A new study co-authored by Texas A&M University geologist Dr. Michael Tice has revealed potential chemical signatures of ancient Martian microbial life in rocks examined by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The findings, published by a large international team of scientists, focus on a region of Jezero Crater known as the Bright Angel formation — a name…
This new Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week features a galaxy whose asymmetric appearance may be the result of a galactic tug of war. Located 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo, the spiral galaxy Messier 96 is the brightest of the galaxies in its group. The gravitational pull of its galactic neighbors…
The collision and merger of two neutron stars — the incredibly dense remnants of collapsed stars — are some of the most energetic events in the universe, producing a variety of signals that can be observed on Earth. New simulations of neutron star mergers by a team from Penn State and the University of Tennessee…
Pregnant women rely on a balanced diet and supplements to deliver proper nutrients to their babies, to ensure they grow healthfully. Such nutrients contribute to fueling development and providing cellular building blocks that lead to healthy brains, bones, organs, and immune systems. While this kind of nutritional preparation helps during pregnancy, EMBL scientists found that…
An estimated 7.2 million Americans over age 65 currently live with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). That number is expected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060. These increases reflect more than demographic shifts; they point to a growing public health crisis that requires a new, proactive approach. While chronological age is the strongest known risk…
The official number of exoplanets — planets outside our solar system — tracked by NASA has reached 6,000. Confirmed planets are added to the count on a rolling basis by scientists from around the world, so no single planet is considered the 6,000th entry. The number is monitored by NASA’s Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI), based…
A “teenaged” pachycephalosaur from Mongolia’s Gobi Desert may provide answers to lingering questions around the dinosaur group, according to new research published on September 17 in the journal Nature. The fossil represents a new species of pachycephalosaur and is both the oldest and most complete skeleton of this dinosaur group found to date. “Pachycephalosaurs are iconic…
Ant societies are built on scent. Pheromones guide the insects to food, warn them of predators, and regulate the rhythms of their colonies. This chemical communication system is governed by a simple rule: one receptor, one neuron. Ant genomes contain hundreds of odorant receptor genes, each encoding a receptor tuned to specific chemicals. Were a…
Biologists at The University of Texas at Austin, who have reported discovering a bird that’s the natural result of a green jay and a blue jay’s mating, say it may be among the first examples of a hybrid animal that exists because of recent changing patterns in the climate. The two different parent species are…
From pollinating flowers to enabling decomposition and supporting nutrient cycles, insects’ abundance and biodiversity are critical for maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, recent studies showing population declines have raised alarm about how insects are coping with the modern world. Understanding whether recent observations are part of longer timescale trends can help inform global conservation efforts, and…
