Radiation bombardment from Jupiter makes Europa glow in the dark

Giving a new meaning to the word “moonshine,” NASA scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, have concluded that Jupiter’s moon Europa glows in the dark due to being constantly bombarded with high-energy radiation.Conti… Continue reading Radiation bombardment from Jupiter makes Europa glow in the dark

Researchers discover how gut bacteria can protect from radiation damage

We know radiation therapy is an aggressively toxic treatment methodology for fighting cancer. Gastrointestinal distress is a common side-effect but researchers are only now discovering exactly how the massive population of bacteria living in our gut is… Continue reading Researchers discover how gut bacteria can protect from radiation damage

First Moon radiation measurements reveal risk to astronaut health

Radiation is one of the main dangers of space travel, and with renewed focus on sending human crews back to the Moon it’s important to understand the risks they face. Now we have the clearest data on that to date, thanks to a dedicated instrument onboa… Continue reading First Moon radiation measurements reveal risk to astronaut health

Cosmic rays can destabilize quantum computers, MIT study warns

Quantum computers are advancing at an exciting pace, but unfortunately this progress may soon stall. Cosmic rays streaming down to Earth could interfere with the integrity of the information in these quantum computers, and now an MIT team has shown jus… Continue reading Cosmic rays can destabilize quantum computers, MIT study warns

Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood

A new diagnostic tool developed by scientists at Ohio State University promises to drastically reduce the time needed to detect radiation sickness, by measuring a pair of key biomarkers in just a single drop of blood. With the results ready in just a f… Continue reading Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood

Radiation appears to help some metal alloys self-heal

Radiation is famously damaging, both to living tissue and materials. But now, engineers at MIT have been surprised to discover that radiation may actually help certain alloys to self-heal, extending their useful lifetime. This could obviously help info… Continue reading Radiation appears to help some metal alloys self-heal

Novel nanocrystal treatments could protect cells from radiation damage

Ideally, the body is protected from damaging radiation before it reaches us, by shielding materials or clothing. But now, researchers in South Korea have developed a new type of drug that could prevent some of the tissue damage radiation causes, which … Continue reading Novel nanocrystal treatments could protect cells from radiation damage

Aerogel fashioned into world’s lightest electromagnetic shielding

Containing the electromagnetic radiation generated by electronic components is a key consideration for designers of electronic devices, but today’s metal-based shielding materials have their downsides. Scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for M… Continue reading Aerogel fashioned into world’s lightest electromagnetic shielding

Ozone depletion triggered mass extinction during the Age of Fishes

A new study has revealed that a cataclysmic disruption of Earth’s protective ozone layer may have allowed damaging levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to saturate the Earth 359 million years ago, triggering a global mass extinction. The researchers be… Continue reading Ozone depletion triggered mass extinction during the Age of Fishes

NASA builds a Galactic Cosmic Ray Simulator to study space radiation

How radiation in space impacts the human body is one of the key questions facing scientists planning for future missions to the Moon and beyond, and NASA now has a powerful new tool to study the phenomenon here on Earth. Called the Galactic Cosmic Ray … Continue reading NASA builds a Galactic Cosmic Ray Simulator to study space radiation