Latest news with #cosmicdawn
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Working to Decode Signal From Earliest Years of Universe
As mysterious as the Big Bang that gave birth to the universe is the brief but tumultuous period that immediately followed it. How did the cosmos transform from a uniform sea of darkness into a chaotic swirl brimming with radiant stars? What were these first stars like, and how were they born? So far, we have very strong suspicions, but no hard answers. One reason is that the light from this period, called the cosmic dawn, is extremely faint, making it nearly impossible to infer the traits of these first cosmic objects, let alone directly observe them. But that's about to change, according to a team of international astronomers. In a new study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the astronomers argue that we're on the verge of finally decoding a radio signal that was emitted just one hundred millions years after the Big Bang. Known as the 21 centimeter signal, which refers to its distinct wavelength, this burst of radiation was unleashed as the inchoate cosmos spawned the earliest stars and black holes. "This is a unique opportunity to learn how the universe's first light emerged from the darkness," said study co-author Anastasia Fialkov, an astronomer from the University of Cambridge in a statement about the work. "The transition from a cold, dark universe to one filled with stars is a story we're only beginning to understand." After several hundred thousand years of cooling following the Big Bang, the first atoms to form in the universe were overwhelmingly neutral hydrogen atoms made of one positively charged proton and one negatively charged electron. But the formation of the first stars unbalanced that. As these cosmic reactors came online, they radiated light energetic enough to reionize this preponderance of neutral hydrogen atoms. In the process, they emitted photons that produced light in the telltale 21 centimeter wavelength, making it an unmistakeable marker of when the first cosmic structures formed. Deciphering these emissions would be tantamount to obtaining a skeleton key to the dawn of the universe. And drum roll, please: employing the Radio Experiment for the Analysis of Cosmic Hydrogen telescope, which is currently undergoing calibration, and the enormous Square Kilometer Array, which is under construction Australia, the researchers say they've developed a model that can tease out the masses of the first stars, sometimes dubbed Population III stars, that are locked inside the 21 centimeter signal. While developing the model, their key revelation was that, until now, astronomers weren't properly accounting for the impact of star systems called x-ray binaries among these first stars. These are systems where a black hole or neutron star is stripping material off a more ordinary star that's orbiting it, producing light in the x-ray spectrum. In short, it appears that x-ray binaries are both brighter and more numerous than what was previously thought. "We are the first group to consistently model the dependence of the 21-centimeter signal of the masses of the first stars, including the impact of ultraviolet starlight and X-ray emissions from X-ray binaries produced when the first stars die," said Fialkov. "These insights are derived from simulations that integrate the primordial conditions of the universe, such as the hydrogen-helium composition produced by the Big Bang." All told, it's another promising leap forward in the field of radio astronomy, where recent advances have begun to reveal an entire "low surface brightness" universe — and a potentially profound one as well, with the promise to illuminate our understanding of the cosmic dawn as never never before. "The predictions we are reporting have huge implications for our understanding of the nature of the very first stars in the universe," said co-author Eloy de Lera Acedo, a Cambridge astronomer and a principal investigator of the REACH telescope. "We show evidence that our radio telescopes can tell us details about the mass of those first stars and how these early lights may have been very different from today's stars." More on astronomy: Scientists Investigating Small Orange Objects Coating Surface of the Moon
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Science news this week: Overdue earthquakes and star-shaped brain cells
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. This week's science news saw us looking deep into the cosmos and the depths of our oceans. To understand the universe today, we need to look back at its earliest epoch, a period about 13 billion years ago known as the cosmic dawn. Until now, space-based telescopes have been our only way to peer back this far, but this week astronomers detected traces of light left by the first stars using a ground-based telescope — a feat scientists previously thought was impossible. From deep space to the deep ocean, researchers uncovered more secrets about the "world's richest shipwreck" off the Colombian coast, while other scientists captured a haunting blood-red squid on camera for the first time. Meanwhile, while researchers have spotted some remarkable things underwater, something that should