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    A New Catalog of Infrared Dark -Clouds

    June 7, 2020, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    A false-color infrared image of the Infrared Dark Cloud called “the Snake” as seen by the IRAC camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers have produced a new catalog of IRDCs from IRAC’s sky survey images using a new computational search-and-detection algorithm. (Blue dots are stars relatively undimmed by dust, while the red dots are young stars embedded in the cloud.)
    NASA, JPL-Caltech/S. Carey (SSC/Caltech)

    Infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) are dark patches of cold dust and gas seen in the sky against the bright diffuse infrared glow of warm dust in our galaxy. These IRDCs, massive and rich in molecules, are natural sites for star birth—one of the main reasons why astronomers are actively studying them...

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    ‘Poisoned Arrow’ Defeats Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

    June 5, 2020, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    An illustration of a monstrous bacteria being punctured by molecular components of a new antibiotic
    A team of Princeton researchers led by Professor Zemer Gitai has found an antibiotic that can simultaneously puncture bacterial walls and destroy folate within their cells — taking out even monstrous bacteria with the effectiveness of a poisoned arrow — while proving immune to antibiotic resistance.
    Illustration by
    Matilda Luk, Office of Communications

    A dual-mechanism antibiotic kills Gram-negative bacteria and avoids drug resistance. Poison is lethal all on its own – as are arrows – but their combination is greater than the sum of their parts. A weapon that simultaneously attacks from within and without can take down even the strongest opponents, from E. coli to MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

    A team of Princeton researchers reported today in the journal Cell...

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    Breaking the mold: An unusual choice of Material yields incredibly Long-Lasting Batteries

    June 5, 2020, Categories  Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    This work has conducted an evaluation on the role of polarity over conductivity by using a polar but nonconductive platelet ordered mesoporous silica (pOMS) and its replica platelet ordered mesoporous carbon (pOMC), which is conductive but nonpolar. It is found that the polar pOMS/S cathode with a sulfur mass fraction of 80 wt% demonstrates outstanding long‐term cycle stability for 2000 cycles even at a high current density of 2C.

    Non-conductive silica could be key to realizing next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries. Scientists have developed a novel silica-based cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries, thereby enabling the realization of batteries that can last for over 2000 charge/discharge cycles...

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    Origin of Martian Moon Phobos

    June 5, 2020, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Images capture the Mars moon Phobos during different phases—waxing, waning and full—including the three images recently processed by Edwards.

    Christopher Edwards, assistant professor in NAU’s Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, just processed new images of the Martian moon Phobos that give scientists insight into the physical properties of the moon and its composition. The images of the small moon, which is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) in diameter, were captured by NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter. When reviewed in combination with three previously released images, these new images could ultimately help settle the debate over whether the planetary body is a “captured asteroid” — pulled into perpetual orbit around Mars — or an ancient chunk of Mars blasted off the surface by a meteorite impact.

    Along with scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and Arizona State University, Edwards used the Thermal Emission I...

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