All articles tagged with #liquid nitrogen
An npj Microgravity study finds that in near-zero gravity boiling liquid nitrogen can temporarily improve heat removal because bubbles cling to the heater, but once a heat threshold is exceeded cooling collapses (max heat removal falls ~65% vs ground tests); the result emphasizes surface design, using a smooth silicon wafer, for cooling space fuels and electronics.
A new analysis of NASA’s New Horizons images of Pluto’s Sputnik Planitia suggests liquid nitrogen may have recently flowed beneath the dwarf planet’s heart-shaped glacier, producing dark surface patterns. While Pluto’s thin atmosphere today makes liquid-nitrogen rain impossible, simulations show underground liquid nitrogen could travel through conduits and remain liquid long enough to form the observed features, indicating a time‑variable process on astronomical timescales and underscoring the need for future observations.
A 34-year-old man in Mexico suffered severe abdominal pain seconds after drinking a smoky cocktail infused with liquid nitrogen. He was found to have a ruptured stomach with pneumoperitoneum and underwent laparoscopic repair using tissue from his abdomen, recovering and being discharged three days later. The report highlights the dangers of consuming liquid nitrogen in beverages, which can rapidly expand as it warms, and notes that safety hinges on allowing the nitrogen to vaporize completely; the Leidenfrost effect may have helped shield tissue from cold burns.
A groundbreaking 'holy grail' cancer therapy involving tumor freezing and immunotherapy drugs shows promising results in treating terminal prostate cancer, with over half of patients experiencing complete remission and most surviving beyond 14 months, offering new hope for advanced cases.
Research samples collected over decades at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden were destroyed after a freezer malfunctioned during the Christmas holidays, leading to the loss of samples from multiple institutions, including those researching leukemia. The estimated value of the samples lost is about 500m kronor (£37m), and an internal investigation has been launched at the university. The incident has been reported to the police, although there is currently no indication of sabotage.
Scientists at Washington State University have tested a new method of cleaning moon dust from spacesuits by blasting Barbies dressed in makeshift spacesuits with liquid nitrogen. The cryogenic fluid removed over 98% of the volcanic ash substitute, which is similar in consistency to lunar dust, without causing damage to the Kevlar-like suit material. The experiment worked thanks to the Leidenfrost effect, which occurs when water hits a surface hotter than its boiling point. The team presented its findings to NASA to aid the agency's Artemis moon program.