Using the shadows of clusters to measure the universe
Astronomers have begun using a sophisticated suite of simulations, an advanced machine learning model of the formation of galaxy clusters, and an exotic relationship between galaxies to understand the origins of dark matter and dark energy......»»
Study uses thermodynamics to describe expansion of the universe
The idea that the universe is expanding dates from almost a century ago. It was first put forward by Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) in 1927 and confirmed observationally by American astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) two years l.....»»
Saturday Citations: Listening to bird dreams, securing qubits, imagining impossible billiards
It's Saturday, which means that in a universe where the arrow of time moves backward, people have to go to work tomorrow. In such a hypothetical universe, Garfield hates Fridays—tough to imagine. This week, we looked at several hundred breaking sci.....»»
Physicists solve puzzle about ancient galaxy found by Webb telescope
Last September, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, discovered JWST-ER1g, a massive ancient galaxy that formed when the universe was just a quarter of its current age. Surprisingly, an Einstein ring is associated with this galaxy. That's because.....»»
Fast radio bursts: Research introduces a novel approach to characterize their behavior
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) represent the most intense radio explosions in the universe. Since the first discovery in 2007, FRBs have garnered significant attention, culminating in the 2023 Shaw Prize in Astronomy. With yet unknown origin, these extreme.....»»
Traces of DNA in the stomachs of predatory snails provide new insights into the ecology of placozoans
Placozoans are among the simplest animals and occur worldwide in coastal waters. It was previously assumed that the tiny creatures, which measure just a few millimeters, live either on hard surfaces—such as rocks, corals, and mangrove roots—or fl.....»»
ATLAS provides first measurement of the W-boson width at the LHC
The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 slotted in the final missing piece of the Standard Model puzzle. Yet, it left lingering questions. What lies beyond this framework? Where are the new phenomena that would solve the universe's remaining mysteri.....»»
Team is first ever to measure qubits with ultrasensitive thermal detectors, evading Heisenberg uncertainty principle
Chasing ever-higher qubit counts in near-term quantum computers constantly demands new feats of engineering......»»
The sun was born when a dense gas cloud collapsed 4.6 billion years ago
While the upcoming total solar eclipse is a special moment to reflect on our place in the universe, scientists have been studying the birth of the sun and the formation of our solar system for a long time......»»
Mediterranean marine worm has developed eyes "as big as millstones"
Scientists are amazed at the discovery of a bristle worm with such sharp-seeing eyes that they can measure up to those of mammals and octopuses. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Lund University suspect that these marine worms may hav.....»»
The universe"s accelerated expansion might be slowing down
The universe is still expanding at an accelerating rate, but it may have slowed down recently compared to a few billion years ago, early results from the most precise measurement of its evolution yet suggested Thursday......»»
DESI first-year data delivers unprecedented measurements of expanding universe
Scientists have analyzed the first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument's quest to map the universe and unravel the mysteries of dark energy......»»
Is dark energy changing over time? A new survey suggests it could be
New results from a survey into dark energy show a look back 11 billion years into the past, with the largest ever 3D map of the universe......»»
Researchers say neutron stars are key to understanding elusive dark matter
Scientists may be one step closer to unlocking one of the great mysteries of the universe after calculating that neutron stars might hold a key to helping us understand elusive dark matter......»»
How NASA"s Roman Telescope will measure the ages of stars
Guessing your age might be a popular carnival game, but for astronomers it's a real challenge to determine the ages of stars. Once a star like our sun has settled into steady nuclear fusion, or the mature phase of its life, it changes little for bill.....»»
Study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive
A massive new global study led by the University of Copenhagen and University of Hohenheim has examined the effects of diversified agriculture. The conclusion is abundantly clear—positive effects increase with every measure, while negative effects.....»»
Pacific rock samples offer glimpse of active Earth 2.5 billion years ago
In Earth science, small details can help explain massive events. Rita Parai, an assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, uses precision equipment to measure trace lev.....»»
Dark energy might not be constant after all
First results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument offer hints of new physics. Enlarge / The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has made the largest 3D map of our universe to date. (credit: Claire Lamman/DESI c.....»»
Is the universe really a "dark forest" full of hostile aliens in hiding?
We have no good reason to believe that aliens have ever contacted Earth. Sure, there are conspiracy theories and some rather strange reports about harm to cattle, but nothing credible. Physicist Enrico Fermi found this odd. His formulation of the puz.....»»
Researchers use the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to make the largest 3D map of our universe
With 5,000 tiny robots in a mountaintop telescope, researchers can look 11 billion years into the past. The light from far-flung objects in space is just now reaching the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), enabling us to map our cosmos as i.....»»
Citizen scientists invited to collect data for NASA during eclipse
On April 8, 2024, as the moon passes between the sun and Earth, thousands of amateur citizen scientists will measure air temperatures and snap pictures of clouds. The data they collect will aid researchers who are investigating how the sun influences.....»»