Enceladus plumes may hold a clear clue to ocean habitability

by quasarn01 | Jan 21, 2026 | Astronomy

How can scientists estimate the pH level of Enceladus’ subsurface ocean without landing on its surface? This is what a study recently posted to the arXiv preprint server hopes to address as a team of scientists from Japan investigated new methods for sampling...

Oldest astronaut Buzz Aldrin turns 96 as new moon astronauts share Apollo inspirations

by quasarn01 | Jan 21, 2026 | Astronomy

Buzz Aldrin, the second man and only one of 12 to ever walk on the moon, turns 96 today. He’s just one of four living moonwalkers and the oldest remaining astronaut still making trips around the sun. Go to Source

Chiral phonons create orbital current via their own magnetism

by quasarn01 | Jan 21, 2026 | Latest in Physics

In a new study, an international group of researchers has found that chiral phonons can create orbital current without needing magnetic elements—in part because chiral phonons have their own magnetic moments. Additionally, this effect can be achieved in common crystal...

EAST achieves new plasma confinement regime using small 3D magnetic perturbations

by quasarn01 | Jan 21, 2026 | Latest in Physics

A research group has achieved a new plasma confinement regime using small 3D magnetic perturbations that simultaneously suppress edge instabilities and enhance core plasma confinement in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The research results...

Velocity gradients prove key to explaining large-scale magnetic field structure

by quasarn01 | Jan 21, 2026 | Latest in Physics

All celestial bodies—planets, suns, even entire galaxies—produce magnetic fields, affecting such cosmic processes as the solar wind, high-energy particle transport, and galaxy formation. Small-scale magnetic fields are generally turbulent and chaotic, yet large-scale...