Astronomers call non-hydrogen and helium elements metals. Astronomers understand that. The cosmos began with the two lightest components. Over 99% of atoms in the universe are big bang relics. Astrophysical processes formed all other elements, including carbon, iron, and gold. Supernova explosions, white dwarf-neutron star mergers, and stellar core nuclear fusion. The universe's metal content has risen throughout time due to various cosmic occurrences. Because of this, we categorize stars by metal content in their spectra. Stars have metallicity. Astronomers classify stars by metallicity. Young stars are more likely to have planetary systems. Population II stars lack metals. Red dwarf stars dominate their elder population. Large Population II stars perished, leaving white dwarfs and...

Solar wind origins? Solar scientists have sought an explanation for decades. The Parker Solar Probe is revealing where this torrent of particles leaves our star into interplanetary space. Parker orbits near the Sun. This flyby would kill any other spacecraft. However, this probe was designed for near visits to collect in-situ data on the outer atmosphere (corona) and unusual "breaks" in it called coronal holes. That allowed it to directly observe "fast" solar winds. Fast Solar Winds' Secret Parker found streams of high-energy particles that resemble "supergranulation" flows within coronal holes, according to a team led by Stuart D. Bale (UC Berkeley) and James Drake (UMD-College Park). The device detected "magnetic reconnection," which causes the rapid wind component. Coronal ...

Whenever Betelgeuse does something, supernova rumors spread. If so, awesome. It's exciting to visualize the sky lighting up for months because we're far away. The red supergiant star has brightened roughly 50%, reviving suspicions. Supernova Betelgeuse. All agree. When is uncertain. Star behavior puzzles. How can puny people learn? Betelgeuse is a red supergiant and pulsing semiregular variable star. Though amplitudes vary, its brightness variations are periodic. Brightness varies every 400 days. Pulsations also govern its 125-day, 230-day, and 2200-day cycles. Those cycles might make the star confusing. People asked why Betelgeuse darkened two years ago. Star brightness did not change. Instead, the star released surface material that cooled into a dust cloud and obscured the ...

Philippine army, police, and rescue personnel began forcefully removing villagers near Mayon Volcano on Friday as its disturbance suggested a cataclysmic eruption of one of the country's most active volcanoes within weeks or days. Volcanic emissions, lava flows, rockfalls, and other dangers are prohibited within a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) radius of Mayon's crater. Many impoverished people have constructed dwellings and farmed near Mayon's danger zone. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated citizens were being evacuated from the permanent danger zone and offered help until the situation ended. Marcos told reporters, “Right now, what we are doing is preparing and moving people away from the area so that, should the time come, I hope it doesn’t happen…we’re ready. However, research war...

Flooding was caused over areas of southwest China on Friday as a result of persistent and heavy rain that fell throughout the day without letup. Roads and houses were both partially submerged as a result of the flooding. On Thursday, the city of Beihai in Guangxi logged 453 millimeters of rainfall, which was a particularly severe first round of summer showers known as "dragon boat water" in the local dialect. According to the China Meteorological Administration, it established a new daily record for the region in the month of June. Videos that were circulating on social media indicated that flooded streets in Beihai had cars that were partially submerged in water, and that at one multi-story building, water was cascading down a staircase as firemen hurried to rescue the occupants o...

Microgravity and other variables can disrupt our physiology from head to toe, with the brain being the main worry. NASA-funded research clarifies the issue. On Thursday, researchers reported that astronauts who spent six months on the International Space Station (ISS) or NASA space shuttles had considerable cerebral ventricle growth. This clear fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It protects the brain from shock and eliminates waste. According to brain scans of 30 astronauts, it takes three years for the ventricles to fully recuperate after such travels, indicating a three-year gap between larger space missions. If the ventricles don't have enough time to recuperate between missions, microgravity fluid changes may affect the brain. For example, if the ventricles are...

Hypnosis has long intrigued and debated. The phenomena, typically portrayed in popular culture as mind control where patients blindly follow the hypnotist's directions, is controversial in science. Is it a scientifically proven psychological tool or pseudoscience? This article reviews hypnosis research and its scientific credibility. Hypnosis: A Change in Consciousness? The American Psychological Association defines hypnosis as “a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion”. Using guided imagery or suggestion, a hypnotist induces profound relaxation. Modern psychology advanced hypnosis research in the 20th century. Hypnosis can modify brain activity, according to brain...

Three Northern Irish space companies received STEP financing. ADS Group and the UK Space Agency received £300,000 today to strengthen their supply chain and space economy involvement. STEP was one of eighteen UK Space Agency initiatives established in February 2023 to promote the space sector. As stated by the National Space Strategy, ADS will manage the pilot program allowing supply chains SMEs in Northern Ireland to collaborate with major enterprises and employ innovative, new solutions to tackle technological obstacles, opening new markets and boosting UK space capabilities. The program's first three funded initiatives are: ANGOKA Ltd.’s quantum resilient technology safeguards space-based optical communications. IceMOS Technology Ltd. employs a sophisticated engi...