Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for week 03:
Why Einstein will never be wrong
One of the benefits of being an astrophysicist is your weekly email from someone who claims to have "proven Einstein wrong". These either contain no mathematical equations and use phrases such as "it is obvious that..", or they are page after page of complex equations with dozens of scientific terms used in non-traditional ways. They all get deleted pretty quickly, not because astrophysicists are too indoctrinated in established theories, but because none of them acknowledge how theories get replaced.
First instance of ball lightning captured on video and spectrographs
(Phys.org) �Researchers in China have captured, for the first time, an instance of ball lightning, on digital video along with spectrographs. The accidental capture, detailed by the team in a paper they've had published in Physical Review Letters, offers proof that ball lightning does exist and because it was captured via spectrographs also, offers clues as to how it came to exist.
Countdown to Pluto
One of the fastest spacecraft ever built�NASA's New Horizons�is hurtling through the void at nearly one million miles per day. Launched in 2006, it has been in flight longer than some missions last, and it is nearing its destination: Pluto.
Discovery of quantum vibrations in 'microtubules' corroborates theory of consciousness
A review and update of a controversial 20-year-old theory of consciousness published in Physics of Life Reviews claims that consciousness derives from deeper level, finer scale activities inside brain neurons. The recent discovery of quantum vibrations in "microtubules" inside brain neurons corroborates this theory, according to review authors Stuart Hameroff and Sir Roger Penrose. They suggest that EEG rhythms (brain waves) also derive from deeper level microtubule vibrations, and that from a practical standpoint, treating brain microtubule vibrations could benefit a host of mental, neurological, and cognitive conditions.
An old mathematical puzzle soon to be unraveled?
(Phys.org) �It is one the oldest mathematical problems in the world. Several centuries ago, the twin primes conjecture was formulated. As its name indicates, this hypothesis, which many science historians have attributed to the Greek mathematician Euclid, deals with prime numbers, those divisible only by themselves and by one (2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc.). Under this assumption, there exists an infinite number of pairs of prime numbers whose difference is two, called twin primes (e.g., 3 and 5), but nobody has been able to confirm this so far.
Lichen on Mars
Humans cannot hope to survive life on Mars without plenty of protection from the surface radiation, freezing night temperatures and dust storms on the red planet. So they could be excused for marveling at humble Antarctic lichen that has shown itself capable of going beyond survival and adapting to life in simulated Martian conditions.
New form of quantum matter: Natural 3D counterpart to graphene discovered
The discovery of what is essentially a 3D version of graphene � the 2D sheets of carbon through which electrons race at many times the speed at which they move through silicon - promises exciting new things to come for the high-tech industry, including much faster transistors and far more compact hard drives. A collaboration of researchers at the DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has discovered that sodium bismuthate can exist as a form of quantum matter called a three-dimensional topological Dirac semi-metal (3DTDS). This is the first experimental confirmation of 3D Dirac fermions in the interior or bulk of a material, a novel state that was only recently proposed by theorists.
Researchers harness sun's energy during day for use at night
Solar energy has long been used as a clean alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and oil, but it could only be harnessed during the day when the sun's rays were strongest. Now researchers led by Tom Meyer at the Energy Frontier Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have built a system that converts the sun's energy not into electricity but hydrogen fuel and stores it for later use, allowing us to power our devices long after the sun goes down.
Scientists discover giant trench under Antarctic Ice
(Phys.org) �A massive ancient subglacial trough � deeper than the Grand Canyon - has been discovered by a team of UK experts.
The symphony of life, revealed: New imaging technique captures vibrations of proteins
Like the strings on a violin or the pipes of an organ, the proteins in the human body vibrate in different patterns, scientists have long suspected.
Global warming: The conversation we need to have
We all know the earth's climate is changing. The effects are inescapable no matter where we live. Here in New England, some changes are subtle (more humidity, consistently warmer nights), dramatic (more intense rainfall events), confusing (bigger snowfall events), and dangerous (more powerful hurricanes). The science tells us these are expected in a warming world, and indeed, we see them.
K computer is unleashed for largest neuronal network simulation ever
(Medical Xpress)�Wow, today's top supercomputers have formidable speed and computational power to rival humans. On the other hand, wow, the human brain is more powerful than today's supercomputers, which with all their calculations, cannot surpass the complex wonder called the human brain. Scientists note that the brain, the basis of behavior and mental activity, is where over 50 billion neurons communicate with each other, in a network of complexity that some called "unimaginable." Each individual neuron's performance depends on molecular structures and mechanisms, and connections and spatial location in the brain.
'Jellyfish aircraft' takes flight (w/ Videos)
Inspired by nature and by the aviation pioneers of the early 20th century, scientists in the United States said Wednesday they had built the world's first jellyfish aircraft.
US dig unearths tomb of previously unknown pharaoh
US archaeologists have uncovered the tomb in southern Egypt of a previously unknown pharaoh who ruled 3,700 years ago, antiquities officials said on Wednesday.
Black hole that doesn't emit x-rays discovered near massive star
(Phys.org) �Researchers in Spain have discovered a black hole that doesn't reveal itself through x-ray radiation thrown off by material that is being sucked into it. In their paper published in the journal Nature, team members from several research institutions throughout Spain, report that the black hole appears to exist as a companion (binary) to a massive Be star that spins so fast it's surrounded by a gas disk.
High levels of molecular chlorine found in Arctic atmosphere
(Phys.org) �Scientists studying the atmosphere above Barrow, Alaska, have discovered unprecedented levels of molecular chlorine in the air, a new study reports.
Explaining the Higgs
Lisa Randall, the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science in Harvard's Department of Physics, is an expert on particle physics and in 2007 was named one of Time magazine's most influential people. Her e-book, "Higgs Discovery: The Power of Empty Space," which delves into the discovery of the Higgs boson, has been so successful that it was recently released in paperback. Here, Randall discusses her motivation for writing the book and why the Higgs unearthing is so significant.
Measuring electrons: Precise computations of their shape support Standard Model of physics
Though it was hailed as a triumph for the "Standard Model" of physics, the reigning explanation of fundamental forces and particles, physicists were quick to emphasize that last year's discovery of the Higgs boson still left gaps in understanding the universe.
Cyberattack traced to hacked refrigerator, researchers report
Call it the attack of the zombie refrigerators. Computer security researchers said this week they discovered a large "botnet" which infected Internet-connected home appliances and then delivered more than 750,000 malicious emails.
How Earth's devastating super-volcanoes might erupt
Devastating supervolcanoes can erupt simply due to changes that happen in their giant magma chambers as they slowly cool, according to a new study. This finding marks the first time researchers have been able to explain the mechanism behind the eruptions of the largest volcanoes on Earth.
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