Discover fascinating insights about wild chimpanzees in Africa! These incredible primates have been documented creating rhythmic sounds using their hands and feet on trees.
By striking the massive roots—known as “buttresses”—at the base of trees, chimpanzees generate a deep, resonant sound that can travel over one kilometer (0.6 miles) through dense forest.
This unique drumming is a form of long-distance communication. A 2022 study discovered that chimpanzees in Uganda exhibit distinct drumming styles to communicate their locations within their social groups.
A recent follow-up survey analyzing over 370 drumming patterns from six chimpanzees revealed regional variations. West African chimpanzees prefer evenly spaced beats, reminiscent of a techno rhythm, while their East African counterparts opt for more varied intervals.
Some chimpanzees even enhance their drumming by using tools, like throwing stones against tree trunks to produce a gratifying thud, often coinciding with their trademark “pang-pang” call.
This form of “rock music” has recently been documented in the Chimpanzees of Guinea-Bissau, suggesting the emergence of a complex chimpanzee culture where young members imitate the rock-throwing of older individuals.
These rhythmic behaviors highlight that the human capacity for creating and enjoying rhythmic music may trace back to our evolutionary ancestors.
However, chimpanzees aren’t the only creatures with a sense of rhythm. The striking palm cockatoo, with its punk-rock hairstyle, uses sticks and seed pods to rhythmically tap on trees.
This unique behavior is utilized by male palm cockatoos for attracting mates and marking their territory. They even take time to craft their own musical instruments, meticulously shaping sticks or seed pods to meet their rhythmic needs.
This article answers the question (from Sha’Quan Ward of London): “Can any animal play a musical instrument?”
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This stunning image of the Milky Way’s core was captured by ESA’s Euclid Space Telescope on March 23, 2025. Image credits: ESA / Euclid / Euclid Consortium / NASA / CFHT / J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin, CEA Paris-Saclay.
The Euclid telescope is expertly designed to observe billions of distant galaxies. Its advanced visible-light camera can differentiate individual stars within the densely packed galactic bulge without losing clarity,” stated Euclid team members.
This remarkable capability is crucial for scientists aiming to study exoplanets around other stars through a technique known as microlensing.
In merely 26 hours on March 23 and 24, 2025, Euclid produced this extensive image.
Beyond 60 million stars, the telescope also documented nebulae and star clusters.
“This mosaic comprises nine directional views from visible-light cameras, each encompassing an area greater than the full moon,” the astronomers explained.
“When compared to Hubble’s wide-field camera, Euclid’s sharpness and sensitivity in visible light are remarkably impressive,” they added.
“Each point captured by Euclid in just hours represents an area 270 times larger than Hubble’s field of vision.”
To replicate the detailed mosaics created by Euclid would require approximately 2,000 hours at the Keck Observatory,” they noted.
“With its speed and ability to detect faint stars, Euclid reveals details that ground-based observations may overlook.”
“This marks a unique occasion where Euclid momentarily set aside its standard cosmological sky surveys,” remarked Dr. Jason Rose, astronomer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“Such endeavors require significant effort and planning, underscoring their substantial scientific impact.”
“Integrating Euclid’s snapshots with Roman’s future surveys will enable a more precise mapping of the galaxy and enhance our chances of discovering elusive cosmic treasures like orphaned black holes and rogue planets.”
Dr. Matthew Penny, an astronomer at Louisiana State University and co-leader of the Euclidean Exoplanet Science Working Group, emphasized: “The Euclidean observations present an exciting opportunity to refine and test our Milky Way model.”
For the first time, one of the world’s most unusual sharks, the Goblin Shark (Mituculina Ostni), has been photographed in its natural habitat, as detailed in a recent study published in the Fish Biology Journal.
The observation occurred in 2019 by a research team from the University of Hawaii at Manoa while sailing near Jervis Island in the South Pacific.
Renowned for its retractable jaws, the deep-sea Goblin Shark can extend its mouth rapidly at speeds of up to 3.1 meters per second, allowing it to catch unsuspecting fish. These sharks are often brought to the surface by fishermen from depths reaching 1,200 meters (3,940 feet), further adding to their enigmatic nature, with reports of a dead specimen.
“Witnessing such an iconic deep-sea shark thriving in its natural environment is a unique and remarkable honor,” stated Dr. Aaron Judah, lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate in Oceanography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
“We were astonished to find this species at such depths. Observations from the slopes of the Tonga Trench indicate it was nearly 700 meters deeper than previously recorded for this species.”
The footage of the Goblin Shark was recorded using a camera attached to Hercules, an underwater drone. However, the identification of the shark was confirmed later by Judah through recordings of the expedition’s livestream.
The second sighting occurred near the Tonga Trench by the Minderu UWA Deep Sea Research Center, which utilized a baited camera attached to a bottom lander, a device employed by oceanographers for ocean floor experiments.
Typically, Goblin Sharks can grow up to 3.6 meters (12 feet) in length, with their distinctively long, flat snouts accounting for a significant portion of their length.
These creatures are notoriously elusive, featuring fewer sightings compared to other deep-sea enigmas like the giant squid or Mariana Trench ghost fish. Consequently, knowledge about them remains limited to their fascinating yet alarming feeding habits.
While the mystique surrounding Goblin Sharks has been somewhat lessened in recent years due to sporadic sightings in different locations, including the Canary Islands and off the Japanese coast, they remain a marvel of deep-sea biodiversity.
Groundbreaking research has yielded the first photograph of the Cozumel Dwarf Fox (Urokion sp.), a rare and elusive species native to Cozumel Island, located off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Captured in September 2023, these images represent the first confirmed evidence of this animal’s existence since 2001.
This photograph shows a Cozumel Dwarf Fox (Urokion sp.) taken on September 14, 2023. The adult male fox was partially hidden behind leaves before its capture by the Cozumel Foundation. The image serves as significant evidence of its survival on the island since its last confirmed sighting in 2001. Image credit: Rafael Chacón.
The Cozumel Dwarf Fox belongs to the genus Urocyon. Despite its close relation to the North American gray fox, this unique species has dramatically decreased in population due to its isolation on the island.
Subfossil remains indicate that this species is 60-80% smaller than its mainland counterparts, a result of thousands of years of insular adaptation, with origins dating back around 37,000 years.
“The Island Fox is a well-documented example of dwarfism and rapid evolution following isolation on islands.”
“Clear morphological, genetic, and ecological distinctions exist compared to its mainland relatives.”
“Archaeological findings suggest that the dwarf fox has inhabited Cozumel for thousands of years, possibly even before early Maya settlements.”
“This population has never been officially documented or recognized as a taxonomically unique group.”
“Sightings of this species are exceedingly rare, consisting of limited observations and anecdotal reports, the latest of which dates back to 2001.”
The only physical evidence of this species’ existence comes from subfossil remains, indicating significant island dwarfism (60-80% size reduction), suggesting isolation began between 5,000 and 37,000 years ago.
A full-body photo of an adult male Cozumel Dwarf Fox following its release into the Laguna Colombia State Reserve. Captured after a health check on September 17, 2023. Image credit: Rafael Chacón.
The research team reported that the adult male Cozumel Dwarf Fox was found disoriented near the coastal highway early on September 14, 2023, following a report from a local resident.
Rafael Chacón, one of the study’s authors, along with rescuers from the Cozumel Foundation, retrieved the fox.
After monitoring it for several days, the animal was released back into the protected Laguna Colombia State Reserve in southern Cozumel.
“One of the key lessons from this study is that species can quietly vanish without anyone noticing,” Bayer remarked. “Many perceive extinction as a sudden and dramatic event, but it often occurs slowly and unnoticed, especially among rare species in less-studied habitats.”
“This rediscovery of the Cozumel Fox might not represent a conservation success yet, but it provides a crucial second chance.”
Researchers emphasize the urgent need for field surveys, ongoing population monitoring, and habitat protection, particularly in southern Cozumel, where development, invasive species, and other threats are jeopardizing the island’s ecosystem.
“The greatest challenge facing the Cozumel Fox is that our knowledge about it is limited, including insights into its population size, distribution, and ecology,” Bayer stated.
“Ultimately, we hope this research will enhance the Cozumel Fox’s status from a little-known species to an essential part of Cozumel’s ecosystem.”
“We aim to illustrate that the need for protection is often greatest when certainty is at its lowest, and that uncertainty can spur action.”
The team’s research paper was published online on May 4, 2026, in Neotropical Biology and Conservation.
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TD Bayer et al. 2026. The first photographic evidence of a dwarf fox from the island (Urokion sp.) located on the Mexican island of Cozumel. Neotropical Biology and Conservation 21 (2): 123-129; doi: 10.3897/Neotropical.21.e187967
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this captivating video of the basilisk, famously known as the “Jesus Christ Lizard,” effortlessly running on water.
The scene is mesmerizing, reminiscent of Looney Tunes, showcasing a lizard that appears to defy the laws of physics just like the Road Runner.
The common basilisk is native to Central and South America, thriving near rivers and streams in lush rainforests. These relatively small lizards boast tails that exceed their body length by more than two times.
Males typically reach about 75 cm (approximately 30 inches) in total length, featuring three distinct sail-like crests—one on the head, one on the back, and one on the tail.
Territorial by nature, males employ these impressive crests not only to assert dominance but also to attract smaller females.
One of their most remarkable traits is their ability to run on water, a skill intrinsic to their survival against predators. Hatchlings are born with this innate ability.
Over short bursts of up to 20 m (66 ft), adults can reach speeds of about 5 km/h (3 mph), while younger, lighter basilisks might surpass that speed.
Researchers have noted that they run on their hind legs, flapping their front legs reminiscent of Kermit the Frog.
Biologist Tonia Shea made a significant discovery. In 2003, while pursuing her Ph.D. at Harvard University, she utilized a high-speed camera to analyze 30 videos of basilisks running on water in a 4.6 m (15 ft) aquarium, comparing their movement speed with terrestrial lizards.
The common basilisk’s locomotion on water is quite unique.
When traversing water, they swing their legs outward and stretch them backward, keeping their feet relatively stiff and plunging them into the water with a piston-like motion.
Basilisks predominantly inhabit regions near rivers and streams in Central and South America – Credit: Getty
A follow-up survey conducted the following year revealed that each step generates enough force to support the basilisk’s weight while propelling it forward.
The strongest force occurs during the initial half of each stride when the foot plunges straight down into the water, forcing water down and creating an air pocket around the temporarily submerged foot, significantly reducing drag.
This mechanism enables the basilisk to pull its feet out of the water with ease while maintaining forward momentum.
Basilisks are not only adept at hydrodynamics, but through evolution, they have developed both locomotor and physical adaptations.
Their hind legs are long and muscular, and their large hind feet feature scaly fringes along the sides of the third, fourth, and fifth toes.
When basking on land, these flaps fold against the toes; however, when on water, they expand, providing additional surface area for propulsion.
In summary, the basilisk, often referred to as the Jesus Christ Lizard, is a truly fascinating creature.
While a few other animals like pond skaters, fishing spiders, and certain grebes can walk and run on water, none do so with the same remarkable flair as the basilisk.
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The Dark Energy Camera, an advanced 570-megapixel imaging device mounted on NSF’s Victor M. Blanco 4-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, has captured the stunning Sombrero Galaxy in unparalleled detail. This image reveals a faint stream of stars and a radiant halo, hinting at a dynamic history shaped by galaxy mergers.
The DECam image of the Sombrero Galaxy, a target of interest for both amateur astronomers and scientific research. Image credits: CTIO / NOIRLab / DOE / NSF / AURA / TA University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor and NSF’s NOIRLab / D. de Martin and M. Zamani, NSF’s NOIRLab.
The Sombrero Galaxy, located about 28 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, is a striking astronomical object.
Also known as Messier 104, M104, or NGC 4594, the galaxy was first discovered by French astronomer Pierre Méchain on May 11, 1781.
