An artist's impression of an accreting X-ray pulsar. (Dana Berry/NASA) Neutron Star Spins at Unbelievable Speed A neutron star located 27,400 light-years away is exhibiting one of the most remarkable rotational speeds ever observed. In the binary system 4U 1820-30, this dead star spins so rapidly around its axis that it completes an astounding 716 rotations per second....
Cordyceps fungus infecting a longhorn beetle grub. (Ian Redding/Getty Images) Zombies tap into our fears, and once they get in our heads, they stay there. Animals overtaken by "zombies" lose control over their bodies and actions, instead serving the needs of a virus, fungus, or other parasite. The word "zombi" originates from Vodou, a religion that developed...
Green dye highlighting the DNA of microbes in a sample. (Suzuki et al., Microbial Ecology, 2024) Deep underground, a community of microbes has thrived in isolation for billions of years. These organisms, found in 2 billion-year-old rock, have been cut off far longer than any known subterranean microbes, surpassing the previous record of 100 million years. Geomicrobiologist...
Image from pixabay According to a recent study, human sperm use their slender tails to navigate through thick fluids, appearing to defy Newton's third law of motion. This research also examines the movement patterns of these sex cells alongside single-celled algae. Exploring Non-Reciprocal Interactions in Microscopic Swimmers Kenta Ishimoto, a mathematical scientist at Kyoto University, and his...
Credit: Pixabay Plants, whether in the ocean or on land, largely produce the oxygen essential for intelligent life as we know it through photosynthesis of carbon dioxide. However, new research suggests that depths with no light might generate oxygen without relying on living organisms. The authors of the study, published in Nature Geoscience, collected samples of...
Credit: Pixabay A recent survey of approximately 1,000 UK general practitioners found that one in five doctors use generative AI tools—such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini—to support clinical practice. Doctors reported using generative AI for tasks like creating documentation after appointments, assisting in clinical decision-making, and delivering patient information—such as easy-to-understand discharge summaries and treatment...
Credit: Pixabay Nanoplastics’ Impact on Antibiotic Absorption and Resistance A recent study reveals that nanoplastics—tiny plastic particles smaller than 0.001 millimeters—can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb antibiotics and may even encourage the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers from the University of Vienna, University of Bonn, and University of Debrecen used molecular models to examine the...
COF-999, shown here in its form of a yellow powder, adsorbs a huge quantity of CO2 at room temperature, and can be reused at least 100 timesZihui Zhou / UC Berkeley Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a powdery material that adsorbs carbon dioxide with remarkable efficiency. Just 200 grams (about 0.5...
Credit: Pixabay A Unique Discovery in Cygnus Constellation In the constellation Cygnus, about 7,800 light-years from Earth, lies a true cosmic oddity: the V404 Cygni system, home to a black hole known for its intriguing and unpredictable behavior. Recently, this system revealed yet another surprise to scientists—a hidden binary companion, a star in a wide orbit...
Credit: Depositphotos In a 2011 survey, over half of 16- to 22-year-olds, when asked to choose only two items from a list, said they would rather give up their sense of smell than go without technology like their phone or laptop. Compared to other senses, human smell often seems like an afterthought. However, researchers have discovered...
