Experiment demonstrating the paramagnetism of oxygen 🧲🌡

A magnet with a small gap allows a stream of liquid nitrogen to pass through. Due to its diamagnetic properties, liquid nitrogen interacts weakly with the magnetic field and simply flows out. However, liquid oxygen remains between the poles of the magnet until it evaporates.

📹 Harvard Natural Sciences Lecture Demonstrations

#discoveries

@scientific

An immortal creature develops a contagious form of cancer 🧬🦠

Hydras develop cancer if they are overfed.

Although tumors are an inevitable risk for multicellular organisms, only a few cases of cancer transmission between individuals are known: two types affecting Tasmanian devils, one in dogs, and 11 recorded cases in mollusks. Studying "contagious" forms of cancer is crucial not only for preventing their emergence in humans but also for protecting other animals. All known cases of this type of cancer have been detected in late stages.

Hydra oligactis, a freshwater organism related to jellyfish and anemones, is considered "immortal" because it reproduces asexually. It clones itself by forming small buds that detach and grow into physically separate but genetically identical beings. This makes hydras a valuable subject for studying cancer genetics.

Scientists collected 50 hydras from Lake Monto in France and fed them an excessive amount of shrimp larvae five times a week. The offspring of hydras with tumors developed cancer four times more often, despite being genetically identical. Researchers also found changes in the reproduction patterns of fifth-generation hydras: they attempted to reproduce before tumors appeared, slowing their growth after their onset. 🔬🦑

#discoveries

@scientific

A new species of tiny chameleons discovered 🦎🔍

A previously unknown species has been named Brookesia nofy in honor of the Ankanin’ny Nofy forest, where it was first spotted. This coastal forest is a popular tourist destination, making the mini-chameleon the first of its kind found in such a habitat.

Interestingly, at about 33 mm in length, B. nofy is not the smallest chameleon in the world. That title still belongs to B. nana, which measures just 21.6 mm, including its tail. 🌿📏

#discoveries

@scientific

Ford nucleon 🚗⚛️

The Ford Nucleon was a 1957 concept car designed to run on a nuclear reactor. The idea was to use a steam engine powered by uranium fission, eliminating the need for gasoline. While the concept never became a reality, it reflected the futuristic optimism of the atomic age. ☢️🔥

#technologies

@scientific

Rotation of four exogiant planets around the star HR 8799 🌌✨

#discoveries

@scientific

Mammatus clouds 🌥

Mammatus clouds, often referred to as "bag-like" clouds, have a distinctive cell or pouch-like formation at their base. These clouds are a result of Rayleigh-Taylor instability, where pressure, density, and velocity disturbances in gas or liquid mediums with varying densities form due to gravitational forces. This phenomenon creates the dramatic, rounded, and downward hanging structures we associate with mammatus clouds.

Have you ever seen one of these clouds in person? Their unusual, dramatic appearance can make them look quite surreal! 🌪

#discoveries

@scientific

Intercity flights on a rocket

12,000 km in half an hour – an ordinary trip of the future.

#technologies

@scientific

A new species of ghost shark discovered in the depths of the ocean

The Australian narrow-nose ghost shark, also known as Harriotta avia, inhabits the deep waters near Australia and New Zealand. Ghost sharks, or chimaeras, are relatives of sharks and rays, belonging to a group of fish whose skeletons are entirely made of cartilage. These marine animals have ghostly black eyes and smooth light-brown skin without scales.

Representatives of this previously unknown species were discovered during research in the Chatham Rise area – a region of the Pacific Ocean extending about 1,000 km east of New Zealand's South Island. Australian narrow-nose ghost sharks primarily live on the ocean floor. They feed on crustaceans at depths of up to 2,600 meters, aided by their characteristic beak-shaped mouth.

#discoveries

@scientific

Prototype of the 1962 lunar spacesuit

The spacesuit weighed 90 kilograms and was equipped with life support systems.