With a diameter of approximately 49,000 light-years—about half that of the Milky Way—the Sombrero Galaxy possesses a distinct structure.
This galaxy uniquely combines characteristics of both spiral and elliptical galaxies, featuring prominent disks and spiral arms alongside a large, luminous central bulge that gives it a hybrid appearance.
The view showcases the Sombrero Galaxy head-on, at a 6-degree angle south of its plane, highlighting its dark, dusty lanes.
“The Sombrero Galaxy is a galactic masterpiece that captivates both scientists and astronomy enthusiasts,” stated NOIRLab astronomers.
“Its complex globular cluster system offers insights into star populations, and astronomers are particularly interested in the supermassive black hole at its core.”
“The galaxy’s unique visual features and relative brightness make it a favorite among amateur stargazers.”
“The rich discovery history, involving three renowned astronomers, has cemented its place among the most significant deep-sky objects.”
“Today, the Sombrero Galaxy stands as one of the most iconic celestial bodies visible in the night sky.”
The latest high-resolution image of the Sombrero Galaxy was captured using the advanced DECam instrument.
“DECam’s outstanding resolution highlights the remarkable features of the Sombrero Galaxy,” the astronomers noted.
“At its center lies a brilliant core, encircled by approximately 2,000 globular clusters.”
A dark band of cold dust and hydrogen gas outlines the disk where star formation predominantly occurs.
This image also accentuates the galaxy’s vast glowing halo, which appears to extend over three times the width of the sombrero itself.
“This could be the first time such a halo has been captured in such detail and scale.”
DECam’s exceptional sensitivity has also revealed a vast stream of stars extending from the southern region of the galaxy.
These halos and stellar streams are composed of stars torn from their original galaxies, suggesting a history of galactic mergers involving the Sombrero and smaller partner galaxies.
Witness a rare spectacle: the distant Earth vanishing behind the massive moon, a moment experienced by only a few.
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NASA astronaut Reed Wiseman, commander of the lunar orbiting Artemis II mission, shared a breathtaking video of Earth fading away from the far side of the moon.
“It’s like experiencing a beach sunset from the most exotic seat in the universe,” Wiseman commented on the video, captured through the Orion spacecraft’s window. He described this moment as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
On April 1, Wiseman and fellow NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen embarked on their lunar journey. After orbiting both Earth and the moon for 10 days, they returned home on April 10, landing in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.
During their mission, the Artemis II crew became the first humans to experience the moon’s far side—an area that remains hidden from Earth.
Wiseman couldn’t resist filming the Earthset using his cellphone while orbiting the moon on April 6, capturing intricate details of the cratered lunar surface.
“The docking hatch window barely revealed the moon,” Wiseman noted. “But an iPhone perfectly captured the view, with an uncropped, uncut 8x zoom, akin to the human eye’s perspective.”
While Wiseman recorded the Earthset, his crew members diligently photographed and documented the moon’s varied terrain and impact craters.
“Listen to the Nikon shutter as @Astro_Christina takes that stunning Earthset photo through the 400mm lens,” Wiseman shared on X about Koch’s work.
This stunning image, captured by the Artemis II crew from the Orion spacecraft on April 6, shows Earth dipping behind the moon’s edge. NASA
The astronauts dedicated around seven hours to take photographs and collect data during this historic lunar flight. Upcoming releases will showcase more breathtaking images of the moon’s landscapes with Earth in the background.
Wiseman’s Earthset video pays tribute to the iconic Earthrise photo from the 1968 Apollo 8 mission. Whereas Apollo 8 showcased the Earth emerging, Wiseman’s video depicts it vanishing.
On December 24, 1968, Apollo 8 crew captured the moment when Earth appeared above the moon’s horizon. William Anders / NASA
Artemis II marked NASA’s first moon mission in over 50 years. Wiseman, Koch, Glover, and Hansen were the pioneers traveling aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule.
Looking forward, NASA’s Artemis III mission is set for mid-2027. The mission aims to remain in low-Earth orbit, executing technology tests with either a SpaceX or Blue Origin lunar lander before the upcoming lunar landing scheduled for Artemis IV in 2028. The agency intends to have one of the landers rendezvous with the Orion capsule in lunar orbit for a crewed lunar descent.
Stunning new images from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope showcase two young stars, Tau 042021 (left) and Oph-163131 (right), encircled by planet-forming disks. This unique perspective provides invaluable insights into the formation of worlds similar to ours.
Composite images of protoplanetary disks Tau 042021 (left) and Oph 163131 (right). Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Hubble / ALMA / ESO / NAOJ / NRAO / G. Duchêne / M. Villenave.
“Protoplanetary disks emerge around newly formed stars,” stated Webb astronomers.
“As gas clumps collapse within larger molecular clouds, a thick disk of unused gas and dust orbits the newborn star.”
“This dust gradually collides and coalesces, forming planetesimals that can develop into planets over time.”
“Some planetesimals that don’t evolve into full-fledged planets remain as asteroids or comets orbiting the star.”
“Gas not consumed in this process will eventually be expelled by the star’s radiation over millions of years, leading to the disappearance of the protoplanetary disk.”
“This phenomenon explains how our solar system formed, shaping the asteroids, comets, gas giants, and terrestrial planets we recognize today.”
By studying other protoplanetary disks from earlier epochs, we can enhance our understanding of how solar system formation occurs and how various planets throughout the galaxy came into being.
The captivating images of protoplanetary disks Tau 042021 and Oph 163131—designated as 2MASS J04202144+2813491 and 2MASS J16313124-2426281—were captured using Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments.
Tau 042021 lies approximately 450 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, while Oph 163131 is about 480 light-years distant in the constellation Ophiuchus.
“What distinguishes these objects is the orientation of their disks towards Webb’s perspective,” the astronomers explained.
“This alignment blocks most of the bright light from the central young star, allowing the fine dust in the disk to be illuminated by reflected starlight, creating a nebula above and below the disk.”
“The resulting images resemble colorful floating tops in space, providing not only a breathtaking view but also critical data for understanding the organization of planet-forming disks.”
“The dust distribution within and surrounding the disk profoundly influences how and where planets form.”
NASA has unveiled stunning images of Earth taken by the Artemis II mission, as the crew continues their historic journey towards the Moon.
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The image captures Earth behind the Orion spacecraft, with our planet beautifully illuminated by the aurora borealis.
One remarkable photo taken by Artemis II commander Reed Wiseman from Orion’s window shows Earth backlit, with the aurora borealis visible in the upper right and lower left corners. This was confirmed by NASA Artemis program deputy director LaKeisha Hawkins during a press conference on Friday.
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By integrating infrared observations from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope with visible-light images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have unveiled a stunning new perspective of Saturn, showcasing its atmospheric bands, storms, and brilliantly reflective rings.
Comparative images of Saturn in infrared (Webb, left) and visible light (Hubble, right). Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/A. Simon, NASA-GSFC/M. Wong, University of California/J. DePasquale, STScI.
A newly released image of Saturn emphasizes the dynamic features of the gas giant’s vibrant atmosphere.
Webb’s observations reveal a long-lived jet stream, referred to as a “ribbon wave,” traversing the northern mid-latitudes, influenced by atmospheric waves that are difficult to detect otherwise.
A small dot just below the jet stream indicates the remnants of the 2011-2012 “Spring Storm.”
Additionally, several storms scattered across Saturn’s southern hemisphere are evident in the Webb image.
The astronomers noted, “All these atmospheric formations are shaped by powerful winds and waves beneath the visible cloud layer, making Saturn an ideal natural laboratory for studying fluid dynamics under extreme conditions.”
“The iconic hexagonal jet stream at Saturn’s north pole, discovered by NASA’s Voyager spacecraft in 1981, displays some sharp edges that are also faintly visible in both images.”
“It continues to be one of the solar system’s most intriguing weather phenomena.”
“Its persistence over decades underscores the stability of particular atmospheric processes on giant planets.”
“These famous hexagons are likely to be observed in high resolution for the last time until the 2040s, when Arctic winters shift into 15 years of darkness.”
Recent Webb observations indicate that Saturn’s poles appear a distinct gray-green, emitting light at approximately 4.3 microns.
The researchers suggest, “This unique coloration might arise from a layer of high-altitude aerosol in Saturn’s atmosphere, scattering light differently in those latitudes.”
“Another possibility includes auroral activity, wherein charged particles interacting with the planet’s magnetic field produce a glowing luminescence near the poles.”
In Webb’s images, Saturn’s rings are notably bright due to their composition of highly reflective water ice.
The scientists explained, “Both images depict the ring’s surface illuminated by the sun; however, the Hubble image shows less illumination, creating a shadow beneath the planet.”
“Subtle features of the ring, like spokes and patterns in the B ring (the thick central region), exhibit differences between the two observatories.”
“The outermost ring, known as the F ring, appears thin and sharply defined in the Webb image, but glows only faintly in the Hubble image.”
“Saturn’s orbit around the sun, combined with Earth’s position in its annual path, dictates the varied angles from which we observe Saturn’s face and rings.”
“These observations from 2024, captured 14 weeks apart, indicate that Earth is moving away from northern summer and approaching the 2025 equinox.”
“As Saturn transitions into the southern spring and late southern summer of the 2030s, both Hubble and Webb will increasingly enhance their views of its hemisphere.”
Discover the record-setting image captured by astronomers from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) as they unveil the intricate molecular center of our Milky Way galaxy.
This image showcases the intricate distribution of molecular gas in the Milky Way’s Central Molecular Zone (CMZ). Image credits: ALMA / ESO / National Astronomical Observatory of Japan / NRAO / Longmore et al. / Miniti et al..
“It’s an extreme environment, hidden from our view, now revealed in stunning detail,” remarked ESO astronomer Dr. Ashley Burns.
In collaboration with the ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey (ACES), Dr. Barnes and colleagues have meticulously mapped over 650 light-years of the Central Molecular Belt, enveloping our galaxy’s supermassive black hole.
This groundbreaking study offers the most detailed view to date of the cold gas fueling star formation in this turbulent region, detecting a variety of molecules from simple silicon compounds to complex organic species.
“This is the closest galactic nucleus to Earth that we can study with such granularity,” Dr. Burns stated.
“While designing the survey, we anticipated a high level of detail, yet we were genuinely astonished by the intricate complexity unveiled in the final mosaic,” said Dr. Katharina Immer, ALMA astronomer at ESO.
This unique dataset introduces never-before-seen central molecular zones, illustrating gas structures spanning tens of light-years down to minute gas clouds surrounding individual stars.
“The central molecular belt harbors some of the most massive stars known in our galaxy. Many of these stars have short lifespans, culminating in spectacular supernova events,” explained ACES leader Professor Steve Longmore, astrophysicist at Liverpool John Moores University.
With the ACES project, astronomers aim to deepen our understanding of how such phenomena influence star formation and whether existing theories of star formation apply even in extreme environments.
“By investigating star formation in the central molecular belt, we can elucidate how galaxies develop and change over time,” Professor Longmore added.
“We believe this region shares many traits with galaxies in the early universe, where star formation occurs in chaotic, extreme settings.”
A newly photographed newborn marsupial, weighing less than a grain of rice, is seen crawling towards its mother’s pouch for the first time. This remarkable observation highlights the unique gestation and development process of marsupials.
Unlike placental mammals, which give birth to more developed young, marsupials experience a brief gestation period before their young must navigate to the mother’s pouch to continue their growth.
According to Brandon Menzies from the University of Melbourne, this remarkable process remains largely unknown for many of Australia’s rare marsupials, even for those in captivity. Menzies and his team care for several hundred fat-tailed dunnarts (Smithopsis crassicaudata) and aim to work with Colossal Biosciences to potentially resurrect the extinct Tasmanian tiger.
Despite establishing the colony decades ago and monitoring female fertility closely, the exact details of how marsupials give birth and the young’s attachment to the teats have never been documented before now.
