At the edge of two exotic materials, scientists have discovered a new state of matter called a “quantum liquid crystal” that behaves unlike anything we’ve seen before. When a conductive Weyl semimetal and a magnetic spin ice meet under a powerful magnetic field, strange and exciting quantum behavior emerges—electrons flow in odd directions and break …
Rutgers physicists just discovered a strange new state of matter Read More »
Using a powerful mathematical tool, scientists have unveiled the intricate “ringing” of black holes, unlocking patterns missed for decades and laying the groundwork for sharper gravitational wave measurements. Using a powerful mathematical tool, scientists have unveiled the intricate “ringing” of black holes, unlocking patterns missed for decades and laying the groundwork for sharper gravitational wave …
Black holes don’t just swallow light, they sing. And we just learned the tune Read More »
A jaw-dropping 515-mile lightning bolt lit up the skies from Texas to Kansas City, smashing previous records and reshaping our understanding of extreme weather. Thanks to advanced satellite tech, scientists like Randy Cerveny and Michael Peterson are uncovering the mechanics of “megaflash” lightning—rare, colossal discharges that span hundreds of miles across the sky. These massive …
A Penn State-led research team has unraveled the long-standing mystery of how lightning begins inside thunderclouds. Their findings offer the first quantitative, physics-based explanation for lightning initiation—and a glimpse into the stormy heart of Earth’s atmosphere. A Penn State-led research team has unraveled the long-standing mystery of how lightning begins inside thunderclouds. Their findings offer …
Scientists finally solve the mystery of what triggers lightning Read More »
About 9 million years ago, a wild interspecies fling between tomato-like plants and potato relatives in South America gave rise to one of the world’s most important crops: the potato. Scientists have now traced its roots to a rare natural hybridization that created the tuber, a storage organ that allowed the plant to survive harsh …
Scientists just solved the 9-million-year mystery of where potatoes came from Read More »
Long before evolution equipped them with the right teeth, early humans began eating tough grasses and starchy underground plants—foods rich in energy but hard to chew. A new study reveals that this bold dietary shift happened 700,000 years before the ideal dental traits evolved to handle it. Long before evolution equipped them with the right …
700,000 years ahead of their teeth: The carbs that made us human Read More »
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has flown closer to the Sun than ever before, offering the first direct glimpse into the turbulent solar atmosphere. Scientists have discovered that a phenomenon called the “helicity barrier” disrupts the way energy is transformed into heat, solving a major puzzle in how the Sun’s corona gets so hot and the …
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe finds hidden barrier that explains the sun’s mysterious heat Read More »
A bizarre planet defies cosmic norms: scientists have confirmed a giant planet orbiting in reverse around one star in a close binary system—an arrangement previously thought impossible. Using advanced tools, they discovered the companion star is a faint white dwarf that lost most of its mass billions of years ago. The team now believes this …
Ghost star’s planet orbits backward in a bizarre stellar system Read More »
Astronomers using ALMA have discovered complex organic molecules, including potential precursors to life’s building blocks, in the protoplanetary disc of a young star, V883 Orionis. This finding offers a tantalizing glimpse into how life-friendly chemistry may be far more widespread and inherited than previously thought. Astronomers using ALMA have discovered complex organic molecules, including potential …
Astronomers detect life’s building blocks around a young star Read More »
Plastic pollution is a mounting global issue, but scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have taken a bold step forward by creating a new bioplastic inspired by the structure of leaves. Their innovation, LEAFF, enhances strength, functionality, and biodegradability by utilizing cellulose nanofibers, outperforming even traditional plastics. It degrades at room temperature, can be …