Researchers at the University of Edinburgh discovered that ants walking backwards use the sun's position and visual memories to set a course relative to the sun. This flexible navigational behavior could inspire novel computer algorithms for guiding robots.
A study published in JAMA Dermatology found that neither a beach umbrella nor SPF 100 sunscreen alone prevented sunburn completely, with 78% of those under an umbrella and 25% of those using sunscreen developing sunburn. The study highlighted the importance of combining sun protection practices for optimal protection against UV rays.
A large international survey found imperfections in primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer, with regional differences in sun protection behaviors. The study's results suggest that education level, gender, and socioeconomic status influence sun protection habits.
A new study led by Berkeley Lab researcher Trevor F. Keenan highlights a common practice in plant science that may have underestimated plants' growth and photosynthesis rates. The study suggests updating global plant databases and models to better account for plant responses to full-sun conditions.
Researchers have discovered a star that ingested some of its planets, revealing a violent history for the planetary system. The star's composition suggests it devoured four planets, preserving lithium and other elements in its atmosphere.
Researchers observed L2 Puppis, a star similar to the Sun 5 billion years ago, to understand its evolution and potential impact on planets. A planet orbiting the giant star may offer clues about Earth's ultimate fate.
Sun, a civil engineering and engineering mechanics professor at Columbia University, has won the award for his project on modeling high-rate responses of wetted granular materials. He aims to improve predictions of large-scale field problems using insights from small-scale observations and simulations.
A new optical chip enables astronomers to capture clear images of exoplanets near their host sun, overcoming the challenge of intense solar brightness. This breakthrough technology uses an interferometer to cancel out sunlight and detect fainter planet light, paving the way for discovering planets with conditions suitable for life.
IRIS collects data on the temperature and movement of solar material to determine how it drives the constant changes on our sun. The mission aims to answer questions about coronal heating and solar activity, with recent studies suggesting distinct bomb-like events.
The new observatory will record high-resolution images of the Sun every five seconds, measuring internal gravity waves and their role in transporting energy and momentum. The data will aid in understanding space weather events, solar coronal heating, and the structure of the Sun's atmosphere.
A new tabletop device could detect elusive neutrinos more efficiently, simplifying scientists' ability to study the sun. Researchers discovered a connection between neutrino decay fluctuations and solar rotation, providing strong evidence for this method.
Astronomers using Kepler and Swift missions discover 18 stars that rotate rapidly, producing X-ray emissions at more than 100 times the sun's level. These stars are believed to have formed from the merger of two sun-like stars in close binary systems.
Scientists have tracked a particular kind of solar wave as it swept upward from the sun's surface through its atmosphere, adding to our understanding of how solar material travels throughout the sun. The study provides a novel tool for scientists to study the atmosphere of the sun and sheds light on the coronal heating problem.
A recent study by Caltech researchers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown suggests that the large, undiscovered planet Planet Nine is responsible for the sun's tilted orbit. The planet's massive size and unique orbit cause a multi-billion-year wobble in the solar system, resulting in a six-degree tilt.
Researchers discovered that solar flares accelerate sunspot rotation speeds, revealing a complex relationship between the Sun's magnetic fields. This phenomenon challenges current theories on solar flares and has significant implications for understanding energy transport in eruptions.
Proxima Centauri, a small red dwarf star, has a regular cycle of starspots similar to our Sun. The study suggests that this cycle may impact the potential habitability of its planet, Proxima b.
Researchers at HZDR propose a new mechanism linking planetary tidal effects to the Sun's dynamo, which could drive the 11-year solar cycle. The theory suggests that small forces from Venus, Earth, and Jupiter can initiate oscillations in the alpha effect, leading to polarity reversals.
Research from the University of Warwick suggests that Planet Nine's existence could lead to the elimination of a giant planet and its ejection into interstellar space. The hypothetical planet's presence could cause a 'pinball' effect, hurling planets out of the solar system as the sun dies in around seven billion years.
A new test is required to evaluate the quality and safety of sunglasses, which can deteriorate over time due to UV exposure. The current standard relies on a aging test that simulates 50 hours of sun exposure, but this may not accurately reflect real-world conditions.
