Category: Our World

Bright Supernova

Have you ever wondered what stars are made of? Well, stars are burning balls of gas just like the sun is. However, as they are so far away from our solar system they appear as tiny fairy lights lighting up the sky. When a star explodes due to various reasons, there is an immense amount of light that is released within the solar system, which we obviously can’t see with the naked eye, but is recorded through telescopes and machinery. Recently, some astronomers saw a bright light that was 500 times brighter than a star explosion. This sparked their curiosity.

The gigantic explosion which took place was one of the brightest supernovas ever recorded by scientists. The supernova that burst was about five times the mass of Earth and occurred around 3.6 billion light-years away from Earth.

The team working on this research have scientists from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Harvard College Observatory. The scientists suggest that the supernova was a result of two stars that were merging and cause the giant explosion. The explosion was 10 times brighter than an average supernova explosion that occurs.

The lead writer of the article says that not only was this one of the brightest supernovas witnessed by researchers, it also has features which make it rare and unique in comparison to other supernovas that scientist have previously witnessed.

In a regular supernova the amount of radiation that is released by the explosion is less than 1 percent of the total energy produced. However, this supernova which was around 500 times brighter than an average supernova, had radiation levels 5 times higher than a normal supernova.

They believe that in the final times of the star, before the explosion took place, it shed off a massive shell that was made of gas due to the pulsating movement. The reason there was so much energy and light was that after the explosion the debris met with the massive shell of gas causing an even bigger explosion. Essentially, it acted as fuel to the explosion making it even bigger.

The timing of this explosion couldn’t have come at a better time as the scientists were developing new technology for viewing such natural phenomena on telescopes, at the time, enabling them to look back in time and find out about the first stars and how they died.

This will open up a way for scientists to know all about the history of stars, where they come from and look back generations for similar events that have occurred, which will give us more knowledge about our solar system.

Living Robots

There have been many movies focused on robots – plots that glorify robots, and plots that show them in a negative light, or even taking over the human race. In reality the time isn’t far off when robots will equal human intelligence. And interestingly, the first living robot has already been created.

A team of scientists claim to have built living robots called Xenobots which can pick up things, move around and most importantly, they can heal themselves. Just like we see in the movies.

The reasoning given behind the creation of these robots is that the researchers hope that one day these robots could be used to clean up microplastics in the ocean, helping the environment. And secondly, they could be used to inject drugs inside humans.

The robots are made from cells taken from frog embryos which are then rearranged to create primitive beings. The scientists believe these are one of a kind living machines. They are not robots in the traditional sense; however, they are not human beings either. They have synthesized the two together and created a new class altogether. They are living beings that are easily programmable.

The robots are a millimeter in length and were developed with the help of a supercomputer that uses an evolutionary algorithm. The supercomputer first tested thousands of 3D designs to create a form of life. The scientists then chose a handful of designs and tested them to see whether they could move or perform a basic task that was assigned to them.

The robots only have a lifespan of about 10 days as the heart cells are only able to contract and relax for that specific duration on their own. The functions the robots perform vary. They can go from pushing pellets into a central location to actually moving around objects.

Another advantage of these robots is that they are completely biodegradable. They cause no harm to the Earth, unlike robots that are made from other materials like steel and metal. There are no traces left behind of their existence.

Right now these robots are very tiny but researchers plan to expand their size and they believe that they could be built with nerve cells and other cells that are used to give cognitive abilities at some point in the near future.

When we consider the reality of the situation, it seems we are much closer to a world where humans and robots live together side by side. It may seem odd to many, however, with such discoveries and inventions, that the idea of robots becoming equal to humans is becoming stronger and stronger.

Materials older than the Solar System

Exactly how old is the solar system? The solar system is said to be older than a few billion years. That is a very long time. However, it is said that now scientists have made an amazing discovery and found particles that could be even older than the solar system.

Scientists have found grains of stardust that are said to be older than the sun. The reason why these are determined older than the solar system is that the sun was the first object in the solar system. Anything older than the sun is older than our solar system. The stardust was found in a giant meteor that fell in Mexico in 1969; however, the study was only published recently in response to another study that found the oldest material on Earth was a meteor in Australia.

As the stardust is from before the birth of the solar system, it acts as a time machine for us to actually find out how the solar system was formed and other key information that we need to help us understand the universe.

The study on the Mexican meteor, called Marie after the renowned scientist Marie Curie, focused upon a certain part that was different from the rest. The rock is made from calcium-aluminum rich inclusion (CAI) and is formed in a way that is very different from the rest of the meteor.

CAIs can date back to 4.8 billion years ago. This makes them one of the first few objects to be present or come into our solar system. However, the curious thing is that when the sun had formed, the temperatures went up to 1000 degrees. This means these particles would not have survived that temperature, which is why their discovery is particularly curious.

The scientists used new and unorthodox techniques to find out more about the CAIs. They found gases that supported their theory and through microscopic lenses they then found the particles.

Even though scientists have known for many years that pre-solar components do exist within meteors, there was never a way of definitely proving it. Now with the help of this team of researchers, scientists have made strides forward in finding out the origins, and the ages, of meteors.

In future scientists hope to find out more about the solar system through meteors as technology develops further, revealing a previously unexplored world.

Are Our Days Are Getting Longer?

As we move forward in life, it begins to seem that the days are getting longer and longer. Many of us might attribute that to exhaustion or lack of sleep, however, there is some scientific evidence behind the fact that the days truly are getting longer. Research shows that as the moon moves further away, the days on Earth seem to extend.

