NASA’s quiet supersonic plane prepares for flight and more top science news this week

Next week we’ll see NASA’s sonic-boom-free supersonic aircraft

NASA’s supersonic experimental aircraft—a linchpin for the agency exploration mission– will launch from its warehouse in the California desert next week. We’re excited for this momentous occasion: The X-59 has been in development for six years, and if successful, it will demonstrate supersonic flight without sonic booms. ——Isaac Schultz read more

South Korea’s artificial sun is cooking 100-million-degree plasma

The Korea Fusion Energy Research Institute has installed a new steering gear in the KSTAR tokamak device, allowing the artificial sun to maintain high ion temperatures of more than 100 million degrees Celsius for a longer period of time. ——Isaac Schultz read more

Good luck with urine, as scientists figure out why urine is yellow

Scientists say they have finally answered an age-old question: Why is our urine yellow? In new research, a team has found that enzymes produced by gut bacteria play an important role in mellowing our urine. Curiosity aside, the discovery may actually help scientists better understand the gut microbiome and how it affects certain health conditions, such as neonatal jaundice. ——Ed Kara read more

Quadrantid meteor shower: How to see hundreds of shooting stars tonight

Meteor lovers, rejoice. The first heavy showers of the year are coming. If you want to catch a glimpse of these fireballs, here’s everything you need to know.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is located between the constellations of Boötes and Draco (just near the Big Dipper) and is named after the now-defunct constellation Quadrantid. They’re an annual meteor shower that peaks in early January, and in my meteor-loving opinion, they’re a great way to start the new year. ——Isaac Schultz read more

ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket set to launch on Monday, a challenge to SpaceX

On Monday, January 8, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur finally made its first flight. ULA has been a cornerstone of the space industry since its founding in 2006, and with this upcoming launch, the company is ready to take the next bold step into space. Here’s what you should know about America’s newest powered rocket and how it could disrupt the industry and compete with the ever-dominant SpaceX. ——George Dvorsky read more

Watch wild new close-up images of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io

The Juno spacecraft has revealed in detail the fragmented surface of Jupiter’s moon Io, which has been exploring the Jupiter system since 2016 and recently completed its closest flyby of the volcanic world. ——Pasante Rabbi read more

SpaceX’s latest launch will bring Starlink to T-Mobile phones

SpaceX is preparing to test the ability of its Starlink satellites to connect directly to U.S. cellphones, launching the first six satellites under a temporary license in hopes of extending its reach beyond traditional cellphone signals. ——Pasante Rabbi read more

NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX passes sun on way to new asteroid target

New mission, who disses? The spacecraft, formerly known as Osiris-Rex, made an impromptu close encounter with the sun while following a newly designed route to a second asteroid, using one of its solar cells. Array for sun shading. ——Pasante Rabbi read more

1.75 billion-year-old fossil is oldest record of oxygen-generating photosynthesis

The story of life on Earth cannot be separated from photosynthesis, the process by which plants (and some other life forms) convert sunlight into chemical energy. Now, a team of researchers has announced the discovery of the oldest fossilized photosynthetic structure ever discovered, dating back 1.75 billion years. ——Isaac Schultz read more

Scientists gently tap people’s brains to make them more hypnotic

Researchers at Stanford University say they have made a discovery common in science fiction. In a controlled randomized trial published this week, they found evidence that people are more susceptible to the effects of hypnosis after just two brief bursts of non-invasive brain stimulation. The findings suggest that brain stimulation could make hypnosis a more effective way to treat a variety of health conditions, including chronic pain, although more extensive research is needed to know for sure. ——Ed Kara read more