Plant biologists discovered how sunflowers use their internal circadian clocks to follow the sun during the day as they grow, acting on growth hormones. The plants' ability to track the sun was disrupted when staked or turned away from the sun, and continued even in an indoor growth chamber with a fixed light source.
Researchers have identified a young star over 30 times the mass of our Sun, which could help us understand how massive stars are formed. The discovery suggests that massive stars form in a similar way to smaller stars like our Sun.
A new study from the University of Surrey found that visual communication using technology to illustrate skin damage is most effective in changing behaviors. Young women who saw their own faces prematurely aged took twice as many free sunscreen samples and three times more skin cancer leaflets than those who received text-based messages.
Researchers at SLAC and Stanford have created a nanostructured device that disinfects water using the full range of visible sunlight, killing bacteria in minutes. The device triggers the formation of hydrogen peroxide and other disinfecting chemicals.
The NASA Solar Probe Plus mission is progressing toward its anticipated summer 2018 launch after passing a critical design review. The spacecraft will collect data on the mechanisms that heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind, crucial for understanding our space weather and its impact on satellites.
A recent study by researchers at Johns Hopkins finds that people with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancers still get sunburned, likely due to ineffective use of sun-protective methods. The study urges healthcare providers to better educate patients on protective skin care practices.
Researchers found that red hair-associated MC1R gene variants increase genetic mutations in melanoma skin cancer by an average of 42% more than the general population. This highlights the need for everyone to be cautious about sun exposure, regardless of their hair color.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured a video of twisting solar material on the sun's surface, showcasing turbulence caused by combative magnetic forces. The footage reveals a dark filament suspended above the sun's surface.
A team from Southwest Research Institute suggests that asteroid impacts during the early days of Earth's history led to a massive greenhouse effect, stabilizing temperatures and delivering essential elements for life. This mechanism may have played a key role in sustaining liquid water on our planet.
A large-scale study found a slight increase in risk of cutaneous melanoma among men taking PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction, but this was largely explained by greater sun exposure. The study suggests that these drugs are unlikely to be associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.
Scientists at the University of Delaware discovered a 23-million-year-old brown dwarf that can emit powerful flashes of light, stronger than the sun's. The ultracool brown dwarf, 2MASS 0335+23, has lots of flares as hot as or hotter than full-fledged stars.
Astronomers at Lund University propose that Planet 9, a mysterious object in our solar system, may be an exoplanet captured by the sun. The study suggests that the sun stole the planet from its original star during a close encounter.
Researchers developed a portable, disposable sunburn sensor made from safe and benign materials that can be easily calibrated for different skin tones and sunscreen levels.
An international team of astronomers has detected icy comets and carbon monoxide gas around a nearby sun-like star using ALMA. The findings provide early insights into the properties of comet clouds in stellar systems just after their birth.
The NASA-funded Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) captured striking images of Mercury during its May 9, 2016 transit across the sun. By observing this phenomenon, researchers can calibrate IRIS and gather data on the sun's lower atmosphere.
The MinXSS CubeSat was deployed from the ISS in 2016 to study solar flares and their effects on Earth's upper atmosphere. The mission aims to understand the physics behind these events, which can disrupt radio and GPS signals.
Researchers discovered unique starspots on nearby star Zeta Andromedae, differing significantly from the Sun's spots. The findings offer a rare glimpse into the Sun's infancy and challenge current theories about star magnetic fields.
Astrophysicists have observed a distant star in Andromeda with a different positioning of sunspots, indicating a magnetic field driven by unique internal dynamics. The star's rapid rotation creates a powerful magnetic field, resulting in asymmetrical distribution of sunspots on its surface.
Three NASA satellites will observe Mercury's transit, offering a rare opportunity to study planetary motion and the sun's effects. The event will also be used to calibrate space instruments and test spacecraft.
A team of astronomers has discovered a unique rocky body in the Oort Cloud, a region surrounding the Sun like a giant soap bubble. The object, dubbed a Manx comet due to its tailless nature, is believed to be one of the potential building blocks of rocky planets like Earth.
Researchers developed a model to explain how monarch butterflies navigate during their 2,000-mile fall migration. The model suggests that the monarchs' brain receives information from both the sun's position and the time of day, and uses two neural mechanisms to decipher the correct direction.
