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“Hell Planet” – How This Super-Earth Got So Scorchingly Hot

Lead Image: An artist’s impression of the planet Janssen, which orbits its star so closely that its entire surface is a lava ocean that reaches temperatures of around 2,000 degrees Celsius. Credit: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser New ultra-precise measurements reveal the orbital path of exoplanet 55 Cancri e (55 Cnc e), a scorchingly hot super-Earth closely circling a distant star. New research sheds light on how the “hell planet” got so devilishly hot and how other worlds might become too toasty for life. That rocky world, 55 Cnc e (nicknamed “Janssen”), orbits its star so closely that a year lasts just…

How To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain – 9 Tips To Help You Stay in Shape This Christmas Season

The Christmas holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and, of course, food. With so many temptations around every corner, it’s also the time when your healthy lifestyle can go out the window. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for you to stay in shape while still enjoying all your favorite foods. Here are some tips to help you enjoy this festive season to the fullest without putting on weight. Be well-prepared. Planning your meals ahead of time makes it much easier to keep your eating habit in check. As the holidays approach, make a list of every party…

Scientists Blown Away by the Toughest Material on Earth – “Unexpected Transformation”

Lead Image: Microscopy-generated images showing the path of a fracture and accompanying crystal structure deformation in the CrCoNi alloy at nanometer scale during stress testing at 20 kelvin (-424 °F). The fracture is propagating from left to right. Credit: Robert Ritchie/Berkeley Lab A new study reveals the profound properties of a simple metal alloy. Scientists have measured the highest toughness ever recorded, of any material, while investigating a metallic alloy made of chromium, cobalt, and nickel (CrCoNi). Not only is the metal extremely ductile – which, in materials science, means highly malleable – and impressively strong (meaning it resists permanent…

Surprising: Rare Human Gene Variant Exposes Fundamental Sex Differences

Lead Image: The research sheds new light on how sex determines the mechanisms by which various synapses monitor and regulate dopamine signaling. A study in mice reveals a surprising difference between male and female dopamine synapses supporting attention, movement, motivation, and pleasure. Almost all neuropsychiatric disorders have different prevalences, ages of onset, and clinical symptoms in men and women. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are two conditions with significant sex bias, with about four males diagnosed for every one female. It is unclear whether this skewed ratio results from the roles played in brain development by sex-specific…

Engineers Experiment on What Happens When You Flush a Public Restroom Toilet

Lead Image: Scientists used bright green lasers and camera equipment to reveal how tiny water droplets, invisible to the naked eye, are rapidly ejected into the air when a lid-less, public restroom toilet is flushed. Credit: John Crimaldi Scientists Shine a Light on What Comes Up When You Flush Thanks to new research, scientists see the impact of flushing the toilet in a whole new light—and now, the world can as well. Engineers ran an experiment to reveal how tiny water droplets, invisible to the naked eye, are rapidly ejected into the air when a lid-less, public restroom toilet is…