Menzies explained that this phenomenon is difficult to observe due to the lack of pregnancy tests for this species, their nocturnal habits, and the fact that births occur at night. During a 12 to 24-hour period, a swarm of newborns is born, taking just 30 minutes to reach the pouch.
Adult Fat-tailed Dunnarts
Emily Scicluna
In 2024, researchers noted blood in an enclosure. An examination revealed tiny newborns, just 5 milligrams each, making their way towards their mother’s pouch.
“We observed the pouch waving, crawling, and wriggling,” Menzies stated. “It’s a freestyle swim type of crawl, similar to a commando crawl.”
Young Dunnarts in Their Mother’s Pouch
Emily Scicluna
Realizing this was a groundbreaking moment, Menzies captured 22 seconds of footage before carefully returning the mother to her enclosure. The team believes gravity plays a crucial role in guiding the young towards the pouch.
Researchers estimate the newborns achieved around 120 movements per minute while crawling.
Reaching the nipple is just the first challenge. Many marsupials, including fat-tailed dunnarts, produce more offspring than nipples available for nursing. While they can carry up to 17 pups, they can only care for 10, contrasting with the Tasmanian devil that has the capacity to produce 30 pups with just four nipples.
Menzies expressed amazement at how fat-tailed dunnarts can give birth to such mobile pups merely 14 days after conception. It was previously believed these tiny babies couldn’t independently enter the pouch without maternal assistance.
“The ability to crawl independently into the pouch underscores the remarkable developmental capabilities of this species,” he remarked. “Just a week ago, these were fertilized eggs consisting of mere cells.”
Fossil Hunting in the Australian Outback
Embark on an extraordinary adventure through Australia’s fossil frontier. Once a shallow inland sea, eastern Australia has transformed into a fossil hotspot. Over 13 memorable days, journey deep into the hinterland and uncover secrets from Earth’s ancient past.
Stunning Photo of the South Sandwich Islands by Sebastião Salgado, 2009
Photo by Sebastião Salgado
Sebastião Salgado is renowned for his poignant portraits that depict humanity’s struggles in a tumultuous world. His impactful work covers significant events, from the assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan to conflicts in Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East, and also chronicles the lives of workers and immigrants around the globe.
After documenting the Rwandan genocide, Salgado faced a personal crisis and withdrew to his family’s Brazilian farm, disheartened by the environmental devastation. Motivated by what he observed, he dedicated himself to restoring the Atlantic rainforest, which reignited his passion for photography. His acclaimed project, Genesis, captures the planet’s “untouched and undestroyed” areas, from Alaska’s mountains to the Amazon’s indigenous communities. These journeys transformed him into a staunch environmental advocate, as expressed in a separate interview.
Glaciers is a newly released book posthumously showcasing 65 breathtaking black-and-white images of glaciers, taken during Salgado’s Genesis project. These captivating frames capture both grand and subtle movements within frigid landscapes. The main image features a parade of penguins leaping from an iceberg into the turbulent waters of the South Sandwich Islands, while another captures a seabird swooping near an ice tower within the same region.
Remarkable shot captured by Sebastião Salgado in 2009, between Bristol and Bellingshausen Islands.
Photo by Sebastião Salgado
However, these majestic images remind us that glaciers are rapidly vanishing, with approximately 1,000 disappearing each year. The situation is dire: current projections indicate that nearly 80% of glaciers may be lost by 2100, which includes vast regions in western Canada, the United States, and the Alps.
Incredible image of Kluane National Park and Reserve, captured by Sebastião Salgado in 2011
Photo by Sebastião Salgado
The above image showcases a grand glacier wending through the majestic landscapes of Canada’s Kluane National Park. The following image exhibits clouds swirling around the ice formations atop Cerro Torre in Patagonia.
Stunning photo of Cerro Torre, Patagonia, captured by Sebastião Salgado in 2007
Photo by Sebastião Salgado
The following image shows a glacier calving at the rocky shores of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, illustrating the profound effects of climate change, as both surfaces have been sculpted by the relentless flow of ice.
Calving glacier in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, photographed by Sebastião Salgado in 2007
Photo by Sebastião Salgado
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Discover the latest stunning image captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing Arp 4, an intriguing visual pair of galaxies located in the constellation Cetus.
The Hubble image captures the galaxy pair Arp 4. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / J. Dalcanton, Dark Energy Survey / DOE / FNAL / DECam / CTIO / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA.
For more details, explore Arp 4, which features the bright spiral galaxy MCG-02-05-050a alongside the larger spiral galaxy MCG-02-05-050.
Located within the constellation Cetus, this galaxy pair was first discovered by Dutch-Canadian astronomer Sidney van den Bergh in 1959.
Arp 4 stands as the fourth entry in Halton Arp’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and belongs to the section focusing on “Galaxies with Low Surface Brightness.”
“The term ‘Arp 4’ derives from the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies compiled by astronomer Halton Arp during the 1960s,” Hubble astronomers explained.
“These ‘unusual galaxies’ were chosen for photography to illustrate their distinct and non-standard shapes, providing insights into galaxy evolution.”
Hubble’s mission has transformed our understanding of galaxies, revealing captivating examples from Arp’s Atlas, including Arp 4.
The initial galaxies in this catalog, including Arp 4, exhibit low surface brightness, rendering them faint and challenging to observe.
“The larger galaxy, cataloged as MCG-02-05-050, features fragmented arms and a dim disk, perfectly fitting this description,” the astronomers noted.
“In contrast, its smaller counterpart, MCG-02-05-050a, is considerably brighter and more dynamic as a spiral galaxy.”
“Crucially, these galaxies are not in close proximity,” the researchers emphasized.
“The prominent blue galaxy, MCG-02-05-050, lies 65 million light-years from Earth.”
“Meanwhile, the brighter, smaller galaxy MCG-02-05-050a is positioned at an impressive 675 million light-years, over ten times farther away.”
This positioning likely suggests that MCG-02-05-050a is the more substantial of the two, while MCG-02-05-050 is relatively smaller.
“This visual pairing is simply an unlikely coincidence,” the astronomers added.
“Despite the absence of a physical connection, we can enjoy the unique sight of Arp 4 as an enthralling duo adorning our night sky.”
Sheet Web Spider Psechrus Clavis is known to utilize the coloration and web of its own body as visual cues to effectively capture and consume insects. Interestingly, it doesn’t immediately eat the male fireflies, referred to as Daifan Lampaloid; instead, these spiders retain them on the web, allowing the fireflies to continue emitting bioluminescent signals for up to an hour. This observation has raised intriguing questions among a research team from Tunghai University, the University of New South Wales, the Sydney Institute of Technology, and the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Taiwan.
Sheet web spider with fireflies caught in the web. Image credit: Tunghai University Spider.
Researcher I-Min TSO and colleagues at Tunghai University documented Psechrus Clavis retaining fireflies on the web while these insects continued to emit bioluminescent light for up to an hour.
They noted that the spiders periodically check for the captured fireflies.
Fascinated by this peculiar behavior, the researchers designed an experiment to see if it serves as a hunting strategy.
The experiment involved placing firefly-like LEDs on the actual sheet spider web, using other webs as controls.
The results indicated that the web with LEDs attracted three times as many prey compared to the control web.
This figure increased to ten times more prey when actual fireflies were visible.
The findings affirm that the presence of captured fireflies enhances the spider’s hunting success.
Researchers also discovered that the majority of captured fireflies are male and likely mistaken for potential mates.
“Our findings underscore the previously unrecognized interaction where Firefly Signals, intended for sexual communication, also benefit spiders,” remarked Dr. TSO.
“This study provides new insights into how sit-and-wait predators can adapt to attract prey, revealing the intricate complexities of predator-prey interactions.”
“This behavior may have evolved in sheet web spiders as a way to avoid the energy costs associated with producing their own bioluminescence, similar to anglerfish.”
“Instead, spiders can leverage the allure of their prey’s glow to attract their own targets.”
Video recordings taken during the experiments show sheet web spiders employing various tactics when interacting with different prey species.
The spider swiftly consumes a moth caught in the web but takes its time with the trapped fireflies.
“The varying treatment of prey suggests that spiders may use specific cues to differentiate between prey species and adjust their responses accordingly,” explained Dr. TSO.
“We hypothesize that the bioluminescent signals of fireflies help spiders to fine-tune their handling behavior towards different types of prey.”
This study was published in Journal of Animal Ecology.
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Ho Yin Yip et al. Visual seduction through bioluminescence of prey seduces waiting predators. Journal of Animal Ecology Published online on August 27th, 2025. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.70102
Rapid detection of individual electrons proves challenging
agsandrew/shutterstock
Now, detecting a solitary electron with a resolution of a trillion can be achieved in a mere second. This breakthrough could be crucial for advancing new generations of quantum electronic devices.
While conventional electronic circuits are packed with numerous electrons, their interactions often diminish their efficiency and performance. Is it possible to effectively manage a single electron to create a speedy and efficient circuit that operates with one electron at a time? Masaya Kataoka from the UK’s National Institute of Physics (NPL) and his team have advanced this objective by developing highly precise techniques for electron detection.
They introduced two electrons at different locations within a thin layer of the semiconductor gallium halide arsenide. The charged particles moved rapidly toward each other. When their paths drew near, the force between the electrons caused them to diverge, altering their trajectories. The researchers tracked one of the electrons and leveraged this deflection to identify the other electrons. They managed to detect it within 6 trillion interactions, which is roughly 100 times quicker than previous methods.
“Our experiments can be regarded as electrons acting as the world’s smallest sensors, detecting the world’s smallest object,” remarks Kataoka.
Team member John Fletcher at NPL explains that interactions among electrons can occur over trillion-second intervals. With this timescale now achievable, researchers are beginning to explore what two electrons do within a device and leverage this knowledge to design new electronic innovations.
Vyacheslavs Kashcheyevs from the University of Latvia believes this work could mark a pivotal point in the creation of a new generation of electronic devices reliant on high-speed single electrons. He elaborates that a single electron is inherently a quantum entity, which means future devices may harness their quantum characteristics directly, similar to their current applications in quantum computing and communication.
Researchers envision that a single-electron device could accomplish tasks akin to those performed by quantum devices that utilize a single photon, yet it would be significantly smaller. Such electron-based devices could even be integrated onto chips for convenience, says Christian Flindt from Aalto University in Finland. He emphasizes that this detection method will serve as the foundational building blocks for these potential applications.
The findings are also expected to enhance the understanding of electrical currents. Rolf Haug from Hannover University of Leibniz, Germany, notes that the current standards used for measuring current could be refined by implementing the “electron pump” utilized by the team to inject electrons in their experiments, he states.
In a remarkable encounter with citizen scientists off the coast of Norway, a duo of orcas was seen engaging in “kissing” behavior in the wild for the very first time.
The footage captured by the group displays the pair gently nodding at each other, accompanied by “tongue nibbling.”
While similar behaviors have been documented before, this marks the first instance of such interactions being observed in a natural habitat.
During the video, the orcas came within 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) of each other, sharing three brief moments of affection above the water’s surface for a duration of two minutes.
“This behavior has only been documented in orcas under human supervision,” said Dr. Javier Almunia from Loro Parque in Spain, as reported by BBC Science Focus. He was part of a recently published study utilizing observation videos from marine environments.
“Witnessing it in the wild indicates that such intricate social behaviors extend beyond captivity and are likely integral to the species’ natural social behavior.”
Orcas are known for their strong social structures, employing intricate behavioral systems to form and maintain social relationships.
For marine biologists, these observations are crucial for understanding orca interactions.
“Gaining insight into the social behavior of wildlife is essential for understanding their communication, bonding, and cooperation—key elements for their survival and well-being,” noted Almunia.
Unfortunately, these wild behaviors are rarely seen and require a fair amount of luck to witness at the right moment.
While studying animals in captivity is safer and more accessible, their behaviors often differ significantly from those observed in the wild.
