Behold, directly overhead, a certain strange star was suddenly seen...
Amazed, and as if astonished and stupefied, I stood still.

— Tycho Brahe

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We now have a greater understanding of how exercise slows cancer

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 3:00pm
Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow
Categories: Astronomy

We now have a greater understanding of how exercise slows cancer

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 3:00pm
Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow
Categories: Astronomy

The life-giving secret of protoplanetary disks? Dust.

Universe Today - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 2:48pm

The complex molecules required for life on Earth might never have formed if it wasn’t for cosmic dust.

Categories: Astronomy

ByteDance Launches Doubao Real-Time AI Voice Assistant for Phones

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 2:22pm

The company behind TikTok is rolling out a smartphone AI assistant that behaves less like an app and more like a secretary

Categories: Astronomy

The Universe Was Warm Before It Was Bright

Universe Today - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 1:45pm

There is a period in the Universe known as the cosmic dark ages. It lies between the recombination of the first atoms and the ignition of the first stars, when the Universe was thought to be cold and dark. Now astronomers have looked at the faint glow of atomic hydrogen to find that while the Universe was dark, it wasn't quite as cold as we thought.

Categories: Astronomy

Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud

NASA Image of the Day - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 12:45pm
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope took a look at the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud, the most massive, and active star-forming region in our galaxy, located only a few hundred light years from our central supermassive black hole.
Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud

NASA - Breaking News - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 12:44pm
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured glowing cosmic dust heated by very young massive stars in unprecedented detail in this image of the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) molecular cloud released on Sept. 24, 2025.

Sgr B2 is the most massive, and active star-forming region in our galaxy, located only a few hundred light years from our central supermassive black hole. While Sgr B2 has only 10% of the galactic center’s gas, it produces 50% of its stars. Astronomers want to figure out why it is so much more active than the rest of the galactic center.

MIRI has both a camera and a spectrograph that sees light in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. MIRI’s view reveals colorful stars punctuated occasionally by bright clouds of gas and dust. Further research into these stars will reveal details of their masses and ages, which will help astronomers better understand the process of star formation in this dense, active galactic center region.

Image credit: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Categories: NASA

Sagittarius B2 Molecular Cloud

NASA News - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 12:44pm
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured glowing cosmic dust heated by very young massive stars in unprecedented detail in this image of the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) molecular cloud released on Sept. 24, 2025.

Sgr B2 is the most massive, and active star-forming region in our galaxy, located only a few hundred light years from our central supermassive black hole. While Sgr B2 has only 10% of the galactic center’s gas, it produces 50% of its stars. Astronomers want to figure out why it is so much more active than the rest of the galactic center.

MIRI has both a camera and a spectrograph that sees light in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. MIRI’s view reveals colorful stars punctuated occasionally by bright clouds of gas and dust. Further research into these stars will reveal details of their masses and ages, which will help astronomers better understand the process of star formation in this dense, active galactic center region.

Image credit: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Categories: NASA

A sinister, deadly brain protein could reveal the origins of all life

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:00am
We have long struggled to determine how the first living organisms on Earth came together. Now, surprising evidence hints that poorly understood prions may have been the vital missing ingredient
Categories: Astronomy

A sinister, deadly brain protein could reveal the origins of all life

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:00am
We have long struggled to determine how the first living organisms on Earth came together. Now, surprising evidence hints that poorly understood prions may have been the vital missing ingredient
Categories: Astronomy

Man unexpectedly cured of HIV after stem cell transplant

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:00am
A handful of people with HIV have been cured after receiving HIV-resistant stem cells – but a man who received non-resistant stem cells is also now HIV-free
Categories: Astronomy

Man unexpectedly cured of HIV after stem cell transplant

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:00am
A handful of people with HIV have been cured after receiving HIV-resistant stem cells – but a man who received non-resistant stem cells is also now HIV-free
Categories: Astronomy

‘Living Fossil’ Sharks, Rays and Whale Sharks Get a Lifeline amid Extinction Threat

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:00am

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora on Friday updated its regulation and monitoring of several iconic shark and ray species

Categories: Astronomy

Flooding in Sri Lanka

ESO Top News - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 10:50am
Image: Puttalam district in North Western Sri Lanka is currently facing severe flooding, landslides and rockfalls, caused by heavy monsoon rains across the region. Copernicus Sentinel-2 captured an image over the region yesterday, 30 November 2025, as well an image one month ago, showing the extent of flooding.
Categories: Astronomy

WHO Unveils GLP-1 Guidelines

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 8:45am

New WHO guidance calls for a worldwide obesity treatment “ecosystem” to ensure that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are used fairly

Categories: Astronomy

Did JWST Find an Exomoon or a Starspot?

Universe Today - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 7:56am

Searching for exomoons - moons the orbit around another planet - was one of the most exciting capabilities expected of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) when it launched in late 2021. So, after four years of operation, why hasn’t it found one yet? Turns out it’s really, really hard to find a moon around a planet light-years away. A new paper available in pre-print on arXiv from David Kipping of Columbia University (and Cool Worlds YouTube Channel fame) shows why. They used 60 hours of time on JWST’s NIRSpec instrument and weren't able to definitively confirm the existence of a possible exomoon.

Categories: Astronomy

Cats can overcome fear of water to benefit from aquatic therapy

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 7:05am
Vets have developed a training protocol to help cats benefit from water-based rehabilitation therapies, in spite of their natural aversion to water
Categories: Astronomy

Cats can overcome fear of water to benefit from aquatic therapy

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 7:05am
Vets have developed a training protocol to help cats benefit from water-based rehabilitation therapies, in spite of their natural aversion to water
Categories: Astronomy

The best new science fiction books of December 2025

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 6:00am
From a new collection of shorter fiction by Brandon Sanderson to Simon Stålenhag’s new work, via a Stranger Things novel, December’s new sci-fi features some compelling and intriguing offerings
Categories: Astronomy

The best new science fiction books of December 2025

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/01/2025 - 6:00am
From a new collection of shorter fiction by Brandon Sanderson to Simon Stålenhag’s new work, via a Stranger Things novel, December’s new sci-fi features some compelling and intriguing offerings
Categories: Astronomy