Built to track enemy submarines, the Navy’s underwater listening network inadvertently revealed that whales may be singing across entire oceans The post The Cold War’s Accidental Whale Observatory appeared first on Nautilus .
Nuclear physicists used a little magic in their latest experiment conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, and the result has revealed surprising new information about the behavior of protons and neutrons inside the atom's
A sonic boom shook Boston and the larger New England area with the force of 230 tons of TNT. The source came from outer space. The Saturday afternoon event triggered shock waves online, with thousands inquiring what could have caused houses to shake and a sound heard as far
The podcast returns with 12 all-new episodes that explore the biggest questions in basic science and mathematics. The post More Conversations, Complex Questions, and Bold Ideas in Season Five of ‘The Joy of Why’ first appeared on Quanta Magazine
When most people imagine scientists discovering new species, they probably still picture an expedition into the unknown.
The hunt is over. After more than 50 years of searching, astrophysicists at Northwestern University have finally discovered evidence of a powerful wind blowing from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).
New observations suggest the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s core is blowing gas away from the central behemoth.
It's been roughly six years since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked a global conversation about anti-Black police violence and the excessive use of police force against Black and Indigenous communities.
University of Florida researchers are exploring how lasers could help astronauts build structures on the moon using materials already available there, including lunar soil transformed into glass. The work, led by Victoria M. Miller, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Herbert
In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a vast ocean once covered the landing site.
Although the clean energy transition offers major opportunities, a new report from University of Aberdeen researchers warns that current governance arrangements may leave coastal communities bearing the cost of energy transition while seeing limited long-term benefits.
Endangered basking sharks aren't fasting during long-distance migrations. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows that they may be foraging along the way, and in much deeper areas of the ocean than previously thought. As filter feeders, this species is
Over 3,000 years ago, the people of Bronze Age Poland burned their dead and placed their ashes in urns, often destroying the intimate records of their lives preserved in their bones. Now, researchers have shown that some of these records can still be read, hidden in the charred
New research led by the University of the Sunshine Coast has found that reef manta rays are diving deep in storm events to find food and stay alive. As World Environment Day is celebrated around the globe on June 5, the findings offer hope for the future of a species listed as
Recent technological advances and the introduction of new digital media platforms have dramatically changed how people learn and source information about topics that interest them. Some recent studies have found that while browsing online or scrolling down social media
Entrepreneurs use a variety of strategies to achieve their goals, sometimes turning to online crowdfunding campaigns to increase their reach and raise money. Yet the success of fundraising campaigns is often variable, driven by what's being asked and the language that people
Rachel Carson’s look at the dire effects of industrial and agricultural pollution birthed the modern environmental movement when it was first published – and remains as crucial a read today, finds Rowan Hooper
SpaceX, the rocket and satellite company led by US billionaire Elon Musk, aims to raise approximately $75 billion in a record initial public offering, the company said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday, valuing the company at $1.765 trillion.
JCU Associate Professor of Information Technology Roberto Dillon has published his new historical analysis in the journal New Media & Society, explaining how gaming, movies and television representations of the Hacker have evolved over the past 30 years, creating a complex but
Quantum materials, materials with properties that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics describing many-body interactions, have proved promising for the development of various advanced technologies. Many of these materials undergo so-called phase transitions, switching
Graphene, the "wonder material," has shaped much of Suprem Das's research career. From nano-manufacturing to advanced printing for applications such as sensing and energy, Das is committed to finding graphene solutions with real-world impact. Das and his team manufacture
Culture is humanity’s secret for world domination. This calculation shows just how powerful it is
Even though astronomers didn’t detect alien tech signals from a rare interstellar visitor, the results are worthwhile, they say
When a rare but deadly rodent-borne virus struck passengers on a cruise ship and seemed to be spreading, there were no treatments for those who fell ill and no vaccines to protect others.
SpaceX says it plans to raise up to $75 billion when it goes public this month, setting the stage for the largest-ever stock market debut and putting Elon Musk on course to becoming the world's first trillionaire.
