New Asteroid Discovery Reveals Start of Earth’s Incredible History

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Small rocks in the universe revealed that life on earth could have come from asteroids. And life outside of earth suggests that we are one step closer than we thought.

A bold NASA mission known as OSIRIS-REX five years ago The Bennu asteroid is on a course close to colliding with earth, and in the process, it will grab a small sample. A small capsule, containing 120 grams (4 ounces) of asteroid material, landed in the Utah Desert in late 2023.

Since then, scientists have been eagerly waiting to hear the contents of the capsule. Currently, scientists have confirmed that the asteroid contains not only organic matter but also all the components that make up DNA.

Sample return capsules from NASA’s OSIRIS-REX mission are found immediately after landing in the Utah Desert on September 24, 2023. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber

Bennu, currently orbiting close to the earth, is an ancient fragment of our solar system, with its parent asteroid formed about 4.5 billion years ago.

“We now know from Bennu that the ingredients of life are really interesting and complicated,” said Dr. Tim McCoy, the MET stone curator at the National Natural History Museum in the United States and co-leader of new papers.

“We have found the next step on the road to life.”

The breakthroughs suggest that life was formed on earth after asteroid collisions, but this process also occurs throughout the universe, whether through parent bodies or other asteroid collisions. It suggests a new beginning.

How can Bennu help in forming life?

The most important discovery is that Bennu seems to host “Brinny Bros,” which allows minerals and salts to mix. This compound developed into complex structures that form essential ingredients of life.

Researchers suggest that saltwater outside of earth may be an essential environment for birthing organic compounds throughout the universe, including on earth. In addition to the potential of water, these saltwater environments can facilitate prebiotic organic synthesis processes, where building blocks for life can come together.

Surprisingly, the absence of liquid water plays a vital role here. While liquid water is essential for life, chemical reactions needed to form complex structures require a loss of water in the process.

So what mixture forms this life?

The survey results will be published in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy. Researchers around the world analyzed a small part of the sample using an electron microscope, enabling inspection at a resolution equal to a human hair.

One paper led by NASA scientists found that Bennu boasts a more extensive collection of organic matter than earth.

“It may seem natural to think that earth, hosting life, has the most widespread collection of organic materials in the solar system,” said Dr. Douglas Vacoc, Research Organization Messaging President of METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence), to BBC Science Focus.

The first museum exhibit of a sample from the Bennu Asteroid was announced at the National Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States. This is a rock-filled fragment with mass. Photo Credit: James di Loret and Philip R. Lee, Smithsonian

The impressive asteroid collection contains 14 of the 20 amino acids found in all living organisms (protein building blocks), including individual non-protein amino acids not known or existing in known biology. The sample also contains all five nucleic bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, uracil) that form the code of DNA and RNA.

“There are no signs that Bennu’s amino acids were created by living organisms, but as we know, some essential building blocks for life are abundant on this asteroid,” Vacoch said.

How close are we to “life”?

Researchers have yet to understand the complex structure formed at Bennu’s core upon impact.

“We now have a basic building block moving along this path, but how far along this process can progress is unknown,” they said.

It’s not clear if Bennu’s conditions can advance to the next stage of biological evolution.

“Amino acids alone are not enough for life,” said Professor Lewis Dartnell to BBC Science Focus. “These acids need to bond into long chains to start protein production or bind to DNA. The next step in the origin of life requires not just building blocks but assembling these blocks.”

“To create life, these building blocks must begin the production of molecules like proteins and DNA, forming them into cells,” he added.

What is needed beyond organic molecules and water to reach this point? “The missing elements are energy sources like photosynthesis or chemical energy,” said Dartnell. “Additionally, a long period is required to move from simple amino acids to proteins, DNA, cells, and life spans.”

A scanning electron microscope image of carbonated sodium venous in Bennu’s sample – Photo Credit: Rob Wandel, Tim Gooding, and Tim McCoy, Smithsonian

This discovery represents a significant leap in understanding Bennu’s nature.

“By examining Bennu’s chemical composition, we have found clues to its origins and recent discoveries point to its roots in the outer solar system,” said Vacoch.

Bennu’s contents may set a new baseline for exploring other cosmic bodies. The sample was meticulously preserved before analysis, ensuring the integrity of the salt content.

“There is no substitute for traveling to asteroids, collecting pristine samples, and returning them to an Earth research institute,” Vacoch stated. “OSIRIS-REX serves as proof of profound discoveries from sample return missions.”

If the fragments had fallen to earth on their own, the salt content would have been disrupted in the earth’s atmosphere. But with this knowledge, McCoy and his colleagues may find evidence of this saltwater in existing MET stone collections.

“This is like finding what you were looking for on a mission,” McCoy said. “We have found something unexpected. It’s the best reward for all kinds of exploration.”

About our experts

Dr. Douglas Vacoch, President of the Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI), is a research and educational organization that sends signals to nearby stars. He is a member of the International Space Law Research Institute and serves as a general editor for Springer’s Space and Society series.

Professor Lewis Dartnell is a Professor of Science Communication at the University of Westminster, specializing in space biology and the exploration of microbial life on Mars. He is the author of Origin: How Earth Created Us and The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch.

Read more:

10 future space missions I’m looking forward to
What do aliens actually look like?
These four signs of alien technology may lead us beyond earth

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Discovery of Two New Edible Truffle Species in Eastern North America

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Two new species of this genus tuber It was discovered with the help of trained truffle hunting dogs.

tuber cumberlandens. Image credit: Saw others., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“tuber “It is a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that produces paragenic fruiting bodies known as truffles,” said lead author Dr. Gregory Bonito of Michigan State University and colleagues.

“Many tuber The seeds are well known for their unique aroma and wide range of culinary uses. ”

“Like many other truffle-forming fungi, tuber The species lost the ability to forcefully release spores into the air and instead relied primarily on fungivores to ingest and distribute the spores. ”

“Mycivores such as porcupines, squirrels, pigs, and humans… tuber Sensitive to volatile compounds produced by truffles. ”

One of two new species, Tuber crable veratumis named after the truffle dog and Monza, the dog who discovered it with trainer Lois Martin.

The other is tuber cumberlandensis named after the Cumberland Plateau where it was discovered by Margaret Townsend and her truffle dog, Luca.

Tuber crable veratum. Image credit: Saw others., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“There is a long history of using specially trained dogs, and less frequently pigs, to track the scent of truffles. tuber “In the wild,” the researchers said.

“Truffle hunting dogs are also regularly used for commercial truffle harvesting, as they can find consistently mature truffles faster than other methods such as raking.”

“Raking the soil to find and harvest truffles can have a devastating effect on both the roots and ascus of the plant host.”

“It could also lead to the harvesting of immature truffles.”

“However, a well-trained truffle hunting dog will always find mature truffles, reducing harvest effort and maximizing harvest quality.”

“As such, the use of truffle dogs to harvest commercial truffles has become the standard method used by truffle growers around the world.”

meanwhile Tuber crable veratum It is only known in eastern Tennessee, USA. tuber cumberlandens It has been opportunistically harvested for commercial sale from orchards in eastern North America.

“Historically, attention has been focused on the cultivation and sale of European truffle species, but there is increasing interest in the cultivation, wild harvesting and sale of North American truffle species,” Dr. Bonito added. .

“More and more people are trying their hand at growing truffles, which means more truffle dogs are needed to sniff out these fungal fruits because they grow underground.”

“If you have $20,000 worth of truffles growing underground, you have to find them before they rot. That's why dogs are so important.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary mycosis.

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Arasan Sou others. 2024. tuber cumberlandens and T. cannileveratumtwo new edibles tuber A species of eastern North America discovered by truffle hunting dogs. mycosis 116 (6);doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755

Source: www.sci.news

A breakthrough in quantum simulation: Discovery of the long sought-after phase change

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Ion traps can control atoms for quantum experiments

Y. Colomb/National Institute of Standards and Technology/Scientific Photo Library

After decades of investigation, researchers observed a series of atoms undergoing a one-dimensional phase change. This was so elusive that it could only happen in a quantum simulator.

“There is only one motive [for our experiment] I'm trying to really understand basic physics. “We're just trying to understand the fundamental states that matter can be in,” he says. alexander shuckardt at the University of Maryland.

He and his colleagues used electromagnetic fields to arrange 23 ions of the element ytterbium in a line, forming a nearly one-dimensional chain. The device can be used for quantum computing, but in this case the researchers used the chain as a simulator instead.

In it, they built a 1D ytterbium magnet one atom at a time. Previous calculations predicted that this type of magnet would become unmagnetized when warmed, thanks to quantum effects. However, no experiments have achieved this phase transition in the past.

One reason for the difficulty is that systems such as quantum computers and simulators typically only work properly when they are very cold. So heating them to cause a phase transition can cause them to malfunction, Schuckert says.

To get around this, he and his colleagues tuned the initial quantum state of the atoms so that over time, the collective state of the 1D magnet changes as if the temperature were increased. This revealed a phase transition that had never been seen before.

The result is very unusual, he says, because chains of atoms are generally not supposed to undergo phase transitions. Mohammad Maghrebi at Michigan State University. The researchers were able to manipulate it precisely because each ion could interact with other ions over large distances, even if they weren't in contact. This caused the entire line to engage in abnormal collective behavior.

Because their simulator allows for such exotic states of matter, it could be used to study theoretical systems that are extremely rare or may not exist in nature, Maghrebi said. say.

Schuckert suggests that quantum simulators could also help explain the strange electrical or magnetic behavior that some materials exhibit in the real world. But for that to happen, these devices will have to be able to reach higher temperatures than they currently do. Currently, researchers can only create models at extremely low temperatures, but within five years it may be possible to simulate even higher temperatures, he says.

And if the simulator could be made larger, for example by arranging ions in two-dimensional arrays, many more existing theoretical systems could be studied, he says. andrea trombettoni at the University of Trieste, Italy. “This would suggest new physics to explore,” he says.

Source: www.newscientist.com

New Discovery: Long-period Giant Exoplanet Found in Multiplanetary System WASP-132

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

WASP-132 is a unique multiplanet system in that both the inner rocky planet and the newly discovered outer giant planet are in a system that includes a hot Jupiter planet. This suggests that hot Jupiter migrated via a rare dynamically cooled mechanism and helps further our understanding of how hot Jupiter systems form and evolve. .

The WASP-132 system includes hot Jupiter (in the foreground), an inner super-Earth (passing in front of the orange host star), and the cold planet WASP-132d. Image credit: Thibaut Roger, University of Geneva.

A hot Jupiter is a planet with a mass similar to Jupiter, but it orbits closer to its star than Mercury, which orbits the Sun.

Because there is not enough gas or dust for these giant planets to form where they are observed, the established theory is that they originate far from their stars and are not planets. They move inward as the system evolves.

Until now, it was thought that hot Jupiter was orbiting the star alone, as other planets in the system were ejected as it moved toward the star.

Two extra planets in the WASP-132 planetary system now cast doubt on this theory.

“The WASP-132 system is an excellent laboratory for studying the formation and evolution of multiplanetary systems,” said Dr. François Bouchy, an astronomer at the Geneva Observatory.

“The discovery of hot Jupiters alongside inner super-Earths and distant giants challenges our understanding of the formation and evolution of these systems.”

“This is the first time I have observed such a configuration.”

Hot Jupiter WASP-132b orbits its parent star every 7.1 days. Super Earth WASP-132c orbits the star in just 24 hours and 17 minutes.

The newly discovered ice giant, named WASP-132d, will orbit its host star for five years.

Dr David Armstrong from the University of Warwick said: “Finding planets inside the hot interior of Jupiter is particularly rare, so the detection of an inner super-Earth was exciting.”

“We conducted an intensive campaign using state-of-the-art instruments to characterize its mass, density and composition, revealing a planet with a similar density to Earth.”

“The discovery of this planet adds further complexity to the WASP-132 system, as the movement of hot Jupiter towards the host star due to dynamic perturbations destabilizes the orbits of the other two planets.”

“This suggests a more stable, ‘cooler’ migration path for hot Jupiter in the protoplanetary disk that surrounds young stars and is the site of planet formation.”

Regarding this discovery, paper Published in today’s magazine astronomy and astrophysics.

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nolan greaves others. 2025. Discovery of a cold giant planet and measurement of the mass of a hot super-Earth in the multiplanetary system WASP-132. A&A 693, A144; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202348177

Source: www.sci.news

New discovery of fossils reveals a revamped dinosaur evolutionary history

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

American paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of a new species of sauropod dinosaur that lived in the northern hemisphere (Laurasian supercontinent) during the Carnian period of the late Triassic period, about 230 million years ago.

reconstruction of Avaitum banduichethe world's oldest known low-latitude dinosaur species. Image credit: Gabriel Uguet.

Until now, it was thought that dinosaurs originated deep in the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere (Gondwana supercontinent).

The dinosaur fauna of Gondwana and the earliest dinosaur occurrences in the Northern Hemisphere (Laurasian supercontinent) were separated by 6 to 10 million years.

However, the newly described Laurasia species lived at the same time as the oldest known southern dinosaurs.

named Avaitum banduicheThis sauropod is the oldest known Laurasian dinosaur.

