Troy Oakes

‘Back to Basics’ Approach Helps Unravel New Phase of Matter

Researchers used computer modeling to study potential new phases of matter known as prethermal discrete time crystals (DTCs). It was thought that the properties of prethermal DTCs were reliant on quantum physics, the strange laws ruling particles at the subatomic scale. However, the researchers found that a simpler approach, based on classical physics, can be ...

Troy Oakes

A new phase of matter.

Study Suggests Earliest Use of Bone Tools to Produce Clothing in Morocco 120,000 Years Ago

A new study led by Arizona State University paleoanthropologist Curtis Marean and ASU doctoral graduate Emily Hallett details more than 60 bone tools and one tool made from the tooth of a cetacean, which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. These finds, first unearthed from Contrebandiers Cave, Morocco, in 2011, are highly suggestive proxy evidence for the earliest clothing in ...

Troy Oakes

Archaeologists excavating at Contrebandiers Cave, Morocco.

New Research Shows Diabetes Takes a Toll on Your Brain Too

Researchers are finding more and more evidence that diabetes not only takes a toll on the body, it also takes a toll on your brain. A new study that was published in the journal Neurology has shown a decline in cognitive skills and ability to perform daily activities over the course of a 2-year period in people with Type 2 ...

Troy Oakes

Dual view of an MRI scan of the head and brain.

How Planets May Be Seeded With the Chemicals Necessary for Life

Analysis of unique “fingerprints” in light emitted from material surrounding young stars has revealed “significant reservoirs” of large organic molecules necessary to form the basis of life. Dr. John Ilee, Research Fellow at the University of Leeds who led the study, says the findings suggest that the basic chemical conditions that resulted in life on Earth could ...

Troy Oakes

Young stars emitting light.

Watching Fish Can Improve Your Physical and Mental Well-Being

Researchers have found that watching fish at an aquarium or in a fish tank can improve your physical and mental well-being, according to research recently published in Environment & Behaviour. The study was the first of its kind, with experts from the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth University, and the University of Exeter monitoring people’s physical being and mental ...

Troy Oakes

Watching fish can improve mental well-being. Photo of the Georgia Aquarium, the world s largest aquarium, in Atlanta, Georgia.

NASA Confirms Thousands of Massive, Ancient Volcanic Eruptions on Mars

Scientists have found evidence of ancient volcanic eruptions on Mars in a region of northern Mars called Arabia Terra. This area experienced thousands of “super eruptions,” the biggest volcanic eruptions known, over a 500-million-year period. Some volcanic eruptions on Mars are so powerful they release oceans of dust and toxic gases into the air, blocking ...

Troy Oakes

The planet Mars.

Astrophysicists Solve ‘Empty Sky’ Gamma Rays Mystery

Star-forming galaxies are responsible for creating gamma rays that until now had not been associated with a known origin, researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have confirmed.   Lead author Dr. Matt Roth, from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said until now it has been unclear what created gamma rays — one of the most energetic ...

Troy Oakes

Radio telescope among the trees.

Should Schools Teach Meditation? Studies Say YES!

As each year passes, meditation shows that it’s not a gimmick. Celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld and Goldie Hawn have publicly discussed practicing it. Even the military uses it to “improve mental performance under the stress and strain from war.” (The Washington Times) There are many studies showing there are direct links to health benefits using meditation. A study that was published in the Journal ...

Troy Oakes

Group of young people doing meditation during yoga class outside.