SCIENCE

The Delta Aquarid meteor shower is coming, and Australians will be able to view the celestial event after its peak in late July. Like the recent Eta Aquarid meteor shower in May, the Delta Aquarid will be most visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Astronomers from the University of Michigan and University of Maryland have for the first time mapped the flow of gas near a supermassive black hole, Swift J1644+57, that woke from its dormant state to destroy and devour a star that drifted close to it. The astronomers are the first to document X-rays bouncing from deep within the walls of the black hole’s newly-formed accretion disk after a tidal disruption event.

A Caribbean Sea study by ocean scientists from the University of Liverpool has revealed something very interesting. They discovered an area in the ocean that behaves like a whistle amidst all the noise of the ocean. The whistle is so loud that the noise can be heard from space in the form of oscillations of the Earth's gravity field.

In a study that has brought relief to scientists and conservation experts, researchers have identified genes in algae that may allow corals to survive in high ocean temperatures. The genes in algae may stop coral bleaching that has rendered most of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef lifeless.

A study has revealed that fields of pink-coloured algae are forming on world’s glaciers and it is accelerating global warming. Previously, the experts thought the pink colour of the snow was caused by some chemical spill or baby seal clubbing.

In an outcome to a University of Sydney study on shark attacks, Perth people have stood beside the deadly sea creatures and have opted for non-lethal approaches to stop the attacks. They have spoken against culling of sharks even after two consecutive shark-related deaths rattled Australia earlier this month.

A new study has revealed that one of the most-endangered lichens in the world, Boreal felt lichen, may decline 50 percent in 25 years despite conservation efforts. Researchers have called for increased protection as Atlantic Canada’s federally protected Boreal felt lichen is losing out to human-induced climate change.

NASA has reported that an “electric wind” can strip Earth-like planets of oceans and atmosphere. The statement came after it was found out that planet Venus has an electric wind that is strong enough to remove components of water from its upper atmosphere.

A team of international researchers have discovered the youngest fully-formed exoplanet ever known. The exoplanet orbits a young star 500 light years from Earth.

New research has revealed that a prehistoric asteroid nearly wiped out all mammals along with dinosaurs. New data received has also revealed that the extinction was far more catastrophic than previously believed, although the species recovered rapidly from the mass extinction.

Eyeless catfish have been discovered in a Texas cave and experts believe that they may have come from Mexico. Blind fish, though documented in 1954 in Mexico, have never been seen this far north.

University of Chicago researchers have made a horrifying discovery. They were comparing shells of live mussels taken from the Pacific coast with historical mussel shells, some more than 1,000 years old. They came to a horrifying realisation. Mussel shells are getting thinner and thinner and it’s bad news for the species.

After over 6,000 reef surveys in 46 countries, Australian researchers are extremely excited as they have found 15 areas in damaged world reefs that are heaving with fish. The scientists have named these areas “bright spots,” as they have can prove to be instrumental in developing exciting coral reef conservation solutions.

Scientists have detected life-giving gas oxygen in a faraway galaxy, 13.1 billion light years away. This could well be the oldest oxygen ever detected in the universe. The galaxy in question, SXDF-NB1006-2, is causing a storm in the scientific kingdom. Scientists are seeing the galaxy as it was 700 million years after birth of the universe. It shows the oldest signs of oxygen and this has baffled scientists.

Victoria-based aquatic scientist Sheree Marris filmed what was a giant spider crab aggregation on the shores of Port Phillip Bay. The “spectacular” sight of giant spider crabs gathering up in Australian waters was a unique experience for the marine scientist as she had never seen something like this before.

New study has revealed that climate change and human impact played a crucial role in the extinction of South America’s giant beasts such as sloths the size of elephants, one-tonne bears and sabre-toothed cats. Megafauna happily existed along with humans for nearly 3,000 years. However, as the climate rapidly warmed up, they became extinct within 300 years.

A 700-year-old farming technique that was practised by villagers in West Africa could well be the answer to combating climate change and revolutionising farming across Africa. This centuries old technique converts nutrient-poor rainforest soil into fertile farmland. It may reduce food shortages in some of the poorest regions on Earth.

A team of more than 1,000 scientists from more than 90 universities around the world has detected gravitational waves for the second time in history. The team also included Canberra scientists at the Australian National University (ANU).

Scientists from Japan have come to the conclusion that cats seem to use their hearing to ascertain whether objects that they can't see exist. Moreover, they also seem to understand the principle of cause and effect. This basically means cats understand that actions can lead to reactions.

The mosaic-tailed rat, popularly known as the Bramble Cay melomys, has been declared extinct by Queensland researchers. These rats were a resident of an island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Researchers believe that the reason for their extinction is manmade climate change.

A team of Australian scientists have done something really amazing. In a world-first, they brought back yeast of a 220-year-old beer recovered from a shipwreck.

Newly discovered baby planet PTFO8–8695 b in constellation Orion is slowly destroying itself and its close proximity to its sun is the cause, astronomers have pointed out. The likely new planet may be the galaxy’s youngest and is very unique as there is just 11 Earth hours in a year.

Scientists from Southampton University, UK, have found the most unique way to constrain carbon dioxide emissions, and that is to turn them into stone. The researchers found this smart way to cut emissions in the midst of global warming while working in Iceland.

Sharon Burden, who lost her to son Kyle in a 2011 shark attack near Dunsborough in Western Australia while bodyboarding with friends, expressed anger at a popular newspaper’s front page showing children frolicking in the ocean with a superimposed shark fin in the background.

An international team of scientists used the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) telescope in the Atacama Desert to get the first-ever glimpse of a supermassive black hole readying to gorge itself on gas clouds. The scientists spotted three clouds rushing towards the giant black hole at a tremendous speed of up to 1.3 million kilometres per hour.

An Arctic tern, which measures 11-15 inches in length and weighs about a 100 grams, has set the record straight for the longest migration trip ever recorded. As Arctic terns can live for 15 to 30 years, they can cover over three million kilometres over its lifetime, which is roughly equivalent to four round trips to the moon.

WWF-Australia recently released shocking images and a video of the impact of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. The once colourful and vibrant reef that attracted thousands of tourists worldwide has been reduced to a shady brown with slimy algae impacting the World Heritage Site like never before.

Researchers from Uppsala University have found that larval fish exposed to microplastic particles display stunted growth and changed behaviour. Quite interestingly, the fish prefer eating the microplastic particles than plankton.

Using radio waves, scientists were able to get the clearest glimpse of what lies beneath Jupiter’s thick cloud tops. They found patterns of swirling ammonia mirroring those seen on the surface.