The building‐block chemicals behind everyday products—like shampoo bottles, food containers, and kitchen spatulas—are largely derived from oil. Researchers are now working to replace those fossil‐fuel‐based inputs with materials sourced from renewable biological systems, a
A glacier could have carried the giant sandstone at the centre of Stonehenge southwards from north-east Scotland, but this scenario appears unlikely
The New World screwworm fly has reached south Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday, the first time in decades that the parasite with flesh-eating larvae has threatened the nation's cattle industry and only the third time it's appeared in the U.S. in
Canada's government endorsed a plan Wednesday to move the last remaining captive whales from a shuttered theme park in Ontario to aquariums in the United States and Spain—a plan that could save them from mass euthanasia if the deal goes through.
New research by Curtin University has revealed how one of Stonehenge's most mysterious stones was likely transported hundreds of kilometers across Britain through challenging terrain, highlighting the remarkable capabilities of ancient communities.
Hidden beneath Arctic waters, beluga whales have long kept their family lives a mystery. By analyzing DNA from more than 600 belugas in Alaska’s Bristol Bay over 13 years, researchers uncovered a surprisingly flexible mating system: both males and females regularly have
Researchers have discovered how microscopic imperfections and atomic vibrations can be used to control a powerful quantum effect in an advanced material. The effect can turn alternating electrical signals from the environment directly into the kind of current electronic devices
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way the immune system fights cancer, overturning a core belief that has guided immunology for decades. The research found that when cancer cells shut down a key immune-recognition molecule called MHC I—a common trick used to hide from
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered unusual chemistry in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, including the first direct detection of methane on a visitor from another star system. The comet also contains exceptionally high levels of carbon dioxide, making it unlike most
Conservationists often raise the young of endangered species in captivity before releasing them into suitable habitats as adults. The benefits are obvious: survival to adulthood is typically high, as captive animals are safe from predators and food scarcity. Unfortunately, a
Research from the University of Twente shows how the Javan leopard, one of the world's rarest big cats, survives on one of the most crowded islands on Earth. Using camera traps and spatial models, Andhika Chandra Ariyanto, a doctoral researcher at ITC, found that the cat
Austin Zwick, associate teaching professor in the College of Professional Studies and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, explains how cities can fix their planning systems to address housing crises.
The Very Large Array, the iconic field of radio antennas featured in the film "Contact" (inspired by Carl Sagan's novel), has a long and distinguished history of service. But after more than 45 years of studying the radio sky and probing the mysteries of the universe, the U.S.
Leipzig Zoo in central Germany is a world-leading center of great ape research. Recent studies have seen chimpanzees there using touchscreen controls to navigate virtual forests and locate food rewards—applying similar techniques to what they would use in the wild.
The long-anticipated “Schedule F” order strips job protections meant to safeguard federal employees from political interference
The strength of gravity is different on every body in the solar system. Whether it's the crushing weight of Jupiter or the minuscule pull of a small asteroid, this fundamental force of physics still has a major impact on the material those bodies are made up of. A new paper
A species of moth that was first described in 1818 was believed to be a single species. However, it has since been discovered that it is actually a complex of species, eight of which are found in Brazil. These findings are the result of a study that integrated molecular
A truce of sorts has quelled the return-to-office wars that have raged in the post-pandemic workplace.
Depression, anxiety and sleep disorders are among the conditions often treated with antidepressant drugs. Yet, up to 90% of these drugs pass through the body into wastewater. They're also difficult to remove during water treatment, presenting a possible risk of environmental
A research team led by Professor Shuichi Hiraoka at the University of Tokyo and Professor Masanori Tachikawa at Yokohama City University has quantitatively analyzed how molecules pass through dynamic nanoscale pores using self-assembled molecular "nanocubes" in water. The
Scientists commonly use bacteria as tiny factories that can produce molecules for uses ranging from drug development to pollution remediation. Recently, NC State biologist Carlos Goller and former undergraduate students Pushkar Sai and Andrew Hoyek did a deeper dive into
A new study from the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) helps explain how plants can lose track of their own disease warnings.
In the aftermath of suspected chemical attacks, investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) step in to collect chemical, environmental, and biomedical samples. Thorough forensic laboratory analysis of these samples is essential for proving
Assessment of four heritage sites in Tanzania finds that all are under threat from the institutions meant to steward them, prioritizing income from tourism over the sites' preservation and refusing to engage with community protection initiatives.
There's no sign that methane emissions are declining globally.
