Latest news with #ESO
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
ESO Developers Are Working On ‘Underlying Tech' For Possible Crossplay
Elder Scrolls Online Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is over a decade old at this point and remains to be one of the most popular and widely played MMORPGs on the market across PC/Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. However, one major caveat that holds it back from being even bigger is the complete lack of crossplay and cross-progression. That means if you want to play Elder Scrolls Online with your friends, you must be on the same platform ecosystem as them to make it happen. PC players cannot play with PlayStation players, who cannot play with Xbox players, and so on. That also goes for your own accounts as well. If you're playing on PC and then a friend starts playing on Xbox, you can't use the same character at all. During a podcast recording with Greg Miller's Kinda Funny, as reported by PCGamesN, Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) game director Rich Lambert and ZeniMax Online Studios head Matt Firor talk about the studio's plans for the game's future. Of course, one of the biggest questions posed is whether or not crossplay is ever coming. "Anything is possible," says Lambert. "We're working on doing some underlying tech changes that would make it possible," adds Firor. 'We know how important it is. Starting work on this game in 2007, [we] FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Elder Scrolls Online, like any other MMO, is the type of game many players spend hundreds of even thousands of hours playing over the course of several years, so asking them to abandon an account with that type of legacy just to play with someone on another platform is a very big ask. Hopefully, a remedy is finally on the way in the form of crossplay. Over six years ago, I wrote about ESO's lack of crossplay and now we live in an era where games like New World, Throne and Liberty, and the upcoming Chrono Odyssey all have crossplay as a core part of their marketing appeal. For all intents and purposes, Elder Scrolls Online is getting left behind in this regard. In the meantime, there's a lot to look forward to for the rest of this year with ESO. In June, the Return of the Worm Cult kicks off as a continuation of the original main storyline alongside more Content Pass changes and the introduction of subclassing, which will dramatically change the way players build out their characters. For a decade-old MMO, those are some pretty massive, sweeping changes so it's great to see the folks at ZeniMax Online Studios willing to take big risks with ESO even though they could have chosen to continue playing it safe.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Astronomers stunned as sleeping Black Hole roars back to life after 20 years
The night sky was once thought of as a calm, unchanging dome, but over the years, it has become a dynamic canvas for discovery. Modern telescopes like the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) are now looking deep into the night sky and the cosmos in real time, capturing sudden flashes, flares, and transformations as they happen. The advancement in technology every day is giving ways to observe the universe and witness cosmic events that happen over days, weeks, or even years, events that were previously considered too rare or distant to catch in action. One such surprise came up during late 2019, when a quiet galaxy, SDSS1335+0728, suddenly lit up in the Virgo constellation, located about 300 million light-years from Earth. What followed has kept astronomers captivated for over four years, and the show isn't over yet. What is happening in the cosmos? In December 2019, astronomers spotted that the quiet core of SDSS1335+0728, a spiral galaxy in the Virgo constellation, suddenly brightened by several orders of magnitude. Located about 300 million light-years away, this galaxy had shown no signs of activity for over two decades. Now, its center home to a supermassive black hole roughly a million times the mass of the Sun was blazing to life. Astronomers immediately suspected either a tidal disruption event, where a star gets torn apart by a black hole's gravity, or the first signs of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) waking up. But what made this case unusual was the duration. More than four years later, the flare hasn't faded, far exceeding the timescale of typical star-eating episodes or supernovae. 'This behavior is unprecedented,' said Paula Sánchez Sáez, lead author of the study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics and an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Germany. Instruments including ESO's X-shooter spectrograph detected a consistent rise in ultraviolet, optical, and infrared light—and in February 2024, X-ray emissions began for the first time. The spectrum now reveals broad emission lines, meaning gas moving near light-speed close to the black hole. 'Suddenly, its core starts showing dramatic changes in brightness, unlike any typical event we've seen before,' Sánchez Sáez added. Co-author Lorena Hernández García of the Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (MAS) in Chile noted, 'If so, this would be the first time that we see the activation of a massive black hole in real time.' There is a new nuclear activity in space That makes SDSS1335+0728 a cosmic rarity. It doesn't shine as brightly as classic quasars, but its persistence rules out most common flare types. It sits in a gray area, possibly marking a new category of nuclear activity. 'This could also happen to our own Sgr A*, the massive black hole at the center of our galaxy,' said Claudio Ricci of Diego Portales University in Chile. 'But it's unclear how likely that is.' Researchers are now trying to determine whether this is a very slow tidal disruption, the birth of a new accretion disk, or something never seen before. Each scenario could reshape models of how supermassive black holes evolve today. 'We expect that instruments such as MUSE on the VLT and those on the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope will be key to understanding why the galaxy is brightening,' said Sánchez Sáez.
