New research reveals that dust carried by the wind from southern Africa towards Madagascar triggered the largest phytoplankton bloom in two decades – and, unusually, this occurred at a time of year when such blooms are rarely seen.

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 30, 2024
Since 1953, an equation known as at-a-station hydraulic geometry (AHG) has been used to explain the relationship between river width, depth, velocity, and river discharge - the volume of water flowing through a river channel. AHG plays a key role in hydraulic engineering, flood prediction, and navigation. However, traditional methods for studying AHG through field research offer limited sample s

Beijing (AFP) Sept 26, 2024
China said on Thursday that its launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean was "legitimate and routine", insisting that its nuclear stance remained defensive after the rare test prompted an outcry from countries in the region. Beijing announced the trial on Wednesday - its first such test in four decades - saying that the missile was carrying a dummy warh

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 30, 2024
Astronomers at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, in collaboration with international researchers, have unveiled findings that suggest our cosmic neighborhood may be significantly larger than previously understood. The Cosmicflows team has been examining the movements of 56,000 galaxies, uncovering a possible expansion in the scale of our galactic basin of attraction. A deca

Paris, France (SPX) Sep 30, 2024
A group of international scientists has made significant strides in understanding the large-scale structure of the Universe by identifying critical gravitational regions, termed "basins of attraction." This research was spearheaded by Dr. Valade as part of his doctoral studies, under the guidance of Prof. Yehuda Hoffman from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Noam Libeskind from AIP Po

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 30, 2024
A significant study published in 'Engineering' has revealed new insights into the behavior of lunar regolith particles when exposed to an external electric field. This discovery has potential implications for space exploration and the utilization of lunar resources. Conducted by a team of scientists from the Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, Tsinghua University, and other collaborating

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 30, 2024
In December 2020, the Hayabusa 2 space probe returned with samples from asteroid Ryugu. Since then, the few grams of material have undergone extensive analysis at laboratories worldwide, including the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS). One of the key studies at MPS focused on metal isotopes within the samples, which can help pinpoint Ryugu's origin within the Solar System.

Washington (AFP) Sept 30, 2024
The SpaceX crew that will ferry back in February two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station docked with the orbiting laboratory on Sunday, a live stream of the mission showed. The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 1:17 pm (1717 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, with the Crew-9 mission aboard a Dragon spacecraft making contact with the ISS at 5:30 pm Sunday. After d

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 27, 2024
Satellite-based Earth observation data is a key element in climate and environmental research. These data play a vital role in both monitoring the climate and enhancing climate and Earth system models, which are critical tools for projecting climate changes and assessing technology impacts in sectors like energy, aviation, and transport. A new approach, developed by a team led by Prof. Ver