Latest news with #universe
CNN
4 hours ago
- General
- CNN
Once inevitable collision between Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies now seems less likely, astronomers say
A collision between our Milky Way galaxy and its largest neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, predicted to occur in about 4.5 billion years, has been anticipated by astronomers since 1912. But new research suggests that the likelihood of this galactic clash, dubbed 'Milkomeda,' is smaller than it seems. At first glance, it appears likely that the galactic duo — separated by about 2.5 million light-years — is on an inevitable collision course. The Milky Way and Andromeda are barreling toward each other at about 223,694 miles per hour (100 kilometers per second). However, the Local Group, or our corner of the universe, includes 100 known smaller galaxies. A team of astronomers factored in some of the largest among them, including the Large Magellanic Cloud, or LMC, and M33, or the Triangulum galaxy, to see how much of a role they might play on the chessboard of our galaxy's future over the next 10 billion years. After factoring in the gravitational pull of Local Group galaxies and running 100,000 simulations using new data from the Hubble and Gaia space telescopes, the team found there is about a 50% chance of a collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda in the next 10 billion years. There is only about a 2% chance the galaxies will collide in 4 to 5 billion years as previously thought, according to the study published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. A merger of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies would destroy them both, eventually turning both spiral structures into one elongated galaxy, the study authors said. Collisions between other galaxies have been known to create 'cosmic fireworks, when gas, driven to the center of the merger remnant, feeds a central black hole emitting an enormous amount of radiation, before irrevocably falling into the hole,' said study coauthor Carlos Frenk, professor at Durham University in England. 'Until now we thought this was the fate that awaited our Milky Way galaxy,' Frenk said. 'We now know that there is a very good chance that we may avoid that scary destiny.' However, there are many unknown factors that make it difficult to predict the ultimate fate of our galaxy, according to the study authors. And, Frenk warns, the Milky Way has a greater chance of colliding with the LMC within 2 billion years, which could fundamentally alter our galaxy. The LMC orbits the Milky Way, while M33 is a satellite of Andromeda. The LMC's mass is only about 15% of the Milky Way's. But the team found that the satellite galaxy has a gravitational pull, perpendicular to Andromeda, that changes the Milky Way's motion enough to reduce the chance of a merger between the two giant galaxies. It's a similar case for M33. 'The extra mass of Andromeda's satellite galaxy M33 pulls the Milky Way a little bit more towards it,' said lead study author Dr. Till Sawala, astronomer at the University of Helsinki in Finland. 'However, we also show that the LMC pulls the Milky Way off the orbital plane and away from Andromeda. It doesn't mean that the LMC will save us from that merger, but it makes it a bit less likely.' Previous research also has assumed most likely values for unknown data, such as the uncertainties in the present positions, motions and masses of the Local Group galaxies. In the new study, the team accounted for 22 different variables, including those unknowns, that could contribute to a collision. 'We ran many thousands of simulations, which allowed us to account for all the observational uncertainties,' Sawala said. 'Because there are so many variables that each have their errors, that accumulates to rather large uncertainty about the outcome, leading to the conclusion that the chance of a direct collision is only 50% within the next 10 billion years.' In just over half of the simulations predicting what could occur in 8 to 10 billion years, the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies initially sailed somewhat closely past each other before circling back and then losing enough orbital energy to collide and merge as one galaxy. These initial close encounters between each galaxy's halo — a large envelope of gas — would eventually lead to a collision. 'In general, the merger would most likely involve a strong starburst, during which many new stars would form, followed by a period of intense radiation caused by exploding young stars and the newly active supermassive black hole, eventually shutting down star formation completely,' Sawala said. 'A few billion years later, any traces of the former Milky Way and Andromeda would disappear, and the remnant would be a largely featureless elliptical galaxy.' In the other simulations, both galaxies crossed paths without disturbing each other. Geraint Lewis, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Sydney's Institute for Astronomy, finds the results showing the gravitational influence of M33 and the LMC interesting. He has previously authored research on a potential collision between Andromeda and the Milky Way. 'We won't know if the collision is definitely off in the future, but this clearly shows that the story that people tell — that there will be a collision that will destroy the Milky Way and Andromeda — is not as clear or certain that people think,' Lewis said. 