The Global Security Inspection Equipment Market has witnessed continuous growth in the past few years and is projected to grow even further during the forecast period (2020-2025). The assessment provides a 360 view and insights, outlining the key outcomes of the industry, current scenario witnesses a slowdown and study aims to unique strategies followed by key players. These insights also help the business decision-makers to formulate better business plans and make informed decisions for improved profitability. In addition, the study helps venture or private players in understanding the companies more precisely to make better informed decisions. Some of the key players in the Global Security Inspection Equipment market are Astrophysics, Smiths Detection, Garrett, C.E.I.A. & Rapiscan Systems

Whats keeping Astrophysics, Smiths Detection, Garrett, C.E.I.A. & Rapiscan Systems Ahead in the Market? Benchmark yourself with strategic steps and conclusions recently published by HTF MI. Analyze COVID impact on overall Industry.

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The Major Players Covered in this Report:Astrophysics, Smiths Detection, Garrett, C.E.I.A. & Rapiscan Systems

By type, the market is split as:, Fixed & Portable

By the end users/application, sub-segments are:Airport, Subway, Stadium & Others

Regional Analysis for Security Inspection Equipment Market:North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc

For Consumer Centric Market, Survey Analysis can be included as part of customization which consider demographic factor such as Age, Gender, Occupation, Income Level or Education while gathering data. (if applicable)

Consumer Traits (If Applicable) Buying patterns (e.g. comfort & convenience, economical, pride) Buying behavior (e.g. seasonal, usage rate) Lifestyle (e.g. health conscious, family orientated, community active) Expectations (e.g. service, quality, risk, influence)

The Global Security Inspection Equipment Market study covers current status, % share, future patterns, development rate, SWOT examination, sales channels, to anticipate growth scenarios for years 2020-2025. It aims to recommend analysis of the market with regards to growth trends, prospects, and players contribution in the market development. The report size market by 5 major regions, known as, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (includes Asia & Oceania seperately), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America.

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The Security Inspection Equipment market factors described in this report are:-Key Strategic Developments in Global Security Inspection Equipment Market:The research includes the key strategic activities such as R&D plans, M&A completed, agreements, new launches, collaborations, partnerships & (JV) Joint ventures, and regional growth of the key competitors operating in the market at global and regional scale.

Key Market Features in Global Security Inspection Equipment Market:The report highlights Security Inspection Equipment market features, including revenue, weighted average regional price, capacity utilization rate, production rate, gross margins, consumption, import & export, supply & demand, cost bench-marking, market share, CAGR, and gross margin.

Analytical Market Highlights & ApproachThe Global Security Inspection Equipment Market report provides the rigorously studied and evaluated data of the top industry players and their scope in the market by means of several analytical tools. The analytical tools such as Porters five forces analysis, feasibility study, SWOT analysis, and ROI analysis have been practiced reviewing the growth of the key players operating in the market.

Table of Contents :Global Security Inspection Equipment Market Study Coverage:It includes major manufacturers, emerging players growth story, major business segments of Global Security Inspection Equipment market, years considered, and research objectives. Additionally, segmentation on the basis of the type of product, application and technology.

Global Security Inspection Equipment Market Executive SummaryIt gives a summary of overall studies, growth rate, available market, competitive landscape, market drivers, trends, and issues, and macroscopic indicators.Global Security Inspection Equipment Market Production by RegionGlobal Security Inspection Equipment Market Profile of ManufacturersPlayers are studied on the basis of SWOT, their products, production, value, financials, and other vital factors.

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Key Points Covered in Security Inspection Equipment Market Report:Security Inspection Equipment Overview, Definition and ClassificationMarket drivers and barriersSecurity Inspection Equipment Market Competition by ManufacturersSecurity Inspection Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2019-2025)Security Inspection Equipment Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2019-2025)Security Inspection Equipment Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type {, Fixed & Portable}Security Inspection Equipment Market Analysis by Application {Airport, Subway, Stadium & Others}Security Inspection Equipment Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisSecurity Inspection Equipment Manufacturing Cost AnalysisIndustrial/Supply Chain Analysis, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersMarketing Strategy by Key Manufacturers/Players, Connected Distributors/TradersStandardization, Regulatory and collaborative initiativesIndustry road map and value chainMarket Effect Factors Analysis

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Security Inspection Equipment Market to witness Massive Growth by 2025 - Bulletin Line

This study, just accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters, is the first evidence for large scale dynamical differences between active and non-active galaxies in the local universe. The astronomers participating are from the Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna (ULL); as well as the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and the Instituto de Astrofsica de Andalucia (IAA).

There is now evidence that the supermassive black holes at the centres of the majority of galaxies have a basic influence on their evolution. In some of them, the black hole is ingesting the material surrounding it at a very high rate, emitting a large quantity of energy. In those cases we say that the galaxy has an active nucleus (AGN). The material which feeds the AGN must initially be quite distant from the nucleus, in the disc of the galaxy, rotating around its centre. This gas must, one way or another, have been "braked" in order to fall into the central zone, a process known as loss of angular momentum.

"Studying the mechanisms which control the relation between the active nucleus and the rest of the galaxy -explains Ignacio del Moral Castro, a doctoral student in the IAC and the University of La Laguna (ULL) and first author of the article- is necessary to understand how these objects form and evolve, and to be able to throw light on this question we need to compare active and non-active galaxies. With this purpose, the main idea of my doctoral thesis is centred on the study and comparison of galaxies which are almost twin, but with the difference being nuclear activity".

The work has consisted of comparing the dynamics of the galactic discs of various active/non-active pairs. The researchers used data from the CALIFA survey (Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area). This contains spectroscopic data over complete 2D fields for more than 600 galaxies, taken at the Calar Alto Observatory in Almera, which allow observations of virtually the whole of each galaxy, so that its global characteristics can be studied.

Novel methodology

Previously, in the majority of studies the procedure used was the identification of a sample of active galaxies within a large survey, which were then compared to the rest of the galaxies in the survey having similar properties which do not show nuclear activity. However, this time, the researchers used a novel method: they performed one-to-one comparisons. Firstly, they identified active spiral galaxies in the CALIFA sample, and for each of them they looked for a non-active galaxy which had equivalent global properties, i.e. with the same mass, brightness, orientation and so on, and very similar in appearance.

Using this method the team put forward two scenarios to explain the dynamical differences between active and non-active galaxies. In the first, the explanation would be that it is the trace of the angular momentum transfer between the gas which has fallen into the centre and the material which remains in the disc. The second attributes the difference to the infall of gas from outside, via the capture of small nearby satellite galaxies, in which case, this capture should occur more frequently in the active galaxies. Both scenarios are compatible with this result and they are not mutually exclusive.

"The result surprised us; we really didn't expect to find this type of differences on a large scale, give that the duration of the active phase is very short in comparison with the lifetime of a galaxy, and with the time needed to produce morphological and dynamical changes", says Begoa Garca Lorenzo, and IAC researcher, and a coauthor of the article.

"Up to now we thought that all galaxies go through active phases during their lifetimes, but this result could mean that this is not the case, which would imply a major change to current models", adds Cristina Ramos Almeida, also an IAC researcher and coauthor of the article.

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Differences between discs of active and non-active galaxies detected for the first time - Science Codex

Scientists show for the first time that large sand ripples known as megaripples are migrating on Mars, according to a new study. The findings suggest Marss dusty surface might be much more active than previously suspected, offering clues about the Red Planets poorly understood atmosphere.

Sand dunes and ripples are typical features of deserts on both Earth and Mars. Megaripples are distinguished from smaller ripples by the coarser sand grains that gather at their crests, as well as by their larger size: Megaripples range from 30 centimeters (1 foot) to tens of meters across. Megaripples develop taller crests and migrate more slowly because their coarser grains are more difficult for wind to move.

Until now, scientists thought megaripples were relics of Marss more geologically active past. Many thought it was impossible for the Red Planets thin atmosphere100 times less dense than Earthsto conjure up winds powerful enough to move the coarser crests. But the new study by Silvestro et al. shows that wind can blow hard enough to move megaripples, suggesting the Martian atmosphere is more dynamic than previously thought.

The implications are global in terms of climate, said Simone Silvestro, lead author of the new study and a staff research scientist at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Naples, Italy. If you see these features are moving now, it means you dont need the past climate to explain them.

Megaripples are apparent in high-resolution images of Marss surface, but researchers considered them a now-static fixture formed long ago when the planets atmosphere was thicker.

