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Huntington Beach resident identified as one of two women killed in Westminster crash – Los Angeles Times

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

A Huntington Beach resident was identified Sunday as one of two women killed in a three-vehicle crash in Westminster last week.

The crash that claimed the lives of Denise Leverenz, 56, of Huntington Beach and Eileen Sayegh, 58, of Anaheim occurred about 4:20 p.m. Thursday at Beach Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue, according to Westminster police Cmdr. Alan Iwashita and the Orange County coroners office.

Sayegh, who died at the scene, was the driver of one of the vehicles involved, while Leverenz was a passenger in another, according to the coroners office. Leverenz died at Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

The drivers of the other two involved vehicles were transported to local hospitals for medical evaluation and treatment and are reported to be in stable condition, Iwashita said.

An SUV was traveling north on Beach Boulevard when it crossed into opposing traffic lanes and collided with a sedan, forcing the sedan into an iron fence, officials said. A third vehicle was unable to avoid the wreck and struck the SUV.

KTLA contributed to this report.

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Huntington Beach resident identified as one of two women killed in Westminster crash - Los Angeles Times

IRCSO: Vero Beach man arrested, accused of trafficking and carrying opioids – TCPalm

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Help the community. If you see a crime being committed, leave anonymous tips on Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers hotline, web site or smart phone app. 2019 GINNY BEAGAN/TCPALM Ginny Beagan, TCPALM

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY A Vero Beach man was charged with trafficking and carrying hydromorphone, a common opioid used to treat severe pain, after deputies found a bag full of pills.

Dethomas Brunson, 32, of the 3000block of 44th Lane in Vero Beach, was arrested early Sunday morning on charges of trafficking and carrying the drugs, according to anIndian River County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit.

A deputy spotted Brunson around 1:10 a.m. walking away from the Econo Lodge at 950 U.S. 1 in Vero Beach after reports that he was yelling at his girlfriend and preventing her from getting in her car, according to the affidavit.

More: Vero Beach man arrested, accused of trafficking meth; deputies seize guns and over 45 grams of drugs

As a deputy approached Brunson, he was seen reaching in his front pocket and throwing a clear bag to the ground, according to the report.

Dethomas Brunson, 32, of the 3000th block of 44th Lane in Vero Beach, was charged with hydromorphone trafficking and possession of a controlled substance Sunday, November 24, 2019.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE)

Several white pills and a smaller bag of blue pills were found inside the bag that Brunson threw to the ground, the report said. Deputies researched the pills and discovered they were 2 grams of oxycodone, also a painkiller,and 15 grams of hydromorphone.

According to the arrest affidavit, Brunson denied that he owned the pills.

More: FHP: 60-year-old Port St. Lucie man dead after car crashes into canal near Oslo Road

Brunson was takento the Indian River County Jail on a hydromorphone trafficking charge and a possession of a controlled substance charge, according to the affidavit.

He posted a $21,500 bond and was released, according to jail records.

Max Chesnes is a TCPalm breaking news reporter for Indian River County. You can keep up with Max on Twitter @MaxChesnes and give him a call at 772-978-2224.

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IRCSO: Vero Beach man arrested, accused of trafficking and carrying opioids - TCPalm

Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach are Purple Heart cities, but what does that mean? – TCPalm

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Port St. Lucie City Council honored 14 Purple Heart recipients during a ceremony Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. GEORGE ANDREASSI/TCPALM Wochit

Drivesouth on U.S.1, and just before the Roosevelt Bridgeyou'll see a sign on the right-hand side that reads, "Welcome to Stuart. A Purple Heart City."

Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach sharethe designation, too.

A Purple Heart City. What does that mean?

ThePurple Heartisthe U.S. military decorationawardedto those wounded or killed during service. Though its name has undergone changes through the years, it is the oldest military award, datingback to the Revolutionary War.

As a tribute to veterans who have received the honor, the Purple Heart Trail was created in 1992. It's asystem of counties, cities, roads, highways, bridgesand other monuments that serve as a visual reminder of fallen soldiers.

Stuart, Port St Lucie and Vero Beach are all Purple Heart cities.(Photo: Catie Wegman)

Its a way for people to honor and recognize the sacrifice of Purple Heat recipients," said Ernie Rivera, national adjutant for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, or MOPH.

"Any organization can become a Purple Heart entity so long as they wish to helpus spread our mission of patriotism and remembering wounded veterans so no one forgets the sacrifice they made for our country," Rivera said.

