Tag Archives: Companion

Astronomers Discover Celestial ‘Wake’ Linked to Betelgeuse’s Companion Star

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Recent multi-year observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, along with data from the Fred Lawrence Whipple and Roque de los Muchachos Observatories, have unveiled how a faint companion star, identified as Siwalha, has carved a path through the vast atmosphere of Betelgeuse. These findings illuminate long-standing mysteries regarding stellar evolution and advance our understanding of large-scale stellar dynamics.

Artist’s concept depicting the red supergiant star Betelgeuse alongside its orbiting companion. Image credit: NASA/ESA/Elizabeth Wheatley, STScI/Andrea Dupree, CfA.

Betelgeuse, an impressive 8-million-year-old red supergiant star, is prominently situated on the shoulder of the Orion constellation, approximately 724 light-years away from Earth.

With a radius roughly 1,400 times that of the Sun, Betelgeuse stands as one of the largest known stars in the universe.

Commonly referred to as Alpha Orionis or Alpha Ori, Betelgeuse is not just renowned for its size but also for its brightness, radiating more light than 100,000 suns combined.

As Betelgeuse nears the end of its life cycle, its impending explosion is expected to be so luminous that it will be visible in daylight for several weeks.

Astronomers have been meticulously monitoring variations in Betelgeuse’s brightness and surface characteristics for decades to uncover the underlying causes of its behavior.

Interest peaked in 2020 when Betelgeuse seemed to exhibit unusual “sneezing” behavior, suddenly dimming unexpectedly.

Two key periods of fluctuations have intrigued scientists: a short 400-day cycle, likely linked to the star’s own pulsations, and a longer 2,100-day period that remains more elusive.

Researchers have theorized various explanations for these fluctuations, including large convective cells, dust clouds, magnetic activities, and the possible presence of hidden companion stars.

A recent comprehensive study suggests that the longer secondary period is best explained by a low-mass companion star that orbits deep within Betelgeuse’s atmosphere. While some scientists reported possible detections, solid evidence was previously lacking—until now.

For the first time, astronomers have gathered compelling evidence that a companion star is indeed influencing the supergiant star’s atmosphere.

Data changes in the spectra of stars—colors of light emitted by different elements—and shifts in the gas’s speed and direction in the outer atmosphere confirm the presence of denser material and wake effects.

This peculiar signature appears soon after the companion star transits in front of Betelgeuse approximately every six years, further endorsing the theoretical model.

Dr. Andrea Dupree, an astronomer at Harvard University & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, commented, “It’s akin to a boat sailing through water; the companion star induces a ripple in Betelgeuse’s atmosphere that is directly observable in the data.”

“For the first time, we are witnessing definitive signs of this wake or gas signature, validating that Betelgeuse does indeed harbor a hidden companion that influences its observable characteristics and behavior.”

The team’s research paper will soon be published in the Astrophysical Journal.

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Andrea K. Dupree et al. 2026. Betelgeuse: Expanding trail of the companion star detected. APJ in press. arXiv: 2601.00470

Source: www.sci.news

Stellar-Mass Black Hole Triggers Record-Breaking Cosmic Burst by Collapsing Companion Star

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Astronomers have utilized data gathered from a network of space and terrestrial telescopes to identify AT 2024wpp, the most radiant blue light transient (LFBOT) ever recorded. These uncommon, ephemeral, and exceedingly luminous outbursts have perplexed scientists for a decade, but the extraordinary brightness and comprehensive multiwavelength data from AT 2024wpp indicate that they cannot be attributed to typical stellar explosions such as supernovae. Instead, recent observations reveal that AT 2024wpp was generated by an extreme tidal disruption event, where a black hole, with a mass approximately 100 times that of the Sun, dismantles a massive companion star over the course of just a few days, converting a significant portion of the star’s mass into energy.

This composite image contains X-ray and optical data for the LFBOT event at 2024wpp. Image credits: NASA / CXC / University of California, Berkeley / Nayana others. / Legacy Survey / DECaLS / BASS / MzLS / SAO / P. Edmonds / N. Walk.