The video was filmed on January 11, 2024, when two whales were observed by a fortunate group of snorkelers diving in Kavanangenfjord, northern Norway.
This area is known as a gathering spot for marine mammals, making it an ideal location for observing orcas due to its clear waters.
The group had the opportunity to watch the orcas under the guidance of experienced expedition leaders.
However, the study emphasized that while tourist excursions can lead to valuable scientific observations, “it is widely recognized that activities like whale watching and swimming can pose significant risks to wild populations.”
Orcas, often referred to by the misleading nickname “Killer Whale,” actually belong to the dolphin family. The latter portion of this nickname is accurate, as all dolphins are categorized as “toothed whales.”
Nevertheless, the term “killer” is misleading, as there are no documented cases of wild orcas intentionally harming humans.
The name stems from an ancient mariner who observed orcas hunting other large whales.
“They were originally called ‘whale killers,’ a term that evolved into ‘killer whale’,” explained Almunia.
“While orcas are indeed apex predators, they are also incredibly intelligent and social animals with complex cultures and strong familial bonds. They play a critical role as top predators within marine ecosystems.”
About Our Experts
Dr. Javier Almunia serves as the director of Loro Parque Fanfacion, a Spanish organization dedicated to the conservation of endangered parrot and marine species. He specializes in cetacean biology and has participated in numerous initiatives aimed at preserving biodiversity and protecting endangered species.
Major US transportation safety regulators are seeking information from Tesla following videos that appear to show the vehicles exceeding speed limits and autonomous robotaxis driving in the wrong lanes. The company unveiled its service in Austin, Texas, over the weekend.
Tesla has notably expedited the initial limited rollout of its Robotaxis, with some influencers being paid to showcase their experiences. However, rather than serve as effective promotion, these videos seem to have drawn the scrutiny of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), particularly as the cars struggled to adhere to traffic regulations.
“The NHTSA is aware of the mentioned case and is in communication with the manufacturer to gather further information,” the agency stated.
The debut of Robotaxi over the weekend featured about 10 “safety drivers” in the passenger seats navigating Austin’s designated areas. Tesla CEO Elon Musk promoted the launch as a significant achievement and committed to enhancing driving safety, but some influencers shared videos that appeared to show glitches or speeding incidents involving the Robotaxis.
One video shared by a Tesla investor, who previously hosted a podcast regarding the brand, displayed a Robotaxi wobbling after misinterpreting a left turn, crossing over a double yellow line before correcting itself. During this time, there were no oncoming vehicles.
In another clip, a pro-Tesla YouTuber praised a car for maintaining speed within legal limits.
Musk has placed significant stakes on the future of the carmaker tied to the Robotaxi program, having long presented a vision where millions of self-driving cars traverse cities globally. Both regulators and investors are closely examining whether Tesla can convert these prospects into tangible outcomes and if it can sustain its operations. Musk’s prolonged history of unmet promises.
“We anticipate millions of Teslas to function entirely autonomously by next year,” Musk declared during an earnings call in April, having made a similar assertion in 2019.
The NHTSA has not pre-emptively greenlit new technologies or driving systems, the statement mentioned. Instead, the manufacturer affirms that the vehicle meets the agency’s standards, while investigators assess potential safety defects. The NHTSA reviews the reports and related information to determine how to tackle road safety concerns.
“NHTSA will persist in enforcing regulations for all automobile manufacturers in accordance with the Automobile Safety Act and our data-driven, risk-based investigation methodology,” the agency remarked.
Robotaxis has gained heightened significance for Tesla this year, particularly as first-quarter sales declined and profits plummeted by 71% year-on-year. Despite diminishing revenues, Musk asserted that Tesla’s Robotaxis are destined to be the future of transportation.
In addition to a preliminary inquiry into Robotaxis, the NHTSA is also conducting an open investigation that began in 2024 to assess the safety of Tesla’s “full self-driving” mode under conditions of reduced visibility. Tesla was reported to have deployed autonomous functions which resulted in a fatality of a 71-year-old woman in 2023 while driving in Arizona during sunset when glare affected road visibility.
All previously observed images were captured from the Sun’s equatorial region. This is due to the fact that Earth, along with other planets and operational spacecraft, orbits the Sun in a flat disk known as the zodiac plane. By adjusting its orbit away from this plane, the ESA Solar Orbiter spacecraft unveils the Sun from an entirely new perspective.
A lower-half image of the Sun, highlighting a square area around its Antarctic. Captured in ultraviolet rays, it reveals hot gases in the Sun’s corona, glowing yellow as they extend outwards with threads and loops. Image credits: ESA/NASA/SOLAR ORBITER/EUI Team/D. Berghmans, Rob.
Professor Carol Mandel, ESA’s Director of Science, remarked:
“The Sun, being our closest star, is essential for life but can also disrupt modern power systems in space and on Earth. Therefore, understanding its mechanisms and predicting its behavior is crucial.”
“The new and unique perspectives provided by the Solar Orbiter mission signal the beginning of a new era in solar science.”
The images were captured by three different scientific instruments on the Solar Orbiter: Polarimetry and Helioseismology Imager (PHI), Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), and Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE).
“Initially, I was uncertain of what to anticipate from these observations. The solar pole is truly a Terra Incognita,” said Professor Sami Solanki, leader of the PHI team at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research.
This collage shows the Antarctic of the Sun captured on March 16-17, 2025, as the solar orbiter observed from a 15° angle relative to the solar equator. This marked the first high-angle observation campaign just days before achieving its current maximum viewing angle of 17°. Image credits: ESA/NASA/Solar Orbiter/PHI/EUI/SPICE Team.
Each instrument on the Solar Orbiter observes the Sun differently.
PHI captures images of the Sun in visible light (top left) and maps its surface magnetic field (top center).
EUI images the Sun in ultraviolet light (top right), unveiling the corona, a multi-million-degree gas layer in the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
SPICE captures light from various temperatures of charged gases at the Sun’s surface, thereby revealing different layers of its atmosphere.
By analyzing and comparing observations from these three imaging instruments, we can understand how materials in the Sun’s outer layer move.
This could uncover unexpected patterns like polar vortices (swirling gases), reminiscent of those found around the poles of Venus and Saturn.
These innovative observations are crucial for understanding the solar magnetic field, particularly why it inverts every 11 years, aligning with peaks in solar activity.
Current predictive models for the 11-year solar cycle struggle to accurately forecast when and how the Sun will reach its peak activity.
One of the primary scientific discoveries from Solar Orbiter’s polar observations is that the solar magnetic field is currently disordered in the Antarctic region.
While traditional magnets exhibit defined Arctic and Antarctic poles, magnetic measurements from the PHI instrument demonstrate that both polarities exist in the Antarctic region of the Sun.
This phenomenon occurs only briefly during each solar cycle when the magnetic field is reversed at the solar maximum.
Following this reversal, a single polarity gradually takes over the solar pole.
After 5-6 years, the Sun reaches the minimum phase of its cycle, during which its magnetic field is most organized, resulting in the lowest activity levels.
“How this accumulation occurs is not fully understood, so the timing of the solar orbiter’s high latitude observations is remarkably advantageous for tracking the entire process,” noted Professor Solanki.
PHI’s perspective on the solar magnetic field contextualizes these measurements.
The intensity of color (red or blue) signifies the strength of the magnetic field along the line of sight from the solar orbiter to the Sun.
The strongest magnetic fields manifest as two bands flanking the solar equator.
Dark red and blue regions highlight areas of concentrated magnetic fields associated with solar spots on the Sun’s surface (photosphere).
Additionally, both the Antarctic and Arctic regions exhibit red and blue spots, indicating a complex, constantly evolving solar magnetic structure on a smaller scale.
Another noteworthy discovery from the Solar Orbiter comes from the SPICE instrument.
This imaging spectrograph analyzes light (spectral lines) emitted by specific chemical elements such as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, neon, and magnesium, at known temperatures.
Over the last five years, SPICE has employed this method to uncover processes occurring in various layers of the Sun’s surface.
For the first time, the SPICE team was able to utilize precise spectral line tracing to measure the velocity of moving solar material.
This technique, known as “Doppler measurement,” is named after the effect observed with an ambulance siren as it approaches and recedes, causing a change in pitch.
The resulting velocity map illustrates the movement of solar material within specific solar layers.
“Measurements from high latitudes, made possible with the Solar Orbiter, will revolutionize solar physics,” stated Dr. Frederic Aucele, leader of the SPICE team at Paris Sacree University.
A baby Howler Monkey clings to the back of an older male monkey, whose small fingers grip the fur. However, they are not related and belong to different species.
Researchers have uncovered unexpected evidence of what they refer to as a monkey temptation while analyzing video recordings from a small island in Panama. Between 2022 and 2023, at least 11 baby Howler Monkeys were observed being carried by Capuchin Monkeys.
“This discovery was quite shocking,” remarked Zoe Goldsborough, a behavioral ecologist at the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany. “Nothing like this has been documented in the animal kingdom.”
The motivation behind the monkeys’ actions is currently being studied. Capuchins are cat-sized monkeys indigenous to South and Central America. They are intelligent, long-lived, and observed to learn new behaviors from one another. One group in Panama has even learned to use stones as tools to crack nuts and open seafood.
Goldsborough and her colleagues from both the Max Planck Institute and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have set up over 80 cameras to investigate Capuchin tool usage, yet were surprised to witness the first baby Howler appearing in early 2022.
The footage revealed Capuchin Monkeys walking while using a stone tool, with a Howler baby secured on the back of one. However, the cameras failed to capture the abduction event. Scientists believe it likely occurred in the trees, where Howlers typically reside.
A baby Howler monkey clings to a young adult male Capuchin monkey on Zikaron Island, Panama in February 2023. Brendan Barrett/Max Planck Animal Behavior Research Institute via AP
“Our perspective on this story is limited,” stated Margaret Crofoot, co-author from Max Planck and Smithsonian. The findings were published in the journal Current Biology on Monday. In most instances, including all recorded cases, the baby Howler Monkey did not survive, researchers said. Infant Howler monkeys are typically carried by their mothers while nursing, and all the babies featured in the videos were mere weeks to months old—far too young to be weaned.
“I hope that perhaps some have escaped and returned to their mothers, but we truly do not know,” Crofoot added.
The footage documented numerous occasions of young male Capuchins carrying a baby Howler, which likely succumbed to starvation. Many species, including gorillas and Orcas, have also been observed carrying their deceased offspring, but the reasons remain unclear to scientists.
What prompted the Capuchin to do this? There were no indications of an intentional attack on the baby, nor were there signs of predation.
“We spent countless hours trying to understand the motivation behind this behavior,” Goldsborough explained.
The first Capuchin to carry the baby may have acted out of confused “compassionate motivation” or parental instinct, showing gentleness towards the infant. Other males then replicated this behavior.
Researchers believe that the Capuchins did not purposefully harm the baby. So far, only a single group of Capuchins is known to exhibit this behavior.
This study highlights “significant behavioral variations among social groups of the same species.”
Don Pettit, NASA’s oldest active astronaut, made his return to Earth on April 20th, coinciding with his 70th birthday. This marked the end of his fourth mission, a demanding 220-day stay at the International Space Station.
Throughout his time aboard the space station, Pettit engaged in various experiments, interacted with students, and exercised extensively to maintain his health and combat bone density loss. However, his most captivating contribution was through his photography.
For many on Earth, going to space is simply a dream. “I caught a glimpse of how they perceive my image,” said Pettit during a press conference following his return to Japan.
Pettit mentioned that dedicated photographers always carry a camera. “I could gaze out of the window and enjoy the stunning views,” he described. “But every time I look out, I am just enjoying it, saying to myself, ‘Wow, look at that. Oh, there’s a flash. What’s happening there?’ and, ‘Ah, a volcano appears.’ Then I think, ‘Where’s my camera?’
