Transforming Transient Astronomy: The Universe’s Biggest Drama Becomes a Cinematic Masterpiece

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Imagine looking up at the night sky 1,000 years ago; you would likely see an additional point of light compared to today. Back then, Chinese astronomers referred to these phenomena as “guest stars,” believing they foretold significant changes.

Today, we understand these were likely supernovae—spectacular explosions from dying stars—one of many serendipitous discoveries made by astronomers observing at opportune moments.

In the modern era, the quest for these “transient” events has evolved into a strategic approach, revolutionizing the field of astronomy. We have since identified numerous fleeting events that span from mere nanoseconds to durations longer than a human lifetime.

“Astronomy considers both spatial and temporal scales, yet the latter remains largely unexplored,” states Jason Hessels from the University of Amsterdam.

To capture these ephemeral occurrences effectively, astronomers are innovating by synchronizing telescopes into a cohesive unit, akin to a well-oiled machine, as evidenced by the Palomar Temporary Factory project from 2009 to 2012. One significant flash observed by a telescope in San Diego prompted immediate follow-up investigations by others. “It was orchestrated like a conveyor belt,” Hessels remarked.

More specialized telescopes are emerging, focusing on time, rather than just space. Notably, the Zwicky Temporary Facility has taken over from Palomar, and the Pan-STARRS survey amassed 1.6 petabytes of astronomical data—recording the largest dataset ever captured from Hawaii.

These advanced telescopes have generated extensive data that unveil the twinkling and fluctuating events of the cosmos, including gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts, gravitational waves, and stars that either explode spontaneously or are ripped apart by black holes.

Transient astronomy is reshaping our perception of the universe. “We’ve progressed from painting to photography, and now to some form of stop-motion film,” Hessels describes. He continues, “We’re approaching a complete narrative. Each adjustment in my perspective of the sky feels as though the cinematic experience expands further.”

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Astrophysicists Discover ‘Little Red Dot’ as Early Universe’s Young Supermassive Black Hole

Astrophysicists from the University of Copenhagen have discovered that the enigmatic “little red dots” visible in images of the early universe are rapidly growing black holes shrouded in ionized gas. This groundbreaking finding offers significant insights into the formation of supermassive black holes after the Big Bang.



The small red dot is a young supermassive black hole encased in a dense ionized cocoon. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Rusakov et al., doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09900-4.

Since the launch of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope in 2021, astronomers globally have been studying the red spots that appear in regions of the sky corresponding to the universe just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

Initial interpretations ranged from unusually massive early galaxies to unique astrophysical phenomena that challenged existing formation models.

However, after two years of extensive analysis, Professor Darach Watson and his team from the University of Copenhagen have confirmed that these points represent young black holes surrounded by a thick cocoon of ionized gas.

As these black holes consume surrounding matter, the resulting heat emits powerful radiation that penetrates the gas, creating a striking red glow captured by Webb’s advanced infrared camera.

“The little red dot is a young black hole, approximately 100 times less massive than previously estimated, encased in a gas cocoon and actively consuming gas to expand,” stated Professor Watson.

“This process generates substantial heat, illuminating the cocoon.”

“The radiation that filters through the cocoon provides these tiny red dots with their distinctive color.”

“These black holes are significantly smaller than previously thought, so there’s no need to introduce entirely new phenomena to explain them.”

Despite being the smallest black holes ever detected, these objects still weigh up to 10 million times more than the Sun and measure millions of kilometers in diameter, shedding light on how black holes accelerated their growth during the early universe.

Black holes typically operate inefficiently, as only a small fraction of the gas they attract crosses the event horizon. Much is blown back into space as high-energy outflows.

However, during this early phase, the surrounding gas cocoon serves as both a fuel source and a spotlight, enabling astronomers to observe a black hole in intense growth like never before.

This discovery is crucial for understanding how supermassive black holes, such as the one at the center of the Milky Way, grew so quickly in the universe’s first billion years.

“We observed a young black hole in a growth spurt at a stage never documented before,” Professor Watson remarked.

“The gas-dense cocoon around them supplies the rapid growth fuel they require.”

For more details, see the findings featured in this week’s edition of Nature.

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V. Rusakov et al. 2026. A small red dot like a young supermassive black hole inside a dense ionized cocoon. Nature 649, 574-579; doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09900-4

Source: www.sci.news

How Quantum Fluctuations Ignite the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries

Small Vibrations Marking the Universe’s Formation

Joseph Kuropaka / Alamy

Discover more insights in the Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Register for the latest updates from the universe.

Introduction

Since the 5th century AD, the phrase “In the beginning” has sparked intrigue, originating from the writings of an Israeli priest known as “P.” This profound beginning resonates with our modern understanding of the cosmos. Here’s a glimpse into the universe’s birth:

Words falter when describing the universe’s origins, transcending mere physics and human experience. By retracing our steps, we assert that the universe emerged from a hot Big Bang approximately 13.8 billion years ago. The early universe, characterized by rapid expansion, underwent quantum fluctuations, which left enduring marks.

These fluctuations allowed some regions to expand more rapidly, forming hyperdensities of hot matter, while others lagged, resulting in varying densities. About 100 seconds post-Big Bang, baryonic matter took shape: hydrogen nuclei, helium nuclei, and free electrons. Alongside, dark matter emerged as its elusive counterpart.

Initially, the universe existed as a hot plasma—fluidic and dominated by intense radiation—expanding with Big Bang momentum, aided by dark energy. As expansion slowed over 9 billion years, dark energy escalated the expansion rate.

This early universe’s excess density was predominantly dark matter, with small baryonic matter contributions. Gravity pulled these together, while radiation acted as a binding force. The pressure from this radiation created acoustic vibrations or sound waves within the plasma.

Although these waves were not audible, they traveled faster than half the speed of light, with wavelengths spanning millions of light-years. This era signifies the genesis of our universe.

As the pressure waves from radiation expanded outward, they dragged negatively charged electrons and their heavier baryon counterparts. Dark matter, indifferent to radiation interactions, remained behind, resulting in a spherical wave of dense baryonic material expanding outward.

The propagation speed of these sound waves reflected the baryonic material and radiation’s density. Early waves had smaller amplitudes and higher frequencies, readily damped after minimal cycles, akin to ultrahigh-frequency sound waves.

