Asteroid Ryugu’s Rocky Past

Four images of grey rocks
Surface Rocks. Hayabusa2 captures images of unusually bright S-type rocks that stand out from the darker C-type material that makes up the bulk of Ryugu. © 2020 Tatsumi et al.

Different kinds of rocks on Ryugu provide clues to the asteroid’s turbulent history. Researchers find evidence that asteroid Ryugu was born out of the possible destruction of a larger parent asteroid millions of years ago. Thanks to the Hayabusa2 spacecraft, the international team was able to study certain surface features in detail. Variations in the kinds of boulders scattered on Ryugu tell researchers about the processes involved in its creation. The study of asteroids including Ryugu informs the study of the evolution of life on Earth.

The asteroid Ryugu may look like a solid piece of rock, but it’s more ...

Read More

Targeting the Treatment of Autoimmune Dieases

Plasma cells at the center of a novel treatment approach. Researchers from Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum (DRFZ) Berlin, a Leibniz Institute, have successfully treated two patients with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. Using daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody which targets specific immune cells known as plasma cells, the researchers were able to modulate the abnormal immunological memory processes found in these patients. Treatment induced sustainable clinical responses and resulted in a reduction in systemic inflammation. The results of this research have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The body’s immunological memory enables the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively to pa...

Read More

Physicists develop Printable Organic Transistors

Upper panel: Layer sequence of an vertical organic permeable base transistor with two independently tunable base electrodes. Lower panel, left: Transfer-characteristics of such a transistor. Right: Adjustability of the turning-on voltage using the second base electrode.

Scientists have come a step closer to the vision of a broad application of flexible, printable electronics. The team has succeeded in developing powerful vertical organic transistors with two independent control electrodes.

High-definition roll-up televisions or foldable smartphones may soon no longer be unaffordable luxury goods that can be admired at international electronics trade fairs...

Read More

The first Ultra-Hot Neptune, LTT 9779b, is one of nature’s improbable planets

The Ultra Hot Neptune. Credit: Ricardo Ramirez

An international team of astronomers, including a group from the University of Warwick, have discovered the first Ultra Hot Neptune planet orbiting the nearby star LTT 9779.

The world orbits so close to its star that its year lasts only 19 hours, meaning the stellar radiation heats the planet to over 1700 degrees Celsius.

At these temperatures, heavy elements like iron can be ionized in the atmosphere and molecules disassociated, providing a unique laboratory to study the chemistry of planets outside the solar system.

Although the world weighs twice as much as Neptune does, it is also slightly larger and so has a similar density...

Read More