A global network of small, Wi-Fi-enabled telescopes has enabled hobby astronomers to contribute to astronomical research, discovering hundreds of asteroids, comets, and exoplanets. The network, led by the French company Unistellar, has expanded its reach through partnerships with nonprofits and universities, making it accessible to communities worldwide. This collaborative effort has transformed the way people…
Science on The Soothsayer / page 20
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have observed the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, Sgr A*, to be constantly flickering with superbright flares. The observations, which lasted for hours at a time over the course of a year, revealed a “constant bubbling” in the disk’s light that changed every…
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered a unique structure within the mantis shrimp’s dactyl club that filters out harmful frequencies, preventing damage to its own tissues. This finding could lead to the development of advanced protective materials for military and civilian applications. The team’s research used ultrasonic techniques to investigate surface and bulk wave propagation…
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a device called “e-Taste” that can deliver virtual tastes by squirting chemicals onto the tongue. The system uses five edible chemicals to mimic flavors ranging from cake to coffee, with an overall accuracy of nearly 87% in a recent study. The team envisions applications in immersive gaming and…
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed an optical sensor that can measure the impact of radiative heat inside buildings, a crucial aspect of maintaining occupant comfort and energy efficiency. The sensor uses low-resolution, low-cost infrared sensors to measure the longwave mean radiant temperature, eliminating the need for expensive and bulky radiometers…
Mathematicians Nalini Anantharaman and Laura Monk have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of hyperbolic surfaces, building on the work of the late Maryam Mirzakhani. Their research has shown that certain critical properties are common in hyperbolic surfaces, which were previously thought to be rare. This breakthrough has significant implications for our understanding of…
A 4-year-old girl who received CAR-T cell therapy 18 years ago has remained cancer-free, making her possibly the longest-surviving patient with cancer to receive this tailored treatment. Researchers have been studying the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in treating solid tumors, including neuroblastoma, and have seen promising results. The treatment involves removing immune cells from…
A team of scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has made a groundbreaking discovery about the supermassive black hole M87*. By analyzing observations from 2017 and 2018, the researchers found that the black hole’s rotational axis points away from Earth and that turbulence within the accretion disc plays a significant role in changing its…
Researchers in the US have developed a new technique using frequency combs to measure trace concentrations of gas molecules with unprecedented sensitivity. This breakthrough could open up new applications in medicine, environmental chemistry, and chemical kinetics, enabling the detection of biomedically relevant molecules in exhaled air, such as acetone and formaldehyde. Forecast for 6 months:…
Researchers in Chile have discovered that fog harvesting can be a practical supplement to stave off water stress in desert cities. By collecting tiny droplets of fog, cities in arid regions can reduce their reliance on groundwater, which is often depleted by mining and agriculture. The study found that it’s possible to collect up to…