The Science Thread

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Something disturbing from the body sciences (Medicine) :

New Brunswick neurological syndrome of unknown cause - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I read an article on it in a recent issue of a public Apothecary Magazine (one which is printed for public customers), it the most disturbing part of it was that the investigation was mostly halted because of officials forcing investigators to stop investigation.

 

[pibbuR]

Why every arm of an octopus moves with a mind of its own

There is ‘an equivalent to a spinal cord running down the center of every single arm.’

www.popsci.com

 

[pibbuR]

Interesting lecture about the sun and the recent solar probes from Gresham College:

These are the "They Might Be Giants" tunes mentioned:

pibbuR who knows the future's so bright he has to wear shades.

 

[Carnifex]

They Might Be Giants is such an excellent and iconic band!

 

[wolfgrimdark]

Not a pleasant thought https://www.fastcompany.com/9128937...lastics-in-your-brain-to-make-an-entire-spoon

We’re exposed to microplastics in myriad ways: Those tiny, degraded bits of plastic are in our soil, our water, even in our air. They then get into our bodies, lodging themselves in our organs—including our brains. An adult human brain can contain about a spoon’s worth of microplastics and nanoplastics, recent research found—not a spoonful, but the same weight as a disposable plastic spoon.

That amount was higher—by seven to 30 times—than the amount of microplastics found in other organs, such as livers or kidneys. The concentrations were even higher (by three to five times) in individuals diagnosed with dementia. And even more concerning, experts say, is how these levels have increased over time: Between 2016 and 2024, the concentration of microplastics in human brains increased by about 50%.

 

[pibbuR]

How to see the upcoming ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse

The full moon will take on a red in the wee hours of the morning on March 14.

www.popsci.com

pibbuR who observes it won't be visible where he lives. Which is good, because he, due to the weather, of course wouldn't be able to see it anyway.

 

[pibbuR]

NASA powers down two instruments on twin Voyager spacecraft to save power

NASA is switching off two science instruments on its twin Voyager spacecraft to save power. The space agency said Wednesday an instrument on Voyager 2 that measures charged particles and cosmic rays will shut off later this month.

apnews.com

pibbuR who once again is impressed that it's possible to send commands to/program things 22 light-hours away.

 

[pibbuR]

This is a picture of the Andromeda galaxy, 2.5 million light years from us. The picture was taken in 1888! I'm really impressed that they were able to produce pictures of such quality, given that equipment they had in the 19th century.

Today we get better pictures, due to far better equipment and the fact that said galaxy is now 0.05 ly closer to us. Here's what James Webb thinks:



pibbuR who is merely 26000 from the center of our galaxy, but sadly is unable to take a picture of it (partially due to all the dust).

 

[pibbuR]

Remember 2024 YR4? The asteroid that might (but no longer do) hit us in 2032? Now we know the size of it (60 m). And even nower (I think that is a made up word) we know it's shape¨. See the following link, which allows you to rotate it:

Asteroid 2024 YR4 - Download Free 3D model by NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/R. Proctor (@ronald.proctor)

This is a 3D representation of asteroid 2024 YR4. This render was made using data obtained on 7 February 2025 with the Gemini South telescope in Chile, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Using the...

sketchfab.com

pibbuR who observes that it may still hit the moon.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Remember 2024 YR4? The asteroid that might (but no longer do) hit us in 2032? Now we know the size of it (60 m). And even nower (I think that is a made up word) we know it's shape¨. See the following link, which allows you to rotate it:

Asteroid 2024 YR4 - Download Free 3D model by NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/R. Proctor (@ronald.proctor)

This is a 3D representation of asteroid 2024 YR4. This render was made using data obtained on 7 February 2025 with the Gemini South telescope in Chile, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Using the...

sketchfab.com

pibbuR who observes that it may still hit the moon.

Will we be the dinosaurs of the next age ?

 

[pibbuR]

No. At least not now. Even if it hit us. At 60 m it's much to small. The estimate for the one that hit us 65 x10^6 BC is 10 km. Which means that at impact, it's rear stood higher than Qomolangma.

pibbuR who thinks that these days, sadly other means of human extinction are much more likely

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

An incident : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vädersolstavlan

The "sator square" : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sator_Square

 

[pibbuR]

5 dazzling interstellar images to celebrate Hubble’s 35th birthday

A cosmic guitar, the sombrero galaxy, and more shine as the space telescope keeps on going.

www.popsci.com

Ah... the sombrero galaxy!

pibbuR who for the record is one of many men without hats (not Men Without Hats).

 

[pibbuR]

After 53 Years, a Failed Soviet Venus Spacecraft Is Crashing Back to Earth

The spacecraft suffered an engine anomaly that left it stuck in Earth's orbit for decades, and now it's slated for an uncontrolled reentry.

gizmodo.com

"Built to withstand extreme heat, parts of the spacecraft could survive the descent and crash on Earth."

Something wicked this way comes.

 

[pibbuR]

Heart disease deaths worldwide linked to chemical widely used in plastics

Daily exposure to certain chemicals used to make plastic household items could be linked to more than 356,000 global deaths from heart disease in 2018 alone, a new analysis of population surveys shows. While the chemicals, called phthalates, are in widespread use globally, the Middle East, South...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[pibbuR]

AI Identifies Author of Charred Scroll Buried by Vesuvius for 2,000 Years

A sealed Herculaneum scroll yields its secrets—revealing a lost philosophical treatise by Philodemus through virtual unwrapping.

gizmodo.com

 

[JDR13]

A Soviet space probe that was supposed to go to Venus in 1972 crash-landed Saturday after being stuck in orbit for 53 years.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/science/kosmos-482-crash-soviet-spacecraft.html

Soviet-era spacecraft plunges to Earth after 53 years stuck in orbit

A Soviet-era spacecraft has plunged to Earth, more than a half-century after its failed launch to Venus. The half-ton spacecraft fell out of orbit on Saturday.

apnews.com

 

[Carnifex]

It's hard to believe that it took that long for the orbit to fully decay. Hopefully no one got traumatized when it returned back to the ground.

 

[pibbuR]

Can adults grow new brain cells?

Scientists are still debating whether the human brain is capable of growing new cells past childhood.

www.livescience.com

pibbuR who according to an optimistic interpretation of this has two more year of neuron genesis (and wonders what to use them on)

 

[Carnifex]

I think it's possible and, of course, as we learn more about stem cells' and possible uses there, the field becomes even more interesting.