SCIENCE

Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

Boosting Water Splitting: A New Take on Ru-Based Catalysts

Scientists are always on the hunt for better ways to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This time, they've designed special Ru-B-Cr parts within RuO₂ nanofibers to make the Ru sites more active. This overcomes the hurdles of RuO₂ catalysts, which usually aren't very good at producing hydrogen and

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

The Fungus-Aphid-Wheat Connection: A Closer Look

A tiny fungus called Claroideoglomus etunicatum is creating quite a buzz in the world of plants and insects. This fungus lives symbiotically with wheat, which means it helps the plant grow and deal with stress, like lack of water. Researchers wanted to see what happens when this fungus teams up with

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

How Cue Accuracy Shapes Learning in Visual Tasks

Imagine searching for something in a super crowded place. Over time, you get better at spotting it because you remember where it usually is. But what if the clues aren't always right? That's exactly what researchers looked into. They found that the more reliable the clues (like, how often they point

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

Moving Forward with Space: Senate Bill for NASA’s Future

Imagine this: a Senate bill is on the table, directing NASA to shift its focus towards commercial space stations and to tackle cost overruns in science missions. This bill, introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash. ) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), looks to speed up the development of commercial space

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

New Face for NASA's Lunar and Martian Missions

NASA has appointed Carlos Garcia-Galan, a seasoned space professional, as the deputy manager of its Gateway program. This initiative is crucial for the Artemis mission, aiming to return humans to the moon and eventually set a path for Mars exploration. Garcia-Galan, who hails from Spain, brings a wh

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

Mars Lander's Quiet Legacy: InSight's Dusty End

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured new images of the InSight lander in October 2024. Even though InSight is no longer active, it's still teaching scientists about Mars. The lander, which stopped working in late 2022 due to dust on its solar panels, is now a dusty spot on the Martian s

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

Suni Williams' Space Stay Extended: Concerns Grow

Astronaut Suni Williams, 59, has been in space since June, and her return home has been delayed twice. Recently, NASA shared a photo of Williams and her colleague, astronaut Don Pettit, wearing Santa hats during the holidays. Many people expressed concern about their well-being, as Williams and her

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

How Color Data Can Help Track Mud in Wetlands and Deltas

Wetlands and deltas are crucial for our planet, especially as sea levels rise. One way they cope is by trapping tiny bits of mud, called suspended solids, to build up their surfaces. Scientists often use special cameras on planes to map these solids. However, the recipes they use to make sense of th

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

Moon Mission: Firefly's Blue Ghost and NASA's Big Payload

In January, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander will set off for the moon, carrying a record number of NASA payloads. This mission, dubbed Ghost Riders in the Sky, is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. It aims to explore the moon's surface and environment using

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Dec 25 2024SCIENCE

A Christmas Night Aurora: Lights in the Sky for Some US Regions

Imagine waking up on Christmas morning to a spectacular light show in the sky! A recent solar flare has led to a coronal mass ejection (CME) headed toward Earth, which could result in an aurora borealis over certain parts of the US on December 25. This exciting phenomenon, known as the Northern Ligh

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