Fetal oxygen monitor could reduce the rate of unnecessary C-sections

Many readers are likely already familiar with the oximeters that measure blood oxygen levels via the patient’s finger. Well, scientists have now developed a device that works on the same principle, but it can be non-invasively used on unborn fetuses.Co… Continue reading Fetal oxygen monitor could reduce the rate of unnecessary C-sections

Mars orbiter spots green glow over Red Planet

Turns out the Red Planet is a little more green than we thought. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has detected a tinge of green in the atmosphere, making it the first time this aurora-like glow has been spotted around a planet other than Earth.Conti… Continue reading Mars orbiter spots green glow over Red Planet

Stanford study raises prospect of blood test to measure aerobic fitness

An impressively comprehensive new study from Stanford University has delivered the most thorough investigation into the human body’s molecular response to exercise ever conducted. The research chronicles in detail how a single session of aerobic exerci… Continue reading Stanford study raises prospect of blood test to measure aerobic fitness

“Downwelling” could be a temporary fix for aquatic dead zones

Aquatic hypoxia can be a serious problem, producing oxygen-depleted “dead zones” in lakes or seas. New research suggests that a process known as downwelling may help keep those zones from forming – although it wouldn’t be a cheap solution.Continue Read… Continue reading “Downwelling” could be a temporary fix for aquatic dead zones

How plate tectonics may have changed the climate and paved the way for complex life to evolve

Evolution is usually a gradual process, but about half a billion years ago it took off at a gallop in an event that’s now known as the Cambrian Explosion. One of the leading theories is that this was thanks to a huge spike in oxygen levels, a… Continue reading How plate tectonics may have changed the climate and paved the way for complex life to evolve

Caltech reactor could convert CO2 into breathable oxygen for space trips

Although oxygen is common throughout the cosmos, most of it isn’t in the form that we as humans need to breathe – molecular oxygen, or O2. Now, researchers at Caltech claim to have created a reactor that can turn carbon dioxide into molecular… Continue reading Caltech reactor could convert CO2 into breathable oxygen for space trips

Be a Fire Bender With The Power of Magnets

More often than you think, scientific progress starts with a simple statement: “Huh, that’s funny…” That’s the sign that someone has noticed something peculiar, and that’s the raw fuel of science because it often takes the scientist down interesting rabbit holes that sometimes lead to insights into the way the world works.

[Ben Krasnow] ended up falling down one of those rabbit holes recently with his experiments with magnets and flames. It started with his look at the Zeeman effect, which is the observation that magnetic fields can influence the spectral lines of light emitted by certain sources. In a …read more

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Living On The Moon: The Challenges

Invariably when we write about living on Mars, some ask why not go to the Moon instead? It’s much closer and has a generous selection of minerals. But its lack of an atmosphere adds to or exacerbates the problems we’d experience on Mars. Here, therefore, is a fun thought experiment about that age-old dream of living on the Moon.

Inhabiting Lava Tubes

The Moon has even less radiation protection than Mars, having practically no atmosphere. The lack of atmosphere also means that more micrometeorites make it to ground level. One way to handle these issues is to bury structures under …read more

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