In the first-ever-observed game of “cosmic joust,” one galaxy pierced another with a lance-like ray of radiation, astronomers reported in the journal Nature. The resulting puncture impaired the wounded galaxy’s subsequent star-making abilities.The dueling galaxies dealt more than just a single blow. They repeatedly charged each other at over 500 miles per second, colliding, then retreating, before positioning themselves for another attack.“We hence call this system the ‘cosmic joust, ...read more
The next time you chomp on a popsicle, then flinch from a lightning bolt of pain, you can now have something legitimate to blame: a 465-million-year old fish.Researchers have found that dentine — a substance in the inner layer of teeth that sends sensory information to nerves inside the pulp — served a similar sensation-gathering purpose on the armed exoskeletons of ancient fish. The main difference is, in human teeth, it acts as an internal detector, while in ancient fish armor, it serves a ...read more
Glitter gets everywhere: It clings to carpet fibers, hides in your hairline, and shows up weeks later in unexpected places. But what if this famously clingy, sparkly nuisance could actually help save a species?That’s the idea behind a new conservation initiative in Wales. The Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru (INCC) is feeding edible cake glitter to water voles to help track their movements (literally) and better understand how to protect them. And surprisingly, it’s already showing p ...read more
In today’s ever more connected world, it’s fair to say that some of us receive nearly as much screen time as we do actual sunlight — if not more, depending on your job and the time of year.A growing body of research shows that the blue light that these screens emit might have effects on human health, whether it’s our vision, skin, or our sleep.“Blue light has an effect on skin health and even the retina in the eyes,” says Kseniya Kobets, an assistant professor of medicine at Albert E ...read more
Some humpback whales are born in warmer waters. Others are born on the way. That’s what a study in Frontiers in Marine Science seems to suggest, anyway, after showing that hundreds of East Australian humpback whales are actually born mid-migration, while their mothers are still traveling to their established calving and breeding grounds.“Hundreds of humpback calves were born well outside the established breeding grounds,” said Tracey Rogers, the senior study author and a biology professor ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine