Latest news with #SGR
New Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Petros to award offshore CCUS contracts by Q2
KUCHING: Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) plans to award contracts to the successful bidders of three offshore sites for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) by the second quarter of this year. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Petros is currently finalising the agreements with the successful bidders for the offshore storage sites. "Petros, as the appointed resource manager, launched the Sarawak Bid Round 2024, offering three offshore storage sites with significant geological potential," Awang Tengah, who is also the state international trade, industry and investment minister, said in his winding-up speech in the State Legislative Assembly here today. He said Petros, together with investors, has committed over RM100 million to assess Sarawak's carbon storage potential and build a comprehensive database. "These efforts will create a globally competitive carbon storage portfolio, fortifying Sarawak's expertise, investment appeal and sustainable low-carbon economic growth," he said. He said Sarawak is poised to lead regional CCUS efforts, leveraging over 65 per cent of Malaysia's geological carbon storage potential. He said Sarawak is at the forefront of national and regional decarbonisation efforts, driving sustainable solutions and enhancing its pivotal role in the global low-carbon economy. Awang Tengah also said that Petros has expanded its upstream operations with 21 production sharing contracts, including 12 exploration projects and equity in five producing fields, achieving 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. "The SK433 Adong Kecil West site in Miri will produce its first onshore oil next year," he said. Awang Tengah said the state oil company has committed RM8.5 billion in capital expenditure over the next three years for infrastructure development and resource commercialisation. He said that by 2030, the Sarawak Gas Roadmap (SGR) is expected to attract RM60 billion in investments and contribute significantly to Sarawak's economy. He said the initiatives reinforce Sarawak's leadership in sustainable energy, driving economic growth while advancing global decarbonisation efforts.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA tracks ultra-rare Neutron star so powerful it could shred a human from 600 miles away, and no one knows where it came from
NASA is focused on a terrifying cosmic enigma . This rare neutron star , known as a " magnetar ," has powers straight out of a science fiction film, and it's unlike anything scientists have ever seen. The most perplexing part is that nobody knows exactly how or where it was formed. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack The groundwork before India mounts a strike at Pakistan India considers closing airspace to Pakistani carriers amid rising tensions Cold Start: India's answer to Pakistan's nuclear threats How dangerous is this star, really? NASA is now monitoring SGR 0501+4516, a rare and dangerously powerful neutron star capable of tearing apart a human from 600 miles away, as quoted in a report by The Express. Owing to its extreme rarity, the neutron star is believed to be one of only 30 in the Milky Way's total population of about 100 billion stars. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Moose Approaches Girl At Bus Stop In Jawa Timur - Watch What Happens Happy in Shape Undo ALSO READ : Jennifer Garner's boyfriend John Miller reportedly furious as Ben Affleck eyes on-screen reunion with his ex-wife in potential movie role NASA claims that the object, which has been given the catchy name SGR 0501+4516, has "comic-book-hero superpowers," such as a magnetic field that is "about a trillion times more powerful than Earth's magnetosphere." This means that if the object passed Earth at a distance of roughly half that of the Moon, it would destroy every credit card on the planet, as per a report by The Express. Live Events What makes magnetars so rare? Magnetars are special because of their intense magnetic fields. According to a NASA press release, "the magnetar would turn into a literal sci-fi death-ray, tearing apart every atom inside the body, if a human got within 600 miles." It is thought that magnetar are created when a star explodes as a supernova and collapses to form an extremely dense neutron star. They are occasionally called " zombie stars ." "Magnetars are neutron stars, the dead remnants of stars. composed entirely of neutrons," explained Ashley Chrimes, lead author of the discovery paper that was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics on April 15, as quoted in a report by The Express. How did this rare star originate? The Hubble Space Telescope made the initial observation of the object in 2008. It seemed to have been created by a nearby supernova at the time. However, a ten-year analysis of its movement revealed that this couldn't be