CTV News
24-05-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Galaxies battle in ‘cosmic joust' witnessed by astronomers for the first time
An image taken by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) shows the molecular gas content of the two galaxies involved in the cosmic joust. (ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Balashev and P. Noterdaeme et al. via CNN Newsource) Astronomers have for the first time spotted two galaxies in the throes of a deep-space 'duel.' Using combined observations from ground-based telescopes over nearly four years, the researchers saw the distant galactic neighbors charging toward each other at more than 1.1 million miles per hour (1.8 million kilometres per hour). One repeatedly wielded its intense beams of radiation at the other, dispersing gas clouds and weakening its opponent's ability to form new stars. 'That's why we call it a 'cosmic joust,'' said Pasquier Noterdaeme, a researcher for the Paris Institute of Astrophysics and the French-Chilean Laboratory for Astronomy in Chile who was part of the team that made the discovery. What Noterdaeme and his colleagues spied was a distant snapshot of the two galaxies in the process of merging into one large galaxy 11 billion light-years away. The findings, described in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, provide a rare look into earlier times in the universe, when star formation and galaxy mergers were more common. Zooming in Working with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, the researchers found that the 'attacking' galaxy's piercing radiation comes from within its bright core, a quasar, powered by a supermassive black hole. The intense gravitational influence of a black hole draws matter toward it in such an energetic way that dust and gas heat up to millions of degrees and become luminous, according to NASA. These luminous materials spiral around the black hole before entering, forming what's called an 'accretion disk,' and jets of energetic matter beam out away from the center. Each blast of the quasar's ultraviolet waves are about a thousand times stronger than the radiation of our Milky Way, causing hydrogen molecules from some of the 'victim' galaxy's star-forming nurseries to split and disperse, according to the study. Stars form when large clumps of gas and dust reach a critical mass and collapse under their own gravity. However, researchers observed that after being dispersed by the radiation, the clouds were not dense or large enough to create new stars. As additional material from the victim galaxy is drawn within reach of the supermassive black hole, it fuels the quasar with more energy. Quasars have been known to essentially 'switch off' from time to time, said study coauthor Sergei Balashev, a researcher at the Ioffe Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia, which could give molecular clouds the opportunity to reform. 'It's really the first time that we can see the radiative effect of a quasar on the molecular gas of a nearby galaxy,' Balashev said. Until now, this effect had only been theorized but not confirmed through direct observation. Scientists initially wanted to observe this particular quasar more closely because of its unique features among thousands of low-resolution spectra, which are like fingerprints for distant celestial objects, offering clues about composition, temperature and activity within them. 'It's really (like) finding a needle in a haystack,' Balashev said. However, the light from quasars is so powerful that it often outshines their own host galaxies, making it difficult to observe other galaxies close by, according to Noterdaeme, the study's co-lead author. Highly dynamic, luminous quasars are rare, according to NASA. Only about 1,000 of these objects are known to exist in the early days of the universe, Anniek Gloudemans, a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, previously told CNN via email. 'At first, we just knew there was some molecular gas between the (attacking galaxy's) quasar and us. It's only after, when we started to look with bigger telescopes, that we detected there were actually two galaxies,' Noterdaeme said. While the dueling pair appears to be overlapping in the low-resolution spectra, the high-resolution imaging capabilities of ALMA revealed the galaxies are actually separated by thousands of light-years. Using the Very Large Telescope, the researchers were able to study the density and distance of the gas affected by the quasar's radiation. Since the light from these objects came from billions of light-years away in the early universe, it's possible the two galaxies have already merged by now, but there is no way to be sure, Balashev said. A blast from the past Scientists believe quasars and galaxy mergers used to be far more common earlier in the universe's lifetime, said Dong-Woo Kim, an astrophysicist with the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who was not involved in the research. Galaxies merge when they are pulled toward each other by gravity, and the universe used to be more densely packed together. Over time, the universe has expanded, and more galaxies have combined into larger ones, Kim said. Noterdaeme said that 10 billion years ago was an interesting time in the universe, adding that astronomers call this period when stars formed at a rapid rate the 'noon of the universe.' Though less frequent, galaxy mergers are still happening all the time, Kim said. Even our own Milky Way is expected to merge with the Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years, but the study team isn't certain yet whether the 'cosmic joust' phenomenon is a common feature when two galaxies collide and form a larger one. 