A study found that sun protection habits decreased in children between their first and second summers, with a 32% increase in skin damage. The decrease was attributed to lack of full protection, rather than increased sun exposure, highlighting the need for sustained sun protection efforts.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research found a moderate correlation between solar activity and climate change. However, their study suggests that the Sun's influence on global warming is relatively small over the last 20-30 years.
Scientists measured a 0.1% reduction in sunlight reaching Earth during a June 8 Venus transit using NASA's SORCE satellite data. This event is comparable to the estimated 50-year decrease in sunlight that occurred during the Little Ice Age in the 17th century.
Astronomers have directly measured the mass of a single star, the first time this feat has been accomplished for any star other than our own sun. The star, nearly 2,000 light-years away, was found to have one-tenth the mass of the Sun using a combination of old and new astronomical techniques.
Researchers found plankton produce compound DMSP when stressed by UV radiation, leading to cloud formation and reduced direct light on the ocean surface. The study suggests plankton may impact global temperatures, with potential benefits in slowing climate change.
The discovery of a disk of dust and comets around Tau Ceti suggests that this star is likely to experience constant bombardment from asteroids, making it difficult for life to evolve. Scientists will have to rethink where they look for civilisations outside our Solar System.
Astronomers searched for sun-like stars exhibiting Maunder minimums, but most are not like the sun. Nearly all stars identified as Maunder minima are actually much brighter and different from the sun.
The NCAR instrument provides unprecedented views of the solar corona's magnetic structures, enabling scientists to analyze magnetism in the corona and relate it to emerging features like prominences and coronal mass ejections. This data will aid space weather forecasters in predicting solar storms that can impact Earth's infrastructure.
A new theory suggests that the Sun and Solar System formed in a turbulent environment, with massive stars influencing the development of planets. This vision could have profound implications for understanding planetary formation and life's origins.
A study found that prolonged sun exposure, especially in teens and 30s, increases the risk of age-related maculopathy. Wearing hats and sunglasses also reduces this risk by half.
The SORCE satellite has been collecting long-term data on natural solar variation to determine the sun's role in global change. Accurate knowledge of solar variations is essential for understanding and predicting impacts on Earth's atmosphere and climate.
The SORCE satellite has tracked exceptionally high levels of solar activity, including the third most powerful solar flare ever observed in X-rays. This comprehensive dataset will help scientists better understand the mechanisms of solar spectral-irradiance variability and their possible climatic impacts.
Researchers tracked individual UVR dose patterns and sun exposure in a large cohort of Danish volunteers. They found that indoor workers were exposed to the least UVR, while gardeners received the most, and children's UVR exposure increased with age.
A study found that skin cancer patients experience improved mental and emotional health after surgery, but general quality of life remains unchanged. Patients also showed increased use of sunscreen and protective behaviors like wearing hats.
Sunbeds' tanning properties come with a high risk of skin damage, including DNA mutations associated with malignant melanoma. Experts recommend restricting sunbed use to those over 18 years old and accelerate skin aging.
The team discovered LBV 1806-20, a massive star at least 150 times larger than the sun, with estimated age of less than 2 million years. The star's enormous size is attributed to shock-induced star formation, while its location in a rare cluster of stars raises further questions about its origins.
Researchers identified frequent BRAF mutations in intermittent sun-exposed skin melanomas, but rare mutations in chronically sun-damaged or unseen skin. Additionally, bladder cancer cell lines showed defective checkpoint function, suggesting barriers to carcinogenesis. These findings may inform therapeutic strategies for these diseases.
A study by cancer nurse Kerry Guile found that even oncologists and cancer nurses with high knowledge of sun protection were not acting on it. The sample size was 340 people, including medical students and non-oncology nurses, who scored highly on sun protective behavior.
Researchers studied two binary star systems, predicting regular flare cycles similar to the Sun's magnetic cycle. The team used continuous monitoring of radio waves to discover patterns in flare strength, indicating active and inactive cycles every 50-120 days.
A new study finds that NASA's Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) can detect habitable planets near significantly more massive stars than the sun. The satellite will use interferometry to measure the position of stars and detect tiny wobbles caused by orbiting planets.
