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Public take the lead in discovery of new exploding star

Kilonova Seekers, a public participation project, has announced its first major discovery - a bright exploding star named GOTO0650. The team collected highly complete dataset on the star through fast response from volunteers, suggesting it's a period bouncer and rare object to find in wide-field imaging surveys.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 1, 2025

NASA’s Hubble finds that a black hole beam promotes stellar eruptions

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope discovered that the blowtorch-like jet from a supermassive black hole at the core of a huge galaxy causes stars to erupt along its trajectory. The finding suggests that there is something missing from our understanding of how black hole jets interact with their surroundings.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateSep 26, 2024

ONe nova to rule them all

Astronomers propose a new model to explain the origin of phosphorus, with ONe novae as a major source. The theory predicts a large amount of phosphorus will be released in these events, which would have been readily available when the Solar System formed.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateMay 9, 2024

Astronomers discover micronovae, a new kind of stellar explosion

A team of astronomers has discovered micronovae, extremely powerful events that occur on the surface of white dwarfs and can burn through billions of kilograms of material in a few hours. These new stellar explosions challenge our understanding of thermonuclear reactions in stars and may be more abundant than previously thought.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateApr 20, 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

Asymptomatic adults may be reservoirs of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A study by ITQB NOVA researchers found that asymptomatic adults in Portugal can carry pneumococci for several months, with a median duration of almost two months. This suggests that some adults may act as reservoirs of the bacterium, potentially impacting herd immunity.

Blast from the past

A team of astronomers using Gemini North's GNIRS instrument discovered that CK Vulpeculae, a bright new star in 1670, is approximately five times farther away and has ejected gas at much higher speeds than previously reported. The new findings suggest the explosion was far more violent, releasing roughly 25 times more energy than a nova.

SourceAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateNov 24, 2020

Dowsing for electric fields in liquid crystals

Physicists Pawel Pieranski and Maria Helena Godinho have found that the 'dowser texture' in nematic liquid crystals responds differently to electric fields in various materials. This phenomenon, known as electro-osmosis, enables detection of subtle electrical effects.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateJun 4, 2019

Medieval inks for heritage conservation

The Meridies Medieval History research group at the University of Cordoba collaborated with chemists to replicate five medieval inks. The team analyzed handwritten recipes, translated texts, and analyzed chemical reactions to recreate the exact same inks used six centuries ago.

SourceUniversity of Córdoba·JournalHeritage Science·DateFeb 5, 2019

A new laser source for infrared chemical imaging

Researchers at Université de Limoges developed a compact, optical fibre-based laser source that rivals synchrotron facilities in performing infrared spectromicroscopy. This breakthrough enables accurate chemical imaging of biological tissues with high precision, paving the way for early cancer diagnosis and treatment.

SourceUniversité de Limoges·JournalOptica·DateMar 23, 2018

Sedentary behavior increases risk of death for frail, inactive adults

A new study published in CMAJ found that sedentary time increases the risk of death for middle-aged and older people who are frail and inactive. However, this association was not observed among nonfrail adults who were inactive. The study suggests that physicians should stress the harms of inactivity with patients to encourage movement.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateAug 21, 2017

Neutrinos, ever bizarre, enjoy the spotlight

Recent neutrino discoveries by T2K and NOvA experiments at Colorado State University provide evidence of oscillations between neutrinos and antineutrinos, violating a longstanding physics principle. The findings hint at the universe's matter-antimatter imbalance and offer opportunities to study the weak nuclear force.