Monthly Archives: luglio 2012

#Curiosity: Why Do We Keep Going Back to Mars? Perchè ci accingiamo a tornare su Marte?

The huge NASA rover speeding toward an Aug. 5 landing on Mars may be the most capable and complex Red Planet explorer ever launched, but it’s far from the first. The 1-ton Curiosity rover — which will search for evidence … Continue reading

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Out of this world, quite literally: The beautiful and mysterious Fukang meteorite – Dalle stelle alla Terra: il mistero e la bellezza del meteorite di Fukang

When it slammed into the surface of Earth, there was little sign of the beauty that lay inside. But cutting the Fukang meteorite open yielded a breathtaking sight. Within the rock, translucent golden crystals of a mineral called olivine gleamed … Continue reading

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Alien Solar System Looks a Lot Like Our Own – Scoperto sistema solare alieno molto simile al nostro

Astronomers have discovered an alien solar system whose planets are arranged much like those in our own solar system, a find that suggests most planetary systems start out looking the same, scientists say. Researchers studying the star system Kepler-30, which … Continue reading

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The Brightest Stars Don’t Live Alone – Le stelle più brillanti non stanno da sole

A new study using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has shown that most very bright high-mass stars, which drive the evolution of galaxies, do not live alone. Almost three quarters of these stars are found to have a close companion … Continue reading

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Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend – Pioggia di stelle cadenti il 28-29 luglio: arrivano le Delta Aquaridi

The annual Delta Aquarid meteor shower peaks this weekend, but skywatchers shouldn’t get their hopes up for a dazzling show, experts say. The Delta Aquarids should peak overnight from Saturday to Sunday (July 28 and 29) — bad timing, since … Continue reading

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Hidden Portals in Earth’s Magnetic Field – Portali Nascosti Nel Campo Magnetico Terrestre

A favorite theme of science fiction is “the portal”–an extraordinary opening in space or time that connects travelers to distant realms. A good portal is a shortcut, a guide, a door into the unknown. If only they actually existed…. It … Continue reading

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Test decodes dolphins’ math skills – I delfini: intelligenza matematica!

Nonlinear mathematics may be behind the mammals’ ability to see through bubbles. Dolphins could teach humans a thing or two about finding Nemo. The aquatic mammals may pinpoint prey hidden in bubbles by using mental math. By adjusting the volume … Continue reading

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A Paramagnetic Bonding Mechanism for Diatomics in Strong Magnetic Fields – Stelle dal fortissimo campo magnetico danno luogo ad un legame chimico sconosciuto

Elementary chemistry distinguishes two kinds of strong bonds between atoms in molecules: the covalent bond, where bonding arises from valence electron pairs shared between neighboring atoms, and the ionic bond, where transfer of electrons from one atom to another leads … Continue reading

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Astronomers using a NASA space telescope have discovered an alien planet smaller than Earth – Individuato forse il più vicino esopianeta più piccolo della Terra, by Spitzer!

Astronomers using a NASA space telescope have discovered an alien planet smaller than Earth orbiting a star that is right on our cosmic doorstep. But the world, which is two-thirds the size of our own planet, is unlikely to be … Continue reading

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Using Quantum Mechanics to trek to the stars – Meccanica quantistica: laser e antimateria per viaggiare tra le stelle

[Image courtesy Adrian Mann] After charging its lasers using solar energy, the VARIES system fires-up, generating antimatter for the boost phase of an interstellar trek. The VARIES concept will use powerful lasers to excite a quantum phenomenon, generating antimatter fuel … Continue reading

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