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A multi-institutional team of paleontologists has identified a new dinosaur species dug up in Thailand in 2012. In their paper published in the journal Diversity, the group describes where the fossil was found, its characteristics and its condition.

The was uncovered at a in Phu Noi, in Northern Thailand. The geological area is known as the Phu Kradung Formation. The dig site has yielded a large number of fossils over the years. In this new effort, the research team focused their effort on a fossil embedded in stone that was in good condition. It is a previously unknown species, now named Minimocursor phunoiensis.

The research team describes the fossil as an “exceptionally articulate skeleton,” and suggest it is one the most well-preserved dinosaurs ever discovered in Southeast Asia. They found it to be of the neornithischian clade, which were plant-eating dinosaurs.

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Throughout history, humans have gazed at the sky, contemplating the celestial lights, including the sun, the moon, and beyond. In those ancient moments, an insatiable curiosity ignited within them, urging them to seek answers about the origins of the cosmos. Over time, this burning curiosity has been passed down, compelling generations to develop theories in pursuit of one timeless question: Where did it all come from?

One of the most complete and widely accepted theories in this regard is the Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang is a scientific theory that proposes that the birth and development of the universe originated from a point in space-time called the singularity. Think of this in a way that all the matter and energy of the universe were trapped in an inconceivably small point of high density and high temperature (Williams & Today, n.d.). It is theorized to be a colossal release of energy that initiated the rapid expansion of the universe over 13.7 billion years that led to the creation of galaxies, stars, planetary systems and eventually humankind. What happened that led to the sudden expansion? This question continues to puzzle cosmologists, as the answer remains unknown to this day (What Is the Big Bang Theory? n.d.).

In 1915, while developing his General Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein faced a challenge. If gravity were to solely attract all objects, the universe would ultimately collapse under its overwhelming force. However, observations indicated that the universe was not collapsing. To address this issue, Einstein introduced a cosmological constant into his equations. This constant acted as a counterforce to gravity and proposed a static model of the universe. Little did Einstein know that an astronomer named Edwin Hubble would soon contradict his proposed static model of the universe. Working at Mount Wilson Observatory in California, Hubble made a noteworthy observation in the late 1920s. He noticed a peculiar phenomenon known as redshift, where light emitted by celestial bodies moved toward the red end of the spectrum, indicating that they were moving away from us (Vogel, 2021).

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Scientists have found a way to use nanotechnology to create a 3D “scaffold” to grow cells from the retina—paving the way for potential new ways of treating a common cause of blindness.

Researchers, led by Professor Barbara Pierscionek from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), have been working on a way to successfully grow epithelial (RPE) cells that stay healthy and viable for up to 150 days. RPE cells sit just outside the neural part of the retina, and when damaged, can cause vision to deteriorate. Their work is published in Materials & Design.

It is the first time this technology, called “electrospinning,” has been used to create a scaffold on which the RPE cells could grow, and could revolutionize treatment for one of age-related macular degeneration, one of the world’s most common vision complaints.

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The Starship upper stage’s impressive 29.5-foot diameter means it could fit up to 100 passengers at a time.

SpaceX’s Starship rocket program is the culmination of founder Elon Musk’s original plan of sending humans to Mars and making humans an interplanetary species.

And yet, Musk has always championed the launch system, originally called the Interplanetary Transport System, as a versatile spacecraft that could be used as a rapid point-to-point transportation system for Earth — a modified version of Starship has also been contracted by NASA for the Artemis III Moon landings, expected to take place in 2025.

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A youthful planet has been exhibiting unpredictable alterations in its atmosphere during each revolution around its parent star.

A young planet, situated approximately 32 light-years from Earth, has been exhibiting dynamic changes in its atmosphere during each revolution around its parent star. The Hubble Space Telescope made this fascinating discovery as it observed the planet orbiting AU Microscopii (AU Mic), a remarkably active red dwarf star.

During one of Hubble’s initial observations, it was noted that the planet appeared to be retaining its atmosphere steadily. However, there was a twist to this finding. Approximately a year and a half later, Hubble’s follow-up observations brought to… More.

A young planet whirling around a petulant red dwarf star is changing in unpredictable ways orbit-by-orbit.

Continue reading “Hubble Sees Evaporating Planet Getting the Hiccups” | >

RMIT University’s new proton battery could revolutionize energy storage, offering a safe, affordable, eco-friendly alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The latest ‘proton battery’ developed by RMIT University holds the potential to revolutionize power supply for homes, vehicles, and devices without the disposal-related environmental challenges posed by lithium-ion batteries.

The battery works by using a carbon electrode to store hydrogen that has been separated from water, functioning like a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity.

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The test is part of NASA and ESA’s future plans for controlling robots on the Moon’s surface from the lunar Gateway station.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio recently controlled a small team of robots on Earth while flying aboard the International Space Station (ISS), a blog post from the European Space Agency (ESA) reveals.

The test was carried out in order to demonstrate and investigate the capacity for using remote-controlled robots for future lunar exploration.

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