A University of Minnesota Twin Cities team employed a novel method to determine the universe's expansion rate using data from a magnified, multiple-photographed supernova. Their findings may help scientists better estimate the universe's age and comprehend it. Science and The Astrophysical Journal published the two publications. Astronomy has two exact measures of the universe's expansion, dubbed the "Hubble constant." One uses local supernovae data, and the other uses the "cosmic microwave background," or radiation that began freely streaming across the cosmos shortly after the Big Bang. Physicists and astronomers have debated the 10% difference between these two readings. If both data are accurate, scientists' universe hypothesis is inadequate. "If new, independent measu...

The dinosaurs lost their dominance after an asteroid killed them. The animals that emerged 66 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch had huge shoes to fill, but they eventually did. In a research published May 11 in Science, ancient rhinoceros-like herbivores called brontotheres developed from dog-sized to elephant-sized in a short period. Brontotheres may have never achieved its maximum size before going extinct 34 million years ago owing to environmental changes. After the dinosaurs died out at the end of the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago), mammals had less competition for resources, which experts believe helped them succeed as a family. Dinosaurs' extinction benefited Eocene megaherbivores. Brontotheres, one of the greatest victors, evolved ...

The recent news show that natural disasters continue to surprise us. Scientists and forecasters often see these occurrences coming, but not as early or in as much detail as they would want to deliver obvious, precise warnings. Scientists require environmental observations from multiple sources to understand, monitor, and anticipate natural hazards, their consequences on humans, and how they will evolve in the changing climate. Data must be gathered, accessible, timely, and reliable. Because of their global coverage, satellite-observed maps, graphs, models, and other data outputs are crucial [National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018]. A more open data-sharing infrastructure will attract more contributors Satellite data products help us study natural...

By taking an unorthodox approach to studying wildlife, researchers in New Mexico are giving previously deceased birds a second chance at life. In order to better understand how birds fly, researchers at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro are turning taxidermied birds into unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) so that they can observe the birds in flight. Artificial, mechanized birds did not produce the results that mechanical engineering professor Dr. Mostafa Hassanalian, who is leading this project, had hoped for. Hassanalian came to this conclusion after finding that artificial birds did not produce the desired results. He explained that his team had "come up with this idea that we can use… dead birds and make them [into] a drone." "We came up with this i...

A coronal mass ejection from the Sun is expected to strike Earth on Thursday as it travels through the inner planets at a speed of 3.6 million kilometers per hour (kmph). As the plasma collides with the Earth's strong magnetic field, it is anticipated to produce a G3-class geomagnetic storm and bright auroras. The impact of a CME on Earth depends on a number of factors, including the CME's speed and trajectory, as well as the magnetic fields' intensity and orientation. If the CME is directed toward Earth and its magnetic fields are aligned with those of Earth, the impact could be more severe Magnetic fields of the CME interact with the Earth's magnetic field to produce geomagnetic disturbances. When these magnetic fields collide, they can create electrical currents in the ionosph...

In collaboration with other international partners, scientists from Ca' Foscari University of Venice and the Institute of Polar Sciences of the National Research Council (Cnr-Isp) examined the relationship between past climate variations and Arctic mercury levels to understand how natural factors affect mercury biogeochemical cycling. The East Greenland Ice Core Project (EastGRIP), coordinated by the Centre for Ice and Climate in Copenhagen, examined mercury dynamics between 9,000 and 16,000 years ago during the transition from the Last Glacial Period to the Holocene. Mercury levels during this transition were greatly impacted by sea ice decrease. “Our study shows that mercury deposition in the Arctic tripled at the beginning of the Holocene compared to the Last Glacial Period,” say...

Businesses across industries use data science to make choices, simplify operations, and gain a competitive edge. Data science is complex and complicated, thus not everyone knows it. Working with a data science team with non-data scientists can be difficult. This post will help non-data scientists collaborate with data science teams. Data science combines mathematics, statistics, computer science, information technology, domains, and business expertise. Project collaboration between data scientists and non-scientists may be tough yet beneficial. Due to their different histories and worldviews, these groups may clash. However, working jointly can yield better outcomes and more thorough answers. Understanding project roles and duties is the first step to successful cooperation. The non...