“Avaitum banduiche Dr. Dave Loveless of the University of Wisconsin Museum of Geology and his colleagues found that “Dinosaurs lived in Laurasia during or shortly after a period of huge climate change known as the Carnian Plug, which previously led to the diversification of dinosaur species. “It was involved in the early stages of.” .

“The climate at the time was much wetter than before, turning vast, hot desert regions into more hospitable habitats for early dinosaurs.”

Avaitum banduiche It was about 1 meter (3 feet) long from head to tail.

“Avaitum banduiche “It's basically the size of a chicken, but it has a very long tail,” Dr. Lovelace said.

“We think of dinosaurs as giant behemoths, but they didn't start out that way.”

fossil remains are Avaitum banduiche It was discovered in 2013 at Garrett's Surprise (named after Garrett Johnson, the undergraduate field assistant who discovered the locality), a small outcrop of the Popo Aggie Formation in Wyoming.

“These fossils reveal the world's oldest equatorial dinosaur, which is also the oldest North American dinosaur,” Dr. Loveless said.

At the same Garrett's Surprise site, paleontologists also discovered fossilized bones of dinosaur-like creatures called silesaurids.

“The presence of early low-latitude sauropods from the Northern Hemisphere, along with silesaurids, 230 million years ago casts doubt on the hypothesis that the dispersal of dinosaurs from high-latitude Gondwana was delayed.” the researchers said.

“These data fill a critical gap in the early record of the evolution of sauropod dinosaurs and demonstrate a wide geographic distribution from mid-to-late Carnian times.”

their result will appear in Zoological journal of the Linnean Society.

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David M. Lovelace others. 2025. Rethinking the origins of dinosaurs: The oldest known equatorial dinosaur population (Mid-Late Carnian Popo Aggie FM, Wyoming, USA). Zoological journal of the Linnean Society 203 (1): zlae153;doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae153

Source: www.sci.news

New discovery: Bioluminescent bacterial species Mycena crocata

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Misena Crocata is a long-known bacterial species that has been frequently reported from Europe and Japan, but until now it was thought that it did not emit light.

heintzelman others. report evidence of bioluminescence in Misena Crocata And we show that the genome of this species is fully populated with genes related to fungal bioluminescence. Image credit: Heintzelman others., doi: 10.47371/mycosci.2024.03.001.

Misena Crocata It is a species of fungus Misena It is known in Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America.

It occurs primarily in fallen beech leaves and woody debris, but occasionally in other hardwoods such as oak, ash, alder, and birch.

Misena CrocataThe fruiting bodies of this plant appear from summer to autumn, so they can be easily identified.

It reaches a height of 5-15 cm, has a narrow stalk and exhibits a characteristic color gradation from bright orange at the base to red and pale yellow or cream at the top.

In addition, yellow-red or orange-red stains may be present on the whitish gills.

But most impressively, Misena Crocata When cut, it oozes a distinctive saffron red sap. This is reflected in the common name Saffron Drop Bonnet Mushroom and the Latin epithet of the species. Kurokata It means saffron color.

evidence of bioluminescence Misena Crocata It was discovered by Zurich-based artists Heidi Bagenstos and Andreas Rudolph.

“We wanted to show that bioluminescent mushrooms exist in Swiss forests and that you don't have to travel far to find them,” Bagenstos said.

“One evening, as I was walking through the Albisrieden forest near Zurich, I saw a green light shining through my camera.”

“The bioluminescence of fungi can be so weak that it cannot be seen with the naked eye.”

Bagenstos, Rudolf and Dr. Renate Heintzelmann from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forestry, Snow and Landscape Research further investigated the large collection. Misena Crocata.

They investigated the bioluminescent properties of its fruiting bodies and mycelium using digital imaging and photomultiplier tubes.

Furthermore, they captured the bioluminescence spectrum emitted by the species and confirmed the presence of bioluminescence-related genes in its genome.

“Light measurements show that the fruiting bodies Misena CrocataThe mycelium showed the most bioluminescence, except for the base of the stalk, which was non-luminescent,” the researchers explained.

“As a result, the rotten trees Misena Crocata The mature wood also emits a green glow when split, which lasts up to 4 hours before the wood dries. ”

“When we grew pure mycelial cultures under optimal conditions, they remained bioluminescent for up to 164 days.”

According to the authors, the ecological role of bioluminescence in fungi remains a mystery.

“For some fungal species with intensely luminescent fruiting bodies, bioluminescence may attract arthropods at night, which may facilitate spore dispersal,” the researchers said.

“The spores of Misena Seeds are usually dispersed by wind and in species that do not have luminescent fruiting bodies. Misena CrocataBioluminescence probably plays another, but as yet unknown, role. ”

“As a result of our research, we conclude that it is very likely that there are others that may be more familiar. Misena It is a species whose bioluminescent properties are yet to be discovered,” they added.

“As a result, existing studies of fungal bioluminescence may underestimate the frequency of bioluminescence in mysenoid lineages.”

“In the absence of clear evidence for the absence of bioluminescence, further studies on the evolution of luminescence within the mysenoid lineage are recommended to validate the luminescent properties of putative non-luminescent species.”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine mycoscience.

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Renate Heintzelman others. 2024. Many bioluminescent Misena An overlooked species? – Case study from M. crocata In Switzerland. mycoscience 65 (4): 173-179;doi: 10.47371/mycosci.2024.03.001

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers are thrilled by the discovery of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth tree

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of scientists has unveiled a baby mammoth that has been almost perfectly preserved for 50,000 years in the thawing permafrost of eastern Siberia.

Anatoly Nikolayev, head of the Lazarev Mammoth Museum Laboratory at Northeastern Federal University in Yakutsk, eastern Siberia, described the mammoth as a “unique research discovery” and highlighted its extraordinary state of preservation. He mentioned that there were no signs of injury to the head, torso, ears, or mouth.

NEFU scientists called the mammoth, named Yana, the best-preserved specimen in the world in a press release on Monday.

The carcass of the baby mammoth Yana was unveiled after its discovery in the Yana River basin in eastern Siberia, marking the seventh baby mammoth found in the world. It is 4 feet tall, weighs around 400 pounds, and is less than 6.6 feet long.

Maxim Cheprasov, head of the university’s Mammoth Museum, expressed that the discovery of Yana is expected to provide valuable insights into mammoth development, adaptive characteristics, Ice Age habitats, and other essential aspects of mammoth life.

Yana was found by local residents in the Batagaika Crater, the world’s largest permafrost crater, as it continues to expand due to climate change.

Researchers Gavril Novgorodov and Erel Struchkov pose next to the remains of a baby mammoth discovered in June.
Gavril Novgorodov/Reuters file

The mammoth was estimated to be about 1 year old at the time of its death. Scientists at the Lazarev Mammoth Museum Research Institute are currently conducting further experiments to confirm Yana’s exact age at the time of its death.

The institute is collaborating with genetic researchers from other parts of the Russian Federation to gain more insights into Yana’s life and environment.

Due to climate change, Russia’s permafrost is thawing, leading to surprising prehistoric discoveries in recent years.

In 2020, scientists in Yakutia in northeastern Siberia uncovered a 32,000-year-old saber-toothed tiger mummy. The following year, in 2021, researchers found a 44,000-year-old wolf carcass in the same area.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

New fossil discovery suggests that Therapsids originated in the tropics, not temperate regions

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of early gorgonopsian therapsid that was part of the ancient summer humid biome of equatorial Pangea.

Recreating the life of the Gorgonopsians of Mallorca in a floodplain environment. Image credit: Henry Sutherland Sharpe.

Therapsids were a major component of Permian terrestrial ecosystems around the world, eventually giving rise to mammals in the early Mesozoic Era.

However, little is currently known about when and where it originated.

“Therapsids are a diverse and ecologically successful clade of tetrapods, of which the modern representatives are mammals,” says paleontologist at the Museum of Science and Nature in Barea and the Paleontological Institute of Catalonia. said Dr. Rafel Matamares and colleagues.

“The roots of this clade date back to the late Paleozoic era, when non-mammalian therapsids were important components of terrestrial ecosystems.”

“The oldest distinct therapsids known to date were Laranimus dashankoensisprobably from the Rhodian (Late Middle Permian) deposits of Central East Asia.

“However, phylogenetic analyzes consistently show that therapsids are a sister group to the pterosaur ‘perisaurian’ class monoapsids, which originated in Pennsylvania (about 320 million years ago). It suggests that

“This implies a long lineage of therapsid ghosts spanning about 40 million years.”

The newly discovered therapsid is the oldest of its kind, and possibly the oldest therapsid ever discovered.

This dog-like saber-toothed animal does not yet have a species name, but it belongs to a group of therapsids called gorgonopsids.

“Gorgonopsids are more closely related to mammals than to other modern animals,” said Dr. Ken Angielczyk, a paleontologist at the Field Museum.

“They have no modern descendants and are not our direct ancestors, but they are related to species that were our direct ancestors.”

“The oldest known gorgonopsids lived about 265 million years ago, but the newer fossils date from 270 to 280 million years ago.”

“This is probably the oldest chrysophyte on Earth,” said Dr. Josep Fortuny, a paleontologist at the Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology.

This fossil was discovered on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. However, during the time of the Gorgonopsians, Mallorca was part of the supercontinent Pangea.

“The amount of bone remains is surprising,” Dr. Matamares said.

“We found everything from fragments of skulls, vertebrae and ribs to a very well-preserved femur.”

“In fact, when we started this excavation, we did not expect to find so many fossils of this type of animal in Mallorca.”

“If you saw this animal walking down the street, you would think it would look a little like a medium-sized dog, maybe about the size of a husky, but that’s not entirely true,” says Dr. Angielczyk.

“It didn’t have any fur, and it probably didn’t have dog ears.”

“But this is the oldest animal with long, blade-like canine teeth that scientists have ever discovered.”

“These saber-like teeth suggest that this gorgonopsid was the top predator of its time.”

The fact that this gorgonopsian is tens of millions of years older than its closest relatives has changed scientists’ understanding of the evolutionary time of therapsids, key milestones to the emergence of mammals, and, by extension, where we came from. It tells us something about Tanoka.

“Before the age of dinosaurs, there was the age of our ancient mammalian relatives,” Dr. Angielczyk said.

“Most of those ancient mammal relatives looked nothing like what we think of as mammals today.”

“But they were really diverse and had different ecological roles.”

“This new fossil discovery is another piece of the puzzle of how mammals evolved.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper Published in a magazine nature communications.

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R. Matamares-Andrew others. 2024. Early-Middle Permian Mediterranean gorgonopsids suggest an equatorial origin for therapsids. Nat Commune 15, 10346; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54425-5

Source: www.sci.news

Physicists at CERN make groundbreaking discovery: Evidence of antihyperhelium-4 detected for the first time

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Physicists are Alice Collaboration. Evidence of antihyperhelium-4 has been seen for the first time at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Antihyperhelium-4 consists of two antiprotons, an antineutron, and an antilambda. New results are also the first evidence of the heaviest antimatter hypernuclear still at the LHC.

Illustration of the production of antihyperhelium-4 in a lead-lead collision. Image credit: AI-assisted J. Ditzel.

Collisions between heavy ions at the LHC created quark-gluon plasma, a hot, dense state of matter that is thought to have filled the universe about a millionth of a second after the Big Bang.

Heavy ion collisions also create conditions suitable for the production of atomic nuclei, exotic hypernuclei, and their antimatter counterparts, antinuclei and antihypernuclei.

Measuring these forms of matter is important for a variety of purposes, including helping to understand the formation of hadrons from quarks and gluons, the building blocks of plasma, and the matter-antimatter asymmetry seen in the modern universe.

Hypernuclei are exotic atomic nuclei formed by a mixture of protons, neutrons, and hyperons, the latter of which are unstable particles containing one or more strange types of quarks.

More than 70 years after their discovery in cosmic rays, hypernuclei continue to be a source of fascination for physicists. This is because hypernuclei are rarely found in nature and are difficult to create and study in the laboratory.

Collisions of heavy ions produce large numbers of hypernuclei, and until recently, the lightest hypernuclei, hypertriton (composed of protons, neutrons, and lambda), and its antimatter partner, antihypertriton, have been observed.

Following recent observations of antihyperhydrogen-4, ALICE physicists have detected antihyperhelium-4.

This result has a significance of 3.5 standard deviations and is also the first evidence of the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus ever at the LHC.

The ALICE measurements are based on lead-lead collision data taken in 2018 at an energy of 5.02 teraelectronvolts (TeV) for each colliding pair of nucleons (protons and neutrons).

The researchers examined data for the signals of hyperhydrogen-4, hyperhelium-4, and their antimatter partners using machine learning techniques that go beyond traditional hypernuclear search techniques.

Candidates for (anti)hyperhydrogen-4 were identified by looking for an (anti)helium-4 nucleus and a charged pion with which it decays; identified by. -Three atomic nuclei, an (anti)proton, and a charged pion.

In addition to finding evidence for antihyperhelium-4 with a significance of 3.5 standard deviations and evidence for antihyperhydrogen-4 with a significance of 4.5 standard deviations, the ALICE team found that the production yields of both hypernuclei and measured the mass.

“For both hypernuclei, the measured masses are consistent with current global average values,” the scientists said.

