Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered that lightning can trigger bursts of high-energy electrons in the Earth’s inner radiation belt, posing a potential threat to spacecraft and astronauts. The researchers analyzed data from a NASA satellite and found that these bursts can occur at low energies, making them difficult to detect. This…
Science on The Soothsayer / page 23
A team of researchers from the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas team has discovered the world’s largest standalone coral off the coast of the Solomon Islands. The coral, estimated to be 300 to 500 years old, measures 34 meters wide, 32 meters long, and 6 meters tall, making it longer than the average blue whale….
A UK-based health technology start-up, Siloton, has made a significant breakthrough in the development of a portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. This innovative technology uses photonic integrated circuits to miniaturize expensive and fragile optical components, making it possible to capture high-quality images of the human retina. The system has the potential to revolutionize the…
In a groundbreaking episode of “The Joy of Why” podcast, mathematician and statistician Emmanuel Candès discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on prediction science. Candès explains how AI models, often referred to as “black boxes,” can make successful predictions without fully understanding the underlying mechanisms. He also highlights the importance of quantifying uncertainty in…
Researchers have proposed a new hypothesis to explain the “Great Dimming” of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, suggesting that an unseen low-mass companion star may be responsible for the phenomenon. The team analyzed decades of observational data and used advanced computer models to simulate Betelgeuse’s activity, finding that the brightest phase of the star’s brightness…
Mathematicians have debunked the bunkbed conjecture, a well-known hypothesis in probability theory that seemed self-evident but has been proven false. The conjecture, which dealt with navigating mathematical mazes called graphs stacked like bunk beds, has significant implications for physics and our understanding of mathematics. The discovery highlights the importance of questioning assumptions and the need…
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery on the moon’s farside, revealing signs of surprising volcanic activity near the lunar south pole. The first samples from the region, brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft, show that the rocks formed from cooling magma relatively recently, about 2.8 billion years ago. This finding may help solve the mystery…
Astronomers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made a groundbreaking discovery by observing a black hole in a triple system with two other stars. The system, called V404 Cygni, was previously thought to be a binary comprising a black hole and a star. The observation supports the idea that some black holes do…
Mathematicians are still trying to catch up to the divine genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician who made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics in the early 20th century. Ramanujan’s work on partition identities has been found to have deep connections to various areas of mathematics, and his legacy continues to inspire new discoveries. Recently, a…
Researchers have made a significant discovery in the study of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurological illness affecting deer. The first detailed structure of an infectious prion responsible for CWD reveals a unique 180-degree twist, which could aid in vaccine development or explain why the disease hasn’t yet jumped to humans. This finding may…