Latest news with #Pinwheel
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Does light lose energy as it crosses the universe? The answer involves time dilation.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. My telescope, set up for astrophotography in my light-polluted San Diego backyard, was pointed at a galaxy unfathomably far from Earth. My wife, Cristina, walked up just as the first space photo streamed to my tablet. It sparkled on the screen in front of us. "That's the Pinwheel galaxy," I said. The name is derived from its shape – albeit this pinwheel contains about a trillion stars. The light from the Pinwheel traveled for 25 million years across the universe – about 150 quintillion miles – to get to my telescope. My wife wondered: "Doesn't light get tired during such a long journey?" Her curiosity triggered a thought-provoking conversation about light. Ultimately, why doesn't light wear out and lose energy over time? I am an astrophysicist, and one of the first things I learned in my studies is how light often behaves in ways that defy our intuitions. Light is electromagnetic radiation: basically, an electric wave and a magnetic wave coupled together and traveling through space-time. It has no mass. That point is critical because the mass of an object, whether a speck of dust or a spaceship, limits the top speed it can travel through space. But because light is massless, it's able to reach the maximum speed limit in a vacuum – about 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second, or almost 6 trillion miles per year (9.6 trillion kilometers). Nothing traveling through space is faster. To put that into perspective: In the time it takes you to blink your eyes, a particle of light travels around the circumference of the Earth more than twice. As incredibly fast as that is, space is incredibly spread out. Light from the Sun, which is 93 million miles (about 150 million kilometers) from Earth, takes just over eight minutes to reach us. In other words, the sunlight you see is eight minutes old. Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to us after the Sun, is 26 trillion miles away (about 41 trillion kilometers). So by the time you see it in the night sky, its light is just over four years old. Or, as astronomers say, it's four light years away. Related: The shape of light: Scientists reveal image of an individual photon for 1st time ever With those enormous distances in mind, consider Cristina's question: How can light travel across the universe and not slowly lose energy? Actually, some light does lose energy. This happens when it bounces off something, such as interstellar dust, and is scattered about. But most light just goes and goes, without colliding with anything. This is almost always the case because space is mostly empty – nothingness. So there's nothing in the way. When light travels unimpeded, it loses no energy. It can maintain that 186,000-mile-per-second speed forever. Here's another concept: Picture yourself as an astronaut on board the International Space Station. You're orbiting at 17,000 miles (about 27,000 kilometers) per hour. Compared with someone on Earth, your wristwatch will tick 0.01 seconds slower over one year. That's an example of time dilation – time moving at different speeds under different conditions. If you're moving really fast, or close to a large gravitational field, your clock will tick more slowly than someone moving slower than you, or who is further from a large gravitational field. To say it succinctly, time is relative. Now consider that light is inextricably connected to time. Picture sitting on a photon, a fundamental particle of light; here, you'd experience maximum time dilation. Everyone on Earth would clock you at the speed of light, but from your reference frame, time would completely stop. That's because the "clocks" measuring time are in two different places going vastly different speeds: the photon moving at the speed of light, and the comparatively slowpoke speed of Earth going around the Sun. What's more, when you're traveling at or close to the speed of light, the distance between where you are and where you're going gets shorter. That is, space itself becomes more compact in the direction of motion – so the faster you can go, the shorter your journey has to be. In other words, for the photon, space gets squished. RELATED STORIES —New theory could finally make 'quantum gravity' a reality — and prove Einstein wrong —Black hole paradox that stumped Stephen Hawking may have a solution, new paper claims —In a first, physicists spot elusive 'free-range' atoms — confirming a century-old theory about quantum mechanics Which brings us back to my picture of the Pinwheel galaxy. From the photon's perspective, a star within the galaxy emitted it, and then a single pixel in my backyard camera absorbed it, at exactly the same time. Because space is squished, to the photon the journey was infinitely fast and infinitely short, a tiny fraction of a second. But from our perspective on Earth, the photon left the galaxy 25 million years ago and traveled 25 million light years across space until it landed on my tablet in my backyard. And there, on a cool spring night, its stunning image inspired a delightful conversation between a nerdy scientist and his curious wife. This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Do photons wear out? An astrophysicist explains light's ability to travel vast cosmic distances without losing energy