As the universe continued its expansion and cooldown, roughly 380,000 years later, electrons merged with hydrogen and helium nuclei, giving rise to neutral atoms in a process known as recombination. This event, spanning about 100,000 years, produced cosmic background radiation—an elusive imprint awaiting discovery.

Map of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Exhibiting Density Fluctuations

Collaboration between ESA and Planck

The radiation pressure and sound speed decreased significantly, creating a frozen spherical shell of baryonic material, similar to debris washed ashore by a storm. The largest compressional wave left behind a concentrated sphere of visible matter, termed the sonic horizon, roughly 480 million light-years from the original overdensity.

Early compressional waves left minor imprints on the universe’s matter distribution, while later waves, generated right before recombination, exhibited greater amplitude and lower frequency, observable in today’s cosmic background radiation.

Consequently, regions of high density yield slightly warmer background radiation, while lower density areas produce cooler radiation. This frozen state incorporates traces of matter distribution just after the Big Bang, known as a “feature of the universe.”

The wavelength of these final sound waves closely relates to the curvature of space, while the Hubble constant integrates our understanding of the cosmos measured over 13 billion years.

Both quantum fluctuations and acoustic vibrations provide distinct signatures, akin to cosmic fingerprints. The first evidence emerged on April 23, 1992, revealing temperature variations in a cosmic background radiation map produced by the COBE satellite. George Smoot, the lead researcher, highlighted its monumental significance, describing it as a divine encounter for believers.

Observing distinct directions in the cosmos creates a triangle projecting into space, with the vertex angle referred to as the angular scale. A favorable horizon results in a higher probability of encountering a hot spot within the cosmic background approximately 480 million light-years from another hot spot, corresponding to an angular scale of around 1°.

This measurement surpasses the resolution of earlier instruments, with the WMAP and Planck satellite missions unveiling additional acoustic vibrations down to angular scales under 0.1°.

The origins of baryonic matter contributed to cosmic structures, with small overdensities serving as seeds for star and galaxy formation, while underdensities created voids within the universe’s large-scale structure, known as the cosmic web. Thus, the probability of finding galaxy chains roughly 480 million light-years from each other slightly increases.

By analyzing acoustic vibrations, astrophysicists have accurately assessed cosmological parameters, including baryonic matter density, dark matter, dark energy, and the Hubble constant among others. However, contentment is elusive, as the standard cosmological inflation model (Lambda CDM) reveals we only observe 4.9% of the universe, with dark matter comprising 26.1% and dark energy making up 69%.

The enigma remains: we have yet to uncover the true nature of dark matter and dark energy.

Jim Baggott’s upcoming book, Disharmony: A History of the Hubble Constant Problem, is scheduled for release in the US by Oxford University Press in January 2026.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient Silver Goblet Features the Earliest Depiction of the Universe’s Creation

“Ain Samiya’s Silver Goblet”

Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Ardon Bar Hama

A silver chalice dating back 4,300 years, found in Palestine’s West Bank, displays a depiction of the universe’s formation from primordial chaos, marking it as the oldest recorded visual interpretation of a creation myth.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind design,” says Eberhard Sanger from the Lewisian Research Foundation in Switzerland. “It conveys a complex narrative using a minimal number of lines.”

Measuring about 8 cm in height, the “Ain Samiya” goblet was uncovered 55 years ago in an ancient tomb located a few miles northeast of Ramallah, on the western edge of the Fertile Crescent, an area where early civilizations thrived.

The goblet features two distinctive scenes. The first shows a large serpent confronting a chimera with a human upper body and animal legs, positioned on a small flower-like circle. The second scene depicts a smiling serpent lying on the ground beneath a much larger flower-like circle, supported by two humanoid figures—of which only one is currently visible due to the goblet’s damage.

Archaeologists of the 1970s proposed that these scenes could represent Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation myth in which the primordial entity Tiamat is overcome by the god Marduk, resulting in Tiamat’s body transforming into heaven and earth. However, Zanger notes that this interpretation has its shortcomings; notably, there are no battle representations on the goblet, and it is approximately 1,000 years older than Enuma Elish itself.

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<p>This has led other scholars to suggest alternative meanings. For instance, they propose that the goblet might represent the cyclical rebirth of a year and the passing of another.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Zanger and his associates, including independent researcher <a href="https://utoronto.academia.edu/DanielSarlo">Daniel Sarlo</a> from Toronto, and <a href="https://fabiennehaasdantes.academia.edu/">Fabienne Haas Dantes</a> from the University of Zurich, argue that the original interpretation remains the most accurate. They contend that the scenes depict the creation of the universe, drawing from ancient creation stories that predate even <em>Enuma Elish</em>.</p>

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    <figure class="ArticleImage">
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            <img class="Image" alt="This scene illustrates cosmic order emerging from chaos, featuring figures such as serpents and deities (Credit: ? Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Florica Weiner)." width="1350" height="901" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12150512/SEI_274075982.jpg?width=2006 2006w" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" loading="lazy" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2504118" data-caption="The images engraved on the goblet portray deities, serpents, and the sun" data-credit="Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Florika Weiner"/>
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                <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">The engravings on the goblet depict a deity, a serpent, and the sun.</p>
                <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Israel Museum, Jerusalem/Florica Weiner</p>
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<p>Zanger's research team views the first scene as ambiguous. The chimera signifies a weaker god combined with an animal. The small flower-like circles beneath its legs symbolize the powerless sun. A colossal serpent dominates this chaos. In contrast, the second scene reveals that order has emerged from chaos, with gods distinguished from animals, transforming into potent humanoid figures. They raise the powerful sun atop a "vessel of heaven," indicating the separation of heaven from earth, while the chaotic serpent lies defeated beneath the sun.</p>
<p>Zanger also mentions that cuneiform texts from another area of the Fertile Crescent, dating similarly to the goblet, discuss how deities divided heaven and earth. This indicates that by the time of the goblet's creation, the locals had already contemplated the theme of world creation. "The remarkable aspect of this artifact is that it allows us to glimpse their conception of this narrative," he states.</p>
<p><a href="https://independent.academia.edu/JLisman">Jan Lisman</a>, an independent researcher from the Netherlands, remains skeptical of this interpretation. "What it depicts is the daily journey of the sun," he argues. "But it certainly does not reflect 'origin' or 'chaos.'"</p>

