Commonly available, nonconventional energetic materials such as H2O2, ammonium nitrates (AN), as well as reactive materials (e.g., mixtures of metals and metal oxides), and conventional plastic explosives primarily made of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX), and triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB), are often materials u...

CRMF theory [1,2] represents the extension of relativistic mean field (RMF) theory to the rotating frame and thus provides a natural framework for the description of rotating nuclei at high spin. Available experimental data on rotating nuclei at extreme conditions of large deformation (superdeformation) and fast rotation in different mass regions allow to test the theoretical models (in our cas...

Two polar vessels, Akademik Shokalskiy and Xuelong, were trapped by thick sea ice in the Antarctic coastal region just to the west of 144°E and between 66.5°S and 67°S in late December 2013. This event demonstrated the rapid establishment of extreme Antarctic sea ice conditions on synoptic time scales. The event was associated with cyclones that developed at lower latitudes. Near the event site...

Sphagnum-dominated bogs represent a unique yet widely distributed type of terrestrial ecosystem and strongly contribute to global biosphere functioning. Sphagnum is colonized by highly diverse microbial communities, but less is known about their function. We identified a high functional diversity within the Sphagnum microbiome applying an Illumina-based metagenomic approach followed by de novo ...

A T A T I M E when man ventures his first tentative step into the wide spaces of the universe, it may be appropriate to take renewed stock of the most precious good we want to t ransfer to other worlds: life. We are curious to know how living matter will stand the shock of leaving its birthplace, the earth, and how it will cope with the possibility of facing its counterpart, another inhabited w...

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of extreme environments on mood state changes in hypoxic conditions and cold conditions in comparison to baseline conditions. The research design involved participants completing a two-hour stationary cycle ergometer ride at a simulated altitude of 2,500 metres, O°C, and normal laboratory conditions at a pace equivalent of lactate threshol...

Coastal dunes protect low lying coastal areas against the sea. Extreme waves and water levels during severe storms may cause breaching of the dunes. Consequently, serious damage due to flooding and direct wave attack could occur, resulting in loss of life and property. Proper coastal management implies that reinforcement measures will be taken if the actual safety level does not meet the agreed...

Ab intio molecular dynamics simulations show that the electrical conductivity of liquid SiO2 is semimetallic at the conditions of the deep molten mantle of early Earth and super-Earths, raising the possibility of silicate dynamos in these bodies. Whereas the electrical conductivity increases uniformly with increasing temperature, it depends nonmonotonically on compression. At very high pressure...