Scientists had once thought the same of even small ripples in the sand, Silvestro said. Since the 80s and 90s, Mars was considered kind of dead from a geological point of view, he said.

Ten years ago, Silvestro and his colleagues used high-resolution images of Marss surface to prove that wind was moving the planets smaller ripples, publishing the findings in Geophysical Research Letters. Silvestros ripples study showed dynamic winds did exist on Mars, capable of changing the patterns of sand on the planets surface.

For his latest study, Silvestro and his colleagues looked at images of megaripples from HiRISE, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that has been taking pictures of the planets surface since 2006. They focused on two dune-associated locations, Nili Fossae and McLaughlin Crater, comparing images of megaripples at each site that were taken 5 Martian years apart. The team found that the megaripples moved an average of 1.2 meters (4 feet) at Nili Fossae and 0.9 meter (3 feet) at McLaughlin Crater over the roughly 5-year period.

Now, 10 years later, we are seeing also the megaripples are moving, Silvestro said. They are the last thing you would expect to see moving, [but] they are also moving.

The researchers noted that a previously known trait of Martian megaripples could also hold clues about the Martian atmosphere: Their crests are bright toned. Most of the sand covering Marss surface comes from basaltic rocks, giving dunes a dark color in HiRISE images, but megaripples buck this trend.

There are a couple of potential reasons for the megaripples crests lighter color scheme, Silvestro said. They are bright either because their slow movement relative to the dunes allows fine dust from the atmosphere to settle and accumulate or because the coarse sand that makes up the crests is itself composed of a different material. Either possibility could tell researchers more about the dynamics of the Martian atmosphere.

The research is a reminder that as scientists strive to learn more about the Red Planet, sometimes the answers can be found closer to home.If you want to understand the climate of Mars and the geology of Marspresent and pastand if you want to continue exploration by sending robots and one day sending humans, we want to know much more about the circulation of Mars and how the winds interact with the surface material, Silvestro said.

Interest in megaripples on Mars has sparked renewed interest in the phenomenon back on Earth. Past studies on Earth megaripples and research grants Silvestro received to study megaripples in Morocco provided crucial information for his Mars megaripple research. Its a reminder that as scientists strive to learn more about the Red Planet, sometimes the answers can be found closer to home, he said.

These waves in sand have been studied for 150 years, Silvestro said of terrestrial megaripples. They probably thought that they were studying stuff that nobody would be interested in. But actually, many years later, we are using them to wonder how the atmosphere could work on other planets. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JE006446, 2020)

Rachel Fritts (@rachel_fritts), Science Writer

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Megaripple Migration Offers Insights into Martian Atmosphere - Eos

NASA engineers are working on an ambitious new mission that will carry a cutting-edge, 2.5-metre telescope high into the stratosphere on a football stadium-sized balloon.

The launch of the mission called ASTHROS, short for Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths, is tentatively planned for December 2023 from Antarctica, NASA said on Thursday (24 July).

ASTHROS will spend about three weeks drifting on air currents above the icy southern continent and achieve several firsts along the way.

To achieve its mission objectives, ASTHROS will need to reach an altitude of about 130,000 feet (40 kilometers) roughly four times higher than commercial airliners fly.

Though still well below the boundary of space about 62 miles, or 100 kilometers, above Earths surface it will be high enough to observe light wavelengths blocked by Earths atmosphere.

Balloon missions like ASTHROS are higher-risk than space missions but yield high-rewards at modest cost, said Jose Siles, Project Manager for ASTHROS at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

With ASTHROS, were aiming to do astrophysics observations that have never been attempted before. The mission will pave the way for future space missions by testing new technologies and providing training for the next generation of engineers and scientists.

ASTHROS will carry an instrument to measure the motion and speed of gas around newly-formed stars.

During flight, the mission will study four main targets, including two star-forming regions in the Milky Way galaxy.

It will also for the first time detect and map the presence of two specific types of nitrogen ions (atoms that have lost some electrons).

These nitrogen ions can reveal places where winds from massive stars and supernova explosions have reshaped the gas clouds within these star-forming regions.

In a process known as stellar feedback, such violent outbursts can, over millions of years, disperse the surrounding material and impede star formation or halt it altogether.

But stellar feedback can also cause material to clump together, accelerating star formation. Without this process, all the available gas and dust in galaxies like our own would have coalesced into stars long ago.

ASTHROS will make the first detailed 3D maps of the density, speed, and motion of gas in these regions to see how the newborn giants influence their placental material.

By doing so, the team hopes to gain insight into how stellar feedback works and to provide new information to refine computer simulations of galaxy evolution.

A third target for ASTHROS will be the galaxy Messier 83. Observing signs of stellar feedback there will enable the ASTHROS team to gain deeper insight into its effect on different types of galaxies.

Finally, as its fourth target, ASTHROS will observe TW Hydrae, a young star surrounded by a wide disk of dust and gas where planets may be forming.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Football Stadium-Sized Balloon To Carry NASA's Cutting-Edge Astrophysics Observations Telescope To Stratosphere - Swarajya

Ancient light from the Big Bang has revealed a precise new estimate for the universe's age: 13.77 billion years, give or take 40 million years.

The new estimate, based on data from an array of telescopes in the Chilean Atacama Desert, also weighs in on one of the most important disagreements in astrophysics: How fast is the universe expanding? Described in two scientific papers, the new result gives a significant boost to one side of the disagreement, though the physicists couldn't prove the other side of the dispute wrong.

Here's the problem: Physicists need to understand the universe's expansion rate to make any sense of cosmology the science of our whole universe's past, present and future. They know that a mysterious substance called dark energy is causing the universe to expand (at an ever-increasing rate) in all directions.. But when astronomers point their telescopes into space to measure the Hubble constant (H0) the number that describes how fast the universe is expanding at different distances from us or another point they come up with numbers that disagree with each other, depending on the method they use.

One method, based on measurements of how fast nearby galaxies are moving away from the Milky Way, produces one H0. Another method, based on studying the oldest light in space, or cosmic microwave background (CMB), produces another H0. This disagreement has left scientists wondering whether there's some important blind spot in their measurements or theories, as Live Science previously reported. These new results seem to show that there weren't any measurement errors on the CMB side.

Related: 9 facts about black holes that will blow your mind

"We find an expansion rate that is right on the estimate by the Planck satellite team," which is another study of the CMB, Cornell University astrophysicist Steve Choi, lead author of one of two new papers, said in a statement. "This gives us more confidence in measurements of the universe's oldest light."

The data from the Planck satellite, released in 2018, were the most important measurements of the CMB before now. With an unprecedented level of precision, they showed how sharply CMB measurements of H0 disagree with measurements based on the movement of nearby galaxies.

These new results recalculated the CMB measurement from scratch using an entirely different set of telescope data and calculations, and came up with very similar results. That doesn't prove that the CMB measurement of H0 is correct there could still be some problem with the physics theories used to make the calculation but it does suggest that there aren't any measurement errors on that side of the disagreement.

Related: The 18 biggest unsolved mysteries in physics

Relying on data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in Chile's Atacama Desert, the researchers tracked faint differences between different parts of the CMB -- which appears to have different energy levels in different parts of the sky. The CMB, which formed as the universe cooled after the Big Bang, is detectable in every direction in space as a microwave glow. It's more than 13 billion light-years in the distance, a relic of a time before stars and galaxies formed.

By combining theories on how the CMB formed with precise measurements of its fluctuations, physicists can determine how fast the universe was expanding at that moment in time. That data can then be used to calculate H0.

The ACT methodically scanned half the sky between 2013 and 2016, looking particularly at microwave light. Then researchers spent years cleaning up and analyzing the data with the aid of supercomputers, removing other microwave sources that are not part of the CMB, to stitch together a full map of the CMB. The whole time, they "blinded" themselves to the implications of their work, they wrote in their papers, meaning they didn't look at how their choices affected estimates of H0 until the very end. Only when the full CMB map was complete did the researchers use it to calculate H0.

The new CMB map also offered a new measure for the distance between Earth and the CMB. That distance, combined with a new measurement of how fast the universe has expanded over time, allowed a precise calculation of the age of the universe.

"I didn't have a particular preference for any specific value it was going to be interesting one way or another," Choi said.

It's still possible, as Live Science has previously reported, that some error in those theories is messing up the calculation. But it's not clear what the error would be.

