Laser beams powered by the sun are one small step closer to becoming a reality after researchers received funding to develop the pioneering technology. These lasers could eventually help power lunar bases and missions to Mars, and contribute to sustainable energy solutions on Earth, scientists say. In June, the international team of researchers announced it … Read more
In 1974, Stephen Hawking put forward an intriguing idea: Using the principles of quantum physics, he predicted that even though nothing is supposed to escape a black hole’s event horizon, these cosmic beasts can actually emit particles. And by ejecting these particles, black holes will shrink over a very long time, eventually evaporate and possibly … Read more
When you look in a mirror, the reflection is fundamentally you, but with a perfect reversal of all your features. This illustrates a phenomenon we also see in the tiny world of molecules. Some molecules exist as mirror images of themselves, known as “enantiomers”, that can’t be superimposed on one another. This concept is known … Read more
Ground squirrels usually eat seeds and nuts, but in a park in California, these cute, furry creatures have turned into carnivorous killers, mercilessly hunting down voles to peel the flesh from their bones. The unusual new behavior, which researchers caught on camera in Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, could be driven by an … Read more
Disease name: Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) Affected populations: The disease affects an estimated 1 to 2 people per million every year, according to the National Organization of Rare Disorders. FFI is passed from parent to child, and between 50 and 70 families worldwide are believed to carry the genetic mutation that causes FFI. Males and … Read more
Sprinkling diamond dust into the atmosphere could offset almost all the warming caused by humans since the industrial revolution and “buy us some time” with climate change, scientists say. New research indicates that shooting 5.5 million tons (5 million metric tons) of diamond dust into the stratosphere every year could cool the planet by 1.8 … Read more
Virtual reality (VR) experiences could soon get a lot more realistic thanks to a lickable device that lets you “taste” in virtual environments. The small, lollipop-like interface simulates up to nine flavors and can even be combined with smells to make the sensation of taste feel lifelike, scientists said in a new study published Nov. … Read more
NASA scientists have revealed the secrets of the most volcanic body in our solar system, according to new research. The discovery solves a 44-year-old mystery of why, and how, Jupiter’s violent moon, Io, became so volcanically active. Io is only slightly larger than our moon, with a diameter of 2,237 miles (3,600 kilometers), and has … Read more
The world’s first nuclear-powered battery, which uses a radioactive isotope embedded in a diamond, could power small devices for thousands of years, scientists say. The nuclear battery uses the reaction of a diamond placed close to a radioactive source to spontaneously produce electricity, scientists at the University of Bristol in the U.K. explained in a … Read more
One night about 60 years ago, physicist Enrico Fermi looked up into the sky and asked, “Where is everybody?” He was talking about aliens. Today, scientists know that there are millions, perhaps billions of planets in the universe that could sustain life. So, in the long history of everything, why hasn’t any of this life … Read more