My telescope, set up for astrophotography in my light-polluted San Diego backyard, was pointed at a galaxy unfathomably far from Earth. My wife, Cristina, walked up just as the first space photo streamed to my tablet. It sparkled on the screen in front of us. 'That's the Pinwheel galaxy,' I said. The name is derived from its shape – albeit this pinwheel contains about a trillion stars. The light from the Pinwheel traveled for 25 million years across the universe – about 150 quintillion miles – to get to my telescope. My wife wondered: 'Doesn't light get tired during such a long journey?' Her curiosity triggered a thought-provoking conversation about light. Ultimately, why doesn't light wear out and lose energy over time? I am an astrophysicist, and one of the first things I learned in my studies is how light often behaves in ways that defy our intuitions. Light is electromagnetic radiation: basically, an electric wave and a magnetic wave coupled together and traveling through space-time. It has no mass. That point is critical because the mass of an object, whether a speck of dust or a spaceship, limits the top speed it can travel through space. But because light is massless, it's able to reach the maximum speed limit in a vacuum – about 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second, or almost 6 trillion miles per year (9.6 trillion kilometers). Nothing traveling through space is faster. To put that into perspective: In the time it takes you to blink your eyes, a particle of light travels around the circumference of the Earth more than twice. As incredibly fast as that is, space is incredibly spread out. Light from the Sun, which is 93 million miles (about 150 million kilometers) from Earth, takes just over eight minutes to reach us. In other words, the sunlight you see is eight minutes old. Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to us after the Sun, is 26 trillion miles away (about 41 trillion kilometers). So by the time you see it in the night sky, its light is just over four years old. Or, as astronomers say, it's four light years away. With those enormous distances in mind, consider Cristina's question: How can light travel across the universe and not slowly lose energy? Actually, some light does lose energy. This happens when it bounces off something, such as interstellar dust, and is scattered about. But most light just goes and goes, without colliding with anything. This is almost always the case because space is mostly empty – nothingness. So there's nothing in the way. When light travels unimpeded, it loses no energy. It can maintain that 186,000-mile-per-second speed forever. Here's another concept: Picture yourself as an astronaut on board the International Space Station. You're orbiting at 17,000 miles (about 27,000 kilometers) per hour. Compared with someone on Earth, your wristwatch will tick 0.01 seconds slower over one year. That's an example of time dilation – time moving at different speeds under different conditions. If you're moving really fast, or close to a large gravitational field, your clock will tick more slowly than someone moving slower than you, or who is further from a large gravitational field. To say it succinctly, time is relative. Now consider that light is inextricably connected to time. Picture sitting on a photon, a fundamental particle of light; here, you'd experience maximum time dilation. Everyone on Earth would clock you at the speed of light, but from your reference frame, time would completely stop. That's because the 'clocks' measuring time are in two different places going vastly different speeds: the photon moving at the speed of light, and the comparatively slowpoke speed of Earth going around the Sun. What's more, when you're traveling at or close to the speed of light, the distance between where you are and where you're going gets shorter. That is, space itself becomes more compact in the direction of motion – so the faster you can go, the shorter your journey has to be. In other words, for the photon, space gets squished. Which brings us back to my picture of the Pinwheel galaxy. From the photon's perspective, a star within the galaxy emitted it, and then a single pixel in my backyard camera absorbed it, at exactly the same time. Because space is squished, to the photon the journey was infinitely fast and infinitely short, a tiny fraction of a second. But from our perspective on Earth, the photon left the galaxy 25 million years ago and traveled 25 million light years across space until it landed on my tablet in my backyard. And there, on a cool spring night, its stunning image inspired a delightful conversation between a nerdy scientist and his curious wife. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jarred Roberts, University of California, San Diego Read more: Have we made an object that could travel 1% the speed of light? 'Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence' − an astronomer explains how much evidence scientists need to claim discoveries like extraterrestrial life Property and sovereignty in space − as countries and companies take to the stars, they could run into disputes Jarred Roberts receives funding from NASA.
Time Business News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
The Truth About TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin's Relationship
Reality TV has a way of drawing viewers not only for its action and drama but also for the intriguing personal lives of its stars. Among the most talked-about relationships in recent reality TV memory is the rumored romance between TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin, stars of the popular National Geographic series Wicked Tuna. Fans of the show have been curious: Are TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin really together? Are they married? Or is it all just speculation? In this article, we dive into the truth behind their relationship—covering their backgrounds, how the rumors started, and what we really know about their romantic connection. Timothy James Ott, popularly known as TJ Ott, is one of the prominent captains featured on Wicked Tuna . A native of New York, TJ captains the Hot Tuna , a vessel known for its fierce competition and consistent performance in the bluefin tuna fishing world. Beyond the camera, TJ is known for his deep love of fishing, his leadership style, and his loyal fanbase. With his rugged charisma, tattooed arms, and competitive nature, TJ Ott quickly became one of the show's most recognizable personalities. Marissa McLaughlin, affectionately known as 'Merm' by fans, is also a rising star on Wicked Tuna . She is the younger sister of Tyler McLaughlin, captain of the Pinwheel . Marissa often works alongside her brother on the boat, and her knowledge of fishing and strong on-screen presence have won her many fans. Despite her relatively recent addition to the show, Marissa has made a strong impression. She's confident, smart, and not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the experienced captains. The rumors about TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin's relationship began circulating when viewers started noticing the chemistry between the two on Wicked Tuna . While the show doesn't explicitly focus on personal relationships, observant fans picked up on flirty interactions, inside jokes, and body language that suggested more than just friendship or professional rivalry. In some episodes, it was clear that there was a bond between them that went beyond typical co-star camaraderie. This led to questions across social media and fan forums: Are TJ Ott and Marissa dating? And eventually, are they married? While neither TJ nor Marissa has officially confirmed their relationship publicly, multiple sources and fan observations strongly suggest that the two have been romantically involved. In 2020, reports surfaced that the two were indeed dating off-screen. Fans spotted them together outside the show, and some insiders close to the Wicked Tuna production hinted at their off-camera romance. However, both TJ and Marissa have kept things fairly private, choosing not to make a public spectacle of their personal lives. This level of privacy is refreshing in the age of overexposure, but it also leaves plenty of room for speculation. One of the most frequently asked questions about the pair is: 'Are TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin married?' As of now, there is no official record or statement confirming that TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin are married. They have not publicly acknowledged any engagement, wedding, or marriage license. Most available information suggests that, while they may have dated or continue to date, they are not currently married. It's possible that the rumors of marriage stem from fan assumptions or wishful thinking. Their on-screen chemistry certainly gives the impression of a couple that could have a lasting bond. But in reality, there's no concrete evidence to prove they've taken that step. The interest in TJ and Marissa's relationship goes beyond standard celebrity gossip. It's rooted in their shared love of the sea, their competitive yet warm dynamic on Wicked Tuna , and their contrasting personalities that somehow complement each other. TJ Ott is the seasoned, confident captain who's been part of the Wicked Tuna world for years, while Marissa brings youthful energy, intelligence, and an infectious enthusiasm. Their interactions feel genuine—playful yet respectful—and viewers naturally gravitate toward that authenticity. It also helps that both are single, attractive, and clearly passionate about what they do. That combination makes them one of reality TV's most shippable duos. One of the reasons fans don't know for sure about TJ and Marissa's relationship status is that they have chosen to keep things relatively private. Unlike many reality TV stars who share every aspect of their lives online, neither of them posts frequently about their personal relationships. On Instagram and other platforms, you'll find fishing photos, behind-the-scenes shots from the show, and promotional content—but not much about love or dating. This discretion is likely a conscious decision to keep their private lives separate from their professional personas, especially in a high-profile environment like reality television. Fans are divided—some believe they are secretly married or at least deeply committed, while others think the relationship may have ended or was never romantic to begin with. Fan forums like Reddit and Wicked Tuna Facebook groups are filled with discussions, screenshots, and theories. Some even believe that the producers of Wicked Tuna have encouraged a romantic angle to add to the show's entertainment value, while others insist the relationship is 100% real. Regardless of which side you're on, there's no denying that the Ott-McLaughlin pairing has added another layer of intrigue to the show. So, what is the real truth about TJ Ott and Marissa McLaughlin's relationship? Here's what we know: They share great on-screen chemistry and a deep respect for each other. Multiple reports have suggested they dated off-camera. There is no official confirmation that they are currently dating or married. that they are currently dating or married. Both TJ and Marissa have kept their private lives low-key and away from media frenzy. Until either TJ or Marissa decides to publicly share the details, much of the speculation will remain just that—speculation. But one thing is for sure: their connection, whether romantic or platonic, has captured the hearts of Wicked Tuna fans everywhere. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pinwheel taps Q2 to ease direct deposit switching process