'But even if there is a pretty close encounter rather than smashing head-on, the gravitational tearing that each will assert on each other is likely to leave the two large galaxies in a sorry state.' While including the LMC's gravitational effects on the Milky Way is important, accounting for uncertainties is the most important aspect of the new study, said Scott Lucchini, a postdoctoral fellow in the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. 'Here, they've sampled from the uncertainties in the positions, velocities, and masses of the galaxies to obtain the relative probabilities of different outcomes,' Lucchini wrote in an email. 'This really gives us the whole picture of what could happen in the future.' Galaxies are full of intricacies. Their shapes can become distorted, interactions can change their orbits and they can lose mass in different ways. Such complexities make predictions difficult, Lucchini said. That essentially leaves the fate of the Milky Way 'completely open,' the study authors wrote in the new paper. However, more data coming from the Gaia space telescope in the summer of 2026 will provide measurements that refine some of the uncertainties about the speed and direction at which Andromeda is moving across the sky, Sawala said. The fate of the sun may have a bigger impact on Earth's future than the motions of galaxies, according to the researchers. Our sun is 4.5 billion years old. When it starts to die in another 5 billion years, it will swell into a red giant that engulfs Mercury, Venus and potentially Earth, according to NASA. 'The short answer is that the end of the sun is far worse for our planet than the collision with Andromeda,' Sawala said. 'While that merger would mean the end of our galaxy, it would not necessarily be the end of the sun or the Earth. Although our work also shows that earlier studies, that purported to predict precisely what the fate of the solar system would be after the merger, were clearly premature, in general, collisions between stars or planets are extremely rare during galaxy mergers. And while the end of the sun is certain, our study shows that the end of the galaxy is anything but.' While the team didn't model a merger between the LMC and the Milky Way in detail, they found a 'virtual certainty' that a merger between the two galaxies will occur within the next 2 billion years, which aligns with previous research, Sawala said. But the effects will likely be more minor than a merger between the Milky Way and Andromeda. 'The merger (between the Milky Way and the LMC) will not destroy our galaxy but it will change it profoundly, particularly impacting our central supermassive black hole and the galactic halo,' Frenck wrote in an email. He also served as a coauthor on a 2019 paper on the potential merger.
Sustainability Times
2 days ago
- General
- Sustainability Times
'Dark Energy Just Got Stranger': Groundbreaking Discovery Shakes the Foundations of How We Understand the Entire Universe
IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 The Dark Energy Survey (DES) has uncovered findings that challenge the notion of dark energy as a constant force. has uncovered findings that challenge the notion of dark energy as a constant force. 🔭 Using the powerful Dark Energy Camera (DECam) , researchers mapped a significant portion of the universe over six years. , researchers mapped a significant portion of the universe over six years. 📉 Anomalies in baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO) suggest a smaller scale than predicted by the standard cosmological model. suggest a smaller scale than predicted by the standard cosmological model. 💡 New data from Type Ia supernovae strengthen the idea that dark energy might be dynamic, reshaping our cosmic understanding. The universe, as we perceive it, is a tapestry woven with the enigmatic threads of dark matter and dark energy. For decades, the standard cosmological model, known as ΛCDM, has crafted our scientific understanding, asserting that a staggering 95% of the cosmos is composed of these mysterious entities. Among them, dark energy is believed to be the driving force behind the accelerating expansion of the universe, acting as a repulsive force. However, recent findings from the Dark Energy Survey (DES)</strong) have introduced complexities that challenge our existing perceptions of this force. Dark Energy: A Cosmological Constant, or So We Thought Dark energy has long been modeled by the cosmological constant, a concept introduced by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. This term represents a mysterious force supposed to counteract gravity, thereby causing the universe's expansion to accelerate. Within the framework of the ΛCDM model, which stands as the accepted paradigm of modern cosmology, this constant was presumed to remain unchanged over time. This assumption was grounded in several reasons. The ΛCDM model hinges on the belief that the universe is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales, meaning its properties are uniform in all directions and locations on average. This hypothesis underpins modern cosmology, suggesting that when observed over vast scales, the universe exhibits a uniform distribution of matter and energy, including dark energy. Thus, it seemed logical to assume that dark energy, like ordinary and dark matter, was evenly distributed throughout the cosmos. 