Kepler's first four months of data reveal evidence for over 1,200 planetary candidates, with 408 residing in systems containing two or more planets. These multi-planet systems are characterized by flat orbits, tilted less than 1 degree, and lack Jupiter-sized gas giants.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute successfully synthesized a rare natural product, conolidine, which shows potent analgesic properties comparable to morphine. The compound has remarkably few side effects, but its mechanism of action remains unknown.
A recent study using data collected between 2006 and 2007 found evidence for 10 free-floating planets roughly the mass of Jupiter, suggesting they are common. The discovery supports the 'ejection' scenario where planets are kicked out from their solar systems due to close gravitational encounters with other planets or stars.
Researchers tracked a massive storm in Saturn's northern hemisphere, which rapidly expanded into a giant thunderstorm. The storm produced dark vortices and disrupted the atmosphere, transporting energy and material over great distances.
Bennett's team found 10 free-floating planets roughly the mass of Jupiter, suggesting planetary systems often become unstable, ejecting planets from their orbits. The discovery confirms that free-floating planets exist and are quite common, estimated to be twice as many as stars.
A new analysis of NASA's Galileo data confirms the existence of a molten magma layer on Jupiter's moon Io, explaining its intense volcanic activity and shedding light on the Earth and moon's formation. The 'ocean' of magma is estimated to be 30 miles thick and features blistering temperatures of over 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
A Scripps Research Institute scientist has identified a new role for a biological pathway that affects lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. The study reveals that N-acylethanolamine signaling molecules play a key role in mediating the effect of diet on lifespan.
Researchers have discovered that some extrasolar planets, known as hot Jupiters, can orbit in the opposite direction of their star's spin. This occurs due to gravitational interactions with nearby planets, which perturb the inner planet's orbit and cause it to lose energy via strong tides.
A new study at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging identifies N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) as a novel metabolic signaling pathway that coordinates the aging response to nutrient availability. This discovery suggests a link between endocannabinoids, dietary restriction, and aging that may be conserved across species.
Astronomers at Northwestern University have developed a computer simulation that explains how hot Jupiters form with flipped orbits around their stars. The study, published in Nature, suggests that gravitational perturbations from other planets in the system can cause the inner planet to lose energy and orbit closer to its star.
Asteroid Scheila unexpectedly brightened with short-lived plumes after being struck by a smaller asteroid, according to data from NASA's Swift satellite and Hubble Space Telescope. The collision created a crater 1,000 feet across and ejected over 660,000 tons of dust.
Researchers have developed a genetic model of premature aging disorders in zebrafish, which can be used to screen and develop compounds to treat these conditions. The model reveals that a specific gene mutation leads to accelerated aging in the fish, providing new insights into age-related diseases.
Scripps Research and Moffitt Cancer Center collaborate on a $2.1 million grant to understand the origins of prostate cancer and develop novel treatments. The study aims to define how B cells control the spread of hormone-refractory cancer, potentially leading to effective treatments.
Researchers at University College London have discovered powerful electron beams flowing back and forth between Saturn and its moon Enceladus, a finding that suggests a universal process similar to Jupiter's moon Io. This discovery was made using the Cassini spacecraft and its CAPS-ELS instrument.
A newly developed compound, SR1001, has been shown to effectively suppress the severity of multiple sclerosis in animal models with minimal side effects. The discovery holds promise for treating other autoimmune diseases and targets a specific cell type involved in autoimmunity.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute identified a change in calcium influx into specific brain neurons that is fundamental to long-term memory. This increase, known as a memory trace, is observed in normal fruit flies but absent in mutants with impaired long-term memory.
DNA can alter protein structure and function, leading to targeted therapies for diseases like osteoporosis and cancer. The study used HDX mass spectrometry to detect these long-range structural effects, revealing a complex biochemical dialogue between receptor, ligand, coregulatory proteins, and DNA.
Scientists suggest that bombardments of micro-meteorites on Earth and Mars four billion years ago led to catastrophic cooling effects, making it hard for early life to thrive. The influx of sulphur dioxide into the atmospheres of both planets could have plunged them into an Arctic winter, lasting millions of years.
The study provides geological evidence to support the idea that the first solid material in the Solar System was fragile and extremely porous. Researchers analyzed an asteroid fragment and found that it had been subjected to shocks in space, possibly during periods of turbulence, which compacted the rock into a harder state.
