Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
Astronomers have obtained a stunning new image of the Sculptor Galaxy, painted in thousands of colors that reveals the intricacies of galactic systems. The incredible image of the galaxy — located around 11 million light-years away and also known as NGC 253 — was collected with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. Within the image, the researchers have been able to discover 500 new planetary nebulae, shells of gas and dust that are ejected from stars like the sun after they "die" and enter a "puffed out" red giant phase.
SpaceX launched the Transporter-14 rideshare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket carrying capsules containing DNA samples and cremated remains from people around the world. The samples onboard the Perseverance Flight, is a project by Celestis, that offers a unique way to honour loved ones. The Perseverance Flight is carrying more than 150 capsules with samples. The company said that after reaching space, the capsules will return to Earth aboard their recovery vehicle. The memorial capsules will land safely in the Pacific Ocean, where they will be recovered and returned to the family as a "lasting tribute" to their loved one's journey among the stars.The development highlights the trend of space burial, which has happened in the past. Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, was the first person to have his remains buried in space in 1992.
The smarter you are, the more your brain is in sync with its own secret rhythm, a new study has found. When your brain works particularly hard, different regions of the brain sync up as they work together to perform tasks that require a higher cognitive load. This is called theta connectivity, and a new study has found that not only is it highly flexible, adapting quickly to changing situations, but better brain coordination strongly correlates with cognitive ability. Specific signals in the midfrontal brain region are better synchronized in people with higher cognitive ability – especially during demanding phases of reasoning, the study revealed. These findings not only help us understand the role brain coordination plays in cognition, they could open new avenues for brain research and even – one day – help inform new diagnostic techniques.
A French woman from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has been identified as the only known carrier of a new blood type, dubbed "Gwada negative," France's blood supply agency has announced. The new blood group is named "Gwada negative", which refers to the patient's origins and "sounds good in all languages", said the scientists. The ABO blood group system was first discovered in the early 1900s. The scientific association had until now recognised 47 blood group systems. Thanks to DNA sequencing the discovery of new blood groups has accelerated in recent years. Discovering new blood groups means offering patients with rare blood types a better level of care.