Unlike the actual medal, theres no strict list of criteria or formal approval process for entities that wish to be included on the Purple Heart Trail, he said. Cities, businesses and other organizations simply must write a proclamation explaining why they want thedesignation.

Thestatements are filed with the MOPH, and then there's typically a small ceremony whereentities participation becomes official.

While Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach arethe only designated Purple Heart cities on the Treasure Coast, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties also are recognized on the trail.

The only other local Purple Heart entity is State Road 710, also known as the Bee Line Highway, between theMartin County line andU.S. 1 in Palm Beach County.

Pretty much anything can qualify as a Purple Heart entity. In fact, the16 Hooters restaurantsin South Florida are recognized, as are Florida construction companies, hotels and even a newspaper, the Crestview News Bulletin in Okaloosa County.

The Indian River Wood Carvers Purple Heart Cane Project Cane Presentation Ceremony at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 in Fort Pierce.(Photo: HOBIE HILER/SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

Florida is working toward designating all of its counties to becomeaPurple Heart State, Rivera said. Former Gov. Rick Scott signed a proclamationdeclaringAug. 7 Florida Purple Heart Day.

The state is the second largest total veteran population, andabout 5,000 Purple Heart recipients.Rivera speculates the numbers could be higher, though, if it were to includewinter residents.

Editor's note:Ask Catieis an occasional feature produced by TCPalm Community Reporter Catie Wegman, whotries to find answers to your burning questionsabout anything and everything the more bizarre the better.Contact her by email at catie.wegman@tcpalm.com, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @Catie_Wegman and on Facebook @catiewegman1.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/2019/11/25/purple-heart-city-meaning-behind-stuart-port-st-lucie-and-vero-beach-designation/4239452002/

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Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach are Purple Heart cities, but what does that mean? - TCPalm

Wings made of conch shells on Jersey Shore beach are a heaven-sent photo op – NJ.com

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Pat D'Angelo, of North Wildwood, poses for a picture by a set of wings made by Chris Pohle, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The display is located at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

There are a few reasons to visit the 7th Street beach in North Wildwood during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Some may want to see the erosion caused from the last few storms while others may just want to walk the quiet beach during the offseason. But those in the know have a different reason to pay a visit -- to see a set of wings that resemble those of an angel.

These two 4-foot tall wings -- made of approximately 350 cut conch (strombus) shells that are attached to a pole -- provide joy, hope and a spiritual connection to the people that come to visit them at take photos.

"I think it's beautiful," said Pat D'Angelo, of North Wildwood. "It's so spiritual."

Chris Pohle, of Wildwood, stands by a set of wings that he made out of conch shells, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The display is located at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

D'Angelo, with her daughter and granddaughter in tow, came to see the wings and like everyone else, pose for a few pictures in front of them.

Thursday was the second day the wings were on display. "They do not disappoint," said D'Angelo, before leaving to watch her granddaughter, Maelisa, 3, play on a nearby wooden castle.

This unusual piece of art began popping up last Easter, with the first set of wings made of sand dollars. Who the artist was and where it came from was a mystery.

"Originally when I did this, I didn't even want people to know it was me," said Wildwood resident Chris Pohle, who blames his daughter for the social media push that exposed him as the artist.

Pohle, who makes a living in the real estate business, has dabbled in art his whole life but it wasn't until he stumbled upon the art of Kelsey Montague that the idea of beach meets angel wings began to take flight.

"It all clicked with me somehow," he said, after seeing Montague's painted wings in Ireland.

Marissa Pohle poses for a picture by a set of wings that her father Chris made out of sea dollars. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pohle)

It occurred to him that he could make wings out of the sand dollars he and his wife collected over the years.

He did, and his art struck a chord for many that stopped by.

"It had such an overwhelming reception," said Pohle, adding that the humbling part of it all was that some people suffering from cancer really connected with the sand dollar wings.

He even made a mini set of wings for a few people because it meant that much to them.

Since then Pohle has made a set of wings out of starfish, painted red, white and blue, and a set for the Wildwoods Irish Festival made of shamrock molds with embedded sea glass. He already has a set made for Valentines Day.

A set of wings made out of conch shells, created by Wildwood resident, Chris Pohle, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The display is located at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Pohle said he doesn't necessarily plan out the design, but more or less just wings it. The most recent piece took approximately three weeks to complete, with each cut conch shell individually glued.

He finds that working on the wings is a way to relax and get away from the real estate business, but he won't call himself an artist just yet.