'It's an exciting field to study,' Kim said. 'Research like this can teach us more about the birth of new galaxies and observe how they evolve over time.' Kameryn Griesser, CNN
India Today
23-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Clash of the Titans: Two galaxies engage in thrilling war as Earth looks on
This image, taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), shows the molecular gas content of two galaxies involved in a cosmic collision. (Photo: ESO) Two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kmps They are colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years Astronomers have, for the first time, witnessed a violent cosmic collision where one galaxy pierces another with intense radiation powered by black hole, dramatically altering the fate of its celestial victim. The findings, published today in the journal Nature, reveal how this radiation suppresses the wounded galaxy's ability to form new stars, offering unprecedented insight into the destructive power of galactic encounters. The research team dubbed the phenomenon the 'cosmic joust.' In this distant system, two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kilometers per second, colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance. But unlike a fair medieval contest, one galaxy wields a devastating advantageâ€'a quasar, the blazing core powered by a supermassive black hole, unleashing a spear of radiation that penetrates its rival. Quasars, among the brightest objects in the universe, were more common in its early years. The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years to reach Earth, allowing astronomers a glimpse into an era when the universe was just 18% of its current age. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the X-shooter instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), both in Chile, researchers distinguished the two galaxies and analyzed the quasar's impact. The radiation disrupts the gas and dust clouds in the regular galaxy, leaving behind only tiny, dense pocketsâ€'too small to birth new stars. This marks the first direct observation of a quasar's radiation transforming the internal structure of another galaxy. The encounter is not just one-sided. As the galaxies merge, vast amounts of gas are funneled toward the supermassive black hole, fueling the quasar and perpetuating the cycle of cosmic violence. Future observations with even more powerful telescopes, such as ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope, promise to deepen our understanding of how such galactic clashes shape the evolution of galaxies and their brilliant, destructive quasars. Astronomers have, for the first time, witnessed a violent cosmic collision where one galaxy pierces another with intense radiation powered by black hole, dramatically altering the fate of its celestial victim. The findings, published today in the journal Nature, reveal how this radiation suppresses the wounded galaxy's ability to form new stars, offering unprecedented insight into the destructive power of galactic encounters. The research team dubbed the phenomenon the 'cosmic joust.' In this distant system, two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kilometers per second, colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance. But unlike a fair medieval contest, one galaxy wields a devastating advantageâ€'a quasar, the blazing core powered by a supermassive black hole, unleashing a spear of radiation that penetrates its rival. Quasars, among the brightest objects in the universe, were more common in its early years. The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years to reach Earth, allowing astronomers a glimpse into an era when the universe was just 18% of its current age. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the X-shooter instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), both in Chile, researchers distinguished the two galaxies and analyzed the quasar's impact. The radiation disrupts the gas and dust clouds in the regular galaxy, leaving behind only tiny, dense pocketsâ€'too small to birth new stars. This marks the first direct observation of a quasar's radiation transforming the internal structure of another galaxy. The encounter is not just one-sided. As the galaxies merge, vast amounts of gas are funneled toward the supermassive black hole, fueling the quasar and perpetuating the cycle of cosmic violence. Future observations with even more powerful telescopes, such as ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope, promise to deepen our understanding of how such galactic clashes shape the evolution of galaxies and their brilliant, destructive quasars. Join our WhatsApp Channel
