News about PaperPanda, Open Access, and Research
A tilted black hole spinning around a misaligned axis has been discovered in our galaxy, challenging theories of black hole formation. The black hole and its companion star form a system called MAXI J1820+070, which lies some 10,000 light-years away from Earth. The system was first spotted by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in 2018. But … Read more
Several instruments are preparing to help the James Webb Space Telescope with its mirror alignment and future observations, with several key steps achieved in recent days, according to NASA. The filter wheel for the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) has been successfully calibrated, allowing this key part of the Fine Guidance System (FGS) … Read more
Russia’s space program will degrade under new U.S. sanctions, U.S. President Joe Biden said today (Feb. 24). Russia invaded Ukraine this week, launching military attacks in multiple cities that have so far killed at least 40 people, according to the Associated Press. World leaders around the globe have responded to the conflict, and Biden announced … Read more
Editor’s Note (2/24/22): Last week Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to investigate gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth as “child abuse.” This editorial from June 2021 is being republished to highlight the ways that anti-trans legislation is harmful and unscientific. On April 6, the Arkansas state legislature passed a law that would prohibit transgender youth from … Read more
We’ve got the lowdown on all the upcoming sci-fi TV shows for 2022. You’ll definitely want to carve out time to watch for these! But, where do we start? There’s the continued release of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four, Star Trek spin-offs abound, brand-new franchises emerging, and video game adaptations hitting our screens in … Read more
The U.S. Postal Service has finalized a plan to replace its aging mail trucks with mostly gasoline-powered models, defying calls for more electric vehicles from the Biden administration, Democratic lawmakers and environmentalists. In a record of decision released yesterday, the USPS stuck with its proposal for a 10-year contract with Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense LLC to supply up … Read more
Could Russia’s military and political actions in Ukraine upend science and exploration in outer space? International political tensions are high after Russia invaded Ukraine this week, with attacks beginning near the capital Kyiv as well as in Kharkiv near the Russian border. The world hasn’t witnessed a “move like this, nation state-to-nation state, since World … Read more
The Hubble Space Telescope continues to scout on behalf of the newly launched James Webb Space Telescope to guide future astronomy work. A stunning new image released by Hubble officials shows a single example of that collaboration: a pair of galaxies known as Arp 298, interacting 200 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Pegasus. … Read more
There’s a lightning deal on Amazon which means you can save 42% on a moon lamp night light, ending 8pm GMT. A saving of 42% is a discount of over £10 so while prices are rising all around, at least you can treat yourself to a nifty lunar light without feeling the squeeze. This light … Read more
White holes are theoretical cosmic regions that function in the opposite way to black holes. Just as nothing can escape a black hole, nothing can enter a white hole. White holes were long thought to be a figment of general relativity born from the same equations as their collapsed star brethren, black holes. More recently, … Read more