"I never think about the future. It comes soon enough."

— Albert Einstein

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The Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole Isn't As Destructive As Thought.

Universe Today - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 2:20pm

New research and observations with the VLT's ERIS instrument show that some stars are following predictable orbits near Sagitarrius A-star, the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. This goes against the established idea that the black hole's enormous gravity destroys stars and gas clouds. Even a binary star system in the region seems to go about its business unaffected.

Categories: Astronomy

Odd elements in supernova blast might have implications for alien life

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 2:00pm
Some of the elements used by living systems are far more abundant in Cassiopeia A than we thought, hinting that some parts of our galaxy might be more suitable for life than others
Categories: Astronomy

Odd elements in supernova blast might have implications for alien life

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 2:00pm
Some of the elements used by living systems are far more abundant in Cassiopeia A than we thought, hinting that some parts of our galaxy might be more suitable for life than others
Categories: Astronomy

XRISM Finds Chlorine, Potassium in Cas A

NASA Image of the Day - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 1:08pm
This composite image of the Cassiopeia A (or Cas A) supernova remnant, released Jan. 8, 2024, contains X-rays from Chandra (blue), infrared data from Webb (red, green, blue), and optical data from Hubble (red and white). A study by the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) spacecraft has made the first-ever X-ray detections of chlorine and potassium in the wreckage.
Categories: Astronomy, NASA

XRISM Finds Chlorine, Potassium in Cas A

NASA - Breaking News - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 1:07pm
This composite image of the Cassiopeia A (or Cas A) supernova remnant, released Jan. 8, 2024, contains X-rays from Chandra (blue), infrared data from Webb (red, green, blue), and optical data from Hubble (red and white). A study by the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) spacecraft has made the first-ever X-ray detections of chlorine and potassium in the wreckage.X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Milisavljevic et al., NASA/JPL/CalTech; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt and K. Arcand

The Cassiopeia A supernova remnant glows in X-ray, visible, and infrared light in this Jan. 8, 2024, image that combines data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble, Webb, and Spitzer space telescopes. A study by the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) spacecraft has made the first-ever X-ray detections of chlorine and potassium from the wreckage; a paper about the result was published Dec. 4, 2025, in Nature Astronomy.

Read more about this discovery.

Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Milisavljevic et al., NASA/JPL/CalTech; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt and K. Arcand

Categories: NASA

XRISM Finds Chlorine, Potassium in Cas A

NASA News - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 1:07pm
This composite image of the Cassiopeia A (or Cas A) supernova remnant, released Jan. 8, 2024, contains X-rays from Chandra (blue), infrared data from Webb (red, green, blue), and optical data from Hubble (red and white). A study by the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) spacecraft has made the first-ever X-ray detections of chlorine and potassium in the wreckage.X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Milisavljevic et al., NASA/JPL/CalTech; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt and K. Arcand

The Cassiopeia A supernova remnant glows in X-ray, visible, and infrared light in this Jan. 8, 2024, image that combines data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble, Webb, and Spitzer space telescopes. A study by the XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) spacecraft has made the first-ever X-ray detections of chlorine and potassium from the wreckage; a paper about the result was published Dec. 4, 2025, in Nature Astronomy.

Read more about this discovery.

Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Milisavljevic et al., NASA/JPL/CalTech; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt and K. Arcand

Categories: NASA

AI Slop Is Spurring Record Requests for Imaginary Journals

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 1:00pm

The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that artificial intelligence models are making up research papers, journals and archives

Categories: Astronomy

How worried should you be about spending too much time on your phone?

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:00pm
Screen time has been linked to all sorts of problems, from depression and obesity to poor sleep. But how worried should you really be? Jacob Aron sifts through the evidence
Categories: Astronomy

How worried should you be about spending too much time on your phone?

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:00pm
Screen time has been linked to all sorts of problems, from depression and obesity to poor sleep. But how worried should you really be? Jacob Aron sifts through the evidence
Categories: Astronomy

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APOD - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 12:00pm

What's happening in the center of nearby spiral galaxy M77?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Chernobyl’s Shield Guarding Radioactive “Elephant’s Foot” Has Been Damaged for Months

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:47am

The site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster remains damaged, but so far, radiation levels outside the plant have not increased, according to officials

Categories: Astronomy

Watch Lava From Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Obliterate a Webcam

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:25am

Hawaii’s Kilauea, one of Earth’s most active volcanoes, sent lava fountains spewing into the air, obliterating a U.S. Geological Survey camera

Categories: Astronomy

Tsunami Warnings Issued in Japan after Magnitude 7.6 Earthquake

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:20am

Japanese officials said to expect a tsunami of up to 3 meters in some areas after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan

Categories: Astronomy

What the family drama of interbreeding polar and grizzly bears reveals

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:00am
A hybrid grolar bear saga is unfolding in the Arctic, and the tale of this strange family has much to tell us about nature on our changing planet
Categories: Astronomy

What the family drama of interbreeding polar and grizzly bears reveals

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:00am
A hybrid grolar bear saga is unfolding in the Arctic, and the tale of this strange family has much to tell us about nature on our changing planet
Categories: Astronomy

Vitamin K Shot Given at Birth Prevents Lethal Brain Bleeds, but More Parents Are Opting Out

Scientific American.com - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:00am

Vitamin K injections have prevented deadly brain bleeds in infants for more than 60 years. New research shows refusal rates have recently jumped nearly 80 percent

Categories: Astronomy

Extreme heat hampers children’s early learning

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 10:00am
Children regularly exposed to temperatures over 30°C (86°F) have lower scores on literacy and numeracy tests at age 3 to 4, according to UNICEF data from six countries
Categories: Astronomy

Extreme heat hampers children’s early learning

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 10:00am
Children regularly exposed to temperatures over 30°C (86°F) have lower scores on literacy and numeracy tests at age 3 to 4, according to UNICEF data from six countries
Categories: Astronomy

Too busy to meditate? Microdosing mindfulness has big health benefits

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 8:00am
Small bursts of mindfulness practices lasting a minute or less can have unexpected benefits for those with busy lives - here’s how
Categories: Astronomy