<p><a href="https://www.altestestament.unibe.ch/about_us/people/prof_em_dr_schroer_silvia/index_eng.html">Sylvia Schroer</a>, a professor at the University of Bern, Switzerland, shows some willingness to entertain the notion that the goblet signifies world creation. However, she believes a different aspect of the new analysis is problematic.</p>

<p>According to Zanger, some images on the Ain Samiyah goblet, notably the giant snake, resonate with ancient cosmological tales from the Fertile Crescent and adjacent areas. They posit that this implies a profound connection among various creation myths which may trace back to a singular, more ancient narrative. Illustrating this, they cite a celestial vessel resembling that in the goblet, which is carved on a pillar at Göbekli Tepe in modern-day Turkey, a location dating back 11,500 years—7,000 years prior to the goblet's creation. "This is astonishing," Zanger remarks.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Schroer argues that it might be too speculative to assert that all creation narratives in the region are tightly intertwined. "Even with similarities, it doesn't necessitate clear influence," she maintains.</p>

<div class="JournalReference" data-title="JEOL – Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society “Ex Oriente Luxˮ" data-title_link="https://www.exorientelux.nl/jeol/" data-reference_type_overwrite="Journal reference:" data-doi="in press" data-method="shortcode" data-component-name="journal-reference">
    <p class="JournalReference__Title"><i>JEOL – Journal of Ancient Near East Studies “Ex Oriente Luxˮ</i> <a class="JournalReference__Link" href="https://www.exorientelux.nl/jeol/">DOI: In print</a></p>
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Is the Universe’s Expansion Slowing Down?

Tycho supernova remnant

NASA/CXC/RIKEN & GSFC/T. Sato et al. DSS

Many believe that our universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. However, a team of South Korean researchers has posited a different perspective, leading other scientists to raise significant concerns about their claims.

Since the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the universe has been in a state of expansion. Evidence from distant dying stars known as type 1a supernovae supports the idea that this expansion is accelerating. The theory behind this acceleration is often attributed to a mysterious force dubbed dark energy, which earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011.

Lee Young Wook and colleagues at Yonsei University argue against this widely accepted explanation. Type 1a supernovae occur when the remnants of a Sun-like star, termed a white dwarf, explode in a binary star system. These supernovae are classified as “standard candles,” as they provide consistent measurements for cosmic distances due to their uniform brightness.

However, Li and his team assert that based on an analysis of 300 host galaxies, the brightness of these supernovae significantly varies with the age of the star. They propose that this “age bias” leads distant supernovae to appear dimmer due to the universe’s accelerating expansion, suggesting that accounting for this could negate the perceived acceleration of the universe.

Professor Lee indicates that their findings imply the universe’s expansion began to decelerate 1.5 billion years ago and could ultimately reverse—an event astronomers describe as a “big crunch,” potentially culminating in an inverted big bang. “Previously, the notion of a major crisis was dismissed, but now it has become a possibility,” he remarked.

Adam Rees, a researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute in the US and a 2011 Nobel laureate, refutes these claims, noting that earlier investigations from the same team in 2020 contradicted their current argument. He remarked, “A new study from the same group reiterates this viewpoint with minimal changes,” pointing out the difficulty in measuring stellar ages of type 1a supernovae across vast distances. He emphasized that Li’s team used average stellar ages derived from the host galaxy, which he believes weakens their theory due to uncertainties in stellar formation.

Researchers have acknowledged existing questions regarding the influence of stellar age on the brightness of Type 1A supernovae throughout the universe. Mark Sullivan from the University of Southampton expressed skepticism about the notion of a slowing universe, citing ongoing discussions about dark energy measurements.

Future observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile are anticipated to greatly enhance our catalog of type 1a supernovae, expanding from several thousand to tens of thousands. This influx of data could enable researchers to chart the universe’s expansion history far back in time, potentially discrediting the claims made by Lee’s team.

Nevertheless, the precise nature of dark energy remains elusive. Recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopy Instrument (DESI) hinted at the possibility that dark energy is not a constant force and may evolve over time. While this does not imply the universe is currently decelerating, it does suggest variations in the expansion rate over cosmic history.

“Current evidence points towards dark energy being more complex than a cosmological constant—suggesting it may be some dynamic entity,” states Ed Macaulay at Queen Mary University of London. “This raises intriguing questions about its true nature.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Exceptional stars: the universe’s most pristine objects.

Large Magellanic Cloud, Milky Way Satellite Galaxy, nearby star SDSS J0715-7334 discovered

Josh Lake/NASA/ESA

A star relatively close to us appears to be almost devoid of heavy elements produced by supernovae and may be a direct descendant of the universe’s first star.

Astronomers postulate that the initial stars consisted solely of hydrogen and helium, remnants from the Big Bang. It was only after these stars exhausted their fuel and exploded as supernovae that heavier elements could disperse beyond helium. The gas enriched with these new elements formed the subsequent generation of stars, with this cycle continuing, ultimately producing the elements we see in today’s stars and planets.

Most stars observed in our galaxy belong to multiple generations and are excluded from this early star population. However, “star archaeologists” have discovered nearly untouched stars believed to be from the “second generation,” born from the remnants of the early stellar explosions.

Recently, Alexander Z from the University of Chicago and his team identified the star with the lowest total amount of “metals,” referring to all elements besides hydrogen or helium, in the known universe. Named SDSS J0715-7334, this star resides in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, and has a metal content approximately 0.8 times that of our Sun, making it about 20,000 times less metallic.

After initially detecting the star in data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, due to its notably low metallicity, JI and his colleagues conducted observations with the Magellan telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. They confirmed that while the star has minimal iron, comparable to other nearly untouched stars, it also exhibits very low carbon levels, which are not typical for Milky Way stars.

“It’s quite an exciting discovery regarding iron levels. This is even more extreme than some of the other examples we have previously found,” said Anke Ardern-Arentsen from Cambridge University. “However, most interestingly, this star has significantly less carbon compared to natural stars we know about.” This observation might imply that it formed in a distinctly different manner than stars found in the Milky Way, according to Anna Frebel from MIT.

To form a star like SDSS J0715-7334, a relatively small and cool gas mass is required. Typically, this process necessitates heavier elements with high-energy electrons, such as carbon, which aid in cooling the gas effectively. The scarcity of carbon in this star complicates this process.

