Strange gamma-ray flickers seen in thunderstorms for the first time

Download the Nature Podcast 02 October 2024
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Physicists have identified new forms of γ-ray radiation created inside thunderclouds, and shown that levels of γ-ray production are much higher on Earth than previously thought.
Scientists already knew about two types of γ-ray phenomena in thunderclouds — glows that last as long as a minute and high-intensity flashes that come and go in only a few millionths of a second. Now, researchers have identified that these both occur more frequently than expected, and that previously undetected γ-ray types exist, including flickering flashes that share characteristics of the other two types of radiation.
The researchers hope that understanding more about these mysterious phenomena could help explain what initiates lightning, which often follows these γ-ray events.
Research Article: Østgaard et al.
Research Article: Marisaldi et al.
Nature: Mysterious form of high-energy radiation spotted in thunderstorms
Ancient arrowheads reveal that Europe’s oldest battle likely featured warriors from far afield, and why the dwarf planet Ceres’s frozen ocean has deep impurities.
Research Highlight: Bronze Age clash was Europe’s oldest known interregional battle
Research Highlight: A dwarf planet has dirty depths, model suggests
Researchers have published the most complete wiring diagram, or ‘connectome’ of the fruit fly’s brain, which includes nearly 140,000 neurons and 54.5 million connections between nerve cells.
The map, made from the brain of a single female fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), reveals over 8,400 neuron types in the brain, and has enabled scientists to learn more about the brain and how it controls aspects of fruit fly behaviour.
The FlyWire connectome: neuronal wiring diagram of a complete fly brain
Nature: Largest brain map ever reveals fruit fly’s neurons in exquisite detail
How researchers created an elusive single-electron bond between carbon atoms, and why bigger chatbots get over-confident when answering questions.
Nature: Carbon bond that uses only one electron seen for first time: ‘It will be in the textbooks’
Nature: Bigger AI chatbots more inclined to spew nonsense — and people don’t always realize
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