The other approach to calculating H0 relies on pulsing stars known as cepheids, which reside in distant galaxies and pulse regularly. That timed pulsing allows researchers to perform precise calculations of their motion and distances from Earth.

With those direct speed measurements, it's fairly straightforward to come up with a measurement of H0. There are no complicated cosmological theories involved. But it's possible, some scientists have proposed, that our region of the universe is just weirdly empty, and not representative of the whole universe. It's even possible that there are measurement issues with the cepheids, and that these cosmic measuring sticks don't work quite the way physicists expect.

For now, the true H0 remains a mystery. But CMB researchers have more ammunition for their side of the disagreement.

Both new papers describing the new analysis have been published July 14 to the preprint database arXiv and submitted for formal peer review.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Oldest surviving light reveals the universe's true age - Space.com

A lot of things have changed since March. Some have given up old habits like smoking or bathing, and some have adopted new habits like talking to their neighbors or learning something new. Known to be lazy, I decided to takea course in Astronomy, thinking it would be easy and fun watching stars all night.

So last night, when I was stargazing with my daughter in our backyard ,she asked me why governments spend so much on space exploration when there are so many critical issues here on Earth that need the money. She is 13, but this was a valid question. Being a fan of astronomy, I couldnt let this slide away.

There are an astronomical number of reasons (I couldnt resist the pun), but I will start with the few most obvious ones. The wireless headphones you connect to your camera phone just before you put on your sneakers ... I paused and pretended to drop the mic. All three are there because someone invested in space exploration.

In fact, many common things we take for granted are there because money was spent on space exploration. Also, even if you dont believe in climate change, you cant deny the fact that our resources are depleting. We owe it to our future generations to solve these problems. Putting money into space exploration is one of the best investments we can make for our future. I think she was convinced.

Human beings are narcissistic by nature. For centuries, mankind believed that we were the center of the universeand many still believe the world revolves around them. According to Dr. Anna Wyczalkowski, an Associate Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of George Mason University and Ph.D. from University of Maryland,

"As of Jan. 1st 2019, we have identified 3,946 planets around 2,945 stars including 650 multiple planetary systems confirmed. A few thousand candidates await confirmation.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg, she adds, while teaching astronomy,

"There are billions of stars in our galaxy and there are billions of galaxies in the universe. And there is more."

If that doesnt blow your mind, imagine this. There is speculation among several branches of mathematics, quantum mechanics, and astrophysics that our universe is just one of many and we actually exist in a "multiverse." The curiosity that drives human nature is driven by the philosophy that "seeing is believing," and that keeps moving astronomy forward. And to fill that void in your curiosity, here are the top 5 five stargazing spots in the DMV region.

Photo Courtesy Unsplash

According to Greg Redfern, a NASA-affiliated astronomy professor, Shenandoah National Parkis one of the best destinations for stargazing in Virginia. Two other parks in Virginia are two of the only 64 parks in the world designated as International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Staunton River State Park andJames River State Parkhave a strict outdoor lighting policy that ensure an exceptionally dark sky, making conditions ideal for stargazing.

Photo Courtesy Unsplash

Calm, high, dark, dry: the four conditions ideal for astronomy are pristinely fulfilled at thePrimland Resort. Located near the Blue Ridge Parkway, the 12,000-acre resort is nestled among the southwest Virginia mountain splendor and is a paradise for stargazers. If that isnt enough to convince you for a socially distanced adventure, a resident astronomer leading a nightlyTour of the Universewill.

Photo Courtesy Unsplash

Bear Branch Recreation Park inWestminster, Maryland, is one of the very few facilities open to the public. It houses a 40-seat planetarium with three telescopes that will make your day and night. Just remember the sky is at its clearest during winter nights when there is less (or no) humidity, compared withsummer evenings which produce haze and may blur your view. Try Clear and Dark Sky, the site that tells you which day you should plan for stargazing. Generally, the best time for stargazing is when the moon is in acrescent or gibbous phaseor when its not present in the sky at all. Full moons are only good for werewolves.

Photo Courtesy Unsplash

The astronomy department at the community college is perfect for beginners, as it not only welcomes the general public but also helps guide and educate on the topic of stargazing. It is open throughout the winter starting from August. You can bring your own equipment, and if you havent invested anyyet, you can always borrow what is available.

Photo Courtesy Unsplash

Who would have thought that with all the light pollution in D.C. there would also be a great stargazing spot in Washington? Well, there is, and it is ideally located near Rock Creek Park.Experience the mesmerizing sky under the Rock Creek Planetarium, a facility that usesSpitz software to illustrate the nights sky. But if you want the real thing, evening stargazing sessions occur through November at the Military Field, which is located off of Military Road in Rock Creek Park. And when you step out, look for the International Space Station.NASA has a websitededicated to tracking the ISS. It tells you when the next sighting is in your area, where in the sky it will be, and for how long.

Please check before going to any of the parks for their updated schedule and policies related to social distancing procedures.

Stargazing is one hobby that can bring the entire family together for a fun night out in the backyard. If you dont have a backyard, you can also stargaze from a balcony or front step, or through a skylight. In fact, you can do it every evening and come up with games like Spot the Star. You can download various apps that help you identify stars, their distances, sizes, and so on. My favorite is Skyview Lite which is free and easy to use. It is available on the app stores. Find a permanent spot so you can compare the movements. Get a reclining chair, which allows you to look upwards without straining your neck.Turn off all the lights, and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. Astronomers call this process "dark adaptation," and it takes about half an hour. Look for patterns, like the saucepan-shaped Plough, which is visible year-round.Find a planet, which may be a bright "star" that isnt twinkling.

Have you ever wondered about the stars, UFOs, life beyond earth, and the edge of the universe? Which mystery intrigues you the most? Tell us in the comments section.

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Top 5 Stargazing Sites in the DMV Region (Your Backyard Is the 6th!) - Our Community Now at Colorado

The U.S. Space Command says the incident occurred last week.

The U.S. has accused Russia of testing an anti-satellite weapon in space, just months after the country was also accused of spying on an American satellite in orbit.

In a statement yesterday, the U.S. Space Command said it has evidence that Russia conducted a non-destructive test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon on Wednesday, July 15.

General John Raymond, Commander of U.S. Space Command and Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force, said the test was consistent with the Kremlin's published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold U.S. and allied space assets at risk.

The source of the test was supposedly the Cosmos 2543 satellite, which was launched on November 25, 2019. The event occurred when the satellite was near another Russian satellite, Cosmos 2535, but the projectile is not thought to have hit it or anything else in orbit.

Russia released this object in proximity to another Russian satellite, which is similar to on-orbit activity conducted by Russia in 2017, and inconsistent with the system's stated mission as an inspector satellite, the statement said.

[The] test is another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, seriousand increasing.

According to Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics on Twitter, the object appears to have been fired at up to 700 kilometers per hour, with no maneuvers following its deployment. We don't know how big the object is, he noted. But it's a subsatellite of a subsatellite.

Brian Weeden, a space policy analyst from the Secure World Foundation, noted on Twitter the speed suggested it was a projectile being fired rather than a satellite deployment. That said, it's also far from a conclusive weapons test. I'd put it in the worrisome category, he added.

However, in response, the Russian foreign ministry said the accusations were distorted. In a statement they said the tests did not create a threat for other spacecraft, according to BBC News, adding they had carried out a check of a Russian spacecraft at close range with the use of specialised small spacecraft apparatus.

General John Raymond, pictured, called out Russia over the test.

The satellite system involved in this incident was also accused of spying on the USA 245 satellite in February 2020. Cosmos 2542, which deployed the Cosmos 2543 satellite, was claimed to have adjusted its orbit to approach the U.S. government satellite, raising considerable alarm at the time.

The classified USA 245 spacecraft belongs to the National Reconnaissance Office, and it is believed to carry a powerful Earth-facing telescope to take sharp, high-resolution photos for analysis by U.S. intelligence agencies, said Spaceflight Now.

In April, Russia also launched an anti-satellite missile, known as the Nudol interceptor. The missile is supposedly designed to destroy satellites in low Earth orbit, although there are some question marks as to whether the system is actually operational yet or not.

Regardless, this latest orbital incident will be cause for some concern, with fears of potential conflicts in orbit. The United States, in coordination with our allies, is ready and committed to deterring aggression and defending the Nation, our allies and vital U.S. interests from hostile acts in space, said Raymond.

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Russia Accused Of Firing Anti-Satellite Weapon From One Of Its Satellites In Space - Forbes

There was plenty of growth medium available for the early openings, as the galaxies of the young universe were filled with dense gas clouds and large, short-lived stars.