“The measured production yields were compared with predictions from a statistical hadronization model that adequately accounts for the formation of hadrons and nuclei in heavy ion collisions.”

“This comparison shows that the model's predictions closely match the data when both the excited hypernuclear state and the ground state are included in the prediction.”

“This result confirms that the statistical hadronization model can also adequately explain the production of hypernuclei, which are compact objects about 2 femtometers in size.”

The authors also determined the antiparticle-to-particle yield ratios for both hypernuclei and found that they agreed within experimental uncertainties.

“This agreement is consistent with ALICE's observation that matter and antimatter are produced equally at LHC energy and further strengthens ongoing research into the matter-antimatter imbalance in the Universe.” concluded.

Source: www.sci.news

Meta reveals discovery of over 20 covert influence operations in 2024

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Meta has disclosed that it intervened this year to stop around 20 covert influence operations globally. However, the company mentioned that concerns regarding AI-based election distortions may not be realized until 2024.

Nick Clegg, the president of international affairs at Meta, which oversees Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, stated that Russia continues to be the main source of hostile online activity. He expressed surprise that AI has not been utilized to deceive voters during recent busy election periods globally.

The former British deputy prime minister mentioned that Meta, with over 3 billion users, utilized AI tools to create images of political figures like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, J.D. Vance, and Joe Biden last month. Over 500,000 requests for such images had to be removed before the American election day.

Security experts at the company have been dealing with new operations using fake accounts to manipulate public debate toward strategic goals every three weeks. These operations include Russian networks targeting countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Another operation based in Russia uses AI to create fake news sites resembling well-known brands to weaken support for Ukraine and promote Russia’s role in Africa while criticizing African countries and France.

Mr. Clegg highlighted that Russia remains the most frequent source of covert influence operations disrupted, followed by Iran and China. He noted that the impact of AI-generated deceptive content from disinformation campaigns appears to be limited so far.

While the impact of AI manipulation on video, audio, and photos has been modest, Mr. Clegg warned that these tools are likely to become more pervasive in the future, potentially changing the landscape of online content.

In a recent evaluation, the Center for Emerging Technology and Security suggested that AI-generated deceptive content influenced the US election discourse, but evidence of its impact on the election outcome is lacking. The report warns that AI-based threats could negatively affect democratic systems by 2024.

Sam Stockwell, a researcher at the Alan Turing Institute, highlighted how AI tools may have shaped election discourse and spread harmful content subtly, such as misleading claims and rumors that gained traction during recent elections.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shocking discovery: Light can create its own shadow, reveals bizarre experiment

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The shadow of the laser beam appears as a horizontal line against a blue background.

Abrahao et al. (2024)

Usually light casts shadows on other objects, but with the help of rubies, laser beams themselves can cast shadows.

When two laser beams interact, they don’t collide like the lightsabers in the movies. star warssay Rafael Abrahao At Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. In real life, they simply pass through each other. But Abrahao and his colleagues discovered a way for one laser beam to block another, causing its shadow to appear.

The key ingredient was ruby cubes. The researchers illuminated the cube with a green laser beam while shining a blue laser from the side. When green light passed through the ruby’s atoms, its properties changed in a unique way, which affected its response to blue light.

Atoms affected by the green light blocked the blue laser light instead of letting it pass, creating a shadow that was exactly the same shape as the green laser beam. Remarkably, the researchers were able to project blue light onto a screen and see this “laser shadow” with the naked eye.

Abrahao says he and his colleagues had a long discussion about whether what they had created was actually worthy of a shadow. Because moving the green laser beam also moved the green laser beam, we were able to see it without special equipment, and we were able to project it onto commonplace objects like markers, so we finally found a positive answer. I made a judgment.

Historically, understanding shadows has been critical to understanding what light can do and how it can be used, and this experiment has added to scientists’ light manipulation toolbox. Add unexpected technology, he says.

thomas kloba Researchers at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany say their experiment used a known process to create an impressive visual demonstration of how materials can help control light. . For example, the interaction between lasers and rubies is similar to the interaction of materials used in laser eye surgery, and if the laser light becomes dangerously strong, it must be able to react by blocking the laser light. yeah.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of Metabolic Compounds that Control Appetite and Weight

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Research has revealed a new metabolic pathway involving beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB). Previously known as a liver-produced fuel, BHB is now found to be attached to amino acids by the enzyme CNDP2. The most abundant BHB amino acid, N-β-hydroxybutyryl phenylalanine (BHB-Phe), can impact body weight and metabolism in animal models.

Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) is an abundant ketone body. All BHB metabolic pathways known to date involve the interconversion of BHB and primary energy intermediates. Moya Garzon others. BHB et al. identified a previously undescribed BHB secondary metabolic pathway via CNDP2-dependent enzymatic binding of BHB and free amino acids. Image credit: Moya-Garzon others., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.032.

Mammals have developed intricate nutrient response pathways linking external energy sources with internal metabolic balance.

These pathways involve changes in cellular energy metabolites serving as both fuel sources and downstream regulators.

BHB, a ketone body, is a key example whose levels rise during low carbohydrate conditions like starvation, intermittent fasting, or ketogenic diet.

In a recent study, Professor Yong Xu of Baylor College of Medicine and team investigated how BHB-Phe, the most common BHB amino acid, affects eating habits and body weight in mice.

“Brain neuron groups regulate feeding behavior, so we mapped the brain to identify regions activated by BHB-Phe,” explained Professor Xu.

“BHB-Phe activated neural populations in the hypothalamus and brainstem, suppressing feeding and leading to weight loss.”

In contrast, mice lacking CNDP2 enzyme, deficient in BHB-Phe, ate more and gained weight.

Interestingly, CNDP2 also produces Lac-Phe, a compound discovered earlier by the research team.

“Lac-Phe from exercise can reduce food intake and obesity in mice,” added Professor Xu.

“But do Lac-Phe and BHB-Phe trigger effects by activating the same brain neurons?”

This discovery points to a possible disruption of the BHB-Phe pathway, present in humans, in obesity and other conditions, warranting further research to understand the mechanism.

“This study unveils new prospects,” commented Dr. Jonathan Long from Stanford.

“In the future, using BHB-Phe to promote weight loss without carbohydrate restrictions may be feasible.”

Featured in this week’s cell journal.

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Maria Dolores Moya-Garzon others. The β-hydroxybutyrate shunt pathway produces anti-obesity ketone metabolites. cell published online on November 12, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.032

Source: www.sci.news

The accidental discovery of a 300-year-old giant coral reef

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Measuring giant corals

Iñigo San Felix/National Geographic Society

A gigantic underwater structure off the coast of the tropical Solomon Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean has been confirmed to be the world's largest known coral.

A team of scientists and filmmakers visited a remote location in mid-October national geographic The object was so large that I thought it must be the remains of a shipwreck.

However, for underwater cinematographers, Manu Saint Felix Jumping into the water to get a better look, he was surprised by what he saw.

“I completely remember jumping up and looking down, but I was surprised,” he told reporters during a briefing. Instead of a shipwreck, San Felix encountered the largest coral ever discovered. “It's huge,” he said. “It's almost the same size as a cathedral.”

A coral species located a few hundred meters off the east coast of Marauralo Island was identified as this species. Pavona Kraus. At 34 meters wide and 32 meters long, it is larger than a blue whale and is thought to be 300 years old.

He says the discovery was a “happy coincidence”. enric sala of national geographic's Pristine Seas project aims to encourage governments to protect marine ecosystems through exploration and research. This is by far the largest single coral colony ever discovered, easily surpassing this one. previous record holder – giant porphyry A colony with a diameter of 22.4 meters and a height of 8 meters discovered in American Samoa in 2019.

Over the past two years, record sea temperatures have led to a series of coral bleaching events around the world. But Sala says the giant reef is showing signs of bleaching, while other reefs around the Solomon Islands are showing signs of bleaching. P. Cravath The coral looks healthy. It is an important habitat for marine life, providing shelter and food for fish, shrimp, insects and crabs, he says. “It’s like a big patch of old-growth forest.”

However, corals are not immune from ecological threats, including local pollution, overfishing, and global climate change. Sala said he would like to see more marine protected areas (MPAs) established to protect marine life from localized pollution, in parallel with global efforts to combat climate change. . “Protecting coral reefs won't lower water temperatures, and it won't stop oceans from warming,” he says. “We need to fix it, and we need to reduce carbon emissions. But MPAs can help buy us time by making reefs more resilient.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Possible Discovery: Stone dating back 12,000 years could be the earliest known wheel-like tool

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A pebble with holes excavated from the ruins of Nahal Ein Geb II. Could be an ancient spindle whorl

Laurent Davin

A 12,000-year-old set of perforated pebbles unearthed in northern Israel may be the oldest known hand-spun whorls. This weaving technique may have ultimately helped inspire the invention of the wheel.

The whorl at the bottom of the spindle, which acted as a flywheel, allowed people to efficiently spin natural fibers into yarn and yarn to make clothing and other textiles. Newly discovered stone tools represent early axle-based turning technology, thousands of years before the first carts appeared, researchers say. Talia Yashuv at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“If you look back at the discovery of the first car wheel 6,000 years ago, it didn't just come out of nowhere,” she says. “It's important to look at the functional evolution of how transportation and wheels have evolved.”

Yashuv and her colleagues leoa grossmanAlso at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, researchers studied 113 partially or fully perforated stones at the site of Nahal Ein Geb II, an ancient village just east of the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists have been discovering these chalky, primarily limestone artifacts since 1972. It was probably made from raw pebbles found along the nearby shore.

The 3D scan revealed that the hole had been drilled part way from both sides using a flint hand drill, but unlike modern drills, it remained in the shape of a narrow, twisted cone, Yashuf said. says. A hole 3 to 4 centimeters in diameter usually passes through the center of gravity of the pebble.

Drilling holes from both sides would have balanced the stone and made it more stable to rotate, Yaszhu said. Some of the partially perforated stones had off-center holes, suggesting they may have been discarded by mistake.

Yashov said the team suspected that the stones, which weigh an average of 9 grams, would be too heavy and “ugly” to be beads, and too light and fragile to be used as fishing weights. Their size, shape, and balance around the hole led researchers to believe that these artifacts were spindle-like whorls.

To test their hypothesis, the researchers created a replica whorl using nearby pebbles and a flint drill. then they asked yonit crystalWhy not try your hand at flax spinning with a traditional craftsman?

“She was really surprised at how well they worked, because they weren't perfectly circular,” Yaszhu says. “But in reality, all you have to do is place the hole in the center of the mass, and it's balanced and works.”

If the stone is indeed a spiral, it could be the oldest known rotating spiral, she says. 1991 study of bone and antler artifacts She found what are likely 20,000-year-old whorls, but added that the researchers who examined them suggested the fragments were probably decorative accents on clothing. Still, people may have been using whorls even earlier, using wood and other biological materials that would have degraded.

The discovery suggests that people were experimenting with spinning techniques thousands of years before they invented potter's wheels and cart wheels about 5,500 years ago, and perhaps the whirlpool helped lead to those inventions. Yaszhu says it's possible.

carol cheval But a professor at the University of the Cote d'Azur in Nice, France, isn't so sure. She explains that the whorl works more like a spinning top than a wheel.

And while the artifact is very likely a whorl, the study lacks microscopic data that would reveal any traces of use, as the threads may have made their mark on the stone over time. , says Cheval.

Trace analysis is “beyond the scope” of the current study, Yashuv said.

Ideally, researchers studying ancient whorls would be skilled at spinning themselves, but the study authors said this was not the case. “It really changes the way you think about archaeological discoveries,” she says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of Six New Carnivorous Sponge Species in Australian Waters

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Marine biologists have used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to discover six new species of carnivorous sponges in the cladulidae family on the western edge of the Australian continent.

Abisocladia janusi. Image credit: M. Ekins & NG Wilson, doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72917-8.

Cladriidae It is a type of carnivorous sponge that is found on ocean ridges and seamount systems around the world.

usually considered Deep-sea sponges are known for capturing prey with specialized structures.

The latest discoveries bring the number of known species of cradlefish fauna in Australian waters to 41.

New species include: Abisocladia janusi, Abisocladia Johnhupeli, Abisocladia Aurora, axonidama challengeri, Cladriza Vanesakinsand Narrabora Ningaroa.

They were collected from two deep-sea regions in Western Australia almost a thousand kilometers apart.

Abisocladia janusi One was found in the Bremer Canyon system and the other five were found in the Cape Range Canyon.

Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said: “These science novice species deepen our knowledge of the cladulidae and highlight the importance of continued exploration and conservation of marine biodiversity. ” he said.

“The description and study of these new species of carnivorous sponges provides important insight into the complex marine ecosystems along Queensland's coastline and highlights the importance of biodiversity and conservation efforts across the region. I’ll highlight it.”

Traditionally, carnivorous sponges have been collected for scientific research by trawling the ocean floor, but recent advances in ROV technology have enabled researchers to study these fascinating creatures in their natural habitat. There has been a revolution in capabilities.

This latest discovery was made during a deep-sea expedition conducted by the Schmidt Oceanographic Institute using an ROV. Subastian Explore the rich biodiversity of Western Australia's underwater landscape.

“During the expedition, I was able to operate the ROV remotely from my desk at the museum,” said Dr Merrick Eakins, Queensland Museum's sessile marine invertebrate collection manager.