At times, he would set up five different cameras simultaneously in the cupola module, where seven windows offered sweeping vistas of space and Earth.
Capturing images in space shares similarities with night photography; the stars are faint and require longer exposure times to gather sufficient light. However, in orbit, everything is in constant motion, with the space station racing at 5 miles per second while the Earth spins beneath.
At times, Pettit embraced the dynamic beauty. The shimmering lines blurred under the light showcased the stars tracing arcs across the night sky.
“These meld science with art,” Pettit noted on X. “There are so many techniques to observe, or you can simply sit back and think, ‘How cool!’
His camera was fitted with a “trajectory fitting tracker,” a homemade device that gradually adjusts for the space station’s movements, keeping the lens focused on a particular point in the sky.
Thanks to this tracker, he was able to capture a 10-second exposure of the Milky Way shining above the cloudy Pacific Ocean just before dawn, revealing a captivating blue-purple glow from sunlight scattering through nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere.
The sidereal tracker also contributed to capturing the image below from the windows of the docked SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The photo reveals the large and small Magellanic Clouds, the closest galaxies to our Milky Way on a cosmic scale.
In April, Pettit filmed the mesmerizing rhythmic pulsations of the aurora, a glowing phenomenon caused by high-energy solar particles interacting with atmospheric molecules.
On occasion, vibrant lights were the result of human activity, not celestial events. The green lines seen in this photo are similar in color to the aurora but actually result from fishing boats off Thailand attracting squid.
While photographing Earth, Pettit recorded lightning striking in the upper atmosphere above the Amazon Basin in South America. These videos captured time intervals ranging from 6 to 33 seconds, showcasing more intricate details of the flashes.
The Betoshiboca River in Madagascar reminded Pettit of the visual patterns seen in human eyes’ blood vessels.
Similar to wildfires, urban areas intensify in brightness at night.
Pettit seized the opportunity to document spacecraft launching and returning to Earth, including a test flight of a SpaceX Starship rocket from Texas last November…
…and the docking of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, scheduled to transport cargo to the space station in December.
During his mission, Pettit also designed an entertaining science experiment. One showcased electrically charged water droplets dancing around a Teflon knitting needle. “I aim to do in space what can only be done in space,” he stated. “I’m worried that when I return, I’ll have to catch up on all the TV shows.”
In another experiment, he injected food coloring into a droplet of water, producing a sphere resembling Jupiter or a pristine marble.
Pettit also dissolved antacid tablets in water. In a microgravity environment, the escaping bubbles create entirely different patterns of pop, fizz, and hiss compared to on Earth.
He even froze thin water ice wafers at minus 140 degrees Fahrenheit. “What can you do with a freezer in space?” He wrote on X. “I decided to grow a thin layer of water ice just for the fun of it.”
Photographing the ice layer through a polarizing filter revealed intricate crystal formations.
While Pettit holds the title of the oldest NASA astronaut, he is not the oldest person to orbit Earth; that honor goes to John Glenn, who flew around the Earth in 1962 and again in 1998 at the age of 77.
Pettit is also not the oldest individual to spend time aboard the International Space Station; that distinction belongs to private astronaut Larry Connor, who was 72 during his two-week mission in 2022, organized by Axiom Space in Houston.
“I’m only 70, with a few good years ahead of me,” Pettit remarked during a news conference. “We’ve managed to squeeze in another flight before we had to finalize the rocket nozzle.”
As it emerged, it was yet another journey into the abyss, cloaked in darkness: mid-water, a delicate, ethereal shape transitioning into another realm.
A remotely operated vehicle, Subathian, recorded the first footage of a giant squid stable in its natural habitat in the southern ocean near Antarctica. The giant squid can grow up to 10 meters (33 feet) in length, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet, yet until now, it remained elusive.
This remarkable discovery occurred during a 35-day expedition to the Southern Sandwich Islands, a secluded volcanic arc in the Southern Ocean, aboard the Folcole (too).
The expedition aimed to expedite the discovery of deep-sea species, but nobody anticipated encountering one of the ocean’s most elusive giants.
“We were operating Subathian at a depth of about 2,000 meters that day for trench work,” stated Dr. Michelle Taylor, Chief Scientist of the Expedition and Senior Lecturer at Essex University, as reported by BBC Science Focus.
While Subathian navigated through the cerulean waters, we remained in the control room, surrounded by high-resolution cameras and screens displaying sensor data from the vehicle. A group of scientists observed intently as we monitored the water column.
On March 9th, at a depth of approximately 600 meters (nearly 2,000 feet), the pilot spotted something and began to hover.
“None of us aboard were squid specialists, but we quickly recognized it as a stunning glass squid,” Taylor recounted. “We documented it for about three minutes before resuming our mission to explore the ocean floor.”
The giant squid is among the planet’s most enigmatic creatures. Until now, they had only been seen as dead specimens—either accidentally caught by fishing boats or found in a whale’s stomach. Documenting a living specimen is akin to discovering a unicorn in marine biology.
Furthermore, the squid was not yet fully grown. “It was a juvenile,” Taylor explained. “It lacked some physical features of adult squid, but it was definitely not fully developed. Its size was quite modest for a giant squid.”
Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Subathian is recovered by research vessel Folcole after another successful mission to explore the depths of the ocean – Alex Ingle/Schmidt Ocean Institute
The footage streamed live on YouTube during the dive was initially flagged by audience members.
Taylor consulted with Dr. Kat Bolstad, a cephalopod expert at Auckland Institute of Technology, along with other colleagues, who confirmed their identification with the aid of the 4K video footage captured during the dive.
Telltale clues included a distinctive hook along the squid’s arm.
“[Knowing it’s a colossal squid], I find it both beautiful and extraordinary,” Taylor remarked.
While the giant squid garnered headlines, it was not the singular highlight of the Folcole (too) expedition. About a month ago, researchers also captured the first in situ footage of a glacial glass squid.
Both sightings resulted from lengthy, meticulous dives conducted by Subathian, which can descend up to 4,500 meters (3 miles), enhancing the role of “telepresence” in scientific exploration.
This is the first confirmed footage of a glacier glass squid captured in January – Rov Subathian/Schmidt Ocean Institute
“It’s a new milestone, bringing the world into the deep sea in ways that were once impossible,” Taylor states. “Science enthusiasts and the general public can engage directly with our findings, often possessing extensive knowledge about what we observe.”
Taylor emphasizes that the mission’s deeper purpose transcends mere discovery; it aims to enhance the understanding and protection of deep-sea life.
“This is the last frontier,” she emphasizes. “It’s perplexing why we pursue other planets when we barely comprehend our own oceans.”
The Ocean Census seeks to expedite the discovery of new species, yet this process remains painstakingly slow. Often, it takes over a decade from specimen collection to formal recognition.
In its initial years, the project has already documented more than 800 new species, focusing on uncharted areas and fostering collaboration with a global network of taxonomists.
The sighting of the giant squid may have been serendipitous, but for Taylor, it marks merely the beginning.
“There is still much left to discover,” she asserts.
About our experts
Michelle Taylor is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Essex. Her research focuses on the deep sea and its diverse habitats. As the lead investigator of the Ocean Census, she headed the Japan Foundation-Necton Marine Census team on the South Sandwich Islands expedition.
NASA has released an incredibly beautiful image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope for the Barred Spiral Galaxy Messier 77.
This Hubble image shows the Messier 77, a Barred Spiral Galaxy, about 62 million light years away in the Cetus constellation. Color images were created from individual exposures taken with UV rays. The visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum feature Hubble’s advanced camera (ACS) and widefield camera 3 (WFC3) equipment. Based on data obtained through six filters. Colors are attributed to assigning different hue to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/LC Ho/D. Thilker.
Messier 77 is located 62 million light years from Earth in the constellation of Cetus.
Also known as the Squid Galaxy, NGC 1068, Leda 10266, and Cetus A. This galaxy is 9.6 in size.
It was discovered in 1780 by French astronomer Pierre Messhin and originally identified it as a nebula.
Mechine then conveyed the discoveries to her colleague, the French astronomer Charles Messier.
Messier believed that the very bright objects he saw were a herd of stars, but it was realized that technology had truly achieved its position as a galaxy.
“The Messier 77 designation comes from the location of the Galaxy, a well-known catalogue edited by French astronomer Charles Messier,” the Hubble astronomer said in a statement.
“Pierre Messhin, another French astronomer, discovered the galaxy in 1780.”
“Messier and Messhin were both comet hunters cataloguing ambiguous objects that could be mistaken for comets.”
“Messier, Méchain and other astronomers of that era mistaken the Squid Galaxy for either a spiral nebula or a star cluster.”
“This false characteristic is not surprising. For over a century, we pass between discovering squid galaxies and the realization that the “spiral nebulae” scattered across the sky are not part of our galaxies, but are actually millions of light years away. ”
“The appearance from the small telescope of the squid galaxy (a very bright center surrounded by ambiguous clouds) closely resembles one or more stars in a wreath to the nebula.”
At 100,000 light years, Messier 77 is one of the largest galaxies in the Messier catalog.
This galaxy is also one of the closest galaxies with an active galactic nucleus (AGN).
Such active galaxies are one of the brightest objects in the universe, ejecting at best, if not all, wavelengths, from gamma rays and x-rays to microwaves and radiation waves.
However, despite its status as a popular target for astronomers, the Galaxy’s accretion disk is obscure by thick clouds of dust and gas.
“The name ‘Squid Galaxy’ has only happened recently,” the astronomer said.
“The name comes from an extended filament structure that curls around the galaxy’s discs like squid tentacles.”
“The squid galaxy is a great example of how advances in technology and scientific understanding can completely change the perception of astronomical objects.
“It’s incredible that we can leverage the power of taxonomic communities. R/V Falkor (Too) “The University of Essex researcher, Dr. Michelle Taylor, and the expedition chief scientist, said:
Galiteuthis glacialis is another glass squid species that has never been seen lively in natural environments before.
“One of the most distinctive features of the giant squid is the presence of a hook in the center of the eight arms. Galiteuthis glacialis said Dr. Aaron Evans, an independent expert in the glass squid family.
“If not, then the boy’s giant squid and Galiteuthis glacialis It is similar, with a transparent body and sharp hook at the end of two long tentacles. ”
Dr. Jyoticavilmani, executive director of Schmidt Ocean Institute, said:
“Fortunately, we caught a high-resolution image of these creatures so that world experts who weren’t on board could identify both species.”
The giant squid, the world’s heaviest invertebrate, was captured in a video of itself swimming in the deep sea for the first time since it was identified a century ago.
The video was recorded on March 9th The Schmidt Ocean Institute said in a news release by an international team of scientists and crew on an expedition near the Southern Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic.
Scientifically named Mesonychoteuthis Hamiltoni, the squid was a long-time boy nearly a foot long, the release said. It was 1,968 feet deep when scientists and crew members of the Institute’s Forcole research vessel filmed the video on a remotely operated vehicle called Subastein.
The remotely operated vehicle Subastaian will be retrieved on the research vessel Forcol. Alex Ingle/Schmidt Ocean Institute
“It’s exciting to see first in situ”We’ve been working hard to get the better of our customers,” said Kat Bolstad of Auckland Institute of Technology.
Bolstad was one of the scientific experts who helped verify the video.
“For 100 years, we mostly encountered them as harvested teeth predators, as prey remains mainly in the stomachs of whales and seabirds,” she said.
The squid was officially identified and named in 1925, but up until now, no one could have seen it lively on camera.
The squid is estimated to grow up to 23 feet long and weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, the institute said. Little is known about the life cycle, but as adults, they lose their transparent body.
A giant squid should not be confused with a giant squid. Natural History Museums in London. Both are giant cephalopods but belong to various families of squid. Giant squids have much longer tentacles, while giant squids have much larger bodies with shorter tentacles.
Bolstad and Aaron Evans, independent experts in the glass squid who helped validate the video, said the giant squid has distinctive properties, including a hook in the middle of its eight arms.
