Category: Science

Campus Life & Events, Science

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Hosts First Star Party After Observatory Repairs

Volunteer Writer: Emma Bowser  Email: ebowser@umassd.edu On Wednesday, April 19th, 2023, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth hosted the first star party since repairs on the Hirshfeld-Dowd Observatory were finished.  This observatory is the largest one in the South Coast area.  In 1978, Alan Hirshfeld started working at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth as a professor of physics and astronomy. At the time, there was no … Continue reading University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Hosts First Star Party After Observatory Repairs

 
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News, Science

Shark Species Saved From Endangerment by Redditors

Staff Writer: Maya Arruda Email: marruda7@umassd.edu The formerly endangered shark species, Ikeamus blahajii, has finally been officially taken off the endangered species list thanks to the tireless efforts of internet activists.  Commonly known as the Blahaj shark (or simply as Blahaj), this shark is important worldwide due to its important role in marine ecosystems and as a vital aspect of modern culture.  Blahaj has a … Continue reading Shark Species Saved From Endangerment by Redditors

 
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Science

Sixth NASA-SpaceX Collaborative Launch Met with Delays After Discovering Technical Issues

(Image via blogs.nasa.gov) Staff Writer: Sakara De Gil-Balija Email: sdegilbalija@umassd.edu On February 26th, 2023, the launch of the SpaceX Crew-6 ship departing for the International Space Station was delayed after encountering technical issues. SpaceX, the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. Since its first launch, the company has launched over two hundred missions and over one hundred and forty re-flights.  … Continue reading Sixth NASA-SpaceX Collaborative Launch Met with Delays After Discovering Technical Issues

 
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News, Science

Biden Administration Approves The Willow Project: An Eight-Billion Dollar Oil Drilling Operation in Alaska

(Image via nytimes.com) Staff Writer: Sakara De Gil-Balija Email: sdegilbalija@umassd.edu On March 13th, 2023, the Biden Administration approved the Willow Project, an oil development plan set to build and operate up to five drill pads on the northern slope of Alaska in the National Petroleum Reserve. The Willow Project is an eight-billion dollar oil drilling project run by ConocoPhillips. It is a thirty-year project that … Continue reading Biden Administration Approves The Willow Project: An Eight-Billion Dollar Oil Drilling Operation in Alaska

 
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Science

Hubble Telescope Picks Up On Strange Spokes Dancing in Saturn’s Rings

(Image via nasa.gov) Staff Writer: Sakara De Gil-Balija Email: sdegilbalija@umassd.edu  On February 9th, 2023, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, more commonly known as NASA, revealed that the Hubble Telescope observed what appears to be ‘spokes’ floating with the swing of Saturn’s rings.  The information has baffled scientists; seeming to be an unexplained phenomenon. Though the spokes still aren’t explainable, it isn’t the first time … Continue reading Hubble Telescope Picks Up On Strange Spokes Dancing in Saturn’s Rings

 
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Science

COVID-19 Enters The Transition Point

(Image via time.com) Staff Writer: Sakara De Gil-Balija Email: sdegilbalija@umassd.edu On Monday, January 30th, The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that COVID-19 has entered a transition point.  After nearly three years of a global pandemic, COVID-19 still remains a relevant global health emergency, even as society adjusts to living alongside it. WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee had its fourteenth meeting on Friday, January 27th, … Continue reading COVID-19 Enters The Transition Point

 
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News, Science

Catastrophic Train Derailment Causes One of The Worst Environmental Disasters in US History

(Image via npr.org) Business Manager: Julian Cassady Email: jcassady@umassd.edu On February 3rd, 2023, a train carrying hazardous chemical materials derailed and exploded in East Palestine, Ohio, creating what could be one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in United States history.  East Palestine lies on the Northeast corner of the state, right on the border with Pennsylvania.  The town’s 4,500 residents and surrounding communities have … Continue reading Catastrophic Train Derailment Causes One of The Worst Environmental Disasters in US History

 
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Opinions & Editorials, Science

The Doomsday Clock Reaches 90 Seconds To Midnight

Photography Manager: Brendan Flaherty Email: bflaherty1@umassd.edu The Bulletin of Science and Security Board’s Doomsday Clock moves even closer to midnight – and the subsequent apocalypse.  For those concerned with the state of the world and the fate of humanity altogether, this clock will help you recognize how close we are to complete and utter destruction. Started in 1945 by Albert Einstein and a group of … Continue reading The Doomsday Clock Reaches 90 Seconds To Midnight

 
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Science

Earth’s Inner Core Might Be Slowing Down

(Image via nasa.gov) Volunteer Writer: Mckenzie Ferrari Email: mferrari@umassd.edu A study published on Jan 23rd, 2023, in Nature Geoscience led by Peking University researchers Yi Yang and Xiaodong Song claims that the Earth’s inner core may be slowing down and soon reverse direction. Earth itself is made up of multiple layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust — which is where humans reside. … Continue reading Earth’s Inner Core Might Be Slowing Down

 
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Opinions & Editorials, Science

Why do Eggs Cost so Much? – The Avian Flu and You

(Image via nbc15.com) Staff Writer: Maya Arruda Email: marruda7@umassd.edu When I recently visited the grocery aisle of my local Target, I saw that a dozen eggs were priced at eight to nine dollars.  It’s recession time, sure, but that is super steep price inflation from what pre-pandemic eggs cost.  At first, I thought it was just Target. Let’s be honest, Target is just Walmart but … Continue reading Why do Eggs Cost so Much? – The Avian Flu and You

 
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