Science word of the day: Abiotic

Supernova explosions occur when massive stars reach the end of their lives. The outward force of their fusion can no longer support their mass against their gravity, and they collapse and explode. These cataclysmic explosions can light up the sky for months. But some supernovae illuminate the sky for much longer than a few months….

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A new global map shows how gigantic bands of water vapor travel along networks of interconnected highways in the sky. When these atmospheric rivers make landfall, they can cause floods, blizzards, landslides and even heat waves. But their timing and intensity can be hard to predict. The first detailed network of atmospheric rivers spanning the…

Ancient Egyptian princesses actually knew how to use the weapons they were buried with, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology. Any doubts around the women’s prowess with the weapons – which include daggers, bows, and maces – have been quashed by a new analysis of the princesses’ long-lost mummified remains….

Scientists have developed a forecasting technique that could reveal the strength of the Sun’s next activity cycle as many as seven years before it reaches its maximum. The method focuses on the number of sunspots present at a newly identified “switch-off” stage in the solar cycle. At this point, the Sun’s most severe space weather…

If you’re reading this while the blinds are drawn against yet another heat wave and wondering whether it’s finally time to buy an air conditioner, you’re far from alone. At the end of June, as temperatures climbed well above 40 degrees Celsius across Europe, shoppers in France literally forced their way into stores to snatch…