Category Astronomy/Space

Perseverance confirmed a long-suspected phenomenon in which electrical discharges and their associated shock waves can be born within Red Planet mini-twisters.

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has recorded the sounds of electrical discharges —sparks — and mini-sonic booms in dust devils on Mars. Long theorized, the phenomenon has now been confirmed through audio and electromagnetic recordings captured by the rover’s SuperCam microphone. The discovery, published Nov. 26 in the journal Nature, has implications for Martian atmospheric chemistry, climate, and habitability, and could help inform the design of future robotic and human missions to Mars.

A frequent occurrence on the Red Planet, dust devils form from rising and rotating columns of warm air...

Singapore has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, yet many individuals spend almost a decade in poor health toward the end of life. Scientists from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) are working to understand how aging itself can be modified to prevent age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

A new study led by Professor Brian K Kennedy, Department of Biochemistry, Chair of the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program (TRP), NUS Medicine, has discovered that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (CaAKG), a safe, naturally occurring metabolite commonly studied for healthy aging, can restore key memory...

Hidden ice beneath Mars’ surface may mark the spot where humanity first sets foot on the Red Planet. A newly identified region on Mars may hold the key to future human landings. Researchers found evidence of water ice less than a meter beneath the surface, close enough to be harvested for water, oxygen, and fuel. The location strikes a rare balance between sunlight and cold, helping preserve the ice. It could also offer clues about whether Mars once supported life.

Before humans can make the long trip to another world, scientists must identify a safe and practical place to land. New research led by a University of Mississippi scientist suggests one region on Mars may meet many of the requirements for future human missions.

Erica Luzzi, a planetary geologist and postdoctoral re...

A Carnegie-led team of astronomers detected the strongest evidence yet of an atmosphere around a rocky planet beyond our solar system. Their work, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, used NASA’s JWST to reveal an alien atmosphere in an unexpected place—an ancient, ultra-hot super-Earth that likely hosts a magma ocean.

TOI-561 b is a rocky world that’s about twice Earth’s ma...