Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
-
Using dust to bust crime scene DNA forensics
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain An airborne fraction of soil, or dust, contains biological and chemical “signatures” that act as a fingerprint to a specific location. Australian forensic science experts, led by Flinders University, have highlighted the usefulness of the latest technology by testing a series of field sites in South Australia for their unique chemical…
-
Web tool looks belowground for an economically viable renewable energy source
Two common types of closed-loop geothermal systems are (a) u-shaped design (with one or multiple laterals) and (b) coaxial design or “pipe-in-pipe” configuration. Credit: NREL; Geothermics (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.geothermics.2023.102852 Geothermal power has a lot of promise as a renewable energy source that is not dependent on the sun shining or the wind blowing, but it…
-
System tries to bring order to the works of a Renaissance genius
WImSy at work: (a) depicts the WImSy machine illuminating and photographing the surface of the paper, while (b) shows it capturing the transmitted light image with the bottom light sheet illuminated. Credit: Heritage (2023). DOI: 10.3390/heritage6070270 Leonardo da Vinci may have been a genius, but he was also a hot mess—at least in terms of…
-
A Close Link Between Gut Microbes & Oxytocin is Revealed
The trillions of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiome, has a powerful influence on many different parts of the body. While many links have been found between the gut microbiome and various diseases, scientists are now beginning to decipher the effects that certain gut microbes have on specific aspects of human health.…
-
Developing security protocols for misuse-resistant digital surveillance
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Privacy is gaining importance in our digital society. There is a strong demand for anonymity and confidentiality of data according to the European General Data Protection Regulation. On the other hand, laws and directives, such as the Resolution of the European Council on the Lawful Interception of Telecommunications or the EU……
-
Downloading NASA’s dark matter data from above the clouds
Internal view of the Data Recovery System. Credit: Sirks et al. Data from a NASA mission to map dark matter around galaxy clusters has been saved by a new recovery system designed by scientists at the University of Sydney. The system allowed the retrieval of gigabytes of information, even after communication failed and the balloon-based…
-
Dark Matter’s Secrets Crash to Earth in Chicken Roast Bag
Information about mysterious dark matter had a whirlwind journey to recovery after a balloon telescope crash-landed, with the data being saved thanks to a special recovery system. The Super Pressure Balloon Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT) was launched in April from New Zealand, attached to a huge helium balloon that floated in the upper atmosphere, intended to…
-
Record-breaking ‘BOAT’ gamma-ray burst continues to amaze scientists
Last year, on Oct. 9, scientists witnessed an anomaly in the sky. Sprouting from the darkness between stars, an abundance of deep space X-rays started to flood observatories. These signals appeared to be connected to an immensely bright event happening in our galaxy known as a gamma-ray burst (GRB) — an outpouring of highly energetic…
-
Innovative system retrieves SuperBIT data despite landing damage
Researchers have successfully demonstrated a new recovery system for preserving the data gathered by the Super Pressure Balloon Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT). Launched by NASA in April of this year from New Zealand’s Wānaka Airport, the telescope was suspended beneath a helium-filled balloon, equivalent to a sports stadium. This huge balloon provides a stable and prolonged…
-
Study finds strongest evidence yet for local sources of cosmic ray electrons
A new study published in Physical Review Letters using nearly eight years of data from the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) instrument on the International Space Station reports more electrons arriving at high energies than any previous work. Careful analysis of the data bolster understanding of cosmic ray electron acceleration processes within supernova remnants, and suggest…
Got any book recommendations?