Latest news with #NationalScienceFoundation-funded
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
IBHS Joins Nation'sLargest Hail Study in 40 Years as ICECHIP Launches with Media Field Day
When: Saturday, May 17, 2025Media-Only Access: 1:00–2:00 PM MTPublic Event: 2:00–4:00 PM MTWhere: Flexible Array of Radars and Mesonets (FARM) Facility - 4820 63rd St., Boulder, CO 80301 – Northeast side of building BOULDER, Colo., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Science Foundation-funded ICECHIP project—"In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Hail In the Plains"—invites members of the media to an exclusive Media Field Day to kick off the largest hail-focused field campaign in the U.S. in more than 40 years. The ICECHIP Media Field Day will provide firsthand access to live weather demonstrations, storm-tracking tools and interviews with leading atmospheric scientists. The project brings together 15 U.S. institutions and four international partners to study hailstorms across the Central Plains and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Hail is the most consistently damaging hazard associated with severe thunderstorms, generating over $35 billion in losses in the U.S. last year alone and affecting homeowners, businesses, aviation, agriculture, transportation and more. This six-week field campaign aims to transform the understanding of hail by collecting unprecedented field data - advancing hail detection, improving forecast models and strengthening public warning systems. MEDIA FIELD DAY HIGHLIGHTS: Exclusive media access from 1:00–2:00 PM MT One-on-one questions and interviews with Scientists and team experts Live public demonstrations from 2:00–4:00 PM MT featuring: Opening remarks and project overview (2:00–2:15 PM MT) Weather balloon launch Doppler on Wheels (DOW) vehicles and mobile mesonets Hail measurement systems Radiometers and UAS (large drones) Online Media Kit: Where ICECHIP Goes: The mobile research campaign will continue through June 30th, 2025, and span hail-prone regions across the Plains gathering observations on a wide variety of hailstorms. Principal Investigators Rebecca Adams-Selin Atmospheric and Environmental Research (Lead PI)John Allen Central Michigan University Victor Gensini Northern Illinois UniversityAndrew Heymsfield National Center for Atmospheric Research Steering CommitteeBrian Argrow University of Colorado BoulderIan Giammanco Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)Karen Kosiba University of Alabama HuntsvilleMatthew Kumjian Pennsylvania State UniversityJoshua Wurman University of Alabama Huntsville For a full list of collaborators and partners, click here. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety; Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER)
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists say they've found signs of life on one exoplanet. There could be more than 10 billion others
Scientists said this week that they have detected an encouraging sign of life on a planet beyond Earth. Now, a separate group of researchers has announced that a greater number of our Milky Way galaxy's roughly 10 billion white dwarf stars may provide an environment that has greater potential to be hospitable to life-supporting exoplanets than previously expected. A white dwarf is the stellar core left behind after a dying star has exhausted its nuclear fuel. The findings suggest that there are many more targets of opportunity for locating potentially habitable worlds across our galaxy. A research team had previously found that as many as seven Earth-sized planets could orbit a single star. 'While white dwarf stars may still give off some heat from residual nuclear activity in their outer layers, they no longer exhibit nuclear fusion at their cores. For this reason, not much consideration has been given to these stars' ability to host habitable exoplanets,' Aomawa Shields, a professor of physics and astronomy at U.C. Irvine, explained in a statement. 'Our computer simulations suggest that if rocky planets exist in their orbits, these planets could have more habitable real estate on their surfaces than previously thought.' Shields and her team led the National Science Foundation-funded study which was published Wednesday in The Astrophysical Journal. To reach these conclusions, they compared the climate of exoplanets at two different stars with similar compositions. One was a hypothetical white dwarf that's passed through much of its life cycle and was thought to be inhospitable to life. The other was Kepler-62, located about 1,200 light-years from Earth, which is a known system with several exoplanets in the Milky Way and has habitable worlds. They used a three-dimensional computer model that is normally used to study Earth's environment, finding that the white dwarf exoplanet was much warmer than Kepler-62. The authors found that the region in which an exoplanet could host life-supporting liquid water was much closer to the white dwarf star than the same zone around Kepler-62. The key difference was the rotational characteristics of the planets. The white dwarf has a much faster rotation period, resulting in thinned cloud circulation around the planet that allows heat from the star to warm the planet above freezing. Whereas, the rotation of an exoplanet in the habitable region of a star like Kepler-62 is expected to create more cloud cover on the planet's dayside that reflects incoming radiation. 'The planet orbiting Kepler-62 has so much cloud cover that it cools off too much, sacrificing precious habitable surface area in the process. On the other hand, the planet orbiting the white dwarf is rotating so fast that it never has time to build up nearly as much cloud cover on its dayside, so it retains more heat, and that works in its favor,' said Shields. 'These results suggest that the white dwarf stellar environment, once thought of as inhospitable to life, may present new avenues for exoplanet and astrobiology researchers to pursue,' she noted.