The moon, that we see every night is around 4.5 billion years old and is 200,000 plus miles away from Earth. However, it is said that because of the tidal forces that take place between the moon and Earth, the moon moves around 1.5 inches away from the Earth every year. This causes the Earth to rotate more slowly than it did the year before.

Scientists use a statistical method that is called astrochronology. Through this, astronomers looked back into the Earth’s past and tried to recreate the history of the planet. The results from the software revealed that only 1.5 billion years ago the moon was substantially closer to Earth than it is now. This, as a result, made Earth spin faster and a day on the Earth lasted around 18 hours.

So, through this observation it seems that as the moon moves farther away from Earth – Earth, in turn, spins slower. Hence, leading to a comparatively longer day. The moon and other solar bodies can greatly influence the spin of earth. Milankovitch cycles can help determine exactly where the sun’s light falls and then determine the days.

It is said that 6 million years ago during the cretaceous period, the day was 23 and a half hours long, now it is 24 hours long, which seems to be a huge difference in just this many years.

However, an interesting thing to note and keep in mind is that through geological research, it was found that in this same period the year would be a full week longer. This is because, through the measurements done in a geological study, they found that the year used to be longer than it is in the current time.

This change can also be attributed to the moon. This is because Earth’s orbit around the sun does not change. However, the tidal forces we discussed about have led to this change too. So as the days tend to get longer because of the moon, the years also get shorter due to it.

This discovery shows us how amazing and dynamic Earth and the solar system are. It shows us the secrets that the solar system holds and how humans are unaware of most of which has already happened in the planet’s past. As technology will further develop and new innovations will begin to take place, we will start to uncover more about Earth’s past and exactly how it impacts our future.

Viruses with No Genes

It is said that scientists found a mysterious virus with almost no genes that are known to us. This news is a strange and frightening one. Especially after the COVID-19 takeover across the world. It is said that in Brazil within a lake that has been artificially made, a team of international researchers has made a strange yet important discovery.

They first found giant viruses that have been affecting the lake’s amoebae population. However, other than these giant viruses, they also spotted a much smaller specimen. So, this piqued their curiosity and they decided to test it, revealing that the genes the virus had, had never been known or recorded by scientists before. Up to 90 percent of its genes were unknown.

After the analysis, researchers decided to publish their paper on a preprint server called bioRxiv. In the paper they mentioned all the details and analyses of the new virus they had discovered. They even named the virus. Calling it Yaravirus after the Brazilian Mythological Yara, who is known as the mother of waters in Tupi-Guarani tribes in Brazil.

After a detailed sequencing of the Yaravirus, scientists found only 6 genomes that may actually mirror some of the qualities that other previously recoded genes in public records might have. The rest were all novel and unknown, which were around 68 genes.

The discovery of this new virus is said to worry people because of the Novel Corona Virus which has been taking a terrible toll around the world since December.

However, what should help you calm your nerves is that the world is full of unknown and strange things, especially viruses. Scientists keep finding new and strange viruses.

Another important bit of information is that scientists only know of 1000 viruses that can replicate within humans and use their body as a host, the rest are harmless to us. This is why this discovery even though very important, might not be dangerous. The Yaravirus is one of those viruses that does not really affect people, rather it affects amoebas. Also, even if it did infect us, it doesn’t necessarily mean something bad, some viruses can actually help make us healthier.

In conclusion, the discovery of the Yaravirus adds to human knowledge and helps gives us a deeper understanding of the world we live in and how such tiny, microscopic creatures could play a major role in improving the environment, without being a danger to humans.

Hand Sanitizer Made by Prisoners

As the Corona Virus takes over the world, there is one way to battle it. It is by washing our hands regularly and using sanitizer to kill bacteria. This has, however, led to shortages of sanitizers all over the country and people have started to overstock items. As officials have ordered social isolation, people have begun to stock up on their supplies. However, some have gone so overboard that they have taken months worth of supplies including hand sanitizers. Because of this shortage the Governor of New York, Andrew M Cuomo, decided to use prison inmates to urgently produce more sanitizers.

His plan to use the prisoners was met with protest, however, because of the situation the world currently finds itself in, he has decided to proceed with his original idea. He unveiled the sanitizer made by Corcraft, a prison-based product company, last week, and it will be displayed in every store and supermarket across the country. He did warn online retailers, however, to not use the sanitizer for their own benefit or sell it overpriced because of the high demand.

He even believes that the product is better those currently on the market because of the high alcohol content, meaning it works more efficiently, and the better fragrances it comes with. He also emphasized that it was cheaper to make at just $6.10 per gallon.

Soon after his sales pitch he was criticized heavily by lawmakers and criminal justice reform groups. Some believed that prisoners should be given minimum wage like the rest if they are being relied upon in such a health crisis. In New York, inmates are often paid up to 60 cents an hour, which is way below minimum wage. This is why last year a bill was introduced to make the minimum wage for prisoners 3 dollars per hour.

Another thing that concerned people is that even though these prisoners might be making the sanitizer, they will not be able to use it because of the alcohol content within it which is forbidden in prison, as well as being threatened with solitary confinement if they refuse to work.

However, Corcraft, the prison-based company responsible for the manufacturing of the sanitizer, claims that job training and learning new skills are part of prison life and an essential skill for their development, helping them get back on their feet and giving them a way to earn.