Explainer: how does the immune system learn?

We’re outnumbered by bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that can make us ill. And the only thing standing between them and our devastation is our immune system. The immune system does such a good job most of the time that we only really think about it when things go wrong. But to provide such excellent protection against a whole host of pathogens, our immune system must constantly learn.

Could cold spot in the sky be a bruise from a collision with a parallel universe?

Scientists have long tried to explain the origin of a mysterious, large and anomalously cold region of the sky. In 2015, they came close to figuring it out as a study showed it to be a “supervoid” in which the density of galaxies is much lower than it is in the rest of the universe. However, other studies haven’t managed to replicate the result.

Electronics are getting small, and that is causing big problems

Your television, computer, smartphone or any other electronic device wouldn’t work without being able to shuttle electric charges around their circuits. Yet, as these devices gain in performance, with their individual components getting smaller and smaller – reaching the nanoscale – it becomes increasingly difficult to precisely channel these electric charges to where they’re needed.

Why battery-powered vehicles stack up better than hydrogen

Low energy efficiency is already a major problem for petrol and diesel vehicles. Typically, only 20% of the overall well-to-wheel energy is actually used to power these vehicles. The other 80% is lost through oil extraction, refinement, transport, evaporation, and engine heat. This low energy efficiency is the primary reason why fossil fuel vehicles are emissions-intensive, and relatively expensive to run.

If we’re searching for earth 2.0, would we know it when we find it?

In the past few decades, there has been an explosion in the number of extra-solar planets that have been discovered. As of April 1st, 2018, a total of 3,758 exoplanets have been confirmed in 2,808 systems, with 627 systems having more than one planet. In addition to expanding our knowledge of the Universe, the purpose of this search has been to find evidence of life beyond our Solar System.

No More Blaming the Background Music: The Interesting Way in Which Your Eye Position Can Affect Your Ability to Hear at a Party

No More Blaming the Background Music: The Interesting Way in Which Your Eye Position Can Affect Your Ability to Hear at a Party

Ever heard a strange noise and immediately start scouring the room with your eyes looking for it? It’s an instinctual response, so you’ve probably never given it much thought. But our eyes love to move in the same direction as our hearing for a good reason.