Hey guys and gals!
This will be a weekly update on some new ideas, discoveries and news around the world!
Come back here weekly for recent updates on any of the past ideas or findings mentioned from previous weeks and new thought provoking ideas, discoveries and news updates!
Links to these mentioned will be listed below with the number shown.
Here is a new discovery in the astronomy field:
1. In an article in the Scientific American titled, “Don’t panic. But a lot of stars seem to eat their own planets”. Binary star systems might have taken a page out of the Greek mythology story of Cronus eating all of his children,by eating their own planets! This idea came to be due to the fact that one of the stars in some of the binary systems observed was “belching” out plumes of elements mainly found on planets. (quoted from the article) Because this has not been observed yet, it's possible that a planet after formation, had an “odd rotation” or a passing by stellar object caused the planet to be thrown into one of the stars. Due to these findings it has shown our own star is not heavily enriched with refractory elements and that our solar system compared to other known systems is non-chaotic and mundane. But due to this order and lack of chaos it gave us Earth and the only known life in the universe!
2. In 1991 hikers came across a frozen well preserved mummy in the Italian Alps. He was named Ötzi. Many theories have been put forward on the items found on the mummy, but he also had tattoos that covered the body. But how was this done? The idea is it was done with a single pointed tool. A stick was carved to a fine point and dipped in colored ink and then pushed into the skin. Find out how they figured this out from the link below!
3. Not only has A.I advanced in the health field and bringing our creative ideas to life, it’s also helping us find Exterristeral life! The S.E.T.I Institute founded in 1984 has been looking to the universe for evidence of intelligent life besides us. Sifting through all of that data can be tedious and at the moment we can only detect narrowband radio signals but with the help of A.I it can detect widerbrand radio signals that may be emitted from life far more advanced than us. Maybe soon we might have an explanation to the W.O.W signal from 1977 and find other intelligent life forms out there other than us!
4. The treatment for Alzheimers, Parkinsons and other neurodivergent diseases might become more effective. Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison revealed some groundbreaking research in stopping these diseases in its tracks. Their study targets oxidative stress, a common factor in NDs, by disrupting a protein interaction pathway known as Keap1/Nrf2. Other traditional therapies have limitations, but the team introduces protein-like polymers (PLPs), which effectively inhibit this interaction, enhancing cellular antioxidant response. This treatment shows tremendous promise, and will help those affected by these terrible diseases.
5. With Nuclear warfare always on the brink of being unleashed by a few countries, one of the new fears is one being detonated in space. What would this cause exactly? There are disastrous things it could cause. One is an EMP, which is a favorite in some Sci-fi films and novels, which would cut off all phone towers and electricity. Causing havoc in hospital care and emergency services. The other is knocking out satellites in orbit that would knock out all communications across a country of the world. This was recently a topic at the UN where the United States and Japan co-sponsored a U.N Security Council resolution urging nations to not deploy or develop nuclear weapons in space. This initiative comes after concerts about Russias’ anti-satellite weapon capability. Russia criticizes the resolution as politicized and divorced from expert discussions.The U.S expresses readiness to engage in bilateral arms control talks with Russia and China,while the U.N Secretary-General warns of escalating nuclear warfare risks.
References:
1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/planet-eating-stars-are-surprisingly-common-new-study-suggests/ by Robin George Andrews
3, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68346015 By Emma Wollacott
4. https://www.iinano.org/neurodegenerative-breakthrough/ By Seth Zimmerman
5. https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2024-03-18/us-and-japan-seek-un-resolution-calling-on-all-nations-to-ban-nuclear-weapons-in-outer-space By Associated Press
Comments