Jun 2021
The same physics could give rise to auroras on Jupiter and Saturn
Auroras form when electrons from space ride waves in Earth’s magnetic field
Dec 2019
A lab experiment suggests electrostatic forces are key to overcoming the ‘bouncing barrier’
Electric charges on dust grains may help explain how planets are born
Aug 2020
The flashes of light could form thanks to ammonia antifreeze
‘Exotic’ lightning crackles across Jupiter’s cloud tops
Jul 2019
A single ion was put into quantum states with up to 100 quanta of energy
Increased control over ions’ motions may help improve quantum computers
Dec 2021
The probe crossed an invisible boundary that has been predicted for decades but never observed
The Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to visit the Sun’s atmosphere
Jun 2022
New images are from the ESA-NASA mission’s closest flyby yet of our star
The Solar Orbiter spacecraft spotted a ‘hedgehog’ on the Sun
Nov 2020
Horizontal green streaks that often appear in the sky glow can’t be formed by electron showers
STEVE may be even less like typical auroras than scientists thought
Jan 2023
Gallium plus magnetism equals something straight out of Terminator 2
These shape-shifting devices melt and re-form thanks to magnetic fields
Jan 2020
With a miniature version of the kind of television antennas that often adorned rooftops before the advent of satellite and cable TV, researchers have demonstrated the conversion of electrical signals into light beamed in a particular direction. This device, referred to as a directional antenna, could be used to generate light for data transfer purposes on the nanometer (nm) scale—or billionths of a meter—needed for today’s electronics components. See also: Antenna (electromagnetism); Data communications; Nanotechnology
Nanoscale Yagi-Uda antenna converts electricity into light
Nov 2023
Breast cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers worldwide. If caught and treated early enough, the survival rate exceeds 90 percent. Unfortunately, survival can drop as low as 25 percent fairly quickly if detection occurs later in the progression of the disease. In the United States, women over the age of 50 are recommended to get routine screenings every two years, but more aggressive tumors can appear between screenings. Aside from physical examination, two of the most common screening methods are mammography (mammogram), which is x-ray based, and ultrasound. Whereas mammography is more sensitive for routine screenings of women over age 60, ultrasound typically has higher sensitivity for those under 45 years old because of higher breast tissue density. See also: Breast cancer and other breast disorders; Mammography; Radiology
New, accessible screening tool for breast cancer