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Categories: Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology, Space: Structures and Features
Published Lightest black hole or heaviest neutron star? MeerKAT uncovers a mysterious object in Milky Way



An international team of astronomers have found a new and unknown object in the Milky Way that is heavier than the heaviest neutron stars known and yet simultaneously lighter than the lightest black holes known.
Published Despite intensive scientific analyses, this centaur head remains a mystery



For almost 200 years, archaeologists have been puzzled by a mysterious brown stain on the ancient Greek Parthenon temple in Greece. Now, researchers have conducted new scientific analyses, and their verdict is clear: The mystery remains.
Published Origin of intense light in supermassive black holes and tidal disruption events revealed



A new study is a significant breakthrough in understanding Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) involving supermassive black holes. The new simulations accurately replicate the entire sequence of a TDE from stellar disruption to the peak luminosity of the resulting flare.
Published Astronomers detect oldest black hole ever observed



Researchers have discovered the oldest black hole ever observed, dating from the dawn of the universe, and found that it is 'eating' its host galaxy to death.
Published The metalens meets the stars



Researchers have developed a 10-centimeter-diameter glass metalens that can image the sun, the moon and distant nebulae with high resolution. It is the first all-glass, large-scale metalens in the visible wavelength that can be mass produced using conventional CMOS fabrication technology.
Published Study delivers detailed photos of galaxies' inner structures



High-resolution images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope are offering powerful insights into the complex dust patterns of nearby star-forming galaxies.
Published Astronomers produce most sensitive radio image ever of ancient star cluster



Astronomers have created the most sensitive radio image ever of a globular cluster, an ancient ball of tightly-packed stars.
Published Feeding mode of ancient vertebrate tested for first time



A feeding method of the extinct jawless heterostracans, among the oldest of vertebrates, has been examined and dismissed by scientists, using fresh techniques.
Published Earth-sized planet discovered in 'our solar backyard'



Astronomers have discovered a planet closer and younger than any other Earth-sized world yet identified. It's a remarkably hot world whose proximity to our own planet and to a star like our sun mark it as a unique opportunity to study how planets evolve.
Published NASA scientists discover a novel galactic 'fossil'



Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have discovered X-ray activity that sheds light on the evolution of galaxies.
Published Close encounters of the supermassive black hole kind



Astrophysicists have confirmed the accuracy of an analytical model that can unlock key information about supermassive black holes and the stars they engulf.
Published Our surprising magnetic galaxy



A team of astronomers has created the first-ever map of magnetic field structures within a spiral arm of our Milky Way galaxy. Previous studies on galactic magnetic fields only gave a very general picture, but the new study reveals that magnetic fields in the spiral arms of our galaxy break away from this general picture significantly and are tilted away from the galactic average by a high degree. The findings suggest magnetic fields strongly impact star-forming regions which means they played a part in the creation of our own solar system.
Published Surprise gamma-ray feature beyond our galaxy



Astronomers analyzing 13 years of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found an unexpected and as yet unexplained feature outside of our galaxy.
Published Oldest known fossilized skin is 21 million years older than previous examples



Researchers have identified a 3D fragment of fossilized skin that is at least 21 million years than previously described skin fossils. The skin, which belonged to an early species of Paleozoic reptile, has a pebbled surface and most closely resembles crocodile skin. It's the oldest example of preserved epidermis, the outermost layer of skin in terrestrial reptiles, birds, and mammals, which was an important evolutionary adaptation in the transition to life on land.
Published Astronomers make rare exoplanet discovery, and a giant leap in detecting Earth-like bodies



Astronomers have made the rare discovery of a small, cold exoplanet and its massive outer companion -- shedding light on the formation of planets like Earth.
Published Prehistoric person with Turner syndrome identified from ancient DNA



Researchers have developed a new technique to measure the number of chromosomes in ancient genomes more precisely, using it to identify the first prehistoric person with mosaic Turner syndrome (characterized by one X chromosome instead of two [XX]), who lived about 2500 years ago.
Published Study on lamprey embryos sheds light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head



Scientists have investigated lamprey embryos using cutting-edge microscopic techniques to reveal interesting insights about vertebrate head evolution, clarifying an unresolved mystery in basic science.
Published Largest diversity study of 'magic mushrooms' investigates the evolution of psychoactive psilocybin production



The genomic analysis of 52 Psilocybe specimens includes 39 species that have never been sequenced. Psilocybe arose much earlier than previously thought -- about 65 million years ago -- and the authors found that psilocybin was first synthesized in mushrooms in the genus Psilocybe. Their analysis revealed two distinct gene orders within the gene cluster that produces psilocybin. The two gene patterns correspond to an ancient split in the genus, suggesting two independent acquisitions of psilocybin in its evolutionary history. The study is the first to reveal such a strong evolutionary pattern within the gene sequences underpinning the psychoactive proteins synthesis.
Published NASA's Webb finds signs of possible aurorae on isolated brown dwarf



Astronomers have found a brown dwarf (an object more massive than Jupiter but smaller than a star) with infrared emission from methane, likely due to energy in its upper atmosphere. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf, W1935, is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source for the upper atmosphere energy. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae.
Published Unlocking the secrets of a 'Hot Saturn' and its spotted star



A team of astronomers has unraveled the enigmatic atmosphere of the exoplanet HAT-P-18 b, shedding light on its intriguing blend of gases, clouds, and even the effects of its star's activity.