'Japan Traps the Impossible': Scientists Develop Breakthrough Method to Extract Ammonia From Air and Water With Unmatched Precision Moreover, at the time of the ΛCDM model's formulation, scientists lacked a theoretical mechanism to explain any potential variability in dark energy over time or space. In the absence of such a mechanism, it was reasonable to consider dark energy as a constant, acting as a fundamental property of the universe responsible for its accelerating expansion. An Evolving Phenomenon? However, recent discoveries by researchers from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) suggest an entirely different possibility: dark energy might actually be evolving over time. The study, leveraging data from the 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on the 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, has mapped a portion of the universe covering nearly one-eighth of the sky over a span of six years. Various observational techniques were employed, including supernovae, galaxy clusters, and weak gravitational lensing. This Prehistoric Armored Fish From 465 Million Years Ago Could Be the Key to Understanding Why Our Teeth Still Hurt Initial analyses revealed notable anomalies. One of the primary findings is that the scale of baryonic acoustic oscillations (BAO), which describe the distribution of galaxies in the universe, appears smaller than predicted by the ΛCDM model. In simpler terms, the measured scale of these oscillations was 4% smaller than the standard cosmological model's predictions. If confirmed, this discrepancy could profoundly impact our understanding of the universe's expansion. Supernovae and Cosmic Distances: Shedding Additional Light In addition to the BAO data, another critical measure emerged from the study of Type Ia supernovae. These supernovae serve as 'standard candles' due to their known intrinsic brightness, allowing scientists to calculate their distances with remarkable precision. The DES findings, combined with supernova data, bolstered the idea that dark energy might be dynamic and not an immutable cosmological constant. This Stunning Scientific Breakthrough Just Tripled the Birth Rate of One of the World's Most Endangered Parrot Species The Dark Energy Survey recently released an extensive dataset on Type Ia supernovae, enabling highly precise measurements of cosmic distances. These new discoveries confirm the anomalies observed in the baryonic acoustic oscillations, adding weight to the possibility of evolving dark energy. Profound Implications for Cosmology If the DES findings are validated, they would signify a significant reconfiguration of our understanding of the universe. The cosmological constant, long considered a fundamental parameter in cosmology, might need to be replaced by a more complex view. Juan Mena-Fernández from the Laboratory of Subatomic Physics and Cosmology in Grenoble speaks of physics beyond the standard model. He suggests that if these new data are corroborated, it could pave the way for a scientific revolution, challenging long-established ideas. While the current DES results are not yet definitive, researchers anticipate further analyses. Additional data from probes like galaxy clusters and weak gravitational lensing effects should offer complementary insights into the nature of dark energy. For the scientific community, these discoveries present an opportunity to explore new theoretical avenues and consider more flexible cosmological models capable of explaining the observed anomalies. The upcoming months will be crucial in validating this new interpretation of dark energy and potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the universe. As we stand on the brink of potentially redefining our cosmic knowledge, one must wonder: What other mysteries might the universe hold, waiting to be unraveled by future explorations? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (26)
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
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Exhibit about history of universe opens at TWOSE
A person explores Telus World of Science Edmonton's "Stardust: The Universe in You" exhibit on May 30, 2025. (Darcy Seaton / CTV News Edmonton) Telus World of Science Edmonton's newest exhibit will offer a chance to explore the oldest parts of the universe's history when it opens on Saturday. 'Stardust: The Universe in You' covers the big bang, or the universe's birth, the creation of stars, and leading research from the James Webb Space Telescope into infrared light. 'It explores basically what is in all of us. How did all the atoms in our universe get their start? How do we go from the big bang to these complex organic molecules that we have here on the earth?' said Frank Florian, the senior manager of planetarium and space science at TWOSE. 'Science itself is always this evolving structure. As we learn new things about the universe, we have to change the way we look at things in the universe itself. So this (exhibit) here creates a bit of an eye-opening experience – and maybe creates more questions than answers.' The exhibit's interactive features include triggering a supernova, creating a galaxy, walking through a star explosion and experimenting with infrared. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Darcy Seaton
Sustainability Times
24-05-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Doomsday Coming Sooner Than You Think': This Groundbreaking Study Reveals the Imminent Threat Facing Humanity and Why We Need to Act Now
IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 Groundbreaking Study: Dutch researchers propose that the universe could end much sooner than previously expected, altering cosmic timelines. Dutch researchers propose that the universe could end much sooner than previously expected, altering cosmic timelines. 🕳️ Hawking Radiation Expanded: The study extends the concept of Hawking radiation beyond black holes to other massive celestial bodies like neutron stars. The study extends the concept of Hawking radiation beyond black holes to other massive celestial bodies like neutron stars. 🌙 Theoretical Evaporation: Calculations suggest that even the moon and humans could theoretically 'evaporate' over time, illustrating the slow nature of this process for less dense objects. Calculations suggest that even the moon and humans could theoretically 'evaporate' over time, illustrating the slow nature of this process for less dense objects. 🔍 Scientific Implications: Findings prompt a reassessment of cosmic models and emphasize the importance of exploring the unknowns of the universe. The universe as we know it may be on a faster track to dissolution than ever imagined. A groundbreaking study by three Dutch researchers, Heino Falcke, Michael Wondrak, and Walter van Suijlekom, has extended the principles of Hawking radiation to celestial bodies beyond black holes. Their research suggests that even the moon or a human could eventually evaporate, illustrating a universe that is unraveling much more rapidly than previously believed. This revelation has sent ripples through the scientific community, urging a reevaluation of cosmic timelines and our understanding of the universe's ultimate fate. Understanding Hawking Radiation: Beyond Black Holes Hawking radiation, theorized by the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking in 1974, has been a cornerstone concept in astrophysics. It explains how objects with intense gravitational fields, such as black holes, can gradually lose mass by emitting particles. This happens due to quantum effects near the gravitational field, causing these dense objects to slowly evaporate over time. However, the Dutch researchers have expanded this theory beyond its traditional boundaries, applying it to other massive objects like neutron stars. Their findings suggest that the time required for these objects to evaporate hinges solely on their density. Remarkably, they discovered that neutron stars and stellar black holes could disintegrate in approximately 1067 years. This was unexpected because a stronger gravitational field was assumed to expedite the evaporation process. This discovery not only challenges long-held beliefs but also opens new avenues for understanding the fundamental laws governing our universe. Breakthrough Space Discovery: Young Physics Student Stuns Scientists Worldwide With Game-Changing Astronomical Contribution The Surprising Fate of Familiar Objects: The Moon and Humans As part of their exploration, the researchers applied their calculations to more familiar entities: the moon and even humans. They estimated that, in theory, these entities might take about 1090 years to 'evaporate' through a process akin to Hawking radiation. This astronomical number highlights how infinitesimally slow the phenomenon is for objects with lower density and without extreme gravitational fields. However, they caution that other mechanisms might lead to the destruction of humanity long before this theoretical endpoint. Walter van Suijlekom, a mathematician and co-author of the study, emphasized the value of this interdisciplinary approach: 'By posing these kinds of questions and examining extreme cases, we aim to better understand the theory and possibly one day unlock the mystery of Hawking radiation.' This theoretical and daring exercise demonstrates the science's potential to test and expand the boundaries of physics. 'Super-Earths Are Everywhere': New Study Reveals These Giant Alien Worlds Are Far More Common Than Scientists Ever Imagined Implications for the Scientific Community The implications of these findings extend far beyond the realm of theoretical physics. The Dutch researchers' work has prompted the scientific community to reassess cosmic timelines and the universe's life expectancy. Previously, it was assumed that the universe's demise would occur in about 101100 years. However, this new study drastically reduces that timeline to a mere 1078 years, suggesting that the universe might end much sooner than anticipated. This revelation challenges scientists to rethink their models and theories about cosmic evolution and the ultimate fate of the universe. It also underscores the importance of continuing to explore the unknowns of our cosmos, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding of the universe's most fundamental processes. 'Star Devours Like a Monster': Astronomers Stunned as Baby Star Consumes Gas Equal to Two Jupiters Annually The Future of Cosmic Exploration As we continue to unravel the mysteries of our universe, the work of Falcke, Wondrak, and van Suijlekom serves as a poignant reminder of the vastness of what we have yet to comprehend. Their research invites further inquiry into the nature of space-time, gravity, and the very fabric of the cosmos. It also raises profound questions about humanity's place in the universe and the ultimate destiny of all matter. As we ponder these cosmic enigmas, one must wonder: How will these discoveries shape our understanding of existence, and what new mysteries will they unveil as we continue our exploration of the universe's final frontier? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (25)
