SciTechDaily

X-Ray Vision of the Universe: XRISM Spacecraft Will Open New Window on the Cosmos

Jeanette Kazmierczak, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 06:41:51 +0000

XRISM, a joint space mission led by JAXA, will use its Resolve instrument to study the universe’s extremes using spectroscopy. Its findings will complement those...

Scientists Reveal the Secrets Behind Record-Breaking Tandem Solar Cell

Helmholtz Center Berlin for Materials and Energy — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 06:00:44 +0000

The most advanced tandem solar cells today, composed of a silicon base and a perovskite top layer, can transform roughly one-third of the sunlight they...

Culinary Time Travel: Ancient Cauldrons Provide New Clues Regarding Bronze Age Diets

Cell Press — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 03:56:00 +0000

For a long time, archaeologists inferred the uses of ancient tools by referencing written documents and contextual hints. However, when it came to ancient dietary...

Nature’s Quantum Code: Unraveling the Secrets of Photosynthesis

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 02:35:13 +0000

A cutting-edge experiment has unveiled the quantum dynamics underlying one of nature’s most essential processes. Using a complex cast of metal-studded pigments, proteins, enzymes, and...

Iceman’s Genome Reanalyzed: Ötzi Had Dark Skin, Dark Eyes, and a Balding Head

Cell Press — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 01:25:39 +0000

The latest research on the Neolithic Tyrolean Iceman, Ötzi, reveals surprising information about his appearance and ancestry. Contrary to previous beliefs, Ötzi had dark skin,...

“Forgetting” Might Not Be a Bad Thing – Scientists Propose That It Could Be a Functional Feature of the Brain

Trinity College Dublin — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:01:41 +0000

Neuroscientists have unveiled initial findings from experiments investigating the concept that “forgetting” might not be a bad thing, and that it may represent a form...

Physicists Use Vibrations To Prevent Information Loss in Quantum Computing

Matt Davenport, Michigan State University — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 22:51:12 +0000

When quantum systems, such as those used in quantum computers, operate in the real world, they can lose information to mechanical vibrations. New research led...

Neptune’s Clouds Perform a Surprise Disappearing Act

W. M. Keck Observatory — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 21:41:20 +0000

Neptune’s clouds have nearly disappeared for the first time in three decades. Observations indicate a potential link between the planet’s cloud patterns and the solar...

Long Considered Impossible in Physics: Nonlinear Circuit Harvests Clean Power Using Graphene

University of Arkansas — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 20:33:22 +0000

The discovery overturns more than a century of physics orthodoxy by identifying a new form of energy that can be extracted from ambient heat using...

The Hidden Pandemic Time Bomb: Zoonotic Disease Threats Uncovered in the US

New York University — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:21:26 +0000

A recent study by Harvard Law School and New York University highlights the potential threat of future pandemics from animal industries in the United States....

Exploring Cosmic Extremes: The Unusual Jet Structure of the Brightest of All Time Gamma-Ray Burst

George Washington University — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:11:02 +0000

Researchers studying GRB 221009A, the Brightest of All Time (BOAT) gamma-ray burst, found its jet exhibited an unusual structure, which may explain its extreme nature...

Blazing Records: Stunning Space Station Photo Captures Pacific Northwest Engulfed in Smoke

Adam Voiland, NASA Earth Observatory — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 17:21:09 +0000

Extreme heat, bouts of strong winds, and a prolonged drought are fueling large forest fires in western Canada and the United States. NASA’s Aqua satellite’s...

Science Reveals Sourdough Secrets: Unraveling the Tangy Mystery of Pandemic-Era’s Favorite Bread

American Chemical Society — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:31:14 +0000

Researchers have decoded 21 chemical compounds behind sourdough bread’s distinct taste and aroma. Using a “sensomics” approach, the team highlighted the importance of fermentation and...

Debunking the “Weekend Effect” – New Insights on Birth Timings and Baby Mortality

City University London — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:41:21 +0000

A recent study provides a comprehensive examination of the factors influencing the timing of births, indicating that for the vast majority of deliveries, being born...

Better Boundaries: Top Social Media Settings To Promote Positive Mental Health for Young People

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 14:52:58 +0000

Experts share tech-savvy ways to better manage and control social media use on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for youth, teens, and kids. While young people...

Night-Shining Spectacle: Mesospheric Clouds “Shine” Over the Mediterranean Sea

NASA Earth Observatory — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 13:36:08 +0000

Once limited to higher latitudes, polar mesospheric clouds are becoming brighter and more visible over mid-latitudes. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) took...

Discovering the Genetic Secrets of Immunity – Scientists Are Bringing Extinct Molecules Back to Life

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:41:00 +0000

Researchers have delved into molecular “de-extinction,” studying ancient genomes for potential antibiotics. Their work unearthed antimicrobial molecules from Neanderthals and Denisovans, challenging traditional notions of...

Long-Standing Mystery Solved: New Findings Rewrite Understanding Into Parkinson’s Disease Pathway

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:49:51 +0000

Researchers from Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have unraveled a long-standing mystery surrounding a protein’s role in clearing the body of damaged mitochondria....

New Exoplanet Discovery Challenges Established Astronomical Theories

University of Birmingham — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:08:38 +0000

Scientists have identified a Jupiter-sized planet, TOI-4860 b, around a low-mass star, challenging conventional planet formation theories. An international team of researchers has discovered an...

Superior Strength and Plasticity – A New Treatment for Steel Alloys

Purdue University — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 10:17:06 +0000

A new treatment tested on a high-quality steel alloy results in remarkable strength and flexibility, qualities often seen as a trade-off rather than a combination....

Alzheimer’s Alert: Your Gut Bacteria Could Provide an Early Warning

Washington University School of Medicine — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:28:09 +0000

The gut microbiota of individuals with pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s differs from those of healthy people. Individuals in the initial phase of Alzheimer’s disease, where brain alterations...

Pollution Solution: New Device Can Capture 99.9% of Microplastics in Water Using Wood Dust

University of British Columbia (UBC) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:28:37 +0000

UBC’s BioProducts Institute develops a plant-based filter, “bioCap,” that can capture nearly 99.9% of microplastic particles in water, offering a scalable and sustainable solution to...

Unearthing the Past: Ice Core Data Reveals Greenland’s Unexpected Ice-Free History

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:46:58 +0000

New analysis of sediments from the Camp Century ice core reveals that northwestern Greenland was ice-free during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 interglacial period....

Soccer Balls, Footballs & Quantum Mechanics: A New “Spin” on Ergodicity Breaking

University of Colorado at Boulder — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:15:54 +0000

Scientists observed unique ergodicity-breaking behaviors in the C60 molecule’s rotations without breaking symmetry using advanced infrared spectroscopy. This discovery offers new insights into quantum system...