A Researcher’s Model Suggests We’re Connected to an Anti-Universe
A researcher named Naman Kumar from the Indian Institute of Technology has proposed a new model to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe without needing to invoke dark matter or dark energy. His model suggests that our universe is entangled with a “partner anti-universe” whose time flows in the opposite direction to ours. He […]
Mars is more prone to devastating asteroid impacts than we thought, new study hints
A new study finds that Mars may face more than twice as many close encounters with potentially hazardous asteroids than Earth. This could pose risks to current and future Mars missions. Researchers used computer simulations to track around 11,000 asteroids over 100 million years and determine how many have close approaches to Mars (called “Mars […]
Judge dismisses Native American challenge to $10B SunZia energy transmission project in Arizona
A US district judge dismissed a legal challenge by Native American tribes and environmental groups to a portion of the $10 billion SunZia transmission line project in Arizona. The project will carry wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to customers in states like California. The disputed section passes through land of cultural significance to tribes. The […]
Space elevators could get us to Mars in record time — and Japan is planning one for 2050
A space elevator is a proposed type of structure that could transport spacecraft and cargo into space cheaper and faster than traditional rocket launches. It would consist of a tether extending from a base on Earth up to a counterweight beyond geostationary orbit. The Obayashi Corporation in Japan announced plans in 2012 to begin constructing […]
A Chinese agency working with Russia has been trying to source drone jammers
A Chinese government agency called the Guangdong Provincial Association for Promotion of Trade with Russia posted a procurement notice on May 22 seeking “unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipment”, including drone detectors and jammers. The notice asked for interference generators, drone detectors from certain Russian companies, drone suppressors, and communication band jammers. Drone jammers can disrupt […]
Researchers lead revolutionary project using nuclear energy to make cleaner ammonia — here’s how it could impact the energy sector
Researchers led by Utah State University and Argonne National Laboratory are working on a project to produce cleaner ammonia using nuclear energy. The project involves using small modular nuclear reactors from NuScale Power to power electrolysis and produce “green hydrogen” from water in an emissions-free process. This hydrogen would then be used to make ammonia, […]
See Elon Musk’s Starship shredding apart as it descends to Earth, with a whole fin almost ripping off
SpaceX conducted a test flight of its Starship spacecraft where it launched to space and returned to Earth, splashing down in the ocean. This was a big step towards reusability. However, visible damage was observed to the spacecraft during its high-speed reentry and descent. Specifically, one of the robotic fins started ripping off midway through […]
Cancer patients often do better with less intensive treatment, new research finds
New research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting finds that scaling back treatment can be better for some cancer patients without compromising outcomes. Studies on ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma found less intensive treatment was equally effective or sometimes better than standard treatment. For ovarian cancer, not removing lymph […]
100 years ago, US citizenship for Native Americans came without voting rights in swing states
100 years ago, the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was passed, granting citizenship to all Native Americans born in the US. However, many states still denied them the right to vote for several more decades. In New Mexico and Arizona, Native Americans were not able to vote until the 1940s/1950s. Some argue this was intentional […]
Humble fern from New Caledonia boasts world’s largest genome
Researchers have discovered that the Tmesipteris oblanceolata fern species native to New Caledonia has the largest genome of any known organism. Its genome is 7% larger than the previous record-holder, a Japanese plant called Paris japonica. The fern’s genome is over 50 times larger than the human genome. If uncoiled, the fern’s DNA would extend […]