Strange and hidden Jupiter-size exoplanet spotted by astronomers and citizen scientists

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A group of astronomers and citizen scientists has uncovered a hidden planet the size of Jupiter in a distant solar system, and they should get the chance to see it again soon. The planet, designated TOI-2180 b, is relatively close to us here on Earth, at only 379 light-years away. But what makes this world … Read more

What Is The ‘Lunar Effect,’ And What Does It Have to Do With Shark Attacks?

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When the full Moon rises, strange things can happen here on Earth. Oysters snap close. Corals spawn. Zooplankton dive deeper. Seabirds stick to the shore. And lions hunt less.   Several of these behaviors are tied to moonlight; others, to tides. But some have no clear explanation at all. More than 50 years’ worth of shark … Read more

Here’s How The Sound of Mosquitoes’ Mating Rituals Could Help Us Control Malaria

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In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that almost half the world’s population was at risk of malaria, while some 627,000 people died from the disease. Although a malaria vaccine may soon be available (the WHO recommended one for children last year), malaria is just one of several mosquito-borne diseases. And the total number … Read more

Strong, Sporadic Magnetic Fields Could Explain One of The Moon’s Enduring Mysteries

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It’s been half a century since the Apollo missions returned from the Moon, and yet the lunar samples they brought home continue to baffle us. Some of these rocks are more than 3 billion years old and appear to have been formed in the presence of a strong geomagnetic field, like the one on Earth. … Read more

Fossil Analysis Reveals This Well-Armored Dinosaur Was Probably Sluggish And Deaf

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Reanalyzing fossils can often lead to new discoveries, as has been the case with a study of an 80 million-year-old Late Cretaceous Struthiosaurus austriacus skull. A new analysis reveals the dinosaur was likely sluggish in its movements and was probably largely deaf as well.   Researchers used a high-resolution 3D scan of a partial braincase section … Read more

4-foot tsunami hits Tonga after explosive eruption of underwater volcano

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A tsunami triggered by the explosive eruption of the underwater Tonga volcano in the Pacific Ocean slammed the shoreline of the Pacific nation Saturday (Jan. 15), sending residents rushing for higher ground, according to news reports.  A 4-foot-tall (1.2 meters) tsunami reportedly hit Tonga’s capital of Nuku’alofa, which is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south … Read more

Learn the backstory of Grudge the Cat with IDW’s new ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ comic miniseries

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To christen the new year in style, IDW Publishing is striking off two-thousand years into the far future with a bold new “Star Trek: Discovery” limited series titled “Adventures in the 32nd Century.” This cat-tastic offering kicks off with a tale of Book’s mysterious feline Grudge and is centered around the daring exploits of The … Read more

Brace yourself for a peek at Boom!’s new ‘Dune’ comic book, ‘A Whisper of Caladan Seas #1’

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Back in August we revealed the first striking covers for another “Dune” tie-in comic book from Boom! Studios titled “Dune: A Whisper of Caladan Seas,” and now the award-winning publisher has recently released a five-page preview of the premiere issue’s lettered interior art and it’s a nothing short of brilliant. This special 40-page one-shot explores … Read more

Explosive underwater volcano eruption in Tonga spotted from space in satellite images

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Satellites orbiting Earth captured a powerful undersea volcanic eruption from space on Thursday (Jan. 13). In the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga, which is made up of over 170 islands, the (mostly) underwater volcano on the island Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted, sending plumes up to 12 miles (20 kilometers) into the air, the Tonga Geological … Read more