Chloe Baul

Idaho

Author at Courthouse News Service

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Articles

Before birth, beyond the brain: Researchers trace human evolution to the womb

1 week ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — Hormones in the womb may hold hidden clues to why humans evolved with bigger brains and better social skills than our ancient ancestors. Scientists from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford say hormones produced by the placenta during pregnancy may have helped shape the way the human brain develops, laying the groundwork for both our cognitive complexity and social nature.
Microplastic pollution near coasts tied to higher disease rates

1 week ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — People who live in U.S. coastal communities near heavily polluted waters may face higher risks of Type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary artery disease, according to researchers who analyzed ocean plastic levels and county health data. The analysis focused on counties bordered by ocean waters with high concentrations of microplastics — tiny plastic particles that come from broken-down plastic waste like packaging, fabrics and personal care products.
Mercury in rivers surges to levels with serious consequences

2 weeks ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — A Tulane University-led study finds that mercury levels in the world’s rivers have more than doubled since the 1850s, with gold mining, industrial waste, and soil erosion driving a rise that could threaten ecosystems and public health. A study published on Wednesday in Science Advances offers the first global baseline of mercury pollution in rivers, estimating that pre-industrial levels were around 390 metric tons per year, compared to roughly 1,000 metric tons today.
Webb telescope reveals rare look at young planet duo

2 weeks ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

Webb telescope reveals rare look at young planet duo With one planet still forming and the other cloaked in silicate clouds, the system offers an unusual glimpse into how gas giants take shape in real time. (CN) — Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have captured new observations of two young gas giants that may offer rare insight into how planets form and evolve.
Giant planet found where it shouldn’t be

3 weeks ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — Astronomers have discovered a giant planet orbiting a star that’s barely one-fifth the mass of our Sun — one of the smallest stars known to host a planet this big. The star, TOI-6894, is a tiny red dwarf previously thought unlikely to have big gas giants. Published Wednesday in the journal Nature Astronomy, an international team of astronomers found clear evidence of a giant planet called TOI-6894b orbiting the star.
Scientists crack Earth pulse mystery tied to Arctic extremes

3 weeks ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

Oxford researchers used new satellite data to directly observe massive seiches triggered by Greenland landslides. (CN) — When the Earth started pulsing every 90 seconds in September 2023, scientists didn’t know what to make of it. The signal was global, rhythmic and bizarre and lasted for nine days, then came back a month later.
The Milky Way’s cosmic fate isn’t so certain after all

3 weeks ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

Astronomers think that a smaller nearby galaxy could pull the Milky Way away from its long-presumed collision with the Andromeda galaxy. (CN) — For years, astronomers have believed the Milky Way was on a collision course with our largest galactic neighbor Andromeda — a cosmic event expected to unfold in about 5 billion years. However, new simulations suggest that smash-up might never happen.
Magnetizing the moon

1 month ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

A massive impact may have sent a shockwave through the moon, jolting rocks just as a magnetic spike peaked and leaving behind a lasting signal. (CN) — Some rocks on the moon show signs of strong magnetism, even though the moon doesn’t have a magnetic field today. For decades, scientists have debated how that could be possible. Now, researchers at MIT say a massive asteroid impact may be part of the answer.
Astronomers witness first evidence of quasar halting star birth

1 month ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — In a corner of the early universe, two galaxies are locked in a cosmic clash. For the first time, astronomers say they’ve caught one blasting the other with a beam of radiation so powerful it’s interfering with the galaxy’s ability to form stars. The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, reveals what researchers are calling a “cosmic joust” between two merging galaxies.
Giant croc-like predators once ruled the Caribbean

1 month ago | courthousenews.com | Chloe Baul

(CN) — Millions of years ago, the Caribbean wasn’t the peaceful island chain we think of today. It was a hunting ground for giant, land-roaming predators built more like sprinting greyhounds than the crocodiles we know. The discovery, described in a new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, shows the Caribbean was home to these land-based hunters long after they vanished from mainland South America.