How Does The Human Body React to Being in Space? Introduction Following on from Issue 19 which looked at the International Space Station (ISS) and Tim Peake’s life and work on it1, this article aims to look into the fundamental ways that an astronaut’s biological systems change in space, down to the level of their […]
Magnesium diboride superconducting cables! A new superconducting prototype cable has been developed to aim to create superconducting transmission lines for improved efficiency and less of an environmental impact for the electricity grid. To meet future energy demands, all the electricity grids throughout Europe will need to be upgraded and expanded for higher transmission capacity. For […]
Scientists in Vienna have successfully created a stable form of carbyne, the world’s strongest material. Carbyne is a linear acetylenic carbon – an infinitely long carbon chain. It can be considered as a one-dimensional allotrope of carbon. Carbyne has a chemical structure with alternating single and triple bonds: (−C≡C−)n. This structure of carbon gives an […]
A black hole is a region in space-time where the gravity is so strong that nothing can escape; not even light (which is why they appear black). That is why, when Stephen Hawking found a theoretical argument for the existence of a type of black hole radiation, it took the scientific world by storm. This, […]
On Monday 26 September, NASA announced that it has discovered ‘surprising evidence of activity that may be related to the presence of a subsurface ocean on Europa’. This evidence is in the form of UV images captured by the Hubble Space telescope, which suggest that there might be water jets that are emanating from ‘cryogeysers’ […]
Meet Liaoningosaurus paradoxus. This bizarre animal was an ankylosaur, and so related to the more commonly known Ankylosaurus. Ankylosaurs are famous for being covered in armour and possessing clubbed tails. However, first named and described in 2001, Liaoningosaurus was no ordinary ankylosaur. The initial description of the creature found that it had long legs and feet, and also […]
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is keen to encourage students to see biology as an inspiring and exciting field of study. Linda DaVolls tells us about ZSL’s annual Prince Philip Award and Marsh Prize! If you are reading this then it’s probably safe to assume that you have more than a passing interest in […]