A weird dead star may have a solid-like surface made of iron crystals:
X-ray observations show that a distant magnetar may have a surface made of a strange material somewhere between a solid and a fluid instead of a gaseous one like most stars
Tonga eruption's volcanic plume reached above the stratosphere twice:
The plume ejected by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano in January entered the mesosphere, the layer of atmosphere above the stratosphere, twice during the eruption
Neutrinos have been spotted coming from a strange, shrouded galaxy:
Cosmic neutrinos are tough to track – it has only been done once before – but researchers from the IceCube observatory in Antarctica have tracked 79 of them back to their home galaxy
Cane toads fling their tongues so hard the recoil slaps their heart:
The first X-ray footage of a toad gulping down a meal reveals that its tongue recoils into its body further than it stretches out to grab prey
Smartphones can reveal whether bridges are about to fall down:
The accelerometers in our smartphones collect information as we travel over bridges, and this can reveal if the structure is weakening and help us know when to fix it to extend its life
Why the US military could replace spy satellites with solar planes:
The US military has spent billions of dollars on spy satellites and supersonic surveillance aircraft, but now it seems to be focusing on slow, lightweight solar-powered planes to do the same job
Most ‘home compostable’ plastic doesn’t break down in garden bins:
A study involving 1600 UK volunteers found that 60 per cent of plastics labelled as suitable for home composting don’t break down properly
Gel-based encryption can only be unlocked with key of light and heat:
A chemical gel can reveal a secret sequence of numbers if given the right "password" – a combination of heat, light and water. The technology could be used to prevent counterfeiting or in smart labels
Banning solar plants on farmland in England would be a grave error:
The construction of solar plants on farmland in England has come under attack, but there are three reasons why they shouldn't be banned, says Michael Le Page
Dismissing environmentalists with an 'anti-growth' label is wrong:
The idea that environmentalists are part of the Tories’ imaginary “anti-growth coalition” is grotesque. Conserving the environment and economic progress are not mutually incompatible, says Graham Lawton
Very nice collection of articles you curated. I happened across this just after you posted and saved a couple for later. Thanks!