Type 1 Diabetes May Be Triggered by Bacterial Infections, Scientists Find
A new study led by researchers from Cardiff University found that type 1 diabetes may be triggered by bacterial infections. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. While some have suggested viruses may trigger type 1 diabetes, this study points to bacterial proteins as […]
COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Moon, Scientists Claim
– Scientists from India’s Physical Research Laboratory observed that lunar nighttime surface temperatures dipped substantially across six sites on the near side of the Moon during early 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns were in effect. – They propose that this “anomalous dip” was caused by a sudden drop in radiation being emitted from Earth as human […]
Some of Uranus’ moons might be able to support life. Here’s what a mission might reveal
– Some of Uranus’ moons like Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon could potentially have subsurface oceans due to radioactive heating and prior geological activity. This raises the possibility of them being able to support life. – A past study reanalyzed data from Voyager 2 and found evidence that four of Uranus’ largest moons could have […]
U.S. government moves to open up over 30 million acres of federal land for solar power: ‘A step in the right direction’
The Biden administration has finalized a plan to significantly expand access to federal lands for solar energy development. Specifically, it is opening up over 30 million acres across the Western U.S. for utility-scale solar farms. This builds upon an existing initiative, the Western Solar Plan, which had already approved 22 million acres for solar. The […]
Why space archaeologists are finding more Mayan ruins than ever before
– Space archaeologists are finding more Mayan ruins in Central America than ever before due to advances in satellite technology. – Lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors on satellites can see through dense forest canopies to detect structural features of buried Mayan sites. – In the past 10 years, archaeologists have mapped more Mayan structures […]
Doomed Franklin Expedition Ate Their Captain, Bone Study Reveals
– Scientists have identified bones recovered from King William Island as belonging to James Fitzjames, captain of the HMS Erebus. – DNA evidence from a tooth found matched a descendant of Fitzjames. This is only the second identification made of Franklin expedition remains. – Notches on Fitzjames’ jawbone indicate it showed signs of butchering, suggesting […]
Scientists Made a Golden Lettuce That Comes With a Vitamin Boost
– Scientists have genetically engineered lettuce to produce significantly higher levels of vitamin A through increasing levels of beta-carotene. – Typically, too much beta-carotene in chloroplasts interferes with photosynthesis, so researchers stored it elsewhere like the cytosol and specialized cells called chromoplasts. – They also introduced a bacterial gene (crtB) and subjected the plants to […]
Analyze This: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is shrinking
– Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a massive storm that has been observed since the 1800s. However, researchers have discovered descriptions of an earlier spot on Jupiter dating back to the 1600s called the Permanent Spot. – By studying historical drawings and observations, researchers determined that the Permanent Spot was a different feature than the […]
Apple Ring: all the rumors so far and what we want to see
– Apple has filed several patents over the years related to smart rings, suggesting it is exploring the concept. – Rumors in 2023/2024 indicated an Apple Ring may launch to compete with rings from Samsung and Oura, but it has not materialized yet. – Predicted price would be $399 or higher to compete but still […]
Hubble Space Telescope suggests our ancient universe was surprisingly crowded with supermassive black holes
– Astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to study a small patch of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, searching for objects that changed brightness over time which could indicate active galactic nuclei (AGN). – They found 71 variable sources, with 3 sources appearing to be AGN from over 12.7 billion years ago, when the universe […]