So far, ROV Subastein from the Institute has filmed the first confirmed video of at least four squid species in the wild, including last year’s Promachoteuthis and Ram’s Horn Squid in 2020.
Dolphin’s mouth. The whale sings. Fishcloak, chirp, Grant, ham, groans. However, in sea chatting, up until now, one voice was missing.
Sharks have long been considered quiet killers of the water. However, scientists at the University of Auckland in New Zealand recently recorded a rig shark, or Mastel Slenticratus, to create a sharp click by combining the teeth, according to findings published in the journal. Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday. They believe this is the first time a shark has actively made noise.
Chief investigator Karolyn Nieder was the first to hear the sound while studying the shark’s hearing abilities. While she was dealing with one shark, it clicked and snapped a similar sound to the sound of an electric spark, she said.
The noise came from the Rig shark, a rather small shark common in waters around New Zealand. It grows up to 5 feet and feeds mainly on crustaceans. It is eaten by larger shark species and New Zealanders who use it to make fish and chips.
Dr. Nieder was surprised when he heard the noise.
Other sea creatures have mechanisms to make noise. For example, fish have a gas-filled sac, a swimming bladder, which is used for buoyancy but can be used as a type of drum. Many fish have muscles that can vibrate the swimming bladder in a manner similar to the human vocal cords.
However, the sharks were “thought to be silent and could not actively produce sound,” Dr. Nieder said.
In this study, she and her co-authors observed the behavior of ten rig sharks housed in tanks equipped with underwater microphones. They discovered that all ten sharks begin to create click noise when they move between tanks or are held gently.
On average, the shark clicks nine times at 20-second intervals, and researchers believe they made noises by stitching the teeth together.
They didn’t make any noise while feeding or swimming, making scientists believe it is more likely to click when emphasizing or surprised, not as a way of communicating with each other.
“I think it’s likely that they’ll make those noises when they’re attacked,” Dr. Nieder said, adding that many other fish will snap their teeth and jaws to stop or distract predators.
It was unclear whether the shark could hear the clicks themselves. Did they make the sound in the wild or just get caught? And whether they intentionally made it or whether it was a side effect of their reaction to being surprised, Dr. Nieder said.
Christine Elbe, director of the Marine Science and Technology Centre at Curtin University in Australia, said the study expanded in the growing field of research into how marine animals make and hear sounds.
“Once you start watching, there are more and more species that use sounds,” she said.
So it wasn’t surprising to find that sharks could make a fuss, she said.
But she says, “I think it’s important in the sense that it completely underestimates communication between animals and environmental sensing capabilities, and also completely underestimates the way noise affects it.”
On March 12, 2025, Spatula – ESA’s first space safety mission – reached Deimos, coming within 5,000 km of the surface of Mars and 1,000 km from Deimos. During flybys, the spacecraft deployed scientific payloads for studying Earth and the Moon. Activating the instruments onboard Hera, scientists were able to visualize the surface of Mars and the features of Deimos.
Mars appears bright blue in this near-infrared image of the Hyperscout H Hyperspectral Imager, which was acquired on the Mission’s March 12th Gravity Assisted Flyby. The spacecraft was about 1,000 km from Deimos, 12.4 km in diameter when this image was acquired. In the background, you can observe various Mars features. At the top of the image is the bright Terra Sabaaa area near the equator of Mars, which is outlined in a dark area, with the huygen crater at a distance of 450 km to the left of the Terra Aaa at Sabaaa and the 460 km diameter Shea Parelli Crater. To the bottom right of the Mars disc is one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system, 2,300 km in diameter and over 7 km deep. Image credit: ESA.
Launched on October 7th, 2024, Hera is now en route to visit Dimorphos. Dimorphos was the first asteroid to have its orbit altered by human intervention.
By gathering detailed data on this asteroid, which was affected by NASA’s DART spacecraft in 2022, Hera aims to advance asteroid deflection into a well-understood and potentially replicable technology.
Hera’s Flyby of Mars was a crucial step in the journey through Deep Space, meticulously planned by ESA’s Flight Dynamics team.
Approaching within 5,000 km of Mars, the planet’s gravity assisted in adjusting the spacecraft’s path towards its target.
Traveling at 9 km/s relative to Mars, Hera was able to capture images of Deimos from 1,000 km away, exploring the far side of the tiny moon opposite to the red planet.
“The mission analysis and flight dynamics team at ESOC in Germany did an exceptional job in planning the gravity assist,” said Caglayan Guerbuez, ESA’s Hera Spacecraft Operations Manager.
“In particular, they had to fine-tune the operations to bring Hera closer to Deimos, which added quite a bit of extra work for them!”
Three instruments onboard HERA were utilized during the flyby.
– The asteroid framing camera of the Spara, used for navigation and scientific purposes, captured images in visible light.
– HERA’s Hyperscout H Hyperspectral Imager observed in multiple colors beyond human perception, aiding in characterizing mineral compositions with its 25 visible and near-infrared spectral bands.
– HERA’s thermal infrared imager, provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), revealed physical properties such as roughness, particle size distribution, and porosity, mapping surface temperatures in mid-red wavelengths.
“These instruments were previously tested before leaving Earth, but this is the first time they were utilized on a distant moon like Deimos where knowledge is limited,” said the Research Director of CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur.
“Upon reaching Deimos, one of the HERA instruments remained idle as the others were in use. This is due to the limitation of the Cubesats, which are only activated at slower speeds when at a considerable distance from the target,” added the Research Director.
The Tarantula Nebula is the most important star-forming complex in local galaxy groups, including the Milky Way, the large Magellan cloud and the Andromeda galaxy. At its heart is the highly rich young star cluster R136, which contains the most huge known stars. The stellar wind and supernova carved the tarantula nebula into an astonishing display of arcs, pillars and bubbles.
This image of Chandra shows the Tarantula Nebula. Image credits: NASA/CXC/Penn State/Townsley et al.
The Tarantula Nebula is approximately 170,000 light years away from the southern constellation of Dorado.
The nebula, also known as the NGC 2070 or 30 Dorados, is part of the large Magellan cloud.
“The Tarantula Nebula is the most powerful and large star-forming region in the local galaxy group,” says Matthew Povich, astronomers at Polytechnic University in California, and Pennsylvania State University astronomers Raysa Townsley and Patrick Brose. I said that.
“The nebulae differ from the massive star-forming regions of the Milky Way galaxy. There is no different galactic rotation to tear the complex, so it provides fuel for at least 25 million years to supply large star-forming. It lasts and grows at the confluence of two super-huge shells, reaching a starburst percentage.”
“Today, it is dominated by a central large cluster R136, 1-2 million years ago, and includes the wealthiest young star population of the local group, and the largest star included It's here.”
“In contrast to the large star-forming regions of the galaxy, the location of the large Magellan tarantula nebula provides a low metallic starburst laboratory with low absorption and well-known distances. I'll do that.”
New X-ray images of the tarantula nebula contain data from the large Chandra program, including observation times of approximately 23 days, with Chandra previously performed in the nebula for over 1.3 days.
The 3,615 x-ray sources detected by Chandra include large stars, double star systems, bright stars still in the process of formation, and much smaller clusters of young stars.
The authors also identified the oldest X-ray pulsar candidate ever detected in Tarantula Nebula, PSR J0538-6902.
“There are a ton of diffuse hot gases found in x-rays that come from various sources that arise from the giant star winds and gases expelled by supernova explosions,” the astronomer said.
“This dataset is ideal for the near future to study diffuse X-ray emissions in star-forming regions.”
New coronavirus response hospital under construction in Wuhan, China
STR/AFP (via Getty Images)
It has been five years since the novel coronavirus disease emerged, causing a global pandemic with lasting impacts on societies, economies, and people's health.
Immediately after the virus was identified, many countries began making plans to treat the influx of severely ill people infected with COVID-19. The image above shows an excavator at the construction site of the purpose-built Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China, which became the initial epicenter of the outbreak on January 24, 2020.
People infected with covid-19 waiting for transit
STR/AFP (via Getty Images)
Huoshenshan was not the only hospital built in Wuhan as authorities prepared for the worst. In March 2020, people infected with the new coronavirus were photographed waiting to be transported from a general hospital in Wuhan to Leishenshan Hospital, which was also newly opened due to the pandemic.
Traffic decreases in New York City
Reuters/Andrew Kelly
Like many parts of the world, New York City began implementing restrictions around mid-March 2020. With the streets empty, ballet dancer Ashley Montague was able to perform in Times Square while wearing a gas mask.
COVID-19 wasn't the only thing going viral when this adorable baby started appearing on social media
Lillian Swanrunfa/AFP via Getty Images
Face shields were initially proposed as an alternative to masks to protect people from infection, but are increasingly discouraged as we learn more about the virus. Nevertheless, the above newborn photo taken at a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, caught the internet's attention in early April 2020.
Social restrictions have forced some people to get creative.
Jim West/ZUMA Wire/Shutterstock
Like other public spaces, churches and other places of worship are closed in many parts of the world. A priest in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan held a creative Easter service in April 2020, using water guns to hand out holy water while practicing social distancing.
Some people hugged through plastic due to concerns about infection.
Handout via Domenico Sartor/Reuters
Many nursing homes have been severely affected by the coronavirus, as the elderly are particularly susceptible to serious infections. The restrictions gave some visitors the chance to hug their loved ones through plastic sheets. The photo above was taken in November 2020 at a care home in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy.
Some people have turned their experiences living under the pandemic into works of art.
Reuters/Lim Huey Teng
The pandemic has inspired colorful and creative murals around the world. The photo above shows a young boy being swabbed for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in front of a COVID-19 artwork in Shah Alam, Malaysia, in December 2020.
Margaret Keenan from Coventry, UK, receives COVID-19 vaccination
Jacob King/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Expectations were high when the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved in the UK on December 2, 2020, after showing 95 per cent efficacy in late-stage trials. Six days later, 90-year-old Coventry resident Margaret Keenan became the first person to receive the vaccine outside of the trial.
Late Queen Elizabeth maintains social distancing at husband's funeral
Jonathan Brady – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Like many other queens, the late Queen Elizabeth II had to adhere to social distancing rules at her husband Prince Philip's funeral on April 17, 2021 at Windsor Castle, England. Due to pandemic restrictions, only 30 people were allowed to attend.
Monuments are being erected around the world to commemorate those who lost their lives to the new coronavirus infection.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
Britain's National Covid-19 Memorial Wall in London was built in March 2021 to commemorate those who have died from the disease. The photo above shows a woman leaving a message on the wall a year after it was created. Family members and volunteers painted more than 240,000 hearts on a 500-meter-long wall along the River Thames.
Public spaces were eventually opened up, but some things changed
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope took this photo of barred spiral galaxy NGC 337.
This Hubble image shows NGC 337, a barred spiral galaxy about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / C. Kilpatrick.
NGC337 It is located in the constellation Cetus, approximately 60 million light-years from Earth.
Also known as LEDA 3572 or IRAS 00573-0750, this barred spiral galaxy is 60,400 light years in diameter.
it was discovered It was discovered on September 10, 1785 by German-British astronomer William Herschel.
NGC 337 is the largest and brightest member of the NGC 337 Group (also known as LGG 15), a small group that includes at least three other galaxies.
The new images of the galaxy were created from separate exposures taken in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum. Hubble’s advanced survey camera (ACS).
Two filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.
“This image combines observations made at two wavelengths and highlights the galaxy’s golden center and blue surround,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“The golden glow in the center comes from the older star, and the glowing blue edge gets its color from the young star.”
“If Hubble had observed NGC 337 about a decade ago, the telescope would have spotted something remarkable among the hot blue stars along the edge of the galaxy: a brilliant supernova,” they added. Ta.
