Scientists are harnessing the distinct abilities of viruses to transfer energy, and they’re using quantum mechanics to do it. In a joint effort involving biologists, engineers, and quantum physicists from MIT and Italian energy company Eni, researchers have manipulated a virus into mimicking a plant cell. “A group of us who spoke different [scientific] languages worked closely together, to both make this class of organisms, and analyze the data. That’s why I’m so excited by this,” says Angela Belcher, a professor of biological engineering at MIT.
Read more at: http://futurism.com/links/scientists-are-using-viruses-to-improve-solar-energy-cells/
The Cassini space probe has captured its fair share of eye-popping photos since launching in 1997 and arriving in Saturn’s orbit in 2004. Here’s a collection of some of Cassini’s most remarkable photographs. Many of them were compiled by Reddit user I_Say_I_Say, and others were featured here before or obtained from NASA’s website: You can find a massive collection of Cassini’s photos in the mission gallery on NASA’s website.Thanks Petapixel
1.A massive storm stretching across the surface of the planet. 2.Saturn’s gradation and rings. 3.Three of Saturn’s moons (Titan, Mimas, and Rhea) captured in a single photo. 4.Saturn casting a shadow on its rings. 5.Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. 6.Saturn, its rings, and its moon Dione. 7. Earth seen as a pale blue dot under Saturn’s rings. 8.Saturn’s moon Rhea hovering in front of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. 9.Saturn casting its shadow on its rings. 10.Saturn and its moon Titan
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Alexander Pohl
Scientists find “the holy grail of astronomy” after uncovering a galaxy that is made up of mostly dark matter
Mars will one day have a ring system due to Phobos, the planet’s small moon, being crushed by tidal forces
Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket successfully launches to the edge of space and lands vertically back on Earth
A new exoplanet called GJ1132b is found 39 light-years away, making it the closest Earth-sized exoplanet ever discovered
Researchers make ultra-thin diamond nanothreads, which could help us build a space elevator
A blue Neptune-like exoplanet, which seems to have skies like Earth, is found orbiting a red dwarf star
A staggering 574 newly discovered massive galaxies are revealed that date back to the beginnings of the universe
New research shows that galaxies were far more efficient at making stars during the first 10% of history than they are now
From Pluto to the most Earth-like planet ever discovered…this years was a fantastic year in space. Here are the most notable astronomical events from 2015.
May you all journey well into 2016.
See all our infographics at: http://futurism.com/infographics/
Physicists Predict The Existence of New Particle in the “Material Universe”
Scientists are predicting the existence of the type-II Weyl fermion. This comes after they realized that a metallic crystal material, called tungsten ditelluride, was exhibiting a strange behavior. While most metals turn into insulators once subjected to a magnetic field, tungsten ditelluride becomes either an insulator or a conductor, which one it becomes ultimately depends on the direction of the subjected magnetic field.
After a team investigated the phenomenon, they predicted the presence of an unexpected particle—the previously mentioned type-II Weyl fermion—which caused the behavior.
Read more at: http://futurism.com/links/physicists-predict-the-existence-of-new-particle-in-the-material-universe/
A lot of people live in fear because they haven’t figured out how you’re going to react when faced with a certain set of circumstances. I’ve come to terms with this by looking deeply into whatever makes me fearful - what are the key elements that get the hairs up on the back of my neck - and then figuring out what I can do about it.
Chris Hadfield (via fyp-science)
New Research Explains Why the Aurora Has Sudden Bursts of Brightness http://futurism.com/links/new-research-explains-aurora-sudden-bursts-brightness/
Watch: Tiny Real Dog Meets Enormous Robo-Dog
Here, Alex the dog meets Spot…the electrically-powered, hydraulically-actuated, four-legged robotic dog. http://futurism.com/videos/watch-tiny-real-dog-meets-enormous-robo-dog/