Researchers from Scripps Research and MIT have discovered a class of extremely potent anti-cancer and anti-neurodegenerative disorder compounds. These compounds, including ABL127, were found using high-throughput screening and innovative testing techniques, and show promise for treating cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Scripps Institute develop a novel technology that synthesizes complex cellular structures from simple starting materials, creating uniform cell-like compartments. The new process is highly efficient and customizable, revolutionizing the field of synthetic biology.
The European Space Agency has approved a £400 million mission to study extra-solar planets, led by UCL, to look for signs of life in nearby star systems. The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO) will use a 1.2 meter telescope to analyze the atmospheres of habitable planets and search for biomarkers.
A new compound has shown significant effectiveness in protecting brain cells directly affected by Parkinson's disease, a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. The compound, SR-3306, aims to inhibit JNK enzymes that play a key role in neuron survival.
A new study suggests the Arctic Ocean ice may not reach a catastrophic tipping point due to climate change. Microearthquakes could help evaluate potential carbon sequestration sites by detecting fractures in rocks. This technique could pinpoint unknown fractures that could lead to long-term storage of carbon dioxide.
Researchers found a discrete brain pathway that regulates vulnerability to nicotine addiction and identified the nicotinic receptor subunit α5 as a potential target for anti-smoking therapies. The study suggests boosting this subunit's expression may help individuals resist nicotine's addictive properties.
The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded $3.17 million over four years to develop compounds that counteract disruptions of the human biological clock, associated with sleep disorders and bipolar disease. The grant supports research on nuclear receptors, a promising drug target for various diseases.
Researchers at Scripps Research and the University of Pennsylvania have received an $8.2 million grant to develop novel compounds that could become drug candidates for treating tobacco addiction. The project focuses on enhancing nicotinic receptors in the brain to reduce nicotine's positive impact on reward centers.
Researchers identify potential antibody biomarkers for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis using synthetic compounds. Synthetic peptoids capture immunoglobulin antibodies from blood samples with high accuracy.
A Scripps Research chemist devised a new method to quantify changes in proteins resulting from stress, which could provide insights into disease progression and treatment. The technique focuses on cysteine S-hydroxylation, allowing researchers to monitor protein modifications at the individual cysteine site.
Researchers found that the core protein interacts with non-structural helicase protein, playing a critical role in viral replication. This new understanding supports a potential new therapeutic target for hepatitis C drug development and may prevent production of infectious viral particles.
A Scripps Research Institute scientist has discovered a molecular switch controlling protein synthesis in ribosomes, which could lead to potential treatments for cancer and other diseases. The study suggests that regulating this process may help prevent disease states such as Alzheimer's and diabetes.
Researchers found that prions can adapt and change their properties when transferred between cell lines, evolving into more effective strains. The study suggests the normal prion protein may be an effective therapeutic target for diseases like BSE and CWD.
A cyclone on Saturn has been detected to last more than 5 years, making it the longest-lasting cyclone recorded on a giant planet. The cyclone, similar in size to Europe, was tracked using images from the Cassini probe and found to have a weak circulation with properties similar to its surroundings.
A consortium of scientists has been awarded $7.5 million to develop novel compounds that could become treatments for nicotine addiction and possibly other drug addictions.
Astronomers have discovered a new alien world, Qatar-1b, a hot Jupiter located 550 light-years from Earth. The planet orbits extremely close to its star, resulting in scorching temperatures and a unique rotational period.
Simulations suggest Saturn's rings and inner moons formed after a massive satellite collided with the planet. The resulting debris formed the icy rings and ice-rich inner moons.
Researchers discovered a carbon-rich atmosphere in WASP-12b, suggesting rocky exoplanets could be composed of pure carbon rocks like diamond or graphite. This finding introduces an entirely new class of exotic exoplanets to explore, with implications for the possibility of life on these planets.
The discovery of the fourth giant planet in the HR 8799 system strengthens the resemblance between this exoplanetary system and our own, with all four planets being similar in size. Detailed study of HR 8799e will be challenging due to its relative faintness and proximity to its star.
The newly discovered fourth planet (HR 8799e) orbits a bright star called HR 8799, which lies some 129 light years from Earth and is faintly visible to the naked eye. The mass of the HR 8799 planetary system is much greater than our own.
Astronomers have discovered a fourth giant planet in the HR8799 system, which is approximately seven times the mass of Jupiter. The system, consisting of four giant planets and two asteroid belts, is young compared to our solar system and may be on the verge of falling apart due to gravitational interactions.