true, indicating that it must either be older than its estimated 20,000-year age or have formed in a different way, as per a report by The Express. According to scientific theories, SGR 0501+4516 might have formed by accretion-induced collapse, in which a white dwarf absorbs gas from a nearby star, grows too massive to sustain itself, and crashes. This may help to explain the enigmatic fast radio bursts that are occasionally detected in deep space. FAQs What makes this star particularly dangerous? Its magnetic field is so strong that it could rip a human apart from hundreds of miles away, and even destroy credit cards on Earth if it got too close. Where does this star come from? Scientists aren't sure yet, but it could have formed from a rare collapse of a white dwarf.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Mysterious ‘zombie star' speeds through the Milky Way at 177,000 km/h, capable of ripping human atoms; origin remains unknown
Source: Live Science In a stunning cosmological find, astronomers saw an ultra-massive and magnetic stellar remnant speeding through our galaxy at record speed. Called a " zombie star ," the object—properly known as SGR 0501+4516—is moving through the Milky Way at over 110,000 miles per hour (177,000 km/h). Even more dramatic is the star's fatal magnetic field capable of ripping human matter apart atom by atom. But aside from its velocity and brutality, the origin of this star is confounding astronomers and could redefine existing theories of how such objects are formed. A 'zombie star' SGR 0501+4516 moving through Milky Way SGR 0501+4516 is a magnetar—a neutron star with an unusual and extreme magnetic field. Neutron stars in general are dense remnants of giant stars that exploded as supernovae. Though tiny, a little larger than a city, neutron stars contain more mass than our Sun and are among the densest objects known in the universe, except for black holes. Magnetars, though, take it a step further. With magnetic fields as much as 100 trillion times more powerful than Earth's, they are the most magnetic objects in the universe. Only about 30 of these objects have been found in our galaxy. SGR 0501+4516 was discovered in 2008, about 15,000 light-years from Earth. But a new study published April 15 in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics has found something surprising: it's not only strong—it's also speeding through space at a surprisingly high speed. Magnetic field strength of the 'zombie star' The magnetic field strength of SGR 0501+4516 is unimaginable. If it were to fly by at half the distance to the Moon, its magnetism would wipe out all credit cards on the planet. Get within 600 miles, and its magnetic force would dissolve the human body on an atomic level. Fortunately, the magnetar is no threat to our solar system and will stay safely far away. By employing data from the European Space Agency's Gaia spacecraft as well as the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists tracked the magnetar's recent history and discovered a great enigma. At first assumed to have been born of the local supernova remnant HB9, SGR 0501+4516 was travelling much too quickly—and in the opposite direction—to have been born out of that place. Indeed, when researchers mapped its galactic trajectory over the course of millennia, they found it doesn't seem to be associated with any supernova remnants or giant star clusters. That's a fly in the ointment of the conventional view of magnetar formation. Zombie star hints at rare cosmic transformation This surprising path has brought astronomers to a new theory: SGR 0501+4516 could have developed without a supernova explosion whatsoever. Rather, it could have resulted from the direct collapse of a white dwarf—the dense core that remains after a medium-sized star exhausts its fuel. Usually, a white dwarf would explode as a supernova if nuclear reactions are triggered within it. But in exceptional conditions, theorists have suggested, it could instead collapse directly into a neutron star without going through the explosive stage. "We think that this magnetar might have been formed through this exotic pathway," said Andrew Levan, study co-author and astronomer at Radboud University and the University of Warwick. Zombie star theory could unlock cosmic mysteries This uncommon formation mechanism may have wider cosmic implications. If white dwarf collapse can actually produce magnetars, it may shed light on the enigmatic fast radio bursts (FRBs)—brief, brilliant pulses of radio waves—from distant galaxies that are too old to contain star deaths. The group stresses that additional observational information is required to verify this theory. But the research raises new questions regarding magnetar formation and their contribution toward creating some of the universe's most powerful and fleeting phenomena. "Figuring out where magnetars are born is one of the greatest challenges of high-energy astrophysics," said study co-author Nanda Rea, an astrophysicist at Spain's Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona. "It might help us understand some of the most violent events in the universe." Also Read | NASA astronaut Don Pettit to discuss his seven-month space mission on April 28 - live streaming, time and how you can participate