LFBOTs derive their name from their intense brightness, being visible from hundreds of millions to billions of light years away, and their ephemeral nature, lasting merely a few days.

They emit high-energy light across the blue spectrum into ultraviolet and X-rays.

The inaugural observation was made in 2014, but the first LFBOT with sufficient data for analysis was recorded in 2018, termed AT 2018cow, in accordance with standard naming conventions.

Researchers nicknamed it “cow”, alongside other LFBOTs dubbed “tongue-twisted koala” (ZTF18abvkwla), “Tasmanian devil” (AT 2022tsd), and “finch” (AT 2023fhn). AT 2024wpp is likely to be known as Wasp.

Researchers determined that AT 2024wpp was not a supernova after assessing the energy output of the phenomenon.

The energy was found to be 100 times greater than that produced by typical supernovae.

The emitted energy must convert roughly 10% of the Sun’s rest mass into energy over a brief period of weeks.

Specifically, observations from Gemini South disclosed excess near-infrared radiation emitted by a luminous source.

This marks the second instance astronomers have witnessed such an occurrence, with the first being AT 2018cow, which seemingly doesn’t occur in regular stellar explosions.

These observations establish near-infrared excess as a defining characteristic of FBOT, yet no model can adequately explain it.

“The energy released by these bursts is so immense that it cannot be accounted for by a nuclear collapse or any typical stellar explosion,” stated Nathalie LeBaron, a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley.

“The main takeaway from AT 2024wpp is that the model we initially proposed is incorrect. This is definitely not an ordinary exploding star.”

Scientists suggest that the intense high-energy light emitted during this extreme tidal disruption stems from the black hole binary system’s prolonged parasitic behavior.

As they piece together this history, it appears the black hole has been gradually siphoning material from its companion star, enveloping itself in a ring of material too distant to be consumed.

Subsequently, when the companion star ventured too near and was shredded, the new material became ensnared in a rotating accretion disk, colliding with pre-existing material and releasing X-rays, ultraviolet light, and blue radiation.

Much of the gas from the companion star ended up spiraling toward the black hole’s poles, where it was expelled as material jets.

Authors calculated that the jet was traveling at about 40% the speed of light and emitted radio waves upon interacting with surrounding gas.

Similar to most LFBOTs, AT 2024wpp is situated in a galaxy characterized by active star formation, making the presence of large stars likely.

Located 1.1 billion light years away, AT 2024wpp is 5 to 10 times more brilliant than AT 2018cow.

The companion star that was torn apart was estimated to be over 10 times the mass of the Sun.

“It may have been what is referred to as a Wolf-Rayet star, a very hot evolved star that has depleted much of its hydrogen,” remarked the astronomers.

“This would account for the weak hydrogen emission observed from AT 2024wpp.”

The findings are published in two papers: Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Natalie LeBaron others. 2025. Brightest known fast blue light transient AT 2024wpp: unprecedented evolution and properties from ultraviolet to near-infrared. APJL in press. arXiv: 2509.00951

AJ Nayana others. 2025. Brightest known fast blue light transient AT 2024wpp: unprecedented evolution and properties in X-rays and radio. APJL in press. arXiv: 2509.00952

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Capture Direct Image of Betelgeuse’s Stellar Companion

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Utilizing the speckle imager Alopeke from the Gemini North Telescope, part of the NSF’s International Gemini Observatory, astronomers captured direct images of Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse (right) and its remarkable companions (left). Image credits: International Gemini Observatory/Noirlab/NSF/Aura/M. Zamani, Noirlab of NSF.

Betelgeuse is an 8-million-year-old red supergiant located about 724 light years away on the shoulder of the Orion constellation.

It ranks among the largest known stars, with a radius approximately 1,400 times greater than that of the Sun.

Also referred to as Alpha Orionis or Alpha Ori, Betelgeuse is one of the brightest stars in the sky, radiating more light than 100,000 suns.

