Science Daily News

• Composition of asteroid Phaethon November 28, 2023
  Asteroid Phaethon, which is five kilometers in diameter, has been puzzling researchers for a long time. A comet-like tail is visible for a few days when the asteroid passes closest to the Sun during its orbit. However, the tails of comets are usually formed by vaporizing ice and carbon dioxide, which cannot explain this tail. […]
• How shifting climates may have shaped early elephants' trunks November 28, 2023
  Researchers have provided new insights into how ancestral elephants developed their dextrous trunks.  A study of the evolution of longirostrine gomphotheres, an ancestor of the modern day elephant, suggests moving into open-land grazing helped develop their coiling and grasping trunks.
• What if Alexa or Siri sounded more like you? Study says you'll like it better November 28, 2023
  One voice does not fit all when it comes to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, according to researchers who examined how customization and perceived similarity between user and voice assistant (VA) personalities affect user experience. They found a strong preference for extroverted VAs -- those that speak louder, faster and in a lower pitch. […]
• A gamma-ray pulsar milestone inspires innovative astrophysics and applications November 28, 2023
  Scientists have announced the discovery of nearly 300 gamma ray pulsars.
• Solar activity likely to peak next year November 28, 2023
  Researchers have discovered a new relationship between the Sun's magnetic field and its sunspot cycle, that can help predict when the peak in solar activity will occur. Their work indicates that the maximum intensity of solar cycle 25, the ongoing sunspot cycle, is imminent and likely to occur within a year.