#technologies

@scientific

A robot assistant for helping the elderly with daily tasks has been created in China

Xiaowu is capable of moving quickly on wheels, climbing stairs, carrying objects, and performing various caregiving tasks. For example, it can assist people in getting out of bed and transferring them to a wheelchair..

#technologies

@scientific

Master of camouflage

Rhinopias frondosa (scientific name) is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the scorpionfish family.

Rhinopias frondosa has characteristic branched and leaf-like growths on its body, which allow it to camouflage among corals and seaweed. Like most scorpionfish, it hunts at night from an ambush. It rarely swims and usually moves along the seabed using its fins.

#discoveries

@scientific

And the already strange fish tries the ocean floor with its feet

This fish has legs—and not just for walking.

Scientists discovered that a species of sea robin (Prionotus carolinus) uses its limbs not only to stroll along the ocean floor but also to taste the seabed in search of prey. This fish evolved its limbs into sensory organs. Genomic analysis shed light on the evolutionary history of legs in the sea robin group (Triglidae).

Researchers compared the genomes of 13 species of sea robins and built an evolutionary tree. It turns out that legs for walking evolved first, and later sensory organs "grew" on them.



#discoveries

@scientific

Stephan’s Quintet ✨🌀

This is a group of five galaxies located in the Pegasus constellation. Four of them are in constant gravitational interaction, while the fifth galaxy only appears to be part of the group due to its projection effect. 🌌🔭

#discoveries

@scientific

Piloted Multicopter 🚁

Hexa Lift is an 18-rotor piloted drone designed for short flights. Each of its engines is powered by a separate battery, ensuring efficient and reliable operation. ⚡️🔋

#technologies

@scientific

Blue Lava 🌋

In reality, it's sulfur flames. Liquid sulfur seeps through cracks in the Ijen volcano, creating streams that resemble lava. At a temperature of 600°C, the flames take on a blue hue. 💙🔥

#discoveries

@scientific

Amazing Robotic Arm 🤖✋

Swiss engineers have demonstrated a robotic arm capable of detaching from the main robot and moving autonomously. In this autonomous mode, it can grab objects that are out of reach of the primary manipulator, then return and reattach itself. 🔧

#technologies

@scientific

What Happens to Tin? ❄️

At low temperatures, tin undergoes an allotropic transformation, turning into a form that resembles a "dirty" powder. The lower the temperature, the more intense the process of "tin pest" becomes. This phenomenon occurs as tin crystallizes into a brittle form, which is a serious issue for items made of tin in extremely cold environments. 🌡c

#discoveries

@scientific

Table Salt Under the Microscope 🔬

#technologies

@scientific

Transporting the Submarine U-17

U-17 is a decommissioned submarine with a displacement of 350 tons and a length of 48 meters. It was transported from the Technik Museum Speyer to the Technik Museum Sinsheim.

📷 Technik Museen Sinsheim Speyer

#technologies

@scientific

Sunken Volcanic Islands Found in the Canary Islands — Possible Prototype of Atlantis

A team discovered islands on an underwater mountain containing three now inactive volcanoes, with a diameter of about 50 kilometers. Its base lies approximately 2.3 kilometers below the ocean surface. The scientists named this new underwater mountain Monte Los Atlantes (Mountain of the Atlanteans) after the legendary civilization described by Plato, which was submerged by the gods due to the immorality of its inhabitants.

The team found Monte Los Atlantes while exploring the seabed off the coast of Lanzarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, using a remotely operated vehicle at depths ranging from 100 to 2500 meters. During the Eocene epoch, Monte Los Atlantes consisted of a series of islands. After the volcanoes stopped erupting, the lava solidified and became denser, causing the islands to sink into the ocean.

#discoveries

@scientific

Examples of three-body problem solutions 🌍⭐️🌕

The three-body problem consists of finding the coordinates and velocities of three massive objects at any given moment, based on initial gravitational conditions. 🛰

Even a slight change in the initial positions of any of the three bodies can lead to entirely different predictions about their future locations. 🔄✨

#technologies

@scientific