Physics in the News

Thursday, September 4, 2014

New map locates Milky Way in neighborhood of 100,000 galaxies

A new map places the Milky Way (black dot) within a large supercluster of galaxies (white dots) by tracing the gravitational pull of galaxies toward one another. White filaments reveal the paths of galaxies moving toward a gravitational center in the new supercluster, dubbed "Laniakea." (Blue, low galaxy density; green, intermediate; red, high.) SDvision interactive visualization software by DP at CEA/Saclay, France)
A new map places the Milky Way (black dot) within a large supercluster of galaxies (white dots) by tracing the gravitational pull of galaxies toward one another. White filaments reveal the paths of galaxies moving toward a gravitational center in the new supercluster, dubbed “Laniakea.” (Blue, low galaxy density; green, intermediate; red, high.) (Credit: DP at CEA/Saclay, France)
via nationalgeographic

Small asteroid to safely pass close to Earth Sunday

via nasa

Researcher advances a new model for a cosmological enigma — dark matter

This three-dimensional map offers a first look at the web-like large-scale distribution of dark matter, an invisible form of matter that accounts for most of the Universe's imaginary mass. The map reveals a loose network of dark matter filaments, gradually collapsing under the relentless pull of gravity, and growing clumpier over time. The three axes of the box correspond to sky position (in right ascension and declination), and distance from the Earth increasing from left to right (as measured by cosmological redshift). Note how the clumping of the dark matter becomes more pronounced, moving right to left across the volume map, from the early Universe to the more recent Universe.
This three-dimensional map offers a first look at the web-like large-scale distribution of dark matter, an invisible form of matter that accounts for most of the Universe’s imaginary mass. The map reveals a loose network of dark matter filaments, gradually collapsing under the relentless pull of gravity, and growing clumpier over time. The three axes of the box correspond to sky position, and distance from the Earth increasing from left to right. Note how the clumping of the dark matter becomes more pronounced, moving right to left across the volume map, from the early Universe to the more recent Universe. (Credit: NASA/ESA/Richard Massey)
via ku.edu

Dark energy hunt gets weird

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Cosmologists have revealed intruiging new ways to probe the mystery of whether dark energy exists and how it might be accelerating the universe’s growth. (Credit: Picturegarden/Getty)
via newscientist

Watching ‘the clock’ at the LHC

As time ticks down to the restart of the Large Hadron Collider, scientists are making sure their detectors run like clockwork.Photo by Antonio Saba, CERN
As time ticks down to the restart of the Large Hadron Collider, scientists are making sure their detectors run like clockwork.  (Credit: Antonio Saba, CERN)
via symmetrymagazine

Mind-blowing science explained: Neutron stars “are basically atoms as big as mountains”

via salon

Ultracold atoms juggle spins with exceptional symmetry

Schematic representation of a spin-exchanging collision. Two atoms in different orbitals (blue and green) and different spin orientations (black arrows) collide. The two atoms exiting the collision have swapped their spins after interacting. Crucially, the process is independent of the two specific initial spin states. Credit: LMU-München / MPQ, Quantum Many Body Systems Division Read more at: http://phys.org
Schematic representation of a spin-exchanging collision. Two atoms in different orbitals (blue and green) and different spin orientations (black arrows) collide. The two atoms exiting the collision have swapped their spins after interacting. Crucially, the process is independent of the two specific initial spin states. (Credit: LMU-München / MPQ, Quantum Many Body Systems Division)
via phys.org

How the enormous mirrors on the world’s largest telescope are made

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is a ground-based extremely large telescope planned for completion in 2020.[5] It will consist of seven 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter primary segments,[6] with the resolving power of a 24.5 m (80.4 ft) primary mirror and collecting area equivalent to a 22.0 m (72.2 ft) one,[7] (which is about 368 square meters) (Credit: wiki, Tarantola)
via gizmodo

Cosmic forecast: Dark clouds will give way to sunshine

via phys.org

Do exoplanets transform between classes?

A new analysis suggests that hot super-Earths might be the skeletal remnants of hot Jupiters stripped of their atmospheres. The above image is an artist’s depiction of an early stage in the destruction of a hot Jupiter by its star. (Credit: NASA / GSFC / Reddy, S. Hall)
via skyandtelescope

Physics in the News

Monday, July 7, 2014

Fluids Flowing at the Nanoscale (VIDEO)

via theepochtimes

Solved: Signals Thought Originating from Habitable-Zone Planets (VIDEO)

via dailygalaxy

NASA OK’s spending on a new rocket built for deep space exploration

NASA plans to spend $6.8 billion of its funding for the SLS project. (Credit: NASA)
NASA plans to spend $6.8 billion of its funding for the SLS project. (Credit: NASA)
via venturebeat

Satellite X-ray observations reveal neutron star with donut-shaped magnetic field and axial wobble

An artist's impression of a magnetar with an intense torroidal magnetic field in its core. (Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
An artist’s impression of a magnetar with an intense torroidal magnetic field in its core. (Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
via phys.org

Small, but plentiful: How the faintest galaxies illuminated the early universe

A view of the entire simulation volume showing the large scale structure of the gas, which is distributed in filaments and clumps. The red regions are heated by UV light coming from the galaxies, highlighted in white. These galaxies are over 1000 times less massive than the Milky Way and contributed nearly one-third of the UV light during re-ionisation. The field of view of this image is 400,000 light years across, when the universe was only 700 million years old. (Credit: John Wise)
A view of the entire simulation volume showing the large scale structure of the gas, which is distributed in filaments and clumps. The red regions are heated by UV light coming from the galaxies, highlighted in white. These galaxies are over 1000 times less massive than the Milky Way and contributed nearly one-third of the UV light during re-ionisation. The field of view of this image is 400,000 light years across, when the universe was only 700 million years old. (Credit: John Wise)
via phys.org

Two years ago the discovery of the Higgs boson was announced. What’s new?

