A passing star could send planets scattering Triff/Shutterstock Stars whizzing by our solar system could cause more havoc than astronomers previously thought, from sending Pluto’s orbit haywire to forcing Mercury to fly into the sun – or even catastrophically altering Earth’s orbit and climate. The overall risk of these events is still low, but the…
Esme Stallard Climate and science correspondent Getty Images A key planning restriction that heat pumps need to be one metre from a neighbour’s property has been lifted as the government seeks to accelerate the take up of the low-carbon technology. The change, which is part of the government’s Warm Homes Plan to lower household bills…
We answer a selection of fascinating science questions, from Nikola Tesla to microplastics Source link
Galaxy SDSS J0946+1006 acts as a gravitational lens, helping astronomers see the signs of dark matter NASA/ESA/R. Gavazzi, T. Treu/University of California/SLACS An unusually dense galaxy could be the first clear evidence for the existence of an unconventional form of “sticky” dark matter, altering our understanding of this mysterious cosmic substance. In the standard picture…
“I was speechless,” said Matthias Huss, a leading glacier specialist at Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology. “It was the worst case that could happen.” Mr Huss had been aware of the situation in Blatten; he and his team check Switzerland’s glaciers all year round, and their annual reports show a clear, accelerated thaw, linked to…
When volcanoes are preparing to erupt, scientists rely on typical signs to warn people living nearby: deformation of the ground and earthquakes, caused by underground chambers filling up with magma and volcanic gas. But some volcanoes, called ‘stealthy’ volcanoes, don’t give obvious warning signs. Now scientists studying Veniaminof, Alaska, have developed a model which could…
An artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18b NASA Astronomers are still arguing about whether we have recently seen the “strongest evidence” for alien life yet, or simply nothing at all. Now, the researchers behind the original bold claim have reanalysed the data and say they have yet more evidence for molecules with no origin outside…
Plant fossils found in the abdomen of a sauropod support the long-standing hypothesis that these dinosaurs were herbivores, finds a study published on June 9 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology. The dinosaur, which was alive an estimated 94 to 101 million years ago, ate a variety of plants and relied almost entirely on…
Victoria Gill Science correspondent, BBC News WWF Saltmarshes are buffer zones between the land and the sea and act as natural flood defences The UK’s saltmarshes are vital “sinks” that lock away climate-warming greenhouse gases in layers of mud, according to a new report from WWF. Much of the UK’s saltmarshes have been lost to…
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, shifting tectonic plates — these are all signs that our planet is alive. But what is revealed deep inside the Earth surprises laymen and scientists alike: Almost 3000 kilometers below the Earth’s surface, solid rock is flowing that is neither liquid, like lava, nor brittle like solid rock. This is shown by…