"People are calling me an artist," said Pohle. But when asked what he calls himself, he says with a laugh, Chris."

Pohle makes no money off of his art but said he does it because people are drawn to the wing designs.

"They connect to these things, each in their own personal different way."

The wings will be on display until December 2 at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood, or as some now call it Angel Beach.

Scroll down below to see more images of the Angel Beach wings.

Marissa Pohle poses for a picture by a set of wings that her father Chris made out of starfish. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pohle)

Barbara Mitchell, of North Coventry, Pa., takes a picture of a set of wings made out of conch shells, created by Wildwood resident, Chris Pohle, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The display is located at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

A set of wings made from shamrock molds with embedded sea glass was created by Chris Pohle. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pohle)

A set of wings made from sea dollars was created by Chris Pohle. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pohle)

Chris Pohle, of Wildwood, takes a picture of Monica Bagley, of North Wildwood, in front of a set of wings that he made out of conch shells, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The display is located at 7th Street and JFK Boulevard in North Wildwood. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

A set of wings made from shamrock molds with embedded sea glass was created by Chris Pohle. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pohle)

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Tim on Instagram@photog_hawk and Twitter @photogthawk. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

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Wings made of conch shells on Jersey Shore beach are a heaven-sent photo op - NJ.com

Long Beach Man Killed in Citys 3rd Shooting in Just Over 24 Hours – KTLA Los Angeles

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

A 36-year-old man was fatally shot Friday night in Long Beachs third shooting in just over 24 hours, authorities said.

Jamie Ruiz of Long Beach died in the attack, which took place about 10:55 p.m. in the 1500 block of Magnolia Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Officers responding to a report of gunfire found Ruiz with gunshot wounds to the upper torso, police said in a written statement. Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he soon succumbed to his wounds.

Investigators determined that the victim had been standing outside a home with two others when the shooting took place.

A male adult suspect approached the group, a verbal exchange occurred and the suspect then opened fire at all three victims, fleeing the scene before officers arrival, the police statement said. The other two victims who were with Ruiz were not hurt.

No further description of the attacker was available, police said. The shooting was believed to be gang related.

The deadly shooting was the third reported in Long Beach since Thursday night, when five people were wounded in a 10 p.m. shooting in the 1100 block of 10th Street, Long Beach police Lt. Byron Blair said at the time. The shooter, who fled the scene in a what police described as a gray minivan, remained at large Saturday. All five victims were expected to survive.

Two men suffered gunshot wounds in another attack what unfolded about 5:45 p.m. Thursday in the 2800 block of Santa Fe Street, police said. The victims injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. A suspect description was not available.

Gang investigators took charge of the investigations into both of Thursdays shootings, police said.

Officials said Saturday that the police department would be stepping up patrols in response to the violence.

In response to recent shootings, the Long Beach Police Department will be increasing saturated patrols in various areas of the city for the next couple of weeks, according to the police statement.

Investigative resources will also be augmented and we will continue to work with our community partners to strengthen communication and cooperation, the statement said. The department is committed to combating violent crime and with your help, we can have a safe city for all people.

Anyone with information on the shootings was asked to contact Long Beach police. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

33.786392-118.197811

Hoops revival continues: Tulane men win 2 of 3 in Myrtle Beach, improve to 5-1 – NOLA.com

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Tulane basketball coach Ron Hunters entertaining revival show plays well on the road, too.

Continuing to resuscitate a program that appeared dead on his arrival, Hunter guided the Green Wave (5-1) to two wins in three games at the Myrtle Beach Invitational over the weekend.

He playfully asked athletic director Troy Dannen for an immediate raise in his postgame interview on ESPNU. He already has raised expectations exponentially in his first season, surpassing last years victory total in just six games.

After losing to 2019 NCAA tournament No. 5 seed Mississippi State in its Myrtle Beach opener, Tulane rebounded by beating Middle Tennessee 86-74 and Utah 65-61 for fifth place on Sunday morning.

A lot of guys did a lot of good things and I learned a lot about my team, Hunter said. Its a Power-5 (conference opponent) win and thats very important for us. To come back and win two games like we just did shows Tulane basketball is back.

The way the Wave beat the Utes meant as much as the result. Trailing 55-47 with 6:30 left, Tulane outscored Utah 18-6 down the stretch, overcoming a missed wide-open dunk by standout freshman Nobal Days in the process.

Reserve guard Ray Ona Embo started the finishing kick with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 55-50, and the Wave ended on an 10-0 run. Jordan Walker hit a pair of short, pull-up jumpers in the lane around a Days layup to tie it at 61. Leading scorer Teshaun Hightower made another short jumper to give the Wave the lead after Christion Thompson ripped an offensive rebound away from a defender.

Thompson sealed the deal by hitting two free throws with two seconds left.

Utah missed its last four shots and committed two turnovers.

Were really proud of our guys, Hunter said. I had talked the last seven months since I took this job, how were we going to handle adversity? In the past its been a struggle at Tulane. We got down eight, missed a dunk and our kids could have folded then. They just kept on and defensively we were unbelievable.

Multiple players stepped up at different times in the tournament for Tulane.

Thompson exploded for 25 second-half points on 8-of-10 shooting against Middle Tennessee, when Tulane led by as much as 24. Hightower added 20 points, shooting 16 free throws because of his aggressiveness and hitting 13 of them.

Walker handed out 12 assists with six steals in the final two games. White hot from 3-point range at the beginning of the year, he stepped inside the line when he cooled off and hit the two huge mid-range shots against Utah.

Swingman K.J. Lawson scored in double figures in all three games, averaging 14.7 points while hitting 7 of 13 3-pointers.

Days supplanted Kevin Zhang as the starting center in the past two games, grabbing six rebounds in the first and scoring 10 points in the second.

Adapting to Hunters matchup-zone defense quickly, the Wave forced 25 turnovers against Mississippi State, 17 against Middle Tennessee and 20 against Utah.

With the November portion of the schedule over, Tulane hosts Southern on Sunday but will stay on the road for most of December. The Wave plays at Southern Miss on Dec. 4, faces St. Louis in Arizona on Dec. 8, has a home game with Alcorn State on Dec. 16 and plays Akron on Dec. 20 in the first of two games at the DC Holiday Hoops Fest Tournament in the nations capital.

The bonding already has begun, with Hunter continuing to crack one-liners as he enjoys the ride.

This is the first time we spent some time together out of New Orleans as a group, he said after Sunday's win. Were kind of learning each other that way, theyve got to learn their crazy coach, the things he likes, the things he doesnt like. So many great things, man. I almost gave them two days off, then I had to gather myself for a minute."

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Hoops revival continues: Tulane men win 2 of 3 in Myrtle Beach, improve to 5-1 - NOLA.com

A Komodo dragon hit the beach wearing a turtle as a hat, and there’s video evidence – INSIDER

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Fashion has given us a lot of strange trends over the years, but even we have a hard time thinking turtles as hats will ever become a thing.

Despite that, a seriously strange video posted to YouTube by the channel RM Videos which appears to license user-generated content from a company called Jukin Media shows a Komodo dragon sauntering onto a tropical beach in Indonesia wearing a turtle's shell on its head.

After glancing around, and apparently feeling self-conscious, the rather large lizard decides to remove the head-snapping headwear and pose dramatically no doubt hoping it'll be discovered and become Asia's next fashion icon.

It's unknown who originally shot the video or when it was taken, making it rather difficult for potential casting agents to get in touch with the Komodo dragon undoubtedly dreaming of a life of glitz and glamor.

At up to 10 feet long and typically weighing about 150 pounds, Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizards.

Found in Indonesia, their bites can be deadly because of the amount of venom and harmful bacteria in their saliva. According to The Jakarta Post, only about 3,000 of the animals are thought to be left in the wild.

It should also be noted it's not a very good idea to get close to a Komodo dragon they have been known to attack humans, sometimes fatally.

While the rarity of the cold-blooded creatures means seeing one is a pretty special experience, it's clear this image-conscious Komodo dragon wanted to be a little more extra.

A monkey with a face like a human has been single for 19 years, but zookeepers say it's because he's a bit of a jerk

An awkwardly timed photo of an adorable lion cub is the funniest animal photo of 2019

Wild turkeys are terrorizing the town of Tom's River, New Jersey, by pecking at roofs, breaking windows, and attacking residents

A poppy-pilfering pigeon made a red nest at a war memorial, and the photos are pretty patriotic

Firefighters saved a great horned owl from the California wildfires but he didn't look very happy about it

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A Komodo dragon hit the beach wearing a turtle as a hat, and there's video evidence - INSIDER

Teens Confess to Vandalizing Benches at Groton Beaches: Police – NBC Connecticut

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Three teens have confessed to vandalizing a dozen benches in Groton last April, according to the City of Groton Police Department.

Twelve benches total - 10 at Eastern Point Beach and two at Griswold Point - were found vandalized on April 28.