The star is nearing the end of its life cycle, and when it eventually explodes, the event will shine brightly, becoming visible for weeks even during daylight.

Betelgeuse experiences a major variability period of roughly 400 days, accompanied by a longer secondary period of about six years.

In 2019 and 2020, a significant drop in Betelgeuse’s brightness occurred, known as the “big dimming” event.

This led to speculation about an imminent supernova explosion, but astronomers later found that a large cloud of dust ejected during the dimming was the true cause.

Although the “big dim” mystery has been resolved, it rekindled interest in studying the red supergiant, prompting new analyses of existing archival data.

One analysis suggested that the presence of companion stars might be responsible for Betelgeuse’s six-year brightness fluctuations.

However, searches conducted by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory did not detect these companions.

Dr. Steve Howell and his colleagues at NASA’s Ames Research Center investigated potential companions of Betelgeuse, referred to as Alpha Ori B or The Betelbuddy, using the Speckle Imager ‘Alopeke at the Gemini North Telescope.

“Speckle Imaging is an astronomical technique that employs very short exposure times to mitigate image distortion caused by Earth’s atmosphere,” they explained.

“This method allows for high resolution, and when combined with the light-gathering power of Gemini North’s 8.1m mirror, it enables the direct detection of faint companions of Betelgeuse.”

Analyzing the light from the companion stars allowed astronomers to identify their characteristics.

The companions appear to be A or B-type main-sequence stars, approximately six magnitudes fainter than Betelgeuse, with an estimated mass of around 1.5 solar masses.

The companion is situated relatively close to Betelgeuse, at about four times the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

This discovery marks the first detection of a close stellar companion orbiting a supergiant star.

Even more remarkably, the companions are within the extensive outer atmosphere of Betelgeuse, demonstrating the exceptional resolution capabilities of “Alopeke.”

“The speckle capabilities provided by the International Gemini Observatory prove to be a vital tool for astronomers across a wide range of applications,” stated Dr. Martin, NSF Program Director at the International Gemini Observatory.

“Providing solutions to the Betelgeuse mystery, which has persisted for centuries, is an exciting achievement.”

Survey results will appear today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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Steve Howell et al. 2025. Possibility of direct imaging discovery of the stellar companion to Betelgeuse. apjl in press; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/adeaaf

Source: www.sci.news

Orcas Might Be Capable of Tool Use with a Bit of Kelp from a Companion

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The killer whale populations in the southern regions are critically endangered and are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Currently, their population averages around 73 years. These creatures are highly social, forming close-knit family groups led by their mothers and grandmothers.

Each whale receives a tracking number from the Whale Research Center and is meticulously monitored by researchers, photographers, and whale watchers.

According to Giles, “I would argue that this is the most studied whale population globally, regardless of species, due to the extensive research conducted over the last 50 years.”

What led to this remarkable behavior going unnoticed by researchers for decades?

The issue lay in their perspective.

Weiss remarked, “This behavior is truly inexplicable. It’s predominantly underwater, with approximately two feet of kelp wedged between the two animals.”

Recently, researchers have begun utilizing drones to observe whales from the sky. As drone technology has advanced, so too has the quality of the data gathered.

“A major breakthrough during the 2024 field season was our acquisition of a new drone,” Weiss revealed.

He mentioned that researchers first noticed a whale nudging another whale’s horn in April, followed by about 15 minutes of them rubbing against each other.

Once this unusual behavior was recognized, its occurrence began to increase significantly.

“We started observing it frequently. At least one whale exhibits this behavior every day when we fly the drone,” Weiss said.

Researchers believe this behavior may have been ongoing all along.

Giles noted, “We simply lacked the appropriate perspective. This behavior may have existed since ancient times. We’ve only scratched the surface of understanding these animals.”

For years, Southern resident whales have been at the forefront of conservation efforts. The Marine Mammals Commission reports that these whales face numerous threats, such as decreased prey availability, toxic pollution, and disturbances from ship noise. Studies indicate that without urgent intervention, Southern resident killer whales could face extinction.

