https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. As global warming continues, convective weather events are becoming more frequent. The early stage of these storms, known as convective initiation (CI), can be monitored using geostationary satellites. However, detecting CI accurately remains a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-satellite-fusion-early-convective-clouds.html Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:38:30 EDT news646587506 The reason we call dark matter dark isn't that it's some shadowy material. It's because dark matter doesn't interact with light. The difference is subtle, but important. Regular matter can be dark because it absorbs light. It's why, for example, we can see the shadow of molecular clouds against the scattered stars of the Milky Way. This is possible because light and matter have a way to connect. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dark-slight-interaction-regular.html Astronomy Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:10:05 EDT news646582201 An "invisible forest" of phytoplankton is thriving in part of our warming ocean, new research shows. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-invisible-forest-phytoplankton-ocean.html Ecology Cell & Microbiology Wed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:01 EDT news646386542 Solar flares are extremely intense events that occur in the sun's atmosphere, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. According to the standard flare model, the energy that triggers these explosions is transported by accelerated electrons that hurtle from the magnetic reconnection region in the corona to the chromosphere. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-validity-standard-solar-flares.html Astronomy Mon, 23 Sep 2024 14:37:04 EDT news646321022 Solar flares are a fascinating thing and have a profound effect on what astronomers refer to as "space weather." These events vary with the sun's 11-year solar cycle, releasing immense amounts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum (from extreme ultraviolet to X-rays) into space. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-high-resolution-images-sun-flares.html Astronomy Planetary Sciences Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:16:04 EDT news646312561 The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) has revealed the structure, motion and temperature of the material around a supermassive black hole and in a supernova remnant in unprecedented detail. Astronomers presented the first scientific results of the new X-ray telescope today, less than a year after the telescope's launch. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ray-imaging-spectroscopy-mission-unveils.html Astronomy Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:58:04 EDT news646048682 Scientists of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) in Kiruna and Umeå University find that under certain conditions the induced magnetosphere of Mars can degenerate. The findings are presented in a new study published in Nature. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-uncovers-unexpected-interaction-mars-solar.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:10:30 EDT news645966628 In a rare and extraordinary discovery, researchers have identified a unique configuration of galaxies that form the most exquisitely aligned gravitational lens found to date. The Carousel Lens is a massive cluster-scale gravitational lens system that will enable researchers to delve deeper into the mysteries of the cosmos, including dark matter and dark energy. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-magnifying-deep-space-carousel-lens.html Astronomy Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:57:31 EDT news645883047 Observations with the LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) radio telescope last year showed that first generation Starlink satellites emit unintended radio waves that can hinder astronomical observations. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-gen-starlink-satellites-leak-radio.html Astronomy Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:23:04 EDT news645880981 Using the Gemini Observatory, Argentinian astronomers have conducted comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of an early-type dwarf galaxy known as CGCG014-074. Results of the observational campaign, published September 3 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, shed more light on the properties and evolution of this galaxy. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-spectrophotometric-explores-early-dwarf-galaxy.html Astronomy Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:09:40 EDT news645268173 Extensive geologic evidence of ancient volcanic activity can be found on the moon, but how long this volcanism persisted has been unclear. However, Prof. Li Qiuli's Lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) has identified three volcanic glass beads from lunar soil samples collected by the Chang'e-5 mission. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-million-year-volcanism-moon.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:00:01 EDT news644743525 The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) instrument onboard NOAA's GOES-19 satellite is now sending radiation data back to Earth. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-noaa-seiss-instrument.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:23:05 EDT news644757784 It's 7 billion years ago, and the universe's heyday of star formation is beginning to slow. What might our Milky Way galaxy have looked like at that time? Astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have found clues in the form of a cosmic question mark, the result of a rare alignment across light-years of space. The research paper is published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-webb-reveals-distorted-galaxy-cosmic.html Astronomy Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:01:04 EDT news644670062 Symbiotic binary stars are a type of binary star system that consists of a compact star (such as a white dwarf) and a red giant star. In these systems, a compact star accretes materials from a red giant star and produces soft X-ray photons. However, some of them—known as hard X-ray-emitting symbiotic stars—also produce powerful X-ray photons, which may be due to the presence of massive white dwarfs. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-variability-ray-photons-symbiotic-binary.html Astronomy Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:10:05 EDT news644486995 Most of the matter in the universe is missing. Scientists believe around 85% of the matter in the cosmos is made of invisible dark matter, which has only been detected indirectly by its gravitational effects on its surroundings. