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The human perception of stars is that they are largely unchanging although of course in reality stars and their host galaxies do change over time, just very VERY slowly. When galaxies deplete their star forming materials, they traditionally become redder as short lived stars die while long lived dwarf stars persist for trillions of years. However, recent research challenges this understanding.

Diamonds formed in Earth’s lower mantle contain tiny flecks of minerals that are helping us understand the inner workings of our planet

Random flashes of radiation in the sky are not all that unusual. A few years ago, once such flash was detected coming from a star that at the time, was believed to be from a star consuming a planet! The exact mechanism was unsure though for example; was it the star bloating up as a red giant and engulfing the planet or did the planet spiral in toward the star? The answer was until now, a little elusive. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope showed the environment around the star didn’t match a red giant so it must have been the planet crashing into the star!

If RFK Jr. is to blame for measles outbreaks and deaths, then I would be responsible for saying he would be a net positive for public health in the US.  Thank goodness that’s not the case.

The post Science Based Satire: Falling Vaccine Coverage Over The Years Is A Problem That Likely Increased Due To The Failed Covid-19 Policies That Jonathan Howard Championed. first appeared on Science-Based Medicine.

The two most prominent satellite galaxies of the Milky Way are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. A team of astronomers have recently tracked the movements of 7,000 stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and found that many of them are being pulled away towards the Large Magellanic Cloud! It seems the SMC is being pulled apart, perhaps leading to its eventual destruction as the tidal forces strip away its stars!

One of the things about astronomy that captivates me is that for every question we answer, we open up a whole bunch of other questions. Dark matter and dark energy are one such phenomenon that rather continues to confound us. There’s also the mystery of missing infrared light too but a team of astronomers think they may have found it! The team examined a region of sky using the Herschel Space Telescope and, by staking 141 images, found where individual dust-rich galaxies appeared blended together. The galaxies are absorbing starlight and re-emitting infrared radiation, and is this that may well account for the missing light.

Exploring the Moon with Biologically-Inspired Subsurface Robots

A team has revealed new insights into the motion of massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a small galaxy neighboring the Milky Way. Their findings suggest that the gravitational pull of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the SMC's larger companion, may be tearing the smaller one apart. This discovery reveals a new pattern in the motion of these stars that could transform our understanding of galaxy evolution and interactions.

Using artificial intelligence shortens the time to identify complex quantum phases in materials from months to minutes, finds a study. The breakthrough could significantly speed up research into quantum materials, particularly low-dimensional superconductors.

Using artificial intelligence shortens the time to identify complex quantum phases in materials from months to minutes, finds a study. The breakthrough could significantly speed up research into quantum materials, particularly low-dimensional superconductors.

DECOTA transforms open-ended survey responses into clear themes -- helping policymakers make better use of underutilised public feedback.

Wider hips may make childbirth easier, but increase the risk of other health issues

A fossil jawbone found by fishers in the Taiwan Strait has extended the known range of ancient Denisovan people thousands of kilometres to the east

Schrödinger called his metaphorical cat “quite ridiculous” but the quantum weirdness it represents has become a useful benchmark for the quantum computing industry, finds our quantum columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Researchers devised a way to maintain an AI model's accuracy while ensuring attackers can't extract sensitive information used to train it. The approach is computationally efficient, reducing a longstanding tradeoff between accuracy and privacy.

Pressure waves propagating through bubble-containing liquids in tubes experience considerable attenuation. Researchers have now derived an equation describing this phenomenon, demonstrating that beyond liquid viscosity and compressibility, variations in tube cross-sectional area contribute to wave attenuation. Their analysis reveals that the rate of change in tube cross-sectional area represents a critical parameter governing pressure wave attenuation in such systems.

The transition to electric vehicles won't reduce carbon emissions unless countries clean up their electricity grids.

Materials scientists are measuring the rolling friction of tiny, micrometer-sized particles. These measurements permit them to better understand everyday products such as concrete.

Risky driving by parents and other motorists who do the school run is putting children in danger, according to a new study.

Why do problems occur with a special variant of 'protein glues', the split inteins, that severely limit their use in producing proteins? A team has now answered this question.