New Atlas

Space Audio available

Astronomers analyze atmosphere of exoplanet unlike any in our solar system

Michael Irving July 2, 2019

NASA astronomers have managed to probe the atmosphere of GJ 3470 b, a planet unlike any in our solar system. It marks the first time for this kind of world, and could be a step towards identifying potentially habitable planets.

Astronomers have analyzed the atmosphere of the exoplanet GJ 3470 b

Physics Audio available

Astronomers finally find the first molecule ever formed in the universe

Michael Irving April 17, 2019

Astronomers have finally found the very first molecule to ever form in the universe. The helium hydride ion (HeH+) has long been a key theoretical part of how the chemistry of the cosmos kicked off. Now the first unambiguous evidence of the molecule in a planetary nebula has been found.

The planetary nebula NGC 7027, where astronomers found the first unambiguous detection of the helium hydride ...

Space Audio available

Warm Neptune exoplanet atmosphere inflates to resemble a balloon

Anthony Wood December 7, 2018

An international team of astronomers has discovered that helium atoms are causing the atmosphere of a "warm-Neptune" exoplanet to expand like a party balloon before escaping into the cold expanse of space.

Artist's impression of an exoplanet with a helium-rich atmosphere

Space

Blue crystals in meteorites reveal the Sun's rowdy younger years

Michael Irving July 30, 2018

The Sun was far more active in its early years, but we only really know this from studying other similar stars. Now, researchers have found the fingerprints of this active young Sun in tiny, bright blue crystals preserved in meteorites from a collection at Chicago’s Field Museum.

Studying blue hibonite crystals (inset) has helped researchers get a better understanding of the Sun's early ...

Space

Helium discovered in exoplanet atmosphere for the first time

Anthony Wood May 2, 2018

An international team of astronomers has made the first-ever detection of helium in the atmosphere of an extrasolar world. The new technique used to make the discovery could pave the way for scientists hoping to reveal the atmospheres of distant Earth-sized exoplanets.

Artist's impression of a 'Super-Neptune' exoplanet

Physics

Can a superfluid helium detector help us finally find dark matter?

Michael Irving November 1, 2017

Eighty-five percent of all matter is dark matter, a theoretical substance that doesn’t interact with ordinary matter and has so far eluded our best efforts to directly detect it. Now physicists have proposed a new way to find dark matter using a huge tub of helium in a superfluid state.

Dark matter, which is said to make up 85 percent of all matter in the universe, ...

Computers

WD packs 12 TB of storage into latest helium-based hard drive

Michael Irving April 26, 2017

HGST has unveiled the Ultrastar He12, its latest helium-based hard drive. Cramming 12 TB of storage space into the standard 3.5-in form factor, the new drive is also faster, more energy efficient and more stable, to help businesses and data centers manage ever-increasing loads of data.

Western Digital has unveiled its new helium-based hard drive, with 12 TB capacity

Science

Global helium supplies set to balloon after discovery of huge natural reserve

Michael Irving June 28, 2016

When most people think of helium, they think of party balloons and funny voices, but the gas has far more important applications in medicine and electronics. Unfortunately, the world has been in the grips of a global shortage. Now, a research team has discovered a massive reserve in East Africa.

A global helium shortage may be averted thanks to the discovery of a huge reserve in ...

Energy

We may not be running out of helium after all

David Szondy August 23, 2015

A team of scientists led by Diveena Danabalan of Durham University conducted a new study that indicates that there may be vast new sources of helium in the western mountain regions of North America.

Vast new sources of could keep helium-filled balloons a party staple

Military

US Navy shows off helium-saving deep-dive suit

David Szondy March 25, 2015

Deep sea diving is a complex operation that's incredibly wasteful when it comes to the helium/oxygen gas mixture that the divers breathe. That's why US Navy scientists at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City have developed a new prototype deep-diving system that goes easy on the helium.

The prototype deep-diving system (Photo: US Navy/Anthony Powers)