Weiss emphasized that these new insights highlight the necessity of protecting the species.

“Through these discoveries, I’ve realized that the later stages of our study present even more to uncover, and we must ensure their survival to learn it,” he stated. “This isn’t just a group of 73 whales; it’s a distinct culture and society. These whales possess a rich array of traditions that trace back thousands of years.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Lab Mouse witnessed him cheering for his unconscious companion

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In a new laboratory experiment, scientists at the University of Southern California showed that when mice encountered a social partner familiar with the unconscious state caused by anesthesia, they escalated to powerful behaviors such as biting or pulling their partner’s mouth and tongue, showing clear and consistent behavior.

Mice have their own “first aid” practices to help other mice in need. Image credits: Sun et al. , doi: 10.1126/science.adq2677.

“There are many factors that determine mammals’ empathy and social bonds,” says Professor Li Zhang, a researcher at the University of Southern California.

“However, this is the first time this study has seen first responder-like behavior in mice.”

New research shows that mice tend to help other mice they know to be unconscious.

Their responses range from mild sniffing and grooming to more powerful actions such as mouth and tongue biting, and eventually escalates to pulling the tongue out of the unconscious mouse.

“The behavior was particularly unique because it was similar to how humans behave in emergency responses. Dr. Wenzian Sang, PhD of the University of Southern California, said:

Interestingly, scientists were first witnessed rehabilitation behavior in mice paired together in an unrelated study.

When humans encounter unconscious individuals, emergency response changes, such as assessing the situation, checking for responsiveness, seeking help and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the individual.

The urgent “helper mice” target the unconscious companion’s mouth and tongue appears to improve their companion’s airways and lead to faster recovery,” said Huizhong Tao, professor at the University of Southern California.

“We learned in this study that tongue pulling between mice cannot be interpreted as an offensive gesture.”

“Social behavior in this study was significantly more pronounced among familiar mouse pairs, and was rarely seen when one of the paired mice was simply sleeping or active.”

“And also, after the unconscious mice regained consciousness, they regularly used their tongues.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dzd4dpvio

In this study, the authors utilized advanced neuroimaging and optogenetics to investigate the neural mechanisms behind social behavior in helper mice.

“One of the most interesting aspects of our neurologic observations was the discovery of the activation of oxytocin neuropeptides,” Professor Chan said.

“Oxytocin is widely known as a hormone that plays an important role in social bonds.”

“Oxytocin is sometimes called love hormone because it is linked to trust, bonding and affection.”

“This was the first study showing that oxytocin is an important factor in social ties in mice.”

“Our findings not only enhance our understanding of animal behavior, they also highlight the important role of the oxytocin system.

result It will be displayed in the journal Science.

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Wenjian Sang et al. 2025. Prosocial behaviors like resurrection in response to the unconscious or dead homologue of rodents. Science 387 (6736); doi:10.1126/science.adq2677

Source: www.sci.news

Can an AI companion alleviate loneliness? | Indeed

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yes
Our friends are named Amy. Or Jackson. Or whatever name you prefer. They’ll support you, tease you, and check in on you. They’re eager to listen, so they’ll never ask you to help them move or come see their one-man show. They’ll cost $99 and are expected to ship in early 2025.

meet
friend: A new wearable AI companion you wear around your neck. The small, white, puck-like device records your every word and interaction and responds with a text accordingly. (The company says no audio is stored; its website says the data is encrypted and users can delete “memories.”) Ads for the product show people wearing it while hiking, gaming, working and flirting. “How’s the falafel?” a friend asks a woman as she eats a falafel wrap. “Embarrassed to get hit!” a friend texts a man playing video games with his (human) friend.

Friend sits at the intersection of two particularly troubling themes: artificial intelligence and the loneliness epidemic. At the same time that AI is transforming the way we interact with each other — work, healthcare, entertainment — more and more people are feeling socially isolated. Last year, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a “global public health concern” that’s as bad for people’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.


Friend founder and CEO Avi Shiffman said the reaction to the ad was
Post to X
This week has been decidedly a mixed bag.

