Sci.News: Breaking Science News

Hubble Celebrates 34th Birthday with Brilliant Image of Messier 76

Messier 76, also known as M76, NGC 650/651 or the Little Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula located approximately 3,400 light-years away in the northern constellation of Perseus. This Hubble image shows Messier 76, a planetary nebula some 3,400 light-years away in the constellation of Perseus. Image credit: NASA / ESA / STScI. Since its launch in 1990, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has...

Space Exploration

Mars Express Spots 'Spiders' at Outskirts of Martian 'Inca City'

ESA's Mars Express spacecraft have spotted the telltale traces of 'spiders' scattered across the southern polar region of Mars. This image of the Martian Inca City was captured by the High Resolution Stereo Camera onboard ESA's Mars Express orbiter on February 27, 2024. Image credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin. "Rather than being actual spiders, the Martian 'spiders' form when spring sunshine...

Archaeology

Humans Occupied Lava Tube Cave in Saudi Arabia for 7,000 Years, Archaeologists Find

New archaeological excavations have revealed repeated phases of human occupation of Umm Jirsan lava tube in the Harrat Khaybar, north-western Saudi Arabia, ranging from at least the Neolithic through to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age (10,000-3,500 years ago). Photographs of Umm Jirsan Cave and its interior sections. Image credit: Stewart et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299292. Intensified field research...

Paleontology

New Stegosaur Species Had Remarkable Dermal Armor

A new stegosaurian genus and species from the Middle Jurassic epoch has been identified from the postcranial remains found in the Middle Atlas Mountains south of Fès, Morocco. An AI's impression of Thyreosaurus atlasicus. Image credit: Sci.News. Thyreosaurus atlasicus lived in northern Africa during the Middle Jurassic epoch, approximately 165 million years ago. The species is closely related...

Biology

Rapidly Spreading Virus Threatens Health of Cacao Trees, Researchers Say

The cacao swollen shoot virus disease is among the most economically damaging diseases of cacao trees and accounts for almost 15-50% of harvest losses in Ghana. This virus is transmitted by several species of mealybugs when they feed on cacao plants. Cacao tree with cacao pods attached directly to the tree trunk and branches. Image credit: Gyamera et al., doi: 10.1094/PDIS-10-22-2412-FE. The cacao...

Physics

Scientists Create Single-Atom-Thick Gold: Goldene

Goldene in the form of gold monolayer sheets has been prepared by etching away titanium carbide (Ti3C2) slabs from titanium gold carbide (Ti3AuC2). Preparation of goldene. Image credit: Kashiwaya et al., doi: 10.1038/s44160-024-00518-4. "If you make a material extremely thin, something extraordinary happens — as with graphene. The same thing happens with gold," said Dr. Shun Kashiwaya,...

Genetics

Arabica Coffee Originated More Than 600,000 Years Ago in Ethiopia: Study

An international team of scientists has generated the highest quality reference genome to date of the world's most popular coffee species, Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica). Their results suggest that this species developed more than 600,000 years ago in the forests of Ethiopia via natural mating between two other coffee species: Coffea eugenioides and Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora). Coffea arabica....

Geology

Scientists Create High-Resolution Geological Map of Oxia Planum

Using data from ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, planetary scientists have created the 1:30000 scale geological map of Oxia Planum, the landing site for ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. Fawdon et al. created the most detailed geologic map of Oxia Planum, the landing site for ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. Image credit: Fawdon et...

Other Sciences

Scientists Create Single-Atom-Thick Gold: Goldene

Goldene in the form of gold monolayer sheets has been prepared by etching away titanium carbide (Ti3C2) slabs from titanium gold carbide (Ti3AuC2). Preparation of goldene. Image credit: Kashiwaya et al., doi: 10.1038/s44160-024-00518-4. "If you make a material extremely thin, something extraordinary happens — as with graphene. The same thing happens with gold," said Dr. Shun Kashiwaya,...