Some were smashed beyond repair on the rocks while others were thrown into the water.

Six of the benches were memorial benches. While the plaques were recovered, the cost to replace the benches was between $500 to $600 each.

During an investigation into an unrelated case, three teens confessed to the vandalism. The suspects, two 16-year-olds and one 17-year-old were referred to juvenile court.

Police officials credited Office Paul Ruddy with solving the case.

Simply put, his efforts are in the highest traditions of this agency and the profession overall in conducting quality follow up investigation, read a post on the departments Facebook page.

Originally posted here:

Teens Confess to Vandalizing Benches at Groton Beaches: Police - NBC Connecticut

Jax Beach Pier closed: Work begins on 2-year project – ActionNewsJax.com

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

By: Brittney Donovan , Action News Jax

Jax Beach Pier closed: Work begins on 2-year project

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. - The Jacksonville Beach Pier holds special memories for some Jacksonville families.

My son always fished here growing up," Stacie Carter said. "It was a big part of his life."

Its now closed and will stay that way for two years during an almost $10-million project.

Bigger equipment is starting to get here at the pier. Well give you a live look at the work already underway and share what were learning from the city on what the upgrades will entail on CBS47 at Noon @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/ejxuf2PiDl

Repairs are needed after Hurricane Matthew wiped out the end of the pier and caused other damage.

The city tells Action News Jax the debris left at the end of the pier will be cleared and the middle section demolished.

The new pier will gradually increase in height an additional 8 feet as you walk toward the ocean with it ending in a T-shape.

The project also means closures in the adjacent parking lot.

The City of Jacksonville Beach said about 1/3 of the south end of the lot will be used to store equipment. The spaces in the north part will stay open.

Vero Beach woman dies after crash; Indian River Boulevard to close for investigation – TCPalm

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

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VERO BEACH A woman died over the weekend from her injuries in a two-vehiclecrash on Indian River Boulevard Friday morning, according to police.

Dottie Durham, 72, of the 3400 block of 1st Street Southwest,was flown from the scene of the crash at Indian River Boulevard and 18th Streetto Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce around 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Durham underwent emergency surgery that afternoon and died around 12 p.m. Saturday,a Vero Beach police official said Monday.

Nearly a half mile of Indian River Boulevard will be closed for three hours Tuesdaymorning to reconstruct the crash,saidMaster Police Officer Darrell Rivers, police spokesman.

Police will closesouthbound lanes of Indian River Boulevard from 20th to 17th streets between7 a.m. and10 a.m.

"We have to map the whole scene," Rivers said.

An initial investigation showed Durham was in a gray 2017 Scion traveling northonIndian River Boulevard when she attempteda westbound turn onto 18th Streetand entered the path of a southbound silver 2012Dodge Ram, Rivers said at the scene.

The pickup driver, Michael Zabitosky, 50, of Vero Beach, was uninjured but his passenger, Hector Gonzalez, 19, of Vero Beach, was taken to a hospital with head injuries.

Rivers said Gonzales was treated and released from the hospital later that day.

A crash between two vehicles closed southbound Indian River Boulevard in Vero Beach Nov. 22, 2019. Corey Arwood, Treasure Coast Newspapers

More: POLICE: Woman undergoes emergency surgery after Indian River Boulevard crash

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-county/2019/11/25/crash-claims-vero-beach-woman-indian-river-boulevard-close-investigation/4298943002/

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Vero Beach woman dies after crash; Indian River Boulevard to close for investigation - TCPalm

The Beach Boys top this weekend’s nightlife in the Coachella Valley – Desert Sun

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Coachella Valley-opoly is a board game featuring landmarks in the desert. It was released in 2019 and available in local Walmart stores. Wochit

Fun, fun, fun:Before The Beatles invadedAmerica, The Beach Boys captured the teenage audience in the early '60s with their songs about surfing, hot rods and the California lifestyle. The music on their 1966 album "Pet Sounds"was ahead of its time and has inspired musicians in genres fromclassical music to hip-hop.

The Beach Boys are scheduled to perform on Dec. 1, 2019 at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, Calif.(Photo: Photo courtesy of Scott Ash/Now News Group)

Brian Wilson:Beach Boys founder unsure about another album

Children's Museum: Josh Homme wants to 'pinball' kids in right direction.

