Formation

Comparisons of definitions, favorable conditions and natural cases between hot and cold subduction initiation. Credit: Science China Press The present solid Earth is actually active, with new plates generating in the mid-ocean ridges and some old plates sinking back into the interior through subduction zones. Subduction is thus a key process of the tectonics and geodynamics of the Earth. However, the formation mechanism of a…

Stars are born in chaotic and fascinating environments, and scientists are eager to understand more about these processes. And at the forefront of this exploration is US space agency NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Ever since its launch, it is helping astronomers see these celestial events like never before.Recently, James Webb Space Telescope captured two stunning images of NGC 604, a place in the Triangulum galaxy where stars are forming. It's about 2.73 million light-years away from Earth. These images show us…

Researchers have discovered significant amounts of water vapor in the disc around the young star HL Tauri, suggesting the presence of water where planets are forming. This breakthrough, enabled by the ALMA telescope in Chile, marks the first time astronomers have been able to quantify water vapor in a cool, stable disc conducive to planet formation. The findings could have profound implications for our understanding of how planets, particularly those capable of hosting life, are formed. (Artist’s concept.) Credit:…

Researchers have advanced galaxy formation simulations, revealing early disk galaxy formation and solving the “missing satellites problem,” marking a significant step towards understanding the Universe. Credit: SciTechDaily.comAstronomers can use supercomputers to simulate the formation of galaxies from the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago to the present day. But there are a number of sources of error. An international research team, led by researchers in Lund, has spent a hundred million computer hours over eight years…

Theoretical verification of the CH2OO + formic acid sequence. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-023-01361-6 Eighty-five percent of the Earth's air resides in the lowest layer of its atmosphere, or troposphere. Yet, major gaps remain in our understanding of the atmospheric chemistry that drives changes in the troposphere's composition. …

Junon is dangerous territory for Cloud and his friends in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The city is already one of Shinra’s major hubs, but matters are made even worse when the president himself is set to arrive to host a parade. This presents a perfect opportunity to don some disguises and hide in plain sight among the ranks, though things get a little out of control when you are recruited to lead a team of troops to perform in a rhythm minigame. You could brush this off and just get by, but where’s the honor in that?…

Researchers using the ALMA observatory have detected water vapor in the disc around a young star, in a region where planets are likely forming. This discovery is pivotal because water is vital for life and plays a crucial role in planet formation. The findings reveal a substantial amount of water, suggesting its potential impact on the chemical composition of emerging planets. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comWater vapor has been discovered in a planet-forming disc around a young star, revealing conditions…

When the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima in August 1945, the Japanese city was engulfed in a devastating fireball that killed an estimated 140,000 people and vaporized earth and infrastructure.Seventy years later, scientists discovered fallout debris from the nuclear blast in the form of glassy spheres strewn along the beach of Motoujina, a small island in Hiroshima Bay. The concrete and steel that once made up Hiroshima's buildings had been whipped up and torched in the extreme heat, scientists…

Researchers have discovered evidence of suppressed star formation in a quasar-host galaxy, caused by the outflow of molecular gas. This finding marks a significant step in understanding galaxy evolution in the early Universe. Credit: SciTechDaily.comTheoretical predictions have been confirmed with the discovery of an outflow of molecular gas from a quasar when the Universe was less than a billion years old.A quasar is a compact region powered by a supermassive black hole located in the center of a massive galaxy. They are…

Is it a flying elephant? A gingerbread man? When I was little, I used to search the clouds for amusing shapes as they drifted across the sky and imagine stories about their patterns. Now I'm a professional stargazer, and things haven't changed much. These days I search for patterns in molecular clouds, the birthplaces of stars. The shapes I find in these stellar nurseries do more than stimulate my imagination—they also tell a very real story about when, where and how stars are born. For astronomers, understanding this…