“Our research highlights the importance of deep-sea exploration and the role of technological advances in understanding marine biodiversity.”

“These sponges demonstrate the incredible adaptability of life in extreme environments and challenge our understanding of marine ecosystems.”

“The implications of these findings go beyond mere classification. They highlight the need to protect these fragile ecosystems, which are under threat from climate change and human activity.”

team's paper Published in a magazine scientific report.

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M. Ekins and NG. Wilson. 2024. A new carnivorous sponge from Western Australia (Porifera: Porifera: Cladorhididae) collected by remotely operated vehicle (ROV). science officer 14, 22173; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72917-8

Source: www.sci.news

New X-ray Telescope NICER Makes Exciting Discovery of Fast-Spinning Neutron Star

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The neutron star in X-ray binary system 4U 1820-30 rotates 716 times per second, the fastest rate ever observed, according to an analysis of data collected by NASA’s Neutron Star Internal Composition Explorer (NICER). It is one of the rotating celestial bodies. 2017 and 2022.

Artist’s depiction of the X-ray binary star system 4U 1820-30 at the center of globular cluster NGC 6624. Image credit: NASA.

4U 1820-30 It is located approximately 26,000 light years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius.

This X-ray binary star system is part of a metal-rich globular cluster called NGC6624.

It consists of two stars: a neutron star and a white dwarf companion. The latter orbits a neutron star every 11 minutes, making it the star system with the shortest known orbital period.

The 4U 1820-30 typically displays short bursts of X-rays that last only 10 to 15 seconds. This is likely due to the ignited helium-rich fuel burning out quickly on the surface.

“Due to its strong gravity, the neutron star pulls matter away from its companion star,” said Dr. Gaurava Jaisawal of DTU Space and colleagues.

“When enough material accumulates on the surface, a violent thermonuclear explosion occurs on the neutron star, similar to an atomic bomb.”

Astronomers observed 4U 1820-30 using NASA’s NICER X-ray telescope mounted outside the International Space Station.

“While studying thermonuclear explosions from this system, we discovered significant oscillations, caused by the neutron star rotating around its central axis at an astonishing speed of 716 times per second. “This suggests that the

“If future observations confirm this, the 4U 1820-30 neutron star would be one of the fastest rotating objects ever observed in the universe, rivaled by a star called PSR J1748-2446. There will only be another neutron star.”

From 2017 to 2021, NICER detected 15 thermonuclear X-ray bursts from 4U 1820-30.

This was one of the bursts that exhibited symptoms known as “thermonuclear burst oscillations,” which occur at a frequency of 716 Hz.

These bursts of oscillations match the rotational frequency of the neutron star itself, meaning it is rotating around its axis at a record speed of 716 times per second.

“During the burst, the neutron star becomes up to 100,000 times brighter than the Sun and releases an enormous amount of energy,” said DTU space researcher Dr. Jerome Cheneves.

“We are therefore working on very extreme events, and studying them will provide new insights into the existing life cycles of binary star systems and the formation of elements in the universe.”

of findings will appear in astrophysical journal.

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Gaurava K. Jaisawal others. 2024. A comprehensive study of the 4U 1820-30 thermonuclear X-ray burst by NICER: accretion disk interactions and candidate burst oscillations. APJ 975, 67; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad794e

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s discovery of brown dwarf candidates hints at first wealthy population outside of the Milky Way

Posted on October 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope detected a population of 64 brown dwarf candidates with masses ranging from 50 to 84 Jupiter masses in the star cluster NGC 602.

This image of NGC 602 includes data from Webb's NIRCam (near-infrared camera) and MIRI (mid-infrared instrument) instruments. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / P. Zeidler / E. Sabbi / A. Nota / M. Zamani, ESA & Webb.

NGC602 is a very young star cluster, about 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Hydra, about 2 to 3 million years old.

Also known as ESO 29-43, this star resides in the wings of the Small Magellanic Cloud.

NGC 602's local environment closely resembles that of the early Universe, with very low abundances of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium.

The presence of dark clouds of dense dust and the fact that the cluster is rich in ionized gas also suggests the presence of an ongoing star formation process.

Together with the associated HII region N90, which contains clouds of ionized atomic hydrogen, this cluster provides a rare opportunity to examine star formation scenarios under conditions dramatically different from those in the solar neighborhood.

Using Webb, Dr. Peter Zeidler and his colleagues at AURA and ESA were able to detect 64 brown dwarf candidates in NGC 602. This is the first rich population of brown dwarfs to exist outside the Milky Way.

“It is possible to detect objects at such great distances only with incredible sensitivity and spatial resolution in the right wavelength range,” Dr. Zeidler said.

“This has never been possible and will remain impossible from the ground for the foreseeable future.”

“So far, about 3,000 brown dwarfs are known, and they all live in our galaxy,” said Dr. Elena Mangiavakas, also from AURA and ESA.

“This discovery highlights the ability to use both Hubble and Webb to study young star clusters,” said Dr. Antonella Nota, executive director of the International Space Science Institute.

“Hubble showed that NGC 602 hosts very young, low-mass stars, but only Webb can conclusively confirm the extent and significance of substellar mass formation in this cluster. Hubble and Webb are an amazingly powerful telescope duo!”

“Our results are very consistent with the theory that the mass distribution of objects below the hydrogen burning limit is simply a continuation of the stellar distribution,” Dr. Zeidler said.

“They seem to form the same way, they just haven't accumulated enough mass to become full stars.”

NSF astronomer Dr. Elena Sabbi said, “Studying the newly discovered metal-poor young brown dwarfs in NGC 602 will shed light on how stars and planets formed under the harsh conditions in the early universe. We are getting closer to uncovering the secrets of this.” NOIRLab, University of Arizona, Space Telescope Science Institute.

“These are the first substellar objects outside the Milky Way,” Manjavakas said.

“We need to be prepared for new breakthrough discoveries in these new objects.”

of result will appear in astrophysical journal.

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peter zeidler others. 2024. A candidate for a subsolar metallic brown dwarf is discovered in the Small Magellanic Cloud. APJ 975, 18; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad779e

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of 12 human bones in a hidden tomb beneath Petra, Jordan

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The veil of mystery surrounding the Treasury Monument in Petra, Jordan has been lifted once again.

Beneath an ancient building carved out of rock, archaeologists discovered a hidden tomb containing 12 relatively well-preserved human bones and a vast array of grave offerings.

A similar tomb was discovered more than 20 years ago opposite the famous Treasury Building, also known as Al-Khazneh, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Earlier this year, a team of researchers received permission from Jordanian authorities to conduct a week of remote sensing in and around the Treasury, a city center hand-carved into the walls of a desert canyon by the Nabatean people.

“There was always the idea that there might be more graves, but no one has yet been found,” Richard Bates, a geophysicist and professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, said in an email. “The hope was to find an intact grave.”

A joint Jordanian-American team, which also included the Jordanian Department of Antiquities and the Amman-based nonprofit American Research Center, used ground-penetrating radar to detect the cavity and pinpoint its location and depth. Instead of digging straight through, which would have cut through solid rock and damaged parts of the building, Bates said they carefully dug by hand into the cavity from the outside.

Richard Bates. Excavation at the Treasury.
Kindly provided by Professor Richard Bates, University of St Andrews

Inside, in the original burial site, are 12 human bones, one of which is clutching the top of a broken pitcher, most likely dating from the 1st century BC. Bates said the bodies likely included both men and women and ranged in age from children to adults. Although that is not confirmed yet.

“No complete burial has ever been found here before, so this discovery could potentially tell us more about the Nabataean kingdom,” Bates said.

The discovery could also provide new insights into the Treasury itself, whose purpose is still unknown.

“Despite its fame, the Treasury Department remains a mystery to us in many ways,” Pierce Paul Creesman, director of the Center for American Studies, said in an email. “Anything we can do to understand it more deeply is important.”

Visited by more than 1 million visitors a year, the Treasury is the most famous of Petra’s iconic monuments. In Steven Spielberg’s 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, it was featured as the resting place of the Holy Grail in the film.

The newly uncovered tomb excavation was featured in a two-part episode of the American reality television series Expedition Unknown, which aired on the Discovery Channel.

Bates said there are signs of other cavities in the area that could be graves.

“It’s very likely that more will be discovered, so we need to get the funding back and continue the research,” he said.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Scientists believe that Earth’s recent discovery of a new mini-moon indicates significant potential for space mining.

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Our planet’s new small satellite, 2024 PT5, arrived in Earth’s orbit on September 29, 2024.

2024 PT5 is scheduled to capture a temporary flyby from September 29th to November 25th in 2024. Image credit: University of Colorado.

2024 PT5 was discovered by the Asteroid Earth Impact Final Warning System in Sutherland, South Africa on August 7, 2024.

This near-Earth asteroid is about 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter and follows an orbit similar to that of 2022 NX1.

2024 PT5 will become a mini-Earth satellite on September 29 and return to heliocentric orbit 56.6 days later on November 25.

“Near-Earth objects like this offer a glimpse into the formation process of the solar system,” said astrophysicist Dr. Nico Cappellutti. University of Miami.

“Most asteroids in our solar system are rocky remnants left over from the formation of our solar system.”

2024 PT5 is part of Arjuna, an asteroid belt made up of space rocks that follow an orbit around the sun very similar to Earth’s orbit.

“So sometimes they can remain temporarily trapped in our gravitational field,” Dr. Cappellutti said.

“Bringing them this close is a fascinating opportunity.”

“The asteroid, the size of a school bus, is too faint and small to be seen with the naked eye or with amateur telescopes, but its two-month stay around Earth has reinforced our intense interest in space rocks. It helps maintain.”

Two years ago, in what was called the first test of the planetary defense system, NASA crashed a spacecraft into the giant space rock Dimorphos, which could change direction if the asteroid was on a collision course with Earth. proved something.

Private companies also want to send spacecraft to asteroids in hopes of mining the precious metals they contain.

“Asteroids are classified based on their orbits and their contents,” said Dr. Bertrand Dano, also from the University of Miami.

“Some are made entirely of stone, while others contain high concentrations of rare metals, such as platinum and gold for electronics, nickel and cobalt for catalysts and fuel cell technology, and, of course, iron.”

“Mining asteroids is not far off. There are currently millions of asteroids in our solar system, about 2 million of which are larger than 1 km.”

“The resources it contains are a new dream for El Dorado, and there are several companies currently betting on it.”

“Recent missions to rendezvous with, orbit and land on asteroids have proven that space mining may be only a matter of time.”

“However, proceeding with asteroid mining will require huge investments, from the mining equipment that needs to operate in a vacuum to the technology needed to transport the extracted minerals to Earth.”

“And then there’s the spacecraft itself. A dedicated ship that would travel to an asteroid for the purpose of extracting minerals from the asteroid would probably be a robotic ship.”

“A trip to Mars would take about eight months under the best conditions. The space and equipment needed to support life would be put to good use as storage for backup equipment and resources.”

“Because it takes a lot of energy to leave Earth’s gravity, mining missions are better launched from space or from low-gravity bodies such as the Moon, Mars, or Titan, one of Saturn’s natural moons. Sho.”

“Returning to Earth is relatively easy, but dangerous for the material. It would be a shame if all the prizes disappeared. Refining will take place in space, and purified products can be shipped regularly. As far as I know, no one is thinking that far.”

“Yet, asteroid mining could have a 100-fold or more return.”

“Mining platinum or gold from an asteroid and returning it could make you a trillionaire overnight, potentially upending entire economies, trade and markets.”

“Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once said, ‘The first billionaire in history was the one who exploited the natural resources of asteroids.'”

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of Seven New Star Trek Tree Frog Species in Madagascar

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Named after the otherworldly sounds these tree frogs make, Boufis The rainforests of Madagascar are expanses, some of which remind us of the sounds of technological equipment from fictional works. Star Trek Scientists have named seven new species in honor of the fictional captain of a spaceship. Bufis Khaki, bofis picardi, Bofis Siskoi, Boufis Janeyae, bofis archery, bofis pickay and bofis barnamae.

bofis picardi a male paratype from Anara, Madagascar. Image credit: Vences others., doi: 10.3897/vz.74.e121110.

There are currently 80 described species. Boufis It is the most unique genus of the Malagasy Comoran endemic family. Mantelidae.

Members of this genus are tree frogs with relatively generalized reproductive behavior, usually laying eggs in stream or pond water where tadpoles develop.

Many Boufis species are very vocal, with males emitting loud and clear advertising calls.

“Seven newly discovered species of Hyla genus” Boufis “Frogs, which are found throughout the rainforests of Madagascar, use a special bird-like whistle to communicate with other frogs,” said Professor Miguel Wences of the Technical University of Braunschweig and colleagues.

“The sound of these whistles reminded our team: Star Trek similar whistle-like sound effects are frequently used. ”

“That’s why we named our frogs after Kirk, Picard, Cisco, Janeway, Archer, Burnham and Pike – seven of the most iconic captains of science fiction.”

“These frog calls don’t just sound like movie sound effects. Star Trek But finding them often requires quite a trek,” said Dr. Mark Schaerts, a researcher at the Natural History Museum of Denmark at the University of Copenhagen.

“While some species are found in areas accessible to tourists, finding some of these species requires extensive expeditions to remote forest fragments and mountain peaks. It was.”

