Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
The universe has two kinds of matter: invisible dark matter and ordinary matter such as gas, dust, stars, planets. Scientists estimate that ordinary matter makes up only about 15% of all matter, but have long struggled to document where all of it is located. With the help of powerful bursts of radio waves emanating from 69 locations in the cosmos, researchers now have found the "missing" matter. It was hiding primarily as thinly distributed gas spread out in the vast expanses between galaxies and was detected thanks to the effect the matter has on the radio waves traveling through space, the researchers said. This tenuous gas comprises the intergalactic medium, sort of a fog between galaxies. The researchers found that a smaller slice of the missing matter resides in the halos of diffuse material surrounding galaxies, including our Milky Way. Ordinary matter is composed of baryons, the subatomic particles protons and neutrons needed to build atoms.
The Moon is covered with small and shiny glass fragments that range in colour from bright orange to yellow-green. The fascinating bead-like materials were discovered during the Apollo mission and were brought back to Earth along with other Moon samples to study their composition, structure, and formation processes. But scientists have now revealed the mystery behind them. The beads were formed some 3.3 to 3.6 billion years ago and provide insights into the Moon's volcanic history. Their analysis would help scientists understand the geological evolution of our natural satellite. This orange glass is a type of volcanic glass found particularly in the Taurus-Littrow valley, where Apollo 17 landed. Each bead is less than 1mm across and contains elements like iron, magnesium and titanium. Scientists revealed that they were formed when magma was ejected during volcanic eruptions and rapidly cooled.
In major scientific breakthrough, researchers have discovered hundreds of previously unknown giant viruses in oceans around the world. The research team used advanced computer software to analyze seawater samples and identify microbial genomes. Among their findings were 230 giant viruses never before documented. These discoveries are significant because they help scientists better understand ocean ecosystems, especially the role of viruses in the lives of microscopic marine organisms called protists. These include algae, amoeba, and flagellates, which are essential to the ocean's food chain and overall health. By better understanding the diversity and role of giant viruses in the ocean and how they interact with algae and other ocean microbes, scientists can predict and possibly manage harmful algal blooms, which are human health hazards in the world.
While aging is often seen as a slow, steady process, new research suggests it can speed up suddenly at certain points in life. According to a recent study on molecular changes in the human body, scientists have identified two major phases where aging significantly accelerates - around the average ages of 44 and 60. These findings indicate that if you feel like you're aging faster during these stages, it may not be just your imagination. The study highlights how biological aging is not always linear and could involve sharp changes at specific milestones. These big changes likely impact our health - the number of molecules related to cardiovascular disease showed significant changes at both time points, and those related to immune function changed in people in their early 60s.
