Physics and Astronomy

In this Scientific American article, Associate Professor Allison Jaynes discusses peculiar bursts of energy called chorus waves detected in deep space far from our planet. These waves could pose problems for long-distance space travel.

In this article from the Associated Press, Associate Professor Allison Jaynes comments on chorus waves, which ripple at the same frequency as human hearing. When converted to audio signals, their sharp notes mimic high-pitched bird calls. Researchers have captured such sounds in space before, but now they have sensed the chirping waves from much farther away: over 62,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) from Earth, where they’ve never been measured before.

Iowans who bundle up to brave the evening chill will be able to see a relatively rare event in the January night sky, what some are calling the Parade of Planets. Allison Jaynes, a physics and astronomy professor at the University of Iowa, says Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all shifting into near-alignment, and two more planets — Uranus and Neptune — will join the celestial conga line later this month.