Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Offbeat: Space, Paleontology: Fossils
Published NASA's DART impact permanently changed the shape and orbit of asteroid moon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study provides insights on the geophysics behind asteroid formation and evolution.
Published New heaviest exotic antimatter nucleus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists studying the tracks of particles streaming from six billion collisions of atomic nuclei at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) -- an 'atom smasher' that recreates the conditions of the early universe -- have discovered a new kind of antimatter nucleus, the heaviest ever detected. Composed of four antimatter particles -- an antiproton, two antineutrons, and one antihyperon -- these exotic antinuclei are known as antihyperhydrogen-4.
Published New view of North Star reveals spotted surface
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-resolution images show large spots on the surface of Polaris.
Published Fossil hotspots in Africa obscure a more complete picture of human evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows how the mismatch between where fossils are preserved and where humans likely lived may influence our understanding of early human evolution.
Published Spectacular increase in the deuterium/hydrogen ratio in Venus' atmosphere
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Our understanding of Venus' water history and the potential that it was once habitable in the past is being challenged by recent observations.
Published Tracking down the asteroid that sealed the fate of the dinosaurs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago probably came from the outer solar system.
Published Engineers conduct first in-orbit test of 'swarm' satellite autonomous navigation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With 2D cameras and space robotics algorithms, astronautics engineers have created a navigation system able to manage multiple satellites using visual data only. They just tested it in space for the first time.
Published Galaxies in dense environments tend to be larger, settling one cosmic question and raising others
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found galaxies with more neighbors tend to be larger than their counterparts that have a similar shape and mass, but reside in less dense environments. The team, which used a machine-learning algorithm to analyze millions of galaxies, reports that galaxies found in denser regions of the universe are as much as 25% larger than isolated galaxies. The findings resolve a long-standing debate among astrophysicists over the relationship between a galaxy's size and its environment, but also raise new questions about how galaxies form and evolve over billions of years.
Published Rocks from Mars' Jezero Crater, which likely predate life on Earth, contain signs of water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists report that rock samples from Mars' Jezero Crater contain minerals that are typically formed in water. While the presence of organic matter is inconclusive, the rocks could be scientists' best chance at finding remnants of ancient Martian life.
Published Decoding the world's largest animal genome
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have sequenced the largest genome of all animals, the lungfish genome. Their data help to explain how the fish-ancestors of today's land vertebrates were able to conquer land.
Published Giant fossil seeds from Borneo record ancient plant migration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in the fossil record, may provide new insight into the evolution of today's diverse Southeast Asian and Australian rainforests, according to researchers who identified the plants.
Published SwRI-led team finds evidence of hydration on Asteroid Psyche
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have confirmed hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. The presence of hydrated minerals suggests a complex history for Psyche, important context for the NASA spacecraft en route to this interesting asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
Published Measuring Martian winds with sound
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Martian landers have been able capture measurements of wind speeds -- some gauging the cooling rate of heated materials when winds blow over them, others using cameras to image 'tell-tales' that blow in the wind -- but there's still room for improvement. Researchers now demonstrate a novel sonic anemometric system featuring a pair of narrow-band piezoelectric transducers to measure the travel time of sound pulses through Martian air. The study accounted for variables including transducer diffraction effects and wind direction.
Published Engineers make tunable, shape-changing metamaterial inspired by vintage toys
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Common push puppet toys in the shapes of animals and popular figures can move or collapse with the push of a button at the bottom of the toys' base. Now, a team of engineers has created a new class of tunable dynamic material that mimics the inner workings of push puppets, with applications for soft robotics, reconfigurable architectures and space engineering.
Published Scientists find oceans of water on Mars: It's just too deep to tap
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Quakes and meteor impacts on Mars generate seismic waves that can help map the interior. A new study analyzed seismic waves detected by the Insight lander and concludes that 11-20 kilometers beneath the surface, a zone of pores and fractures is filled with liquid water -- more than was thought to fill Mars' surface oceans before they disappeared 3 billion years ago. Though too deep to drill, the reservoir is a possible refuge for life.
Published Early mammals lived longer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What distinguishes the growth and development patterns of early mammals of the Jurassic period? Paleontologists have been able to gauge the lifespan and growth rates of these ancient animals, and even when they reached maturity, by studying growth rings in fossilized tooth roots.
Published International Space Station crew carries out archeological survey in space
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An archaeological strategy adapted for space used daily photos to reveal how astronauts actually use areas aboard the International Space Station -- and how this differs from intended uses.
Published Findings from first archaeology project in space
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first-ever archeological survey in space has provided new insights into how astronauts use and adapt their living space on the International Space Station, which could influence the design of new space stations after the ISS is decommissioned.
Published Scientists lay out revolutionary method to warm Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ever since we learned that the surface of planet Mars is cold and dead, people have wondered if there is a way to make it friendlier to life. The newly proposed method is over 5,000 times more efficient than previous schemes to globally warm Mars, representing a significant leap forward in our ability to modify the Martian environment.
Published Carvings at ancient monument may be world's oldest calendars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Markings on a stone pillar at a 12,000 year-old archaeological site in Turkey likely represent the world's oldest solar calendar, created as a memorial to a devastating comet strike, experts suggest.