Our Sun drives a constant outward flow of plasma, or ionized gas, called the solar wind, which envelops our solar system. Outside of Earth’s protective magnetosphere, the fastest solar wind rushes by at speeds of over 310 miles (500 kilometers) per second. But researchers haven’t been able to figure out how the wind gets enough energy to achieve that speed – until now.Our team of helio physicists published a paper in August 2024 that points to a new source of energy propelling the solar wi ...read more
What if we could see through skin? Scientists have managed to do just that, by mixing a common yellow dye with water and applying it on living mice. They used the technique to peer through the skin on mouse skulls and abdomens, according to a report in Science.The technique has potentially profound implications for medical imaging because it could provide less costly and more effective ways for doctors to see what’s going on in human tissue. The technique, while promising, has not yet been app ...read more
Automating food is unlike automating anything else. Food is fundamental to life – nourishing body and soul – so how it’s accessed, prepared and consumed can change societies fundamentally.Automated kitchens aren’t sci-fi visions from “The Jetsons” or “Star Trek.” The technology is real and global. Right now, robots are used to flip burgers, fry chicken, create pizzas, make sushi, prepare salads, serve ramen, bake bread, mix cocktails and much more. AI can invent recipes based on ...read more
Many people have seen dogs fetch, but cats like to get into the game too. Despite their very different hunting and play styles, fetching appears to combine elements of predatory and social behavior for both species.Although their domestication histories and natural behaviors are very different, cats and dogs share many similarities. Both species are predators, live closely with humans and are capable of enjoying rich social experiences with us.In our newly published study, we found that more tha ...read more
Collagen is the most abundant protein in animals. It is also one of the most enduring. Over the past few decades, paleontologists have found it in dinosaur fossils tens of millions of years old. Its persistence is perplexing, because the protein contains chemical bonds, that, on paper, should only last 500 years. So why does this stuff last so long? Chemists provide an answer to that mystery in an ACS Central Science report. The Strength of CollagenThe answer starts with collagen’s structure. ...read more