“We believe that here lies the true meaning of scientific discovery and exploration, and that it is based in the spirit of: Star Trek”

For fans of Star Trek, Boufis The call may remind you of the so-called “Boardsman’s Whistle” or the sound from a device called a “tricorder.” To others, it may sound like a bird or an insect.

Dr. Jörn Köhler, senior curator of vertebrate zoology at the Hesse State Museum in Darmstadt, said: “If the frog is just croaking like the European frogs we’re familiar with, it’s likely that it’s coming from a nearby river. “It might not have been audible over the sound of the rushing water.”

“Their high-pitched trills and whistles stand out above all the noise.”

“Due to their appearance, these frogs have traditionally been confused with similar species, but each species produces a distinctive high-pitched whistle, which helps distinguish them from each other and from other frogs. I did.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary vertebrate zoology.

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M. Vances others. 2024. The Communicator’s Whistle: A Journey Through Taxonomy Bufis mallogesensis This complex reveals seven new morphologically enigmatic tree frogs (Amphibians: Anura: Mantelidae) from Madagascar. vertebrate zoology 74: 643-681;doi: 10.3897/vz.74.e121110

Source: www.sci.news

Webb makes a groundbreaking discovery of a region on a centaur with active outgassing

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Centaur is a former trans-Neptunian object that has been moved within Neptune's orbit by the planet's subtle gravitational influence over the past several million years, and could eventually become a short-period comet.

29P/An artist's concept showing the gas release activity of Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 from the side. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/L. Hustak, STScI.

Centaurs are transitional objects between primitive transsolar system objects and Jupiter-based comets.

Their composition and activity provide fundamental clues about the processes that influence the evolution of and interactions between these small celestial bodies.

“Centaurs are likely part of the remnants of the formation of our planetary system,” said Dr. Sarah Fudge, a researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and American University.

“Because they are stored at very low temperatures, they preserve information about the volatiles of the solar system's early stages.”

“The web really opened the door for us to impressive resolution and sensitivity. When we saw the data for the first time, we were excited. We had never seen anything like this before. I've never had one before.”

use Webb's NIRSpec (near infrared spectrometer) deviceDr. Fudge and colleagues observed 29P/Schwasmann Wachmann 1 (29P for short) is a centaur. known This is because very active, quasi-periodic explosions occur.

29P changes in intensity every six to eight weeks, making it one of the most active objects in the outer solar system.

They discovered a new jet of carbon monoxide and a jet of carbon dioxide gas never before seen, giving new clues about the nature of the centaur's core.

No signs of water vapor were detected in 29P's “atmosphere,” but this may be related to the extremely cold temperatures present on this object.

Based on the data collected by Webb, the researchers created a 3D model of the jet to understand its direction and origin.

Through modeling efforts, they discovered that the jets were emitted from different regions of the centaur's core, even though the nucleus itself could not be resolved by the web.

The angle of the jet suggests that the core may be a collection of separate objects with different compositions. However, other scenarios cannot be ruled out yet.

fudge others. collected data for 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 using Webb's spectrophotographic capabilities. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/L. Hustak, STScI/S. Faggi, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and American University.

Dr. Jeronimo Villanueva, a researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said: “The fact that there are such dramatic differences in the abundance of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide across the surface of 29P means that 29P is This suggests that it may be possible.”

“The two parts probably merged to form this centaur, which is a mixture of very different objects that went through separate formation paths.”

“This challenges our ideas about how primitive objects are created and stored in the Kuiper belt.”

The reasons for 29P's brightness outburst and the mechanisms behind its outgassing activity through carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide jets remain two major areas of interest that continue to require further investigation.

In the case of comets, scientists know that their jets are often driven by the release of water gas.

However, Centaur's location means that the nature of its outgassing activity is different from that of comets, as it is too cold for water ice to sublimate.

“We only had time to look at this object once, and it was like a snapshot in time,” said Dr. Adam McKay, a researcher at Appalachian State University.

“I would like to go back and look at 29P over a longer period of time. Is the jet always pointing in that direction? Perhaps there is another carbon monoxide jet that turns on at a different point in the rotation cycle? Is there one?”

“Looking at these jets over time will give us better insight into what is causing these explosions.”

of the team paper Published in a magazine nature.

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S.Fudge others. Inhomogeneous outgassing regions were identified in active centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1. Nat Astronpublished online on July 8, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02319-3

This article is a version of a press release provided by NASA.

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of 2,070-year-old Roman wall constructed to confine gladiator Spartacus and his army in Italy

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists have discovered a 2.7-kilometer (1.7-mile) long Roman defensive wall and moat in the southern Italian region of Calabria that was originally built by Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus to contain Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator and leader of a slave revolt, and his forces.

A 2,070-year-old Roman wall in the Dossone della Meria Forest in south-central Calabria, Italy. Image courtesy of the University of Kentucky.

Spartacus He was a Thracian gladiator who became one of the most famous leaders of a major slave revolt against the Roman Republic known as the Third Servile War (73-71 BC).

Born around 103 BC in what is now Bulgaria, he initially served in the Roman army before being captured and sold into slavery.

In 73 BC, Spartacus and about 70 fellow gladiators Run away They escaped from the gladiator training school in Capua and took refuge on Mount Vesuvius, where they were soon joined by other fugitive slaves.

Spartacus proved to be a skilled leader and tactician, defeating the Roman armies multiple times. Military expansion to an estimated 70,000 slaves and others.

He was not the only leader of the rebellion: two other fugitive gladiators, Crixus and Oenomaus, formed the remaining two factions of the Slave Triumvirate.

This rebellion posed a great threat to Rome, and the Senate sent several legions to put it down.

Despite initial success, Spartacus and his forces were eventually cornered by the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus.

In 71 BC, Spartacus' forces were defeated in a final battle in Lucania and he was killed, although his body was never found.

Although the Spartacus rebellion was not intended to be a social revolution, it has served as an inspiration to many throughout history as a symbol of resistance against oppression.

“We believe that Spartacus attacked the newly discovered wall to escape a trap set by Crassus,” said archaeologist Paolo Visona of the University of Kentucky.

The Dossone della Meria forest in south-central Calabria, Italy, is home to 2.7 km of ancient stone walls and earthworks.

Archaeologists also unearthed numerous broken iron weapons, including sword hilts, large curved blades, spear tips, spearheads and other metal fragments.

“The discovery was made possible thanks to a tip-off from local environmental groups who knew the wall existed but had no idea what it was,” Prof Visonagh said.

“We surveyed the walls and trenches using ground-penetrating radar, LIDAR, magnetic measurements and soil core sampling.”

Source: www.sci.news

New discovery of a ceratopsian dinosaur species

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have announced the discovery of fossilized bones of a new species of early-branching ceratopsian dinosaur in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

Reconstructing your life Sasayama Magnomus Saegusai Image courtesy of Tanaka Kanon.

The newly discovered dinosaur lived on Earth during the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous period, between 113 million and 100 million years ago.

dubbing Sasayama Magnomus Saegusai,animal Measured It is about 0.8 meters (2.6 feet) long and weighs about 10 kilograms.

“This new dinosaur has unique characteristics that make it different from any other dinosaur known to date. CeratopsiansPaleontologist, Hyogo University Tomonori Tanaka and colleagues said In a statement.

“Ceratopsians are a group of herbivorous dinosaurs known for having large horns and frills on their heads, most famously Triceratops.”

“Being a primitive ceratopsian, it lacked the large horns and frills seen in later species. Triceratops.”

Bone fragments Sasayama Magnomus Saegusai They were discovered in the Daisen Shita Formation in southwestern Japan by amateur geologist Adachi Kiyoshi.

“The fossil contains 17 bones, most of which belong to the same individual,” the researchers said.

“Examination of a thin section of the tibia revealed that this was likely a juvenile individual rather than a fully mature one.”

According to the research team's analysis, this new species Aquilops americanusone of the oldest neoceratopsian dinosaurs discovered in North America, followed by its sister species. Auroraceratops rugosus From China.

“Sasayama Magnomus Saegusai “This fossil is closely related to proto-North American ceratopsians and suggests that native Asian ceratopsians may have migrated to North America during the mid-Cretaceous, approximately 110 million years ago,” the authors say.

“At this time, eastern Eurasia and North America were connected by the Bering land bridge, allowing animals to move between the two.”

“Furthermore, extreme global warming has led to the creation of vast forests in the Arctic.”

“The convergence of these two events likely facilitated the spread of ceratopsians from Asia into North America.”

Discovery Sasayamagnome teeth, paper Published in this week's journal Paleontological Papers.

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Tomonori Tanaka others2024. A new species of neoceratopsian (Ornithischia, Ceratopsia) from the Lower Cretaceous Oyamashita Formation (Albian) of southwestern Japan. Paleontological Papers 10(5):e1587;doi:10.1002/spp2.1587

Source: www.sci.news

The discovery of new adrenal cells enhances parenting abilities in mice

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

During evolution, new types of cells emerge and perform new functions, resulting in changes in animals. Scientists study the origin and development of these new cell types to understand how they affect the animal’s bodily functions, structure, or behavior.

Scientists previously Mammalian ancestors Mammals live solitary lives, and parental care of young has developed over time in some mammalian groups. A research team led by scientists from Columbia University in New York recently used two closely related mouse species to elucidate how parental care evolved in mammals. The first species, the Asian goshawk, is monogamous and displays strong parenting behaviors, including grooming, herding, and retrieving young that have strayed from their nests. The second species, the deer mouse, is promiscuous and does not display parenting behaviors. The researchers aimed to investigate the genetic drivers of parental care in Asian goshawks.

They performed their experiments on two small clusters of cells located in the top part of each kidney. Adrenal glands These glands produce fat hormones, Steroid hormones Once produced, it immediately affects bodily function. The researchers found that the adrenal glands of monogamous Oldfield mice were six times heavier than those of promiscuous deer mice, an unexpectedly large size difference for such closely related species. When the researchers examined the tissue composition of both glands, they realized that the larger adrenal glands of Oldfield mice were due to larger and more numerous adrenal cells.

To look for molecular differences between the adrenal glands of the two mouse strains, the team studied the RNA molecules in their glands. RNA molecules copy genetic instructions from DNA and carry out the functions of genes. By counting and comparing the types and amounts of RNA molecules in the adrenal glands, the scientists hoped to understand how the adrenal glands functioned differently. They took adrenal tissue from adult mice, broke it down to release the RNA, and counted that RNA. They looked for differences in the amount of RNA, called ribosomal RNA. Akrc18 This level was 3,200 times higher in Oldfield mice than in deer mice, a difference that led the researchers to wonder whether this RNA might be related to the parental behavior seen in Oldfield mice.

The researchers, Akrc18 It produces steroid hormones. Steroid hormones affect parental behavior, so the team tested whether the hormone had an effect on mice. They gave Oldfield mice a single dose of the hormone and measured their parental behavior 20 hours later. They observed that these mice groomed and cuddled their pups longer, brought them back to their nests more frequently, and built stronger nests. In deer mice, which don’t normally show parental behavior, 17% of the injected mice groomed and brought back their pups. From these results, the scientists concluded that the hormone shapes the parental behavior of Oldfield mice.

The researchers also explained that mate bonding is an important aspect of monogamy. To understand partner choice, the researchers measured how long mice huddled with their partners compared to opposite-sex mice of the same species. They found that monogamous Oldfield mice huddled three times longer with their partners than with new individuals, whereas promiscuous deer mice huddled neither with their partners nor with strangers. Injecting the Akrc18 steroid hormone did not change these preferences, suggesting that the hormone only affected parenting behavior and not pair bonding.

The research team found that Oldfield mice had larger adrenal glands and that Akrc18 RNA production was related. To test whether the adrenal glands of the two mouse species had different cell types, the researchers used the RNA from the adrenal glands of both mice that they had previously counted. They used computational methods to search for specific RNAs in the cells and identify what cell types were present. They found that nearly all cell types were shared between the two species, except for one type that was present in Oldfield mice but not in deer mice.

Also, Akrc18 RNA was the most abundant element in these new cells. The researchers examined the structure and composition of the tissue and observed these cells lining the adrenal glands of wolf mice, which are absent in deer mice. The researchers suggested that these cell types may have evolved from existing adrenal cells by increasing production of steroid hormones and related genes. The researchers concluded that the parenting behavior of wolf mice is linked to this new type of cell in the adrenal glands.

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Source: sciworthy.com

Discovery of Giant Fossil Legume Seed from Extinct Plant in Borneo Island, Indonesia

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists unearthed three large seeds (up to 7.2 centimeters long) and 43 fossil leaves of the ancient legume at the Wahana Baratama coal mine near Satui in South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Juntungspermum gunneriImages/Photos Courtesy of: Spagnuolo others., doi: 10.1086/730538.

The newly identified legume lived in Southeast Asia between 40 and 34 million years ago (the Eocene Epoch).

Named Juntungspermum gunneriIt is very similar to the Australian black bean plant. Cassis.

“The tree currently occurs only in the coastal rainforests of northern Australia and nearby islands,” said Professor Peter Wilf of Pennsylvania State University and his colleagues.