Zawya
24-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ruto in China: Kenya seeks credit wiggle room to fund SGR
In his China state visit, President William Ruto and his officials are faced with a tricky balancing act as they seek more support from Beijing for Kenya's infrastructure and trade development while ensuring that any new deals do not push up debt levels. His officials say they are open to try new financing models to fulfil the country's great need to complete stalled projects and extend others. Some of those are the extension of the standard gauge railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba on the Ugandan border, and the expansion of the main highway from Nairobi to Nakuru and on to Malaba. Dr Korir Sing'oei, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, told a press briefing in Beijing on Monday that Nairobi is being realistic about its debt situation.'The key issue has to do with Kenya's fiscal capacity to take on board new facilities, given the fact that we have had challenges with regards to interest rates from some of the debts and the volatility that has increased the debt,' he said.'What we need to do is to agree on a funding model. Because Kenya holds the view that if this railway were to reach Malaba, it would generate enough revenue which would enable it pay for itself. We are trying to persuade our colleagues in China to consider the possibility of a different financial model that is outside the loan arrangement. That conversation has progressed a great deal and we are looking at our counterparts at different models.'The two big ticket projects, the SGR and highway to Malaba, have been on the table for the past year. And, although China has been amenable to taking them on a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, Beijing has generally needed more convincing from Nairobi, especially because of Kenya's debt levels. Kenya took debt from China to finance the first two phases of the SGR from Mombasa to Naivasha. Government officials admit the railway won't make money to repay for itself if it continues stuck in the middle of nowhere, with over $5 billion already sunk into its construction.'It is my view that the Chinese are open to various models that are sustainable. Prudence and fiscal responsibility demands of us to be alive to the fiscal constraints that we operate within. That is why emphasis has been laid on innovative solutions. It all depends on the conversations that are taking place with our counterparts…President Ruto will not engage in a technical discussion with his counterparts because our Treasury experts are already handling those discussions,' the PS said. While he would not confirm if the financing would be signed during this visit, Dr Sing'oei said Kenya has already endorsed the PPP arrangement and could 'look into ways into which some of the instruments of financing our railway infrastructure, like the railway financial assets and securitising these assets to finance the next phase of development.'For Nairobi, though, debt may not be the most important issue on this trip, especially since Kenya has borrowed more from the World Bank than any other lender in the past three years. Lin Jian, the Spokesperson for China's Foreign ministry, said the trip is more of a walk down memory lane.'We believe this visit will contribute to deepening China's relations with Kenya, carrying out the outcomes of the Focac (Forum on China–Africa Cooperation) Beijing Summit, building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and promoting the solidarity and cooperation of the Global South,' he said on Friday. President Ruto is arriving in Beijing in the middle of a game-changing geopolitical shift. Initially seen as facing West, he routinely denied the charge, arguing he was looking for friends everywhere. Read: China's delight as Uncle Sam's once-favourite Ruto comes calling'You know, there are people who want to drive a narrative that it is the East versus the West. We are facing East, facing West. Let me tell you, we are neither facing East nor facing West. We are facing forward,' Ruto said last year, when he made a state visit to the US, the first African leader to be accorded such a status in 18 years. Now, Nairobi says Ruto won't be a transactional president but one who identifies partners and sticks with them.'President Ruto is coming to China to deepen a friendship. It is not always transactional,' Dr Sing'oei said on Monday. 'It is really also about developing a shared understanding of where we are and where we need to be as two friendly countries.'Deals worth over $500 million are expected to be signed during this visit, and officials confirmed China's support for an integrated transport system and junction improvement project, funding for technical colleges, water sectors and a financing arrangement to build the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. Kenya says China will be important to continue pushing for debate for reforms in the financing architecture, where lenders like the World Bank give loans at a cheaper rate than they do. It also wants China to play a bigger role in Africa's peace initiatives, especially in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, where conflict has intensified. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Extreme 'zombie star' capable of ripping human atoms apart is shooting through the Milky Way
