Friday, January 30, 2015

Planet's Giant Ring System

Astronomers have detected the first exoplanet (J1407b) with an extensive ring system similar to Saturn but about 200 times larger than those of our own ringed planet, possibly a young planetary system in an early transient phase of satellite formation.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Long-Necked Dinosaur Found

A previously unknown species of long-necked dinosaur (Qijianglong) has been discovered in China belonging to the group known as mamenchisaurids, characterized by extremely long and relatively lightweight necks measuring up to half their total body length.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

"Vibrational" Chemical Bond

Chemists have confirmed the existence of a type of temporary "vibrational" chemical bond between atoms of bromine and muonium, a hydrogen isotope, initially proposed in 1989 with the tiny muonium atom rapidly moving between and holding together two heavier bromine atoms.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

"Unbeatable" Poker Algorithm

Game theorists have developed a computer algorithm known as counterfactual regret minimization for the heads-up limit hold’em (HULHE) poker variant that is "virtually unbeatable," rendering this particular strategy so close to perfect as to consider the game solved.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Unknown Egyptian Queen

Archaeologists working in Abu-Sir southwest of Cairo have discovered the tomb of a previously unknown Egyptian queen, named Khentakawess III after wall inscriptions, believed to be the wife or mother of Pharaoh Neferefre who ruled about 4500 years ago.