Paleontologists found three fossil seeds, 43 leaves and pollen samples. Juntungspermum gunneri of Tanjun Formation South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Also found were fossil tracks of a variety of birds, burrowing evidence of marine invertebrates, and the fossil remains of turtles.

“The seeds Juntungspermum gunneri “Apart from coconuts and other palm trees, it is one of the largest in the fossil record,” the researchers said.

“They probably grew up to a metre (3 feet) in length – about the length of a baseball bat – and in pods that could hold up to five seeds.”

“This fossil is the oldest legume fossil ever found in the Malay Archipelago and the first fossil record of a plant related to the black bean plant anywhere in the world.”

The researchers suggest that ancestors of the black bean plant migrated from Asia to Australia during a plate collision that brought the continents closer together, allowing for the exchange of plants and animals between the continents.

“The collision of the Southeast Asian and Australian plates, which began approximately 20 million years ago and is ongoing today, has led to a large-scale exchange of plant and animal species between the two continents,” the researchers said.

“This discovery provides the first macrofossil evidence of a migration of plant lineages from Asia to Australia following the Asia-Australia tectonic collision.”

“These fossil seeds are Cassis “They migrated from Southeast Asia to Australia during a tectonic collision and then became extinct in Asia,” said Edward Spagnolo, a doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University.

“This proposal runs counter to most of the existing direct macrofossil evidence of plant migration, which shows lineages migrating from Australia into Asia.”

of result Appears in International Journal of Plant Science.

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Edward J. Spagnuolo others2024. Giant seeds of extant Australian legumes are discovered in Eocene Borneo (South Kalimantan, Indonesia). International Journal of Plant Sciencein press; doi: 10.1086/730538

Source: www.sci.news

Surprising discovery: AMS detector detects a higher-than-expected number of cosmic rays containing deuterons

Posted on August 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Deuteron It is believed that atomic nuclei consisting of protons and neutrons, like those of helium-3 nuclei, are formed in collisions between helium-4 nuclei and other nuclei in the interstellar medium. If this were the case, the flux ratio of deuterons to helium-4 should be similar to that of helium-3 to helium-4. However, this is not the case. Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (AMS) are watching.

Aguilar othersThe deuteron flux was measured using the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on board the International Space Station.

Cosmic rays are high-energy particles with energies ranging from MeV to 10.²⁰ Electronic V.

These properties are studied from measurements of the energy (stiffness) spectrum (number of particles per unit time, solid angle, surface area, and energy as a function of energy), which is characterized by a rapid decrease in the spectrum as the energy increases.

Cosmic rays with energies below PeV are thought to originate in our own Milky Way galaxy.

The elemental composition of these galactic cosmic rays is dominated by hydrogen nuclei, primarily protons, with helium nuclei making up about 10%, and electrons and nuclei heavier than helium making up just 1% each.

The species synthesized in stars, such as protons, electrons, and most atomic nuclei, are called primary cosmic rays.

Light nuclei, synthesized by nuclear fusion in the cores of stars, are more abundant than heavy nuclei because their production becomes energetically unfavorable as mass increases.

The synthesis of atomic nuclei heavier than iron, such as nickel, occurs through explosive phenomena such as supernova explosions that occur at the end of the life of massive stars, so atomic nuclei heavier than iron are extremely rare.

When primary nuclei are ejected from their source in space, they can collide with interstellar material and split into lighter species.

This is the primary production mechanism for atomic nuclei that are energetically unfavorable to produce by stellar nucleosynthesis, such as lithium, beryllium, boron, fluorine, scandium, titanium, and vanadium. These are called secondary cosmic rays.

Compared to primary nuclei of similar mass, secondary nuclei are less abundant and, as stiffness increases, their stiffness spectrum decreases faster than that of primary nuclei.

The energy (or rigidity) dependence of the cosmic ray spectrum arises from a combination of source-directed emission, acceleration, and propagation mechanisms that occur during a cosmic ray's passage through the galaxy.

Cosmic rays are diffusely accelerated by expanding shock waves, propagate diffusely through the interstellar medium, and are scattered by irregularities in the galactic magnetic field, both of which depend on the particle's momentum, and thus on its magnetic stiffness.

Cosmic ray propagation is described by a stiffness-dependent diffusion coefficient that incorporates the properties of turbulence in the galactic magnetic field.

“Hydrogen nuclei are the most abundant species of cosmic ray,” members of the AMS collaboration wrote in the paper.

“They are made up of two stable isotopes: protons and deuterons.”

“Big Bang nucleosynthesis predicts negligible production of deuterium, and over time the abundance of deuterons has decreased from its primordial value, with the ratio of deuterons to protons measured in the interstellar medium being 0.00002.”

“Deuterons are thought to arise primarily from the interaction of helium with interstellar matter, rather than being accelerated in supernova remnants like primary cosmic ray protons and helium-4.”

“Deuterons, along with helium-3, are called secondary cosmic rays.”

For the latest study, AMS physicists examined data from 21 million cosmic deuterons detected by AMS between May 2011 and April 2021.

When investigating how the deuteron flux varies with rigidity, a surprising feature was discovered.

The AMS data show that these ratios differ significantly above a stiffness of 4.5 GV, with the deuteron to helium-4 ratio decreasing more slowly with stiffness than the helium-3 to helium-4 ratio.

Furthermore, and again contrary to expectations, when stiffness exceeds 13 GV, the data show that the flux of deuterons is nearly the same as the flux of protons, the primary cosmic ray.

Simply put, researchers found more deuterons than expected from collisions between main helium-4 nuclei and interstellar matter.

“Measuring deuterons is very challenging due to the large cosmic proton background radiation,” said Dr Samuel Ting, spokesman for the AMS collaboration.

“Our unexpected results show how little we know about cosmic rays.”

“Future upgrades to AMS will increase the acceptance rate by 300 percent, enabling AMS to measure all charged cosmic rays with 1 percent accuracy, providing the experimental basis for the development of accurate cosmic ray theory.”

The team's paper was published in the journal Physics Review Letter.

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M. Aguilar others(AMS Collaboration). 2024. Properties of cosmic deuterons measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. Physiotherapy Rev Lett 132(26):261001;doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.261001

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of Ancient Dwarf Penguin “Pacdiptes hakataramea” in New Zealand

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Pakdipthes hakataramea Body size would have been similar to that of modern humans Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)It is approximately 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 in) in length.

Artist image Pakdipthes hakatarameaPhoto courtesy of Tatsuya Niimura / Ashoro Museum of Paleontology

Pakdipthes hakataramea It lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago (Late Oligocene Epoch).

This new species was very small, about the size of a little blue penguin. World's smallest — They have anatomical adaptations that allow them to dive.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea “This fossil fills the morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins,” said Dr. Tatsuro Ando, a paleontologist at the Ashoro Museum in Ashoro Town.

“In particular, the shape of the wing bones is very different, and it was unclear how penguins' wings acquired their current shape and function.”

“The humerus and ulna show how penguins' wings evolved.”

“To my surprise, Pakdipthes hakataramea It was very close to the condition of modern penguins, but the elbow joint was very similar to that of older types of fossil penguins.

“Pakdipthes hakataramea This is the first penguin fossil to be found in this combination and is a key fossil that will shed light on the evolution of penguins' wings.”

Fossilized remains Pakdipthes hakataramea The fossils were discovered by palaeontologists Craig Jones and Professor Euan Fordyce during a series of field expeditions in the Hakataramea Gorge in South Canterbury in 1987.

“Analysis of internal bone structure compared with data from modern penguins shows that these penguins had microanatomical features indicative of diving behaviour,” said Dr Carolina Lock, a palaeontologist at the University of Otago.

Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, thanks mainly to their dense, thick bones that provide them with buoyancy when diving.

in Pakdipthes hakatarameaAlthough the medullary cavity containing the bone marrow was open, the cortical bone was quite thick, similar to that seen in modern little blue penguins, which tend to swim in shallow waters.

ability Pakdipthes hakataramea Their ability to dive and swim depends on a unique combination of bones.

“Penguins evolved rapidly from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Pakdipthes hakataramea “This is a significant fossil from this period,” Dr Locke said.

“Their small body size and unique bone combination may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.”

Discovery Pakdiptes hakataramea teeth, paper In Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

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Tatsuro Ando othersA new small penguin fossil discovered from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and morphofunctional changes in penguin wings. Journal of the Royal Society of New ZealandPublished online July 31, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283

Source: www.sci.news

Potential Discovery: Understanding How the Placebo Effect Alleviates Pain

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A slide showing part of a mouse brain

Stu Gray / Alamy

A newly identified brain pathway in mice may explain why placebos, or interventions that should have no therapeutic effect, can relieve pain, and the development of drugs that target this pathway could lead to safer alternatives to painkillers such as opioids.

If someone unknowingly takes a sugar pill instead of a painkiller, they still feel better. The placebo effect is a well-known phenomenon in which people's expectations reduce symptoms even in the absence of an effective treatment. “Our brain can solve the pain problem on its own, based on the expectation that a drug or treatment might work,” says Dr. Gregory Scherer At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

To understand how the brain does this, Scherer and his colleagues recreated the placebo effect in 10 mice using a cage with two chambers: one with a blazingly hot floor and the other with no floor. After three days, the mice learned to associate the second chamber with pain relief.

The researchers then injected molecules into the animals' brains that caused active neurons to light up when viewed under a microscope, and then returned the animals to their cages, but this time they heated both floors.

Although the two chambers were now equally hot, the mice still preferred the second chamber and showed less symptoms of pain, such as licking their paws, while they were there. They also showed more neuronal activity in the cingulate cortex, a brain region involved in processing pain, compared with nine mice that had not been conditioned to associate the second chamber with pain relief.

Further experiments revealed pathways connecting these pain-processing neurons to cells in the pontine nuclei and cerebellum, two brain regions not previously known to play a role in pain relief.

To confirm that this circuit relieved pain, the researchers used a technique called optogenetics, which switches cells on and off with light. This allowed them to activate the newly discovered neural pathway in another group of mice that were placed on a hot floor. On average, these mice took three times longer to lick their paws than mice that didn't have the circuit activated, indicating that they felt less pain.

If this neural pathway explains the placebo effect, “it could open up new strategies for drug development,” he said. Luana Colocca “If we had a drug that could activate the placebo effect, it would be an excellent strategy for pain management,” said University of Maryland researcher David L. Schneider, who was not involved in the study.

“An obvious caveat is that the placebo experience in humans is clearly much more complex. [than in animals]”The pain pathways are very similar to ours,” Scherer said, but because rodents and humans have very similar pain pathways, he believes these findings also apply to humans.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Mongolia Unveils New Avian Dinosaur Discovery

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Harenadraco Prima It is the first species of troodontid dinosaur to be discovered in the Late Cretaceous Barungoyot Formation of Mongolia.

Reconstructing your life Harenadraco PrimaImage courtesy of Yusik Choi.

Harenadraco Prima It lived in what is now Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period, 72 to 71 million years ago.

This new species is TroodontidaeA group of bird-like theropod dinosaurs that lived from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous periods.

“Troodontids are a diverse group of theropod dinosaurs commonly characterized by large eye sockets, long hind limbs with asymmetrical metatarsals, enlarged claw bones in the second toe, and many bird-like features,” said paleontologist Seongjin Lee of Seoul National University and his colleagues.

“They have been found in Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous deposits in Asia and North America.”

Harenadraco Prima It was a small troodontid, about 1 metre (3.3 feet) long.

“Harenadraco Prima Like other troodontids, it was small and lightweight, but its tarsometatarsus was extremely thin. Phyllovenator “Among the zoonotic non-avian maniraptorans,” the paleontologists said.

“It also suggests a potentially adaptive high degree of mobility. Harenadraco Prima “It fits into an environment where potential prey, like mammals, and predators, like Eudromaeosaurus, are likely to be agile.”

Harenadraco PrimaThe incomplete skeleton of consists mainly of elements of the left hind limb, Barungoyot Formation In Hermin Tsav, Umnogovi Province, Mongolia.

“The Upper Cretaceous strata of the Gobi Desert are a rich source of many troodontid species, particularly the Nemegt and Djadokta Formations in the Nemegt Basin in Mongolia, and the Ulansuhai Formation in the Bayan Mandakh in China,” the researchers said.

“From the former, eight species of troodontids are now known.”

“However, the Barungoyot Formation is a puzzling exception, as no troodontids have been found in it, even though it is one of the major sedimentary formations in the Nemegt Basin and is interpreted as intermediate in age and environment between the Djadokta and Nemegt formations.”

“The faunal compositions of the Djadokta and Barungoyot Formations are so similar that the absence of troodontids in the latter is even more puzzling.”

Discovery Harenadraco Prima The presence of troodontids was confirmed in all three formations of the Nemegt Basin.

“The discovery Harenadraco Prima“It becomes clear that the ‘gaps’ in the troodontid record were a sampling artifact,” the scientists concluded.

“The fragile nature of the holotype Harenadraco Prima This is further evidence of this.”

“The presence of Harenadraco Prima “The discovery of the Barungoyot Formation also proves that troodontids in the Nemegt Basin were diverse enough to adapt to a variety of environments.”

