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Do ‘bouncing universes’ have a beginning?

A new study by University at Buffalo physicists Will Kinney and Nina Stein reveals that the latest cyclic model introduces a new problem: the universe must have a beginning. This finding contradicts previous theories, which aimed to address entropy concerns by proposing endless cycles of expansion and contraction.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·DateAug 9, 2022

Astronomers develop novel way to ‘see’ the first stars through the fog of the early Universe

A team of astronomers has developed a novel way to observe the first stars and galaxies, detecting light through the fog of the early Universe. The Square Kilometre Array will likely make images of the earliest light, but current telescopes struggle to detect the cosmological signal through hydrogen clouds.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateJul 21, 2022

Hubble Space Telescope captures largest near-infrared image to find universe’s rarest galaxies

The Hubble Space Telescope has released the largest near-infrared image ever taken, allowing researchers to map star-forming regions and understand how the earliest galaxies originated. This high-resolution survey will enable the identification of rare objects such as massive galaxies, highly active black holes, and colliding galaxies.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeImaging analysis·DateJun 6, 2022

Cosmological gravitational waves: A new approach to reach back to the Big Bang

A new study by the POLARBEAR collaboration provides a new correction algorithm that allows for almost double the amount of reliable data on Cosmological Gravitational Waves (CGWs), produced during Inflation in the early Universe. This enhances our understanding of the signal and brings us closer to observing CGWs.

SourceScuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateJun 6, 2022

Phase transitions in the early universe and their signals

A University of Helsinki research team used holographic duality to model early universe phase transitions and their potential impact on gravitational wave signals. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests that such collisions could create powerful ripples in spacetime detectable by satellite missions like LISA.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 19, 2022

Astronomers reveal remarkable simulations of the early universe, from the Dark Ages through First Light

Researchers at the Center for Astrophysics created a suite of simulations named Thesan, resolving interactions in the early universe with unprecedented detail. The simulations capture properties of early galaxies and how light impacts gas, spanning over 300 million light years across.

SourceCenter for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateMar 24, 2022

Towards quantum simulation of false vacuum decay

By shaking an optical lattice potential, researchers realized a discontinuous phase transition in a strongly correlated quantum gas, opening the door to quantum simulations of false vacuum decay in the early universe. This work provides a flexible platform for exploring the role of quantum fluctuations in first-order phase transitions.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature Physics·DateJan 20, 2022

Closing in on the first light in the Universe

Researchers have reduced background noise using new antennas in the Australian hinterland, allowing them to refine their search for a 13-billion-year-old signal known as the Epoch of Reionisation. By surveying over 80,000 radio signal sources, they produced models that significantly improved efforts to locate the elusive signal.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D)·JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Australia·TypeObservational study·DateDec 14, 2021

How a supermassive black hole originates

A team of researchers has proposed a new explanation for the origin of supermassive black holes, suggesting that they are formed through the collapse of a massive seed black hole produced by the gravitational instability of a dark matter halo. This process, known as gravothermal collapse, can lead to the creation of a seed black hole w...

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateJun 16, 2021

New study suggests supermassive black holes could form from dark matter

A new theoretical study suggests that supermassive black holes could form directly from dark matter in high-density regions, contradicting current understanding of their formation. This proposal has key implications for cosmology and the early Universe, potentially explaining how supermassive black holes grew so quickly.

SourceRoyal Astronomical Society·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateFeb 24, 2021

Astronomical instrument hunts for ancient metal

Researchers have developed a new instrument that can analyze the chemical signatures of distant quasars, providing insight into the origins of metals like iron. By studying these ancient galactic cores, scientists hope to refine their understanding of the early universe and its role in forming the elements necessary for life.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateNov 30, 2020

ALMA sees most distant Milky Way look-alike

Astronomers using ALMA have discovered the most distant Milky Way look-alike galaxy, SPT0418-47, which is surprisingly unchaotic and appears as a ring of light in the sky. The discovery challenges our understanding of how galaxies form and gives new insights into the past of the Universe.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateAug 12, 2020

Subaru telescope detects the shadow of a gas cloud in an ancient proto-supercluster

Researchers used Subaru Telescope to create extensive map of neutral hydrogen gas in ancient proto-supercluster. The study revealed the region is rich in gas, which is a major building block of galaxies. Gas distribution does not align perfectly with galaxies' distribution within the proto-supercluster.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateMar 28, 2017