If scientists are right, black holes have been part of the universe from the beginning. Microscopic openings would give birth in an initial explosion, and the elders of the large openings collapsed into their positions from hydrogen clouds at the same time as the stars ignited to shine.

In old in the imagery, the black holes were menacing and bottomless holes in space. Today, they are part of the basic equipment of the universe, and observations of them are beginning to be almost mundane.

A black hole lurking in the center of the distant Messier 87 galaxy was even released in the spring of 2019. picture. It was conclusive evidence for laymen of the existence of gaps.

The first image of the black hole was released in spring 2019. It shows, as it were, the shadow of the black hole M87, i.e. the event horizon. The image was compiled on the basis of data collected by several radio telescopes. Picture: Event Horizon

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Astrophysics Black holes had been created initially of all the things they usually had been partly light-bringers - Pledge Times

At this point, it appears all but assured that we are not alone. I mean, the evidence is overwhelming: a quintet of cows, mysteriously sapped of all blood and surgically separated from their genitals? Sounds like aliens, according to us and also the local sheriffs deputy. All those strange, apparently physics-defying flight machines Navy pilots have reported encountering for years? Even the Pentagon now feels comfortable confirming that these are UFOs, wobbling spookily across our skies. And while we cannot assume that these are, for sure, captained by space invaders, consider this: A new, somewhat hypothetical census of our potential extraterrestrial neighbours has determined that the Milky Way Galaxy hosts 36 intelligent alien civilisations - at a minimum.

I think it is extremely important and exciting because for the first time we really have an estimate for this number of active intelligent, communicating civilisations that we potentially could contact and find out there is other life in the universe, Christopher Conselice, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Nottingham and a co-author of research published Monday in the Astrophysical Journal, told the Guardian.

The current go-to calculation for ball-parking Milky Way residents is the Drake equation, which identifies seven factors allegedly necessary to make an educated alien count.

The current go-to calculation for ball-parking Milky Way residents is the Drake equation, which identifies seven factors allegedly necessary to make an educated alien count. Yet the Drake equation provides no firm answers, so Conselice and colleagues tweaked it to account for certain ingredients crucial to the development of life on Earth things like the presence of a metal-rich environment, and the likelihood that other stars may have Earth-like planets in their orbits. It also introduced an assumption that intelligent life would form in about 5 billion years, as it did here. According to the Guardian, all of this worked out to between four and 211 intelligent, communication-ready alien civilisations in our galaxy, although Conselice believes there are most likely 36.

Its just one theory, and even if it did prove correct, wed still be looking at a thousands-of-years wait (at least 6,120 years, per the research) before we can engage in a game of intragalactic telephone; Conselice suspects the closest aliens could live about 17,000 light-years away. Unfortunately, the way things are going, we probably dont have that kind of time.

This article originally appeared on Science of Us 2020 All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content

War of the Worldscontinues weekly at 9:30pm from Thursday 16 July. Episodes will be available onSBS On Demandeach week on the same day as broadcast. The series will also be subtitled inSimplified ChineseandArabicfor SBS On Demand.

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We might have dozens of contactable Alien neighbors - SBS

The Republic of Armenia announced on July 18 that Princeton astrophysicist Adam Burrows is one of three recipients of the Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize for his seminal and pioneering contributions to the theories of brown dwarfs and exoplanets and for his leadership role in educating a generation of scientists at the frontiers of brown dwarf and exoplanet research.

He shares the award with Alexander Szalay of Johns Hopkins University and Isabelle Baraffe of the University of Exeter in England and the Lyon Center for Astrophysics Research in France.

Adams work has explored the boundary between what we call a star and a planet, which has informed a huge range of discoveries of planets orbiting other stars," said Michael Strauss, chair of the Department of Astrophysical Sciences. "It is wonderful to see this seminal work recognized with this prize.

Burrows, a professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton, is also the director of the Princeton Planets and Life Certificate Programs and a 1975 alumnus in physics. His primary research interests are supernova theory, exoplanet and brown dwarf theory, planetary atmospheres, computational astrophysics, and nuclear astrophysics.

Well-known as a pioneer in the theory of exoplanets, brown dwarfs and supernovae, Burrows has collaborated with more than 250 co-authors on more than 350 papers. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a fellow of the American Physical Society, and the recipient of many other awards and honors.

The Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize is awarded every two years to outstanding scientists from any nation who have made a significant contribution in physics or mathematics. The laureates receive a medal and share a financial award equivalent to $300,000, of which $100,000 is earmarked to develop astronomy, astrophysics, physics and mathematics in Armenia over the next two years.

The award ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2020.

The Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize is awarded every two years by the Republic of Armenia.

Photo courtesy of the Republic of Armenia

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Astrophysicist Adam Burrows wins international prize for brown dwarf and exoplanet research - Princeton University

How old is the universe? This question has baffled astrophysicists for many decades. The universe cannot be younger than the oldest thing we can find in it offers a clue to the answer.

In order to estimate the universe's age scientists have been observing ancient stars and measuring the expansion of the universe. Researchers have analysed relic radiation left over from the big bang that falls on Earth from every direction.

New scientific measurements have suggested the universe may be hundreds of millions of years younger than previously estimated.

Research published in a series of papers by an international team of astrophysicists, including Prof Neelima Sehgal, from Stony Brook University, suggest the universe is about 13.8 billion years old. By using observations from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in Chile, their findings match the measurements of the Planck satellite data of the same ancient light.

The ACT research team is an international collaboration of scientists from 41 institutions in seven countries. The Stony Brook team from the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences, led by Professor Sehgal, plays an essential role in analyzing the cosmic microwave background (CMB)the afterglow light from the Big Bang.

"In Stony Brook-led work we are restoring the 'baby photo' of the universe to its original condition, eliminating the wear and tear of time and space that distorted the image," explains Professor Sehgal, a co-author on the papers. "Only by seeing this sharper baby photo or image of the universe, can we more fully understand how our universe was born."

Obtaining the best image of the infant universe, explains Professor Sehgal, helps scientists better understand the origins of the universe, how we got to where we are on Earth, the galaxies, where we are going, how the universe may end, and when that ending may occur.

The ACT team estimates the age of the universe by measuring its oldest light. Other scientific groups take measurements of galaxies to make universe age estimates.

The new ACT estimate on the age of the universe matches the one provided by the standard model of the universe and measurements of the same light made by the Planck satellite. This adds a fresh twist to an ongoing debate in the astrophysics community, says Simone Aiola, first author of one of the new papers on the findings posted to arXiv.org.

"Now we've come up with an answer where Planck and ACT agree," says Aiola, a researcher at the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics in New York City. "It speaks to the fact that these difficult measurements are reliable."

In 2019, a research team measuring the movements of galaxies calculated that the universe is hundreds of millions of years younger than the Planck team predicted. That discrepancy suggested that a new model for the universe might be needed and sparked concerns that one of the sets of measurements might be incorrect.

The age of the universe also reveals how fast the cosmos is expanding, a number quantified by the Hubble constant. The ACT measurements suggest a Hubble constant of 67.6 kilometers per second per megaparsec. That means an object 1 megaparsec (around 3.26 million light-years) from Earth is moving away from us at 67.6 kilometers per second due to the expansion of the universe. This result agrees almost exactly with the previous estimate of 67.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec by the Planck satellite team, but it's slower than the 74 kilometers per second per megaparsec inferred from the measurements of galaxies.

"We find an expansion rate that is right on the estimate by the Planck satellite team. This gives us more confidence in measurements of the universe's oldest light," said Steve Choi of Cornell University in another paper posted to arXiv.org

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Cosmic background light confirms the age of the universe - THE WEEK

Credit: CERN

Scientists at CERN, including experts from the University of Birmingham, have reported on their first significant evidence for a process predicted by theory. The findings pave the way for searches for evidence of new physics in particle processes that could explain dark matter and other mysteries of the universe.

The CERN NA62 collaboration, which is part-funded by the UKs Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and involves a number of UK scientists, presented at the ICHEP 2020 conference in Prague the first significant experimental evidence for the ultra-rare decay of the charged kaon into a charged pion and two neutrinos, (i.e.K+ + ).

The decay process is important in cutting-edge physics research because it is so sensitive to deviations from theoretical predictions. This means that it is one of the most interesting things to observe for physicists looking for evidence to supports alternative theoretical model in particle physics.

