed energy development and the management of rare plants don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive endeavors.

Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Astronomers find that two exoplanets may be mostly water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers have found evidence that two exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf star are 'water worlds,' planets where water makes up a large fraction of the volume.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Machine learning reveals how black holes grow      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Black holes are surrounded by an invisible layer that swallows every bit of evidence about their past. Researchers are now using machine learning and supercomputers to reconstruct the growth histories of black holes.

Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

ESPRESSO and CARMENES discover two potentially habitable exo-Earths around a star near the sun      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have discovered the presence of two planets with Earth-like masses in orbit around the star GJ 1002, a red dwarf not far from our solar system. Both planets are in the habitability zone of the star.

Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees
Published

Study examines feeding damage caused by spotted lanternflies on young maples      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Short-term, heavy feeding by adult spotted lanternflies on young maple trees inhibits photosynthesis, potentially impairing the tree's growth by up to 50 percent, according to a new study.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Discovering rare red spiral galaxy population from early universe with the James Webb Space Telescope      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Morphology of galaxies contain important information about the process of galaxy formation and evolution. With its state-of-the-art resolution, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has now captured several red spiral galaxies in its first image at an unprecedented resolution. Researchers have now analyzed these galaxies, revealing that these are among the furthest known spiral galaxies till date. The analysis further detected a passive red spiral galaxy in the early universe, a surprising discovery.

Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

Antihelium nuclei as messengers from the depths of the galaxy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

How are galaxies born, and what holds them together? Astronomers assume that dark matter plays an essential role. However, as yet it has not been possible to prove directly that dark matter exists. A research team has now measured the survival rate of antihelium nuclei from the depths of the galaxy -- a necessary prerequisite for the indirect search for Dark Matter.