Team work Published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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Lee Seong-jin othersThe first Troodontidae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Barungoyot Formation in Mongolia. Journal of Vertebrate PaleontologyPublished online July 15, 2024; doi: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2364746

Source: www.sci.news

Possible Discovery of Lunar Cave Entrance Deep Hole on the Moon

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Proposed underground geometry of the Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon

Wagner and Robinson

A network of caves may be hidden just beneath the Moon's surface, and researchers may have finally discovered an access point. These caves have long been predicted, but until now it has been difficult to prove their existence or find a way to directly explore them with future missions.

The Moon's surface is dotted with holes, or so-called skylights, which are openings in the ceilings of caves that are thought to have been formed by the collapse of ancient lava tubes – tunnels formed when lava flows beneath the solid crust. Leonardo Carrell Researchers from the University of Trento in Italy have discovered that the deepest part of these formations, the “The Pit of the Sea of TranquilityThese images were taken by NASA's Lunar Rover in 2010.

By comparing their simulations with lava tubes on Earth, the researchers found that the Mare Tranquillitatis hole appears to open into a large cavern buried at least 400 feet (130 meters) underground. The cave appears to be about 150 feet (45 meters) wide and at least 100 feet (30 meters) long, but could be much larger.

Caves like these could offer a unique window into the evolution of the Moon, says Carell. “Analyzing rocks from lunar caves, which have not been altered by the harsh lunar environment, could provide important insights into key scientific questions, such as the timeline and duration of volcanic activity on the Moon and the actual composition of the Moon's mantle,” Carell says.

The same stone ceiling that protects the cave rocks from the intense radiation experienced on the surface could also provide valuable shielding for future human explorers on the Moon. “Unlike the surface of the Moon, where temperatures change dramatically between day and night, [the caves] “It has a stable internal temperature, and it's also a natural shield against radiation and impacts,” Carrell says.

The idea of using natural caves like these as lunar base camps has long been popular, and future astronauts may one day call the Sea of Tranquility home.

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Moon/
Space Exploration

Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists claim that fat can be burned naturally in new weight loss discovery

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Weight loss can be a challenging journey, but there may be a breakthrough discovery that could make it easier. Scientists have found a way to burn calories without changing your diet or exercising, thanks to a fat-burning mechanism in your body known as “beige fat.”

While diet and exercise are still crucial, researchers from the University of San Francisco have identified a way to convert regular white fat cells into beige fat cells.

In most mammals, including humans, there are three types of fat cells: white, brown, and beige. White fat cells store calories, brown fat cells burn energy for heat, and beige fat cells can do both.

This conversion from white to beige fat cells allows the body to naturally burn fat more efficiently.

Although the study was conducted with mice, it could pave the way for new weight-loss drugs and shed light on why previous trials have not been successful.

Scientists believed that stem cells were required to create beige fat, but the research shows that by inhibiting the production of a protein called KLF-15, white fat cells can be converted to beige fat cells. This finding offers promising insights into potential weight-loss treatments.

Feldman and his team discovered that KLF-15 controls the levels of the Adrb1 receptor, which plays a role in maintaining energy balance. Targeting this receptor with drugs could be a more effective approach for weight loss compared to current treatments.

By understanding the mechanisms behind beige fat cells, researchers hope to develop safer and more long-lasting weight-loss solutions for the future.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Juno Makes Groundbreaking Discovery of ‘Hot Ring’ on Io, Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

These bright (hot) “heat rings” are a common phenomenon and indicate active lava lakes. Jupiter Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

Visible, infrared and temperature maps of Loki Patera and Dazhbog Patera. Image courtesy of Mura others., doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01486-5.

Io is the innermost of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons and the fourth largest moon in the solar system.

Apart from Earth, it is the only known place in the solar system with volcanoes that spew hot lava like Earth’s.

Io has over 400 active volcanoes, which are caused by tidal heating due to gravity from Jupiter and the other Jovian moons.

There are many theories about the types of volcanic eruptions on the Moon, but little data to support them.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft will pass by Io in May and October 2023, coming within about 35,000 km (21,700 miles) and 13,000 km (8,100 miles), respectively.

Among Juno’s observational instruments giving a closer look at the fascinating moon was JIRAM.

JIRAM is designed to capture infrared light emitted from deep within Jupiter, studying the weather layer 50 to 70 km (30 to 45 miles) below Jupiter’s cloud tops.

However, during Juno’s long mission, the mission team also used the instrument to study moons such as Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

JIRAM images of Io showed the presence of bright rings surrounding the base of many hotspots.

“The high spatial resolution of JIRAM’s infrared images, combined with Juno’s favorable position during the flyby, revealed that Io’s entire surface is covered by lava lakes in caldera-like formations,” said Dr Alessandro Mura, a researcher at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome and Juno co-investigator.

“In the area of Io’s surface where we have the most complete data, we estimate that about 3% of it is covered by one of these lava lakes. Calderas are large depressions that form when volcanoes erupt and collapse.”

This image taken by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft shows volcanic eruptions on Io. Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

JIRAM’s flyby data will not only reveal Io’s rich lava reserves, but also provide a glimpse into what’s going on beneath the surface.

Infrared images of some of Io’s lava lakes show a thin circular layer of lava at the boundary between the central crust that covers most of the lake and the lake walls.

The lack of lava flows above or beyond the lake’s edge suggests melt circulation, demonstrating a balance between the melt erupted into the lava lake and that circulated back into the subsurface system.

“We now know what the most frequent volcanic activity on Io is: huge lava lakes with magma rising and falling,” Dr Mura said.

“The lava crust collapses against the lake wall, forming the typical lava rings seen in Hawaiian lava lakes.”

“The walls are thought to be hundreds of metres high, which explains why magma is not typically observed spilling out of pateras – bowl-shaped formations formed by volcanic activity – and moving across the lunar surface.”

JIRAM data suggests that the surfaces of these Io hotspots consist largely of a rocky crust that periodically moves up and down as one continuous surface due to central upwelling of magma.

In this hypothesis, friction between the crust and the lake wall would prevent it from sliding, causing it to deform and eventually break away, exposing the lava just below the surface.

Another hypothesis, which remains valid, is that magma wells up in the middle of the lake, spreading out and forming a crust that sinks along the lake’s edge, exposing the lava.

“We’re just beginning to look at the results from JIRAM’s approach to Io in December 2023 and February 2024,” said Juno principal investigator Dr. Scott Bolton from the Southwest Research Institute.

“These observations reveal fascinating new information about Io’s volcanic activity.”

“When we combine these new results with Juno’s long-term campaign to monitor and map Io’s never-before-seen north and south pole volcanoes, JIRAM is poised to become one of the most valuable tools for learning about the workings of this tormented world.”

of Investigation result Published in a journal Nature Communications.

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A. Mura others2024. Io’s hot ring as seen by Juno/JIRAM. Community Global Environment 5, 340; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01486-5

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers Nearing Discovery of Elusive ‘Chameleon’ Particle Associated with Dark Energy

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of physicists at the University of California, Berkeley has developed the most sophisticated instrument ever designed to search for dark energy, the mysterious force that is accelerating the expansion of the universe.

The results of their experiment were published today in a prestigious journal. Nature – targets a hypothetical particle known as the chameleon, which could hold the key to unlocking this mysterious cosmic force.

First identified in 1998, dark energy makes up about 70 percent of all matter and energy in the universe, and despite many theories, its true nature remains a mystery.

One leading hypothesis is that there is a fifth force that is distinct from the four fundamental forces known in nature (gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces).

This power is thought to be mediated by particles known as chameleons due to their ability to hide in plain sight.

In an experiment at the University of California, Berkeley, Professor Holger Muller utilizes an advanced atom interferometer combined with an optical lattice.

If that sounds technical, it is. Essentially, this setup allows for precise gravity measurements by holding free-falling atoms in place for a set period of time.

Physicists at UC Berkeley have clamped a small cluster of cesium atoms (the pink blob) in a vertical vacuum chamber and split each atom into a quantum state where half of the atom is close to the tungsten weight (the shiny cylinder) and the other half (the split sphere below the tungsten) is close to the tungsten weight. – Image credit: Cristian Panda/UC Berkeley

The longer we can keep the atoms there, the greater our chances of finding (or not finding) a trace of the chameleon.

“Atom interferometry is the technology and science that exploits the quantum properties of particles – their properties as both particles and waves. We split the waves so that the particles take two paths at the same time, and then we interfere with them at the end,” Muller said.

“The waves are either in phase and add, or out of phase and cancel each other out. The key is that whether they are in phase or out of phase depends very sensitively on the quantities you want to measure, such as acceleration, gravity, rotation, or fundamental constants.”

Whereas previous experiments have only been able to move atoms for a few milliseconds at a time, the new device can keep them in motion for much longer periods – from seconds to tens of seconds – a major improvement that improves the most precise measurements by a factor of five.

In a recent paper published in the journal Natural Physics Muller and his colleagues extended the hold time to a whopping 70 seconds.

To reveal whether chameleon particles are indeed the dark energy mastermind, scientists would need to find holes in the outcomes predicted by the accepted theory of gravity — something no one has managed to do since Isaac Newton formulated it 400 years ago.

Muller and his team found no deviations from Newtonian gravity in their recent tests, suggesting that if chameleons exist, their effects are quite subtle.

Still, the researchers are optimistic: The improved precision of their instruments means future experiments may provide the evidence needed to confirm or disprove the existence of chameleons and other hypothesized particles that contribute to dark energy.

About the Experts

Holger Muller At the age of 14, he successfully filed his first patent. He then wrote his undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Jürgen Mullinek at the University of Konstanz in Germany. He graduated from the Humboldt University in Berlin with Achim Peters as his supervisor. Müller received a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and joined Steven Chu’s group at Stanford University as a postdoctoral researcher. In July 2008, he joined the Physics Department at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is currently a Professor of Physics and Principal Investigator. He is currently the Principal Investigator of his research group, the Müller Group.

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Unusual Discovery: Dinosaur with Four Horns Unearthed

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Introducing a new addition to the realm of peculiar dinosaurs, this creature dons magnificent (albeit slightly perilous) headgear that can rival any fashion runway creation. Lociceratops rangiformis is the latest discovery in the realm of dinosaurs, described as one of the largest and most ornate ceratopsians ever found.

Among the distinct features of this ceratopsian are elements previously unseen by scientists, notably the immense, curved, blade-like horns located on the underside of its frill, the largest ever observed on a ceratopsian.

This dinosaur sports an unconventional, asymmetrical spike at the center of its frill, and most uniquely, it lacks a nose horn seen in other horned dinosaurs.

The first part of the dinosaur’s name, Lociceratops, pays homage to the blade-wielding Norse god Loki, while the latter part ‘rangiformis’ indicates its antler-like formations, similar to those of a caribou or reindeer.

The name ‘rangiformis’ was chosen to reflect the peculiarity of this dinosaur’s antler-like feature, reminiscent of the asymmetrical spines seen in caribou or reindeer.

Published in the journal Peer J, this fossil was unearthed in 2019 in the badlands of northern Montana, USA, not far from the Canadian border, where ceratopsians roamed over 78 million years ago.

Despite its blade-like horns and status as the largest ceratopsian of its time, this dinosaur was an herbivore and likely fell prey to predators like Tyrannosaurus rex.

Portrait reconstructions of all four centrosaurine dinosaur species that coexisted in the Kennedy Coulee assemblage of northern Montana and southern Alberta. Lociceratops, at top left, is characterized by its large, curved horns, asymmetrical “spikes,” and lack of a nasal horn. – Image courtesy of Fabrizio Lavezzi

Ceratopsians emerged during the Late Cretaceous period, evolving extravagant features and distinct horn patterns, including those of Lociceratops rangiformis. These dinosaurs were part of an isolated lineage on the island continent of Laramidia (modern-day North America) and exhibited rapid evolution. Ceratopsians survived until the mass extinction event that wiped out all dinosaurs.

The paleontologists involved in the study, led by Joseph Sertich from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University, noted that this new dinosaur showcases the peak of eccentricity in ceratopsian head adornments, boasting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian.

These findings challenge previous assumptions about dinosaur diversity, expanding the known coexisting species of ceratopsians to five during that era, transforming our understanding of dinosaur life at the time.

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Discovery of Silver and Bronze Coin Hoard from Gallus Revolt Unearthed in Israel

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Jewish Revolt Constantius Gallus, alias Gallus' RebellionThe Roman Civil War of 351-354 AD broke out during the Roman Civil War and was the last Jewish revolt against Rome.

Bronze and silver coins from the 4th century AD found at Lod in central Israel. Image courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The 1,650-year-old treasure was discovered by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). rodcentral Israel.

The treasury contains 94 silver and bronze coins dating from 221 to 354 AD.

“The most recent coins date to the period of Gallus' revolt (351-354 AD),” the IAA archaeologists said.

“Documentary evidence for the revolt is scarce, but there are documents that document the destruction of major Jewish communities, such as Lod, Tzipori, and Tiberias, by the armies of Constantine Gallus.”

Also found were impressive stone and marble artifacts, inscriptions in Greek, Hebrew and Latin, and inscriptions bearing the names of Jewish men of priestly descent.

“This is probably a magnificent Jewish building where the city's elders lived,” said IAA archaeologists Shahar Crispin and Mol Wiesel.

“We know from Talmudic texts that Lod was the most important center for the Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.”

