‘Muddy tunnels’ and ‘Arctic sea ice’ may bury Saturn’s largest moon Titan – good news for the search for extraterrestrial life
Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may harbor a habitable world covered in slimy sea ice, new research suggests. Back in 2008, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft collected data on Titan that suggested there may be an open ocean beneath the moon’s frozen crust. But researchers say new analysis suggests that what lies beneath is more “muddy tunnels and […]
James Webb Telescope discovers supermassive black hole hidden inside ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ galaxy
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a supermassive black hole hidden in an ancient “Jekyll and Hyde” galaxy that changes its appearance depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The galaxy, nicknamed Virgil, looked like a normal star-forming galaxy when observed at optical wavelengths (the kind of light that the human […]
Snakes’ amazing ‘thermal vision’ inspires scientists to build 4K imaging systems that could one day fit into smartphones
Scientists in China have developed a first-of-its-kind artificial imaging system inspired by snakes that can ‘see’ the heat emitted by their prey in complete darkness. This sensor captures ultra-high-resolution infrared (IR) images at 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels), comparable to the quality of the iPhone 17 Pro camera. Objects with temperatures above absolute zero […]
Pompeii victims were wearing woolen cloaks when they died in August, but experts disagree on what that means.
Pompeii may have been unseasonably cold when the eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed the Roman city in 79 AD, a new study suggests. A new analysis of 14 iconic plaster casts made from Pompeii victims reveals that at least four of them wore woolen clothing when they were buried, despite the region’s typically hot weather […]
Diagnostic dilemma: otherwise ‘healthy’ man suffers stroke after drinking eight ‘high-potency’ energy drinks a day
Patient: A man in his 50s living in Nottingham, UK. Symptoms: A man suddenly developed numbness and light-headedness on the left side of his body. What happened next: According to the incident report, the man was admitted to the hospital where his blood pressure was found to be 254/150 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). This very […]
Scientists discover that ancient burrowing bees built nests in tooth cavities and vertebrae of dead rodents
More than 5,000 years ago, new fossil research suggests that burrowing bees made a home among piles of rodent bones buried in caves on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which is part of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The bees encountered the bones while digging in the soil to their desired depth. Researchers stopped to […]
Heart attacks are less dangerous at night. One study suggests why.
Cardiologists have observed for decades that heart attacks are more damaging when they occur during the day than at night, and understanding why that happens may be the key to treating the condition, a new study finds. There are many theories as to why daytime heart attacks are more harmful. Some suggest that stress hormones […]
‘We were surprised’: Scientists using the James Webb telescope may have discovered the oldest supernova in the known universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may have discovered the most distant supernova in the universe. This stellar explosion was caused by a very faint galaxy and occurred when the universe was only 730 million years old. In addition to potentially adding another record to JWST’s already impressive list, this detection provides insight […]
Brain scan reveals ‘dial’ to prevent getting lost
Scientists have identified a “dial” in the human brain that increases when exploring new areas. The discovery could help understand why getting lost is often an early symptom of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Imagine you are walking home along a well-worn road and accidentally take the wrong turn. It doesn’t take long for your […]
Ancient Egyptian valley temple unearthed – connected to a huge upper temple dedicated to the sun god Ra
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 4,500-year-old valley temple. According to a translated statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the structure is part of a solar temple built by ancient Egyptians in honor of the sun god Ra. The temple is located in Abu Ghrab, about 16 km (10 miles) […]