Professor Mark Thomson, particle physicist and Executive Chair of STFC, said that this was exciting progress because the result shows how precise measurements of this process could lead to new physics, beyond the Standard Model of particle physics developed in the 1970s:

The Standard Model describes the fundamental forces and building blocks of the universe. It is a highly successful theory, but there are several mysteries of the universe that the Standard Model does not explain, such as the nature of dark matter and the origins of the matterantimatter imbalance in the universe.

Physicists have been searching for theoretical extensions to the Standard Model. Measurements of ultra-rare processes provide an exciting avenue for exploring these possibilities, with the hope of discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model.

The UK participants in this research are from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Lancaster, and have been funded by STFC which is part of UK Research and Innovation, as well as by the Royal Society and the European Research Council (ERC).

The NA62 experiment has been designed and constructed, with a significant UK contribution, specifically for measurement of these ultra-rare kaon decays, from kaons produced by a unique high-intensity proton beam provided by the CERN accelerator complex. The kaons are created by colliding high-energy protons from CERNs Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) into a stationary beryllium target. This creates a beam of secondary particles which contains and propagates almost one billion particles per second, about 6% of which are kaons. The main aim of NA62 is to measure precisely how the charged kaon particle decays into a pion and a neutrinoantineutrino pair. The UK has a strong leading role in the K+ + decay analysis.

The decay process is important in cutting-edge physics research because it is so sensitive to deviations from theoretical predictions. This means that it is one of the most interesting things to observe for physicists looking for evidence to supports alternative theoretical model in particle physics.

Professor Mark Thomson, particle physicist and Executive Chair of STFC, said that this was exciting p decay analysis.

This kaon decay process is called the golden channel because of the combination of being both ultra-rare and excellently predicted in the Standard Model. It is very difficult to capture and holds real promise for scientists searching for new physics, explains Professor Cristina Lazzeroni, Particle Physicist at the University of Birmingham, and spokesperson for NA62.

This is the first time we have been able to obtain significant experimental evidence for this decay process. It is an exciting moment because it is a fundamental step towards capturing the precise measurement of the decay and identifying possible deviations from the Standard Model.

In turn, this will enable us to find new ways of understanding our universe. The instruments and techniques developed in the NA62 experiment will lead to the next generation of rare kaon decays experiments."

The new result measured to a 30% precision, gives the most precise measurement to date of this process. The result is consistent with the Standard Model expectation, but still leaves room for the existence of new particles.

More data is needed to reach a definitive conclusion on the presence or not of new physics. [Please see Editors notes for a more detailed description of the result.]

STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow Dr Giuseppe Ruggiero from Lancaster University has been the leading analyst for this measurement since 2016, and helped to create the experiment. He said:

Analysing the data from the experiment posed a real challenge. We had to suppress a huge amount of unwanted data, by about one thousand billion times. And we had to do this without losing the tiny signal that we wanted to detect. This is much more challenging that finding a needle in a million haystacks! We used a method called blind analysis technique. So called, because the analysis is done without looking in the region, or blind box, where the signal is supposed to be.

STFC also funded two Ernest Rutherford Fellowships, one at the University of Liverpool and then Lancaster, and one at the University of Birmingham. In addition, three doctoral students at the University of Birmingham received support from STFC and one is now working as a postdoctoral researcher on the project. All five early-career physicists have worked on the project.

The data used in the research was taken between 20162018 at the CERNs Prevessin site, in France, and the research involves over 200 scientists from 31 institutions. A new period of data taking will start in 2021 and will allow the NA62 collaboration to put a more definite answer on the question of new physics.

For media enquiries please contact Beck Lockwood, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)781 3343348.

The findings

The new result comes from a detailed analysis of the complete NA62 data set collected so far, corresponding to exposure of 61012 kaon decays. Because the process being measured is so rare, the team had to be particularly careful not to do anything that might bias the result. For that reason, the experiment was carried out as a blind analysis, where physicists initially only look at the background to check that their understanding of the various sources is correct.

Only once they are satisfied with that, they look at the region of the data where the signal is expected to be; this is called blind analysis. Following a blind analysis, seventeen K+ + candidates are observed in the main dataset collected in 2018, revealing a significant excess over the expected background of only 5.3 events.

This excess leads to the first evidence for this process (with a statistical significance above the three sigma level). The decay rate, measured to a 30% precision, gives the most precise measurement to date of this process. The result is consistent with the Standard Model expectation, but still leaves room for new physics effects. More data are needed to reach a definitive conclusion on the presence or not of new physics.

The probability for this process to happen, called branching ratio, for the ultra-rare K+ + decay is very small and predicted within Standard Model of particle physics to a high precision: (8.4 1.0)1011. This leads to exceptional sensitivity to the possible phenomena beyond the Standard Model description, making this decay a golden mode, i.e. one of the most interesting observables at the precision frontier of particle physics. The experimental study is however extremely challenging due to the tiny rate, a neutrino pair in the final state, and huge potential background processes. Due to its characteristics, the NA62 experiment has excellent sensitivity to a variety of rare kaon decays and exotic processes.

More information

The NA62 collaboration is preparing to collect an even larger dataset in 202124, when the CERN SPS will restart operation, taking data at a higher beam intensity with an improved beam line and detector setup. The next target is a five sigma observation of the K+ + .

The decay process is important in cutting-edge physics research because it is so sensitive to deviations from theoretical predictions. This means that it is one of the most interesting things to observe for physicists looking for evidence to supports alternative theoretical model in particle physics.

Professor Mark Thomson, particle physicist and Executive Chair of STFC, said that this was exciting p decay, followed by a measurement of the decay rate to a 10% precision, thereby providing a powerful independent test the Standard Model of particle physics. The horizon of a new physics programme with a sensitivity to decay rates well below the 10T11 level is now in sight.

For the longer term future, a high-intensity kaon beam programme is starting to take shape, with prospects to measure the K+ + decay to a few % precision, to address the analogous decay of the neutral kaon, KL 0 , and to reach extreme sensitivities to a large variety of rare kaon decays which are complimentary to investigations in the beauty quark sector.

The NA62 Experiment

Building on a long tradition of research into matter-antimatter asymmetry carried out in experiments NA31 and NA48, NA62 is examining the decay of kaons, and one type in particular where a kaon decays into a pion and two neutrinos. The Standard Model, the theory that underpins particle physics, gives a precise prediction of the frequency of this decay type.Itsaveryrareoccurrence,butlooking closely at these rare processes is essential for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model. In fact, this particular kaon decay is so unusual that an experiment at Brookhaven, USA only recorded three incidences in an experiment specifically set up to look for it. The technique that NA62 is going to use observing decay in flight has never been done anywhere before.

CERN

CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, is one of the world's leading laboratories for particle physics. The Organisation is located on the French-Swiss border, with its headquarters in Geneva. Its Member States are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus and Slovenia are Associate Member States in the pre-stage to Membership. Croatia, India, Lithuania, Pakistan, Turkey and Ukraine are Associate Member States. The European Union, Japan, JINR, the Russian Federation, UNESCO and the United States of America currently have Observer status.

CERN is home to the largest particle collider in the world, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In 2012, CERN confirmed the discovery of the Higgs boson, the last missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics, nearly 50 years after its original prediction.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) & CERN

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation, co-ordinates and manages the UKs involvement and subscription with CERN. The UKs influence on both CERN Council and CERN Finance Committee is coordinated through the UK Committee on CERN (UKCC).

UK membership of CERN gives our physicists and engineers access to the experiments and allows UK industry to bid for contracts, UK nationals to compete for jobs and research positions at CERN, and UK schools and teachers to visit. UK scientists hold many key roles at CERN. Firms in the UK win contracts for work at CERN worth millions of pounds each year. The impact of winning contracts is often even greater as it enables companies to win business elsewhere.

STFC also funds and supports research in particle and nuclear physics, astronomy, gravitational research and astrophysics, and space science and also operates a network of five national laboratories, including the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Daresbury Laboratory, as well as supporting UK research at a number of international research facilities including CERN, FERMILAB, the ESO telescopes in Chile and many more. @STFC_Matters

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NA62 experiment at CERN reports first evidence for ultra-rare process that could lead to new physics - University of Birmingham

July 29 (UPI) Assembly on the worlds largest nuclear fusion project began Tuesday in France as a coalition of 35 countries seeks to replicate the reactions that power the sun to generate clean energy.

