Articles by Christopher Packham
Phys.org / Early results from NASA's DART mission
Since NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft intentionally slammed into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos on Sept. 26—altering its orbit by 33 minutes—the investigation team has been digging into the implications ...
Phys.org / 'Untraditional' Hanukkah celebrations are often full of traditions for Jews of color
Hanukkah, the Jewish "festival of lights," commemorates a story of a miracle, when oil meant to last for one day lasted for eight. Today, Jews light the menorah, a candelabra with eight candles—and one "helper" candle, called ...
Medical Xpress / Studies show strong link between tooth loss and inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease often coexists with periodontal disease. This is shown in new publications from a European research project that explored the connection between the two diseases.
Phys.org / Are accents disappearing?
In Boston, there are reports of people pronouncing the letter "r." Down in Tennessee, people are noticing a lack of a Southern drawl. And Texans have long worried about losing their distinctive twang.
Phys.org / Study highlights potential for populist leaders to undermine democracy
When it comes to presidential elections, are voters conscientiously endorsing populist beliefs? Or are they supporting populist candidates, primarily influenced by their Democratic or Republican party affiliation?
Phys.org / NASA Webb micrometeoroid mitigation update
Micrometeoroid strikes are an unavoidable aspect of operating any spacecraft. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope was engineered to withstand continual bombardment from these dust-sized particles moving at extreme velocities, ...
Phys.org / NASA Armstrong develops tech to bring space launch to any airport
A NASA-developed space launch system is attracting interest from companies that need to launch satellites in orbit. This same launch system could also develop high-flying, ultra-fast aircraft for national defense.
Phys.org / Alien megastructures? Cosmic thumbprint? What's behind a James Webb telescope photo that had even astronomers stumped?
In July, a puzzling new image of a distant extreme star system surrounded by surreal concentric geometric rungs had even astronomers scratching their heads. The picture, which looks like a kind of "cosmic thumbprint," came ...
Medical Xpress / Problems conceiving are not just about women. Male infertility is behind one in three IVF cycles
For the first time, IVF clinics in Australia and New Zealand have reported data about the scale and range of male fertility problems in couples who have IVF. New data released by the Australia and New Zealand Assisted Reproduction ...
Tech Xplore / NASA poised to break sound barrier without the sonic boom
Seventy-five years ago, a sonic boom thundered for the first time over the high desert of California.
Phys.org / Climate change hits some of us much harder than others, but affected groups are fighting back
All around us, climate change is worsening existing disadvantage. In Australia, we need only look to low-income households hit harder by rising energy and fuel prices, and flood responses in northern New South Wales overlooking ...
Phys.org / Australia has hundreds of mammal species. We want to find them all, before they're gone
Life on Earth is undergoing a period of mass extinction—the sixth in history, and the first caused by humans. As species disappear at an alarming rate, we have learned that we understand only a fraction of Earth's variety ...
Medical Xpress / Doing away with COVID isolation rules means increased isolation and risks for people with disability
Mandatory isolation rules for people with COVID end today. Pandemic leave disaster payments will also cease for all workers except casual workers employed in aged care, disability, hospitals, Indigenous health services and ...
Phys.org / Could the Australian Senate inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and children prevent future deaths?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names of deceased people and mentions domestic violence and murder.
Phys.org / Global warming puts Arabica coffee at risk, and we're barreling toward a crucial threshold
Coffee may be a major casualty of a hotter planet. Even if currently declared commitments to reduce emissions are met, our new research suggests coffee production will still rapidly decline in countries accounting for 75% ...
