WASP-19b is an exoplanet whose atmosphere is probably super hot and super poisonous — filled with methane and hydrogen cyanide instead of water. This video explains how astronomers can even begin to guess at the composition of the atmospheres of far away worlds. (Bonus: A soothing elevator music soundtrack!)
How we know what atmosphere is like on a planet outside our solar system
Mars Perseverance rover successfully inhaled carbon dioxide and exhaled oxygen
The Perseverance rover has successfully converted carbon dioxide from the Red Planet's atmosphere into oxygen. Eventually, the technology inside the toaster-size Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) unit in Perseverance's belly could support human visits and perhaps even settlements on Mars. From NASA: While the technology demonstration is just getting started, it could pave the… READ THE REST
Buzzkill: Fauci and others no longer discuss herd immunity. "It's off the table" says one expert
"Herd immunity" is the magic phrase – the finish line we've all been running toward – that will get us to the other side of the devastating Covid pandemic. Once we get there, masks will be mostly a thing of the past (or so we hope). Handshakes and hugs might even come back. And now… READ THE REST
The many-headed hydra is a real creature that regenerates itself and can live "forever"
Named after the Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed water monster of Greek and Roman mythology, the real hydra is a small fresh-water creature with incredible biological superpowers that enable it to regenerate and live "forever." Unlike the Lernaean Hydra, it doesn't guard an entrance into the underworld. We think. From KQED's Deep Look: Cut a hydra… READ THE REST
10 wine and wine accessory deals that will make for a happy Mother's Day
By now, we've all seen the SNL skit. So at this stage, it's safe to admit that in many cases, there's often a multi-layered relationship happening between Mom and her vino. We don't feel qualified to delve into the deep psychological ramifications of the dialogue between mothers and their wine explorations. Suffice it to say, it's… READ THE REST
SwiftCV lets you build a professional website to help get the job you want
If you're attacking your job search armed only with your resume and a cover letter, you're leaving a lot of important weapons on the table. Consolidating all your job candidate information to a social profile like LinkedIn doesn't hurt, but the limits of those platforms don't exactly shine a full spotlight into all of your… READ THE REST
This $105 biometric wallet lets you keep a tight leash on your cryptocurrency
For those who spent years or decades with a billfold or a wallet, understanding how a cryptocurrency hardware wallet works can be a bit of a head-scratcher. That's partly because a crypto wallet doesn't actually hold your money, even the digital money that Bitcoin and other cryptos represent. No, your hardware wallet is really about… READ THE REST