A worker rides on his bicycle in the CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) tunnel during maintenance works. (Credit:  AFP  / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
A worker rides on his bicycle in the CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) tunnel during maintenance works. (Credit: AFP / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
via theguardian

Physics in the News

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Biggest void in universe may explain cosmic cold spot

The mean imprint on the Cosmic Microwave Background of 50 supervoids. (Credit: BSA-3.0)
The mean imprint on the Cosmic Microwave Background of 50 supervoids. (Credit: BSA-3.0)
via newscientist

‘Atomic Man’ room opened for first time after radiation blast in 1976

The room that exposed a laboratory technician to a massive dose of radiation, which led to him being known as the “Atomic Man”, is to be entered for the first time since the incident in 1976. (Credit: AP)
via news.com.au

A record-breaking month for ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source

The accelerator-based pulse neutron source at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source operated steadily for users at the maximum design power of 1.4 megawatts June 26. (Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL)
The accelerator-based pulse neutron source at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source operated steadily for users at the maximum design power of 1.4 megawatts June 26. (Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL)
via phys.org

Gas streamer is spewing from the active galactic nucleus NGC 5548

gas streamer spewing from the active galactic nucleus of NGC 5548 – See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/gas-streamer-eclipses-agn/#sthash.6Ypl6HM8.dpuf
Map of the gas streamer spewing from the heart of NGC 5548. (Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI))
Map of the gas streamer spewing from the heart of NGC 5548. (Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI))
via skyandtelescope

‘Revolutionary’ Physics: Do Sterile Neutrinos Lurk in the Universe?

The detector for the MicroBooNe is gently lowered into place. (Credit: Fermilab)
The detector for the MicroBooNe is gently lowered into place.
(Credit: Fermilab)
via livescience
 

NASA’s carbon dioxide-hunting telescope reaches orbit

An artist's impression of how NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory will look in space. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
An artist’s impression of how NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory will look in space. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

via smh.com

NASA’s Pluto Probe Is Already Planning Its Next Job

Two multiple-exposure images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope showing Kuiper Belt objects, or KBOs, against a background of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. The two KBOs are roughly 4 billion miles from Earth. (Credit: NASA, ESA, SwRI, JHU/APL, New Horizons KBO Search Team)
Two multiple-exposure images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope showing Kuiper Belt objects, or KBOs, against a background of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. The two KBOs are roughly 4 billion miles from Earth. (Credit: NASA, ESA, SwRI, JHU/APL, New Horizons KBO Search Team)
via motherboard.vice.com

Physics in the News

Friday, June 20, 2014

Classic space science: UD physicist’s findings about space plasma become ‘classics’

Energy Arc, central electrode of a Plasma Lamp.
Energy Arc, central electrode of a Plasma Lamp.
via udel

New Observatory Takes Highest-Energy Particle Research to New Heights

As cosmic-ray particles are accelerated by a black hole in this artist's interpretation, they stream toward Earth as very-high-energy gamma-rays. Upon hitting the atmosphere, they produce a shower of particles that rain down on Earth. Most of these particles run out of energy before they hit sea level. Credit: Aurore Simonnet, Sonoma State University
As cosmic-ray particles are accelerated by a black hole in this artist’s interpretation, they stream toward Earth as very-high-energy gamma-rays. Upon hitting the atmosphere, they produce a shower of particles that rain down on Earth. Most of these particles run out of energy before they hit sea level. (Credit: Aurore Simonnet, Sonoma State University)
via space.com

New test may provide ‘smoking gun’ for modified gravity

A schematic picture of how researchers can observe galaxy peculiar velocities, “a cosmic dance of galaxies.” (Credit: Wojciech A. Hellwing)
A schematic picture of how researchers can observe galaxy peculiar velocities, “a cosmic dance of galaxies.” (Credit: Wojciech A. Hellwing)
via phys.org

Supermassive Black Hole Shows Strange Gas Movements

A Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 5548. (Credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA. Davide de Martin)
A Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 5548. (Credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA. Davide de Martin)
via universetoday

Slowly rotating neutron star paired with a red-giant star reveals properties that conflict with existing theory

An artist’s impression of an x-ray binary system. The matter that a neutron star (blue) sucks from a regular star (red) leads to the emission of intense x-ray beams. (Credit: NASA)
An artist’s impression of an x-ray binary system. The matter that a neutron star (blue) sucks from a regular star (red) leads to the emission of intense x-ray beams. (Credit: NASA)
via phys.org
Slowly rotating neutron star paired with a red-giant star reveals properties that conflict with existing theoryRead more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-06-slowly-rotating-neutron-star-paired.html#jCp
Slowly rotating neutron star paired with a red-giant star reveals properties that conflict with existing theoryRead more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-06-slowly-rotating-neutron-star-paired.html#jCp