Heavens | Page 67 | Science Codex

NASA's GPM satellite sees potential Atlantic tropical cyclone

An area of low pressure designated as System 90L, located in the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas is being monitored today for possible development into a tropical or subtropical cyclone. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission core observatory satellite flew over the developing low pressure area on May 26, 2016 at 0932 UTC (5:30 a.m. EDT).

Shower activity has increased in the area. NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) has advised interests along the southeastern coast of United States to monitor the progress of this low.

Female meerkats compete to outgrow their sisters

Meerkats live in groups of up to 50 individuals, yet a single dominant pair will almost completely monopolise reproduction, while subordinates help to raise offspring through feeding and babysitting. Since only a small minority of individuals ever get to be dominants, competition for the breeding role is intense in both sexes and females are unusually aggressive to each other.

Scientists discover how supermassive black holes keep galaxies turned off

An international team of scientists has identified a common phenomenon in galaxies that could explain why huge numbers of them turn into cosmic graveyards.

Number of habitable planets could be limited by stifling atmospheres

New research has revealed that fewer than predicted planets may be capable of harbouring life because their atmospheres keep them too hot.

When looking for planets that could harbour life, scientists look for planets in the 'habitable zones' around their stars - at the right distance from the stars to allow water to exist in liquid form. Traditionally, this search has focused on looking for planets orbiting stars like our Sun, in a similar way to Earth.

Spring comes sooner to urban heat islands, with potential consequences for wildlife

MADISON, Wis. -- With spring now fully sprung, a new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers shows that buds burst earlier in dense urban areas than in their suburban and rural surroundings. This may be music to urban gardeners' ears, but that tune could be alarming to some native and migratory birds and bugs.

Close encounters of a tidal kind could lead to cracks on icy moons

A new model developed by University of Rochester researchers could offer a new explanation as to how cracks on icy moons, such as Pluto's Charon, formed.

Until now, it was thought that the cracks were the result of geodynamical processes, such as plate tectonics, but the models run by Alice Quillen and her collaborators suggest that a close encounter with another body might have been the cause.

Supermassive black holes in 'red geyser' galaxies cause galactic warming

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 26, 2016) - An international team of scientists, including the University of Kentucky's Renbin Yan, have uncovered a new class of galaxies, called "red geysers," with supermassive black hole winds so hot and energetic that stars can't form.

Humiliation from stares are worse than tiny seats for obese air travelers -- new study

BEER-SHEVA, Israel ... May 25, 2016 - Feelings of shame and humiliation bother obese air passengers more than tight seat belts and tiny seats, according to a study published by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

Participants interviewed for the study "An Exploratory Study About Obese People's Flight Experience," published in the Journal of Travel Research, recounted the typical challenges they encounter while boarding, in-flight and deplaning.

Poor communities a 'hotbed' of entrepreneurial creativity, but need help to grow long-term

Toronto - Necessity can be the mother of invention, but without financial and business development support, many impoverished entrepreneurs can't get past the start-up phase of establishing a unique new business.

Using a national survey on entrepreneurship, researcher Laura Doering showed in a recent study that low-income entrepreneurs in Panama were just as likely as wealthier people to start early-stage businesses selling new products. But they had lower rates of sustaining those businesses into long-term profitability.

Fort McMurray fires cause air quality issues

The air quality around the entire Fort McMurray region remains very poor. The Alberta Health Services has issued warnings for the entire area with Health Quality Index of 10+ (very high risk of triggering health issues) reported in the area. As evidenced in these images from the morning and evening passes of the Terra and Aqua satellites respectively, huge amounts of smoke are still billowing into the atmosphere.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will have a map for that

On Sept. 8, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to launch for terra incognita: the unknown surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Like expeditions of old, OSIRIS-REx's mission includes mapping the exotic terrain it explores.

Boosting productivity at work may be simple: Stand up

Most people have heard the argument that standing desks are good for the body. They can help burn more calories and fight obesity. Standing can even help improve students' attention and cognitive functioning. Now, new research from the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health indicates that they may boost productivity in adults as well.

NASA scientists explain the art of creating digital hurricanes

Every day, scientists at NASA work on creating better hurricanes - on a computer screen. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, a team of scientists spends its days incorporating millions of atmospheric observations, sophisticated graphic tools and lines of computer code to create computer models simulating the weather and climate conditions responsible for hurricanes. Scientists use these models to study the complex environment and structure of tropical storms and hurricanes.

Supermassive black hole wind can stop new stars from forming

Scientists have uncovered a new class of galaxies with supermassive black hole winds that are energetic enough to suppress future star formation.

Science instruments of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope successfully installed

With surgical precision, two dozen engineers and technicians successfully installed the package of science instruments of the James Webb Space Telescope into the telescope structure. The package is the collection of cameras and spectrographs that will record the light collected by Webb's giant golden mirror.

Inside the world's largest clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the team crane-lifted the heavy science instrument package, lowered it into an enclosure on the back of the telescope, and secured it to the telescope.