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Herschel Finds Oceans of Water in Disk of Nearby Star

By Guest PostOctober 22, 2011Scienceastronomers, cold water vapor, constellation hydra, european space agency, herschel space observatory, heterodyne instrument for the far-infrared, hifi, icy comets, jet propulsion laboratory, leiden observatory, michiel hogerheijde, NASA, paul goldsmith, planets like earth, the netherlands, tw hydrae, universe, waterlogged disk, young star

PASADENA, Calif. — Using data from the Herschel Space Observatory, astronomers have detected for the first time cold water vapor enveloping a dusty disk around a young star. The findings suggest that this disk, which is poised to develop into a solar system, contains great quantities of water, suggesting that water-covered planets like Earth may be common in the universe. Herschel is a European Space Agency mission with important NASA contributions.

Scientists previously found warm water vapor in planet-forming disks close to a central star. Evidence for vast quantities of water extending out into the cooler, far reaches of disks where comets take shape had not been seen until now. The more water available in disks for icy comets to form, the greater the chances that large amounts eventually will reach new planets through impacts. (more…)

Relationships More Important than Genetic Ties When Deciding Who Cares for Aging Family Members, MU Researchers Say

By Guest PostOctober 22, 2011Scienceamerica, americans, divorce and remarriage, elderly population, genetic ties, hypothetical caregiving scenarios, Japan, kyoto, lawrence ganong, marilyn coleman, pew research report, university of missouri

*Divorce and remarriage affect beliefs about who should care for elder relatives*

COLUMBIA, Mo. – America’s elderly population will nearly double by 2050, according to a Pew Research report. As baby boomers enter retirement, concern exists as to who will care for them as they age. Traditionally, children have accepted the caregiving responsibilities, but those caregiving roles are becoming blurred as more families are affected by divorce and remarriage than in previous decades. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that relationship quality trumps genetic ties when determining caregiving obligations.

Lawrence Ganong, a professor and co-chair in the MU Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Human Environmental Sciences (HES), studied how divorce and remarriage affect beliefs about who should care for aging relatives. He found that relationship quality, a history of mutual help, and resource availability influence decisions about who cares for parents and stepparents. (more…)

Diamonds, Silver and the Quest for Single Photons

By Guest PostOctober 21, 2011Scienceatomic impurities, atomic scale, crystal lattice, diamond microchips, nitrogen vacancy, quantum computing

Tiny crystal towers enlighten understanding of photon emission, could inspire diamond microchips for quantum computing

Building on earlier work, scientists and engineers recently developed a manufacturing process that allows them to craft an assortment of miniature, silver-plated-diamond posts that enable greater control of light producing photons at the atomic scale. The research could prove important for future generations of quantum computers. (more…)

Suggested Explanation for Glowing Seas–Including Currently Glowing California Seas

By Guest PostOctober 20, 2011Environment, Scienceabundance of protons, bioluminescence, blue flashes, california waters, channels in membranes, coastal california waters, dinoflagellates, electrical events, electrical impulses, Environment, j woodland hastings, luciferase, marine environments, mechanical stimulation, organism, potential mechanism for bioluminescence, produce toxins, protein, scintillons, unicellular plankton, vacuole, voltage gated proton channels

*Potential mechanism for dazzling blue flashes of light in oceans identified*

It has long been known that spectacular blue flashes–a type of bioluminescence–that are visible at night in some marine environments (currently including coastal California waters) are caused by tiny, unicellular plankton known as dinoflagellates. However, a new study has, for the first time, detailed the potential mechanism for this bioluminescence.

The study, which was partially funded by the National Science Foundation, is reported by Susan Smith of Emory School of Medicine, Thomas DeCoursey of Rush University Medical Center and colleagues in the Oct. 17, 2011 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). (more…)

NASA’s Spitzer Detects Comet Storm in Nearby Solar System

By Guest PostOctober 20, 2011Sciencealien solar system, almahata sitta meteorite, bright star in the northern sky, carey lisse, comets, dark seas, earth, Epoch, eta corvi, hailstorm, kuiper belt, late heavy bombardment, man in the moon, maria, NASA, solar system, spitzer space telescope

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system. The downpour resembles our own solar system several billion years ago during a period known as the “Late Heavy Bombardment,” which may have brought water and other life-forming ingredients to Earth.

During this epoch, comets and other frosty objects that were flung from the outer solar system pummeled the inner planets. The barrage scarred our moon and produced large amounts of dust. (more…)

New Method helps Researchers Zero in on Drugs that can kill Brain Cancer Stem Cells

By Guest PostOctober 17, 2011Health, Sciencebiobehavioral sciences, brain cancer, brain tumors, dr. harley kornblum, glioblastoma, identify chemical compounds, jonsson cancer center, kill the stem cells, malignancies, molecular cancer therapeutics, new cancer drugs, new screening approach, seven chemical libraries, treatment-resistant, tumor cells, typical screening, ucla's jonsson comprehensive cancer center, university of california

Researchers with UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new screening approach to identify chemical compounds that can target and kill the stem cells responsible for creating deadly brain tumors.

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest malignancies, typically killing patients within 12 to 18 months. These brain cancers consist of two kinds of cells: a larger, heterogeneous population of tumor cells and a smaller sub-population of stem cells, which are treatment-resistant. (more…)

Astrophysicists Find Evidence of Black Holes Ripping Stars Apart

By Guest PostOctober 17, 2011Scienceaccretion disk, active galactic nuclei, agn flares, black holes, intermediate mass, stellar, tdf flares, tdfs, tidal disruption flares

Sifting through observation data obtained of more than 2 million galaxies, a research team including UA astronomer Dennis Zaritsky has discovered phenomena telling of stars dying a violent death

Astrophysicists at the University of Arizona and elsewhere have found evidence of black holes destroying stars, a long-sought phenomenon that provides a new window into general relativity. (more…)

UChicago Launches Search for Distant Worlds

By Guest PostOctober 16, 2011Sciencedeep space phenomena, earthlike planet, earthlike worlds, exoplanetary systems, rogue planet, solar system formation, tatooine like planet

Since 1995, scientists have discovered approximately 600 planets around other stars, including 50 planets last month alone, and one that orbits two stars, like Tatooine in Star Wars. Detection of the first Earthlike planet remains elusive, however, and now the University of Chicago joins the search with the addition of Jacob Bean and Daniel Fabrycky to the faculty. (more…)

Category Archives: Science

Sifting through observation data obtained of more than 2 million galaxies, a research team including UA astronomer Dennis Zaritsky has discovered phenomena telling of stars dying a violent death