This is an image illustrating the late-stage building blocks of planetary formation (planetessimals and proto-planets) and the extensive volatile degassing that took place.
Credit: Ashley Norris, Oxford University

Oxford University scientists have shed new light on how Earth was first formed. Based on observations of newly-forming stars, scientists know that the solar system began as a disc of dust and gas surrounding the centrally-growing sun. The gas condensed to solids which accumulated into larger rocky bodies like asteroids and mini-planets. Over a period of 100 million years these mini-planets collided with one another and gradually accumulated into the planets we see today, including Earth.

Although it is widely understood that Earth was formed gradually, from much smaller bodies, ma...

ELV-N32 and ELV-N34 diminish NVU disruption and reduce brain infarction after ischemic stroke.

A new class of molecules in the brain that synchronize cell-to-cell communication and neuroinflammation/ immune activity in response to injury or diseases has been found. Elovanoids (ELVs) are bioactive chemical messengers made from omega-3 very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs,n-3). They are released on demand when cells are damaged or stressed.

“Although we knew about messengers from omega-3 fatty acids such as neuroprotectin D1 (22 carbons) before, the novelty of the present discovery is that elovanoids are made of 32 to 34 carbon atoms in length,” notes Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans...

This is an aerial view of the Virgo site showing the Mode-Cleaner building, the Central building, the three kilometer-long west arm and the beginning of the north arm. The other buildings include offices, workshops, computer rooms and the control room of the interferometer. Credit: The Virgo collaboration/CCO 1.0

The first observation of gravitational waves has been discovered by by 3 different detectors, marking a new era of greater insights and improved localization of cosmic events now available through globally networked gravitational-wave observatories. In August, detectors on two continents recorded gravitational wave signals from a pair of black holes colliding...

The spectacular planetary nebula NGC 7009, or the Saturn Nebula, emerges from the darkness like a series of oddly-shaped bubbles, lit up in glorious pinks and blues. This colorful image was captured by the powerful MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), as part of a study which mapped the dust inside a planetary nebula for the first time. Credit: ESO/J. Walsh

The spectacular planetary nebula NGC 7009 is ~5000 light years away in the constellation of Aquarius (The Water Bearer). Its name derives from its odd shape, which resembles everyone’s favourite ringed planet seen edge-on. But in fact, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets...