Latest news with #JADES
The National
3 days ago
- General
- The National
Earliest galaxies ever seen reveal clues to universe's first moments
Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of the two most distant galaxies observed, giving them a glimpse of what the universe looked like only 300 million years after the Big Bang. Named JADES-GS-z14-0 and JADES-GS-z14-1, the galaxies were identified by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES). The findings, published in the Nature science journal on Wednesday, challenges existing theories on how quickly galaxies could form in the early cosmos. 'These galaxies join a small but growing population of galaxies from the first half billion years of cosmic history where we can really probe the stellar populations and the distinctive patterns of chemical elements within them,' said Dr Francesco D'Eugenio of the Kavli Institute for Cosmology at the University of Cambridge, one of the teams behind the discovery. The brighter of the two, JADES-GS-z14-0, measures an impressive 1,600 light-years in diameter and appears to be brimming with young stars. The discovery offers scientists a rare opportunity to study conditions of when the universe was first forming. The galaxies can be seen as they were when the universe was less than 2 per cent of its current age. This was possible because of instruments on the telescope that helped researchers study the phenomenon where light stretches into longer wavelengths as it travels through space. 'We could have detected this galaxy even if it were 10 times fainter, which means that we could see other examples yet earlier in the universe, probably into the first 200 million years,' says Brant Robertson, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California-Santa Cruz. The findings could also lead researchers to rethink how fast stars and other matter came together in the first few hundred million years after the Big Bang. JWST's ability to observe infrared light helped the researchers carry out the discovery, a capability that was not possible by its predecessor the Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope, which was launched on Christmas day in 2021, has already rewritten much of what scientists believed about the early universe. Among its most talked-about findings is the detection of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside the Solar System, a major step in the search for potentially habitable worlds. It has also provided never-before-seen details of star formation, including the stunning image of the Pillars of Creation, towering clouds of gas and dust located about 6,500 light-years from Earth, revealing intricate new structures invisible to previous telescopes. But just as the JWST is reaching new milestones, its future and other major science missions, are at risk because of the White House's proposed budget for 2026 that includes significant cuts to Nasa's science division. These cuts could affect future telescope missions, Earth science programmes and planetary exploration efforts. While JWST is already built and operational, budget constraints could limit the resources needed to support its observations or delay follow-up missions that would expand on its findings. Stunning images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope – in pictures
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Spotted Evidence of an Unseen Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope's JADES survey recently observed a galaxy that shouldn't be visible, because it existed only 300 million years after the Big Bang. At that point in cosmic history, the universe was shrouded by neutral hydrogen, and most objects and phenomena would not be visible until nearly a billion years later. For now, researchers think the light might be coming from the first stars to exist, or outflows from a supermassive black hole at the galactic core. But the source remains unknown. Deep in the universe are stars and galaxies and objects so distant that the light we're watching them produce is billions of years old. But there is one ancient light we can see that we shouldn't be seeing at all. As part of the James Webb Space Telescope Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted something that should not be visible to us—the galaxy JADES-GS-z13-1. This galaxy existed only 330 million years after the Big Bang, which was very much still the universe's baby phase. Webb was able to spot GS-z13-1 in the first place by picking up on clear Lyman-alpha emissions from the galaxy. These emissions are released when an electron in a neutral hydrogen atom is excited by a photon that is energetic enough, and are very commonly detected throughout the cosmos. But here's the thing—they're very commonly detected now. Technically speaking, we should not be able to detect Lyman-alpha emissions from just 330 million years after the Big Bang. Shrouded in neutral hydrogen, which absorbs light, the universe was mostly opaque during its earliest days, and remained so until about a billion years after its birth. It was only during the epoch of reionization that light from stars became powerful enough to tear apart these atoms, rip off their electrons, and escape through the cloud. With all that neutral hydrogen now ionized—meaning that it was positively charged, as a result of losing its negatively charged electrons—the universe became transparent. That's the first moment at which we should be able to detect Lyman-alpha emissions. But if this didn't happen until about a billion years after the Big Bang, how is it possible that scientists can see GS-z13-1, which existed when its light should have been obscured? 'The unexpected Lyman-alpha emission indicates the galaxy is a prolific producer and leaker of ionizing photons,' NASA and ESA researchers said in a study recently published in the journal Nature. 'This suggests massive, hot stars or an active galactic nucleus (AGN) have created an early reionized region to prevent complete [suppression] of Lyman-alpha.' It is possible that the first stars to exist—known as Population III or Pop III stars—are the source of the light coming from GS-z13-1. These stars are thought to have been much more massive and luminous than stars that exist now, and it would be an incredible discovery if it was confirmed that the Lyman-alpha emissions are coming from Pop III stars. But there are some issues with this theory—the stellar mass predicted from the galaxy is not high enough to allow for these stars, for example. There are also some other emissions expected from Pop III stars that are missing from GS-z13-1. The researchers think another possibility is the supermassive black hole in the galaxy's active galactic nucleus, or AGN. Supermassive black holes accrete and devour so much matter that they belch out enormous and extremely bright outflows of gas, which scientists think could have been enough to reionize just one section of the universe a little bit early. For now, we're all still in the dark. But scientists are grateful for—if confused by the existence of—this ancient flashlight. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Spotted Evidence of an Unseen Universe—Even Though That Should Be Impossible
