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Category: cosmology – Page 29

Is our universe trapped inside a black hole? This James Webb Space Telescope discovery might blow your mind

As for these new JWST findings. Poplawski told Space.com: “It would be fascinating if our universe had a preferred axis. Such an axis could be naturally explained by the theory that our universe was born on the other side of the event horizon of a black hole existing in some parent universe.”

He added that black holes form from stars or at the centers of galaxies, and most likely globular clusters, which all rotate. That means black holes also rotate, and the axis of rotation of a black hole would influence a universe created by the black hole, manifesting itself as a preferred axis.

“I think that the simplest explanation of the rotating universe is the universe was born in a rotating black hole. Spacetime torsion provides the most natural mechanism that avoids a singularity in a black hole and instead creates a new, closed universe,” Poplawski continued. “A preferred axis in our universe, inherited by the axis of rotation of its parent black hole, might have influenced the rotation dynamics of galaxies, creating the observed clockwise-counterclockwise asymmetry.

Exploring the limits of power: Where quantum theory and the theory of relativity meet

Physics has a problem—their key models of quantum theory and the theory of relativity do not fit together. Now, Dr. Wolfgang Wieland from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is developing an approach that reconciles the two theories in a problematic area. A recently published paper that was published in Classical and Quantum Gravity gives hope that this could work.

There are four in the universe: gravity, electromagnetism, the weak and the strong interaction. While general relativity describes gravity, deals with the other three forces. This creates a problem: “As early as the 1930s, it was recognized that the two theories do not fit together,” explains Dr. Wieland, who leads a Heisenberg project on this topic at the Chair of Quantum Gravity at FAU.

Usually, this has no major consequences: general relativity is mainly used to calculate the behavior of large masses in the universe. Quantum theory, on the other hand, focuses on the world of the very smallest things. However, to better understand key phenomena such as the Big Bang or , a model is needed that unites both concepts—quantum gravity. General relativity states that all matter in a black hole is united at one tiny point. It is therefore important to understand how gigantic gravitational forces act in the microcosm, although this is where the laws of quantum mechanics actually apply.

Violent supernovae ‘triggered at least two Earth extinctions,’ study suggests

At least two mass extinction events in Earth’s history were likely caused by the “devastating” effects of nearby supernova explosions, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Keele University say these super-powerful blasts—caused by the death of a massive star—may have previously stripped our planet’s atmosphere of its ozone, sparked acid rain and exposed life to harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

They believe a supernova explosion close to Earth could be to blame for both the late Devonian and Ordovician extinction events, which occurred 372 and 445 million years ago respectively.

Black holes: Not endings, but beginnings? Theoretical study delves into ‘white holes’

Our understanding of black holes, time and the mysterious dark energy that dominates the universe could be revolutionized, as new University of Sheffield research helps unravel the mysteries of the cosmos.

Black holes—areas of space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape—have long been objects of fascination, with astrophysicists, and others dedicating their lives to revealing their secrets. This fascination with the unknown has inspired numerous writers and filmmakers, with novels and films such as “Interstellar” exploring these enigmatic objects’ hold on our collective imagination.

According to Einstein’s theory of , anyone trapped inside a black hole would fall toward its center and be destroyed by immense gravitational forces. This center, known as a singularity, is the point where the matter of a giant star, which is believed to have collapsed to form the black hole, is crushed down into an infinitesimally tiny point. At this singularity, our understanding of physics and time breaks down.

Researchers develop glass sensors for the Einstein Telescope

From 2035, the Einstein Telescope will be able to study gravitational waves with unprecedented accuracy. For the telescope, researchers from Jena have manufactured highly sensitive sensors made entirely of glass for the first time.

Gravitational waves are distortions of space-time caused by extreme astrophysical events, such as the collision of black holes. These waves propagate at the speed of light and carry valuable information about such events throughout the universe. In the future, the Einstein Telescope will measure these waves with unprecedented precision, making it a world-leading instrument for detecting .

In order to minimize the impact of noise on the measurements, the telescope is to be built up to 300 meters underground. But even there, there are still , caused, for example, by distant earthquakes or road traffic above ground. Highly sensitive vibration sensors will measure these remaining vibrations.

Synchrotron Radiation Could Explain Black Hole’s Flaring

Variability in the brightness of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A•, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, could emerge through synchrotron radiation emitted by electrons accelerated by the supermassive black hole’s accretion disk [1]. That is the finding of a team of astronomers led by Farhad Yusef-Zadeh at Northwestern University, Illinois. The researchers hope that their results could lead to deeper insights into the distinctive flaring patterns in the material that surrounds many black holes.

Weighing in at just over 4 million solar masses, Sgr A* is a supermassive black hole, which is fueled by the material it draws in from interstellar space. Since it is both relatively close by and vastly more massive than any other body in the Galaxy, Sgr A* provides astronomers with an ideal opportunity to study how fueling material is irradiated, captured, accreted, and ejected by a black hole. In particular, astronomers have identified short outbursts, or flares, in the near-infrared (NIR) emission from infalling material. In many cases, radiation at this frequency is a key tracer of flow dynamics within a black hole’s inner accretion disk and can hint at the mechanisms driving those flows.

Yusef-Zadeh’s team observed these flares several times between 2023 and 2024 using the NIR instrument aboard the JWST observatory. This instrument allowed the team to observe Sgr A* at two different NIR frequencies, which enabled the researchers to study both the time variability of the flares and their energy distribution.

Black hole X-ray binary SLX 1746-331 shows unusual outburst pattern

Chinese astronomers investigated the spectral and temporal properties of a black hole X-ray binary system known as SLX 1746-331, during its recent outburst. Results of the study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, could help us better understand the nature of this system and its behavior.

X-ray binaries are composed of a normal star or a white dwarf transferring mass onto a compact neutron star or a black hole. Based on the mass of the companion star, astronomers divide them into low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs).

SLX 1746-331 is a transient black hole LMXB at a distance of about 35,200 light years, discovered in 1985. After a 13-year-long period of quiescence, it entered an outburst in 2023, which peaked on March 14.

New recipe for gravity could unite Einstein’s general relativity with quantum physics — and probe the dark universe

If gravity arises from entropy, scientists could unite Einstein’s general relativity with the quantum realm while shedding light on dark matter and dark energy.

The Origins of Us: Where do we come from? | Deep Dive AI Podcast

This Deep Dive AI podcast discusses The Origins of Us: Evolutionary Emergence and The Omega Point Cosmology by Alex M. Vikoulov, Book I of The Science and Philosophy of Information eBook/audiobook series. This book serves as both an accessible introduction and a standalone work, exploring some of the most profound questions in science and philosophy.

In this epic work, Vikoulov delves into the origins of life, consciousness, and intelligence, examining topics such as abiogenesis, noogenesis, and the rise of Homo sapiens. The book also presents The Omega Point Cosmology, which envisions a teleological progression of intelligence toward a cosmic destiny. It blends scientific exploration with digital physics, complexity theory, and transcendental metaphysics, offering a novel perspective on the interconnectedness of information, mind, and reality.

*The Origins of Us: Evolutionary Emergence and the Omega Point Cosmology by Alex M. Vikoulov is available as a Kindle eBook and Audible audiobook:

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