Ultra-hot lava world has thick atmosphere, upending expectations

An emission spectrum captured by NIRSpec (the Near-Infrared Spectrograph) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in May 2024 shows the brightness of different wavelengths of 3- to 5-micron light coming from the ultra-hot super-Earth exoplanet TOI-561 b. Comparisons of the data to theoretical models suggest that the planet is not a bare rock, but is instead surrounded by a volatile-rich atmosphere. 

A Carnegie-led team of astronomers detected the strongest evidence yet of an atmosphere around a rocky planet beyond our solar system. Their work, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, used NASA’s JWST to reveal an alien atmosphere in an unexpected place—an ancient, ultra-hot super-Earth that likely hosts a magma ocean.

TOI-561 b is a rocky world that’s about twice Earth’s ma...

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A traditional Brazilian plant shows unexpected strength against arthritis

The findings establish a solid scientific basis for future preclinical research and the possible development of herbal medicines (image: Felipe Kneip/BioDiversity4All)

A humble Brazilian coastal plant used in folk medicine is now backed by science as a potential natural fighter against inflammation and arthritis.

A research team in Brazil has found strong evidence that the Joseph’s Coat plant (Alternanthera littoralis) is both safe and effective at reducing inflammation, easing pain, and protecting against arthritis. The study was carried out by scientists from the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and São Paulo State University (UNESP).

Joseph’s Coat grows naturally along Brazil’s coastline and has long been used in tradi...

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Physicists made atoms behave like a quantum circuit

Ultracold atoms climbing a quantum staircase
Illustration related to the atomic Josephson junction performing the Shapiro steps. Credit: Giulia Del Pace

Using ultracold atoms and laser light, researchers recreated the behavior of a Josephson junction—an essential component of quantum computers and voltage standards. The appearance of Shapiro steps in this atomic system reveals a deep universality in quantum physics and makes elusive microscopic effects visible for the first time.

Josephson junctions play a central role in modern physics and technology. They enable extremely precise measurements, define the international standard for electrical voltage, and serve as essential components inside many quantum computers...

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Astronomers explore the double nucleus of galaxy NGC 4486B

Astronomers explore the double nucleus of galaxy NGC 4486B

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has observed an elliptical galaxy known as NGC 4486B. Results of the observational campaign, published Dec. 16 on the arXiv preprint server, deliver important insights into the properties of the double nucleus of this galaxy.

Why does NGC 4486B have a double nucleus?
NGC 4486B (also known as VCC1279) is a compact elliptical galaxy at the center of the Virgo Cluster. It has a small effective radius of about 620 light years, an absolute magnitude of 17.6 mag, and its total stellar mass is estimated to be approximately 6 billion solar masses.

Hubble Space Telescope observations of NGC 4486B have revealed that it hosts a double nucleus, as does the Andromeda galaxy...

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