One potential alternative explanation is the presence of a cloud of cosmic dust made up of heavier elements. This dust may contribute to cooling, a mechanism not observed early in the universe’s history, at least within our own galaxies.

“There’s an issue here. Do varying environments across different regions of the universe cool gas at different rates during the early formation epochs?” Frebel questions. “We can raise the question of why different cooling rates occur, but we lack a satisfactory answer.”

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The Universe’s Most Unusual Black Holes Could Soon Be Awakened

In February 2024, astronomers observed a peculiar phenomenon occurring in a galaxy located 300 light-years from Earth.

An enormous flare of X-ray light erupted from the ultra-massive black hole at its center, reaching brightness levels 10 times higher and emitting 100 times more energy than previously recorded.

Whatever unfolded in that distant black hole was nothing short of extraordinary.

After meticulously monitoring the situation for over a year, astronomers have come to realize they may have witnessed one of the universe’s most dramatic events.

Bright Light, Black Hole

According to the study, the flare observed in April 2025 could indicate that the black hole (dubbed Ansky) has begun to consume surrounding gas and dust.

This scenario may evoke the image of a colossal vacuum in the universe, but the reality is somewhat different.

While nothing can escape from the black hole’s grasp, this intense hold reaches only up to the event horizon.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/08/black-hole.mp4
An abundance of black holes comes to life in this artist’s impression. In 2024, astronomers noted similar flares from distant galaxies.

Beyond that limit, gravity draws gas and dust towards the black hole, creating what are known as accretion disks.

Typically, these disks orbit quietly around black holes, as seen at the heart of our galaxy, but they lack excitement.

That changes when something disrupts the disk. Environments near black holes are incredibly extreme, so even minor turbulence can cause gas to overheat, producing a bright glow.

In certain instances, black holes transform into active galactic nuclei, gathering more dust and gas from their surroundings and funneling some towards the event horizon.

This resulting chaos leads to excessive heating of the gas, which shines brilliantly, overshadowing the stars in its host galaxy.

The Black Hole Awakens

Astronomers have observed shifts in black holes from one state to another, particularly noting those that were previously dormant now burning brightly.

This is when scientists, like Lorena Hernandez Garcia from Valparaiso University in Chile, first detected flares emanating from Ansky, initially suspecting a tidal disruption event.

“These eruptions typically correlate with interactions between compact objects like stars and other black holes, or dense rings of gas and dust circling the black holes,” Hernandez Garcia stated in BBC Science Focus.

If an object nears the event horizon, the extreme gravity can tear it apart, resulting in a brilliant flash as each fragment approaches the black hole.

However, Hernández-García notes that “Ansky does not exhibit typical signs of tidal disruption events seen in other systems. There’s no evidence of such chaotic disruption. While we can’t entirely rule out the possibility of stars being torn apart, it would certainly be an unusual case.”

As something falls towards a black hole’s event horizon, time appears to slow down and freeze from a distant observer’s perspective. – Photo credit: Getty

Instead, Hernández-García believes that Ansky’s unusual behavior offers a unique glimpse into a small black hole transitioning into an active galactic nucleus.

“We think we are witnessing galaxies undergoing the ‘on-switch.’ That central black hole is starting to feed again,” stated Hernandez Garcia.

If accurate, Ansky presents astronomers with an unparalleled opportunity to observe one of the universe’s most significant transformations.

Catching a Waking Black Hole

One challenge astronomers face in capturing this phenomenon is the need for the right telescope at the right place and time.

Fortunately, Ansky had been under scrutiny by astronomers. Previously, it was merely another quiet, unremarkable black hole that received little attention.

However, it falls within the range of the Zwicky Transient Facility, a telescope that scans the sky nightly, documenting the brightness and position of stars and galaxies, and monitoring changes.

In December 2019, the galaxy housing Ansky notably brightened. Hernández-García explains, “We observed an increase in optical brightness of approximately 20% over just six months. Since then, the brightness has remained above its original level until 2025.”

Subsequently, astronomers have been monitoring Ansky for changes, including with NASA’s rapid X-ray telescopes.

Initially, there were no X-ray signals, but in February 2024, a bright flare was detected emanating from the black hole.

What remains unclear is the possible connection between the two events.

“We still don’t know if the 2019 optical brighter burst and the 2024 X-ray flare are part of the same process—essentially the black hole ‘waking up’—or if they represent separate phenomena,” says Hernández-García.

Ansky provides significant insight into what occurs when a black hole awakens, but astronomers need to observe more such events to truly understand the dynamics at play.

If all goes well, it won’t be long until the powerful Vera Rubin Observatory scans the sky for signs of unusual activities in the cosmic depths.

With more eyes on the sky than ever before, astronomers can capture even more of these dormant giants as they stir from their long, deep slumber.

About Our Experts

Lorena Hernández-García specializes in ultra-massive black holes, focusing on their feeding habits and the impacts on the surrounding galaxy environments.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New Theory Suggests Supermassive Black Holes Are Remnants of the Universe’s First Star

In a recent study, Professor Jonathan Tan, an astrophysicist from the University of Virginia and Chalmers Institute of Technology, suggests that the population III.1 supermassive star is the precursor to the ultra-high-massive black holes observed in the early universe. The intense high-energy photons emitted by the star ionized the surrounding hydrogen gas, creating a natural intergalactic medium that extended over millions of light-years. This process led to the formation of ultra-high massive black holes that caused a flash ionization, effectively ending the “dark age” of the universe.

An artist’s impression of the star field from population III that would have been visible hundreds of millions of years post-Big Bang. Image credits: noirlab/nsf/aura/J. da silva/SpaceEngine.

These black holes, residing at the centers of most large galaxies, including our Milky Way, typically possess masses millions or even billions of times greater than that of the Sun.

Their formation has sparked considerable debate, particularly with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope uncovering numerous such black holes located far away that date back to the universe’s early days.

Professor Tan’s theory, referred to as “Pop III.1,” posits that all supermassive black holes originate from the first stars, termed debris Population III.1 stars, which grow to enormous sizes due to energy from a dark matter annihilation process. This theory aligns with many of Webb’s latest discoveries.

In his publication, Tan presents another prediction that may illuminate our understanding of the universe’s origins.

