Explanation for Formation of Abundant Features on Europa bodes well for search for Extraterrestrial Life

This artist’s conception shows how double ridges on the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa may form over shallow, refreezing water pockets within the ice shell. This mechanism is based on the study of an analogous double ridge feature found on Earth’s Greenland Ice Sheet. (Image credit: Justice Blaine Wainwright)

Ice-penetrating radar data from Greenland suggests that shallow water pockets may be common within Europa’s ice shell, increasing the potential habitability of the Jovian moon’s ice shell.

Europa is a prime candidate for life in our solar system, and its deep saltwater ocean has captivated scientists for decades. But it’s enclosed by an icy shell that could be miles to tens of miles thick, making sampling it a daunting prospect...

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How to Print a Robot from Scratch: Combining Liquids, Solids could lead to Faster, more Flexible 3D Creations

a) A spiraling pattern created by mixing solid and liquid 3D-printed materials. (Credit: Hayes et al. 2022, Advanced Materials) b) A network of capillaries 3D-printed using a newly developed technique. (Credit: Hayes et al. 2022, Advanced Materials)

Imagine a future in which you could 3D-print an entire robot or stretchy, electronic medical device with the press of a button – no tedious hours spent assembling parts by hand.

That possibility may be closer than ever thanks to a recent advancement in 3D-printing technology led by engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder. In a new study, the team lays out a strategy for using currently-available printers to create materials that meld solid and liquid components – a tricky feat if you don’t want your robot to collapse.

“I think...

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Phase Transitions in the Early Universe and their Signals

Colliding spherical pressure waves from a phase transition at around 10 picoseconds after the Big Bang would generate gravitational waves observable by LISA. (Image: David Weir)

The early universe may chirp about unknown physics. A University of Helsinki research team has demonstrated how an early universe phase transition will lead to gravitational wave signals potentially visible in the upcoming satellite missions. The research results were recently published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Phase transitions, such as the boiling of water or the melting of a metal, are commonplace but fascinating phenomena that spur surprises decades after decades...

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New knowledge on Lymphoid Cell Maturity could lead to more Effective IBD Therapies

Illustration: GettyImages.

A research group at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has analysed how certain immune cells known as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) develop into mature cells that play a part in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The findings could pave the way for more effective treatments against IBD, a disease that causes considerable suffering and that is linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. The results are published today in the journal Science Immunology.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterised by a chronic inflammation of the gut mucosa that is thought to increase the risk of colon cancer. The disease often debuts before middle age with symptoms such as abdominal pain and weight loss...

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