Showing 20 articles starting at article 821
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Biology: Evolutionary, Space: Structures and Features
Published NIRISS instrument on Webb maps an ultra-hot Jupiter's atmosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There's an intriguing exoplanet out there -- 400 light-years out there -- that is so tantalizing that astronomers have been studying it since its discovery in 2009. One orbit for WASP-18 b around its star that is slightly larger than our Sun takes just 23 hours. There is nothing like it in our Solar System. A new study about this exoplanet, an ultra-hot gas giant 10 times more massive than Jupiter.
Published Under pressure: Foundations of stellar physics and nuclear fusion investigated
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research using the world's most energetic laser has shed light on the properties of highly compressed matter -- essential to understanding the structure of giant planets and stars, and to develop controlled nuclear fusion, a process that could harvest carbon-free energy.
Published Geneticists discover hidden 'whole genome duplication' that may explain why some species survived mass extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Geneticists have unearthed a major event in the ancient history of sturgeons and paddlefish that has significant implications for the way we understand evolution. They have pinpointed a previously hidden 'whole genome duplication' (WGD) in the common ancestor of these species, which seemingly opened the door to genetic variations that may have conferred an advantage around the time of a major mass extinction some 200 million years ago.
Published The clams that fell behind, and what they can tell us about evolution and extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study examined how bivalves -- the group that includes clams, mussels, scallops, and oysters -- evolved among many others in the period of rapid evolution known as the Cambrian Explosion. The team found that though many other lineages burst into action and quickly evolved a wide variety of forms and functions, the bivalves lagged behind. The study has implications for how we understand evolution and the impact of extinctions.
Published Astronomers discover last three planets Kepler telescope observed before going dark
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With the help of citizen scientists, astronomers discovered what may be the last three planets that the Kepler Space Telescope saw before it was retired.
Published Evolution driving improvements in racehorse speed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found that genetic improvement is underlying the increasing speed of Britain's thoroughbreds. This contrasts with earlier studies that suggested racehorses were showing no genetic improvement in response to selection by breeders.
Published 4,000-year-old plague DNA found -- the oldest cases to date in Britain
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified three 4,000-year-old British cases of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria causing the plague -- the oldest evidence of the plague in Britain to date.
Published One-third of galaxy's most common planets could be in habitable zone
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A third of the exoplanets orbiting common M dwarf stars have gentle enough orbits to potentially be in the habitable zone capable of hosting liquid water.
Published X-ray emissions from black hole jets vary unexpectedly, challenging leading model of particle acceleration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Black hole jets are known to emit x-rays, but how they accelerate particles to this high-energy state is still a mystery. Surprising new findings appear to rule out a leading theory, opening the door to reimagining how particle acceleration works. One model of how jets generate x-rays expects the jets' x-ray emissions to remain stable over long time scales. However, the new paper found that the x-ray emissions of a statistically significant number of jets varied over just a few years.
Published The search for habitable planets expands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers are suggesting a new way to expand the search for habitable planets that takes into account a zone not previously considered: the space between the star and what's called soot-line in planet-forming disks.
Published Astronomers discover a key planetary system to understand the formation mechanism of the mysterious 'super-Earths'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study presents the detection of a system of two planets slightly larger than Earth orbiting a cold star in a synchronized dance. Named TOI-2096, the system is located 150 light-years from Earth. This system, located 150 light-years from Earth, is one of the best candidates for a detailed study of their atmosphere with the JWST space telescope.
Published River erosion can shape fish evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study of the freshwater greenfin darter fish suggests river erosion can be a driver of biodiversity in tectonically inactive regions.
Published New study provides novel insights into the cosmic evolution of amino acids
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source All biological amino acids on Earth appear exclusively in their left-handed form, but the reason underlying this observation is elusive. Recently, scientists uncovered new clues about the cosmic origin of this asymmetry. Based on the optical properties of amino acids found on the Murchison meteorite, they conducted physics-based simulations, revealing that the precursors to the biological amino acids may have determined the amino acid chirality during the early phase of galactic evolution.
Published Helium nuclei research advances our understanding of cosmic ray origin and propagation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The latest observations from Low Earth Orbit with the International Space Station provide further evidence of spectral hardening and softening of cosmic ray particles.
Published Global macrogenetic map of marine habitat-forming species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Species known as marine habitat-forming species -- gorgonians, corals, algae, seaweeds, marine phanerogams, etc.-- are organisms that help generate and structure the underwater landscapes. These are natural refuges for other species, and provide biomass and complexity to the seabeds. But these key species in marine ecosystems are currently threatened by climate change and other perturbations derived from human activity. Now, a study warns that even in the marine protected areas (MPAs) the genetic diversity of structural species is not protected, although it is essential for the response and adaptation of populations to changes that alter the natural environment.
Published Where do our limbs come from?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have uncovered new clues about the origin of paired appendages -- a major evolutionary step that remains unresolved and highly debated.
Published What marsupials can teach us about brain development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research has revealed features of early human brain development are mimicked in the brains of marsupials.
Published NASA's Hubble hunts for intermediate-sized black hole close to home
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have come up with what they say is some of their best evidence yet for the presence of a rare class of 'intermediate-sized' black hole that may be lurking in the heart of the closest globular star cluster to Earth, located 6,000 light-years away.
Published Element creation in the lab deepens understanding of surface explosions on neutron stars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists working in the lab have produced a signature nuclear reaction that occurs on the surface of a neutron star gobbling mass from a companion star. Their achievement improves understanding of stellar processes generating diverse nuclear isotopes.
Published Dinosaurs were the first to take the perspectives of others
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding that others hold different viewpoints from your own is essential for human sociality. Adopting another person's visual perspective is a complex skill that emerges around the age of two. A new study suggests that this ability first arose in dinosaurs, at least 60 million years before it appeared in mammals. These findings challenge the idea that mammals were the originators of novel and superior forms of intelligence in the wake of the dinosaur extinction.