The Independent
17-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Scientists say they've found signs of life on one exoplanet. There could be more than 10 billion others
Scientists said this week that they have detected an encouraging sign of life on a planet beyond Earth. Now, a separate group of researchers has announced that a greater number of our Milky Way galaxy's roughly 10 billion white dwarf stars may provide an environment that has greater potential to be hospitable to life-supporting exoplanets than previously expected. A white dwarf is the stellar core left behind after a dying star has exhausted its nuclear fuel. The findings suggest that there are many more targets of opportunity for locating potentially habitable worlds across our galaxy. A research team had previously found that as many as seven Earth-sized planets could orbit a single star. 'While white dwarf stars may still give off some heat from residual nuclear activity in their outer layers, they no longer exhibit nuclear fusion at their cores. For this reason, not much consideration has been given to these stars' ability to host habitable exoplanets,' Aomawa Shields, a professor of physics and astronomy at U.C. Irvine, explained in a statement. 'Our computer simulations suggest that if rocky planets exist in their orbits, these planets could have more habitable real estate on their surfaces than previously thought.' Shields and her team led the National Science Foundation-funded study which was published Wednesday in The Astrophysical Journal. To reach these conclusions, they compared the climate of exoplanets at two different stars with similar compositions. One was a hypothetical white dwarf that's passed through much of its life cycle and was thought to be inhospitable to life. The other was Kepler-62, located about 1,200 light-years from Earth, which is a known system with several exoplanets in the Milky Way and has habitable worlds. They used a three-dimensional computer model that is normally used to study Earth's environment, finding that the white dwarf exoplanet was much warmer than Kepler-62. The authors found that the region in which an exoplanet could host life-supporting liquid water was much closer to the white dwarf star than the same zone around Kepler-62. The key difference was the rotational characteristics of the planets. The white dwarf has a much faster rotation period, resulting in thinned cloud circulation around the planet that allows heat from the star to warm the planet above freezing. Whereas, the rotation of an exoplanet in the habitable region of a star like Kepler-62 is expected to create more cloud cover on the planet's dayside that reflects incoming radiation. 'The planet orbiting Kepler-62 has so much cloud cover that it cools off too much, sacrificing precious habitable surface area in the process. On the other hand, the planet orbiting the white dwarf is rotating so fast that it never has time to build up nearly as much cloud cover on its dayside, so it retains more heat, and that works in its favor,' said Shields. 'These results suggest that the white dwarf stellar environment, once thought of as inhospitable to life, may present new avenues for exoplanet and astrobiology researchers to pursue,' she noted.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
National DigiFoundry and Mizzle Launch Innovation Sandbox for Blockchain, AI, and Web3 Research
San Antonio, TX March 27, 2025 --( The National DigiFoundry (NDF), a National Science Foundation-funded technology incubator driving blockchain innovation across critical sectors, today announced a strategic partnership with Mizzle, a decentralized cloud infrastructure and AI platform. Together, NDF and Mizzle will deploy a global decentralized innovation sandbox, enabling NDF members to test, build, and scale next-generation digital asset technologies in a secure, scalable, and sovereign environment. This collaboration creates a first-of-its-kind testbed for academic researchers, government technologists, and industry innovators exploring the frontiers of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), decentralized computing, and Web3 applications. Hosted on Mizzle's robust, infrastructure, the sandbox offers unparalleled access to composable tools, cloud resources, and compute power designed for experimentation and commercialization. 'As a NSF-funded technology incubator, NDF is at the forefront of blockchain-driven advancements that impact critical industries, including healthcare, advanced manufacturing, supply chain management, energy, transportation, dynamic contracting, and Web 3.0-related services,' said Kevin Jackson, National DigiFoundry Operations Executive. 'Mizzle accelerates our mission to deploy transformative technologies into the federal government. The NDF is now well positioned to play a significant role in advancing the US Blockchain Roadmap.' Scalable, Secure, and Sovereign Digital Applications, Built on Decentralization The Mizzle-powered sandbox offers: • Decentralized Cloud Compute & Storage: Distributed infrastructure for permissionless hosting, deployment, and scaling. • Blockchain Development Toolkits: Support for Ethereum-compatible smart contracts, zero-knowledge proofs, and on-chain AI models. • Federated Learning & Edge AI: Privacy-preserving machine learning pipelines running across geographies and nodes. • Multicloud Interoperability: Integration with leading providers including AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Oracle, and Mizzle-native clusters. • Tokenization & Digital Asset Frameworks: Resources to develop and test token economies, NFT platforms, and dynamic digital identities. • Cybersecurity & Compliance Modules: Built-in tools for data governance, access control, and auditability across jurisdictional boundaries. 