Lead researcher John Tarduno says that in addition to the smaller magnetopause allowing the solar wind to strip away more water vapor from the early Earth, the skies might have been filled with more polar aurora. “On a normal night 3.5 billion years ago you’d probably see the aurora as far south as New York,” says Tarduno. Above, an artist’s interpretation of Earth aurora. (Credit: U. Rochester)
U. ROCHESTER (US)—The Earth’s magnetic field 3.5 billion years ago was only half as strong as it is today, new research shows. The weakness—coupled with a strong solar wind—likely allowed particles from the young Sun to strip water from early Earth’s atmosphere. Continue…
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 11:09 - 0 Comments
Science & Technology - Jan 14, 2010 16:28 - 0 Comments
Genomes of ‘smart bomb’ wasps sequenced
U. ROCHESTER—By sequencing the genomes of three wasp species that kill pest insects, a team of scientists is hopeful they will discover features that could be useful to pest control and medicine—that will enhance our understanding of genetics and evolution. (more…)
Science & Technology - Dec 28, 2009 16:54 - 1 Comment
Star found hiding among Big Dipper friends
U. ROCHESTER (US)—In ancient times, people with exceptional vision discovered that one of the brightest stars in the Big Dipper was, in fact, two stars so close together that most people cannot distinguish them. Now scientists have discovered that the twins are actually sextuplets. (more…)
Science & Technology - Nov 18, 2009 16:44 - 0 Comments
Laser’s stellar jet replicates star behavior
U. ROCHESTER (US)—A multi-trillion-watt laser has simulated a stellar jet—an outpouring of matter from a fledgling star—with unprecedented realism. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Nov 3, 2009 16:12 - 2 Comments
Seafloor dynamics at work splitting continent
U. ROCHESTER (US)—In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 26, 2009 15:52 - 6 Comments
Gene ‘cancer-proofs’ rodent’s cells
U. ROCHESTER (US)—Despite a 30-year lifespan that gives ample time for cells to grow cancerous, a small rodent species called a naked mole rat has never been found with tumors of any kind—and now biologists think they know why. (more…)
