Thursday 29 October 2020

Black hole 'family portrait' is most detailed to date

An international research collaboration including Northwestern University astronomers has produced the most detailed family portrait of black holes to date, offering new clues as to how black holes form. An intense analysis of the most recent gravitational-wave data available led to the rich portrait as well as multiple tests of Einstein's theory of general relativity. (The theory passed each test.)

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-black-hole-family-portrait-date.html

Ford shares jump after strong 3Q profits

Ford reported a big jump in third-quarter profits Wednesday, pointing to strong sales in North America where large vehicles commanded generous prices amid tight inventories.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-ford-strong-3q-profits.html

Doubts about safety of Flint's water 6 years after crisis

Authorities say Flint's water meets federal safety guidelines, outperforming comparable cities. Residents remain unconvinced.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-safety-flint-years-crisis.html

Giant metallic 'steed' traverses Iceland's threatened glacier

Instead of a slow slog on snowshoes, a giant bus sweeps passengers at up to 60 kilometres an hour across Iceland's second largest glacier, which scientists predict will likely be nearly gone by the end of the century.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-giant-metallic-steed-traverses-iceland.html

Hurricane Zeta slams into Louisiana coast

Hurricane Zeta barreled through the southern United States as a Category 2 storm Wednesday, bringing dangerous winds and surging ocean waves as New Orleans residents were left without power.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-hurricane-zeta-slams-louisiana-coast.html

US authorities warn of 'imminent' cyber threat to hospitals

US security authorities warned Wednesday of an "imminent cybercrime threat" to hospitals and healthcare providers, urging them to increase their protection.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-authorities-imminent-cyber-threat-hospitals.html

Samsung Electronics Q3 net profit leaps after Huawei boost

Samsung Electronics' net profit jumped by almost half in the third quarter, it reported Thursday, as the South Korean giant's mobile and chip businesses were boosted by US sanctions against Chinese rival Huawei.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-samsung-electronicsq3-net-profit-huawei.html

Red coating contaminates SpaceX rockets, delays crew launch

SpaceX's second astronaut flight is off until mid-November because red lacquer dripped into tiny vent holes in two rocket engines that now must be replaced.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-red-coating-contaminates-spacex-rockets.html

Male fin whales surprise scientists by swapping songs

Until now, scientists believed the male fin whale sings just one song pattern, which is unique to the males in his particular group—but new research has blown this theory out of the water. The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, suggests that these endangered deep-sea giants actually sing multiple different songs, which may spread to different parts of the ocean through migrating individuals. Understanding the complexity of fin whale song provides new insights into how their populations move and change over time, helping efforts to better protect and manage the world's second largest mammal.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-male-fin-whales-scientists-swapping.html