GMA Network
21-05-2025
- Science
- GMA Network
Two galaxies seen in a 'joust' preceding a cosmic mega-merger
An artist's impression shows a galactic merger in which the galaxy on the right hosts a quasar at its core, in this handout image released by the European Southern Observatory on May 21, 2025. This quasar is powered by a supermassive black hole swallowing up material around it and emitting a powerful cone of radiation, piercing the other galaxy (left) and disrupting the clouds of gas and dust within, leaving behind only the smallest and densest regions, likely incapable of star formation after the processAn artist's impression shows a galactic merger in which the galaxy on the right hosts a quasar at its core, in this handout image released by the European Southern Observatory on May 21, 2025. ESO/M. Kornmesser/Handout via REUTERS. ESO/M. Kornmesser/Handout via REUTERS WASHINGTON - Astronomers have observed two distant galaxies - both possessing roughly as many stars as our Milky Way - careening toward each other before their inevitable merger at a time when the universe was about a fifth its current age, a scene resembling two knights charging in a joust. The galaxies, observed using two Chile-based telescopes, were seen as they existed about 11.4 billion years ago, approximately 2.4 billion years after the Big Bang event that initiated the universe. At the heart of one of the galaxies resides a quasar, a highly luminous object powered by gas and other material falling into a supermassive black hole. The intense radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum unleashed by the quasar is seen disrupting clouds of gas and dust, known as molecular clouds, in the other galaxy. It is molecular clouds that give rise to stars. But the effects of the quasar's radiation turned the clouds in the affected region into "only tiny dense cloudlets that are too small to form stars," said astrophysicist Sergei Balashev of the Ioffe Institute in Saint Petersburg, Russia, co-lead author of the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. This is the first time such a phenomenon has been observed, Balashev said. Stars form by the slow contraction under gravity of these clouds, with small centers taking shape that heat up and become new stars. But the galaxy affected by the quasar's radiation was left with fewer regions that could serve as such stellar nurseries, undermining its star formation rate. The interaction between the two galaxies reminded the researchers of a medieval joust. "Much like jousting knights charging toward one another, these galaxies are rapidly approaching. One of them - the quasar host - emits a powerful beam of radiation that pierces the companion galaxy, like a lance. This radiation 'wounds' its 'opponent' as it disrupts the gas," said astronomer and co-lead author Pasquier Noterdaeme of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics in France. Supermassive black holes are found at the heart of many galaxies, including the Milky Way. The researchers estimated the mass of the one that serves as the engine of the quasar studied in this research at about 200 million times that of our sun. The intense gravitational strength of the supermassive black hole pulls gas and other material toward it. As this stuff spirals inward at high speed, it heats up due to friction, forming a disk that emits extremely powerful radiation in two opposite directions, called biconical beams. The ultraviolet light from one of these beams is what played havoc with the gas in the companion galaxy. This supermassive black hole is much more massive than the one at the center of the Milky Way - called Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* - which possesses roughly 4 million times the mass of the sun and is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km). The researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, or ALMA, to characterize the two galaxies and used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, or VLT, to probe the quasar as well as the gas in the companion galaxy. The configuration of the galaxies as viewed from the perspective of Earth enabled the researchers to observe the radiation from the quasar passing directly through the companion galaxy. Most galactic mergers that have been observed by astronomers occurred later in the history of the universe. "Galaxies are typically found in groups, and gravitational interactions naturally lead to mergers over cosmic time," Noterdaeme said. "In line with current understanding, these two galaxies will eventually coalesce into a single larger galaxy. The quasar will fade as it exhausts the available fuel." — Reuters
