Second pregnancy changes the brain in surprising new ways A woman’s brain changes in very different ways during her second pregnancy compared with her first, helping her adjust to the demands of raising a larger family.The discovery comes from a study by researchers at Amsterdam University Medical Center, published in the journal Nature Communications. Scientists…
Why gold never tarnishes has finally been explained For thousands of years, humans have valued pure gold because it stays bright and shiny without becoming dull. Now, scientists have discovered that gold has a tiny self-protection system that actively stops oxygen from damaging its surface.The breakthrough comes from researchers at Tulane University, who found that…
It aims to deploy around 1,000 larger satellites by 2028 before eventually expanding the constellation to as many as 50,000 satellites by 2035 The United States has approved plans for what could become one of the most unusual space projects ever attempted — a satellite carrying a giant mirror designed to reflect sunlight back to…
Floating solar panels helped cut diesel use and also created a haven for salmon. (Picture source: Mowi.com) A salmon farm off the coast of Chile has found an unexpected benefit after replacing diesel generators with floating solar panels. While the project was launched to cut emissions and reduce fuel use, the new system also created…
According to JAXA, the entire flight lasted about 40 seconds. Japan has taken a significant step towards developing reusable rocket technology after its space agency successfully carried out the first lift-off and landing test of a prototype rocket, an area currently led by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the prototype lifted…
Most new dinosaur species are announced after researchers uncover multiple bones or even an entire skeleton. The discovery of Uragasaurus kalasinensis proves that this is not always necessary. Scientists have identified the giant long-necked dinosaur from a single, exceptionally well-preserved vertebra found in northeastern Thailand. Despite the limited fossil material, the bone preserved a unique…
PC: W. M. Keck Observatory For decades, dark matter has been treated as the unseen framework around which galaxies take shape. Even the smallest galaxies are generally thought to be wrapped inside vast halos of it, with the invisible material outweighing the stars by a wide margin. That assumption has been challenged before by two…
Few natural experiences are as universally loved as the earthy scent that rises after the first drops of rain hit dry ground. Petrichor, what most people describe as the smell of fresh rain, but the rain itself has almost no scent. Instead, what your nose detects is a remarkable chemical called geosmin, produced by soil-dwelling…
Carl Friedrich Gauss (Image: Wikipedia) Most people assume that if an idea sounds complicated, it must also be profound. Carl Friedrich Gauss, one of the greatest mathematicians in history, was not convinced. “When a philosopher says something that is true then it is trivial,” he observed. “When he says something that is not trivial then…
The pink light visible in recent timelapse footage from the International Space Station is not a camera effect or a reflection from Earth. Instead, it comes from a small plant-growing facility tucked inside the station’s Columbus laboratory, where astronauts have been tending crops as part of an ongoing experiment into how plants behave beyond our…