A new technique uses interleukin-6 to store and transport fatty liver organs, potentially reducing damage and improving function after transplantation. The findings could increase the availability of liver transplants in the US, where approximately 40% of adults have fatty livers.
A new 3D map of local space reveals the Sun at the center of an irregular cavity, surrounded by a dense wall of gas. The map suggests that interlocking cavities and tunnels were created by supernovas or strong stellar winds.
A study by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) found that monarchs use their internal circadian clock to navigate towards Mexico. The researchers manipulated daily light cycles on butterflies in a flight simulator, showing that disrupted clocks hinder navigation.
Researchers explore how artists like Monet and da Vinci use light, color, and vision to create illusions of space and color. Neuroscientist Margaret Livingstone explains that luminance and flat-reflecting mediums influence visual perception, making objects appear differently in various situations.
Researchers discovered that giant solar loops can erupt explosively, releasing massive amounts of plasma and heat. The longer the loop, the more likely it is to erupt, posing a threat to satellites and space weather.
New research reveals that red giants still exhibit coronal activity, but it is submerged in the chromosphere, a region around 10,000 F. The team used NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory and ultraviolet instruments to detect hot coronal gas through UV emissions.
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) has recorded the Sun's influence on ozone and atmospheric gases over an 11-year solar cycle. The complete dataset provides key measurements toward understanding natural and man-made influences on ozone.
Researchers at Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX) make 1st 3D measurements of magnetic reconnection, revealing a swept and sheared magnetic structure. This breakthrough helps understand plasma physics processes on the sun and new structures in fusion energy machines.
Researchers discover helicity, a twisted structure within the Sun's magnetic field, causing coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that can affect modern technology and the northern lights. Understanding CMEs is crucial for predicting space weather.
The NASA Living With a Star program aims to understand the dynamics of the Earth-Sun system. The Stanford-led SDO mission will study the Sun's magnetic fields, creating 3D images of solar magnetic regions and surface fields, to predict destructive flares and solar storms.
Researchers found physicians and patients were equally likely to use sun protection when going outside for an hour or more. However, the specific forms of sun protection used differed, with physicians using sunscreen more frequently but less often staying in the shade or wearing protective clothing.
A collaboration between students and scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center aims to identify environmental triggers of pediatric asthma in Baltimore. The Baltimore Student Sun photometer Network (BSSN) will collect daily aerosol data, enhancing science, math, and technology skills for the students involved.
Self-tanners contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which interacts with skin proteins to create a brown glow. Newer sunscreens offer greater protection against both UVA and UVB radiation, including those developed by Craig Bonda, who found that adding DEHN to avobenzone extends its effectiveness.
The discovery of a Jupiter-like planet and the smallest known planet outside the solar system offers hope for finding life beyond Earth. The newly found planet orbits 55 Cancri at nearly the same distance as Jupiter orbits our sun, making it a near analog to our own solar system.
A 100,000-year climate cycle linked to the sun's magnetic activity has been discovered. The study found that periods of high solar magnetic activity correlate with warmer climates and vice versa.
Researchers at Stanford University have discovered that giant loops of hot, electrified gas linked to sunspots near the equator may cause polar reversals. The findings help predict violent solar flares and eruptions that interfere with Earth's communications.
A new study of nearly 10,000 adolescents found that children's psychological well-being improves three years before and after a parents' marriage ends, but their test scores remain lower. The researchers suggest that cumulative academic performance contributes to the persistent decline in test scores.
The NASA spacecraft TIMED observes the global reaction of the upper atmosphere to solar activity, helping scientists understand why some solar events have significant geospace impact. Preliminary data from TIMED will be featured at the Spring 2002 American Geophysical Union meeting, May 31, in Washington, D.C.
An international team of researchers analyzed data from the Michelson Doppler Imager instrument to detect variations in the Sun's interior rotation, which appear to be connected to the 11-year cycle of magnetic activity. The study provides new insights into the solar dynamo and its impact on the Sun's colossal magnetic field behavior.
A team of UW researchers has determined a more precise solar neutrino production figure, finding that the fusion rate is 17% greater than previously estimated. This new finding means the sun must be producing 17% more energetic neutrinos, with an accuracy of 3-4 percentage points.
The discovery provides the first evidence that planets at earthlike distances can survive the evolution of their host star into a giant. The planet orbits iota Draconis, an old star with a radius 13 times that of the sun, and has an elliptical orbit that takes 1.5 years to complete.
