Gluttonous Star May Hold Clues to Planet Formation

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In 1936, astronomers observed signs that the young star FU Orionis had begun gobbling material from its surrounding disk of gas and dust with a sudden voraciousness. During a three-month binge, as matter turned into energy, the star became 100 times brighter, heating the disk around it to temperatures of up to 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The brightening is the most extreme event of its kind that has been confirmed around a star the size of the sun, and may have implications for how stars and planets form. The intense baking of the star's surrounding disk likely changed its chemistry, permanently altering material that could one day turn into planets. FU Orionis is still devouring gas to this day, although not as quickly.

via HubbleSite NewsCenter -- Latest News Releases
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2016/21/

Life's first handshake: Chiral molecule detected in interstellar space

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A team of scientists using highly sensitive radio telescopes has discovered the first complex organic chiral molecule in interstellar space. The molecule, propylene oxide (CH3CHOCH2), was found near the center of our Galaxy in an enormous star-forming cloud of dust and gas known as Sagittarius B2.
via Science Daily
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Engineers develop a new biosensor chip for detecting DNA mutations

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An electrical graphene chip capable of detecting mutations in DNA has been developed by engineers. The researchers say the technology could one day be used in various medical applications such as blood-based tests for early cancer screening, monitoring disease biomarkers and real-time detection of viral and microbial sequences.
via Science Daily

Writing their name in the stars: Citizen scientists discover huge galaxy cluster

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Two volunteer participants in an international citizen science project have had a rare galaxy cluster that they found named after them.
via Science Daily
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Drum beats from a one atom thick graphite membrane

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Researchers demonstrate the ability to electrically manipulate the vibrations of a drum, of nanometer scale thickness, a million times smaller than that of human hair. These drums vibrate a whopping 100 million times a second -- which cannot be heard by the ear but can be sensed using small circuits. This can be used to make new kinds of mass sensors. Also, new aspects of fundamental physics could be probed in the future.
via Science Daily

The North America and Pelican Nebulas

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Trilobites: The Ancient Greek Philosopher’s Guide to the Galaxy

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After more than a decade of work, scientists have deciphered about 3,500 words of explanatory text written on the Antikythera Mechanism, found in a shipwreck.
via New York Times

Patti Grace Smith, Champion of Private Space Travel, Dies at 68

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As a federal aviation official, Ms. Smith set policies that allowed private space companies to flourish and planned to travel to space herself one day.
via New York Times

Researchers gear up galaxy-seeking robots for a test run

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A prototype system that will test a planned array of 5,000 robots for a sky-mapping instrument is taking shape. Dubbed ProtoDESI, the scaled-down, 10-robot system will run through a series of tests on a telescope in Arizona from August-September.
via Science Daily
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