A team of international researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery near a supermassive black hole, detecting significant X-ray oscillations that could indicate the presence of a nearby stellar-mass orbiter, such as a white dwarf. The team, led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), observed the extreme supermassive black hole 1ES 1927+654, which brightened by…
insights on The Soothsayer / page 2
Researchers have discovered that the ink of the common cuttlefish contains a compound called melanin that strongly sticks to sharks’ smell sensors, potentially warning them to stay away. This finding suggests that the cuttlefish’s ink has evolved to exploit sharks’ keen sense of smell, which is limited to a narrow range of scents. The study’s…
A recent study of asteroid dirt brought back to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed the presence of amino acids, nucleobases, and brines that could have facilitated the formation of organic molecules. This finding bolsters the hypothesis that asteroids like Bennu could have delivered the raw ingredients to Earth prior to the emergence of…
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs). By analyzing the FRB 20221022A, they have found evidence that at least one of these cosmic phenomena originated from a region very close to the object that emitted it, challenging existing models of…
Scientists have finally solved the mystery of a giant pterosaur fossil found in Germany, which was initially thought to be a distinct species. After conducting a detailed analysis, researchers concluded that the fossil is actually a larger version of the Rhamphorhynchus species, which lived during the Jurassic Period. The study reveals how pterosaurs may have…
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious cosmic flash, dubbed the Platypus, which may link two types of cosmic flares and offer a new way to understand the origins of supermassive black holes. The event, observed in a dwarf galaxy 6.5 billion light-years from Earth, has characteristics of both tidal disruption events and luminous fast-blue optical transients….
Mathematicians have long relied on calculus to understand the world around us, but a groundbreaking discovery by Karl Weierstrass in 1872 shook the foundations of the subject. Weierstrass’ “monster function” revealed that continuity does not imply differentiability, forcing mathematicians to re-examine their understanding of calculus. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for fields such as physics,…
Astronomers have discovered that stars in the thick disk of the Milky Way galaxy have fewer planets than those in the thin disk. Researchers believe that the intense radiation from the galaxy’s chaotic past may have destroyed planet-forming disks around older stars, hindering their ability to grow and retain planets. This finding sheds new light…
Researchers from the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics at the University of Wollongong in Australia have made a significant breakthrough in brain cancer treatment by combining microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) with targeted radiosensitizers. This innovative approach has shown promising results in killing cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. The study, published in Cancers, demonstrates the…
Thirteen biotech companies are working on new treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Recent advancements include the approval of tofersen, a personalized treatment for ALS, and the development of new therapies targeting various aspects of the disease. Companies like Alchemab Therapeutics, Annexon Biosciences, and Ionis Pharmaceuticals are leveraging…