Astronomers have detected high-energy neutrinos coming from within our Milky Way galaxy, potentially opening up an exciting new window of research, a new study reports. Neutrinos are extraordinarily difficult to spot, as they rarely collide with atoms. A light-year’s worth of lead would stop only about half of the neutrinos flying through it (which explains why neutrinos have been dubbed “ghost particles”). Neutrinos are created from radioactive decay, such as in nuclear reactors, or when extraordinarily high-energy particles strike atoms. The friskiest types feature energies millions to billions of times higher than those produced by the fusion reactions that power…
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By U.S. Department of Energy June 29, 2023 In dense nuclear matter, quarks “line up,” becoming essentially one-dimensional. Calculations considering that single dimension plus time can track how low energy excitations ripple through nuclear matter. Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have used two-dimensional condensed matter physics to understand the quark interactions in neutron stars, simplifying the study of these densest cosmic entities. This work helps to describe low-energy excitations in dense nuclear matter and could unveil new phenomena in extreme densities, propelling advancements in the study of neutron stars and comparisons with heavy-ion collisions. The Science…
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A Russian Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter fires during a 2021 demonstration. One Ka-52 helicopter was reportedly destroyed by Wagner mercenaries during their revolt.Leonid Faerberg/Getty Images Suspicions of disloyalty seemingly extend far beyond senior officials and generals who had direct ties to Prigozhin. Some pilots and airmen are said to face questions for refusing orders to fire on the Wagner columns during their coup. Some Russian bloggers felt it was hypocritical to punish the aviators when the mutineers were let off. A cloud of suspicion is descending on Russia’s vast security state over questions about how thousands of Russian mercenaries could…
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The Texas Rangers lead the majors with four players voted as 2023 MLB All-Star Game starters, the league announced Thursday. Here’s what you need to know about the rosters: The Rangers are the first MLB team with at least four elected All-Star Game starters since 2016, Texas said, also setting a franchise record. The remainder of the All-Star rosters, including pitchers and reserve position players for both teams, will be announced at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday on ESPN. The game is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 11, at the Mariners’ T-Mobile Park. It will air on…
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Receive free Google LLC updates We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Google LLC news every morning. Google said it would shut down its Google News service in Canada and block links to news in its search engine in the country, following passage of a law that would force it to pay Canadian publishers for links to news. The move comes after last week’s declaration by Meta that it would follow through on its promise to block links to news on its Facebook and Instagram in Canada, threatening a showdown with the Canadian government. Canadian…
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Astronomers might soon get their first peek into the dark universe. On Saturday, July 1, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX rocket from Florida on a mission to peer into deep space and unveil the elusive dark universe — and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will be an important partner in this cosmic quest. After a month-long flight, Euclid will reach a vantage point about 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth, where it will share its cosmic accommodation with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), whose powerful infrared eye probes the universe…
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This Major League Baseball All-Star Game will feature not just new blood, but instant impact. Seven first-time All-Stars were selected to start the July 11 game at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park as fan balloting for the second phase of voting was revealed Thursday. Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. already captured starting spots by leading their respective leagues in voting during the first stage. Two finalists at each of the 16 other positions advanced to a final stage of voting, which stretched from Monday until Thursday at noon ET. The winners largely reflected…
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James Harden’s days in Philadelphia are unofficially over, with the Sixers star deciding on Thursday to opt into the $35.6 million option on his contract for next season en route to asking for a trade, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported. According to sources directly involved in the situation on both sides, the Los Angeles native wants to play for the Clippers and the Sixers are already in the process of discussing his desired move. Harden is, according to sources close to him, extremely upset at the way in which the Sixers handled his possible free agency and has…
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The ambush had been postponed three times before Ukrainian commanders decided one recent night that conditions were finally right. Cloaked in darkness, a battalion of Kyiv’s 129th brigade pressed ahead, advancing stealthily on unsuspecting Russian soldiers. By the time the Russians situated along the front line realized they were under attack, it was too late. Ukraine’s recapture of the small village of Neskuchne in the eastern Donetsk region on June 10 encapsulates the opening strategy of a major counteroffensive launched earlier this month. Small platoons bank on the element of surprise and, when successful, make incremental…
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When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s military was largely reliant on Soviet-era weaponry, from tanks to artillery to fighter jets. While that arsenal helped Ukraine fend off an assault on the capital of Kyiv and prevent a total rout in the early weeks of the war, billions of dollars in military assistance has since poured into the country, including more modern Western-made weapons. Ukraine’s counteroffensive, now in its early stages, could offer a glimpse of whether and to what extent the newer weapons systems have strengthened Kyiv’s ability to stand up to Russia. Analysts are cautiously optimistic. “Ukraine…