Articles tagged with Planetary Bodies
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center researchers are part of a new virtual institute focusing on space science and human exploration. They will apply models to understand plasma interactions with asteroids, small bodies, and the effects of solar wind and radiation.
Researchers have found evidence of a water-rich rocky planetary body in the shattered remains of a planet that once orbited a white dwarf star. The discovery marks the first time water has been pinpointed in a rocky body outside our solar system, providing insights into the formation and evolution of habitable planets.
Researchers employed a unique approach to study the Greenland ice sheet, discovering that current models may not accurately predict its movement. The team found that as the ice sheet accelerates, it opens up space between the ice and bedrock, expanding the drainage network.
A new study in Science reveals pallasites, space gems with iron-nickel matrices and translucent olivine crystals, were formed from a smaller asteroid crashing into a planet-like body 30 times smaller than Earth. The research team used advanced techniques to determine the parent body's radius and classify it as a protoplanet.
A study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital successfully controls space-age jetlag on Mars using a fatigue management program. The program, which educated participants on resetting their body clocks, improved sleep, alertness, and performance.
Researchers found that asteroid Vesta's extensive system of troughs is likely the result of faults formed by a large collision. The troughs' unique characteristics, such as flat floors and distinct walls, suggest a fault moving apart, rather than simple cracking on the surface.
A team of scientists has made new discoveries about ancient meteorites, which provide clues to the early Solar System's formation. The research, published in Nature Geoscience, reveals that certain elements were present during the formation of these rocks, suggesting a late accretion process occurred earlier than previously thought.
A study estimated the total mass of the human population, defining its distribution by region and proportion due to overweight and obesity. The world's biomass would increase by 58 million tonnes if all countries had the same average BMI as the USA, equivalent to an additional 935 million people.
Researchers have identified hypervelocity planets and stars that are ejected from the Milky Way at millions of miles per hour due to their close interaction with a massive black hole. The study suggests that these high-speed objects can provide valuable insights into planetary formation and evolution near the central black hole.
Researchers have discovered two planets of sizes comparable to Earth orbiting an old star that has just passed the red giant stage. The planets, named KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02, are thought to be the dense cores of ancient giant planets whose gaseous envelopes were vaporized during the immersion phase.
Researchers propose that Jupiter may have 'jumped' out of its orbit to avoid disturbing the inner solar system. The 'jumping-Jupiter' theory suggests one planet was ejected from the solar system, leaving four giant planets behind.
Astronomers detect a double sunset on the newly discovered Kepler-16b, a planet similar to Saturn in size and mass. The planet orbits two smaller, cooler stars and is estimated to be around -100°C due to its distance from its parent bodies.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a fourth moon orbiting Pluto, the smallest discovered to date. The new moon, temporarily designated P4, was found in a survey searching for rings around Pluto and has an estimated diameter of 8-21 miles.
Researchers studied four Tagish Lake meteorites, finding large concentrations of essential biochemistry components like monocarboxylic acids and amino acids. The findings suggest that hydrothermal activity played a crucial role in shaping the chemical diversity of these samples.
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 expand study of 2008 TC3 meteorite, finding diverse oxygen isotopes that suggest the asteroid's source had a complex formation history. The discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the meteorite's origin and potential connections to other celestial bodies.
A team of researchers, including Washington University professor William B. McKinnon and associate professor Andrew Dombard, propose that Iapetus had a sub-satellite created by a giant impact, which eventually broke apart and formed the ridge. The study suggests that tidal forces played a crucial role in shaping the moon's unique feature.
A team of scientists found that brain size evolved differently in various primate lineages, with some species experiencing decreases in brain mass despite larger body sizes. This challenges the long-held assumption that evolution always results in bigger brains.
A team led by John Debes at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center finds that a star's motion through interstellar gas can account for warped debris disks around stars. The fine dust particles are affected by the drag force from the gas, causing them to change their trajectory and creating unusual shapes.
Researchers built a novel device to study convection in rotational systems, providing new insights into how it controls planetary and stellar behavior. The findings show that fluid boundary layers control rotating convection systems, rather than Coriolis and buoyancy forces.
