Astronomers explore the Properties of Ultra-Diffuse Galaxy UGC 9050-Dw1

Study explores the properties of ultra-diffuse galaxy UGC 9050-Dw1
HST ACS/WFC F555W/F814W composite color image of UGC 9050-Dw1, which consists of very diffuse stellar light and an amorphous blue central clump of a relatively higher surface brightness. The inset at the lower left depicts a high contrast zoom-in of the central region of the UDG. Credit: Fielder et al, 2023

Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), astronomers have investigated an ultra-diffuse galaxy known as UGC 9050-Dw1. Results of the study, published June 9 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield important insights into the properties of this galaxy.

Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are extremely-low-density galaxies. The largest UDGs have sizes similar to the Milky Way, but have only about 1% as many stars as our home galaxy...

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Exoplanet may reveal Secrets about the Edge of Habitability

Carl Sagan Institute/R. Payne
Artist impression showing the exoplanet LP 890-9c’s potential evolution from a hot Earth to a desiccated Venus.

How close can a rocky planet be to a star, and still sustain water and life? A recently discovered exoplanet may be key to solving that Edge of Habitabilitymystery.

“Super-Earth” LP 890-9c (also named SPECULOOS-2c) is providing important insights about conditions at the inner edge of a star’s habitable zone and why Earth and Venus developed so differently, according to new research led by Lisa Kaltenegger, associate professor of astronomy at Cornell University.

Her team found LP 890-9c, which orbits close to the inner edge of its solar system’s habitable zone, would look vastly different depending on whether it still had warm oceans, a ste...

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Low-dose Aspirin may Increase Anaemia Risk in Healthy Older Adults: Study

Image credit: Christian Bowen via Unsplash

A new study analysing data from the landmark ASPREE trial has found that prolonged daily aspirin use increases the risk of anaemia by 20 per cent in people mostly aged 70 and over.

The results have prompted researchers to suggest that regular monitoring for anaemia be considered for older adults who take low-dose aspirin, and if older adults have concerns about their health or medications they should discuss them with their GP.

The Monash University-led study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, followed 18,153 initially healthy older adults in Australia and the USA and recorded incidents of anaemia over an average 4.7 years.

The risk of developing anaemia was found to be 20 per cent higher in the aspirin group compared to those...

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Researchers Expand Ability of Robots to Learn from Videos

A team from CMU’s Robotics Institute used affordances to teach robots how to interact with objects.

New work from Carnegie Mellon University has enabled robots to learn household chores by watching videos of people performing everyday tasks in their homes.

The research could help improve the utility of robots in the home, allowing them to assist people with tasks like cooking and cleaning. Two robots successfully learned 12 tasks including opening a drawer, oven door and lid; taking a pot off the stove; and picking up a telephone, vegetable or can of soup.

“The robot can learn where and how humans interact with different objects through watching videos,” said Deepak Pathak, an assistant professor in the Robotics Institute at CMU’s School of Computer Science...

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