The approximately $23 billion International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, is expected to be assembled by 2025 when it is expected to become the first to achieve a burning of self-heating plasma that can generate 10 times more heat than is originally provided.

Constructing the machine piece-by-piece will be like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle on an intricate timeline and with the precision of a Swiss watch, ITER director-general Bernard Bigot said.

Millions of components, including 3,000 tons of superconducting magnets and more than 100 miles of superconducting cables, will be combined to assemble the reactor that will weigh 23,000 tons.

Nuclear fusion releases significant amounts of energy, while the process does not produce carbon dioxide and, unlike nuclear fission reactors, cannot melt down and produce less radioactive waste.

Scientists have successfully achieved fusion, but it has only been done for short periods of time and has not produced more energy than needed to make the fusion reaction occur.

Delivering fusion energy for humanity is far from easy. It requires combining the scientific knowledge of astrophysics with the technical know-how of nuclear power engineering, Michael Mauel, a professor of applied physics at Columbia University, told CBS News.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised the project as a move toward addressing the climate crisis.

I believe disruptive innovation will play a key role in addressing global issues, including climate change and realizing a sustainable carbon-free society, said Abe.

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Assembly begins on worlds largest nuclear fusion reactor - Gephardt Daily

Singularities also known as black holes are so powerful that even light cannot escape their grasp. But what happens when ablack hole meets something even stronger, like a wormhole?

We know a black hole would win in a fight against Godzilla, Earths yellow sun, and even the entire Milky Way. But a wormhole? Thats a tall order. Sure, wormholes are only hypothetical so theyre at a disadvantage against black holes which weve actually observed. However that might be the black holes only advantage.

Where a black hole is like a kitchen sink with a drain to nowhere, a wormhole is a theoretical bridge between two universes or two distant places within the same universe. If wormholes exist, and it were possible to traverse them, you could fly a spaceship into one side and near-instantly pop out on the other side where you could be in a completely different universe.

Essentially they both suck, but what we want to know is which one sucks harder. Luckily for us a team of researchers from Vanderbilt University in Tennesee and Sam Houston State University in Texas have done the hard work for us.

In a pre-print paper on the astrophysics section of arXiv, the team writes:

In this paper, we model the inspiral of a stellar mass black hole into a stable, non-spinning, traversable wormhole, and find a characteristic waveform an anti-chirp and/or burst as the black hole emerges.

In other words: they modeled what would happen if a black hole and a wormhole got into it and the answer isnt as cut-and-dry as you might think.

Black holes arent just big, even forces of gravity. The further you are from their center, the less pull they exhibit. Wormholes work pretty similar so it stands to reason that if you got two of them in the same general location theyd feel each other out a bit before they start grappling. The scientists write:

The initial inspiral of the BH looks to an observer in Universe 1 like a typical BH-BH inspiral and merger with a normal GW chirp until the BH reaches the throat at 3MWH.

Basically, if you were watching on a fancy telescope that picks up distant radio waves, this would look like two black holes about to Tango.

Now were seeing the difference between a black hole and a wormhole. The black hole starts to pass into the throat of the wormhole and physics get funky. Per the researchers:

At that point the BH passes through the throat into Universe 2 and the gravitational wave signature in Universe 1 fades quickly as the BH is now radiating predominantly into Universe 2. An observer in Universe 3 sees a very strong signal that decreases in amplitude and frequency, an anti-chirp, until the BH reaches apogee and falls back into the WH.

Victory looks certain as the wormhole appears to have entirely swallowed the black hole. We expect the black hole will emerge on the other side of the wormhole, but theres a plot twist. According to the researchers, at the very moment the black hole should pass it gets spat back out into universe one:

The frequency reaches a maximum again at the throat as it passes from Universe 2 to 1, and the process repeats with chirps resulting from the inspiral BH trajectories and anti-chirps from outspiral BHs.

If the teams models are correct, a head-on collision between a black hole and a wormhole should result in a tie with the wormhole maintaining the upper hand. The wormhole gets the takedown, but the blackhole earns an escape. In the end, the wormhole takes the match in a split decision.

That is, of course, only if you apply MMA rules. The astrophysicists were mostly interested in coming up with a way to detect wormholes in order to prove their existence, so its unclear whether or not theyve considered the combat sports aspect of their research.

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Here's what would happen if a wormhole fought a black hole - The Next Web

Forty years ago this month, I had just finished reading Carl Sagans book, "The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence," a book for which he earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1978. The David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences from 1976 to his death in 1996, Sagan was a famous scientist of many fields relating to the universe: astronomy, planetary science, astrophysics, and astrobiology.

He became best known for his research on extraterrestrial life. He was the author, co-author, or editor of over 600 scientific papers and over 20 books. He narrated and co-wrote the award-winning television series: Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

As the sub-title suggests, Sagan takes the reader on a wonderful and stimulating journey around the brains of our ancestorshuman and non-humanand our brains today. He then speculates on the growth of our intelligence by explaining the various parts of our brain, their functions, and why we think, speak, act, and even dream the way we do.

The book is magisterial in its scope, its composition, and its readability. He casts a wide net in quoting from the ancients, like Plato and Aristotle, and important writers and thinkers of the past five centuries, like John Milton, William Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, Henry David Thoreau, and Sigmund Freud.

Among other things, the book gave me the gift of wonder. Many times throughout Sagan brings the reader to a certain point and then, he "wonders." In his section dealing with human emotions, he wonders: "Do horses on occasion have glimmerings of patriotic fervor? Do dogs feel for humans something akin to religious ecstasy? What other strong or subtle emotions are felt by animals that do not communicate with us?"

He wonders: "Are our nighttime dreams of flying and daytime passions for flight nostalgic reminiscences of those days gone by in the branches of the high forest?"

In his section on the competition among early hominids and humans, he wonders: "I sometimes wonder whether our myths about gnomes, trolls, giants, and dwarfs could possibly a genetic or cultural memory of those times."

Upon reading the book in 1980, I was so moved that I wrote him a long letter. Six months later, he wrote back and asked me two questions. The first: "What would be necessary to make the reader [of a possible book on international relations] consider not just what is best for one nation or power group in a single nation, but for the human species as a whole? I never answered him; this is my answer.

Dear Professor Sagan: This possible book would have to deal with how the world political system works and would therefore have to deal with the two major theories of the system. A theory or model of the system is necessary, as in your work, because the system is complicated with many moving parts and unknowns. It does not conform to a clear and definitive set of mathematical equations which exist, for example, in astrophysics or planetary science.

My own definition of "theory" is: a set of assumptions and descriptive statements about a field of study which explain and predict behavior. When I say "explain," I mean that it must deal with the "Why?" the causality, of things. Leonardo Da Vinci said: "He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards a ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast."

The two major theories in world politics are: realism and liberalism. In very simple terms, political realism views the world political system as anarchy with no fixed, agreed-upon rules and no over-arching government or "watchman." States are the most important actors, not humans or international organizations. In this environment, states are compelled to look after their own interests. They do this by seeking power and influence. Virtues, such as kindness and generosity, may be laudable for individuals, but they should have no place in a states decision-making. They will get you into trouble.

Political liberalism, on the other hand, emphasizes the unity and goodness of humankind. States may be the most important actors, but individuals make decisions for states, and they can make a difference. While it accepts that the system is one of anarchy, it has faith in people and in diplomacy to create institutions and to establish rules to lessen inequality and the use of violence to settle disputes.

You can see, Professor Sagan, that you and I both hope that more states conform and adhere to the principles of liberalism.

(Note: Stay tuned for Part II and Part III.)

Fred Zilian (zilianblog.com; Twitter: @FredZilian) is an adjunct professor of history and politics at Salve Regina University and a regular columnist.

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LOOKING BACK AT OUR HISTORY: A conversation with Carl Sagan, part I - newportri.com

The National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) has its hands full: while gearing up for the historic launch of rover Perseverance towards Mars tomorrow, the agency has announced its intention tosend off an enormous balloon the size of a football field into Earth's stratosphere to learn about the stars, the planets, the way our galaxy formed and more in 2023. Yes, we're excited.

To be specific, the 400-feet-wide balloon will be equipped with a far-infrared telescope and a gondola filled with scientific instrumentsall materials that will allow it to record the kind of data scientists are looking for. Once the mission is complete, all the instruments will be parachuted back to Earth and the balloon will be set free.

The operation is dubbed Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths (ASTHROS) and is scheduled to leave from Antarctica in December 2023 andloop around the South Pole for three full weeks.

