A perfect storm of climate, geologic and geographic conditions have combined to make Hurricane Helene one of the most devastating storms to ever hit the United States. Days after it slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region on September 26 and traveled hundreds of kilometers inland, Helene’s destructive impact has continued to grow. Fueled by warm … Ler mais
A red dwarf star known as Barnard’s star, which lies a mere six light-years from our solar system, has at least one — and possibly a handful — of small rocky planets orbiting it, a new study suggests. Barnard’s star, which is about one-sixth the mass of our sun, is the closest individual star to … Ler mais
Some tadpoles don’t poop for the first weeks of their lives. At least, that’s the case for Eiffinger’s tree frogs (Kurixalus eiffingeri), scientists report September 22 in Ecology. Eiffinger’s tree frogs are tiny frogs that live in Taiwan and on two Japanese islands: Ishigaki and Iriomote. The tree-dwelling amphibians lay their eggs in puny puddles, … Ler mais
Satellites hampering radio astronomy — Science News, October 5, 1974 In the past, the satellites and probes launched by NASA and others successfully avoided conflict with the radio frequency bands reserved for radio astronomy. But now there is trouble. The trespassers are two major U.S. satellites launched in May…. When either of the satellites is … Ler mais
As dust from the Sahara blows thousands of kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean, it becomes progressively more nutritious for marine microbes, a new study suggests. Chemical reactions in the atmosphere chew on iron minerals in the dust, making them more water soluble and creating a crucial nutrient source for the iron-starved seas, researchers report September … Ler mais
To leave a lasting trail, meteors must aim downward. A new study of shooting stars shows that meteors that blaze 90 kilometers up in the sky leave a continuous glow, unlike those that burn up at higher altitudes. Meteors are normally bright events and you will miss them. A particle of space dust leaves a … Ler mais
As more and more species come close to extinction, scientists have been collecting samples of animals, plants and other creatures and storing them in biorepositories around the globe.SN: 5/8/19). But climate change, environmental disasters and wars threaten these modern Noah’s Arks (SN: 28/2/22). Now, a team of researchers is thinking of an out-of-this-world solution: building … Ler mais
Imagine going on a week-long business trip and not coming home until next year. That may be the case for American astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, whose eight-day mission to the International Space Station has already stretched to more than two months and is likely to last even longer. The pair launched to the … Ler mais
The neutrino “fog” has begun to materialize. Light subatomic particles called neutrinos are starting to make their way into the data of experiments not designed to detect them. Two experiments designed to detect dark matter particles have captured the first glimpses of neutrinos born in the Sun, physicists report. “This is a triumph,” says neutrino … Ler mais
This video was supported by funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. TRANSCRIPT David Johnson: So, in 2014, we were on a mud bank in the marsh here in Massachusetts, and I saw this little crab that came crashing through the mud bank and into a hole. And so I dug up the crab and … Ler mais