California squirrels can get a little carnivorous from time to time, according to a recently published study.
Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the University of California, Da… [+2886 chars]

Researchers have discovered that California ground squirrels engage in "carnivorous behaviors" when there is a temporary increase in prey.

USA Today

Video shows California ground squirrel engage in 'shocking' carnivorous activity - USA TODAY

But in recent years, scientists have discovered a rare breed who consistently get little shut-eye and are no worse for wear.
Natural short sleepers, as they are called, are genetically wired to need… [+9916 chars]

Short sleepers cruise by on four to six hours a night and don’t seem to suffer ill effects. Turns out they’re genetically built to require less sleep than the rest of us.

Why some people can get away with only a little sleep every night - PBS NewsHour

The two Boeing Starliner astronauts kept unexpectedly on the International Space Station since June have had their stay extended yet again because the next crew will arrive later than originally anti… [+2269 chars]

Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams were previously expected to return in February after spending several months longer in orbit than planned.

The Washington Post

Boeing Starliner crew’s long-awaited return delayed to March - The Washington Post

NASA continues to advance its campaign to explore more of the Moon than ever before, awarding Firefly Aerospace $179 million to deliver six experiments to the lunar surface. This fourth task order fo… [+5891 chars]

NASA continues to advance its campaign to explore more of the Moon than ever before, awarding Firefly Aerospace $179 million to deliver six experiments to the

NASA

More NASA Science, Tech will Fly to Moon Aboard Future Firefly Flight - NASA

United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists its Vulcan first stage booster into the Vertical Integration Facility-G (VIF-G) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.… [+8435 chars]

Spaceflight Now

Space Force says first national security Vulcan launch now anticipated in spring 2025 - Spaceflight Now

Main belt asteroids in stable orbits arent a threat. But this study shows that you can use the JWST, while its doing other work, to opportunistically find small-but-hazardously-sized asteroids. Then,… [+1702 chars]

Even small asteroids can do a lot of damage—and new research shows the James Webb Space Telescope is adept at spotting the tiniest of space rocks.

National Geographic

The world's largest space telescope just got an unexpected new role: asteroid hunter - National Geographic

It’s axiomatic that the Universe is expanding. However, the rate of expansion hasn’t remained the same. It appears that the Universe is expanding more quickly now than it did in the past. 
Astronome… [+8318 chars]

The JWST double-checked the Hubble's results. It confirms that our Lambda-Cold Dark Matter model is incomplete.

Universe Today

The JWST Looked Over the Hubble's Shoulder and Confirmed that the Universe is Expanding Faster - Universe Today

Napping after overfeeding on food is a dilemma many of us will be fortunate to face on Christmas Day. New research has shown that, billions of years ago, some early black holes also had to nap after … [+6132 chars]

"The early universe managed to produce some absolute monsters, even in relatively tiny galaxies."

Space.com

James Webb Space Telescope catches monster black hole napping after 'overeating' in the early universe - Space.com

Nestled high on the rugged rim of Jezero Crater, NASAs Perseverance rover has uncovered an astonishing geological treasure: ancient Martian rocks that may be older than anything humanity has ever see… [+4574 chars]

High on the rim of Mars' Jezero Crater, NASA’s Perseverance rover has made a discovery that could reshape our understanding of the Red Planet. Amongst ancient rocks, possibly over 4 billion years old, lies a surprising new clue: fields of brilliant white quar…

The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

NASA’s Perseverance Unearths New Clues to Life on Mars in Rare Quartz - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

A New York resident has discovered the remains of an ice age mastodon in their backyard.
The resident, who hasn't been named, discovered the fossils on their property near Scotchtown in Orange Count… [+3142 chars]

A New York homeowner, in Scotchtown, Orange County, was "thrilled" to find mastodon fossils in their backyard, which museum staff plan to study to learn more about the last ice age.

Live Science

'I knew they were something special': New York homeowner discovers mastodon jaw fossils in backyard - Livescience.com

The innermost Earth-like planet in the famous TRAPPIST-1 system might be capable of supporting a thick atmosphere after all, according to new research.
Since the system of seven tightly-packed, Eart… [+3869 chars]

"One plus one is more than two — having two data points for TRAPPIST-1b now allows us to explore alternative scenarios for its atmosphere, whether it exists or not."

Potentially habitable planet TRAPPIST-1b may have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere - Space.com

May 2560. As the Master Chief cuts a brutal swath through the ranks of the Banished, a Sangheili studymaster and his Kig-Yar companion seek to uncover the secrets of Zeta Halos mysterious ring totems… [+20687 chars]

<p>May 2560. As the Master Chief cuts a brutal swath through the ranks of the Banished, a Sangheili studymaster and his Kig-Yar companion seek to uncover the secrets of Zeta Halo’s mysterious ring totems. Halo: Whispers From the Pyre is available here on Halo…

Halowaypoint.com

Halo: Whispers From the Pyre | Halo - Official Site (en) - Halo Waypoint

Summary: The inferior colliculus, a midbrain region known for sound processing, also plays a role in touch sensation by integrating tactile and auditory signals. Pacinian corpuscles, highly sensitive… [+10549 chars]

The inferior colliculus, a midbrain region known for sound processing, also plays a role in touch sensation by integrating tactile and auditory signals.

Neurosciencenews.com

The Brain Combines Touch and Sound to Enhance Sensory Experiences - Neuroscience News

Regulators have given SpaceX the go-ahead to launch Starship for the seventh time, although the company has not yet announced when that mission might take place. 
While the exact launch date is uncl… [+2650 chars]

Regulators have given SpaceX the go-ahead to launch Starship for the seventh time, although the company has not yet announced when that mission might take

TechCrunch

SpaceX gets green light for 7th Starship mission - TechCrunch

Scientists report a small molecule that can stop SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19from replicating in cells and in mice by blocking an enzyme that hasnt received much attention in antiviral ef… [+2769 chars]

Small molecule’s target is similar in many coronaviruses

Acs.org

A new way to take down SARS-CoV-2 - Chemical & Engineering News

Lee esta historia en español aquí.
NASA researchers have discovered a perplexing case of a black hole that appears to be tipped over, rotating in an unexpected direction relative to the galaxy surro… [+3940 chars]

NASA researchers have discovered a perplexing case of a black hole that appears to be “tipped over,” rotating in an unexpected direction relative to the

NASA Finds ‘Sideways’ Black Hole Using Legacy Data, New Techniques - NASA

Lunar rock and zircon ages were reset by a remelting event driven by the Moon’s orbital evolution, reconciling existing discrepancies in estimates for the formation time of the Moon and the crystallization time of its magma ocean.

Nature.com

Tidally driven remelting around 4.35 billion years ago indicates the Moon is old - Nature.com

Hoping to keep tabs on the magnetic north's wandering ways, the World Magnetic Model 2025 has been released this week, revealing the latest official predicted placement of Earth's magnetic fields. Th… [+2615 chars]

Just before Christmas, let's hope this doesn't screw up the deliveries of the North Pole's most famous resident.

IFLScience

Earth's Magnetic North Pole Officially Has A New Position - IFLScience

It looks like computer-generated imagery, but this spectacular video taken in space shows the departure of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as seen by astronaut Don Pettit. 
Followers of PetaPixel will be… [+2687 chars]

It's bringing home scientific experiments.