Researchers have found evidence of a 'magneto-rotational hypernova', a previously unknown type of cataclysm that could explain the presence of high amounts of uranium and zinc in ancient stars. The discovery, published in Nature, reveals a new pathway for the formation of heavy elements in the infant universe.
Researchers have found that the polarisation plane of visible light in blazars sometimes rotates, coinciding with repeated gamma ray bursts. The study also described the structure of the inner part of the jets, revealing a fast spine surrounded by a slower sheath with ring condensations.
Astronomers have explained Betelgeuse's sudden dimming by a cloud of dust formed from stardust, which temporarily blocked the star's light. The discovery was made using new images taken with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.
A study reveals that black holes have an unexpected effect on galaxy evolution, influencing the formation of stars in satellite galaxies at vast distances. The research found a clear modulation of star formation rates depending on a galaxy's orientation with respect to its central black hole.
The discovery of UGC 10738 reveals that galaxies with similar structures and properties are likely common. The galaxy's thick disc consists mainly of ancient stars, while its thin disc stars are more recent and contain more metal.
Researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian are using a $2.8 million grant to test their theory that astronomy can be an early gateway to attract youth to STEM fields. The program, YouthAstroNet, has already shown positive results in increasing interest and confidence among students from underrepresented groups.
Researchers used neural networks to simulate complex universes, reducing computation time by a thousandth. The new method allows for both high resolution and large volume simulations, holding the potential for major advances in numerical cosmology and astrophysics.
Researchers observed the first-ever galaxy in a 'blow-away' state, which suggests that small galaxies were responsible for reionization. The study reveals that intense star-formation can cause galaxies to lose their hydrogen clouds, allowing high energy light to escape.
The Octo-Tiger code simulates stellar mergers with superior speeds and accuracy, allowing for more detailed simulations and exploration of new parameter space. The research demonstrates the code's performance on Australia's fastest supercomputer, showcasing its potential for tackling complex astrophysical problems.
Astronomers have released a new all-sky map of the Milky Way's outer halo, revealing a massive reservoir of dark matter. The map also shows a wake of stars stirred up by the Large Magellanic Cloud, set to collide with the Milky Way in about 2 billion years.
The astronomy industry has a long way to go before achieving gender parity, with women making up less than one-third of professional astronomers by 2080. Implementing 50:50 hiring ratios and retention initiatives, such as exit surveys and work-life balance improvements, can help reach the goal of 30% female representation in a decade.
Data from 19 observatories reveal insight into M87's behavior, spin, and energy output, improving tests of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The observations also shed light on cosmic rays and their origin.
A new study highlights scenarios where a rocky planet around a sun-like star could have oxygen in its atmosphere without life. Astronomers say next-generation telescopes need to characterize planetary environments and detect multiple lines of evidence to distinguish false positives from signs of life.
The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program has awarded fellowships to 24 postdoctoral scientists to pursue independent research in astrophysics. The selected researchers will focus on three broad scientific questions: How does the universe work?, How did we get here?, and Are we alone?
Ellen Price, a doctoral student at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, has been awarded the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship from the Heising-Simons Foundation. The fellowship will provide up to $375,000 in support for Price to conduct independent research in planetary astronomy over the next three years.
Astronomers have captured the first-ever image of a black hole's magnetic fields, revealing that polarized light reveals the structure of these fields just outside the event horizon. This breakthrough observation will help scientists understand how energy is extracted from spinning black holes to produce powerful jets.
Researchers detect over a dozen unexpected molecules in Taurus Molecular Cloud, revealing complex chemistry in interstellar space. The discovery sheds light on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their potential impact on asteroid composition and planet formation.
The HAWC Gamma Ray Observatory has discovered the origin of the highest-energy cosmic rays in the galaxy, which are traced to the Cygnus OB2 star-forming region. This breakthrough resolves a long-standing question in astrophysics and sheds light on the mechanisms that accelerate these particles to petaelectronVolt energies.
A new study advances a decisive test to investigate the origin of solar-mass black holes, which may be connected to dark matter. The research suggests that such black holes could have formed in the early Universe, contradicting conventional stellar evolution astrophysics.
Rice University physicists have discovered a way to trap the world's coldest plasma in a magnetic bottle, advancing research into clean energy, space weather, and astrophysics. The ultracold plasma has applications for studying solar wind interactions, fusion power, and understanding plasma behavior in complex locations.