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-universe-scientists-closer.html Astronomy Sat, 31 Aug 2024 10:40:02 EDT news643974032 Researchers at Tohoku University and Utsunomiya University have made a breakthrough in understanding the complex nature of turbulence in structures called accretion disks surrounding black holes, using state-of-the-art supercomputers to conduct the highest-resolution simulations to date. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-supercomputer-simulations-reveal-nature-turbulence.html Astronomy Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:04:03 EDT news644141041 Astronomers have performed photometric observations of a young globular cluster known as NGC 1851. The new observational campaign provides more insights into the variable star population of this cluster and validates the membership of these variables. The findings were published August 20 on the pre-print server arXiv. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-variable-star-population-globular-cluster.html Astronomy Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:10:42 EDT news644055037 In 1977, astronomers received a powerful, peculiar radio signal from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. Its frequency was the same as neutral hydrogen, and astronomers had speculated that any ETIs attempting to communicate would naturally use this frequency. Now the signal, named the Wow! Signal has become lore in the SETI world. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-wow-deciphered-hydrogen.html Astronomy Astrobiology Wed, 21 Aug 2024 14:53:03 EDT news643470781 Excess carbon dioxide emitted by human activities—such as fossil fuel burning, land-use changes, and deforestation—is known as anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Approximately 30% of this anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the world's oceans. While this absorption helps mitigate global warming, it also has adverse effects on marine life, including fish and plants. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-anthropogenic-quantifies-amount-pathways-coastal.html Earth Sciences Environment Wed, 21 Aug 2024 10:54:04 EDT news643456441 Researchers at the University of Helsinki have succeeded in something that has been pursued since the 1970s: explaining the X-ray radiation from black hole surroundings. The radiation originates from the combined effect of the chaotic movements of magnetic fields and turbulent plasma gas. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-supercomputer-simulations-explanation-ray-black.html Astronomy Tue, 20 Aug 2024 11:32:03 EDT news643372321 Φsat-2, ESA's groundbreaking cubesat designed to revolutionize Earth observation with artificial intelligence, has launched. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-satellite-power-ai-earth.html Planetary Sciences Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:31:04 EDT news643289461 An international team of astronomers reports the detection of a blazar with highly significant sinusoidal radio variability using the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). The finding was detailed in a research paper published August 5 in the arXiv preprint repository. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-astronomers-blazar-sinusoidal-radio-variability.html Astronomy Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:40:01 EDT news642697363 Applying chaos theory to the movement of iconic arctic whales uncovered a 24-hour diving cycle and a long-range (~100 km) synchronization. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-chaos-theory-approach-reveals-distance.html General Physics Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:54:01 EDT news642675218 Are there any advanced alien civilizations elsewhere in our galaxy? We don't know. All we do know is that there is at least one. Should we be optimistic or pessimistic about finding others? https://phys.org/news/2024-08-dim-odds-alien-civilizations.html Astrobiology Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:50:28 EDT news642675019 Astronomers from the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and elsewhere have observed an X-ray binary system known as CXOU J005245.0-722844. They detected an X-ray outburst from this binary and found that it harbors a white dwarf star. The findings were presented in a research paper published August 2 on the pre-print server arXiv. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-newly-ray-binary-white-dwarf.html Astronomy Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:05:37 EDT news642672334 Climate change is one of the most significant environmental challenges of present times, leading to extreme weather events, including droughts, forest fires, and floods. The primary driver of climate change is the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere due to human activities, which trap heat and raise Earth's temperature. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-climate-aerosols.html Environment Thu, 08 Aug 2024 09:16:20 EDT news642327375 Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are one of the most recent open mysteries of modern astrophysics. Within a few milliseconds, these powerful events release an immense amount of energy, among the highest observable in cosmic phenomena. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-plasma-persistent-radio-emissions-fast.html Astronomy Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:43:21 EDT news642249795 A pair of astrophysicists from Ciudad Universitaria and Universidad Complutense de Madrid, both in Spain, report evidence that comet A117uUD was put on its current "hyperbolic trajectory" when it passed close to Saturn two years ago. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-comet-a117uud-hyperbolic-trajectory-saturn.html Astronomy Planetary Sciences Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:34:04 EDT news641806439 In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, a researcher from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, explores critical aspects of a phenomenon called kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) to provide fresh insights into an age-old heliophysics mystery. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-solar-corona-hotter-sun-surface.html Astronomy Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:16:32 EDT news641463387 In the past week, Earth's record for the hottest day was broken twice. Sunday July 21 was declared Earth's hottest day since records began, when average surface temperature reached 17.09°C. On Monday the record fell again, when average temperatures reached 17.16°C—and Tuesday was almost as hot. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-monday-warmest-day-earth-scientists.html Environment Thu, 25 Jul 2024 12:26:04 EDT news641129161