‘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) […]
Polar bears in southern Greenland are ‘using jump genes to rapidly rewrite their DNA’ to survive melting sea ice
Temperature stress may be causing genetic mutations in southern Greenland’s polar bears, a new study reports. This species is struggling in the face of global climate change. Global sea ice levels fell to record lows in February, with sea levels rising due to global warming. These changes threaten polar bears, which live and hunt on […]
City-sized ‘cosmic butterflies’ carved into Mars’ surface contain traces of ancient water
A giant city-sized butterfly carved into the surface of Mars millions of years ago has been photographed in a new photo thanks to European Space Agency scientists. Experts say this beautiful Martian insect with smooth, rock-like wings is a striking reminder of Mars’ violent, watery past. The so-called Butterfly is an asymmetrical impact crater created […]
Record-breaking feat means information lasts 15 times longer in a new type of quantum processor than those used by Google and IBM
Scientists have developed a new manufacturing method to create superconducting quantum bits (qubits) that can remain coherent three times longer than current state-of-the-art systems in the lab. This makes it possible to perform more powerful quantum computing operations. The new technology, described in a study published Nov. 5 in the journal Nature, relies on the […]
Deep snow turns Yellowstone Lake into a vast white void — Earth seen from space
simple facts Where is it? Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming [44.46284445, -110.3628428] What is in the photo? A blanket of white snow covers Yellowstone Lake Who took the photo? An unknown astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) When was it taken? January 26, 2022 This eye-catching astronaut photo shows Yellowstone’s eponymous lake covered in thick […]
Final data from groundbreaking cosmology telescope reveals 30 models of the universe were wrong
After a decades-long mission to understand the nature of the universe, the telescope on a mountain plateau in northern Chile will say goodbye in 2022. Now, the release of final data reveals a field in tension that is the telescope’s legacy. In October 2007, the Atacama Space Telescope (ACT) observed its first light. But it […]
A 5,000-year-old dog skeleton and dagger buried together in a Swedish swamp, hinting at mysterious Stone Age rituals
Archaeologists have discovered a dog skeleton alongside a bone dagger at the bottom of a Swedish swamp. The ruins are thought to be 5,000 years old and may be from mysterious Stone Age rituals. This unique dog burial was discovered during construction of a high-speed railway in the village of Gerstaberg, about 35 kilometers southwest […]
Ancient maritime raider’s fingerprints found on Scandinavia’s oldest plank ship
A sea raider ship that sank off the coast of Denmark 2,400 years ago contained fingerprints and several chemical clues that are helping researchers figure out where these raiders came from thousands of years ago, a new study has found. Known as the Yotspring Boat, it is the oldest known wooden plank boat in Scandinavia […]