“Our model indicates that the ultra-large star progenitors of black holes ionize the surrounding hydrogen gas extremely quickly, signaling their emergence with a bright flash that permeates all space,” stated Professor Tan.

“Notably, this additional stage of ionization occurs at a significantly faster rate than seen in typical galaxies, potentially addressing recent challenges and discrepancies in cosmology.”

“This was an unexpected connection we identified during the development of the POP III.1 model, but it could have substantial significance.”

“Professor Tan has crafted a sophisticated model that elucidates the two-stage process of star formation and ionization in the early universe,” commented Professor Richard Ellis, a distinguished observational cosmologist from the University of London.

“The initial star, created from a brief, brilliant flash of light, may have since vanished. Thus, what we observed with Webb could represent a subsequent phase. The universe continues to amaze us with its surprises.”

Professor Tan’s paper is set to be published in the Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Jonathan C. Tan. 2025. POPIII.1 Flash ionization of the early universe by supermassive stars. apjl in press; Arxiv: 2506.18490

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists Suggest a Black Hole 300 Million Times the Sun’s Size Could Be a Gateway to the Universe’s Dawn.

Spectroscopy enables astronomers to detect traces of matter in stars, galaxies, and other cosmic entities. Black holes consume dust and encounter various phenomena around them; as material spirals into a black hole, it compresses and heats up. Stephen Finkelstein, a co-author and professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, noted that all of this can be observed through spectroscopy.

“We’re searching for these signatures of extremely fast gas,” Finkelstein explained. “We’re discussing speeds of 1,000, 2,000, and at times even 3,000 kilometers per second. There’s nothing else in the universe that moves this quickly, so we can confirm it must be the gas surrounding a black hole.”

Scientists have pinpointed a potential distant black hole candidate, which stands as the oldest candidate confirmed via spectroscopy, he added.

Researchers also find galaxies containing new black holes to be intriguing discoveries. According to Taylor, these galaxies belong to a class known as “Little Red Dots.”

While not much information is available about Little Red Dots, they were first detected by the James Webb Space Telescope. Some have been found relatively close by, but Finkelstein indicated that they are likely more prevalent in the early universe.

Investigating the Capers-Lrd-Z9 Galaxy may offer insights into the rarity of red dots and what defines their unique coloration, researchers noted. It could also shed light on the growth of these ancient black holes during the universe’s formative stages.

In subsequent studies, researchers aim to locate more black holes in the distant cosmos.

“We’re just going to examine a very limited section of the sky using the James Webb Space Telescope,” Finkelstein stated. “If we discover one thing, there ought to be more.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

What Makes the Universe’s Physical Constants Ideal for Life?

When observing the universe, we realize it can sustain life—if it couldn’t, we wouldn’t be here. This notion has been articulated numerous times throughout history, but it lies at the core of the philosophical debate known as the principle of humanity. While seemingly straightforward, it holds complexities.

This article is part of our special concept series, examining the intriguing perspectives scientists have on some of the most unexpected concepts in science. Click here for more information.

The universe seems to be delicately balanced on the edge of habitability, which leads to what scientists call “tweaking problems.” Several fundamental constants, from the mass of neutrons to gravity, require precise values for life to exist. “If some of these constants were larger, it could destabilize all atoms,” says Luke Burns from Western Sydney University, Australia.

The principles of humanity originated as a way to explain why the universe appears to be in this seemingly favorable condition, distilled into a simple idea: the universe must be this way, or we wouldn’t be here to observe it.

There are two central formulations of this principle, both articulated in a 1986 book by cosmologists John Barrow and Frank Tippler. The weak principle states that the basic constants of the universe must be in a state compatible with the existence of life—at least here and now. The strong principle goes further, asserting that these constants must lie within a range conducive to life, implying that the universe is designed to support it. This notion of “necessity” indicates that the universe exists to foster life.

If the weak principle suggests, “A tree falls in the forest and life must be able to thrive there,” the strong principle posits, “This planet is destined to have a forest where the tree can flourish.”

For contemporary scientists, the weak principle acts as a reminder of potential biases in our observations of the universe, especially if conditions are not uniform everywhere. “If we lived in a universe different from our current one, we’d find ourselves in conditions where life was feasible,” notes Shawn Carroll from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.

As for the strong formulation of the principle, some physicists, like Burns, find it useful. He is exploring various multiverse models and sees the strong principle as a practical benchmark. This implies there’s a 100% chance at least one life-supporting universe will arise within the multiverse framework. Therefore, the closer a multiverse model approaches this 100% likelihood, the more plausible it becomes. Conversely, if the probability is around 50%, he views it as a solid signal of the model’s validity. “But if it hits a square meter, we have a problem,” he states.

Despite its utility, most physicists regard the strong principle as overly deterministic. It implies life was always meant to be present, according to Elliot Thorber from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “However, the likelihood is minimal; life could have failed to emerge, and we would still be making the same observations.”

Where does that leave us? The strong extrinsic principle offers a solution to the fine-tuning dilemma, yet many consider it an irrational conclusion. In contrast, the weak principle doesn’t clarify why our universe’s constants are finely tuned, though it remains a valuable analytical tool for researchers. As principles go, this topic is quite complex.

Explore other stories in this series using the links below:

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Physicists Claim Gravity Arises from Our Universe’s Computational Processes

Melvin Vopson, a physicist from the University of Portsmouth, introduces a novel perspective on gravity.

This artist’s impression illustrates the evolution of the universe, starting with the Big Bang on the left. Then, the microwave background is depicted, followed by the formation of the first stars, which ends the dark ages of the universe, and continues with the emergence of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss/Harvard – Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

There is a theory positing that the entire universe is intrinsically informative and operates akin to a computational process, a perspective shared by many notable thinkers.

This line of thinking emerges from the domain of information physics, suggesting that physical reality is fundamentally composed of structured information.

In his latest paper, Dr. Vopson presents findings indicating that gravity stems from a computational process inherent in the universe.

He posits that gravity may be influenced by the organization of information related to matter throughout the universe.

Employing the second law of information dynamics, he demonstrates that universal matter and its objects could be considered as the universe endeavors to organize and compress information.

“My findings support the notion that the universe might operate like a vast computer, or that our reality represents a simulated configuration,” Dr. Vopson remarked.

“In the same way that computers strive to save space and enhance efficiency, the universe may do the same.”

“This presents a new outlook on gravity—it’s about the universe’s effort to stay organized, rather than simply pulling.”

