Astronomy

What are the constants of nature? What do they do? What do they tell us…and what do they not tell us?

Lasers aren’t just useful for entertaining cats or pointing out features of powerpoint slides. They can also drill holes on icy extraterrestrial bodies from comets to Mars polar caps. At least according to a new paper in Acta Astronautica by researchers at the Technical University of Dresden, who describe a new laser drill for use on icy surfaces throughout our solar system.

Seeking refuge in caves is natural. Animals do it, and so did our ancestors. Future lunar astronauts may do the same when they visit the Moon. Lunar caves can provide protection from the harsh radiation that bathes the Moon, the wild temperature swings on its surface, and from meteorites that can damage spacesuits and equipment. But these caves need to be explored first, and new research outlines how a team of three diverse robots working together could do the job.

Inflammation is a vital part of the immune response, but it seems that the system can sometimes go awry, resulting in chronic inflammation that has been linked to conditions such as cancer

Inflammation is a vital part of the immune response, but it seems that the system can sometimes go awry, resulting in chronic inflammation that has been linked to conditions such as cancer

A surge of asteroids might have peppered the inner solar system some 800 million years ago, in a short-lived shower that left its mark — literally — on Earth and its neighbors.

The post Did Asteroids Once Rain Down on Earth? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

A more circular economy in textiles is a good look for the planet

Tiny fossils hint at when birds began making their mind-blowing journey to the Arctic to breed

More than 13.8 million Americans could have Alzheimer’s by 2060, and at the rate care facilities are closing, many of them will have nowhere to go. Regina Shih of the State Alzheimer’s Research Support Center (StARS) wants to help solve that problem

While our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease is far from complete, the latest therapies, and others in more than 100 clinical trials, offer new hope

Inertial confinement reactors, stellarators and tokamaks each have pros and cons

Breakthrough therapies, new diagnostics and preventive measures for fighting a devastating disease

As warming temperatures bring more extreme rain to the mountains, debris flows are on the rise

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Science in meter and verse

Science may need to increasingly rely on wealthy patrons, but privately funded projects don’t always pan out

Black Americans face a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias than white Americans. Researchers are working to find out why that is and how to intervene

An abandoned plan to visit another star highlights the perils of billionaire-funded science

New Alzheimer’s drugs known as anti-amyloid therapies may slow disease progression—but they also carry serious risks, including brain bleeds and strokelike symptoms

Charming quarks; the first Batman signal