Strange gravitational wave echoes may let us probe dark matter

When gravitational waves pass over massive objects, they should create an echo that could allow us to examine objects that we can’t otherwise see, including dark matter Space 27 January 2022 By Leah Crane An illustration of gravitational waves Shutterstock The entire universe is suffused with gravitational waves, ripples in space-time caused by the motion … Read more

Louisiana’s $2-Billion Gamble: Flood the Land to Save the Coast

BATON ROUGE, La.—After Hurricane Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast in August 2021, it took more than 100 lives and cost billions of dollars in damage. To some here, the storm was just one more justification for a desperate measure to preserve the coast by intentionally flooding parts of the state. “I don’t mean to be … Read more

Whiteflies have acquired dozens of genes from plants they eat

A major crop pest has 50 genes that appear to originate from plants, and it might use them to detoxify plants’ chemical defences Life 27 January 2022 By Jake Buehler Silverleaf whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) Nigel Cattlin / Alamy Whiteflies appear to have taken the saying “you are what you eat” somewhat literally. New research suggests … Read more

Fix the Planet newsletter: Why planes needs a battery breakthrough

By Adam Vaughan This is Fix the Planet, the weekly climate change newsletter that reminds you there are reasons for hope in science and technology around the world. To receive it in your inbox, sign up here. Judging from recent conversations I’ve been having, many people soon plan to fly for the first time since … Read more

Covid-19 news: Third wave sees continued ethnic disparities in deaths

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool A covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, England Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 12pm on 27 January People in England from some ethnic backgrounds … Read more

SpaceX launching Italian Earth-observation satellite Thursday: Watch live

SpaceX will launch an Italian Earth-observation satellite to orbit Thursday (Jan. 27), and you can watch it live. A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket topped with the Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation FM2 (CSG-2) satellite is scheduled to lift off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday at 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT). The rocket’s first … Read more

How Airlines Can Solve Their 5G Problem

As 5G networks rolled out across the country last week, not everyone was focused on the prospect of faster mobile Internet communication speeds. Airlines warned that the new telecommunications standard could interfere with their instruments; this led to flight cancellations and delays. When service providers promised to postpone the deployment of 5G in the areas … Read more

NASA honors fallen astronauts with Day of Remembrance

NASA will pause today (Jan. 27) to remember the lives lost in the pursuit of space exploration, during the agency’s annual “Day of Remembrance.” This year’s edition coincides with the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire of Jan. 27, 1967. The following six days include two other somber anniversaries: the Challenger shuttle disaster of … Read more