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have spotted an immensely powerful "zombie star" shooting through the Milky Way at more than 110,000 mph (177,000 km/h). The stellar cannonball, which has a magnetic field capable of ripping humans apart atom by atom, also has a puzzling origin story that could alter our understanding of similar stellar remnants. The surprising object, dubbed SGR 0501+4516, is a magnetar, a neutron star with a powerful magnetic field. Neutron stars are the remains of dead stars that have collapsed into shriveled husks the size of small planets while retaining as much mass as sunlike stars. This makes neutron stars the densest known cosmic objects, behind the hypothesized singularities of black holes. The incredibly compact object, which is one of only 30 known magnetars in the Milky Way, was first discovered in 2008, when it was around 15,000 light-years from Earth. But in a new study, published April 15 in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers analyzed data of subsequent sightings of SGR 0501+4516 from the Hubble Space Telescope and the European Space Agency's Gaia spacecraft and found that the stellar remnant is moving through our galaxy much faster than expected. Magnetars are among the most magnetic objects in the universe, and SGR 0501+4516 is no exception. Experts think the object's magnetic field is around 100 trillion times more powerful than Earth's protective shield. If SGR 0501+4516 "flew by Earth at half the Moon's distance, its intense [magnetic] field would wipe out every credit card on our planet," NASA representatives wrote in a statement. "If a human got within 600 miles, the magnetar would become a proverbial sci-fi death-ray, ripping apart every atom inside the body." However, the undead star is not expected to get anywhere near the solar system. Related: Immensely powerful 'magnetar' is emitting wobbly radio signals in our galaxy — and scientists can't explain them The discovery challenges what we know about how magnetars form. Until now, researchers assumed that these objects are born from the explosions of dying stars that get blown apart before they are reforged into neutron stars. This is what researchers assumed had happened to SGR 0501+4516, which was originally spotted close to the supernova remnant HB9. However, the new study showed that the magnetar is moving too fast and in the wrong direction to have originated from this particular cosmic crime scene. "Tracing the magnetar's trajectory thousands of years into the past showed that there were no other supernova remnants or massive star clusters with which it could be associated," NASA representatives added. The researchers are still unsure exactly how SGR 0501+4516 was created. But they predict that it formed through the direct collapse of a white dwarf — the leftover core of a star after it has exhausted its fuel — rather than via a stellar explosion. "Normally, the [supernova] scenario leads to the ignition of nuclear reactions, and the white dwarf exploding, leaving nothing behind," study co-author Andrew Levan, an astronomer at Radboud University in the Netherlands and the University of Warwick in England, said in the statement. "But it has been theorized that under certain conditions, the white dwarf can instead collapse into a neutron star. We think this might be how [this magnetar] was born." RELATED STORIES —Ultra-powerful plasma 'blades' could slice entire stars in half, new paper suggests —Enormous explosion in 'Cigar Galaxy' reveals rare type of star never seen beyond the Milky Way —Supernova that lit up Earth's skies 843 years ago has a flowering 'zombie star' at its heart — and it's still exploding This formation method also hints at the mysterious origin of some fast radio bursts — extremely brief and intense flashes of radio-wave radiation — detected coming from faraway galaxies that are too ancient to host exploding stars, the researchers wrote. However, more data is needed to tell for sure. "Magnetar birth rates and formation scenarios are among the most pressing questions in high-energy astrophysics, with implications for many of the universe's most powerful transient events," study co-author Nanda Rea, an astrophysicist at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, said in the statement.