Meteorites containing ancient magnetic records have provided new insights into the early history of planets. The study suggests that small bodies in the solar system were large enough to melt and form magnetic dynamos, overturning previous ideas about planet formation.
Researchers found that healthy coral polyps rely on both photosynthetic carbon from algae and feeding-derived carbon for survival. The study suggests a key role for this dual carbon source in coral recovery from bleaching, with implications for the management of these critical ecosystems.
Astronomers have discovered 'embryonic planets' forming in nearby star systems using new Hubble Space Telescope imagery. These small, Pluto-sized bodies are thought to be the first stage of planet formation and may hold the key to understanding how our own planet came to be.
The researchers found that the dust grains have a porosity of over 90%, similar to powder snow, allowing them to measure the agglomeration process of interstellar grains. This discovery provides valuable insights into the early days of our planetary system and how dust grains grow from interstellar sizes to macroscopic objects.
The International Astronomical Union has named the newly discovered dwarf planet Eris and its moon Dysnomia. The name Eris was proposed by Michael Brown and accepted unanimously by the Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature and the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature.
The IAU draft definition of a planet, which includes eight classical planets, three new 'plutons,' and Ceres, has been reached after two years of work. The definition states that a planet must be in orbit around a star and have sufficient mass to assume a hydrostatic equilibrium shape.
Astronomers have discovered a double planetary mass object in the Ophiuchus star-forming region, approximately 400 light years away. The objects, which are similar to extra-solar giant planets, are not orbiting around a star but instead appear to be circling each other.
Researchers have found a nearby star system that could potentially host an Earth-like planet with the right conditions. The modelled system is expected to have a habitable zone where terrestrial planets can form, similar to our own solar system.
Researchers have discovered six 'planemos,' planetary mass objects with masses similar to extra-solar planets, surrounded by dusty discs that may evolve into miniature planetary systems. These findings suggest similar infancies for our Sun and smaller objects, blurring the definition of a planet.
Researchers found four 'planemos' with dusty disks that could evolve into miniature planetary systems. The discovery challenges the traditional view of what constitutes a planet.
Researchers found that half of planetary collisions result in impactors bouncing off, leaving them significantly altered. These collisions can strip away atmospheres, crusts, and mantles, producing diverse asteroid populations.
A team of astronomers used a rare stellar occultation to determine Charon's radius with great accuracy, finding it to be 603.6 km. They also set an upper limit on the existence and pressure of Charon's atmosphere, suggesting it is likely icy with little or no nitrogen.
Astronomers using the Gemini South telescope in Chile have observed new details in the dusty disk surrounding Beta Pictoris, showing a large collision between planetary-sized bodies may have occurred as recently as the past few decades. The mid-infrared observations provide evidence for energetic encounters during planetary formation.
A team of astronomers at Penn State used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope to detect a cometlike body falling onto a massive, very young star. The infall, which occurred about 3200 years ago, provided dramatic spectral variations in the star's light. This discovery sheds light on planetary formation and the evolution of massive star systems.
University of Arizona researchers used Love's equation to calculate tidal deformation in various spheres, discovering that under specific conditions, the shape of a planet could change dramatically. This may have regulated the size of planets, preventing their formation.
Bruce Lipshutz's patented method uses transition metal catalysts to produce CoQ10 efficiently, targeting cancer, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. The process reduces costs by using inexpensive ingredients and minimizing production steps.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has detected unusual microlensing events in the M22 globular cluster, hinting at a new population of wandering, planet-sized objects. These bodies are estimated to have masses as low as 80 times that of Earth, a discovery that could challenge current understanding of celestial mechanics.
Researchers have discovered 18 planet-like objects drifting free of a central star in the Orion constellation. The objects' cool temperatures suggest they may be planets or brown dwarfs, challenging current theories on planetary formation.
A new study by Prof. Mordechai Milgrom proposes a radical alternative to the existence of invisible dark matter, instead suggesting that modifications to Newton's laws are needed for giant galactic systems. The theory, known as MOdified Nonrelativistic Dynamics, could revolutionize our understanding of the universe.