Study suggests moon's largest crater formed from northern impact

09 ottobre 2025 Riportato dall'IA

A new analysis indicates that the moon's South Pole-Aitken basin, its oldest and largest crater, likely formed from an asteroid impact originating from the north rather than the south. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the moon's early history. The discovery could enhance the value of NASA's upcoming Artemis III mission to the basin's rim.

Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for metal-organic frameworks

The 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghi for pioneering metal-organic frameworks, porous materials capable of storing and releasing gases like carbon dioxide. These structures, which self-assemble from metal ions and organic molecules, have vast potential for applications such as capturing pollutants and harvesting water from air. The committee praised their work for creating materials that can hold enormous volumes of substances in tiny spaces.

Birds worldwide share evolved warning cry against parasites

An international team of researchers has discovered that birds across four continents produce nearly identical whining vocalizations to warn against brood parasites. This learned response builds on an innate sound, marking the first known example of such a hybrid vocalization in animals. The findings, published October 3 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, highlight how natural selection shapes cooperative communication.

Scientists uncover hidden energy mechanism in M87 black hole

Astrophysicists at Goethe University Frankfurt have simulated how the supermassive black hole M87* powers its massive particle jet using a new numerical code. Their findings reveal that magnetic reconnection, alongside the traditional Blandford-Znajek mechanism, extracts rotational energy from the black hole. This discovery explains the immense jets that influence galaxy evolution.

Scientists prove moai statues walked using rocking motion

Researchers have confirmed that ancient Rapa Nui villagers moved massive moai statues upright using ropes and a rocking technique. Experiments with replicas and 3D models demonstrate the feasibility of this method, resolving a centuries-old mystery. The findings highlight the ingenuity of the island's people with limited resources.

New ichthyosaur species named Sword Dragon with lethal snout

A beautifully preserved skeleton of a new ichthyosaur species, dubbed the Sword Dragon, has been identified from a fossil found on the UK's Jurassic Coast. The marine reptile, about 3 meters long, featured enormous eyes and a sword-like snout for hunting in dim conditions. It lived during the Early Jurassic period, around 193 to 184 million years ago.

Physicists narrow down strong nuclear force critical point

Researchers have made progress in identifying a critical point where the strong nuclear force weakens, allowing quarks and gluons to form a hot plasma. By analyzing collisions at a New York particle accelerator, scientists have narrowed the possible location of this point on a phase diagram. This finding could reveal insights into the early universe and neutron stars.

Evolution of human intelligence linked to mental illness vulnerability

Researchers have traced genetic variants in the human genome to reveal that advances in cognitive abilities around 500,000 years ago were soon followed by mutations increasing susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. This suggests a trade-off in brain evolution. The study, published in Cerebral Cortex, analyzed 33,000 genetic variants to build an evolutionary timeline of brain-related traits.

Trio awarded 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for quantum tunneling work

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for their pioneering research on quantum tunneling in superconducting circuits. Their 1985 experiments demonstrated how quantum effects apply to complex systems, laying the foundation for modern quantum computers. Clarke expressed surprise at the recognition, noting the unexpected impact of their discovery.

Stevia compound enhances minoxidil for treating hair loss

11 ottobre 2025 Riportato dall'IA

Researchers have found that stevioside, a natural sweetener from the Stevia plant, improves the skin absorption of minoxidil, a common treatment for pattern baldness. In mouse tests, a patch combining the two stimulated hair growth by reactivating follicles. This approach could lead to more effective natural therapies for millions affected by androgenetic alopecia.

2025 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded for macroscopic quantum tunneling

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their discovery of macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in an electrical circuit. Their work, conducted in the 1980s at the University of California, Berkeley, demonstrated quantum effects on a macroscale using a Josephson junction. The laureates will share $1.1 million, with the ceremony set for December 10, 2025, in Stockholm.

EeroQ traps single electrons on liquid helium for qubits

A startup called EeroQ has published research demonstrating how to trap individual electrons floating on liquid helium, proposing it as a foundation for scalable quantum computing qubits. The technique leverages old physics to create isolated electron spins with potentially excellent coherence. Experts suggest this could enable rapid scaling using standard manufacturing processes.