Ditch the pumpkin pie:Bring one of these (much better) piesinstead

Frontman Brian Wilson stopped touring with the band in the late '60s and was absent from the group due to mental illness. His brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love and guitarist Al Jardine kept the band active and touring. After the deaths of Carl and Dennis Wilson and Jardine's departure in 2012, Love is now the only original member of the band along with longtime collaborator Bruce Johnston.

In 1964 while they were topping the charts,they recorded "The Beach Boys' Christmas Album."They're currently on their "Holiday, Harmonies and Hits" tour playing holiday classics and other well-known songs.

The Beach Boys,Sunday, 3 and 7 p.m., McCallum Theatre,73-000 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert. $68-$118.(760) 340-2787

Thanksgiving Eve show:Local dreamsurf band The Flusters will play a special Thanksgiving Eve show this weekend. In 2015, they were selected as one of the local bands to play at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. They released their first EP in the fall of 2016 before their "Dreamsurf" album came out in January.

The Flusters perform at the Desert Stars Festival in Joshua Tree on March 30, 2019(Photo: Brian Blueskye)

The Flusters, Wednesday, 8 p.m., Birba,622 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. Free. (760) 327-5678

Black Friday show:Cakes is a popular local visual artist and musician. In 2016, she was a finalist at the Tachevah music showcase, hosted by The Desert Sun. Recently, she started working with her band, Cakes and the A's, withmusicians Aaron Ramson ofMighty Jack and Perishment, Nick Hales of Sleazy Cortez and Josh Fimbres of Thr3 Strykes. She'll headline this show with local bands Waxy and all-female punk band The After Lashes.

Cakes performing at The Hood Bar and Pizza in Palm Desert, Calif. on Sep. 28, 2019.(Photo: Brian Blueskye)

Cakes, Waxy and The After Lashes, Friday, 9 p.m., The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74-360 Highway 111, Palm Desert. Free. (760) 636-5220

Sir Paul:Singer and recording artistTony Kishman is the leader ofLive And Let Die, afull multimedia experience celebrating the music of Paul McCartney. Kishman also starred in the Broadway musical "Beatlemania" and is currently a member of the International Symphonic Beatles production, Classical Mystery Tour.'

Tony Kishman will perform as Paul McCartney at "Live and Let Die" on Nov. 30, 2019 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.(Photo: COURTESY PHOTO/SAL GOMEZ PHOTOGRAPHY)

Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney in Symphony featuring Tony Kishman,Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa,32-250 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage. $15-$35. (888) 999-1995

Powwow:The Cabazon 38th Indio Powwow brings thousands of tribal and non-tribal people together for a celebration of customs and culture, such as bird songs and dance. There will also be anart fair with traditional teddy bears, cedar seed necklaces, beads, shawls and jewelry.

About 500 dancers representing a hundred Native American tribes from the United States and Canada take part in the Grand entry at the 37th Indio Powwow hosted by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and held at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio on Saturday November 24, 2018.(Photo: Richard Lui/The Desert Sun)

The Cabazon 38th Indio Powwow,Fantasy Springs Resort Casino,84-245 Indio Springs Pkwy., Indio. Free. (760) 342-5000

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers artsand entertainment. Hecan be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4617.

Read or Share this story: https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/2019/11/25/top-palm-springs-area-nightlife-includes-beach-boys-indio-powwow/4297820002/

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The Beach Boys top this weekend's nightlife in the Coachella Valley - Desert Sun

Sundar Pichai Applauds Astrophysicist who Once Scored a Zero in her Physics Exam – News18

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Sundar Pichai is attracting attention on Twitter for all the right reasons. The Google CEO recently retweeted an inspiring post shared by an astrophysics student. Sarafina Nance tweeted about her experience four years ago when she scored a zero in her quantum physics exam which made her want to change her major and 'quit physics'. However, she persisted, instead of quitting physics, and her hard work certainly paid off because she is currently enrolled in a top-tier Astrophysics PhD program and has published two papers.

Her motivational anecdote created quite the stir online and earned her appreciation from not just Pichai, but several other Twitter users as well, who shared their own stories as well.

Although the tweet was shared just a day ago, it is apparent from over 57,000 likes and close to 10,000 retweets that it has garnered till now, that Sarafina's story struck a chord with many people. Here's what some Twitter users had to say:

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Hubble Studies Gamma-Ray Burst with the Highest Energy Ever Seen – Hubble Space Telescope at ESA

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

heic1921 Science Release

20 November 2019

New observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have investigated the nature of the gamma-ray burst GRB 190114C.

Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful explosions in the Universe. They emit most of their energy in gamma rays, light which is much more energetic than the visible light we can see with our eyes.

