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Cosmic Cannibalism: Astronomers Witness Star Devouring Planet in Possible Preview of Earth’s Ultimate Fate

Lead Image: Astronomers using the Gemini South telescope in Chile, operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, have observed the first compelling evidence of a dying Sun-like star engulfing an exoplanet. The “smoking gun” of this event was seen in a long and low-energy outburst from the star — the telltale signature of a planet skimming along a star’s surface. This never-before-seen process may herald the ultimate fate of Earth when our own Sun nears the end of its life in about five billion years. Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Garlick/M. Zamani Gemini South captures first direct evidence of an exoplanet being swallowed by…

The Power of Prevention: Transforming Healthcare for a Healthier Future

Lead Image: Researchers aim to improve public health policy by advocating for preventive care that reaches people through their community, cultivating preventive healthcare, and increasing access to outpatient elective healthcare for underrepresented groups. Rutgers University is exploring a cutting-edge healthcare model that places a greater emphasis on primary care and preventive measures rather than emergency care in underserved communities. If more individuals have access to health insurance, it is imperative to be sure the death rates of those with certain chronic conditions are decreasing. This is one of the statements Gregory Peck, an associate professor of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson…

Peeking Into the Cosmic Cradle: Webb Telescope Unveils a Massive Protocluster’s Baby Photos

Lead Image: The seven galaxies highlighted in this James Webb Space Telescope image have been confirmed to be at a distance that astronomers refer to as redshift 7.9, which correlates to 650 million years after the big bang. This makes them the earliest galaxies yet to be spectroscopically confirmed as part of a developing cluster. Astronomers used the telescope’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument to precisely measure the distances and determine that the galaxies are part of a developing cluster. Galaxy YD4, previously estimated to be at a further distance based on imaging data alone, was able to be more accurately…

Just Add Water – Stanford Researchers Have Discovered a Simple and Eco-Friendly Way To Make Ammonia

Lead Image: Ammonia is a colorless, pungent gas with the chemical formula NH3. It is a naturally occurring compound that plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle and is used as a building block in the production of fertilizers, plastics, and other chemicals. It is also used as a refrigerant and cleaning agent. Stanford researchers have found an environmentally friendly method of producing ammonia using small droplets of water and nitrogen sourced from the air. Ammonia (NH3) serves as the foundation for the creation of chemical fertilizers used for agricultural crops. For over 100 years, the global production of…

NASA’s OPERA: Revolutionizing Earth Observation Through Satellite Synergy

A drought-stricken Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the U.S., is captured here in 2014 by the Landsat 8 satellite. Bleached rock along the edges shows the reservoir’s shoreline when at capacity. NASA’s OPERA project brings together multiple space missions to track such water and land changes. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon using Landsat data from USGS Merging data from multiple satellites, OPERA can help government agencies, disaster responders, and the public access data about natural and human impacts to the land. The OPERA (Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis) project, managed by NASA’s…