A new U of A study raise questions about how scientists use the Small Magellanic Cloud, our neighboring galaxy, as a reference point for understanding galaxies across the history of the universe. 

A thick layer of haze around the ultra-low-density planet Kepler-51d likely obscures not only the strange planet’s composition, but also its origin, according to a new study. A team led by Penn State researchers used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to take a deeper look at the “super-puff” planet that defies planetary formation models. However, the thickest layer of haze found on a planet yet makes discerning the chemical elements in the planet’s atmosphere — and any clues to the planet’s formation — challenging.

A study led by the University of Oxford has identified a new type of planet beyond our Solar System – one that stores large amounts of sulphur deep within a permanent ocean of magma. The findings have been published today (16 March) in Nature Astronomy.

Games are often called the ‘Formula 1’ of AI: clear rules, clear winners. AlphaZero-style algorithms learn by self-play: a neural network predicts moves and guides tree search. We tested this recipe on Nim, a simple children’s matchstick game that has been mathematically solved. Because the correct move is known for every position, we can measure whether an agent plays optimally across the state space. We find a gap: learning can work on small boards, but blind spots remain and performance degrades as the board grows, with predictions approaching random. This suggests impartial games often need analytic representations, not pattern learning.

Researchers from the University of Seville are participating in an international study that sheds new light on the genetic diversity of Andalusian society between the 8th and 11th centuries AD and reinforces the historical significance of the dolmen as a sacred space used throughout the ages

Cosmic rays are one of the greatest challenges for space travel and pose a considerable risk to humans and materials. For the first time on European soil, an international research team in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) has succeeded in providing a simulator for Galactic Cosmic Rays at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility in Darmstadt, Germany. The results have been published in two articles in the journal Life Sciences in Space Research.