Observational Studies
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Unexpected Rotational Motion Detected in Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies of Hydra Cluster
Astronomers studying ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the Hydra cluster have observed unexpected rotational movement in nearly half of the 30 galaxies examined. Spectroscopic data from the LEWIS programme, using the MUSE instrument on the Very Large Telescope, suggests that gravitational interactions with larger galaxies may influence their formati...
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Ancient DNA Sheds Light on the Diverse Genetic Origins of the European Huns
A new study has analysed ancient DNA from 370 individuals buried between the fourth and sixth centuries, revealing that the European Huns were genetically diverse. While some showed direct ties to Xiongnu elites from Mongolia, most carried mixed Northeast Asian ancestry. Researchers found no evidence of a single large-scale migration but instead ob...
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NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launching Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to Explore Cosmic Evolution
NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, launching on Feb 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, will map the entire sky in infrared, observing 450 million galaxies and 100 million Milky Way stars. The mission aims to uncover the large-scale structure of the universe, track icy molecules in interstellar space, and study cosmic inflation. Equipped with a spectrophotometer...
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NASA Confirms Asteroid 2024 YR4 Will Not Hit Earth, Risk Reduced to Zero
NASA has reassured the public that asteroid 2024 YR4 no longer poses any threat to Earth. Initially, the asteroid had a 1-in-32 chance of impact, making it a Level 3 risk on the Torino Scale. However, new observations have reduced the probability to zero. The asteroid will make close flybys in 2028 and 2032, providing scientists with an opportunity...
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New Seismic Data Challenges Earth's Inner Core Structure, Reveals Surprising Findings
Recent seismic data from 121 earthquakes recorded over three decades challenges previous beliefs about Earth's inner core. Researchers from the University of Southern California discovered structural changes in the core, suggesting it may not be as solid as once thought. These anomalies, observed while studying the core's slowing rotation, could of...
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FAST Telescope Reveals Emission Properties of Three Long-Period Pulsars in New Study
The FAST telescope has observed emission behaviours in three long-period pulsars, revealing null phases, asymmetric pulses, and microstructures. The study highlights variations in pulsar emissions and their periodicity, contributing to a deeper understanding of neutron star radio emissions. Researchers noted different nulling fractions and microstr...
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Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
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Physicists Discover Singularities-Free Black Holes Using Pure Gravity
Physicists at ICCUB have mathematically proven that black holes can form without singularities, eliminating the need for exotic matter. The study, published in Physics Letters B, demonstrates that higher-order gravitational corrections alone can generate regular black holes. This breakthrough challenges previous models and provides new insights int...
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Tiny Plasma Jets on Sun Identified as Key Drivers of Solar Wind
Observations from ESA’s Solar Orbiter have revealed that tiny plasma jets, known as picoflares, are responsible for both the fast and slow components of the solar wind. The discovery challenges previous assumptions that different mechanisms drive these solar wind types. With further research, scientists hope to refine space weather predictions, p...
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James Webb Telescope to Study Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2024 YR4
Asteroid 2024 YR4, identified in December 2024, has a 2.3% chance of Earth impact in December 2032. Due to uncertainties in ground-based size estimates, JWST will conduct infrared observations in March and May to determine its true dimensions. The European Space Agency estimates its width at 55 metres, but it could be as large as 90 metres. The fin...
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Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know
The universe's large-scale uniformity is under scrutiny through weak gravitational lensing. Researchers are analysing data from the Euclid Space Telescope to detect potential anisotropies in cosmic expansion. If confirmed, these findings could challenge the fundamental Cosmological Principle, which assumes the universe has no preferred direction. T...
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High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B
Astronomers have gained significant insights into brown dwarf HD 206893 B using high-resolution spectroscopy. The study, led by UCSD's Ben Sappey, reveals the object's mass, temperature, and formation details, contributing to brown dwarf research. Located 133 light-years away, HD 206893 B's position within a debris disk invites future investigation...
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Scientists Observe and Control Kelvin Waves in Superfluid Helium for the First Time
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have controlled and observed Kelvin waves in superfluid helium-4 for the first time. Using an electric field to manipulate nanoparticles trapped in vortex lines, they generated and visualised the helical motion of these quantum waves. This discovery sheds light on energy dissipation in superfluid systems and o...
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Hubble Spots Distant Supernova in Gemini, Enhancing Cosmic Distance Studies
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of SN 2022aajn, a Type Ia supernova in the constellation Gemini. Located 600 million light-years away, the explosion was first detected in November 2022. Type Ia supernovae serve as essential cosmic distance markers due to their predictable brightness. Hubble’s observations, part o...
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Ear Muscles Flex to Help Focus on Sounds, Study Reveals Evolutionary Link
A study reveals that tiny ear muscles flex when people focus on specific sounds in noisy environments. Once vital for movement in ancestral species, these muscles no longer serve a major function in modern humans but may hold potential for hearing aid advancements. Researchers observed that superior auricular muscles react to difficult listening ta...
