Webb finds Water Vapor, but is it from a Rocky Planet or its Star?

Graph showing the transmission spectrum of exoplanet GJ486b. The X-axis shows amount of light blocked, and the Y-axis shows wavelength of light. An orange wave begins at the upper left and a blue at the lower left. White dots show Webb data.
This graphic shows the transmission spectrum obtained by Webb observations of rocky exoplanet GJ 486 b. The science team’s analysis shows hints of water vapor; however, computer models show that the signal could be from a water-rich planetary atmosphere (indicated by the blue line) or from starspots from the red dwarf host star (indicated by the yellow line). The two models diverge noticeably at shorter infrared wavelengths, indicating that additional observations with other Webb instruments will be needed to constrain the source of the water signal.
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI)

GJ486b is about 30% larger than the Earth and three times as massive, which means it is a rocky world with stronger gravity than Earth. It orbits a red dwarf star in just under 1...

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Can Jack-of-all-Trades AI Reshape Medicine?

Computer screen and physician hands

Researchers chart course for the design, testing, and implementation of next-gen AI in medicine.

Most medical AI models in use today are trained to perform one or two specific tasks and have limited utility. Next-generation AI — called generalist medical AI — incorporates various types of data to perform a variety of complex tasks in a range of clinical scenarios. Generalist medical AI can reshape medicine by augmenting clinical decision-making, real-time surgical and bedside support, and more.

The vast majority of AI models used in medicine today are “narrow specialists,” trained to perform one or two tasks, such as scanning mammograms for signs of breast cancer or detecting lung disease on chest X-rays.

But the everyday practice of medicine involves an endless array of clin...

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Nifty Nanoparticles help ‘Peel back the Curtain’ into the world of Super Small Things

Physicists at The Australian National University (ANU) are using nanoparticles to develop new sources of light that will allow us to “peel back the curtain” into the world of extremely small objects – thousands of times smaller than a human hair – with major gains for medical and other technologies.

The findings, published in Science Advances, could have major implications for medical science by offering an affordable and effective solution to analyse tiny objects that are too small for microscopes to see, let alone the human eye. The work could also be beneficial for the semiconductor industry and improving quality control of the fabrication of computer chips.

The ANU technology uses carefully engineered nanoparticles to increase the frequency of light that cameras and ...

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Superflare with Massive, High-Velocity Prominence Eruption

Artist’s impression of the superflare observed on one of the stars in the V1355 Orionis binary star system. The binary companion star is visible in the background on the right. (Credit: NAOJ) 

A team of Japanese astronomers used simultaneous ground-based and space-based observations to capture a more complete picture of a superflare on a star. The observed flare started with a very massive, high-velocity prominence eruption. These results give us a better idea of how superflares and stellar prominence eruptions occur.

Some stars have been seen releasing superflares over 10 times larger than the largest solar flare ever seen on the Sun. The hot ionized gas released by solar flares can influence the environment around the Earth, referred to as space weather...

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