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

A supernova in distant space allows us to understand the origin of the elements in the universe      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A supernova is a stellar explosion, which occurs when the lives of some really massive stars come to an end. In this violent epilogue, the star expels the material from its outer layers by means of a shock wave, allowing us to see the various elements it was composed of.

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

NASA's MAVEN observes Martian light show caused by major solar storm      (via sciencedaily.com) 

For the first time in its eight years orbiting Mars, NASA's MAVEN mission witnessed two different types of ultraviolet aurorae simultaneously, the result of solar storms that began on Aug. 27.

Space: Structures and Features
Published

Death of a star reveals midsize black hole lurking in a dwarf galaxy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An intermediate-mass black hole lurking undetected in a dwarf galaxy revealed itself to astronomers when it gobbled up an unlucky star that strayed too close. The shredding of the star, known as a 'tidal disruption event' or TDE, produced a flare of radiation that briefly outshone the combined stellar light of the host dwarf galaxy and could help scientists better understand the relationships between black holes and galaxies.

Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Landslides
Published

Using 1980s environmental modeling to mitigate future disasters: Could Japan's 3/11 disaster have been prevented?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

On March 11, 2011, multiple catastrophes in Japan were triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake, including the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This event, also known as the 3/11 disaster, is what is known as a compound disaster. Now that over a decade has passed since this event, researchers are investigating how to prevent the next compound disaster.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Red-supergiant supernova: Secrets of an earlier Universe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has measured the size of a star dating back more than 11 billion years ago using images that show the evolution of the star exploding and cooling. The research could help scientists learn more about the early Universe.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Ultrathin solar cells promise improved satellite performance      (via sciencedaily.com) 

As low Earth orbit becomes more cluttered, it becomes increasingly necessary to use middle Earth orbits, and radiation-tolerant cell designs will be needed. Making photovoltaics thinner should increase their longevity because the charge carriers have less far to go during their shortened lifetimes. Scientists propose a radiation-tolerant photovoltaic cell design that features an ultrathin layer of light-absorbing material. Compared to thicker cells, nearly 3.5 times less cover glass is needed for the ultra-thin cells to deliver the same amount of power after 20 years of operation.

Space: Structures and Features
Published

Early planetary migration can explain missing planets      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Computer simulations by Rice University scientists and their collaborators are the first to integrate a model of planet formation and evolution that explains two puzzling observations of exoplanets orbiting distant stars: the rarity of worlds about 1.8 times larger than Earth and the near-identical size of adjacent planets in hundreds of planetary systems.

Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Landslides
Published

Report outlines plans for major research effort on subduction zone geologic hazards      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Subduction zones, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, produce the most devastating seismic, volcanic, and landslide hazards on the planet. A new report presents an ambitious plan to make major advances in understanding subduction zone hazards by bringing together a diverse community of scientists in a long-term collaborative effort, deploying new instrumentation in subduction zones, and developing more sophisticated and accurate models.

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

Oldest planetary debris in our galaxy found from new study      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers have identified the oldest star in our galaxy that is accreting debris from orbiting planetesimals, making it one of the oldest rocky and icy planetary systems discovered in the Milky Way.

Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Astronomers discover closest black hole to Earth      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers have discovered the closest-known black hole to Earth. This is the first unambiguous detection of a dormant stellar-mass black hole in the Milky Way. Its close proximity to Earth, a mere 1600 light-years away, offers an intriguing target of study to advance our understanding of the evolution of binary systems.

Space: Structures and Features
Published

Magnetized dead star likely has solid surface      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A signature in the X-ray light emitted by a highly magnetized dead star known as a magnetar suggests the star has a solid surface with no atmosphere.

Space: Structures and Features
Published

Polarized X-rays reveal shape, orientation of extremely hot matter around black hole      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The first observations of a mass-accreting black hole from the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission reveal new details about the configuration of extremely hot matter in the region immediately surrounding it. Researchers are using measurements of the polarization of X-rays to test and refine models that describe how black holes swallow matter, becoming some of the most luminous sources of light -- including X-rays -- in the universe.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

IceCube neutrinos give us first glimpse into the inner depths of an active galaxy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have found evidence of high-energy neutrino emission from NGC 1068, also known as Messier 77, an active galaxy in the constellation Cetus and one of the most familiar and well-studied galaxies to date.

Geoscience: Landslides
Published

Physics of disaster: How mudslides move      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A devastating fire followed by an intense rainstorm triggered mudslides in Southern California in 2018 that claimed 23 lives. New findings elucidate the physics behind the deadly disaster that may inform predictive models of future mudslides.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Uncovering the massive quantum mysteries of black holes      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Bizarre quantum properties of black holes -- including their mind-bending ability to have different masses simultaneously -- have been confirmed by physicists.

Space: Structures and Features
Published

ESO captures the ghost of a giant star      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A beautiful tapestry of colors, showing the ghostly remains of a gigantic star, was captured in incredible detail with the VLT Survey Telescope, hosted at the European Southern Observatory's Paranal site in Chile.

Ecology: Trees Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Tree rings offer insight into devastating radiation storms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study has shed new light on a mysterious, unpredictable and potentially devastating kind of astrophysical event.

Space: Cosmology Space: Structures and Features
Published

Cosmic rays drive galaxy's winds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

VLA observations revealed that cosmic rays can play an important role in driving winds that rob galaxies of the gas needed to form new stars. This mechanism may be an important factor in galactic evolution, particularly at earlier times in the history of the universe.

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

Ancient bacteria might lurk beneath Mars' surface      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists found that ancient bacteria could survive close to the surface on Mars much longer than previously assumed. So, if life did, in fact, evolve when the last waters flowed on Mars, it would likely still be there today -- billions of years later.

Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Discovery could dramatically narrow search for space creatures      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An Earth-like planet orbiting an M dwarf -- the most common type of star in the universe -- appears to have no atmosphere at all. This discovery could cause a major shift in the search for life on other planets.