A new NASA climate model suggests that low solar activity during the Little Ice Age (1400s-1700s) triggered regional cooling in Europe and North America. The study found that a dimmer sun reduced westerly winds, leading to cold temperatures during winter.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have made a precise measurement of solar neutrinos, resolving a long-standing puzzle. By studying the proton transfer reaction, they found that the number of solar neutrinos is lower than expected by around 20 percent compared to previous calculations.
Researchers found evidence that materials produced in the sun's atmosphere are ejected directly outward, forming the solar wind. This discovery contradicts a theory suggesting these materials circulate in the sun's interior before being ejected.
Researchers found that young stars in Orion exhibit high levels of X-ray flaring, sufficient to explain the production of unusual isotopes locked away in ancient meteorites. This discovery suggests that our Sun may have also formed these isotopes during its baby years.
Researchers confirm long-standing mystery of magnetic reconnection, a process that generates solar flares and aurorae. The event was observed by NASA's Wind spacecraft as it flew through the Earth's magnetotail, revealing collisionless processes that explain its fast rate.
Scientists from Japan, US, and UK collaborate to build instruments for Solar-B, a satellite studying the Sun's magnetic field and its impact on Earth's climate. The mission aims to understand how magnetic fields interact with the Sun's atmosphere and release energy in solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Astronomers have discovered intriguing patterns of star motion and composition that suggest a remnant of a smaller galaxy consumed by the Milky Way billions of years ago. The study, part of the 2dF Old Stellar Population Survey, aims to investigate the galactic merger that formed the Milky Way's thick disk.
The Interplanetary Network detected a gigantic gamma-ray burst, the most distant ever observed, from a dying star 30 times more massive than the sun. The burst is believed to have occurred 11 billion years ago and has been traveling through space for the same amount of time.
Dr. Oliver Manuel proposes that the sun and planets formed from debris of a massive supernova explosion, contradicting conventional astrophysics theories. Recent data from NASA's Galileo probe supports his claims by detecting traces of strange xenon gases in Jupiter's atmosphere.
Astronomers have directly detected a new type of stellar flare on the binary system HR 1099, challenging current models and providing insight into flare physics. The flares were observed in a narrow temperature range of gas on the star, distinct from the hot gas that emits X-rays.
A team of Boston University astronomers has captured new ground-based photos of Mercury's surface, revealing details similar to those on the Moon. The images, taken in August 1998, show bright craters and dark lunar mare-like markings, providing insights into Mercury's geology.
DoubleTwist has completed the first annotation of the human genome, revealing genes and valuable information. The analysis used Sun Enterprise supercomputers and DoubleTwist's proprietary genomic analysis software to process all available sequence data.
Detecting active regions on the far side of the Sun allows for up to two weeks' advance warning of strong solar winds. The method uses Lyman alpha radiation to track sunspot activity and predict severe space weather.
Scientists have discovered a new mechanism for coronal mass ejections, which are large-scale eruptions on the Sun that can cause geomagnetic storms and disrupt power generation. Shock waves generated by solar flares in other regions of the sun can cause these eruptions, contrary to previous thought.
Researchers have detected significant speed-ups and slow-downs in the rotation rate of gases at the inner edge of a spherical shell known as the convection zone. The discovery is believed to shed light on the physical dynamics of the 11-year solar cycle that affects Earth.
Chemist Richard L. Hahn's work with solar neutrinos reveals insights into the sun's behavior and duration. His research uses giant tanks to detect neutrino collisions, which may lead to a re-evaluation of fundamental theories.
Scientists have developed a new imaging technique using ripples on the sun's surface to probe its interior and locate hidden solar storms. This breakthrough enables forecasting of solar storms with a week's warning, potentially disrupting spacecraft and power systems.
The Earth's oceans are predicted to evaporate within 1 billion years as the sun's temperature increases, leading to a waterless planet. The process is driven by the sun's increasing brightness, which will eventually cause water to evaporate into space.
The solar system's ultimate fate is predicted to be a collapse of the sun into a white dwarf, incinerating the Earth and inner planets in the process. However, a close encounter with a passing star may rescue life by hurling the Earth out of the solar system.