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Unexpected Rotational Motion Detected in Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies of Hydra Cluster
Astronomers studying ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the Hydra cluster have observed unexpected rotational movement in nearly half of the 30 galaxies examined. Spectroscopic data from the LEWIS programme, using the MUSE instrument on the Very Large Telescope, suggests that gravitational interactions with larger galaxies may influence their formati...
-
Ancient DNA Sheds Light on the Diverse Genetic Origins of the European Huns
A new study has analysed ancient DNA from 370 individuals buried between the fourth and sixth centuries, revealing that the European Huns were genetically diverse. While some showed direct ties to Xiongnu elites from Mongolia, most carried mixed Northeast Asian ancestry. Researchers found no evidence of a single large-scale migration but instead ob...
-
NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launching Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to Explore Cosmic Evolution
NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, launching on Feb 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, will map the entire sky in infrared, observing 450 million galaxies and 100 million Milky Way stars. The mission aims to uncover the large-scale structure of the universe, track icy molecules in interstellar space, and study cosmic inflation. Equipped with a spectrophotometer...
-
NASA Confirms Asteroid 2024 YR4 Will Not Hit Earth, Risk Reduced to Zero
NASA has reassured the public that asteroid 2024 YR4 no longer poses any threat to Earth. Initially, the asteroid had a 1-in-32 chance of impact, making it a Level 3 risk on the Torino Scale. However, new observations have reduced the probability to zero. The asteroid will make close flybys in 2028 and 2032, providing scientists with an opportunity...
-
New Seismic Data Challenges Earth's Inner Core Structure, Reveals Surprising Findings
Recent seismic data from 121 earthquakes recorded over three decades challenges previous beliefs about Earth's inner core. Researchers from the University of Southern California discovered structural changes in the core, suggesting it may not be as solid as once thought. These anomalies, observed while studying the core's slowing rotation, could of...
-
FAST Telescope Reveals Emission Properties of Three Long-Period Pulsars in New Study
The FAST telescope has observed emission behaviours in three long-period pulsars, revealing null phases, asymmetric pulses, and microstructures. The study highlights variations in pulsar emissions and their periodicity, contributing to a deeper understanding of neutron star radio emissions. Researchers noted different nulling fractions and microstr...
-
Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
-
Physicists Discover Singularities-Free Black Holes Using Pure Gravity
Physicists at ICCUB have mathematically proven that black holes can form without singularities, eliminating the need for exotic matter. The study, published in Physics Letters B, demonstrates that higher-order gravitational corrections alone can generate regular black holes. This breakthrough challenges previous models and provides new insights int...
-
Tiny Plasma Jets on Sun Identified as Key Drivers of Solar Wind
Observations from ESA’s Solar Orbiter have revealed that tiny plasma jets, known as picoflares, are responsible for both the fast and slow components of the solar wind. The discovery challenges previous assumptions that different mechanisms drive these solar wind types. With further research, scientists hope to refine space weather predictions, p...
-
James Webb Telescope to Study Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2024 YR4
Asteroid 2024 YR4, identified in December 2024, has a 2.3% chance of Earth impact in December 2032. Due to uncertainties in ground-based size estimates, JWST will conduct infrared observations in March and May to determine its true dimensions. The European Space Agency estimates its width at 55 metres, but it could be as large as 90 metres. The fin...
-
Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know
The universe's large-scale uniformity is under scrutiny through weak gravitational lensing. Researchers are analysing data from the Euclid Space Telescope to detect potential anisotropies in cosmic expansion. If confirmed, these findings could challenge the fundamental Cosmological Principle, which assumes the universe has no preferred direction. T...
-
High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B
Astronomers have gained significant insights into brown dwarf HD 206893 B using high-resolution spectroscopy. The study, led by UCSD's Ben Sappey, reveals the object's mass, temperature, and formation details, contributing to brown dwarf research. Located 133 light-years away, HD 206893 B's position within a debris disk invites future investigation...
-
Scientists Observe and Control Kelvin Waves in Superfluid Helium for the First Time
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have controlled and observed Kelvin waves in superfluid helium-4 for the first time. Using an electric field to manipulate nanoparticles trapped in vortex lines, they generated and visualised the helical motion of these quantum waves. This discovery sheds light on energy dissipation in superfluid systems and o...
-
Hubble Spots Distant Supernova in Gemini, Enhancing Cosmic Distance Studies
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of SN 2022aajn, a Type Ia supernova in the constellation Gemini. Located 600 million light-years away, the explosion was first detected in November 2022. Type Ia supernovae serve as essential cosmic distance markers due to their predictable brightness. Hubble’s observations, part o...
-
Ear Muscles Flex to Help Focus on Sounds, Study Reveals Evolutionary Link
A study reveals that tiny ear muscles flex when people focus on specific sounds in noisy environments. Once vital for movement in ancestral species, these muscles no longer serve a major function in modern humans but may hold potential for hearing aid advancements. Researchers observed that superior auricular muscles react to difficult listening ta...