The James Webb Space Telescope's JADES survey recently observed a galaxy that shouldn't be visible, because it existed only 300 million years after the Big Bang. At that point in cosmic history, the universe was shrouded by neutral hydrogen, and most objects and phenomena would not be visible until nearly a billion years later. For now, researchers think the light might be coming from the first stars to exist, or outflows from a supermassive black hole at the galactic core. But the source remains unknown. Deep in the universe are stars and galaxies and objects so distant that the light we're watching them produce is billions of years old. But there is one ancient light we can see that we shouldn't be seeing at all. As part of the James Webb Space Telescope Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted something that should not be visible to us—the galaxy JADES-GS-z13-1. This galaxy existed only 330 million years after the Big Bang, which was very much still the universe's baby phase. Webb was able to spot GS-z13-1 in the first place by picking up on clear Lyman-alpha emissions from the galaxy. These emissions are released when an electron in a neutral hydrogen atom is excited by a photon that is energetic enough, and are very commonly detected throughout the cosmos. But here's the thing—they're very commonly detected now. Technically speaking, we should not be able to detect Lyman-alpha emissions from just 330 million years after the Big Bang. Shrouded in neutral hydrogen, which absorbs light, the universe was mostly opaque during its earliest days, and remained so until about a billion years after its birth. It was only during the epoch of reionization that light from stars became powerful enough to tear apart these atoms, rip off their electrons, and escape through the cloud. With all that neutral hydrogen now ionized—meaning that it was positively charged, as a result of losing its negatively charged electrons—the universe became transparent. That's the first moment at which we should be able to detect Lyman-alpha emissions. But if this didn't happen until about a billion years after the Big Bang, how is it possible that scientists can see GS-z13-1, which existed when its light should have been obscured? 'The unexpected Lyman-alpha emission indicates the galaxy is a prolific producer and leaker of ionizing photons,' NASA and ESA researchers said in a study recently published in the journal Nature. 'This suggests massive, hot stars or an active galactic nucleus (AGN) have created an early reionized region to prevent complete [suppression] of Lyman-alpha.' It is possible that the first stars to exist—known as Population III or Pop III stars—are the source of the light coming from GS-z13-1. These stars are thought to have been much more massive and luminous than stars that exist now, and it would be an incredible discovery if it was confirmed that the Lyman-alpha emissions are coming from Pop III stars. But there are some issues with this theory—the stellar mass predicted from the galaxy is not high enough to allow for these stars, for example. There are also some other emissions expected from Pop III stars that are missing from GS-z13-1. The researchers think another possibility is the supermassive black hole in the galaxy's active galactic nucleus, or AGN. Supermassive black holes accrete and devour so much matter that they belch out enormous and extremely bright outflows of gas, which scientists think could have been enough to reionize just one section of the universe a little bit early. For now, we're all still in the dark. But scientists are grateful for—if confused by the existence of—this ancient flashlight. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Is Our Universe Inside a Black Hole? New Research Says It Could Be Possible
A researcher has made a new discovery that could reframe how we think about our universe. According to a press release from Kansas State University, associate professor of computer science Lior Shamir was analyzing images using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) when he discovered that two-thirds of the galaxies included in the survey rotate clockwise and one third rotate counterclockwise. Shamir's findings, which were published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, challenge previous assumptions about the way that universes rotate, as scientists previously posited that in any given universe, half of the galaxies would rotate in one direction and the other half would spin the other way. "It is still not clear what causes this to happen, but there are two primary possible explanations," Shamir said in the press release. "One explanation is that the universe was born rotating. That explanation agrees with theories such as black hole cosmology, which postulates that the entire universe is the interior of a black hole.""But if the universe was indeed born rotating, it means that the existing theories about the cosmos are incomplete," he added. