Building on their newfound ability to induce molecules in ultracold gases to interact with each other over long distances, JILA researchers have used an electric “knob” to influence molecular collisions and dramatically raise or lower chemical reaction rates. …
Tag: molecules
New tools ‘turn on’ quantum gases of ultracold molecules
JILA researchers have developed tools to “turn on” quantum gases of ultracold molecules, gaining control of long-distance molecular interactions for potential applications such as encoding data for quantum computing and simulations. …
World’s oldest animal fossil actually came from rotting algae
Fat molecules attributed to ancient sea sponges actually belonged to algae, two new studies suggest. Source: https://www.livescience.com/oldest-animal-evidence-negated.html
Does Europa glow in the dark?
The icy surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa may glow on its nightside, the side facing away from the sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/jupiter-moon-europa-glows-radiation…
Clues to Mars life in Earth’s Atacama Desert
Researchers in the U.S. and Spain have discovered a plethora of previously unknown microbes living in wet clay layers below Chile’s arid Atacama Desert. The finding will help future rovers search for life on Mars. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/microbes-clay-atacama-desert-life-on-mars…
Why It’s a Big Deal If the First COVID-19 Vaccine Is ‘Genetic’
An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from Wired: On Monday morning, when representatives from the drug company Pfizer said that its Covid-19 vaccine appears to be more than 90 percent effective, stocks soared, White House officials rushed to (falsely) claim credit, and sighs of relief went up all around the internet. […] The arrival of an effective vaccine to fight SARS-CoV-2…
Weird ‘gravitational molecules’ could orbit black holes like electrons swirling around atoms
Physicists have discovered a special kind of particle can exist around a pair of black holes in a similar way as an electron can exist around a pair of hydrogen atoms — the first example of a “gravitational molecule.” Source: https://www.livescience.com/black-holes-gravitational-molecules-evidence.html
2020 Antarctic ozone hole among largest, deepest in recent years
This year’s ozone hole covers most of the Antarctic continent and is among the largest and deepest in recent years. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/antarctic-ozone-hole-2020-among-largest-deepest-in-recent-years…
How does fog form?
Fog forms when the air cools and water vapor condenses. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-is-fog-how-does-fog-form…
NASA Confirms Water Molecules On Moon
NASA has confirmed the presence of water on the moon’s sunlit surface, a breakthrough that suggests the chemical compound that is vital to life on Earth could be distributed across more parts of the lunar surface than the ice that has previously been found in dark and cold areas. From a report: “We don’t know yet if we can use it…