Visual confirmation: Groundbreaking images show for the first time that two black holes orbit each other
For the first time ever, astronomers have photographed two black holes orbiting each other, finally providing visual proof of the existence of a black hole pair. The two black holes, discovered through faint fluctuations in radio light captured by both ground-based and space-based telescopes, are locked in a 12-year orbit about 5 billion light-years from […]
James Webb Telescope may have discovered controversial ‘dark star’ in distant space
The second most distant object ever discovered by the James Webb Telescope may be a “dark star” powered by dark matter rather than nuclear fusion. By studying the wavelengths of light captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers identified four dark star candidates. One of them appears to have evidence of “determinant” helium […]
Research reveals that about 20 years ago, a satellite detected a strange gravitational signal from deep within the Earth.
A recent study says that about 20 years ago, a satellite detected strange gravitational signals off the coast of Africa, suggesting that something unusual was happening deep within the Earth, distorting the gravitational field. A large-scale gravity anomaly lasted for about two years in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It peaked in January 2007, the same […]
Scientists discover gold nanoparticles hidden in spruce needles
When Burl Ives sang in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that “every Christmas tree is decorated with silver and gold,” he probably didn’t know that there was actually gold in the needles of the Christmas tree. But that’s exactly what a new study found. A study published in the journal Environment Microbiome on August 28 reports […]
1,000-year-old burial of Poland’s ‘first Christian’ discovered near medieval settlement
Archaeologists have discovered part of a cemetery containing 1,000-year-old human bones near the ruins of a fortified medieval village in the Polish village of Bolkovo. This discovery dates back to a time when many people in Poland were converting from paganism to Christianity. “We consider these people to be representatives of the ‘first Christians’ of […]
History of Science: The first two-way telephone over an outdoor line by Alexander Graham Bell — October 9, 1876
simple facts Milestone: First two-way phone call over an outdoor line Date: October 9, 1876 Location: Cambridgeport to Boston, Massachusetts People: Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson On the afternoon of October 9, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was in Boston and spoke for three hours with his assistant and fellow inventor, Thomas Watson. It would […]
Some naked mole rats are designated toilet cleaners, research suggests
Naked mole rats may have specific roles, such as “toilet cleaners” and “garbage collectors,” a new study suggests. The findings, published Wednesday (October 8) in the journal Science Advances, suggest that naked mole rat colonies are even more complex than scientists previously thought. Teruhiro Okuyama, a behavioral neuroscientist at the University of Tokyo, told Live […]
James Webb Telescope finds ‘remarkable’ evidence that a black hole has punched through a galaxy and left a huge scar
Astronomers have observed a giant cosmic “contrail” in a distant galaxy. The gas and dust signatures may have been produced in large quantities by a passing supermassive black hole, but there are other possible causes, scientists report in a new study. The contrail was discovered in the spiral galaxy NGC 3627, about 31 light-years from […]
Psychedelic beer may have helped befriend elite outsiders and consolidate power in pre-Inca Peru
The growth of the pre-Incan civilization known as the Wari may have been aided by psychedelic-laced beer, researchers propose in a new study. The Wari people flourished from approximately 600 to 1000 AD and are known for mummified burials, human sacrifices, and elaborate objects made of gold, silver, and bronze. They also built cities such […]
Diagnostic dilemma: Brain lesion causes woman to experience lifelong bouts of unpleasant laughter
Patient: 31 year old female Symptoms: This woman came to the clinic because she had been experiencing uncontrollable laughter for years, which doctors described as “creepy laughter” in her case report. According to the patient, she had had intermittent episodes of involuntary laughter like this since childhood, but her condition was never formally investigated or […]