Coronaviruses are tricky. They can jump from animals to humans. This is a big deal because it can cause serious outbreaks. One key factor in this process is how the virus latches onto cells. This is done through something called spike proteins. These proteins act like keys, fitting into locks on the surface of host cells. Two viruses that affect pigs were studied: tr...
The Cold War was a tense time, filled with secrecy and espionage. One of its mysteries involves a satellite that vanished and then reappeared. This is not a story about losing keys or a phone. This is about losing a satellite in space. It is even more unusual because it was found again after 25 years. The satellite in question is the IRCB. It was launched by the Unit...
In the vast ocean that once covered parts of Vancouver Island, a peculiar marine reptile swam around 85 million years ago. This creature, part of the elasmosaur family, had a mix of ancient and advanced features. It was a true oddity among its kin. Scientists have now given this creature a name: Traskasaura sandrae. The discovery of Traskasaura sandrae began in ...
The James Webb Space Telescope recently captured an incredible image of the galaxy cluster Abell S1063. This cluster is so massive that it acts like a cosmic magnifying glass, bending light from distant galaxies. This effect, known as gravitational lensing, allows the telescope to see galaxies that are incredibly far away. These galaxies are from the early universe, ...
Megalodon, the massive shark that ruled the oceans millions of years ago, might not have been the picky eater scientists once thought. New findings suggest this giant predator had a varied diet, feasting on more than just large marine mammals like whales. This discovery comes from a close look at the minerals in megalodon's fossilized teeth, which reveal a more flexi...
SpaceX is gearing up for a significant day with two major events. The first is the ninth test flight of the Starship rocket. The second is a talk by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk about his company's plans to make humans a multiplanetary species. The Starship rocket is a massive, reusable vehicle designed to carry people and cargo to the moon, Mars, and beyond. The Starship t...
The gut's bacteria play a big role in bone health, especially when people are stuck in bed or floating in space. The gut's bacteria can change when people are not moving around. This change can lead to bone problems. But there might be a solution in a substance called butyrate. It is a type of short-chain fatty acid. It is made by certain gut bacteria. Butyrate...
The world of color sensors is getting a makeover. Scientists have crafted a clever tool that can spot tiny changes in structures. This tool is a gradient protein thin-film-based Bragg's mirror. It's like a super-powered color sensor that can detect even the smallest shifts in structures. This is a big deal because regular sensors struggle with this task. The...
In the vast world of marine life, there are countless tiny organisms that hold big secrets. One such secret is a newly found compound called aspergillicin I. This compound was discovered in a fungus called Aspergillus uvarum. This fungus was found in a sample of marine mud. It is not alone. Ten other known compounds were also identified in the same sample. These comp...
In Spain, a rock with a fingerprint and a red dot has sparked excitement among scientists. This rock, found in a shelter, is believed to be around 43, 000 years old. The red dot is thought to be a nose, making the rock look like a human face. This discovery raises questions about the artistic abilities of Neanderthals. The rock was found in a shelter in Segovia. It ...