“Labeled SN2014cxthis supernova is notable in that it was discovered almost simultaneously by two very different methods: the prolific supernova hunter Koichi Itagaki and the All-Sky Automated Supernova Surveyor (ASAS-SN). ”
“ASAS-SN is a worldwide network of robotic telescopes that scan the sky for sudden events such as supernovae.”
“The Type II classification means that the star that exploded was a supergiant with a mass at least eight times that of the Sun,” the researchers said.
“The ‘P’ stands for plateau, meaning that after the light from the supernova began to dim, the level reached a plateau and remained the same brightness for weeks or months before fading further. .”
“This type of supernova occurs when a massive star can no longer generate enough energy at its core to avoid the crushing pressure of gravity.”
“The progenitor star of SN 2014cx is estimated to have been 10 times more massive and hundreds of times wider than the Sun.”
Although it has long since dimmed from its early brightness, astronomers are still monitoring the remains of SN 2014cx.
The spiral arm of Messier 83, one of the most prominent spiral galaxies in the night sky, exhibits a high rate of star formation, with six supernovae observed, according to astronomers at NSF’s NOIRLab.
This DECam image shows the spiral galaxy Messier 83. Image credits: CTIO / NOIRLab / DOE / NSF / AURA / TA Chancellor, University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF NOIRLab / D. de Martin, NSF NOIRLab / M. Zamani, NSF NOIRLab.
Messier 83 is located approximately 15 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra.
The galaxy, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, M83, NGC 5236, LEDA 48082, and UGCA 366, has a diameter of about 50,000 light-years, making it about twice smaller than the Milky Way.
With an apparent magnitude of 7.5, it is one of the brightest spiral galaxies in the night sky. May is the best month to observe with binoculars.
Messier 83 is oriented almost completely face-on from Earth, meaning astronomers can observe its spiral structure in great detail.
This galaxy is a prominent member of a group of galaxies known as the Centaurus A/M83 group, which also counts dusty NGC 5128 and irregular galaxy NGC 5253 as members.
It was discovered on February 23, 1752 by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
“Between 1750 and 1754, the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille studied the night sky with the purpose of determining distances to planets,” NOIRLab astronomers said.
“During this period, he observed and cataloged 10,000 stars and identified 42 nebular objects, including Messier 83, which he discovered during an expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in 1752.”
“In 1781, Charles Messier added it to his famous catalog and described it as a ‘starless nebula’, reflecting the limited knowledge of galaxies at the time.”
“It wasn’t until the 20th century, thanks to the work of Edwin Hubble, that astronomers realized that objects like Messier 83 were actually in another galaxy far outside the Milky Way.”
New images of Messier 83 dark energy camera (DECam), mounted on NSF’s Victor M. Blanco 4-meter telescope at the Cerro Tororo Inter-American Observatory, a program of the NSF NOIRLab.
“This image shows Messier 83’s distinct spiral arms filled with clouds of pink hydrogen gas where new stars are forming,” the astronomers said.
“Interspersed between these pink regions are bright blue clusters of hot young stars whose ultraviolet radiation has blown away the surrounding gas.”
“At the center of the galaxy, a yellow central bulge is made up of old stars, and weak bars connect spiral arms through the center, funneling gas from the outer regions toward the center.”
“DECam’s high sensitivity captures Messier 83’s extended halo and the countless more distant galaxies in the background.”
“Just as Messier 83 is filled with millions of newly formed stars, this galaxy is also home to many dying stars,” they added.
“Over the past century, astronomers have witnessed a total of six stellar explosions called supernovae in Messier 83. Only two other galaxies can match this number.”
In 2006, astronomers discovered a mysterious feature at the center of Messier 83.
“At the center of this galaxy, we discovered a never-before-seen concentration of mass similar to a secondary nucleus, likely the remains of another galaxy being consumed by Messier 83 in an ongoing collision. , likely the same collision that caused the starburst activity,’ the researchers said.
“The two nuclei, which likely contain the black hole, are expected to coalesce into a single nucleus in another 60 million years.”
Left: Image of star WOH G64 taken with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile. Right: Artist’s impression of the star
ESO/K. Onaka et al., L. Calçada
Astronomers have taken the first detailed pictures of a star in another galaxy more than 160,000 light-years away. This giant star may be showing signs that it’s only a few years away from exploding, but we’ve never seen it in detail before.
The largest stars we know of are red supergiants, which are stars that have run out of hydrogen fuel in their cores. Instead, the shell of hydrogen gas surrounding the core burns, causing the star’s volume to expand significantly.
One of the largest red supergiants that we know of is WOH G64, also known as a giant star. It is 1540 to 2575 times larger than the Sun and resides in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The star has attracted the attention of astronomers since it was discovered in the 1970s, but its distance has made it difficult to study it in detail.
now, jacko van loon and colleagues from Keele University in the UK used the Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile’s Atacama Desert to take close-up pictures of WOH G64. The interferometer is a collection of four individual telescopes linked together to function as if they were 200 telescopes in one. meter telescope. “In this image, you can see details similar to what you would see in an astronaut walking on the moon,” Van Loon said. “You can’t see it with a normal telescope aimed at the moon.”
The image, taken using infrared light, shows a bright ball of gas and dust, exhaled by the star and now surrounding it in a dense cocoon, at temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit). “This is a structure that we really didn’t expect to see,” Van Loon said. “We expected to have a star in the middle.”
The star appears dimmer than when it was last observed, so the gas and dust likely appeared relatively recently, Van Loon said. It may have been created by a star blowing away its outer layers, and astronomers have never seen it in a red supergiant.
If that happens, and the process is similar to that seen in similar stars called blue supergiants, it could be a sign that the star will take decades or even years to explode. I don’t know. “If we can watch this star explode, we will be able to learn much more about the star before it explodes,” Van Loon said.
“Being able to reconstruct an image of this object at such a great distance is technically quite impressive,” he says. paul krauser At the University of Sheffield, UK.
But it’s difficult to say with certainty whether the observed gases and dust, and the accompanying dimming of the brightness, are signs of an impending explosion. “Stars like this object are well known to be highly volatile,” Krauser said. “It’s simply what happens in these objects where there’s a dense, slow outflow that doesn’t go very far from the star. They’re well known to be dust factories.”
GGiven the influx of bad news from the gaming industry over the past 10 months, it’s no surprise that this weekend, sitting in a crowd of 20,000 happy and passionate fans, the biggest event on the esports calendar, The League Being able to watch the Of Legends World Championship was somewhat reassuring. Finals. The event, held at London’s O2 Arena, was the culmination of a five-week global competition to discover the world’s best teams. Having never been to one before, I had no idea what to expect, mainly because the finals are usually held in Asia, where the best players usually gather. Can we track what’s going on? Would you care? The answers to these questions were “fairly well” and “well, yeah.”
For the uninitiated, League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game (Moba for short) in which two teams of five players choose a warrior from a pool of 170 warriors to destroy their opponent’s home base. Fight to control the fantasy-themed map. . The arena is divided into three lanes, with an area known as the jungle in the middle, and similar to traditional team sports, each team member patrols their own specific section. Adding to the complexity is the fact that every champion character has unique skills, weapons, and magical attacks, and throughout the game you must defeat monsters and dragons to earn experience points that make you more powerful. Masu. It’s both a deep strategy game and a tremendous riot of stomping warriors, galloping horsemen, and hovering wizards.
This year’s final was between experienced Korean team T1 and Chinese newcomer team Bilibili Gaming (abbreviated as BLG). The latter had gained momentum by defeating local rival Weibo Gaming in the semi-finals, but T1 was the firm favorite to win the tournament having already won four times. They were almost eliminated from the competition early on, but they seem to have a habit of getting back into it the moment everyone quits. At the arena, I managed to get a seat next to James Lynch of the esports news site dexerto volunteer to tell me about the action. He describes T1 as the League of Legends equivalent of the 1974 Netherlands World Cup team. Free-spirited, unconventional, and full of neurotic genius. Lee “Faker” Sang-hyuk is widely considered to be the greatest player in league history, and at the center of it all is the master Johan Cruyff. “His movements are very strange and unpredictable,” Lynch says. “It’s very difficult to kill him.”
South Korea’s T1 team celebrates their victory over China’s Bilibili Gaming in the League of Legends world finals. Photo: Benjamin Kremer/AFP/Getty Images
Before the finals begin, there will be a 10-minute mini-concert featuring American rappers Ashnikko and Linkin Park, complete with fireworks, giant LED displays and incredible art direction from dozens of dancers. The whole thing has the feel of a major sporting event mixed with live K-Pop, a riot of color, passion, and performing arts. In the hours leading up to the finals, fans flocked to the venue to purchase original merchandise, meet friends from the community and, of course, dress up as their favorite League of Legends characters.
It turns out I was extremely lucky that this was my debut watching League of Legends. It’s an exciting encounter. Once the showdown begins, the best-of-five format is pushed to its limits, with the two teams taking turns killing each other for the first four games. Throughout the finals, Faker is a formidable playmaker, continually jumping into skirmishes, taking out opponents, and managing to escape with only a millimeter of health left. In the arena, 10 young players can be seen competing on a giant screen suspended above the stage. These displays draw us in rather than taking us out of the game. The crowd of mostly 20 fans loudly applauds the smart move and chants as their team gains the upper hand.
The showdown was a deliberate affair, with warriors gingerly roaming the map, poking and prodding at each other. Eventually, the whole thing explodes into a massive clash, making the battle between the Bastards look like a mini-brawl outside a kebab shop.
During the battle between Bilibili Gaming and T1. Photo: Benjamin Kremer/AFP/Getty Images
T1 was victorious, but it was also a victory for the entire concept of esports. The scene has struggled to live up to its 2010s hype, at least financially. At the time, the team’s overestimated global value attracted large investors and sponsors, which led to a bloated team organization and soaring salaries for star players. Last year saw many organizations, events, and tournaments shut down, including Activision Blizzard’s much-hyped Overwatch League. But this weekend’s event drew a peak audience of 6.94 million viewers, most of whom watched from home on streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube, setting a new record for esports.
It’s easy to think of video games as an industry rather than a culture that brings joy to people. Sometimes it’s more than just sales or viewership, it’s about sitting in an arena with 20,000 adoring fans. Outside the O2 Megaplex, I spoke to Morgan, an attendee perfectly dressed as Aphelios (or, more accurately, in his Heartsteel costume). He explained the appeal as follows: But he’s very friendly. Also, there are so many different communities in the league, and it’s great to see them come together and bond over something they have in common and one thing they’re really passionate about. That’s what’s really beautiful about this work.
NASA has released a beautiful composite image of two overlapping spiral galaxy pairs, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.
This composite image shows the galaxies IC 2163 (left) and NGC 2207 (right). Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI.
of IC 2163-NGC 2207 pair It is located about 114 million light years from us in the direction of the constellation Canis Major.
The large and massive galaxy is registered as NGC 2207, and the smaller galaxy is registered as IC 2163.
Strong tidal forces from the former distorted the shape of the latter, blowing stars and gas into long streams stretching 100,000 light years.
IC 2163 made its closest approach 40 million years ago, passing NGC 2207 in a counterclockwise direction.
However, IC 2163 does not have enough energy to escape NGC 2207's gravity and is doomed to be pulled back again in the future, passing by the larger galaxy.
“The pair's eerie colors represent a combination of mid-infrared light from the web and visible and ultraviolet light from Hubble,” NASA astronomers said.
“Look for potential evidence of their light scrapes on impact surfaces where material from galaxies may have collided.”
“These lines, rendered in bright red, including the eyelids, may be responsible for the appearance of the galaxy's bulging, vein-like arms.”
“The galaxy's first passage may also have distorted its delicately curved arms and elicited tidal extensions in some places.”
“The small diffused spiral arm between IC 2163's core and its leftmost arm may be an example of this activity.”
“More tendrils appear to be hanging between the galactic cores.”
“Another extension drifts off the top of the larger galaxy, forming a thin translucent arm that essentially extends out of the picture.”
