Search Results - NASA

Some Individuals Have Remained Unaffected by COVID-19, Possibly Due to a Little-Known Genetic Factor

Credit: MICROSTOCKHUB/E+/GETTY IMAGES PLUS People who have managed to avoid COVID-19 for over four years may owe their immunity to a newly discovered immune response, according to a recent study. Researchers deliberately exposed volunteers to the virus and found that those with the heightened activity of a little-known immune gene called HLA-DQA2 did not sustain...

What is the Total Number of Moons in the Solar System?

Saturn has a minimum of 146 moons, making it the planet with the most moons in the solar system. Credit: dottedhippo via Getty Images When observing the night sky, the moon is typically the brightest and largest object visible without a telescope, making it the only natural satellite most people can see with the naked...

A Stellar Explosion May Temporarily Add a ‘New Star’ to the Summer Night Sky

Credit: M. WEISS, CXC/NASA This summer, stargazers have a chance to witness a rare celestial event. By scanning the night sky for the constellation Corona Borealis, you might catch a glimpse of what appears to be a new star. "This brightening point of light is not actually a new star but a nova eruption occurring...

Slow-Release Ketamine Tablet Reduces Depression Levels By 50%

Credit: Vecteezy A clinical trial revealed that a slow-release, twice-weekly ketamine tablet significantly reduced depression symptoms. "Unlike current ketamine treatments requiring medical supervision, this tablet can be taken at home." Over the past 20 years, research has primarily focused on injectable and nasal spray ketamine, which necessitates medical monitoring for two hours post-administration. This new...

New Dinosaur Named After a Deity Due to its Unique Headgear

Lokiceratops rangiformis is a distant cousin of the TriceratopsFabrizio Lavezza/The Museum of Evolution, Knuthenborg CC BY-NC-ND The Natural History Museum of Utah has unveiled a previously undiscovered species of horned, herbivorous dinosaur, an ancestor of the Triceratops. Its distinctive and impressive headgear has led to it being named after a deity. Paleontologists discovered fragments of the dinosaur's...

Study Reveals Why Some Don’t Get COVID Despite Infection

A UK-based study involved volunteers allowing scientists to deliberately infect them with SARS-CoV-2, aiming to understand why some individuals naturally avoid contracting COVID-19. This pioneering research could lead to improved vaccines and treatments. Previous studies have examined COVID-19's effects on patients, but none have tracked the disease from the initial entry of the virus to...

Astronomers Witness the First Activation of a Supermassive Black Hole

A supermassive black hole in galaxy SDSS1335+0728 has lit up, possibly giving astronomers a look at how such beasts are awakened.M. KORNMESSER/ESO For the last four years, astronomers have observed the supermassive black hole at the center of SDSS1335+0728 undergo a transformation from a dim and inactive state to a bright and active one. This...

The Great Oxidation Event: A 200-Million-Year Pathway to Oxygenation

Studies of marine shales and isotopic data from the Great Oxidation Event period reveal dynamic oxygen fluctuations in Earth’s early atmosphere and oceans, highlighting the prolonged and complex nature of this critical evolutionary stage. Recent findings indicate that Earth's "Great Oxidation Event" unfolded over a span of 200 million years. Fresh research underscores the intricate nature...

The Solar System’s Largest Storm May Be Younger Than Previously Believed

Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS), a colossal anti-cyclonic storm larger than Earth, has intrigued astronomers since the 1600s. Its origins and lifespan are subjects of ongoing debate, raising questions about its continuity over centuries of observation. Initially noted in 1632, the GRS disappeared from astronomical records for 118 years until its rediscovery in the...

Spacetime Defects Decouple Gravity from Mass in a Dark Matter Alternative

Can gravity exist without mass? A new study proposes a way it might, with drastic effects on dark matter modelsNASA/JPL-Caltech It appears that something is missing from the universe, which physicists refer to as “dark matter.” Yet, even after a century of searching, it hasn't been found. A new paper suggests an alternative hypothesis, demonstrating...