Dr. Vopson has previously posited that information is fundamental and that all elementary particles harbor self-information, similar to how cells in biological entities carry DNA.

The current paper reveals how the spatial pixelation of fundamental cells serves as a medium for data storage, and how the information contained within these cells contributes to the physical properties and coordinates of space-time simulacra.

Each cell is capable of registering information in binary format, meaning an empty cell records a digital 0, while a cell containing matter records a digital 1.

“This process mirrors the design of a digital computer game, a virtual reality application, or other advanced simulations,” Dr. Vopson explained.

“As a single cell can accommodate multiple particles, the system evolves by relocating particles in space, merging them into a singular large particle within a single cell.”

“This sets the rules established in the computing system, causing attraction, which requires minimizing informational content and potentially reducing computational demand.”

“In simple terms, tracking and calculating the position and momentum of a single object is much more computationally efficient than managing multiple objects.”

“Therefore, gravitational attraction appears as yet another optimization mechanism within the computational process aimed at compressing information.”

“This study offers a fresh insight into gravity, affirming that its appeal arises from the fundamental urge to decrease information entropy in the universe.”

“The findings reveal significant conceptual and methodological distinctions, suggesting that gravity functions as a computational optimization process where matter self-organizes to lessen the complexity of encoding within space-time.”

“The broader implications of this work encompass fundamental physics topics, including black hole thermodynamics, dark matter, dark energy considerations, and potential links between gravity and quantum information theory.”

“The question of whether the universe is fundamentally a computational structure remains unresolved.”

This paper was published in the journal on April 25th, 2025, in AIP Advances.

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Melvin M. Vopson. 2025. Is there evidence of gravity in the computational universe? AIP Advances 15, 045035; doi:10.1063/5.0264945

Source: www.sci.news

Unattainable Particles Hinting at the Universe’s Greatest Secret

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                <img class="Image" alt="A new scientist. Science News and Long read from expert journalists covering science, technology, health, and environmental developments." width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=2006 2006w" loading="eager" fetchpriority="high" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2478096" data-caption="" data-credit="Adobe Stock"/>
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    <p>For over a decade, floating cranes have been lowering unusual cargo to depths of around 3,000 meters in the Mediterranean. These objects resemble something from a different realm: large, shiny spheres filled with electronic devices. In reality, they are detectors for a project called <a href="https://www.km3net.org/">KM3Net</a>, which aims to explore one of the most enigmatic fundamental particles.</p>
    <p>The facility has been in operation for only a few years. In 2023, <a href="https://www.cppm.in2p3.fr/web/en/pratical_info/directory/Y295bGVAY3BwbS5pbjJwMy5mcg==.html">Paschal Coyle</a> was astonished to discover a significant signal in the preliminary data. While it turned out to be a neutrino, it was unlike anything previously observed. "My program crashed when I first encountered this event," recalls Coyle, a physicist from the Centre for Particle Physics in Marseille, France.</p>

    <p>KM3Net detected neutrinos with roughly 35 times the energy of any previously recorded instances. These neutrinos were thousands of times more energetic than those produced by our best particle accelerators. Neutrinos are notoriously difficult to study as they interact very weakly with matter, making their detection elusive. This challenge was a key factor in placing the detectors on the ocean floor, a decision that seemed almost improbable.</p>
    <p>Now, the scientific community is racing to understand what could have generated this phenomenon in space. Astronomers are exploring two primary theories, both of which delve into some of the universe's most profound mysteries. Unraveling the origin of this particle will enhance our understanding of neutrinos and...</p>
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Source: www.newscientist.com

Webb finds a Milky Way-like spiral galaxy in ancient universes

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope discovered a very ancient grand design spiral galaxy that existed just a billion years after the Big Bang. Named Zhúlóng (Torch Dragon), this galaxy is the most distant bulging disc galaxy candidate for which spiral arms have been known to date.

This image of Zhúlóng, the furthest spiral galaxy discovered to date, shows its very well-defined spiral arm, old bulge in the middle, and a large star-forming disc resembling the structure of the Milky Way. Image credits: NASA/CSA/ESA/M. Xiao, University of Geneva/G. Brammer, Niels Bohr Institute/Dawn JWST Archive.

Large spiral galaxies like our Milky Way are expected to take billions of years to form.

For the first billion years of universe history, galaxies are considered small, chaotic and irregular.

However, Webb is beginning to reveal very different photos.

Telescope deep infrared imaging reveals surprisingly large and well-structured galaxies much earlier than previously expected.

Among these new findings is Zhúlóng, the most distant spiral galaxy candidate ever identified, seen at a redshift of 5.2.

Despite this early period, galaxies exhibit surprisingly mature structures. Old bulge in the middle, large star-forming discs, spiral arms – a feature usually found in nearby galaxies.

“What stands out for Zhúlóng is both how similar it is to the Milky Way, its shape, size and star mass,” says Dr. Mengyuan Xiao, a postdoctoral researcher at Unige.

“The disc spans over 60,000 light years, comparable to our own galaxy, and the star contains over 100 billion solar masses.”

“This makes it one of the most persuasive Milky Way analogs discovered at such an early age, raising new questions about how a large, ordered spiral galaxy will form right after the Big Bang.”

The Zhúlóng Galaxy was discovered as part of a panoramic investigation.

“The findings highlight the possibility of purely parallel programs to reveal rare, distant objects that stress-test galaxy formation models,” says Dr. Christina Williams, a No-Arab astronomer and lead researcher of the Panorama Program.

Spiral structures were previously thought to take billions of years, but large galaxies were not expected to exist much later in the universe.

“The discovery shows that Webb is fundamentally changing the way we see the universe in its early days,” says Professor Pascal Oesch, an astronomer at Unige and a co-researcher of the Panorama Program.

a paper The discovery was published in the journal today Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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Mengyuan Xiao et al. 2025. Panorama: Discovery of a super gentle grand design spiral galaxy from z to 5.2. A&A 696, A156; doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202453487

Source: www.sci.news

Can universes contain dark matter halos without any galaxies?

A new study by computational astrophysicist Ethan Nadler from the University of California, San Diego, shows that star formation can occur at halos in the solar masses of 10 million people through molecular hydrogen cooling.

Nadler calculated the percentage of dark matter halos above the critical mass required for star formation. Image credit: Xiaodian Chen.