'Mizzle's infrastructure ensures that experimentation and deployment are resilient, scalable, and compliant with the decentralized ethos of Web3 and the operational requirements of real-world applications,' says Arjun Mishra, Founder & Director at Mizzle. Catalyzing the Next Wave of Digital Transformation This partnership builds on recent milestones in NDF's mission. In a landmark development, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) was awarded an Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) grant by the NSF to explore blockchain's role in boosting government efficiency and reducing operational costs. 'This is about more than technology—it's about enabling meaningful digital transformation across public and private sectors,' added Jackson. 'With Mizzle, we're laying the groundwork for an inclusive, decentralized digital economy rooted in open science, trustworthy data, and dynamic autonomy.' By integrating real-world challenges and future-facing technologies, NDF and Mizzle aim to redefine how digital infrastructure is built, governed, and used—from smart energy systems to AI-powered supply chains and beyond. Join the digital asset revolution by completing a membership form at About National DigiFoundry The National DigiFoundry (NDF) is a National Science Foundation-funded technology incubator advancing the research, development, and deployment of secure, interoperable blockchain and digital asset technologies. NDF convenes a national network of academic, industry, and government partners to accelerate innovation across key sectors of the digital economy. About Mizzle Mizzle is a decentralized, AI-enabled infrastructure provider that powers trustless cloud computing and Web3-native development. By offering programmable, distributed resources and next-generation tooling, Mizzle empowers builders and researchers to create scalable, secure, and sovereign digital applications. National DigiFoundry Kevin Jackson 571-294-1020
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Who was Vera Rubin? Dark matter astronomer's legacy continues through new observatory
CERRO PACHON, Chile - Driving up the mountain road to reach the U.S. National Science Foundation's newest observatory in Chile, which will begin observations later this year, astronomer Beth Willman was delighted to see a sign. "It says 'Vera C. Rubin Observatory this way,' and it was a simple but powerful moment for me to realize it was really there," Willman said. A quick internet search will reveal why having a woman's name on a $571 million science facility is a milestone. There are no others like it, and no one like Rubin. "In the back of my head, I had wanted the National Lab to be named after Vera Rubin because of her incredible leadership and legacy. And I was thrilled to hear that work was already ongoing to name what is now the Vera C. Rubin Observatory after her," Willman said. Willman was the deputy director of the Rubin construction project and now serves as the executive director of the LSST Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. The Observatory's LSST is the world's largest digital camera, and it will create the largest astronomical movie yet of the southern hemisphere sky over 10 years. In March, the LSST was installed at the mountaintop observatory in Chile, and the facility has entered the final stages of testing before operations begin in the coming months. The U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation-funded facility, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, is named after the astronomer credited with the first evidence of dark matter. Many in the scientific community still believe she was overlooked for the Nobel Prize. Rubin died in 2016 at 88 years old. "When I think of Vera Rubin, I think of breaking scientific barriers, I think of directly amplifying the future of scientists through training and mentoring future scientists, and I think of the fact that she had to break cultural barriers in order to break scientific barriers," Willman said. Rubin's work in the 1970s led to the first evidence that the universe has something we still don't know what it is, known as dark matter. Fifty years later, scientists know about 80% of the universe is made of dark matter. "She did that by pioneering studies of galaxies. In order to do her pioneer studies of galaxies she had to go to observatories where women hadn't been permitted to go before," Willman said. Rubin made these discoveries while raising four young children, something Willman relates to: balancing work in a male-dominated field and being a mother. Telescope Used To Study Mysteries Of The Universe Releases First Images In Stunning Detail In 2010, Willman brought her students from Haverford College to listen to Rubin speak at Bryn Mawr College, where she could ask her about this balancing act. "I took my whole lab of students over there to hear her speak as really a role model and a pioneering example of how somebody can be the leader of their field and change the way we understand the universe while also being a parent," Willman said. At the time, as a mom to an 18-month-old daughter, it was top of mind for Willman. "She said it was about her own support resources that she had in place that in order to accomplish, you look around your community, your family for the support that you need," Willman recalls. "I was so fascinated by that response. I don't know what I expected. I expected some, you know, superhero swashbuckling stories. She was just a humble and powerful and brilliant woman, very practical and down to Earth." All four of Rubin's children went on to be scientists, her son, Allan Rubin told the NSF. The world will soon hear Vera Rubin's name a lot more for a few reasons. Her face will be on a new quarter released this June, right around the time Rubin Observatory plans to release the first images. In the decades to come, budding scientists will credit discoveries and new findings to the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, building on the work of a celebrated astronomer who sought to inspire others when women didn't have their own restrooms in some science article source: Who was Vera Rubin? Dark matter astronomer's legacy continues through new observatory