In January 2019, an extremely bright and long gamma-ray burst (GRB) was detected by a suite of telescopes, including NASAs Swift and Fermi telescopes, as well as by the Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) telescopes. Known as GRB 190114C, some of the light detected from the object had the highest energy ever observed: 1Tera electron volt (TeV) about one trillion times as much energy per photon as visible light. Scientists have been trying to observe such very high energy emission from GRBs for a long time, so this detection is considered a milestone in high-energy astrophysics.

Previous observations revealed that to achieve this energy, material must be emitted from a collapsing star at 99.999% the speed of light. This material is then forced through the gas that surrounds the star, causing a shock that creates the gamma-ray burst itself. For the first time, scientists have observed extremely energetic gamma rays from this particular burst.

Several ground- and space-based observatories have set out to study GRB 190114C. European astronomers were provided observing time with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to observe the gamma-ray burst, to study its environment and find out how this extreme emission is produced[1].

Hubbles observations suggest that this particular burst was sitting in a very dense environment, right in the middle of a bright galaxy 5 billion light years away, explained one of the lead authors, Andrew Levan of the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics & Particle Physics Department of Astrophysics at Radboud University in the Netherlands. This is really unusual, and suggests that might be why it produced this exceptionally powerful light.

Astronomers used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Teleescope, together with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and the Atacama Large Milimeter/submilimeter Array to study the host galaxy of this GRB. Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 was instrumental in studying whether the environmental properties of the host system, which is composed of a close pair of interacting galaxies, might have contributed to the production of these very-high-energy photons. The GRB occurred within the nuclear region of a massive galaxy, a location that is rather unique. This is indicative of a denser environment than that in which GRBs are typically observed and could have been crucial for the generation of the very-high-energy photons that were observed.

Scientists have been trying to observe very-high-energy emission from gamma-ray bursts for a long time, explained lead author Antonio de Ugarte Postigo of the Instituto de Astrofsica de Andaluca in Spain. This new observation is a vital step forward in our understanding of gamma-ray bursts, their immediate surroundings, and just how matter behaves when it is moving at 99.999% of the speed of light.

[1] The Hubble Space Telescope observations involved in this result were obtained from the Director's Discretionary Time programmes 15684 and 15708 (P.I.: Levan). The paper outlining these observations will appear in the journalNatureon 20 November 2019. An additional paper that details an analysis of the galaxy hosting the GRB will appear in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

The international team of astronomers in this study consists of A de Ugarte Postigo, C. C. Thne, S. Martin, J. Japelj, A. J. Levan, M. J. Michalowski, J. Selsing, D. A. Kann, S. Schulze, J. T. Palmerio, S. D. Vergani, N. R. Tanvir, K. Bensch, S. Covino, V. D'Elia, M. De Pasquale, A. S. Fruchter, J. P. U. Fynbo, D. Hartmann, K. E. Heintz, A. J. van der Horst, L. Izzo, P. Jakobsson, K. C. Y. Ng, D. A. Perley, A. Rossi, B. Sbarufatti, R. Salvaterra, R. Sanchez-Ramirez, D. Watson, and D. Xu.

Image credit: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Andrew LevanInstitute for Mathematics, Astrophysics & Particle PhysicsRadboud University, The NetherlandsTel: +44 7714250373Email: a.levan@astro.ru.nl

Bethany DownerESA/Hubble, Public Information OfficerGarching, GermanyEmail: bethany.downer@partner.eso.org

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Hubble Studies Gamma-Ray Burst with the Highest Energy Ever Seen - Hubble Space Telescope at ESA

How Einstein came to influence smartphones – The Hindu

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Albert Einstein came up with his general theory of relativity in a November over 100 years ago.

His hypothesis has an application in our daily lives even now, says Bala Iyer, faculty member, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, explaining the functioning of the global positioning system (GPS) in smartphones.

Mr. Iyer was here on Monday to open a six-day short-term course in gravitation and cosmology organised by the Teaching Learning Center under the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, and the department of physics, Providence Womens College, Kozhikode. He leads the activities of the Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations (IndIGO) Consortium and is a member of The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaborations.

How does the GPS in our smartphones work? The United States has put above us 24 satellites, each of which carries atomic clocks, which are synchronised. They run at well calibrated rates, Mr. Iyer said.

If you really want to know your location or time, you essentially compare a satellite above with a local clock which is there in your GPS. The satellite is moving, and the satellite and you are at different gravitational fields.

