News about PaperPanda, Open Access, and Research
Feeling dizzy or light-headed when standing is a common experience caused by a drop in blood pressure. When this blood pressure dip is very brief and rapid, and not tied to any other health problems, it’s referred to as initial orthostatic hypotension or IOH. New research suggests some simple muscle exercises before or after standing … Read more
In the beginning, there was an infinitely dense, tiny ball of matter. Then, it all went bang, giving rise to the atoms, molecules, stars and galaxies we see today. Or at least, that’s what we’ve been told by physicists for the past several decades. But new theoretical physics research has recently revealed a possible window … Read more
A stunning SpaceX animation released Thursday (Feb. 10) shows the Starship system on a future voyage to Mars. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk released the five-minute video during the program’s first major update since 2019. He spoke of the fully stacked Starship ready for an orbital trip in (he expects) later 2022 and his hopes to … Read more
Star light, star bright, the James Webb Space Telescope has seen its first star (though it wasn’t quite tonight) – and even taken a selfie, NASA announced Friday. The steps are part of the months-long process of aligning the observatory’s enormous golden mirror that astronomers hope will begin unraveling the mysteries of the early Universe … Read more
To hurtle around a corner along the fastest “racing line” without losing control, race car drivers must brake, steer and accelerate in precisely timed sequences. The process depends on the limits of friction, and they are governed by known physical laws—which means self-driving cars can learn to complete a lap at the fastest possible speed … Read more
You don’t necessarily have to be rich or famous to score a ride to suborbital space. The nonprofit Space for Humanity is currently accepting applications for its Citizen Astronaut Program, which trains folks for suborbital spaceflight and will foot the bill for their trip to the final frontier. But you’ll have to act fast to … Read more
Some parts of the planet are approaching the limits of their ability to adapt to climate change, scientists warned yesterday ahead of a major U.N. report being released later this month. Extreme drought and heat could prevent trees from absorbing carbon dioxide, thrusting some ecosystems past the point from which they can recover, the researchers … Read more
There is a common narrative, in academia and beyond, that says, “You have to be a jerk to be successful.” As a scientist who studies what makes a great leader, it is disheartening how often research trainees and junior faculty in the sciences ask me if this is true. So, it’s been an especially eye-opening … Read more
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. If you or I jump in the air as high as possible, we can stay off the ground for about half a second. Michael Jordan could stay aloft for almost one second. While there are many events at the … Read more
Bite into a lemon and you’ll likely experience a clashing rush of sensations: crushing sharpness, mouth-watering tanginess, and pleasant brightness. But despite its assertiveness—and its role as one of the five main taste profiles (along with sweet, salty, savory, and bitter)—scientists don’t know much about how our acidic taste evolved. Enter Rob Dunn. The … Read more