This week, scientists witnessed a rare spectacle in the sky – a total lunar eclipse, commonly referred to as a “blood moon.” The phenomenon occurs when the Earth perfectly blocks the sun’s rays, causing light to bend around our planet. This bending of light scatters shorter wavelengths of blue light, leaving longer orange and red wavelengths to cover the moon.
The blood moon was visible in Asia, with North America largely missing out on the best views. However, for those who missed it, there’s another chance to witness this breathtaking sight on September 7-8.
Meanwhile, researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery about an ancient Egyptian mummy known as the “Mysterious Lady.” The mummy was previously believed to be pregnant and suffering from nasopharyngeal cancer. However, a new analysis of over 1,300 raw CT scans has revealed that the object thought to be a fetus was actually part of the embalming process.
The researchers found no clear evidence of cancer in the mummy but suggested that the damage to her skull likely came from the brain removal during the embalming process. This finding contradicts earlier research and adds to the ongoing debate about the mummy’s identity and history.
In other science news, NASA has launched a new infrared space telescope called SPHEREx, which will help unravel some of the universe’s biggest mysteries. The space telescope will scan the entire night sky four times, using 102 infrared color sensors, and collect data from over 450 million galaxies during its two-year mission.
Additionally, researchers have made significant progress in understanding how metformin works to lower blood sugar levels. The drug triggers the body to expel glucose into the intestines, where bacteria feed on carbohydrates to control blood sugar levels.
These discoveries demonstrate the ongoing quest for knowledge and discovery in science, from unraveling ancient mysteries to exploring the vast expanse of our universe.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/science-news-this-week-blood-moon-and-a-mysterious-mummy