Physics in the News

Monday, June 30, 2014

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Brought Earth BUG to Mars

A software bug, that is, as Flaw turns up in popular compression imaging algorithm. (Credit: — A software bug turns up in popular compression imaging algorithm. (Credit: NASA)

via securitymouse

Did All of Earth’s Water Originally Come From Outer Space?

: An artist’s concept illustration shows a quasar, or feeding black hole, similar to APM 08279+5255, where astronomers discovered huge amounts of water vapor. (NASA/ESA); via theepochtimes

Two asteroids approach in the night

Map showing Ceres and Vesta as they approach each other closely this coming week. Both asteroids are near the easy-to-find star Zeta in Virgo not far from bright Mars. Although the asteroids appear very close together in the sky, they’re really about 51 million miles apart with Vesta in the foreground. (Credit: Chris Marriott’s SkyMap)

Two asteroids approach in the night / See Saturn’s elusive moon Iapetus – See more at: http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2014/06/28/two-asteroids-approach-in-the-night-see-saturns-elusive-moon-iapetus/#sthash.LxdFQzDm.dpuf

Two asteroids approach in the night / See Saturn’s elusive moon Iapetus – See more at: http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2014/06/28/two-asteroids-approach-in-the-night-see-saturns-elusive-moon-iapetus/#sthash.LxdFQzDm.dpuf

Novel Technique to Measure Quantum-Optical Effect in Light from the Sun

By filtering light from the sun, CQT researchers have made a strong detection of a quantum effect known as 'photon bunching' in its light. This is a hallmark of the sun radiating like a black body. (Credit: NASA/SDO) — By filtering light from the sun, CQT researchers have made a strong detection of a quantum effect known as ‘photon bunching’ in its light. This is a hallmark of the sun radiating like a black body. (Credit: NASA/SDO)

Researchers detect tiniest of force ever measured

Mechanical oscillators translate an applied force into measureable mechanical motion. The Standard Quantum Limit is imposed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, in which the measurement itself perturbs the motion of the oscillator, a phenomenon known as “quantum back-action.” (Credit: Kevin Gutowski) — Mechanical oscillators translate an applied force into measurable mechanical motion. The Standard Quantum Limit is imposed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, in which the measurement itself perturbs the motion of the oscillator, a phenomenon known as “quantum back-action.” (Credit: Kevin Gutowski)

Orion EFT-1 Work Progressing Toward Dec. 4 Launch Attempt

Orion, seen here with its heat shield installed, being maneuvered for stacking on the spacecraft’s service module at KSC earlier this month. (Credit: NASA)

via americaspace

Physics in the News

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Decontamination system turns space station into life science laboratory

NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio prepares to test the ultraviolet light decontamination hardware (Image: NASA) — NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio prepares to test the ultraviolet light decontamination hardware (Credit: NASA)

Hubble telescope on the lookout for Kuiper belt as it pasts Pluto

The New Horizons spacecraft approaches Pluto in this artist's conception. (JHUAPL/SWRI) — The New Horizons spacecraft approaches Pluto in this artist’s conception. (Credit: JHUAPL/SWRI)

via news.sciencemag

Former NASA Physicist Disputes Einstein’s Relativity Theory

A diagram depicting gravitational lensing, a phenomenon by which light bends around some objects in space. (NASA, ESA; J. Richard, CRAL; and J.-P. Kneib, LAM) — A diagram depicting gravitational lensing, a phenomenon by which light bends around some objects in space. (Credit: NASA, ESA; J. Richard, CRAL; and J.-P. Kneib, LAM)

via theepochtimes

We owe our lives to instability

rt_yc12_7000 — Rayleigh Taylor Instability: carbon mass fraction ρ=107 gm/cm3 12C→24Mg nuclear flame. Gravity 109 cm/s2 (Credit: Wiki Commons)

via santafenewmexican

Space giants join forces to battle SpaceX: This is how cheap space travel begins

The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012 — The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012 (Credit: SpaceX)

via extremetech

Opportunity peers out from ‘Pillinger Point’ – Honoring British Beagle 2 Mars scientist

Opportunity Mars rover peers into vast Endeavour Crater from Pillinger Point mountain ridge named in honor of Colin Pillinger, the Principal Investigator for the British Beagle 2 lander built to search for life on Mars. Pillinger passed away from a brain hemorrhage on May 7, 2014. This navcam camera photo mosaic was assembled from images taken on June 5, 2014 (Sol 3684) and colorized. Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/Marco Di Lorenzo/Ken Kremer-kenkremer.com Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/112606/opportunity-peers-out-from-pillinger-point-honoring-british-beagle-2-mars-scientist-where-ancient-water-flowed/#ixzz34sFwIO7M — Opportunity Mars rover peers into vast Endeavour Crater from Pillinger Point mountain ridge named in honor of Colin Pillinger, the Principal Investigator for the British Beagle 2 lander built to search for life on Mars. Pillinger passed away from a brain hemorrhage on May 7, 2014. This navcam camera photo mosaic was assembled from images taken on June 5, 2014 (Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/Marco Di Lorenzo/Ken)

via universetoday

The Continuing Saga of Planet X: Could More Massive Planets Hide Beyond Pluto?

