Nowadays, the Universe is pervaded by energetic ultraviolet radiation, produced by quasars and hot stars. The short-wavelength photons liberate electrons from the hydrogen atoms that make up the diffuse intergalactic medium and the latter is therefore almost completely ionised. There was, however, an early epoch in the history of the Universe when this was not so.
The Universe emanated from a hot and extremely dense initial state, the so-called Big Bang. Astronomers now believe that it took
As well as keeping their fingers crossed for good weather during next weeks close approach of Mars, astronomers are hoping that the skies will be clear on Mars itself.
During National Astronomy Week – Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 August – observing events will be held across the UK where the public can view Mars through telescopes. It is expected that thousands of people will turn out to see the planet closer than it has been for almost 60,000 years. But its not just our own
Surrounded by projection screens, a blue Saturn sits in a basement room in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. If you look very closely, you can see several tiny video cameras inside the car, and a glance under the hood gives a whole new meaning to the term “souped-up.”
In the space where the engine normally resides sits an array of electronic instrumentation that turns this ordinary vehicle into a high-fidelity driving simulator known as SIREN (Simulator for Interdisciplinary Re
Until ten years ago, most astronomers did not believe stardust could enter our Solar System. Then ESAs Ulysses spaceprobe discovered minute stardust particles leaking through the Suns magnetic shield, into the realm of Earth and the other planets. Now, the same spaceprobe has shown that a flood of dusty particles is heading our way.
Since its launch in 1990, Ulysses has constantly monitored how much stardust enters the Solar System from the interstellar space around it. Usi
Fire fighters tackling the blazes that have ravaged Portugal are doing so with the aid of a satellite data-link.
For the first time, ESA’s satellite Artemis has been used to support an emergency request under the International Charter on “Space and Major Disasters”.
Portugal’s civil protection unit (SNPC) was able to receive information and groups of images that showed the scope of the fires. The data, transmitted from ESA’s Earth observation satellite, Envisat, via the Artemis d
If you’re hunting for illegal drugs, you don’t have to leave your computer desk to find them. A simple internet search will turn up dozens of websites that let you order your drug-of-choice for home-delivery.
In fact, if you search for “no prescription codeine” through one of the standard computer-search systems, the odds are almost fifty-fifty that the first site you hit will provide an instant opportunity to buy drugs illegally.
That finding by researchers at the University of
New research led by Flatiron Institute researchers reveals the source of the mysterious swirling flows in some of nature’s largest cells. Egg cells are the largest single cells on the…
… by searching for molecular fingerprinting. A research team consisting of Professor Kyoung-Duck Park and Taeyoung Moon and Huitae Joo, PhD candidates, from the Department of Physics at Pohang University…
Chemical images taken of insides of bacteria 30 times clearer than those from conventional mid-infrared microscopes. A team at the University of Tokyo have constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope, enabling…
… as efficient piezocatalyst for synthesis of H2O2 from pure water. As an important chemical raw material, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is widely applied in various aspects of industry and life….
Microbial reduction reduces mobility of uranium compounds. When designing repositories for high-level radioactive waste in deep geological layers, various factors must be carefully considered to ensure their long-term safety. Among…
When babies learn to talk or birds learn to sing, the same principle applies: listen and then imitate. This is how the first babble becomes the first word or vocalization….
Known for its ability to withstand extreme environments and high voltages, silicon carbide (SiC) is a semiconducting material made up of silicon and carbon atoms arranged into crystals that is…
Silicon-based electronics are approaching their physical limitations and new materials are needed to keep up with current technological demands. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have a rich array of properties, including superconductivity…
In research that may lead to next-generation airplanes and spacecraft, MIT engineers used carbon nanotubes to prevent cracking in multilayered composites. To save on fuel and reduce aircraft emissions, engineers…
Soft skin coverings and touch sensors have emerged as a promising feature for robots that are both safer and more intuitive for human interaction, but they are expensive and difficult…
Researchers at the University of Stuttgart achieve strongest connection. Making emergency calls even in remote areas and transmitting large amounts of data in real time? This is possible with the…
Crateflow enables accurate AI-based demand forecasts. A key challenge for companies is to control overstock and understock while developing a supply chain that is resilient to disruptions. To address this,…