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Categories: Offbeat: Space, Physics: Optics

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Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Space Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

One of the largest magnetic storms in history quantified: Aurorae covered much of the night sky from the Tropics to the Polar Regions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international multidisciplinary team consisting of solar physicists, geophysicists, and historians from nine countries analysed observations of an extreme solar-terrestrial storm reported in historical records from February 1872. Their findings confirm that a moderate sunspot group triggered one of the largest magnetic storms ever recorded, almost covering the entire night sky with colourful aurorae in both hemispheres. If such an extreme storm occurred today, it would severely disrupt modern technological infrastructure. Their study emphasizes the importance of looking at historical records in light of modern scientific knowledge.

Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
Published

To help autonomous vehicles make moral decisions, researchers ditch the 'trolley problem'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new experiment to better understand what people view as moral and immoral decisions related to driving vehicles, with the goal of collecting data to train autonomous vehicles how to make 'good' decisions. The work is designed to capture a more realistic array of moral challenges in traffic than the widely discussed life-and-death scenario inspired by the so-called 'trolley problem.'

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General
Published

A new possible explanation for the Hubble tension      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The universe is expanding. How fast it does so is described by the so-called Hubble-Lemaitre constant. But there is a dispute about how big this constant actually is: Different measurement methods provide contradictory values. This so-called 'Hubble tension' poses a puzzle for cosmologists. Researchers are now proposing a new solution: Using an alternative theory of gravity, the discrepancy in the measured values can be easily explained -- the Hubble tension disappears.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Discovery of planet too big for its sun throws off solar system formation models      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The discovery of a planet that is far too massive for its sun is calling into question what was previously understood about the formation of planets and their solar systems.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Rocky planets can form in extreme environments      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers have provided the first observation of water and other molecules in the highly irradiated inner, rocky-planet-forming regions of a disk in one of the most extreme environments in our galaxy. These results suggest that the conditions for terrestrial planet formation can occur in a possible broader range of environments than previously thought. 

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

An astronomical waltz reveals a sextuplet of planets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers have found a key new system of six transiting planets orbiting a bright star in a harmonic rhythm. This rare property enabled the team to determine the planetary orbits which initially appeared as an unsolvable riddle.

Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

What was thought of as noise, points to new type of ultrafast magnetic switching      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers discover a new type of ultrafast magnetic switching by investigating fluctuations that normally tend to interfere with experiments as noise.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

New astrophysics model sheds light on additional source of long gamma-ray bursts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Cutting-edge computer simulations combined with theoretical calculations are helping astronomers better understand the origin of some of the universe's most energetic and mysterious light shows -- gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs. The new unified model confirms that some long-lasting GRBs are created in the aftermath of cosmic mergers that spawn an infant black hole surrounded by a giant disk of natal material.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Eye-safe laser technology to diagnose traumatic brain injury      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.

Energy: Technology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

The secret life of an electromagnon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have revealed how lattice vibrations and spins talk to each other in a hybrid excitation known as an electromagnon. To achieve this, they used a unique combination of experiments on an X-ray free electron laser. Understanding this fundamental process at the atomic level opens the door to ultrafast control of magnetism with light.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Compact accelerator technology achieves major energy milestone      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated a compact particle accelerator less than 20 meters long that produces an electron beam with an energy of 10 billion electron volts (10 GeV). There are only two other accelerators currently operating in the U.S. that can reach such high electron energies, but both are approximately 3 kilometers long. This type of accelerator is called a wakefield laser accelerator.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Alien haze, cooked in a lab, clears view to distant water worlds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have simulated conditions that allow hazy skies to form in water-rich exoplanets, a crucial step in determining how haziness muddles important telescope observations for the search of habitable worlds beyond the solar system.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Telescope Array detects second highest-energy cosmic ray ever      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In 1991, an experiment detected the highest-energy cosmic ray ever observed. Later dubbed the Oh-My-God particle, the cosmic ray’s energy shocked astrophysicists. Nothing in our galaxy had the power to produce it, and the particle had more energy than was theoretically possible for cosmic rays traveling to Earth from other galaxies. Simply put, the particle should not exist. On May 27, 2021, the Telescope Array experiment detected the second-highest extreme-energy cosmic ray. The newly dubbed Amaterasu particle deepens the mystery of the origin, propagation and particle physics of rare, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Physics: Optics
Published

AI for perovskite solar cells: Key to better manufacturing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells. In order to make this technology ready for the market, further improvements with regard to stability and manufacturing processes are required. Researchers have succeeded in finding a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells: Assisted by Machine Learning and new methods in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

NASA's Webb reveals new features in heart of Milky Way      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The latest image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows a portion of the dense center of our galaxy in unprecedented detail, including never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. The star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

'Triple star' discovery could revolutionize understanding of stellar evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A ground-breaking new discovery could transform the way astronomers understand some of the biggest and most common stars in the Universe.  Research by PhD student Jonathan Dodd and Professor René Oudmaijer, from the University's School of Physics and Astronomy, points to intriguing new evidence that massive Be stars -- until now mainly thought to exist in double stars -- could in fact be 'triples'.  The remarkable discovery could revolutionise our understanding of the objects -- a subset of B stars -- which are considered an important 'test bed' for developing theories on how stars evolve more generally. 

Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Physics: Optics
Published

Long in the Bluetooth: Scientists develop a more efficient way to transmit data between our devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a more energy efficient way of connecting our personal devices. New technology consumes less power than Bluetooth and can improve battery life of tech accessories, including earbuds and fitness trackers. Future applications could see us unlocking a door by touching its handle or shaking hands to exchange phone numbers.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

'Teenage galaxies' are unusually hot, glowing with unexpected elements      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, CECILIA Survey receives first data from galaxies forming two-to-three billion years after the Big Bang. By examining light from these 33 galaxies, researchers discovered their elemental composition and temperature. The ultra-deep spectrum revealed eight distinct elements: Hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, argon and nickel. The teenage galaxies also were extremely hot, reaching temperatures higher than 13,350 degrees Celsius.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: General
Published

High-power fiber lasers emerge as a pioneering technology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Optical scientists have created a high-power 'Star Wars' style-laser, boosting their use in defense and for remote sensing applications.