Researchers created a mathematical model that reproduces the animals' internal calculations, revealing the existence of a 'separatrix angle' that changes throughout the day. The model predicts real-life behaviors in flight simulators and provides insights into monarch navigation.
Physicists validate numerical simulation methods using 40 methods and 15 software packages, confirming high precision. The study's results aim to improve accuracy in theoretical speculation.
A hospital-based study found carriers of MC1R variants were at higher risk of melanoma, regardless of sun exposure. The study suggests a potential molecular mechanism underlying melanoma development.
A new study from Brazil found that skin tanning protects against harmful UV irradiation but limits the skin's ability to produce vitamin D. The study, which evaluated 986 participants, showed that 72% had vitamin D deficiency and most people exposed to high levels of sunlight were deficient.
Researchers found Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in over half of hospitalized children with pneumonia in Beijing, predicting an ongoing epidemic. The study may help clinicians slow the spread of the disease.
A team of scientists has found that a star similar to the Sun could potentially create a massive eruption known as a superflare, which could have devastating effects on Earth. The research used data from nearly 100,000 stars to show that superflares are likely formed through the same mechanism as solar flares.
Researchers have developed a new framework to understand the evolution of sun-like stars, which can help determine their age with more precision. The model predicts that younger stars will vary significantly in x-ray emission intensity, but convergence occurs after a certain age, making them more predictable.
New research found that women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of heart disease and noncancer deaths. Smokers in the highest sun exposure group were at a similar risk as non-smokers avoiding sun exposure. The study's findings suggest that guidelines regarding sun exposure may be too restrictive, potentially harming health.
A new study of the young, Sun-like star Kappa Ceti found that a magnetic field played a key role in making a planet conducive to life. The presence of such a field helped shield the atmosphere from intense stellar winds and superflares.
Assistant Professor Yuze Sun is developing an all-liquid optofluidic laser for cancer detection and other biosensing applications. The laser's adaptive nature achieves high-precision tuning, making it biocompatible and bioconfigurable.
A multicomponent intervention including reminders, swim shirts, and read-along books increased sun-protection behaviors among young children, while also reducing changes in skin pigment. The study found that the intervention was more effective than usual information provided during well-child visits.
The Heliophysics CubeSat will measure incoming radiation that can affect Earth's radio communications, satellite electronics, and power grids. The satellite will provide unprecedented insight into the sun's impact on our planet.
Scientists use real-time observations and computer simulations to analyze the solar corona's dynamic system. The sun's magnetic field drives space weather on Earth and affects interplanetary radiation. Understanding its structure is crucial for studying space throughout the solar system.
New research indicates that stars older than the Sun spin less than expected, affecting age calculations. This discovery has significant implications for understanding stellar aging and predicting future changes in our own Solar System.
Aging stars stop slowing down as their magnetic field interacts with a wind of particles flowing away from its surface, according to research published in Nature. This discovery challenges previous theories on stellar rotation and has implications for understanding how the Sun influences its local environment, including planets.
Astronomers have discovered a planetary system with an enormous planet sandwiched between a Sun-like star and a dwarf star. The planet's massive eccentric orbit indicates gravitational influence from the dwarf star, leading to Kozai oscillations that cause it to 'dance' between the two stars.
Researchers have discovered a stellar superflare on KIC9655129 with wave patterns similar to those observed in solar flares, suggesting the potential for the Sun to also produce a superflare. This could lead to catastrophic consequences, including power blackouts and disruptions to GPS and radio communication systems.
STEREO-A has resumed its normal science operations, transmitting lower-resolution real-time data and high-definition images of the sun's surface and atmosphere with a two- to three-day delay. This allows scientists to better track solar events and make accurate models of interplanetary space weather.
A new technique allows for faster monitoring of magnetic field changes before solar flares, providing advance warning of potentially devastating space storms. The method, developed by Queen's University Belfast, enables scientists to examine the precursors responsible for destructive space weather.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing a beach ball-sized titanium occulter to study the sun's corona and predict solar flares. The mission aims to improve scientists' understanding of coronal mass ejections, which can disrupt electronics and power grids.