"Balloon missions like ASTHROS are higher-risk than space missions but yield high-rewards at modest cost," says JPL engineer Jose Siles, project manager for ASTHROS, in an official press release announcing the mission. "With ASTHROS, we're aiming to do astrophysics observations that have never been attempted before. The mission will pave the way for future space missions by testing new technologies and providing training for the next generation of engineers and scientists."

In case you thought you'd be ale to look up and catch a glimpse of the giant thing, think again: the balloon will hover right below the edge of space, at about 130,000 feet in altitude. To put things in perspective, that's four times higher than your average commercial plane.

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NASA will send a balloon the size of a football field into the sky in the near future - Time Out

The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) aboard ESAs ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has spotted never-before-seen spectral signatures of ozone and carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere.

ESAs ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter at Mars. Image credit: D. Ducros / ESA.

The atmosphere of Mars is dominated by carbon dioxide, which scientists observe to gauge temperatures, track seasons, explore air circulation, and more.

Ozone, which forms a layer in the upper atmosphere on both Mars and Earth, helps to keep atmospheric chemistry stable.

Both carbon dioxide and ozone have been seen at Mars by spacecraft such as ESAs Mars Express, but the exquisite sensitivity of the ACS instrument was able to reveal new details about how these gases interact with light.

These features are both puzzling and surprising, said Dr. Kevin Olsen, a researcher at the University of Oxford.

They lie over the exact wavelength range where we expected to see the strongest signs of methane.

Before this discovery, the carbon dioxide feature was completely unknown, and this is the first time ozone on Mars has been identified in this part of the infrared wavelength range.

This graph shows an example of the measurements made by the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) on ESAs ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, featuring the spectral signatures of carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3). The bottom panel shows the data (blue) and a best-fit model (orange). The top panel shows the modeled contributions from a variety of different gases for this spectral range. The deepest lines come from water vapor (light blue). The strongest O3 feature (green) is on the right, and distinct CO2 lines (gray) appear on the left. The locations of strong methane features (orange) are also shown in the modeled contributions, though methane is not observed in the TGO data. Image credit: Olsen et al, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038125.

One of the key objectives of TGO is to explore methane. While also generated by geological processes, most of the methane on Earth is produced by life, from bacteria to livestock and human activity.

Detecting methane on other planets is therefore hugely exciting. This is especially true given that the gas is known to break down in around 400 years, meaning that any methane present must have been produced or released in the relatively recent past.

Discovering an unforeseen carbon dioxide signature where we hunt for methane is significant, said Dr. Alexander Trokhimovskiy, a scientist at the Space Research Institute.

This signature could not be accounted for before, and may therefore have played a role in detections of small amounts of methane at Mars.

The new findings enable us to build a fuller understanding of our planetary neighbor, he added.

Ozone and carbon dioxide are important in Mars atmosphere. By not accounting for these gases properly, we run the risk of mischaracterizing the phenomena or properties we see.

Mars is about half the size of Earth by diameter and has a much thinner atmosphere, with an atmospheric volume less than 1% of Earths. The atmospheric composition is also significantly different: primarily carbon dioxide-based, while Earths is rich in nitrogen and oxygen. The atmosphere has evolved: evidence on the surface suggests that Mars was once much warmer and wetter. Understanding if life could have ever existed in such conditions is one of the hot topics of Mars exploration. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter is capable of sniffing out the composition of the planets trace gases, which make up less than 1% by volume of a planets atmosphere, in minute amounts. Although making up a very small amount of the overall atmospheric inventory, methane in particular holds key clues to the planets current state of activity. On Earth, living organisms release much of the planets methane. It is also the main component of naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas reservoirs, and a contribution is also provided by volcanic and hydrothermal activity. Because of the key role natural biology plays in Earths methane production, confirming the existence of methane on Mars, and distinguishing between its potential sources, is a top priority of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Image credit: ESA.

Additionally, the surprising discovery of the new carbon dioxide band at Mars, never before observed in the lab, provides exciting insight for those studying how molecules interact both with one another and with light and searching for the unique chemical fingerprints of these interactions in space.

Together, these two studies take a significant step towards revealing the true characteristics of Mars: towards a new level of accuracy and understanding, Dr. Trokhimovskiy said.

The results were published in two papers in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

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K.S. Olsen et al. 2020. First detection of ozone in the mid-infrared at Mars: implications for methane detection. A&A 639, A141; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038125

A. Trokhimovskiy et al. 2020. First observation of the magnetic dipole CO2 absorption band at 3.3 m in the atmosphere of Mars by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter ACS instrument. A&A 639, A142; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038134

This article is based on a press-release provided by the European Space Agency.

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ESA's Trace Gas Orbiter Detects Ozone and Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of Mars | Planetary Science, Space Exploration - Sci-News.com

Cosmic events of unimaginable magnitude are unfolding everywhere in the universe.

The news of these developments come to us, here on Earth, in a variety of forms.

For the scientific community, it is a matter of being at the right place at the right time and hopefully with the right equipment to receive this news of developments happening in distant reaches.

Two astrophysicists have proposed an idea that seeks to assemble this trio of right factors in order to detect objects and events hidden from plain view, in many cases even electromagnetic view.

Scientists Dr Karan Jani and Professor Abraham Loeb have suggested that a gravitational-wave observatory be put on the Moon to improve our ability to look deeper into space.

The Moon, they say, would make an excellent base for detection of gravitational waves.

The idea of gravitational waves originated in Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

It remained a prediction for a century (indirect evidence in 1974) until in 2015, it was confirmed with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) gravitational waves were detected from 1.3 billion years ago after two spiralling black holes had crashed into each other.

Since then, gravitational-wave detectors in the United States and Europe have been chasing gravitational signals from remote locations underground.

Together, they have detected scores, some 50 of them, in the last five years.

Future projects like the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer promise to help refine our abilities to probe further.

However, gravitational-wave detectors based on Earth, and even space, may not be enough in our quest for some of the more mysterious objects in space.

They have limitations that could be reduced or done away with if the detector was instead put to work on the Moon.

Gravitational-wave observatory on the Moon

The Laser Interferometer Gravity-wave Observatory (LIGO) and VIRGO experiments have been doing a fine job at detections in the 10-1000 Hz spectrum.

Future labs are set to shine a light on lower frequencies around 5 Hz in the case of Earth-based observatories and down to milli-Hz in the case of the space-based Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).

However, theres much to gain from tuning the frequency down further, to a spectrum of deci-Hz to 1 Hz.

The Moon is apt for this range.

This frequency range tends to be too low for Earth-based detectors and too high for space missions, write the authors in their paper.

The universe offers a rich set of astrophysical sources in this regime.

Detection of gravitational waves in this low-frequency domain could help one of the authors of the paper, Dr Jani, verify the existence of a cosmic object of his passion.

I am very interested in intermediate-mass black holes. They are smaller than the monster black holes found at the centres of galaxies, and are a mysterious class with no confirmed existence. But with gravitational waves, we can detect any black holes, says Dr Jani.

The low 0.1-5 Hz frequency range opens the doors to detecting these intermediate-mass black holes.

In addition, its possible to explore 30-80 per cent of the observable universe with the proposed Gravitational-wave Lunar Observatory for Cosmology (GLOC), vastly expanding the search area.

The Moon is apt for detection

The Moon lends itself better to detection of gravitational radiation in comparison to Earth.

For one, it is much quieter there than where we are.

Thanks to that, the lunar detector will not have to deal with geological rumblings on the Moons surface, which is especially important in the case of low-frequency detection.

For less than 10 Hz, we start to have seismic noise on Earth that couples with the detector. The Moon is at least 1,000 times quieter than Earth, says Dr Jani.

On the Moon, the size of the observatory can be scaled up.

Currently, the LIGO detectors have two arms at a length of 4 km each.

The arms are made up of over a metre-wide steel vacuum tubes arranged in an "L" shape and protected from the environment by concrete.

Dr Jani and Professor Loeb propose expanding the arms out 10 times to make the arm length 40 km on the Moon.

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Explained: The Idea Of An Observatory On The Moon To Detect Gravitational Waves - Swarajya

In May 2009, the Planck Satellite was launched with a mission to discover the age of the universe. The goal was to measure cosmic background radiation (CMB), a source of light that traces back to around 380,000 years after the universes start at the Big Bang. Those measurements revealed the universe to be around 13.8 billion years old.

