Lifeboat Foundation

The “crisis in cosmology,” sparked by differing measurements of the universe’s expansion, may be nearing a resolution thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope. New data analyzed by scientists suggests that the Hubble tension might not be as severe as previously thought. This could mean our current model of the universe remains accurate.

The Debate on the Universe’s Expansion Rate

We know many things about our universe, but astronomers are still debating exactly how fast it is expanding. In fact, over the past two decades, two major ways to measure this number — known as the “Hubble constant” — have come up with different answers, leading some to wonder if there was something missing from our model of how the universe works.

What could the anomalies in temperature, composition, location, and spread of particles mean for satellites and GPS?

A powerful geomagnetic storm on May 11 led to visible auroras in the southern U.S. and disrupted GPS technology. Researchers from Virginia Tech, utilizing NASA ’s GOLD instrument, documented unprecedented atmospheric phenomena and examined the effects on Earth’s ionosphere. The studies underscore the dynamic nature of the upper atmosphere and its susceptibility to solar activities, which are currently intensifying as we approach the peak of the solar cycle in 2025.

Stunning Auroras and Technological Disruptions.

Scientists have made a groundbreaking advancement in understanding light propagation through complex media, potentially revolutionizing fields like optical communication and medical imaging.

By introducing the concept of coherence entropy, a new metric for evaluating light behavior, they have provided a reliable tool for managing light fields in challenging environments. This research could significantly enhance the performance of systems that rely on light, particularly in situations where traditional methods fail due to media distortion.

Light technology is at the heart of many cutting-edge innovations, from high-speed internet to advanced medical imaging. However, transmitting light through challenging environments, such as turbulent atmospheres or deformed optical systems, has always posed a significant hurdle. These complexities can distort and disrupt the light field, making it difficult to achieve clear and reliable results. Scientists have long sought ways to overcome these limitations, and a new breakthrough may hold the key to advance practical applications.

A space rock that smacked into Earth 66 million years ago and devastated the ancient life living thereon took a remarkably circuitous route to get here, a new study has found.

The Chicxulub event – the giant impact that ended the reign of non-avian dinosaurs, clearing the way for mammalian life to rise – was triggered by an asteroid from a region of the Solar System out past the orbit of Jupiter, the cold, dark outer limits, far from the Sun’s light and warmth.

And an asteroid it was indeed, with the new findings by an international team of researchers ruling out that the object could have been a comet.

A former Ubisoft engineer explained why Unity’s PC port was lacking.

A better understanding of emergent phenomena like the wetness of water, where the properties of a system can’t be explained by those of its constituent parts, could unravel some big mysteries.

By Michael Brooks

This study shows that by enhancing internal complexity of neurons in a Hodgkin–Huxley network, similar performance to larger, simpler networks can be achieved, suggesting an alternative path for powerful AI systems by focusing on neuron complexity.

Researchers from Western University have discovered a protein that has the never-before-seen ability to stop DNA damage in its tracks. The finding could provide the foundation for developing everything from vaccines against cancer, to crops that can withstand the increasingly harsh growing conditions brought on by climate change.

Cornell University research demonstrates that sleep resets the hippocampus, enabling continuous learning and offering new strategies for treating memory-related disorders.

While everyone knows that a good night’s sleep restores energy, a new Cornell University study finds it resets another vital function: memory.

Learning or experiencing new things activates neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the brain vital for memory. Later, while we sleep, those same neurons repeat the same pattern of activity, which is how the brain consolidates those memories that are then stored in a large area called the cortex. But how is it that we can keep learning new things for a lifetime without using up all of our neurons?