All galaxies are thought to form at the center of the dark matter halo. This is a region of material coupled to gravity that extends far beyond the galaxy’s visible boundary.

Stars form when gravity within the halo of dark matter draws gases, but astrophysicists still don’t know if there is a dark halo of matter without stars.

“What is the halo mass threshold for the galaxy layer?” said Dr. Nadler.

“This question underlies the key areas of research in galaxy formation and cosmology, including when and how the first galaxy was formed, how galaxies promote the regeneration of the universe, and whether halos of “dark” (without galaxies) exist.

“Robust predictions of galaxy formation thresholds are important to provide future observations of faint galaxies and low-mass halos throughout the history of the universe.”

In his new study, Dr. Nadler calculated the mass that Halo cannot form stars.

His research was conducted using analytical predictions from galaxy formation theory and cosmological simulations.

“Historically, understanding of dark matter has been related to behavior in the galaxy,” Dr. Nadler said.

“When you detect a completely dark halo, a new window opens to study the universe.”

Previously, this threshold for star formation was thought to be between 100 million and 1 billion solar masses due to cooling of atomic hydrogen gas.

The current study shows that star formation can occur in the solar mass of 10 million people at halos via molecular hydrogen cooling.

“The Rubin Observatory will be coming online later this year and Webb is already making unprecedented observations of our universe, so we’ll soon have new data to test these predictions, revealing whether there’s a completely dark halo,” Dr. Nadler said.

“This could have widespread consequences for cosmology and the nature of dark matter.”

study It will be displayed in Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Ethan O. Nadler. 2025. Effect of molecular hydrogen cooling on galaxy formation thresholds. apjl 983, L23; doi:10.3847/2041-8213/adbc6e

Source: www.sci.news

Exploring the Time Expansion in the Universe’s Landscape

Imagine looking over a beautiful view. The sun peers closely at the snowy peaks of the mountains in the distance, passing through gentle hills with rivers. There is something wonderful about looking at the outlines of a majestic landscape.

It may not be obvious when you see the night sky, but the universe has its own landscape – the galaxy filaments are separated by empty spaces. We've known this for a long time. But now, a group of cosmologists are taking things further, suggesting that the universe has not only landscapes but also timescapes. The idea is that time flows differently depending on where it is.

To say this is against grain is an understatement. We have always thought that at a large scale, time runs at the same speed across the universe. However, in this photo, known as Timescape Cosmology, there is a large patch of the universe that is ticking over billions of years, for billions of years more than we normally imagine.

It may sound strange, but it is the simple elegance of this idea that seduces physicists. Funny physics has nothing to do with it. It arises naturally from established theories. “It's part of the structure of the general theory of relativity,” the inventor says David Wiltshire At the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. “It's not just a part…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Exploring Unprecedented Universes: Using Ultra-Fast Measurements with Nuclear Clocks

Humans have been striving to measure the world we live in for a long time. Our measurement systems and units help us comprehend ourselves and our environment, whether we are dealing with basic physics theories or not.

When we measure something, we compare it to a standard benchmark to ensure accuracy and stability. The current benchmark for time is the atomic clock, which relies on the precise energy levels of electrons in an atom.

Atomic clocks, however, have limitations due to environmental factors affecting the energy levels within the atom. This has led to the exploration of nuclear clocks, especially using the rare thorium-229 isotope.

Thorium-229 has unique characteristics that make it an ideal candidate for creating nuclear clocks. Its nucleus has closely spaced energy levels that can provide more stable measurements of frequency and time compared to atomic clocks.

The recent advancements in using thorium-229 for nuclear clocks have opened up new possibilities for accurate time measurements and potential breakthroughs in fundamental physics theories.

Why go to the nuclear?

Nuclear clocks offer greater stability and accuracy compared to atomic clocks due to the small size of the nucleus and reduced influence from external factors. By utilizing thorium-229 and its unique energy levels, nuclear clocks can revolutionize time measurements.

These advancements in time measurement are not only essential for navigation and communication systems but also play a crucial role in testing fundamental physics theories such as relativity.

Accurate clocks can also help in exploring dark matter and understanding its interactions with normal matter. Nuclear clocks provide a more precise benchmark for detecting the effects of dark matter on time measurements.

What’s next?

The next step after harnessing thorium-229 for nuclear clocks is to develop a functional and reliable clock system. This involves stabilizing a laser to the frequency corresponding to nuclear energy levels and constructing a robust clock design.

While there are challenges in developing nuclear clocks, the potential for unprecedented accuracy in time measurement is promising. These advancements require in-depth calculations and understanding of fundamental forces like quantum chromodynamics (QCD).

Overall, the progress in nuclear clocks signifies a new era in precise timekeeping and could lead to significant advancements in our understanding of the universe and fundamental physics theories.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Existential Cosmology: Embracing the Possibility of the Universe’s Disappearance

Billions, perhaps trillions of years from now, long after the sun has swallowed the Earth, cosmologists predict the universe will end. Some people wrestle with whether they are likely to collapse under the weight of the Big Crunch or become an infinitely empty Big Freeze that will continue to expand forever. Some believe that the end of our universe will be determined by a mysterious energy that rips the universe apart.

But there is a more immediate cataclysm that may already be heading towards us at the speed of light. They call it “big sip.”

The slurp in question begins with a quantum fluctuation, causing the bubble to roll through space like a cosmic tsunami, obliterating everything in its path. We should take this possibility seriously, says John Ellis of King's College London. In fact, the question is not so much if this apocalypse will happen, but when. “It could be happening as we speak,” he says.

Theorists like Ellis are actually surprised that such a catastrophe has not yet occurred in the observable universe. But rather than take our precarious existence for granted, they use the obvious fact that we are still here as a tool. The idea is that some weird physics is protecting us.

This kind of existential cosmology also helps physicists filter through the myriad models of the universe, and could tell us how the universe began in the first place. “Maybe you need something to stabilize it. [the universe]And it could be new physics.'' arthu rajanti

Source: www.newscientist.com

In Search of the Universe’s First Supernova

The universe has changed significantly in the 14 billion years since its creation. It was a dusty start, and all chemical elements were missing at that time. Stars form as the universe evolves, and astronomers classify them into three groups: population. The youngest, most metal-rich stars like the Sun are classified as Population I, while old, metal-poor stars are classified as Population II.