normally live there recently turned up in a very unexpected place. From clearing cellular debris to regulating blood flow, star-shaped brain cells known as astrocytes are crucial to keeping your brain healthy, but a new study shows that they could also play a key role in how the brain stores memories. While neurons were once thought to be the brain's sole architects of thought and memory, scientists have used machine learning to understand how astrocytes behave when neurons interact with each other to form connections. They found that astrocytes help store memories through changes in calcium-based signals they send within and between cells, and in turn, these calcium signaling patterns get sent to neurons and tune their activity. Discover more health news —New menstrual pad device tracks period blood for signs of disease —There's a new blood test for Alzheimer's. Here's everything you need to know about it. —HIV/AIDS: Facts about the viral infection that attacks the immune system From hunting prey to finding mates and avoiding predators, the ability to detect odors is crucial for survival in the animal kingdom. But which species reigns supreme when it comes to smelling? —If you enjoyed this, sign up for our Life's Little Mysteries newsletter Earthquakes are notoriously difficult to predict, but a recent study suggests that California's faults are overdue for some quakes. By studying the interval between earthquakes on faults in five quake-prone regions with a long geological record, geoscientists worked out which ones were "overdue" for a quake. While faults in most of these regions were less than 20% overdue, that rocketed to about 45% in the case of the Golden State. Read more planet Earth news —Hidden layer beneath Italy's Campi Flegrei caldera may explain why it's so restless —Russian scientists discover a new island in the Caspian Sea — the world's largest inland body of water —Earth's oceans are a 'ticking time bomb' as acidity levels enter 'danger zone,' study suggests —'Lost Colony' of Roanoke may have assimilated into Indigenous society, archaeologist claims — but not everyone is convinced —IBM will build monster 10,000-qubit quantum computer by 2029 after 'solving science' behind fault tolerance — the biggest bottleneck to scaling up —Ancient DNA from Papua New Guinea reveals centuries of genetic isolation —Roman-era 'fast food' discovered in ancient trash heap on Mallorca —Alan Turing's seminal papers, almost destroyed by a shredder, head to auction Bariatric surgery is an extremely effective weight-loss treatment, but in addition to reducing people's body weights, the procedure is often tied to improvements in mental health. A new study suggests that these improvements may hinge not on the amount of weight lost, but rather on patients experiencing less weight stigma after the surgery. "Weight stigma" refers to negative attitudes, biases and beliefs people hold about those with overweight or obesity; some of those biases stem from the misconception that controlling one's weight is merely a matter of willpower. Among the patients included in the new study, most reported experiencing less stigmatization after bariatric surgery, along with better physical and mental health. A smaller subset of patients continued to experience stigma after their procedures and were then at higher risk of poor mental health and disordered eating. The study fills a "gap" in our understanding of factors that can affect patients' outcomes after these surgeries, which are growing more common. If you're looking for something a little longer to read over the weekend, here are some of the best long reads, book excerpts and interviews published this week. —The best time to see the Milky Way is fast approaching! How to see our galaxy at its best in June [Skywatching] —28 gorgeous nebula photos that capture the beauty of the universe [Picture gallery] —Summer solstice 2025: When is the solstice, why does it happen, and how do cultures celebrate? [Explainer] —Last minute Father's Day deals on telescopes, binoculars and cameras [Deals] This week we were treated to a part of the sun that no one has ever set eyes on before — the solar south pole. Dipping to an angle 17 degrees below the solar equator, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Solar Orbiter captured images of the star's south pole using a large band of visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, bringing to life the tangled web of the sun's magnetic field and chemical elements as they travel on enormous plumes of plasma. These new images will enable scientists to better understand solar wind, space weather and the cycle of the sun's shifting magnetic field. "Today we reveal humankind's first-ever views of the Sun's pole," Carole Mundell, ESA's director of science, said in a statement. "These new unique views from our Solar Orbiter mission are the beginning of a new era of solar science." Want more science news? Follow our Live Science WhatsApp Channel for the latest discoveries as they happen. It's the best way to get our expert reporting on the go, but if you don't use WhatsApp we're also on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Flipboard, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky and LinkedIn.
