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Category: space – Page 305

People with autistic traits tend to have higher intolerance of uncertainty, leading to dichotomous thinking

A study conducted in Japan has found that individuals exhibiting strong autistic traits are often inclined towards dichotomous thinking. The research suggests that these autistic traits might lead to a heightened intolerance of uncertainty, subsequently increasing the propensity for dichotomous thinking. The study was published in Scientific Reports.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by a wide range of symptoms and challenges. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder typically have restricted interests, difficulties in social interaction and communication. The severity of these challenges can vary greatly from person to person. Some individuals with ASD may have significant language delays and struggle with everyday social interactions, while others may have milder symptoms and excel in certain areas, such as mathematics or art.

Aside from atypical social functioning, autistic individuals tend to exhibit a thinking pattern known as dichotomous, “black-and-white”, or binary thinking. This is a form of cognitive distortion wherein an individual perceives things in a binary way – either black or white, good or bad. There is no middle zone or space for any nuances. The result of this thinking pattern is that the person oversimplifies very complex issues, leading often to inappropriate or obviously poor decisions.

New telescope with 4x resolution of James Webb

Work has begun on the seventh and final primary mirror of the ground-based Giant Magellan Telescope, which is expected to provide four times the image resolution of previous observatories when completed.

Computer-generated image of the finished Giant Magellan Telescope.

Scientists in the United States have begun fabricating and polishing the seventh and final primary mirror of the Giant Magellan Telescope. This will eventually complete its 368 square metre light collecting surface – forming the largest, most technically challenging optical system in astronomical history. When combined, all seven mirrors will collect more light than any other telescope in existence, making it a truly next-generation observatory.

Study sheds new light on how soil viruses behave and interact with bacteria

Viruses in soil may not be as destructive to bacteria as once thought and could instead act like lawnmowers, culling older cells and giving space for new growth, according to research out of the University of California, Davis, published Sept. 28 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

How affect ecosystems, including bacteria, is challenging to untangle because they are complex and change over time and space. But the first annual rain on Mediterranean ecosystems, such as those in California, offers a kind of reset, triggering activity that can be observed.

Scientists took from four California grasslands, brought it back to their lab and simulated precipitation by watering the dry samples, which grew microorganisms and viruses. They tracked changes over 10 days.

India’s Aditya L1 mission crosses a major milestone

India’s first solar mission, Aditya L1, has exited the Earth’s orbit and is heading towards the sun to study its secrets.

India’s first solar mission, Aditya L1, has crossed a major milestone in its journey to explore the mysteries of the Sun. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Saturday that the spacecraft has exited the Earth’s sphere of influence, which is the region where the Earth’s gravity dominates over other celestial bodies. This is only the second time that ISRO has achieved this feat, the first being the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013.

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New milestone.

Indian research team develops fully indigenous gallium nitride power switch

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a fully indigenous gallium nitride (GaN) power switch that can have potential applications in systems like power converters for electric vehicles and laptops, as well as in wireless communications. The entire process of building the switch—from material growth to device fabrication to packaging—was developed in-house at the Center for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc.

Due to their and efficiency, GaN transistors are poised to replace traditional silicon-based transistors as the in many , such as ultrafast chargers for , phones and laptops, as well as space and military applications such as radar.

“It is a very promising and disruptive technology,” says Digbijoy Nath, Associate Professor at CeNSE and corresponding author of the study published in Microelectronic Engineering. “But the material and devices are heavily import-restricted … We don’t have gallium nitride wafer production capability at commercial scale in India yet.” The know-how of manufacturing these devices is also a heavily-guarded secret with few studies published on the details of the processes involved, he adds.

The Ghostly Glow of a Nuclear Power Station Was Detected in Pure Water 150 Miles Away

Back in 2018, a tank of the purest water, buried under kilometers of rock in Ontario, Canada, flashed as barely detectable particle slammed through its molecules.

It was the first time that water has been used to detect a particle known as an antineutrino, which originated from a nuclear reactor more than 240 kilometers (150 miles) away. This incredible breakthrough promises neutrino experiments and monitoring technology that use inexpensive, easily acquirable and safe materials.

As some of the most abundant particles in the Universe, neutrinos are odd little things with a lot of potential for revealing deeper insights into the Universe. Unfortunately they are almost massless, carry no charge, and barely interact with other particles at all. They mostly stream through space and rock alike, as though all matter was incorporeal. There’s a reason they’re known as ghost particles.

Scientists Discover Source of Mysterious Alignment of Stars Near the Galactic Center

Scientists from The University of Manchester and the University of Hong Kong have found a source for the enigmatic alignment of stars close to the Galactic Center.

The initial discovery of the alignment of planetary nebulae was made a decade ago by Bryan Rees, a Manchester PhD student, but has remained unexplained.

New data obtained from the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope.

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