New computer simulations model an alternate way of thinking about the cosmos: as a cyclic universe that has no beginning or end. In a cyclic universe, periods of expansion alternate with periods of contraction. The universe has no beginning and no end. ILLUSTRATION: SAMUEL VELASCO/QUANTA MAGAZINE THE STANDARD STORY of the […]
An artist’s impression of Mars’ inner structure. The topmost layer is the crust, and beneath it is the mantle, which rests on a solid inner core. Credit: Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech) Using data from NASA’s InSight Lander on Mars, Rice University seismologists have made the first direct measurements of three subsurface boundaries […]
ANIMATION Astronomers have discovered what can happen when a giant black holedoes not intervene in the life of a galaxy cluster. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes they have shown that passive black hole behavior may explain a remarkable torrent of star formation occurring in a distant cluster of galaxies. […]
International scientists and Ngātiwai, a Māori tribe, teamed up to sequence the genome of a rare reptile, the tuatara, uncovering some unique aspects of the tuatara’s evolution. The genome sequence will enable comparative studies to better understand the evolution of the tuatara and its distant relatives: other reptiles, birds, and […]
The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is a general-purpose detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It has a broad physics programme ranging from studying the Standard Model (including the Higgs boson) to searching for extra dimensions and particles that could make up dark matter. The CMS detector is built around […]
The double star system V745 Sco, which is located about 25,000 light-years from Earth. Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss For decades, astronomers have known about irregular outbursts from the double star system V745 Sco, which is located about 25,000 light-years from Earth. V745 Sco is a binary star system that consists of a […]
A visible green laser shone from ESA’s Optical Ground Station (OGS). Part of Teide Observatory, the OGS located 2400 m above sea level on the volcanic island of Tenerife, used for the development of optical communication systems for space as well as space debris and near-Earth orbject surveys and quantum […]
Artistic rendering of electrocatalytic process for conversion of carbon dioxide and water into ethanol. Credit: Argonne National Laboratory New electrocatalyst efficiently converts carbon dioxide into ethanol. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions and form the backbone of many industrial processes. For example, they are essential in transforming heavy oil into gasoline […]
A new study in Nature Photonics details the unique properties of the UCF-developed laser beam. The speed of a message traveling in these packets is no longer affected by traveling through different materials of different densities. University of Central Florida researchers have developed a new type of laser beam that […]
Hannah Valentino, left, and Pablo Sobrado, right, uncover a new step in the process that makes garlic potent. Credit: Virginia Tech For centuries, people around the world have used garlic as a spice, natural remedy, and pest deterrent — but they didn’t know how powerful or pungent the heads of […]