Recent Comments

    Surprise methanol detection points to evolving story of Saturn’s moon Enceladus’s plumes

    July 5, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    NASA image of Enceladus within the E-ring in orbit around Saturn, where it is possible that the methanol detection could originate further out in the E-ring. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute. Click for a larger image

    NASA image of Enceladus within the E-ring in orbit around Saturn, where it is possible that the methanol detection could originate further out in the E-ring. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute. Click for a larger image

     
    A serendipitous detection of the organic molecule methanol around an intriguing moon of Saturn suggests that material spewed from Enceladus undertakes a complex chemical journey once vented into space. This is the first time that a molecule from Enceladus has been detected with a ground-based telescope. Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder, of Cardiff University, will present the results on Tuesday 4th July at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull.
     
    Enceladus’s plumes are thought to originate in water escaping from a subsurface ocean t...
    Read More

    ‘Little Cub’ gives astronomers rare chance to see galaxy demise

    July 5, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    The Little Cub galaxy (circled) which is being stripped of gas by its larger neighbor. Credit: SDSS Collaboration

    The Little Cub galaxy (circled) which is being stripped of gas by its larger neighbor. Credit: SDSS Collaboration

     
    A primitive galaxy that could provide clues about the early Universe has been spotted by astronomers as it begins to be consumed by a gigantic neighbouring galaxy. The Little Cub galaxy – so called because it sits in the Ursa Major or Great Bear constellation – is being stripped of the gas needed to continue forming stars by its larger companion. The find means scientists now have a rare opportunity to observe a dwarf galaxy as its gas is removed by the effects of a nearby giant galaxy to learn more about how this process happens.
     
    As the Little Cub has remained almost pristine since its formation, scientists also hope its elements will reveal more about the che...
    Read More

    Milking it: A New Robot to Extract Scorpion Venom

    July 4, 2017, Categories  Physics, Technology/Electronics, Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    A diagram of the VES-4, a scorpion-milking machine.

    A diagram of the VES-4, a scorpion-milking machine.

    A new scorpion-milking robot designed could replace the traditional manual method. Scorpion venom is used in medical applications such as immunosuppressants, anti-malarial drugs and cancer research, but the extraction process can be potentially life-threatening. “This robot makes venom recovery fast and safe,” says Mr Mouad Mkamel who designed the robot with a team of researchers from Ben M’sik Hassan II University, Morocco.

    “The extraction of scorpion venom is a very difficult task and usually takes at least two experimenters,” says Mr Mkamel. “There are numerous risks including potentially deadly scorpion stings and electric shocks from the stimulators used to extract the venom...

    Read More

    Wearable Electronics: Superstretchable, supercompressible supercapacitors

    July 4, 2017, Categories  Physics, Technology/Electronics

    Superstretchable, supercompressible supercapacitors

    An Intrinsically Stretchable and Compressible Supercapacitor Containing a Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Electrolyte, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2017). DOI: 10.1002/anie.201705212

    A polyacrylamide hydrogel electrolyte renders supercapacitors extraordinarily stretchable and compressible. Flexible, wearable electronics require equally flexible, wearable power sources. Chinese scientists have introduced an extraordinarily stretchable and compressible polyelectrolyte which, in combination with carbon nanotube composite paper electrodes, forms a supercapacitor that can be stretched to 1000% in length and compressed to 50% in thickness with even gaining, not losing capacity.

    Supercapacitors bridge the gap between batteries, which are merely energy-storing devices, and normal capacitors, w...

    Read More