Researchers aim to create new therapeutics using novel insight into fat metabolism, targeting a type of fat cell that burns calories and reduces weight. The study builds on key discoveries about brown fat, a molecular furnace that generates heat by burning calories.
The team made the first measurements of GJ 1214b's atmosphere, revealing a featureless spectrum that could be caused by a thick cloud or haze. The data suggests that the atmosphere is either dense with hydrogen or composed of steam vaporized by the nearby star.
Scientists from Scripps Research Institute have identified a novel synthetic activator of RORα and RORγ nuclear receptors, which play key roles in human metabolism and immune function. This discovery could lead to new therapeutic approaches for diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis.
Astronomers have discovered a planet from another galaxy orbiting a star that has entered our Milky Way, providing the first confirmed detection of an extragalactic exoplanet. The planet, HIP 13044 b, was detected using high-resolution spectrograph FEROS attached to the MPG/ESO telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory.
William Ja, a Scripps Florida scientist, received $60,000 grant from the Glenn Foundation to continue his work on longevity-enhancing manipulations. He also received a two-year grant of approximately $200,000 for non-surgical sterilization methods for dogs and cats through the Found Animals Foundation.
Paul Kenny, a Scripps Research Institute associate professor, has been awarded the Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award for his groundbreaking research on drug addiction and compulsive eating. His work reveals new links between molecular mechanisms that drive both behaviors.
Researchers have identified a novel mechanism regulating circadian rhythms that could provide a new target for treating jet lag, shift work, sleep disturbances, diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer. The discovery offers hope for modulating the body's core clock using synthetic ligands targeting nuclear receptors.
According to a University of California, Berkeley study, nearly one in four sun-like stars could have Earth-size planets. The researchers found increasing numbers of smaller planets, down to super-Earths, about three times the mass of Earth.
A new way to weigh planets has been developed using radio signals from small spinning stars called pulsars, providing an independent check on previous results. The measurements of planet masses made this new way could feed into data needed for future space missions.
Researchers pinpointed the exact date of a February 2009 asteroid collision using computer simulations and OSIRIS camera system images. The debris trail's three-dimensional shape, visible from a unique Rosetta space probe viewpoint, helped reconstruct the collision in detail.
Using new optics technology developed at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, astronomers have obtained images of a planet on a closer orbit around its parent star than any other extrasolar planet previously found. The discovery enables scientists to search for planets closer to the star than has been previously possible.
Astronomers tracked a bizarre X-shaped object, dubbed P/2010 A2, for five months using Hubble. The object is expanding slowly and retained its X-shape even as the debris field expanded, revealing details about asteroid collisions.
The CU-Boulder student-built dust counter on NASA's New Horizons mission has reached a distance of 1.67 billion miles from Earth, breaking the record for the most distant working space dust detector. The instrument collected data in agreement with earlier measurements made by NASA's Galileo and Ulysses missions to Jupiter.
Scientists from Scripps Research Institute uncovered new evidence challenging the current theory of ligand-protein interaction in modern drug design. The study found that ligands can adapt to changing protein structures, binding productively to both active and inactive forms.
A new study reveals that asteroid 65 Cybele contains water ice, challenging the earlier finding of organic molecules and water on asteroid 24 Themis. This discovery supports the theory that asteroids may have delivered water to Earth, potentially shaping our planet's formation.
Researchers propose that Enceladus' libration, a slight wobble as it rotates, could be responsible for generating heat and keeping its ocean liquid. This finding is significant in the search for life, as it suggests that the moon's environment may be stable enough to support development.
Researchers found that water and sulfur dioxide react as ice with surprising speed and high yield at temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing. This unexpected reaction could revamp current thinking about Europa's chemistry and geology, potentially leading to new discoveries on the moon and other icy bodies.
Tropical Depression 16 has strengthened due to cold cloud top temperatures, indicating stronger thunderstorms. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains and squally conditions to the Caribbean before moving towards Florida.
A new analysis by Stanford University School of Medicine found that using a popular test to identify patients who may benefit from statin therapy would be cost-effective, but only under certain scenarios. Assigning statin therapy based on risk alone was the most cost-effective strategy.
Two amateur astronomers independently observed an asteroid impact on Jupiter, opening a potential giant research lab in space for planetary scientists. The initial observations could help understand the behavior of meteoroids and their effects on Jupiter's atmosphere.