A population of stars at the galactic center is the oldest known in the galaxy, a study finds The Milky Way left its “poor old heart” in and around the constellation Sagittarius, astronomers report. New data from the Gaia spacecraft reveal the full extent of what seems to be theContinue Reading
Could we ever create a brain-in-a-vat? Could a brain ever exist on its own, divorced from or independent of a body? For a long time, philosophers have pondered such “brain-in-a-vat” scenarios, asking whether isolated brains could maintain consciousness when separated from their bodies and senses. Typically, a person’s experiences areContinue Reading
Vortex rings are no longer just for fluids Smoke rings are being seen in a new light. Doughnut-shaped structures called vortex rings are sometimes seen swirling through fluids. Smokers can form them with their mouths, volcanoes can spit them out during eruptions and dolphins can blow them as bubble rings.Continue Reading
A squirt up the nose could reduce coronavirus transmission, but the vaccines have challenges to overcome A few weeks ago, I was obsessed with my nose and throat. I was on a trip to Seattle to speak at a small, masks-required virology meeting about being a journalist during a pandemic.Continue Reading
The asteroid will zoom safely past Earth at 47,200 mph. An enormous asteroid four times the size of the Empire State Building will make a close approach to Earth on May 27, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Fear not: the asteroid, named 7335 (1989 JA),Continue Reading
Monitoring speed-of-light changes in Earth’s gravitational field could speed up hazard warnings Massive earthquakes don’t just move the ground — they make speed-of-light adjustments to Earth’s gravitational field. Now, researchers have trained computers to identify these tiny gravitational signals, demonstrating how the signals can be used to mark the locationContinue Reading
This gas was formed in the aftermath of the Big Bang. An extremely rare type of helium that was created soon after the Big Bang is leaking out of Earth’s metallic core, a new modeling study suggests. The vast majority of this gas in the universe, called helium-3, isContinue Reading
Sending humans on deep space projects is a reality, to visit other planets and colonize them. We are technologically ready to take the first steps. Popular imagination embodied in sci-fi stories—such as “The Martian,” with a big station on the surface and Matt Damon stranded on Martian soil growing potatoes;Continue Reading
No one knew if orcas could take down the largest animal on the planet – until now Killer whales are skilled assassins, hunting everything from herring to great white sharks. Now, for the first time, scientists witnessed a pod of killer whales bring down the world’s largest animal: an adultContinue Reading
Only the most successful campaigns are highlighted on social media, giving a skewed impression of success Online crowdfunding for medical expenses raises less money than social media posts suggest and deepens health care inequities, a new study reports. The first large-scale assessment of medical crowdfunding in the United States showsContinue Reading