“Ghost stars,” or planetary nebulae, are some of the most beautiful objects in the cosmos. Formed when a red giant star burns through its nuclear fuel and sheds its outer layers, the nebulae (which have nothing to do with planets) expand outward in striking patterns. Some of these exhibit strange properties, according to a new paper, which studied 136 nebulae using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile.Many nebulae close to the galactic bulge – the central sec ...read more
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a slow yet steady progression of memory loss. It often begins with simple omissions like forgetting a name before eventually robbing its host of the ability to perform basic tasks such as getting dressed. But how, exactly, does this progression unfold? Medical professionals often break down the disorder into the following stages: 1. Preclinical Stage This phase can last up to 20 years before the person even has any signs of disease — yet misbehaving pr ...read more
In two decades as a pediatrician, Jason Reynolds has had no success treating patients with opioid use disorder by sending them to rehab. But five years ago, when his Massachusetts practice, Wareham Pediatric Associates PC, became the first in the state to offer medication therapy to adolescent patients, he saw dramatic results.The first patient he treated with medication, a young man named Nate, had overdosed on opioids twice in the 24-hour period before seeing Reynolds. But that patient has had ...read more
Ever since neutron stars were discovered, researchers have been using their unusual properties to probe our universe. The superdense remnants of stellar explosions, neutron stars pack a mass greater than the Sun’s into a ball about as wide as San Francisco. A single cup of this star matter would weigh about as much as Mount Everest.These odd celestial bodies could alert us to distant disturbances in the fabric of spacetime, teach us about the formation of elements, and unlock the secrets of ho ...read more
The American pronghorn is a hoofed mammal native to North America. It's not an antelope, and it's not a sheep, although it has traditionally been called both. Rather, the pronghorn is an even-toed ungulate that can run faster than most any animal on Earth, with the exception of the African cheetah. Clocking in at 61 miles per hour, the pronghorn can run faster than any predator that lives in its habitat, and it has extreme endurance, keeping up that pace for long periods of time. So it begs to ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine
