News about PaperPanda, Open Access, and Research
A well-studied solar phenomenon may not be quite as simple as we we thought it was. New simulations suggest that what we thought were loops of plasma known as coronal loops erupting out from the surface of the Sun along magnetic field lines may, at least sometimes, be wrinkles in corrugated sheets of plasma. … Read more
A legally binding agreement between 175 countries encompasses all stages of plastic’s life cycle, from production to consumption and disposal Environment 1 March 2022 , updated 2 March 2022 By Adam Vaughan Plastic garbage collected on Eastern Island in Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge All Canada Photos / Alamy One hundred and seventy-five countries have … Read more
Two years ago, astronomers thought they had seen signs of a black hole 1000 light years from Earth – but it turns out to be a star being consumed by its neighbour Space 2 March 2022 By Alex Wilkins An artist’s impression of the binary star system HR 6819 ESO/L. Calçada Strange signals coming from … Read more
Spacesuits tend to muffle sounds, but hearing our footsteps may provide useful cues about our environment and reduce the risk of tripping Space 2 March 2022 By Matthew Sparkes A mock-up spacesuit boot used in tests Maryam Al Kuwaitti Astronauts sent to explore Mars may be more sure-footed if their boots are fitted with microphones to … Read more
Satellites made by OneWeb, a firm part-owned by the UK government, are due to launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket on 4 March, but Russia is threatening to cancel while the UK has been criticised for going ahead following the invasion of Ukraine Space 2 March 2022 By Jonathan O’Callaghan A Soyuz rocket being prepared … Read more
It sounds simple, but to treat someone you suspect has COVID, you need to confirm they are actually infected with the coronavirus. In the UK, it is easy to take this for granted – we’ve had a reliable detection method for diagnosing infected patients widely available since early on in the pandemic. This allowed for … Read more
By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu, Layal Liverpool, Carissa Wong and Alex Wilkins In vitro fertilisation Mike Kiev/Alamy Latest coronavirus news as of 11am on 2 March A study of 43 countries suggests the coronavirus pandemic has substantially pushed back fertility treatments, … Read more
How inanimate molecules first arranged themselves into life is one of the great mysteries. The answer could lie in a systematic exploration of chemical space Technology 2 March 2022 By Katharine Sanderson Graham Carter How did Earth turn from a sterile ball of rock into a lush, green world of living things? This question of … Read more
Remove a billion tonnes of methane from the air and we could cool Earth by 0.2°C, extending the window of opportunity to remove carbon dioxide before it is too late Technology 2 March 2022 By Katharine Sanderson Graham Carter The warming of our planet is usually blamed on carbon dioxide, but there is another major … Read more
The batteries we need to power the transition to 100-per-cent renewable electricity require rare metals, and that means destructive mining – but researchers are working on alternatives Technology 2 March 2022 By Katharine Sanderson Graham Carter If we are going to stop burning fossil fuels, it is critical that we have access to electricity from … Read more