creates

Possible massive ‘kilonova’ explosion creates an epic afterglow

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Astronomers may have spotted the afterglow from an epic cosmic event known as a “kilonova.” Kilonovas occur after the collision of two hyper-dense neutron stars, which are the remnants of stars that have died in supernova explosions. Astronomers think they have spotted an afterglow in X-rays from the event, which is dubbed GW170817. The discovery … Read more

Metamaterials: Kirigami pattern creates light yet strong paper structures

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A chequerboard pattern based on kirigami, the Japanese art of paper cutting, enables thin and light structures to support much heavier loads Technology 1 March 2022 By Alex Wilkins A metamaterial inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of paper cutting, can support nearly 3000 times its own weight. Metamaterials have structures not found in nature, … Read more

How a Magnetic ‘Tug-of-War’ With Io’s Volcanic Eruptions Creates Jupiter’s Auroras

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Jupiter’s auroras – the lights that dance around its poles – are the most distinct in our solar system and over a thousand times brighter than Earth’s aurora. Now, a new study confirms that these otherworldly polar lights come from a unique source: space lava.   Jupiter‘s moon Io is the most volcanically active world in the solar … Read more

From Great Dane to Tiny Terrier, A Mutation Creates Enormous Variation in Dog Sizes

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From chihuahuas to great Danes, dogs differ more in size than any other mammal species on the planet. A mutation behind such variation has been traced to an unexpected source: ancient wolves. The mutation lies near a gene called IGF1, which researchers flagged 15 years ago as having a major role in the size variation of … Read more

Laser scanner creates 3D colour images of surfaces or objects

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Lidar uses lasers to create 3D images, but these can be hard to interpret because they are black and white. A new scanner adds cameras to make colour images that could be useful for infrastructure inspection or robot vision Technology 14 January 2022 By David Hambling A new portable scanner combines laser scanning technology with … Read more