Astronomers also classify the oldest metal-free stars as Population III or pop. III. To date, no astronomer has discovered a Pop. III star due to their theoretical age being older than the Milky Way and other surrounding galaxies, requiring telescopes to explore extreme distances.

An international team of scientists proposed a new approach to searching for Pop. III stars by expanding the search to include supernova explosions, improving the odds of discovering these ancient stars.

The research team focused on a type of supernova explosion called a white dwarf reignited by injection of a substance, resulting in flare-ups like Type Ia supernova.

To test their hypothesis, astronomers used a stellar astrophysics experimental code module called mesa to conduct simulations. Through these simulations, they found that Pop. III stars could indeed produce type Ia supernovae, debunking previous doubts. They then estimated the frequency of these supernovae in observable regions of space.

Based on their calculations, scientists could expect to find up to two Pop. III Type Ia supernovae in a three-year mission covering 0.002% of the sky. They emphasized the need for telescopes like JWST, which can observe extreme distances of 24 billion light-years.

While their discovery relies on assumptions about unseen physics, the researchers believe that most distant supernovae come from ancient stars, potentially allowing us to witness events from billions of years ago.


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Source: sciworthy.com

The Search for the Revolutionary Star: Uncovering the Universe’s Game-Changer

Akinbostansi/Getty Images

No turning point in the history of the universe surpasses the birth of the first stars. As stars flickered into existence some 200 to 400 million years after the Big Bang, the energy they emitted ripped apart the atoms of the gas that had cooled the universe, reheating it in a process called reionization. Then, as the stars burned out and died, they created a cocktail of chemical elements that prepared the universe to give rise to galaxies, planets, and eventually life itself.

It's no wonder astronomers are itching to get a glimpse of this first generation of stars. To start with, they were spectacular: huge and blisteringly bright, thought to be 300 times more massive and 10 times hotter than the Sun. But observing them could also tell us a lot about the mysterious early stages of the Universe, particularly how the universe came to be flooded with supermassive black holes in an incredibly short space of time.

Now we may finally be on the brink. Earlier this year, astronomers reported that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), by fixing its excellent field of view on the outer edges of very distant galaxies, may already have seen evidence of the first stars. “The observations we can now make really expand our knowledge,” says Hannah Ubler of the University of Cambridge.

The signal may turn out to be a false alarm, but what's interesting right now is that other researchers are starting to look at different features of the light from the early universe, even suggesting that it might be the first stars.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Unraveling the origins of the universe’s first stars

Recently, the James Webb Telescope (JWST) made a groundbreaking observation of a distant galaxy. These early galaxies challenge our understanding of galaxy formation and the physics of the early universe, appearing as bright, massive, fuzzy red dots.

One of JWST’s latest discoveries is the presence of “Tyrannosaurus Rex” Stars in a distant galaxy. The spectrum of this galaxy indicates a significant amount of carbon, raising questions about the origin of these stars.


These early stars are believed to be massive, unknown entities, and the carbon could be a remnant from their existence.

Early stars are rare because they formed in a pristine environment before the universe was polluted with heavy elements. Star formation was more challenging in this simpler time.

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Stars typically begin as balls of hydrogen gas that undergo nuclear fusion reactions to convert hydrogen into other elements.

Star formation requires cooling and compressing gas to ignite nuclear fusion reactions. Dust plays a crucial role in cooling the gas by absorbing and releasing energy during collisions.

The lack of heavy elements like carbon in the early universe posed a challenge for star formation. The first stars were likely more massive and exploded as supernovae, dispersing heavy elements and enabling the formation of stars like our sun.

Through observations of distant galaxies, JWST is providing insights into the origins of the universe and our place in it.

While we may not see the “space dinosaurs,” studying their remnants helps us understand how their existence paved the way for life on Earth.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The universe’s size and shape as revealed by space-time

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

In a sense, we are at the center of the universe. But that’s because we see the same distance in every direction, and the observable universe is perfectly spherical. Due to the limitations of the speed of light and the inexorable expansion of the universe, we can see about 46 billion light years away in every direction. What is beyond this horizon? That is a mystery that will never be solved.

But there are clues. The overall size of the universe is governed by two competing effects: gravity and dark energy. All matter has mass, which causes gravity, pulling everything to everything else. But to their surprise, early 20th-century cosmologists discovered that distant galaxies appear to be moving away from us at incredible speeds. The mysterious force that causes this strange expansion of space is called dark energy, and its nature remains a mystery to this day.

“Before we discovered dark energy and accelerating expansion, the universe was much simpler,” the cosmologist says. Wendy Friedman Researchers at the University of Chicago say that without dark energy, the universe would be much smaller, making its size easier to predict.

Even with dark energy, the universe may only be slightly larger than we can see. Jean-Luc LehnersHe then worked at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Germany. Jerome Quintin University of Waterloo, Canada The model was published It suggests that the period of rapid expansion just after the Big Bang, the so-called inflation, may have been even shorter than we thought, making the universe smaller…

Source: www.newscientist.com

The Power of Music to Discover the Universe’s Hidden Secrets

Music and physics are two disciplines that transcend mere study to become intertwined aspects of human creativity. This hidden harmony between music and physics has been acknowledged by luminaries such as Albert Einstein, who expressed a longing for music had he not pursued physics.

As someone who navigates both fields, I have uncovered deeper connections between them. My journey began in the Bronx, where the worlds of hip hop and science collided in unexpected ways. Later, while studying at Imperial College London, I witnessed the fusion of artistic expression and scientific inquiry in Brian Eno’s studio.

This intersection between art and science inspired me to explore further and led me to write the book “Physics Jazz.” Through this exploration, I delved into the commonalities between music and physics, from improvisation to quantum uncertainty.

My passion for sharing these discoveries prompted the creation of the course “Jazz in Modern Physics” at Brown University, bridging the gap between disciplines and offering students a new way to appreciate the symphony of the universe through mathematics and melody.

Believing in the transformative power of education, I founded the “Sound + Science” after-school program to provide underserved students with an opportunity to explore the fusion of music and physics through hands-on experimentation and collaboration.

This fusion of art and science celebrates human ingenuity and the interconnectedness of the universe. In embracing this harmonious blend, we can unlock the mysteries of the universe and delve into the depths of the human soul.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com