An artist’s impression of Eris, the most massive dwarf planet known to date, with an aphelion of 97 AU from the Sun. Could bigger Super-Earth-type planets be orbiting even farther out? Image Credit: ESO/L. Calçada and Nick Risinger — An artist’s impression of Eris, the most massive dwarf planet known to date, with an aphelion of 97 AU from the Sun. Could bigger Super-Earth-type planets be orbiting even farther out? (Credit: ESO/L. Calçada and Nick Risinger)

via americaspace

Trapping light: A long lifetime in a very small place

The top layer shows a simulation of the nanostructure confining the light in the tiny red regions. The second layer is the design generated by an approach that mimics evolutionary biology. The bottom two layers show electron micrographs of the realized nanostructure in silicon. The sharp peak on the left is the trace of the long trapping of light. Credit: Fabio Badolato — The top layer shows a simulation of the nanostructure confining the light in the tiny red regions. The second layer is the design generated by an approach that mimics evolutionary biology. The bottom two layers show electron micrographs of the realized nanostructure in silicon. The sharp peak on the left is the trace of the long trapping of light. (Credit: Fabio Badolato)

Physics in the News

Saturday, June 14, 2014

An Ocean On Pluto’s Moon? Hopeful Scientists Will Keep An Eye Out For Cracks

Artist impression of Pluto and Charon (NASA)

via universetoday

A Puzzling Cosmic Ring

The Herschel Space Observatory has uncovered a weird ring of dusty material while obtaining one of the sharpest scans to date of a huge cloud of gas and dust, called NGC 7538. (Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Whitman College)

via spacefellowship

‘Dark’ and Powerful Space Explosions May Be Cloaked by Cosmic Dust

Observations of galaxy GRB 020819B of molecular gas (left) and dust (middle) done by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). At right is a visible-light image from the Frederick C. Gillett Gemini North Telescope. The cross indicates the site of a gamma-ray burst in the region. Credit: Bunyo Hatsukade(NAOJ), ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

Two Giant Planets Hiding Beyond Pluto

Three images, showing dwarf planet 2012 VP113 in red, then green, then blue, were combined to reveal its path across the night sky (Image: Scott S. Sheppard, Carnegie Institution for Science)

via newscientist

NASA’s Orion spacecraft nearly ready for its mission to Mars

Credit: NASA

Images of “The Beast” asteroid blazing past earth

NASA scientists used Earth-based radar to produce these sharp views of the HQ124 asteroid on June 8, 2014. Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arecibo Observatory/USRA/NSF

via nationalgeographic

Physics in the News

Updated Friday, June 6, 2014

Rosetta Space Probe To Land On A Comet

Comet 67P can be seen evolving a tailon-a-comet.75125/ — Comet 67P can be seen evolving a tailon-a-comet.75125

via crazyengineers.com

Giant Asteroid ‘The Beast’ To Sail Past Earth On Sunday

A gigantic asteroid nicknamed ‘The Beast’ is expected to fly by Earth on Sunday, June 8. The asteroid 2014 HQ124 is roughly the size of a football stadium, reports Space.com. — A gigantic asteroid nicknamed ‘The Beast’ is expected to fly by Earth on Sunday, June 8. The asteroid 2014 HQ124 is roughly the size of a football stadium.

New research shows that gravitational fields around black holes might eddy and swirl

This artist's concept depicts a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. The blue color here represents radiation pouring out from material very close to the black hole. The grayish structure surrounding the black hole, called a torus, is made up of gas and dust. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-06-gravitational-fields-black-holes-eddy.html#jCp — This artist’s concept depicts a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. The blue color here represents radiation pouring out from material very close to the black hole. The grayish structure surrounding the black hole, called a torus, is made up of gas and dust. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Moon Rocks Reveal Evidence of Primordial Smash-Up

An artist's conception shows the impact of Theia and the young Earth. — An artist’s conception shows the impact of Theia and the young Earth.

Kepler Returns! Exoplanet Mission Makes New Discoveries

Artist's impression of NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, which has now begun a new phase of its exoplanet-hunting mission. — Artist’s impression of NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, which has now begun a new phase of its exoplanet-hunting mission.

via news.discovery.com

Amazing New X-Ray Image of the Whirlpool Galaxy Shows it is Dotted with Black Holes

The Whirlpool galaxy seen in both optical (red, green and blue) and X-ray (purple) light. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Wesleyan Univ./R.Kilgard, et al; Optical: NASA/STScI

via universe today

Time Travel Might Be Possible Through Wormholes, Claims New TheoryRead more at: http://www.learning-mind.com/time-travel-might-be-possible-through-wormholes-claims-new-theory/

Time Travel Might Be Possible Through Wormholes, Claims New TheoryRead more at: http://www.learning-mind.com/time-travel-might-be-possible-through-wormholes-claims-new-theory/

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