Science

The slender crescent moon will be positioned close to the bright star Spica at sunset on Aug. 27, but you’ll have to be quick to catch a glimpse of the cosmic duo before they follow the sun below the horizon! Look to the west as the sun sets on Aug. 27 to find the 18%-lit waxing crescent moon a little …

Scientists have devised a new method for mapping the spottiness of distant stars by using observations from NASA missions of orbiting planets crossing their stars’ faces. The model builds on a technique researchers have used for decades to study star spots. By improving astronomers’ understanding of spotty stars, the new model — called StarryStarryProcess — can help discover more about …

Sharks without teeth might sound like the stuff of dreams to swimmers and surfers. Now a new study has found that ocean acidification could leave the apex predators without their critical survival weapon. Shark jaws carry several rows of teeth and new ones quickly push forward to replace losses. However, rapidly acidifying oceans are damaging shark teeth and could speed …

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope has been a game-changer. It has delivered some of the highest resolution views we have ever taken of the Sun. Now, it has provided the highest resolution observations of coronal loops during a solar flare. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content. …

Beneath the Earth’s surface lies a vast and mysterious ecosystem, home to a staggering number of microorganisms, many of which are newly discovered. A recent study, published by the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), revealed that nearly 70% of all life on Earth exists underground, challenging our understanding of where life can thrive. This hidden world, as uncovered by researchers, opens …

SpaceX shared stunning photos of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the U.S. Space Force’s secretive X-37B space plane into orbit last week. The pictures capture the nighttime launch on Aug. 21, when the robotic X-37B, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida at …

Asteroid Ryugu is proving to be one of the most scientifically valuable time capsules in the solar system. A recent study of microscopic grains collected from Ryugu by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft found the tiny space rock harbors minerals that formed long before Earth itself — minerals that have been preserved in pristine condition for billions of years. Using cutting-edge X-ray …

We’re on day three of the lunar cycle, a series of eight unique phases of the moon’s visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.  So let’s see what’s happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 26. What is …

Environmental scientists are increasingly using enormous artificial intelligence models to make predictions about changes in weather and climate, but a new study by MIT researchers shows that bigger models are not always better. The team demonstrates that, in certain climate scenarios, much simpler, physics-based models can generate more accurate predictions than state-of-the-art deep-learning models. Their analysis also reveals that a …

Scientists have found that twisting structures in DNA long mistaken for knots are actually something else entirely. Inside cells, DNA gets twisted, copied, and pulled apart. The twists can influence how genes function, affecting which are switched on and when. Studying how DNA responds to stress can help scientists better understand how genes are controlled, how the molecule is organized, …