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New species of giant salamander is world’s biggest amphibian

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Using DNA from museum specimens collected in the early 20th century, researchers from ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and London’s Natural History Museum identified two new species of giant salamander – one of which they suspect is the world’s biggest amphibian. Chinese giant salamanders, now classified as Critically Endangered, were once widespread throughout central, southern … Read more

High-speed imaging of surface-enhanced Raman scattering fluctuations from individual nanoparticles

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At the atomic scale, nothing is stable and atoms and molecules are always moving around. For a tiny particle of shiny gold or silver, about 1% of the time these random arrangements allow us to see, for a brief time, a single molecule that is attached to the particle’s surface. However, these fluctuations are fast, … Read more

Are Saturn’s rings actually young?

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In the paper, published today in Nature Astronomy and presented at the EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 in Geneva, the authors suggest that the rings look much younger than they actually are, because there is a process that preferentially eject dusty and organic material out of Saturn’s rings. Cassini’s dive through the rings during the mission’s … Read more

Rare metallic asteroids might have erupted molten iron

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The metallic asteroid Psyche has mystified scientists because it is less dense than it should be, given its iron-nickel composition. Now, a new theory could explain Psyche’s low density and metallic surface. Unlike most asteroids, Psyche appears to be composed largely of iron and nickel instead of rocky rubble. Metal-rich asteroids are thought to have … Read more

Light surfing

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A similar situation occurs when a light pulse interacts in a material with a moving front of refractive index as shown in Fig. 2. In this case, no friction needs to be overcome and the extracted energy from the front is used instead to change the color (frequency) of the light. Experienced surfers can balance … Read more

The stellar nurseries of distant galaxies

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Star clusters are formed by the condensation of molecular clouds, masses of cold, dense gas that are found in every galaxy. The physical properties of these clouds in our own galaxy and nearby galaxies have been known for a long time. But are they identical in distant galaxies that are more than 8 billion light-years … Read more

New route to carbon-neutral fuels from carbon dioxide discovered by Stanford-DTU team

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If the idea of flying on battery-powered commercial jets makes you nervous, you can relax a little. Researchers have discovered a practical starting point for converting carbon dioxide into sustainable liquid fuels, including fuels for heavier modes of transportation that may prove very difficult to electrify, like airplanes, ships and freight trains. Carbon-neutral re-use of … Read more