Orlando FL (SPX) Feb 07, 2022
University of Central Florida researchers are part of a new $1 million project funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to better understand and predict how and why raindrops are affected when they cross a hypersonic shock wave. Hypersonic speeds are those at Mach 5 and higher, or five times greater than the speed of sound. The U.S. is currently working on developing hypersoni

Abingdon, United Kingdom (AFP) Feb 9, 2022
Scientists in Britain said Wednesday they have smashed a previous record for generating fusion energy, an achievement hailed a "milestone" on the protracted path towards harnessing a power source considered cheap and clean. Nuclear fusion is the same process that the sun uses to generate heat and proponents believe it could one day help address climate change by providing an abundant, safe a

Washington DC (SPX) Feb 09, 2022
The Defense Department is working hard on developing both hypersonic offensive and defensive capabilities. But in the immediate future, one of the most important areas to be developed is increasing the capacity at which such systems can be produced, said Gillian Bussey, director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office. "I would say that everything we're doing in terms of the interceptor

Washington (AFP) Feb 9, 2022
Up to 40 SpaceX high-speed internet satellites have been knocked out of orbit by a geomagnetic storm shortly after launch, but pose little threat to Earth as they burn up in the atmosphere, the company said. Geomagnetic storms are caused by ejections of the solar corona into space, resulting in disturbances to the Earth's upper atmosphere and increased drag on objects in low orbits. The

Greenbelt MD (SPX) Feb 04, 2022
The concept of a NASA-led Venus deep atmosphere chemistry probe was developed and evolved over more than a decade. Through multiple mission bids starting in 2008, rejections and tailored re-designs, a team of scientists and engineers finally prevailed with the selection of the Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging, or DAVINCI mission in June 2021. Among

Boston MA (SPX) Feb 03, 2022
Using a novel polymerization process, MIT chemical engineers have created a new material that is stronger than steel and as light as plastic, and can be easily manufactured in large quantities. The new material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets, unlike all other polymers, which form one-dimensional, spaghetti-like chains. Until now, scientists had believed it was

Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Feb 03, 2022
Millions of tons of plastic enter the oceans every year. While stopping this flow is crucial, so is tracking down what's already there so we can clean it up. This cutting-edge research harnesses the latest in satellite technology to do just that. The study, now published in Remote Sensing, used the unique infrared signals reflected by plastics to identify even tiny scraps amongst vas

Pasadena CA (JPL) Feb 09, 2022
After being installed on the International Space Station, two small instruments designed and built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California were powered up Jan. 7 and began collecting data on Earth's ocean winds and atmospheric water vapor - critical information required for weather and marine forecasts. Within two days, the Compact Ocean Wind Ve

Climate models are an important tool for scientists to understand our past climate and provide projections of future change. As such, they are in increasing demand as part of efforts to avert global warming and reduce risks associated with environmental change. To meet this demand, the World Climate Research Programme will open a new international office in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2022 that will coordinate the programme’s Climate Model Intercomparison Project.