-
EartherEarth ScienceBlobs in Earth’s Core Could Be Causing ‘Geomagnetic Jerks’ in the Magnetic Field
Every several years, magnetic field observatories record quick changes to the position or strength of the planet’s magnetic field, so-called geomagnetic jerks. The cause of these shifts has remained a mystery. Improvements to ground-based observatories and more magnetic field measurements from satellites have given scientists new insights into the planet’s magnetic behavior. Though we can’t … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & SpaceflightSpacecraft Witness Explosion in Earth’s Magnetic Field
Magnetic fields around the Earth release strong bursts of energy, accelerating particles and feeding the auroras that glow in the polar skies. On July 11, 2017, four NASA spacecrafts were there to watch one of these explosions happen. The process that produces these bursts is called magnetic reconnection, in which different plasmas and their associated magnetic … Continued
-
ScienceBiology
Bogong Moths Are First Insect Known to Use Earth’s Magnetism to Navigate at Night
Every spring in Australia, millions of bogong moths emerge from their pupae and embark on a 600-mile trip to the Australian Alps, the highest mountain range in Australia. For weeks, the insects rest during the day and take to the skies at night to reach the Alps, where they cram into caves and rest for … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Forgotten Data From 1996 Sheds New Light on Jupiter’s Mysterious Moon Ganymede
Twenty-two years ago, the Galileo spacecraft made its first flyby of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. Scientists with NASA have taken a new look at the data collected during that historic encounter, providing tantalizing new details about this strange celestial object, its unique magnetic shield, and its unusually bright auroras. We don’t talk very much about … Continued
-
ScienceBiology
Scientists Identify Protein That Could Let Birds See Magnetic Fields
Birds probably know quantum physics better than many humans—it just comes to them innately. To help them navigate long distances across the globe, birds are thought to have proteins in their eyes that could perhaps let them literally see the Earth’s magnetic field, a bit like a natural heads-up display. Two teams of scientists now … Continued
-
Tech NewsDrama Over How Eels Navigate Highlights Problems in Science Publishing
You might see science as splashy headlines and a barrage of new results—but in the background are people with emotions and ambitions, politics, and a system that promotes publishing novel findings above all. A new paper on eel navigation highlights some of these systemic troubles. The results of the study weren’t all that surprising or … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & SpaceflightThe Sun Boils Like a Cauldron in This Dramatic Close-up
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory just released a stunning video showing a pair of magnetic fields as they duel for supremacy on the surface of the sun. The video, shot in extreme ultraviolet light, highlights a small but increasingly active region on the stellar surface. Shot over the course of a single day (May 30, 2016), … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
What Are These Strange Bright Spots on the Sun?
From our perch here on Earth, the sun seems pretty uniform from day to day. But a closer look in this new magnetic map reveals that it’s teeming with activity—and with some intriguing bright spots. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory released this new magnetic map they put together of the sun to show all the magnetic … Continued
By Ria Misra -
Tech News
Dogs and Certain Primates May Be Able To See Magnetic Fields
Some animals are capable of magnetoreception—an added sense that helps them detect magnetic fields. European scientists have now learned that the molecule responsible for this trait is also found in the eyes of dogs and some primates, which suggests they too might be capable of seeing magnetic fields. Cryptochromes are a common group of light-sensitive … Continued
-
ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
A Huge Gash Just Appeared On the Sun
A rather massive coronal hole was recently spotted on the Sun by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The region—the size of 50 Earths—is spewing material into space at tremendous speeds. It may look terrifying, but astronomers say it’s nothing to worry about. The coronal hole was imaged on October 10, 2015. The image above was taken … Continued
-
io9
This Speeding Exoplanet’s Shock Wave Has Just Been Detected on Earth
Astronomers from Wesleyan University have detected the shock waves produced by a high-speed “hot Jupiter” exoplanet caught in a tight orbit around its host star. It’s a potential indication of an incredibly powerful magnetic field around the planet. Also known as “roaster planets,” hot Jupiters are so named because they have many characteristics in common … Continued
-
io9
Our Best View Yet of the Galaxy’s Massive Electromagnetic Loop
Scientists working with the Planck Satellite have produced a new polarization map of the Milky Way in microwaves, providing an unprecedented view of a rather dramatic electromagnetic loop discovered over a half-century ago. Above: Loop 1, marked by the dashed ellipse, is the yellow feature above centre, shading to purple, and the purple arc below … Continued
-
io9
Study Suggests Magnetic Fields Can Control Heat And Sound
More than a hundred years ago, physicists discovered that heat is simply the energy stored in the vibrations of atoms. This meant that heat and sound are related. Now, for the first time ever, scientists have experimentally shown that these atomic vibrations have magnetic properties, too. Above: A lopsided tuning fork, made of the semiconductor … Continued
Joseph Heremans — The Conversation -
Tech News
The Earth’s Magnetic Field Could Flip Within Our Lifetime
Earth’s magnetic field is constantly shifting, and roughly every 200,000 to 300,000 years it flips north and south completely. We’re currently overdue for a switcheroo—and scientists now say it could happen in a time as short as 100 years, potentially altering life in unexpected ways. It was long thought that these reversals took as many … Continued
-
io9
The Strangest Visualization Of The Milky Way We’ve Ever Seen
This image may look like a cloudy sunset reflected over the ocean — it’s actually a shot of the Milky Way, as seen by the ESA’s Planck Satellite. The unique perspective reveals previously unseen characteristics of our galaxy. And it may provide crucial insights into how the universe was born. We’re located inside the Milky … Continued
-
io9
Do foxes use a “magnetic sense” to hunt in the winter snow?
Finding food can be especially tough in winter, when the snow is deep and the prey is hidden. So foxes have developed a special technique: they dive headfirst through three feet of snow to find their unseen prey. Amazingly, this works — but only when the fox is facing northeast or southwest. Robert Krulwich at … Continued
By Ria Misra
