Sep 8th, 2024 - Thermogenesis, the ability of plants to generate their own heat, is a remarkable survival tool that has evolved in certain plant species. While commonly associated with animals, this process plays a crucial role in helping plants like cycads and select flowering varieties attract pollinators. Plant heat attracts pollinators By producing heat, these plants can volatilize their fragrances more effectively, dispersing chemical compounds that enhance their chances of attracting a wide variety of pollinators, including beetles, flies, and thrips. This thermal boost not only makes the plants more ... [Read More]

Sep 7th, 2024 - A nearby galaxy is shining with star formation in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope . The spiral galaxy Messier 33 (M33), also known as the Triangulum Galaxy, is the third-largest member of the Local Group of galaxies, after the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and our own Milky Way . Measuring only 60,000 light-years across, M33 is about half the size of the Milky Way . Located nearly 3 million light years from Earth, the Triangulum Galaxy is regarded as a "hotbed of starbirth," forming stars at a rate 10 times higher than the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, according to a statement from NASA ... [Read More]

Sep 7th, 2024 - Ever had that moment when you throw a rock into a pond and observe the ripples moving away from the spot? Now, imagine something similar happening, but on a much bigger scale – in space. That's what happened when NASA's DART spacecraft made history by altering the path of a gigantic space rock hurling through the cosmos. DART mission makes history In 2022, DART made more than just ripples, it made waves of debris in space. It strategically collided with the Dimorphos asteroid, causing a ripple effect that shifted its orbit around its larger sibling, the Didymos asteroid. The ... [Read More]

Sep 7th, 2024 - BepiColombo, a joint European-Japanese mission, completed its latest flyby of Mercury, sending back a sneak peek of the cratered planet it will begin to orbit in 2026. Listen to this article · 4:26 min On Thursday, a spacecraft operated by the European Space Agency and Japan made its closest approach yet to Mercury, sending back sharp, black-and-white images of the planet's barren, speckled surface at sunrise. The spacecraft, BepiColombo, gave scientists their first clear view of Mercury's south pole. It also captured several of the planet's craters, including those with unusual rings ... [Read More]

Sep 7th, 2024 - Life on Earth is anything but predictable. For evidence, look no further than the five mass extinctions that have occurred over the past 500 million years: End-Ordovician Extinction (about 443 million years ago) . The End-Ordovician extinction is one of the earliest known mass extinctions, believed to have been driven primarily by a short, intense ice age that led to a drop in sea levels, disrupting marine habitats. The resultant habitat loss and cooling temperatures caused the extinction of approximately 85% of marine species, including many brachiopods and trilobites. Late Devonian ... [Read More]

Sep 6th, 2024 - A person in Missouri has been infected with bird flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The adult, who didn't have known contact with poultry or dairy cows, was hospitalized on Aug. 22 and has recovered. The case adds to growing anxiety about the risk of bird flu spreading among humans, especially since this is the first infection in a person in the U.S. who didn't work with poultry or dairy cows. The CDC said the risk among the general public remains low. At least 196 herds of dairy cows in 14 states have confirmed outbreaks of the H5 influenza virus, according to ... [Read More]

Sep 6th, 2024 - People who spent more than half a century not knowing where their loved ones were buried have finally been able to visit their graves. This followed the discovery of a mass burial ground in Royton, Oldham, that is believed to hold 145 stillborn babies, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults. The Royton grave was only discovered by chance when a woman set out to try to find the last resting place of her baby brothers. The government says work is being done to improve the way burial records are kept. The 12ft (3.6m) by 12ft grave was unmarked, and only discovered when councillors Maggie ... [Read More]

Sep 6th, 2024 - NASA and Boeing will attempt to bring an empty Starliner spacecraft back to Earth tonight (Sept. 6), weeks after the craft was deemed too risky for astronauts to ride home. The uncrewed Starliner is scheduled to detach from the International Space Station (ISS) at 6:04 p.m. EDT (2204 GMT) today for a six-hour journey that should conclude at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico just after midnight EDT. NASA will livestream the undocking phase beginning at 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT) and Starliner's landing starting at 10:50 p.m. EDT (0250 GMT on Sept. 7). You can watch the livestreams on ... [Read More]