These images show two overlapping spiral galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207. On the left is Hubble's ultraviolet and visible light observations, and on the right is Webb's mid-infrared observations. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI.
IC 2163 and NGC 2207 form stars at such high rates that they appear to have millions of individual hearts flapping across their arms.
These galaxies produce the equivalent of 20 solar-mass stars of new solar-mass stars every year.
“Our Milky Way galaxy only forms two to three new Sun-like stars a year,” the astronomers said.
“Both galaxies have experienced seven known supernovae in recent decades, compared to the Milky Way's average of once every 50 years.”
“Each supernova may have removed space within the arms, rearranging gas and dust that later cooled, allowing many new stars to form.”
“To identify sequences of star-forming activity, look for the bright blue regions seen by Hubble in ultraviolet light and the pink and white regions detailed primarily by Webb's mid-infrared data.” the researchers said.
“Stars in larger regions are known as superclusters.”
“Look for examples of these in the top spiral arms that wrap around larger galaxies and point to the left.”
“Other bright regions of the galaxy are ministarbursts, where many stars form in quick succession.”
“In addition, the upper and lower 'eyelids' of IC 2163, the small galaxy on the left, are filled with newer star formation and are burning brighter.”
A bright comet from the Oort cloud named C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is passing close to Earth and will be visible until late October 2024.
This image, taken by the ESA/NASA Solar-Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) on October 10, 2024, shows Comet Atlas Gassan and its bright tail streaming from upper left to right. Mercury will be visible as a bright dot on the left. Image credit: ESA/NASA.
Comet Tsuchiyama-ATLAS It was discovered on January 9, 2023 by astronomers from China's Zishan Observatory.
The comet, also known as C/2023 A3, was independently discovered by South Africa's ATLAS on February 22, 2023.
It orbits the Sun in a retrograde orbit and lies at an inclination of 139°.
It reached perihelion on September 27, 2024, at a distance of 0.391 astronomical units. Its closest approach to Earth was on October 12th. It is expected to be 200 AU from the Sun in 2239.
Each day throughout October, the comet rises higher and higher in the western sky as it moves away from the sun. But as it progresses, it gets darker and darker.
October 14th to 24th is the best time to observe it using binoculars or a small telescope.
Eagle-eyed skywatchers may be able to spot the star with their naked eyes for a few days, but then binoculars or a telescope will be needed as it gets darker.
“Comet Tuchinshan-Atlas may have come from the Oort Cloud, a region of space between 2,000 times the distance between Earth and the Sun and one light year.” said Jason Ybarra, director of the WVU Planetarium and Observatory.
“This region is so far away that the gravitational pull from the Sun competes with the gravitational pull from passing stars and the entire Milky Way galaxy.”
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick took this photo of comet Atlas Tsuchiyama on September 28, 2024. At the time, the comet was about 70.8 million kilometers (44 million miles) from Earth. Image credit: NASA/Matthew Dominick.
“The larger the orbit, the longer it takes for the comet to orbit that orbit,” he added.
“In the case of comets originating from the Oort cloud, their orbits take a very long time, so their orbits may change due to gravitational interactions with other bodies in the solar system, and it is possible to predict the future behavior of comets. It becomes difficult to do so.”
“If it gains enough energy from these interactions, Comet Gassan-ATLAS may never come back. It will have to wait at least another 80,000 years. In any case, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. It’s an event.”
Just before sunrise on September 28, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick took a time-lapse photo of the comet Tuchingshan Atlas orbiting over the South Pacific Ocean southeast of New Zealand from the International Space Station.
From October 7th to October 11th, the comet brightly illuminated the field of view of the onboard LASCO (Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph Experiment) instrument. ESA/NASA Solar Heliosphere Observatory (Soho).
This device uses a disc to block the sun's bright light, making it easier to see details and objects near the sun.
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have obtained a surprising new perspective of the intermediate spiral galaxy Messier 90.
This Hubble image shows Messier 90, an intermediate spiral galaxy located 53.8 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Tilker / J. Lee / PHANGS-HST team.
Messier 90 is located approximately 53.8 million light years away in the constellation Virgo.
This spiral galaxy, also known as M90 or NGC 4569, was discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier on March 18, 1781.
Messier 90 is the brightest member of this bunch. Virgo Cluster is a group of about 1,300, sometimes up to 2,000 galaxies.
This galaxy is remarkable, as it is one of the few galaxies that appear to be moving toward the Milky Way, rather than away from it.
“In 2019, images of Messier 90 Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) was imaged in 1994, shortly after the camera was installed,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“That image has a distinctive stair-step pattern due to the layout of WFPC2's sensor.”
“Hubble used WFC3 in 2019 and again in 2023 when it switched caliber to Messier 90.”
“We processed the resulting data to create this surprising new image, providing a more detailed view of the galaxy's dusty disk, gaseous halo, and bright center.”
“The inner region of the Messier-90 disk is a site of star formation, highlighted here by red H-alpha light from the nebula, which is absent in other parts of the galaxy,” the astronomers said.
“Messier 90 is located within a relatively nearby galaxy in the Virgo cluster, and its orbit followed an orbit close to the cluster's center about 300 million years ago.”
“The gas density in the inner cluster weighed down on Messier 90 like a strong headwind, stripping enormous amounts of gas from the galaxy and creating the diffuse halo we see here around the galaxy.”
“This gas will no longer be available for Messier 90 to form new stars, resulting in its eventual demise as a spiral galaxy.”
“Its trajectory through the Virgo Cluster has accelerated so much that it is on the verge of escaping the cluster altogether, and coincidentally it is moving in our direction. Other galaxies in the Virgo Cluster are also moving in our direction. They have been measured at similar speeds, but in opposite directions.''
“Over billions of years to come, we will get a better view of Messier 90 as it evolves into a lenticular galaxy.”
Hubble astronomers have released a stunning new image of the dwarf irregular galaxy UGC 4879, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows irregular dwarf galaxy UGC 4879, about 3.6 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble Space Telescope / K. Chiboucas, NOIRLab and Gemini North / M. Monelli, Canarian Astrophysics Institute / Gladys Kober, NASA and Catholic University.
UGC 4879 is an irregular dwarf galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major.
Also known as VV124 and LEDA 26142, this galaxy is quite isolated.
It lies 3.6 million light years from our Milky Way galaxy and 3.9 million light years from the Andromeda galaxy.
Dwarf galaxy Leo A, located about 1.6 million light-years away, is UGC 4879's closest neighbor.
This isolation makes UGC 4879 an ideal laboratory to study primordial star formation, without the complications of interactions with other galaxies.
There are only two other galaxies in the Local Group that have a similar, though slightly lower, isolation to UGC 4879: DDO 210 and SgrDIG, which are located in the opposite direction from UGC 4879.
“UGC 4879 is an isolated dwarf galaxy that lies just outside our Local Group of galaxies,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“Because of its isolation, we are studying UGC 4879 to determine whether it is an old, relatively undisturbed galaxy.”
“Theories suggest that the least massive dwarf galaxies may have formed first.”
“If UGC 4879 is a relic from the early universe, it may offer clues about the hierarchy and evolution of galaxies, galaxy clusters, and even the universe itself.”
This image of UGC 4879 combines data from two Hubble observing programs focused on learning more about how dwarf galaxies form and evolve.
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have captured new infrared images of two interacting galaxies. Alp 142.
This Webb image shows two interacting galaxies known as Arp 142. On the left is NGC 2937, nicknamed “The Egg” because of its appearance, and on the right is NGC 2936, nicknamed “The Penguin” because of its appearance. Image courtesy of NASA/ESA/CSA/Webb/STScI.
The interacting pair, Arp 142, is located about 326 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra.
It contains the star-forming spiral galaxy NGC 2936 and its elliptical companion galaxy NGC 2937 at the lower left, which bears a striking resemblance to a penguin guarding its eggs.
The “penguin” part of the pair, NGC 2936, was probably once a relatively ordinary-looking spiral galaxy – flat like a pancake, with smoothly symmetrical spiral arms.
Because of the abundance of newly formed, hot stars, its shape is twisted and distorted by the gravitational forces of nearby stars.
The twin “egg,” NGC 2937, is a collection of much older stars and, in contrast, is largely featureless.
The absence of glowing red dust features indicates that it long ago lost its reservoir of gas and dust from which new stars could form.
“The two asteroids first came close to each other between 25 million and 75 million years ago, triggering 'fireworks' – the formation of new stars – in the constellation of Penguin,” astronomer Webb said in a statement.
“In the most extreme cases, galaxy mergers could result in the formation of thousands of new stars every year for millions of years.”
“In the case of penguins, studies have found that they form around 100-200 stars per year. By comparison, in our own Milky Way galaxy (which is not interacting with a galaxy of a similar size), around six to seven new stars form per year.”
“This gravitational rocking also changed the penguins' appearance,” they noted.
“The spiral arms uncoiled, pulling gas and dust in different directions like confetti.”
“When galaxies interact, it's rare for individual stars to collide (the universe is huge), but the intermingling of galaxies disrupts the orbits of stars.”
“Currently, the centre of the Penguin's galaxy looks like an eye inside its head, and the galaxy has a prominent star trail in the shape of a beak, spine and fanned-out tail. A faint but noticeable dust ribbon stretches from the beak to the tail.”
“Although the Penguin Galaxy appears much larger than the Egg Galaxy, the two galaxies have roughly the same mass,” the astronomers said.
“This is one of the reasons why the tiny looking egg hasn't merged with the penguin yet.”
“Because the elliptical egg is filled with old stars and contains very little gas or dust, it doesn't emit its own 'streams' or tidal tails, and instead maintains its compact elliptical shape.”
“If you look closely, the Egg has four noticeable diffraction spikes – it's glowing because of a high concentration of stars from the galaxy.”
“Now, find the bright, edge-on galaxy in the upper right. It may look like it's crashing the party, but it’s not close by.”
Cataloging No. 1237172It lies nearly 100 million light-years from Earth. It is relatively young and not covered by dust, making it virtually invisible in Webb's mid-infrared images.”
The first ever video footage of a blue whale nursing a calf was captured by a snorkeler in East Timor, Southeast Asia, and has been released.
“It’s certainly not a newborn calf.” Karen Edivain “But they’re clearly still drinking milk,” said the researcher, from the Australian National University in Darwin.
Edibane says capturing the footage is an incredible feat that has never been achieved before. The action was captured on camera by a snorkeler on an ecotourism voyage swimming with the pygmy whales off the coast of the capital, Dili, in 2022, and has only now been made public.
Blue Whale (Mushibaga) is the largest known animal to have ever lived on Earth, sometimes reaching lengths of over 30 meters and weighing nearly 200 tons.Southern wolfThe sharks found off the coast of Timor-Leste are slightly smaller, reaching a maximum length of 24 metres.
Blue whale calves do not attach to their mothers when feeding, but rather release oily milk into the water, which the calf swallows.
Edivain said the large calf seen feeding in the video is probably in its second year of living with its mother — blue whales are weaned at three years.
Other significant blue whale behaviours have been sighted and filmed in the area as part of the decade-long study. Citizen Science Projects Project leader Edivine said a database of 2,700 pygmy blue whales had been compiled since 2014 and that Timor-Leste may be a base for one of the world’s largest migrations of pygmy blue whales.
Newborn calves, courtship behaviour, pre-mating behaviour and feeding behaviour have all been observed.
“We haven’t seen a penis yet, but we’ve seen very affectionate adults having a lot of fun playing with each other,” Edivain said.
Caprivec The head of marine life conservation for the Western Australian Water Environment Regulatory Authority said that until recently no one knew how many blue whales were migrating off the coast of Timor-Leste.
Beck says he was incredibly lucky to capture the footage. Blue whales are often found far offshore, in hard-to-reach locations. “It’s incredibly rare to even be in the water with a blue whale, and even rarer to be in the water at the right time and place to film a calf nursing.”
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