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories According to this new research gives credence to the theory of "Schwarzschild cosmology," which suggests that our galaxy is inside of a black hole, which, in turn, is located inside another, bigger parent universe. The theory also suggests that other black holes — all of which rotate, according to NASA — could be wormholes that lead to other universes. The inside of black holes' "event horizons," or surfaces, cannot be seen, however, because of the densely packed matter inside. "I think that the simplest explanation of the rotating universe is the universe was born in a rotating black hole," University of New Haven theoretical physicist Nikodem Poplawski, who champions this black hole cosmology theory, told "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." According to Poplawski, this theory additionally posits that the parent universe in this scenario appears as a white hole — an area in space that cannot be entered from the outside and is considered the opposite of a black hole. "Accordingly, our own universe could be the interior of a black hole existing in another universe," Poplawski said. "The motion of matter through the black hole's boundary, called an event horizon, can only happen in one direction, providing a past-future asymmetry at the horizon and, thus, everywhere in the baby universe." Related: Astronauts 'Stranded' in Space for 9 Months Are 'Packing' for Their Long-Awaited Return to Earth According to Shamir, the Earth rotates around the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and researchers often find that the light coming from galaxies rotating in the opposite direction of the Earth is usually brighter — which leads to overrepresentation of those galaxies in scientific research. Astronomers may need to reconsider the effect of the Milky Way's rotational velocity because of this, Shamir added. 'If that is indeed the case, we will need to re-calibrate our distance measurements for the deep universe,' he said. "The re-calibration of distance measurements can also explain several other unsolved questions in cosmology, such as the differences in the expansion rates of the universe and the large galaxies that according to the existing distance measurements are expected to be older than the universe itself.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Entire Universe Could Exist Inside a Black Hole – Here's Why
When you peer out into the depths of the cosmos, a mystery lies there, waiting. In a survey of the deep sky, most of the galaxies are seen rotating in the same direction. This is a problem. Under current models of the way the Universe behaves, galaxies should be a hodge-podge rotating whichever dang way they please, resulting in a roughly even distribution of rotations. The fact that this is not what we observe suggests that there's something hinky going on: a huge gap in our understanding of the way the Universe works. "It is still not clear what causes this to happen, but there are two primary possible explanations," says astronomer Lior Shamir of Kansas State University. "One explanation is that the Universe was born rotating. That explanation agrees with theories such as black hole cosmology, which postulates that the entire Universe is the interior of a black hole. But if the Universe was indeed born rotating it means that the existing theories about the cosmos are incomplete." The other, much less exciting possibility is that it's an illusion caused by the rotation of our home galaxy. Although the Universe might appear pretty random at a glance, there is actually quite a bit of structure therein. Vast filaments of dark matter span the cosmos in a gravitational web that connects galactic hubs, for example. We had assumed, however, that the behavior of galaxies within that web was pretty randomized. That means that the distribution of spin directions of these galaxies should be more-or-less equal. Shamir's body of research suggests otherwise; previously, he has found evidence that the distribution of galaxy spin directions across the sky forms a distinct pattern. In the course of his research, Shamir has noticed that there's an asymmetry in the spin distribution; and, at greater distances across space-time, the asymmetry becomes even more pronounced. That means that there are more galaxies spinning one way than galaxies spinning the other, and the difference is stronger earlier in the Universe. For this new paper, he used data collected during the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) to study the rotations of 263 galaxies, whose light has traveled between roughly 5 and 10 billion years to reach us. There are only two directions these galaxies can spin – clockwise and counterclockwise. If the Universe is isotropic, or uniform in all directions, as described by the cosmological principle, there should be a pretty even 50-50 distribution of clockwise and counterclockwise galaxies throughout. When Shamir measured the spins of the 263 galaxies in his sample, he found an asymmetry that simply cannot be explained by chance: of the galaxies 105 rotate counterclockwise, while 158 rotate clockwise. "The analysis of the galaxies was done by quantitative analysis of their shapes, but the difference is so obvious that any person looking at the image can see it," Shamir says. "There is no need for special skills or knowledge to see that the numbers are different. With the power of the James Webb Space Telescope, anyone can see it." The notion that we all live in a black hole is pretty wild, and difficult to swallow, but there may be other explanations for the asymmetry. One possibility is that the rotation of the Milky Way galaxy from which we observe has more of an effect on our observations than we thought, making some galaxies appear as though they are rotating differently. That would be an oversight, but one to which the solution might clear up several other problems, such as the speed at which the Universe is growing. "If that is indeed the case, we will need to re-calibrate our distance measurements for the deep Universe," Shamir says. "The re-calibration of distance measurements can also explain several other unsolved questions in cosmology such as the differences in the expansion rates of the Universe and the large galaxies that according to the existing distance measurements are expected to be older than the Universe itself." His findings have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Astronomers Stunned by Abundant Oxygen in Earliest Known Galaxy Space Is Set to Become a 'Wild West' as Outdated Laws Struggle to Keep Up JWST Detects Carbon Dioxide Outside Solar System For First Time