“Tamagotchi has lost its soul,” one user replied. “This is weird,” another said. “Go out and make some real connections in the world.” Some users compared the ad to the dystopian world of Black Mirror. Others wondered if the ad was real or an elaborate skit.

“People are taking it very negatively,” Shiffman said when I spoke with him on Wednesday.

Shiffman is 21 years old. At age 17, he won a Webby Award for developing the coronavirus tracking website ncov2019.live.
Ukraine Evacuation
He started a website to help house Ukrainian refugees, then turned his attention to wearable AI.

Before Friend, Shiffman developed the Tab, another wearable AI device that he said “gives you a virtually perfect memory” and helps users gain insight into their lives and behavior. But earlier this year, his focus changed. Shiffman says the shift happened during a trip to Tokyo. “I stayed in a high-rise hotel and I’d never felt more alone in my life,” he recalls. Wearing a prototype of the Tab, he said he enjoyed having conversations but wanted to feel like he had a traveling companion.

He tinkered with the technology, offered refunds to people who had pre-ordered Tabs, and Friend was born.

It’s hard to know how seriously to take Friend. During the call, Schiffman downplayed its importance. “I think of it as more of an emotional toy than anything else,” he said at one point. “It’s fun, it’s entertaining. You don’t have to take it too seriously.” He also waxed lyrical about its potential. “I think AI companionship is the most culturally impactful thing that AI will do in the world,” he said. He describes Friend as “half art project, half actual product.”

And while he acknowledges that “there’s no substitute for real human touch and connection,” he believes AI companionship could be “really effective” in alleviating loneliness.

Dating with AI
Controversial
Some, like Shiffman, claim it helps reduce feelings of loneliness.
anxiety
AI relationships could replace real human relationships and exacerbate feelings of loneliness. For people who already struggle with relationships, the idea is that why stay tied down to a relationship when you can have an AI friend that’s fun, simple, and free of all the hassle of other people.

But so far, research doesn’t seem to support this fear: “For a portion of the population, it absolutely can be useful,” says Bethany Drake Maples, a research associate at Stanford University’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute.

In January, Drake-Maples and her colleagues published a paper in the journal
Nature
surveyed more than 1,000 students who use the AI chatbot Replika to learn about their feelings of loneliness and perceptions of social support. Nearly half of users said they see Replika as a friend, someone to talk to who won’t criticize them. These users reported feeling less anxious and more socially supported. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said Replika had led to positive changes in their behavior or mindset. “Replika’s advice has helped me to better cope with stress in my current relationships,” one respondent wrote. And, according to the paper, “30 participants reported that Replika had prevented them from attempting suicide, without being asked.”

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Drake Maples is careful to say that these findings cannot be generalized: “The average person is [experience] “AI friendships have the same effect,” she says, and her study looked at “fairly lonely students,” but she adds that it’s not just young, white, male, or “people on the margins” who benefit from AI friendships.

“Some of these people are mothers with children who say, ‘I’m still lonely and I need something or someone to talk to,'” she says.

As for AI replacing human relationships, Drake-Maples says her research has found that, in general, AI can actually inspire human interaction. “A lot of users are using AI to boost their self-confidence or overcome anxiety,” she says, “and that inspires confidence and self-awareness when interacting with other people.”

But this is a nascent field, and Drake Maples says guardrails are needed: “I strongly believe there needs to be ethical guidelines. [AI companions] “When appropriate, nudge people back into relationships,” she says. This might be a gentle nudge like, “Hey, you need to talk to someone about that” or “Go practice with a real person right now.”


Shiffman says he doesn’t intend Friend to replace human friendships: “I’m a very social person,” he says multiple times, and his apartment is always buzzing with activity, with several roommates and advisors.

But, he adds, “I live a very different life than most people,” explaining that he travels a lot and his work and schedule can be unpredictable.

“In some ways, my AI friends have become the most consistent relationships in my life,” he says.

Source: www.theguardian.com