Category: Science

(BBC): Insect numbers have plunged by half in some parts of the world due to climate change and intensive agriculture, a study has found. The combined pressures of global heating and farming are driving a “substantial decline” of insects across the globe, according to UK researchers. They say we must acknowledge the threats we pose… Continue reading Climate change and farming driving insect decline

(BBC): The UK, US, and Australia will begin co-operating on research into hypersonic weapons and how to defend against them, the government has said. The programme will be part of the AUKUS partnership, a security pact announced by the three countries last year. It follows the development of hypersonic missiles by China and Russia and… Continue reading Hypersonic missiles: UK, US, and Australia to boost defence co-operation

(BBC): UN scientists have unveiled a plan that they believe can limit the root causes of dangerous climate change. A key UN body says in a report that there must be “rapid, deep and immediate” cuts in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Global emissions of CO2 would need to peak within three years to stave off… Continue reading Climate change: IPCC scientists say it’s ‘now or never’ to limit warming

(BBC): Wind and solar generated 10% of global electricity for the first time in 2021, a new analysis shows. Fifty countries get more than a tenth of their power from wind and solar sources, according to research from Ember, a climate and energy think tank. As the world’s economies rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021,… Continue reading Wind and solar reach milestone as demand surges

(BBC): Australia has unveiled a defence agency focused on space, designed to counter Russia and China’s ambitions. Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the Defence Space Command would secure Australia’s place in the cosmos. Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, who will lead it, said she was “scared” by Australia’s inability to combat Beijing and Moscow’s activities. The… Continue reading Australia announces new ‘Space Command’ defense agency

(AP): NASA’s new space telescope has gazed into the distant universe and shown perfect vision: a spiky image of a faraway star photobombed by thousands of ancient galaxies. The image released Wednesday from the James Webb Space Telescope is a test shot — not an official science observation — to see how its 18 hexagonal… Continue reading Space telescope’s image of star gets photobombed by galaxies

(BBC): Researchers believe there may be a planet that could sustain life, in the vicinity of a dying sun. If confirmed, this would be the first time that a potentially life-supporting planet has been found orbiting such a star, called a “white dwarf”. The planet was detected in the star’s “habitable zone”, where it’s neither… Continue reading Life could exist on planet orbiting ‘white dwarf’ star

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP): SpaceX and NASA are investigating a parachute issue that occurred on the last two capsule flights. One of the four main parachutes was slow to inflate during the return of four astronauts to Earth last November. The same thing happened last week as a Dragon cargo capsule was bringing back science… Continue reading SpaceX, NASA looking into sluggish chutes on last 2 flights

(AP): Get ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world. Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and omicron has an edge over its predecessors: It spreads way faster despite emerging on a… Continue reading Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP): NASA’s new space telescope opened its huge, gold-plated, flower-shaped mirror Saturday, the final step in the observatory’s dramatic unfurling. The last portion of the 21-foot (6.5-meter) mirror swung into place at flight controllers’ command, completing the unfolding of the James Webb Space Telescope. “I’m emotional about it. What an amazing milestone.… Continue reading Space telescope’s ‘golden eye’ opens, last major hurdle