A team of researchers used radioactivity in meteorites to study the cosmic origin of heaviest elements, shedding light on violent stellar explosions. The study found that specific astronomical events, such as neutron star collisions, likely created these heavy elements.
The SETI Institute has selected 30 teachers from 10 states to participate in the NASA-funded Airborne Astronomy Ambassador program. The program aims to improve science teaching and increase student learning and STEM engagement through immersive astrophysics and planetary science training.
Research reveals large galaxies steal molecular gas from smaller satellite galaxies, impacting star formation rates. The study provides new systematic evidence of gas loss through ram pressure stripping, leading to galaxy stagnation without gas acquisition.
The SAMI survey has revealed the internal structures of galaxies, showing how they interact and grow over time. The study provides insights into the forces that shape galaxy evolution, including the role of supermassive black holes.
Research reveals that galaxies with larger, 'puffy' disks continue to form stars over a longer period after cosmic noon. This is due to the cooler gas and lower influence of black holes, allowing for continued star formation. By studying galaxy disk size, astronomers can now accurately predict when star formation will cease.
Astronomers at the Center for Astrophysics have detected a cloud-free exoplanet, WASP-62b, which is similar to Jupiter. The discovery was made using spectroscopy and revealed the presence of sodium in the planet's atmosphere. This finding provides valuable insights into the formation and composition of such rare planets.
The Roman Space Telescope will enable new science in astrophysics by imaging an area 100 times larger than Hubble with the same crisp sharpness. It could reveal new insights into star formation during the universe's youth and galaxy clustering, as well as study the early universe and cosmic dawn.
Astronomers have estimated the universe's age to be nearly 14 billion years old using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the European Space Agency's Planck satellite. The findings match the predictions of the standard model of the universe, resolving a discrepancy that had sparked debate in the astrophysics community.
A new machine learning algorithm has classified over 2,300 supernovae with an accuracy rate of 82%, using real data from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. The classifier was trained on a subset of supernovae with spectra and then applied to the remaining data, achieving high accuracy rates.
Scientists warn that limited resources on the moon could lead to overcrowding and conflict as site selection and extraction become reality. A framework for managing these challenges already exists, drawing from analogs on Earth like common-pool resources.
A study of ancient star orbits reveals unexpected patterns, contradicting previous assumptions about the Galaxy's metal-poor stars. The research, conducted by a team of astronomers, found that some of these stars orbit in previously unpredicted paths, similar to the Sun's path within the disk.
Researchers spot potential magnetar birth from neutron star merger, which resulted in a brilliant kilonova, the brightest ever seen. The team's findings challenge conventional thinking and offer insights into the physics behind extreme energy explosions.
Researchers used black hole images to test Einstein's general relativity, identifying modifications that cannot be significantly different from the theory. The new analysis provides a tighter gauge for testing gravity theories, constraining deviations from general relativity even further.
A University of Colorado Boulder astrophysicist is searching the light coming from a distant magnetar, PSR J1745-2900, for signs of dark matter. The scientist hopes to detect the faint signals of an axion particle transforming into light.
A new analysis of galaxy evolution finds that neutron star collisions do not create the quantity of chemical elements previously assumed. Instead, an entirely different sort of stellar phenomenon - unusual supernovae with strong magnetic fields - is responsible for making most of the heavy elements, including gold.
Astronomers have discovered a discrepancy between theoretical models and Hubble observations of galaxy clusters, suggesting a potential gap in our understanding of dark matter. The study used unprecedentedly detailed observations to map the distribution of dark matter on small scales.
A recent study published in Nature has zoomed in on dark matter haloes of varying masses, revealing a surprising similarity in their internal structure. The research team used supercomputers to simulate the evolution of the universe and found that even small haloes have dense centers and spread-out outer regions.
Scientists have observed the heaviest black hole merger yet, with a massive object forming through a previous merger of two smaller black holes. This discovery pushes the boundaries of our understanding of astrophysics and provides new opportunities to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.
A team of astrophysicists observes newborn stars' magnetospheric accretion region for the first time, providing insight into star formation mechanisms. The study uses the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) and GRAVITY instrument to measure angular size and prove magnetospheric accretion taking place close to stellar surfaces.
Carnegie Mellon University has received a $500,000 planning grant to develop AI research and interdisciplinary collaborations in astrophysics, subatomic physics, and biophysics. The university aims to promote cross-disciplinary interactions and encourage new collaborations to advance fundamental fields.