Fintech company Pinwheel has announced an integration with Q2's Digital Banking Platform, aiming to support instant direct deposit switching. This alliance is facilitated via the Q2 Partner Accelerator Program. Using Pinwheel's data network of payroll providers, banks and credit unions can get income and employment data from 1,800 platforms. This covers up to 100% of all US workers who receive direct deposit payments. The integration allows financial providers to offer consumers a streamlined process for switching direct deposits during account onboarding. Research indicates that 40% of new accounts remain inactive, primarily due to difficulties associated with the direct deposit switching process. The collaboration between Pinwheel and Q2 enables all Q2 customers to implement a one-click deposit switching feature. Pinwheel revenue head Brian Karimi-Pashaki said: 'Removing friction from the deposit switching process is critical for financial institutions to boost activation rates and secure primacy. 'We're thrilled to help Q2 customers take advantage of Pinwheel Deposit Switch by making it available through Q2's Partner Accelerator Programme. We are committed to helping credit unions and banks offer the best possible customer experience.' The Q2 Partner Accelerator Programme, facilitated by the Q2 Innovation Studio, allows financial services companies to integrate their technologies with the Q2 Digital Banking Platform. This initiative supports financial institutions in adopting new solutions and deploying standardised integrations efficiently. In October 2024, Pinwheel introduced Bill Navigator, a subscription management tool aimed at helping banks and financial institutions save their customers money on unused subscriptions. "Pinwheel taps Q2 to ease direct deposit switching process" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious 'Death Star' on The Verge of Exploding Is Hiding a Secret
Thousands of light-years from Earth, the dramatic death throes of a giant star are playing out. It's part of a star system called Wolf-Rayet 104 (WR 104), also known famously as the Pinwheel Nebula. Astronomers have confirmed the shape of the nebula is an interaction with a stellar twin – a binary companion in orbit with the dying star, which helps carve ejected material into a stunning spiral in space. The discovery, and the newly identified position of the binary companion, mean we no longer have to fret about the Pinwheel star's imminent supernova. We now know it's oriented in such a way that its gamma-ray burst would not lash Earth with a blast of deadly radiation – a possibility that led some to nickname WR 104's star the 'death star'. "Our view of the pinwheel dust spiral from Earth absolutely looks face-on (spinning in the plane of the sky), and it seemed like a pretty safe assumption that the two stars are orbiting the same way," says astronomer Grant Hill of Keck Observatory in the US. "When I started this project, I thought the main focus would be the colliding winds and a face-on orbit was a given. Instead, I found something very unexpected. The orbit is tilted at least 30 or 40 degrees out of the plane of the sky." Wolf-Rayet stars are very massive, very hot, and very luminous stars at the end of their main-sequence lifespans. Because they are so massive – the 'death star' is around 13 solar masses – that lifespan is very short; WR 104 is around just 7 million years old. The Wolf-Rayet stage of such a massive star's life involves the loss of mass at a very high rate, transported by the wild stellar winds, driven by radiation pressure in very hot, bright stars. This can result in some of the most beautiful death scenes in the cosmos. The dust blowing away from Wolf-Rayet stars with a binary companion can become carved into spectacular shapes by the orbital interaction, like we see with WR 140 and Apep. WR 104 is notable not just for the rarity of Wolf-Rayet stars in the galaxy, but also for the spiral shape its escaping dust forms as it leaks out into space. This is the result of the gravitational interaction with the binary companion, itself a very hot, massive, and luminous OB star orbiting with WR 104. Hill and his colleagues used Keck observations dating back to 2001 to determine the nature of the interaction. Their analysis showed that the two binary stars share a circular orbit with a period of about 241.54 days, separated by a distance about twice that between Earth and the Sun. Because the companion OB star is also massive – around 30 times the mass of the Sun – it, too, has a powerful wind driven by radiation pressure. As the two stars orbit, their winds collide, resulting in the production of dust that is heated by ultraviolet light. That heat is released as thermal emission, picked up by powerful infrared telescopes like those housed at the Keck Observatory. But the biggest surprise was the orientation of the system. Previous models of WR 104 had it oriented so that the poles of both stars were directly pointing towards Earth. This is a perilous position for us, because when a Wolf-Rayet star explodes in a supernova, it should release a gamma-ray burst from its poles. If the pole is pointed at Earth, the gamma-ray burst would erupt right at us, depleting our ozone layer and leaving us vulnerable to an extinction event. It's not clear exactly how far away WR 104 is, since its nature makes measuring its distance difficult. Estimates place it between around 2,000 and 11,000 light-years, the lower end of which is near enough to pose a hazard. Well, it turns out we don't have to worry. Hill and his colleagues were able to determine that the system's orbital plane is tilted with respect to Earth, so any gamma-ray bursts would sail harmlessly off in another direction. Of course, it's not projected to happen for another few hundred thousand years, but if we're going to be prepared for such an event, it's better to have all the cards sooner rather than later. However, the find represents a new mystery. Although the stars' poles are not pointed towards Earth, the spiral does appear to be directly plane-side towards us, suggesting that the dust and the orbital plane are misaligned. We simply don't know how this could happen. "This is such a great example of how with astronomy we often begin a study and the Universe surprises us with mysteries we didn't expect," Hill says. "We may answer some questions but create more. In the end, that is sometimes how we learn more about physics and the Universe we live in. In this case, WR 104 is not done surprising us yet!" The findings have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Asteroid May Not Hit Earth in 2032, But It Will Come Back The Entire Universe Could Exist Inside a Black Hole – Here's Why Astronomers Stunned by Abundant Oxygen in Earliest Known Galaxy