“Famous 'Sages of Rod' include Rabbi Eliezer ben Horcanos, Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yossi Hagalili.”

“The building, destroyed down to its foundations, is a clear indication that the rebellion was forcibly put down with violence and brutality, and was not merely a localized uprising as previous studies have claimed.”

“This is the only evidence so far of the scope and power of this rebellion in Lod, which is in the heart of the country.”

“It is difficult to determine whether this magnificent building was used as a synagogue, a study hall, a meeting place for the elders, or all three functions combined,” said IAA professor Joshua Schwartz.

“What is clear, however, is that the size of the buildings, the coin deposits, and the assemblage of archaeological finds produced by the excavations fit well with the description of Lod/Diospolis as depicted in both Jewish and non-Jewish sources as a center of Torah-faithful Jewish life during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods.”

“Lod's role as a leading community with elders continued from the time of its destruction until this moment, when it was brutally destroyed in the Gallus Rebellion.”

“The incredible finds made here reinforce our commitment to researching and protecting Rod's history and rich heritage,” said IAA director Eli Escuse.

“Together with the city's new exhibition centre with its beautiful rod mosaics, we will bring this building into public awareness.”

Source: www.sci.news

Amazing Discovery: JWST Uncovers Abundance of Supernovae in Early Universe

Posted on June 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Many of the circled objects represent previously unknown supernovae.

Collaboration between NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI and JADES

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered a surprising number of supernovae in the distant universe, including some of the most distant yet seen. Their discoveries increase the number of known supernovae in the early universe by a factor of ten.

The researchers imaged the same small patch of sky twice, in 2022 and 2023, and found 79 new supernovae. “It’s actually very small, about the size of a grain of rice held at arm’s length,” the researchers said. Christa DeCourcy “We’ve spent more than 100 hours on JWST,” said Dr. [observing] I took my time with each image, which gives them a lot of depth.”

Astronomers then compared the two images with each other and with previous photos of the same area taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, looking for bright spots that appear in one image but not the other.

These specks are relatively faint stars that shone brightly before fading in bright supernova explosions. Some of them are candidates for the most distant supernovae ever found, although their distances have yet to be confirmed. And one of them is definitely the most distant one ever seen. This star exploded when the universe was only about 1.8 billion years old.

Such supernovae would have produced the heavy elements that are now widespread throughout the universe, so they would have had lower concentrations of these elements than modern supernovae. “The universe at this early stage was fundamentally different from what has been explored in the past by the Hubble Space Telescope and especially ground-based surveys,” he said. Justin Pierre “This is really new territory that JWST is breaking into,” he said during a presentation at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland, where observations could help shed light on what the first stars were like.

topic:

Performer/
James Webb Space Telescope

Source: www.newscientist.com

New discovery shows scimitar-toothed cat Homotherium found in new locations

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists from the University of Texas at Austin and other institutions have discovered fragments of the jaw of a feline with scimitar teeth. Homotherium McFaddin Beach, Texas. Homotherium from the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. The topography may have formed a broad subtropical gulf coastal corridor that facilitated the dispersal of Neotropical species along the coast between Texas and Florida. The associated fauna at McFaddin Beach includes Neotropical mammals common to South Texas and Florida, Homotherium It was a type of animal that lived in the Gulf Coast Corridor during the Late Pleistocene.

Homotherium serumImage credit: Sergiodlarosa / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Homotherium It is an extinct genus of scimitar-toothed cat that lived in the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, from about 4 million to 12,000 years ago.

These animals are large, sturdy cats about the size of a jaguar, with elongated faces, long, slender front legs, and sloping backs that end in short, cropped tails.

Their serrated canines were covered with large gum tissue, similar to that of modern domestic dogs.

Their fossils have been found in several areas of Texas, but the newly discovered remains show for the first time that the big cats roamed the now-submerged continental shelf between Texas and Florida.

“This region was a neotropical corridor,” said John Moretti, a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin, and his colleagues.

“Animals that couldn't move any further north, such as capybaras and giant armadillos, used these moist grasslands to migrate from Mexico to Texas and Florida.”

In this fossil specimen Homotherium Moretti's research otherstwo teeth are visible at the bottom: an incisor and the tip of a partially evolved canine. Scale bar – 1 cm. Image courtesy of Sam Houston State University.

The fossils studied by the team were discovered more than 60 years ago. McFaddin BeachIt was written by Professor Russell Long of Lamar University, south of Beaumont.

“The fossil appears to consist of a few exposed teeth in a rugged, rounded rock that appears slightly damaged after being submerged and tumbling on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years before washing up on the shore,” the researchers said.

“But when we X-rayed the fossil, we found more than met the eye: hidden canines that had not yet erupted from the jawbone.”

“That was the information we needed to identify the fossils as belonging to a specific organism. HomotheriumIt is a genus of large cats that roamed large areas of the Earth for millions of years.”

“This cat wasn't fully developed when it died, so its characteristic sabre-shaped canines hadn't fallen out of place. The teeth were still nestled inside the jaw, protecting them from the environment.”

“If the sabre teeth had been fully developed and in their adult form, rather than during the awkward period of their mid-teens, they would have broken right away,” Moretti said.

“It wouldn't have been there and it couldn't have been used as evidence.”

“The discovery Homotherium “Studying the animals that lived along this corridor gives scientists a glimpse into the local ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene,” he added.

“These large carnivores, like cats, helped shape the wider animal community, suppressing prey populations and impacting local biodiversity.”

of result Published in Anatomy record.

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John A. Moretti othersScimitar Cat Homotherium From the submerged continental shelf of the Gulf Coast of Texas. Anatomy recordPublished online April 23, 2024, doi: 10.1002/ar.25461

Source: www.sci.news

Incredible Discovery: Giant Short-Faced Kangaroo Fossil Unearthed in Australia

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Palaeontologists from the Victoria Museum Research Institute and other institutions have discovered Cymostenurus occidentalis Fossils of a eastern grey kangaroo, a species of giant short-faced kangaroo that lived in Australia until about 42,000 years ago, have been discovered in Nightshade Cave in Gunaikurnai County, north of the town of Buchan in eastern Victoria, Australia.

“Short-faced kangaroo They appear in the Australian fossil record around 10 to 15 million years ago, when tropical rainforests began to give way to drier habitats.” Said Dr Tim Ziegler, Collections Manager at Museum Research Victoria;

“They especially diversified during the Late Pleistocene, about 500,000 years ago, during the transition to our present-day arid climate.”

“But in a wave of extinction around 45,000 years ago, they disappeared from the entire continent, along with up to 85% of Australia's large animals.”

49,400-year-old skeleton of a giant short-faced kangaroo Cymostenurus occidentalis It was discovered in Nightshade Cave in Victoria.

The animal's skull was discovered by a local cave group in 2011, and just 10 years later, the individual's skeleton below the skull was discovered by expert paleontologists.

“The skull had a deep snout, robust jaws and teeth, characteristic of a short-faced kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler explained.

“Behind it there were many more bones. It was amazing to see the vertebrae, shoulders, hips, limbs and thin rib cage. Many of the bones had not been moved at all and were still in their original position. This was one animal, not just bones scattered randomly. It felt like the Holy Grail of fossils.”

Cymostenurus occidentalisImage credit: Nellie Pease / ARC CoE CABAH / CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed.

According to the team, the discovery was made at a young age. Cymostenurus occidentalis.

“This is a further distinction from other species of this animal as it is a juvenile rather than an adult kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler said.

“The teeth had barely worn down, the skull had not yet fused, and the ends of the limbs had not yet joined together.”

“Based on the size of its limbs, we estimate its weight to be around 80 kilograms, which is roughly the weight of an average human. However, as an adult, it may have been half that size.”

The specimen consists of 150 preserved bones and is the most complete fossil skeleton ever found in a Victorian cave.

This fossil, along with others from Nightshade Cave, are now permanently housed and cared for at the Melbourne Museum.

“The skeleton we found has a perfectly intact spinal column, providing new insights that aren't possible from isolated bones,” Dr Ziegler said.

“Thanks to the detailed 3D model, this nearly complete skeleton can be studied from anywhere in the world.”

“A key idea under investigation is whether the Stenulin kangaroo was striding rather than hopping.”

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of ancient star in Milky Way halo estimated to be 12-13 billion years old by astronomers

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered very old stars in the Milky Way’s halo, a cloud of stars that covers the entire disk of our galaxy. These objects formed between 12 and 13 billion years ago, when the first galaxies were beginning to form. Researchers believe that each star once belonged to its own dwarf galaxy, which was later absorbed into the larger but ever-growing Milky Way, making them known as small accreting star systems (SASS). It’s called a star.

Artist’s concept of the Milky Way galaxy. Image credit: Pablo Carlos Budassi / CC BY-SA 4.0.

“Given what we know about galaxy formation, these oldest stars should definitely exist,” says MIT professor Anna Froebel.

“They are part of our cosmic family tree. And now we have a new way to find them.”

As they discover similar SASS stars, Professor Froebel and his colleagues hope to use them as analogues of ultrafaint dwarf galaxies, which are thought to be some of the first living galaxies in the universe.

These galaxies remain intact today, but they are too distant and faint for astronomers to study in detail.

SASS stars may once have belonged to similar primitive dwarf galaxies, but they are now located within the Milky Way and are much closer, making them more accessible for understanding the evolution of ultrafaint dwarf galaxies. This could be the key.

“Now we can look for more brighter analogs in the Milky Way and study their chemical evolution without chasing these very faint stars,” Professor Froebel said.

The low chemical abundances of these stars suggest that they first formed between 12 and 13 billion years ago.

In fact, their low chemical signature was similar to what astronomers had previously measured for several ancient, ultra-dark dwarf galaxies.

Are the team’s star players from similar galaxies? And how did they come to exist in the Milky Way?

Based on a hunch, scientists studied the orbital patterns of stars and how they move across the sky.

The three stars are located in different locations throughout the Milky Way’s halo and are estimated to be about 30,000 light-years from Earth.

When astronomers used observations from ESA’s Gaia satellite to trace the movement of each star around the galaxy’s center, they noticed something strange. All three stars appeared to be in motion, compared to most of the stars in the main disk, which move like cars on a race track. Wrong way.

In astronomy, this is known as retrograde motion, and is information that the object was once accreted or pulled in from elsewhere.

“The only way to get a star wrong from other members is if you throw it the wrong way,” Professor Froebel says.

The fact that these three stars orbit in a completely different way than the rest of the galactic disk or halo, combined with the fact that their chemical abundances are low, suggests that these stars are actually It was strongly argued that it was ancient and once belonged to an earlier era, a small dwarf galaxy that fell into the Milky Way at a random angle and continued its stubborn orbit billions of years later.

The authors were interested in whether retrograde motion was a feature of other ancient stars in the halo that astronomers had previously analyzed, and they looked at the scientific literature and found similarly low strontium and barium contents, discovered 65 other stars that appear to be moving in retrograde motion as well. Galaxy flow.

“Interestingly, they are all traveling very fast, hundreds of kilometers per second, in opposite directions,” Professor Froebel said.

“They’re on the run! We don’t know why it happened, but this is the piece of the puzzle we need and we never expected it when we started.”

Researchers are keen to find other ancient SASS stars, and now have a relatively simple recipe for doing so. First, they look for stars with low chemical abundance, then track their orbital patterns for signs of retrograde motion.

Researchers hope this method will uncover a small but significant number of the universe’s oldest stars, out of the more than 400 billion stars in the Milky Way.

“I really enjoyed working with three female undergraduates. It was a first for me,” said Professor Froebel.

“This is just an example of the MIT way. It is. And anyone who says, ‘I want to participate,’ can do so, and good things happen.”

team’s paper Published in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Hilary Diane Anders other. 2024. The oldest star with a small amount of neutron-capturing elements and originating from an ancient dwarf galaxy. MNRAS 530 (4): 4712-4729; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae670

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists are baffled by the discovery of a mysterious cosmic sphere in the universe

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Discovered by chance in 2019, Odd radio circles (ORCs) are circular regions of faint radio radiation with bright edges that are not visible to optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray wavelengths.

Some ORCs contain galaxies at their centers, while others do not, but what sets them apart is their size, which is significantly larger than normal galaxies. Some ORCs display a double ring structure, while others have a single ring. There are also some with internal arc-like structures that might be linked to galaxies surrounded by bubbles of radio emission.

While objects with high spherical symmetry are common in the universe, ORCs appear to be distinct from them all, prompting astronomers to classify them as a new type of object.

ORCs could potentially be a type of spherical shock wave generated by fast radio bursts, gamma-ray bursts, or neutron star mergers. If this is the case, they must be extremely ancient to have grown to such a large size.

Alternatively, they may be associated with material jets emanating from the central regions of radio galaxies, but explaining their size and the absence of central objects in all galaxies is challenging.

One intriguing theory suggests that ORCs are created by the fusion of two supermassive black holes in a central galaxy. The available data also support the idea that the shell is caused by a “shock termination” of high-energy particle winds from the central “starburst” galaxy.

Another hypothesis proposes that the ORC is the throat of a “wormhole,” a theoretical passage through spacetime. However, astronomers have yet to agree on the true nature of ORC.

This article addresses the question (by Bradford’s Brendan Owens): “What are strange radio circles?”

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