Tag Archives: intrigued

Space

This Cannibal Star Has A Badass Metal Scar

The white dwarf that has researchers intrigued is named WD 0816-310, and it’s the remnant of a star barely extra large than our Sun. All that continues to be of that star now’s the white dwarf core, which is about the identical measurement as Earth.

The researchers have been capable of find out about this metallic scar by seeing how metals have been distributed throughout the star’s floor. The metals aren’t evenly unfold however are slightly concentrated specifically areas. They may inform this by seeing how the energy of the sign coming from the metals modified in energy because the planet rotated.

The modifications in detection ranges of the metals have been additionally associated to modifications within the magnetic area of the white dwarf. The outcomes recommend that the metals are clumped across the magnetic pole, which supplies a clue to how they received there: The researchers assume that the magnetic area acted like a funnel for incoming matter from the planetary chunk, pulling it onto the star’s floor and creating the scar.

“Surprisingly, the material was not evenly mixed over the surface of the star, as predicted by theory. Instead, this scar is a concentrated patch of planetary material, held in place by the same magnetic field that has guided the infalling fragments,” stated co-author John Landstreet of Western University, Canada. “Nothing like this has been seen before.”

Opinion

Matt Prior: why electrical SUVs will rewrite the off-road rulebook

I’m intrigued by James Attwood’s current drive of the Audi Q8 E-tron Edition Dakar.

It’s a automotive that directly could possibly be simply dismissed as an costly folly: only some will probably be just a few made, it prices some £20,000 greater than an everyday Q8 E-tron and Audi will cost you one other £8600 for a wrap that appears like its Dakar Rally raider, simply to make sure that you gained’t wish to be seen in it.

Yet on the similar time, it feels to me like a related, early and still-rare foray into electrical off-roading, which is a factor that someday must turn into not extraordinary.

And in the best way that, say, the multifaceted Hyundai Ioniq 5 N can change what we anticipate from efficiency vehicles, so an electrical 4×4 might redefine what we anticipate from off-roaders.

It gained’t simply try to copy what an internal-combustion 4×4 can do now however rewrite the e-book on it.

Jaguar, for instance, by no means pitched the I-Pace as an off-roader, but on its launch in 2018 it took us not solely to a race observe to pattern how effectively it might rotate into corners but in addition up stupidly steep gravel tracks, by way of riverbeds and extra.

The I-Pace has a little-publicised wade depth of 500mm, which individuals don’t routinely got down to problem.

But, in fact, not needing oxygen for a whole bunch of explosions each minute, the best electric car might theoretically wade as deep because it needed. Just pack scuba gear for the occupants.

There’s extra: as Attwood notes, the Edition Dakar has no extra underbody cladding than some other Q8 E-tron.

Partly that’s as a result of it’s not a severe rock-crawler but in addition partly as a result of EVs have already got heavy armour for his or her batteries and have fewer spinning or delicate ancillaries that want it.

Finally, and most significantly for going off street, there’s the ability supply. The manner an engine delivers its energy is basically ruled by the best way it’s designed.

For occasion, large journey or scrambling bikes have large-capacity, few-cylinder engines as a result of they make good quantities of torque but in addition as a result of the uneven, pulsing energy supply can assist a tyre discover higher traction than a smoother torque supply.

An EV can ship torque to wherever it needs, at any time when it needs, solely the way it needs.

Motorsport

Is This The Nissan Ariya Nismo?

Well, shade us intrigued. The 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon opens later this week, and it will be the venue the place Nissan debuts a brand new Nismo mannequin. The mannequin continues to be unknown, however we do know it is a road-going car with an “electrified” powertrain.

Some automakers use that phrase to indicate pure EVs whereas others confer with plug-in hybrids. Judging by the shadowy teaser, although, we’re tempted to imagine this new Nismo will likely be absolutely electrical. The silhouette hints at a efficiency mannequin primarily based on the Ariya. It would not be the primary Nismo-branded SUV, although – the Patrol Nismo has been on sale within the Middle East since 2015 and the Juke Nismo predates that by just a few years.