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Surprisingly simple explanation for the alien comet 'Oumuamua's weird orbit

Researchers Jennifer Bergner and Darryl Seligman suggest that 'Oumuamua's acceleration can be explained by the outgassing of hydrogen gas as the comet warmed up in the sunlight. The comet's small size allowed for a significant effect, with the tiny push from hydrogen spurted out of ice altering its gravitational deflection around the sun.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 22, 2023

Waseda University researchers measure boron flux in high-energy cosmic rays with the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET)

Researchers from Waseda University measured the energy spectrum of boron and the B/C flux ratio in high-energy cosmic rays using the CALorimetric Electron Telescope. The results indicate a different spectral index for boron compared to carbon, with implications for our understanding of cosmic ray propagation mechanisms.

SourceWaseda University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJan 26, 2023

Citizen Science: From the cosmos to the classroom

Citizen science project EEE enables students to collect and analyze data on cosmic rays, producing secondary particles that can be detected on Earth. The network of 60 detectors across Italy allows for correlations between events hundreds of kilometers apart.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal Plus·DateJan 20, 2023

Introducing COSMOCAT

COSMOCAT proposes using cosmic rays to transport random numbers, eliminating the need to send decryption keys and enhancing local device and network security. The system can be used alongside current wireless technologies, offering faster speeds and limited distance capabilities.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 12, 2023

Astrophysicists prove neutrinos originate from Blazars

A team of scientists led by Clemson University's Marco Ajello has provided conclusive evidence that astrophysical neutrinos come from blazars, which are powerful black holes. This breakthrough resolves the long-standing question about the origin of high-energy cosmic rays.

SourceClemson University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 14, 2022

Neutrino factories in deep outer space

An international research team has shed light on the origin of neutrinos, shedding new evidence that blazars can be confidently associated with astrophysical neutrinos. The study utilizes neutrino data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and BZCat catalogue to establish a connection between high-energy neutrinos and galactic nuclei.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 14, 2022

Fossils in the ‘Cradle of Humankind’ may be more than a million years older than previously thought

Fossils found in the 'Cradle of Humankind' in South Africa are estimated to be between 3.4 and 3.7 million years old, making them older than previously thought. This new age range places these fossils at the beginning of the Australopithecus era, challenging previous theories that they were near the end.

SourcePurdue University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 27, 2022

Keeping time with the cosmos

The cosmic time synchronizer uses cosmic rays from deep space to detect specific signatures, allowing devices to synchronize their clocks accurately. This technology has the potential to fill gaps in current time synchronization methods, particularly in remote or underwater locations.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 9, 2022

MAGIC telescopes observe nova explosion

The MAGIC telescopes detected gamma rays with energies of 250 gigaelectronvolts from the RS Ophiuchi nova, a hundred billion times more energetic than visible light. This suggests that nova outbursts are a source of cosmic rays, specifically accelerated protons and nuclei of hydrogen atoms.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Physics·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateApr 14, 2022

Undersea detector proves it’s swell

A new undersea detector has successfully detected a mild tsunami in Tokyo Bay using the power of muons and cosmic rays. This innovative system uses sensitive detectors to measure changes in ocean swells, providing accurate data for early warning systems and potentially revolutionizing tsunami monitoring.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 13, 2022

Icarus can fly high and save on wax too

A research team from Kyoto University assessed eight flight routes during five ground level enhancements to evaluate the risks of solar particle events. The study found that the maximum flight route dose and dose rate arising from major GLE events would need to exceed 1.0 mSv and 80 µSv/h, respectively, for countermeasures to be deemed...

SourceKyoto University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 2, 2021

Probing deep space with Interstellar

The Interstellar Probe mission aims to study how our Sun interacts with the local interstellar medium and learn more about the formation and evolution of the heliosphere. The probe will take 'images' of the heliosphere using energetic neutral atoms and observe extragalactic background light, shedding new light on the region.

Discovery of potential cosmic-ray accelerator in the galaxy opens window for PeV cosmic rays origin

The Tibet ASgamma experiment has discovered gamma rays beyond 100 TeV from a supernova remnant, suggesting that cosmic-ray nuclei are accelerated up to PeV energy and collide with a nearby molecular cloud. This discovery identifies the first candidate object in the Milky Way that can accelerate cosmic rays up to 1 PeV.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNature Astronomy·DateMar 2, 2021

How cosmic rays may have shaped life

Researchers propose that cosmic rays influenced the evolution of DNA-based life on Earth, promoting one form of molecular handedness over its mirror image. This idea suggests a connection between fundamental physics and the origin of life, with potential experiments to test their hypothesis.

SourceStanford University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateMay 20, 2020