Auralee Edelen's work uses machine learning to streamline particle accelerator operations, while Wai Ling Wu explores mysteries in astrophysics and cosmology. The Panofsky Fellowship provides funding for five years of research.
Researchers have discovered an unusual pulsar in a binary system with two neutron stars of different masses, which could provide vital clues about unsolved mysteries in astrophysics. The discovery, published in Nature, sheds light on the expansion rate of the Universe and the nature of exotic matter that makes up neutron star interiors.
Researchers at Penn State suggest that supermassive black hole coronae could be the source of high-energy cosmic neutrinos, exceeding expectations. The new model predicts electromagnetic counterparts in soft gamma-rays, with next-generation detectors poised to explore this possibility.
A team of astronomers has detected a periodic pattern of fast radio bursts from an unknown source outside our galaxy, 500 million light years away. The pattern repeats every 16 days and is the most definitive one seen from a FRB source, offering a clue to the physics behind these intense flashes of radio waves.
Researchers found that newborn particles interacting with powerful electromagnetic fields produce pulsars' unique beams of radio waves. The discovery could improve pulsar timing arrays and shed light on fast radio bursts.
Scientists used complex network theory to analyze nuclear reaction networks, identifying stable nuclides and patterns in thermonuclear reactions. The study revealed that certain reaction patterns fade away or change shape as the number of protons reaches a certain threshold.
Astronomers have captured an image of a super-rare type of galaxy with a 'ring of fire' structure, existing 11 billion years ago. This discovery is expected to shake up theories about the earliest formation of galactic structures and how they evolve.
Researchers developed a deep-learning framework called Morpheus to perform pixel-level morphological classifications of objects in astronomical images. The tool can handle complex images and provide detailed classification results with confidence levels.
A study published in the Astrophysical Journal reveals that massive galaxies attain their size by merging with smaller ones. Researchers used a combination of observation and modelling to analyze how gases within galaxies move, finding evidence that many stars have been acquired from outside.
The Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) is being upgraded with a new capability to produce beams of heavy atomic nuclei consisting of 126 neutrons, a 'magic number', for nuclear structure and astrophysics research. This upgrade will help scientists test a reigning theory on the formation of heavy elements.
New study reveals that simultaneous X-ray and gravitational wave observations of supermassive black hole collisions will provide unprecedented insights into cosmic events. The European Space Agency's Athena and LISA missions, set to launch in the 2030s, will enable astronomers to study these phenomena in detail.
Astronomers have discovered a flock of young stars on the outskirts of the Milky Way, suggesting that material from nearby dwarf galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, is forming new stars. The discovery implies that a stream of gas extending from the galaxies is closer to crashing into the Milky Way than previously thought.
Researchers found that C60 buckyballs emit positronium signals in the same direction as incoming positrons at certain impact energies. This discovery could have implications for astrophysics, materials physics, and pharmaceutical research.
Researchers at NIST have developed methods to measure the efficiency of five single-photon detectors, which are used in various applications such as optical communications and astrophysics. The study provides a tool for verifying future detection standards and aims to improve accuracy and reliability in these devices.
A new AI-powered computer model has been developed to identify early signs of dementia, potentially improving diagnosis rates in the UK. The model, created by a collaboration between astrophysicists and medical researchers, can analyze patient records to predict 70% of dementia cases before a formal diagnosis.
A new review analysis published in Nature Astronomy finds that increasing diversity among astronomers can lead to significant research discoveries and improved innovation. The study highlights progress in gender equity, with initiatives such as the Pleiades Awards leading to a culture change in Australian astronomy.
A team of scientists used data from NASA's Kepler telescope to calculate that the thick disc of the Milky Way is about 10 billion years old. This finding resolves a long-standing question about the age distribution of stars in the disc.
The Hubble Space Telescope has studied the gamma-ray burst GRB 190114C, emitting record-breaking energy of 1 TeV. Scientists observed this extremely high-energy emission from a collapsing star at nearly 99.999% of the speed of light, providing new insights into gamma-ray bursts and their environments.
The study reveals the location of the most energetic outburst ever seen, sitting in a dense environment within a bright galaxy 5 billion light years away. The high-energy radiation was produced by a collapsing star at nearly the speed of light, creating a shock that triggered the gamma-ray burst.
Researchers analyzed 1418 galaxies and found small ones spin differently than large ones. The alignment changes as galaxies collide and merge with others, gaining mass. The study offers insight into the deep structure of the universe and how galaxies form.