Episodes

  • Something Inside the Earth is "Stretching" the Length of a Day

    Something Inside the Earth is "Stretching" the Length of a Day
    Dec 25 2024
    The length of a day on Earth is not constant. Hidden "forces" within the planet are subtly stretching or shortening the duration of a day in various cycles, revealing unresolved mysteries about Earth's internal geodynamics.A new study from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich) has uncovered a mysterious cycle affecting the length of a day. According to Science Alert, scientists have long known that a day is not precisely 24 hours. Instead, it fluctuates due to three primary factors.First, on a century scale, the duration of a day changes by approximately 1.72 milliseconds per 100 years. This is caused by the gradual expansion of Earth’s crust as ancient ice sheets melt, combined with the gravitational effects of the Moon.
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    3 mins
  • NASA/ESA Monitors "Cosmic Eye" Staring at Earth

    NASA/ESA Monitors "Cosmic Eye" Staring at Earth
    Dec 25 2024
    NASA has unveiled a mesmerizing image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, showing a structure dubbed the "Cosmic Eye," officially named NGC 2566. This spiral galaxy appears to gaze intently at Earth from the depths of space, though its striking appearance is purely coincidental.NGC 2566, a spiral galaxy with its plane tilted at an angle to our line of sight, creates an almond-shaped silhouette in photographs, reminiscent of an eye. According to NASA, Hubble’s observations provide an extraordinary view of this galactic structure, allowing astronomers to study its star clusters and star-forming regions.
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    3 mins
  • World's Largest Neutrino Detector in China Nears Operation

    World's Largest Neutrino Detector in China Nears Operation
    Dec 25 2024
    China’s Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), located in Guangdong province, has entered a crucial phase as it begins the process of filling its massive detector with ultra-pure water. This step marks the final milestone before the facility officially starts collecting scientific data on neutrinos—commonly referred to as "ghost particles"—in August next year.The ultra-pure water, which undergoes meticulous filtration through advanced systems, began flowing into JUNO’s detector on December 18 at a rate of 100 tons per hour. The project is managed by the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and is poised to contribute significant advancements to the field of particle physics.At the core of JUNO lies a colossal spherical detector designed to measure neutrinos produced by two nuclear power plants located nearby. This detector, buried 700 meters underground, will contain 20,000 tons of liquid scintillator—a sensitive medium that emits light when neutrinos interact with it. The liquid scintillator will be suspended within an outer shield of 35,000 tons of ultra-pure water, which serves to block external radiation and other interference.
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    4 mins
  • The Most Intact Woolly Mammoth Ever Found.

    The Most Intact Woolly Mammoth Ever Found.
    Dec 24 2024
    In a groundbreaking discovery, Russian scientists have unearthed the remarkably preserved remains of a 50,000-year-old woolly mammoth calf in the permafrost of Yakutia, Siberia. Found during the summer, this find is being hailed as the most intact woolly mammoth specimen ever uncovered.
    Nicknamed Yana after the nearby river where it was discovered, the young mammoth weighed over 100 kg, stood 120 cm tall, and measured 200 cm in length. Scientists estimate that Yana was only about one year old when it died. This exceptional discovery joins a small group of just six similar finds worldwide, with five in Russia and one in Canada.
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    3 mins
  • Time Moves Differently for Astronauts on Mars

    Time Moves Differently for Astronauts on Mars
    Dec 24 2024
    Astronauts living on Mars for extended periods would experience time differently compared to people on Earth due to gravitational time dilation. This phenomenon, rooted in Einstein's theories of relativity, reveals that time flows at varying rates depending on the strength of gravity or the speed of an observer.On Earth, this effect is imperceptible in daily life but still exists. For example, because your feet are closer to Earth's gravitational pull than your head, time passes just a fraction of a nanosecond slower at your feet than at your head. While the difference is negligible, it’s a measurable demonstration of how gravity influences the passage of time...

    Apple Podcast:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/science-news/id1772196503

    Spreaker Podcast:
    https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/science-news--6159838
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    4 mins
  • The World’s Highest Solar Power Plant

    The World’s Highest Solar Power Plant
    Dec 24 2024
    The Caipeng Energy Storage Solar Power Plant in Shannan, Tibet, has set a new record as the world’s highest solar power facility, standing at an altitude of 5,228 meters. Equipped with 170,000 solar panels and a 20 MW/80 MW energy storage system, the plant showcases the potential of renewable energy projects in some of the harshest and most remote environments.
    Operated by China Huadian Corporation, the plant's Phase 2 expansion added 100 MW of capacity to the initial 50 MW launched in December 2023. Covering an area of 1.4 square kilometers, the two phases together aim to address seasonal power shortages in central Tibet during the winter and spring.


    Apple Podcast:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/science-news/id1772196503

    Spreaker Podcast:
    https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/science-news--6159838
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    2 mins
  • A Rare All-Black King Penguin Spotted

    A Rare All-Black King Penguin Spotted
    Dec 24 2024
    Welcome to Science News! Today, we bring you a fascinating discovery—a one-of-a-kind all-black king penguin, spotted among half a million of its peers on South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic.
    During a recent expedition to Saint Andrews Bay, Belgian wildlife photographer and expedition leader Yves Adams made this extraordinary find. Amid the tuxedo-clad crowd of 500,000 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), one stood out—a penguin with completely black plumage.
    Unlike the species’ characteristic black-and-white feathers with golden patches on their ears, this rare individual’s plumage was entirely black, a result of a genetic condition called melanism. Melanism occurs due to the overproduction of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin, hair, and eye color in animals. This overproduction can cause the darkening of fur or feathers, as seen in this penguin. A few faint blueish-green patches on its neck and belly added to its unique appearance.

    Apple Podcast:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/science-news/id1772196503

    Spreaker Podcast:
    https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/science-news--6159838
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    3 mins
  • NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Close Flyby of the Sun on Christmas

    NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Close Flyby of the Sun on Christmas
    Dec 23 2024
    Welcome to Science News. This Christmas Eve, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will break its own records for the closest approach to the Sun and the fastest speed ever achieved by a human-made object.
    On December 24, the Parker Solar Probe will come closer to the Sun than ever before—about 6.1 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) away. This is roughly eight times closer than Venus’s average distance to the Sun. During this historic flyby, the probe is expected to reach an unprecedented speed of 700,000 kilometers per hour (435,000 miles per hour), smashing its previous record of 635,000 kilometers per hour.
    Launched in 2018, Parker was designed to "touch the Sun" by venturing into its outer atmosphere, the corona. It first accomplished this milestone in 2021. Over the years, the spacecraft has completed 21 solar flybys, using Venus’s gravity to slingshot itself closer to the Sun with each pass. This Christmas Eve flyby will be its closest yet....

    Discover more fascinating episodes of Science News on Apple Podcasts and Spreaker Podcast! Dive deeper into the latest breakthroughs, compelling stories, and expert insights that bring science to life. Don't miss out—subscribe now and stay informed!

    Apple Podcast:
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/science-news/id1772196503

    Spreaker Podcast:
    https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/science-news--6159838
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    3 mins