Discoveries

Good morning, Science Enthusiasts!

A planet made of cotton candy sounds like something from a children’s book, but a recent discovery from MIT has brought this fantasy one step closer to reality.

Admittedly, the newly discovered gas giant is not actually made from spun sugar—rather it is so light and “fluffy” that the closest material we have to it on Earth is the fairground favorite.

Located 1,181 light-years away from Earth, WASP-193b is the second-least dense exoplanet ever discovered, with a mass seven times smaller than Jupiter despite being 50 percent larger in volume.

Exactly how WASP-193b formed is still a “cosmic mystery.” And speaking of mysteries, archaeologists have identified a peculiar underground “anomaly” near the iconic Giza pyramids.

But first, let’s look at a long-standing mystery in the field of particle physics that may have finally been solved.

We’ll see you on Friday but until then, stay curious 🚀

Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health and technology. You can get in touch with Pandora by emailing [email protected], or on Instagram and X @PandoraDewan.

OUT OF THIS WORLD

Exploring space

Scientists May Have Solved Mystery of Rare Solar System Building Block

A strange category of chemicals present in the early days of the solar system has mystified scientists for years—until now. These materials, called p-nuclei or proton-rich nuclei, are a rare group of isotopes of elements heavier than iron that have a low amount of neutrons. Scientists haven't been sure how these isotopes originated, but according to a new paper in the journal  Physical Review Letters, it may be the result of something called the vr-process. Learn more about what the study says.

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LAB NOTES

Top science news across disciplines

Health: A simple set of eye-tracking exercises may offer an effective solution for autism diagnosis in young children that can also assess the scale of the condition, new research has found.
Research: Scientists have figured out how the dreaded herpes virus breaks into our cells. Herpes simplex virus type 1—the major cause of oral herpes—enters the nerve cells by taking over cellular transport processes. Find out more about the study.
Spring forward: Daylight saving time may be setting back your healthy habits, new research suggests. The practice can throw our internal body clocks out of whack, threatening our mental and physical well-being. Click for insights on its impact.
Weight loss: Researchers might be able to predict whether you will gain or lose weight from the size of your fat cells. It has long been known that the size and number of our fat cells determine how much body fat we have. Here’s how.
Climate Change: A recent study reveals the summer of 2023 as the hottest for the Northern Hemisphere in the past 2,000 years. Read more to delve into its findings. — compiled by Sonal Nain, newsletter producer

RARE FINDS

Exploring archaeology

Archaeologists Discover Mysterious Underground 'Anomaly' Near Giza Pyramids

Archaeologists have discovered a mysterious underground "anomaly" at the site of an ancient Egyptian cemetery within the iconic Giza pyramid complex. The subterranean anomaly was observed with the help of surveys involving a pair of geophysical techniques—ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography. These methods enable archaeologists to detect possible structures lying beneath the surface, which can then be excavated. Find more details.