But in the past few years, astronomers have improved on classic observations of how fast distant galaxies move away from Earth. These measurements result in an age of the universe hundreds of millions of years younger than the Planck measurements indicated.

Arthur Kosowsky (Emily ODonnell)

In July, the research team behind the National Science FoundationsAtacama Cosmology Telescope(ACT), which includesDepartment of Physics and AstronomyChairArthur Kosowsky, graduate studentYilun Guanand 40 other participating institutions, jumped into the fray with their own estimates. The team made new maps of the slight variations in the microwave backgrounds temperature and polarization which are more sensitive and sharper than Plancks.

The simplest model of the universe that fits the new data from ACT, which is located in Chile, has an age of 13.77 billion years with an uncertainty of plus or minus 40 million yearsessentially confirming the Planck results.Papersfeaturing the findings were posted to the arXiv distribution service and have been submitted to the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

Now weve come up with an answer where Planck and ACT agree, says Simone Aiola (A&S 14G, 16G), a lead author and researcher at the Flatiron Institutes Center for Computational Astrophysics who holds a PhD in physics from PittsKenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. It speaks to the fact that these difficult measurements are reliable.

Kosowsky said the findings add to the confusion surrounding the actual age of the universe but also provide a few clues about where cosmologists should look for answers.

He noted that ACT also essentially confirmed Planks estimated Hubble constant, which is the rate at which the universe is expanding. ACT found the universe is expanding at a rate of 67.6 kilometers per second per megaparsec, which means an object located a megaparsec away from Earth (approximately 3.26 million light years) is on average moving away from us at the rate of 67.6 kilometers per second due to the cosmic expansion.

Probably the most interesting possibility for this discrepancy is that our simple model of the universe is wrong.

Arthur Kosowsky

The Planck teams Hubble constant was 67.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec and the rates estimated by measuring galaxies range between 70 and 74 kilometers per second per megaparsec, significantly faster than the other results.

Probably the most interesting possibility for this discrepancy is that our simple model of the universe is wrong. So the inference were making about the Hubble parameter from our measurement is based on a model thats not quite right, said Kosowsky. Our basic model of the universe is based on some really simple assumptions about some really simple physics. If you change something youre probably saying theres new, undiscovered, fundamental physics that were seeing in this discrepancy.

Yilun Guan

Guan, who is pursuing a PhD in cosmology at Pitts Dietrich School, is investigating whether the flaw in the model lies in assumptions made about the nature of dark energy, which is what researchers call the unknown force that is accelerating the universes expansion.

In our current model of the universe we treat dark energy as a really simple component that has a simple evolutiontheres this amount of dark energy and it evolves in a certain way. But nobody knows what dark energy is doing, it could be that dark energy is changing from when we measure it at the CMB until we measure it in these local measurements, he explained. What were doing is thinking about if theres any way dark energy can be changing that is consistent with measurements from both our local measurements as well as measurements from CMB and other observations that have been made.

While Guan continues the dark energy research, he is also investigating ways to automate the process of finding the most useful data from telescopes and satellites. On the ACT project, he was responsible for the first levels of data quality assurance, a process that meant analyzing tens of millions of detector time streams collected by ACT each year to determine which ones are to be used to make sky maps.

Telling good data from bad data requires a lot of expert knowledge. In the past we used to have one expert who had a lot of experience in this area and if he looks at diagnostics and statistics he can tell if something is going wrong. But thats not a scalable solution, Guan said.

In 2022, ACT will officially shut down and its research team will shift attention to the Simons Observatory, also located in Chile, which will feature new telescopes, cameras and state of the art detector arrays. Those upgrades will give experts an order of magnitude more data to assess. In anticipation of the challenge, last year Guan started work on a machine learning algorithm designed to take on the task.

It turns out, this is a very easy problem for the machines. We have lots of data that experts told us is bad or good so we can train our algorithms to learn from what experts decide and have these algorithms make these decisions for us, he said.

For ACTs upcoming data release next year, which covers information gathered from 2017 through 2019 and will feature four times more data, experts will still lead the way in data quality assurance. However, Guan hopes to have an automated process in place before its time to analyze data from Simons.

Kosowsky said the data that comes from the Simons Observatory could hold precisely whats needed to resolve mysteries surrounding the age of the universe once and for all.

The fact that were doing measurements right now where the pieces are not all completely fitting together makes it really exciting to have the possibility of doing even better measurements of the universe with the next generation experiments, he said.

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Answers About Universes Age Could Be Found in the Dark - ScienceBlog.com

Sandra Bullock turns 56 today. As an actor and producer, the Oscar-winners films have made billions worldwide.

To wish the film icon and Virginia native a happy birthday, well share our 10 favorite films of hers.

Well cover plenty of the hits you know and love, but also include some lesser celebrated titles that deserve the love. Read our picks (and honorable mentions) below:

Love Potion No. 9 (1992)

Two scientists who are hopeless with the opposite sex experiment with a substance that makes them irresistible to anyone who hears them speak. So yeah, the premise (and much of the follow-through) are plenty problematic through a 2020 (or any) lens, and its cheesy. But it retains a certain 80s comedy aura and gave Bullock the opportunity she needed to show Hollywood she could carry a movie in any genre.

Demolition Man (1993)

A police officer (Sylvester Stallone) is brought out of suspended animation in prison to pursue an old ultra-violent nemesis (Wesley Snipes) who is loose in a non-violent future society. This clever sci-fi satire has plenty of the action and brawn fans expect from Stallone, but its comic strengths shine brightest thanks to Bullocks breakthrough performance as the naive but well-studied Officer Lenina Huxley. Hes finally matched his meet.

Speed (1994)

A police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 miles per hour. Sound dumb? Well, it isnt. Its awesome. While Keanu Reeves leads the way as the heroic cop, stealing much of the spotlight is the equally brave passenger-turned-bus driver played by Bullock, in a star-making turn that gave this big dumb flick more charm than anyone expected. It was an instant action classic, but the takeaway was Whats next for Bullock?

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

A hopeless romantic Chicago Transit Authority token collector (Sandra Bullock) is mistaken for the fiance of a coma patient (Peter Gallagher). Bill Pullman co-stars in this hit comedy that helped make Bullock an even bigger star. Perfect for those lazy Saturdays if you can find it streaming.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

Bullock plays a straight-laced F.B.I. Agent who goes undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a group from bombing the event. Opposite Michael Caine, she plays against type, scoring big laughs and another huge box office hit, further cementing her status as an A-list draw and queen of the rom-com.

The Lake House (2006)

A lonely doctor, who once occupied an unusual lakeside house, begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before its too late. Unusual romantic fantasy gives us the Speed reunion (by way of this remake of a South Korean film Il Mare) we needed. And yes, its weird, but it kind of...works?

The Blind Side (2009)

Bullocks Oscar-winning performance as a housewife with a heart of gold won over American audiences two years ago with this touching tale about a family who takes in a homeless high schooler. Knock this film all you want for its cheese; you cant deny the fuzzy feelings you get just a half an hour into it when Mrs. Tuohy gives Michael Oher the first bed he ever had. While she has her strict moments, the tough love approach usually melts away, as the film brings us a proud new addition to our list of great movie moms.

The Proposal (2009)

Bullock plays a pushy boss who forces her young assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to keep her visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada. Tack on the type of well-liked romantic comedy few like Bullock can pull off to her amazing 2009, when she scored a pair of box offices hits and an Oscar. Yet another reminder of her star power. Nevermind All About Steve, mkay?

Gravity (2013)

Bullock scored another Oscar nomination as one of two astronauts work together to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space. Director Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Roma) defies the laws of astro-physics and big-screen visual effects with another harrowing adventure, letting Bullock guide us through an unprecedented and immersive movie-going experience with a physically and emotionally daunting performance.

Oceans 8 (2018)

Debbie Ocean (Bullock) gathers a crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York Citys yearly Met Gala. While were huge fans of Steven Soderberghs Oceans Eleven trilogy that grouped A-list superstars like George Clooney and Brad Pitt to pull of ultra-cool high-tech shakedowns, we echo actress Rosamund Pikes female Bond sentiments that it also feels a bit like sloppy seconds for talented women like Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna and Helena Bonham Carter. But the women get it done in this breezy heist flick that fits nicely within the franchise.

Honorable Mentions: The Net (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), 28 Days (2000), Crash (2004), Practical Magic (1998), Bird Box (2018)

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Happy Birthday, Sandra Bullock; Here are her 10 best movies - AL.com