The GPS works because of the corrections it makes. If the corrections are not made, the GPS would fail, he added. Mr. Iyer said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was trying to put together its own system of GPS because the American satellites might not be that accurate.

Mr. Iyer explained how Einstein came up with a radically new vision on space and time in which they too get affected by the kinematics, the branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of objects without reference to the forces which cause the motion.

The main focus of the short-term course is to address the need for a short but rapid training in general relativity, cosmology, and gravitation with emphasis on current research themes in astrophysics.

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Contrary to recent reports, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is not in danger of disappearing – Westport News

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Philip Marcus, University of California, Berkeley

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Philip Marcus, University of California, Berkeley

(THE CONVERSATION) In the last 10 years, but in the last five months in particular, the press has reported dire warnings that the Great Red Spot of Jupiter is dying. However, some astronomers believe, to paraphrase Mark Twain, that the reports of its death are greatly exaggerated, or at least premature.

Robert Hooke, an early British physicist who discovered cells, first described the Great Red Spot in 1665. In 1979, when two Voyager spacecraft flew close by Jupiter, images showed that the spot was a red cloud that rotated as part of a huge vortex several times larger than the Earth.

Concerns for the Great Red Spots health arose when astronomers realized that the clouds area in 1979 was only half of its size in the 1800s, as determined from old photographic plates. Recent images showed more cloud shrinkage, leading to headlines that the spot could die within 20 years. In spring 2019, astronomers reported that it was unraveling, and shedding large blades and flakes of red clouds.

I have been intrigued by the Great Red Spot since 1979, when I viewed the Voyager images only days after NASA processed them. The beautiful structure of this extraordinary atmospheric intrigued me since my career was evolving from astrophysics to fluid dynamics the study of how liquids and gases move. What better way to begin exploring the fundamental physics and math of fluid dynamics than to study the Great Red Spot?

Jupiters clouds and vortices

I believe that the Great Red Spot is in no danger of disappearing. By analyzing the cloud images with computer models that incorporate the physics of how fluids move, my research group at Berkeley was able to determine the area of the spot. We discovered that the area of the spot cloud is larger than its underlying vortex, the swirling gas that defines it. The question then becomes: Does a decrease in the area of the cloud mean that the vortex itself is shrinking?

It is difficult to determine the relationship between the clouds size and the vortexs size or even how Jovian clouds form and dissipate. Therefore, to understand the health of the spot, planetary scientists need to study the health of its vortex and not its cloud; the clouds shrinkage is not a harbinger of death. Based on the spots interactions with other vortices my Berkeley group found there is no evidence that that vortex itself has changed its size or intensity.

Jupiters atmosphere contains vortices besides the Great Red Spot, some of which are useful for monitoring its health. Some, like this spot, are anticyclones that rotate in the opposite direction of the planets spin; others are cyclones that rotate in the same direction as the planets spin. Anticyclones appear as bright clouds and so are easily detectable, but cyclones (except at the poles) often have filamentary clouds or no clouds at all.

How do we know that Jovian cyclones exist when clouds are not visible? For more than a century astronomers documented the motions of cloud-covered anticyclones as they slowly drifted across Jupiter. Changes in their speeds were often abrupt and seemed to occur for no reason. However, by assuming that these observable vortices interact with cloud-free (and unobservable) cyclones, we can explain the abrupt changes.

Two simultaneous events that led to flaking

Anticyclones merge with each other. However, anticyclones repel cyclones. In spring 2019, when the flaking was observed, the Great Red Spot was also observed to merge with a series of small clouds (likely small anticyclones) on its northwest side. Such mergers are common; Voyager 1 first observed these and they have subsequently been observed every few months. Typically, small anticyclones are not digested immediately, but produce lumps on the spots boundary that orbit around it, slowly migrating into the center.

I believe that the shedding of clouds from the spot as flakes and blades observed in 2019 was due to two simultaneous events: undigested lumps of merged anticyclones traveling along the spots boundary and a close encounter with one or more unobservable cyclones.

When a large anticyclone and smaller cyclone approach each other before repelling, they create a stagnation point near the boundary of the anticyclone where the local winds abruptly change direction, going off approximately perpendicular to their original directions. Think of two fire hoses aimed at each other so that their streams of water collide the streams momentarily halt at the point of impact (the stagnation point) and then scatter outward. Any cloud or undigested lump on the spot that encounters a stagnation point will similarly shatter and flake away in opposite directions.

The numerical calculations of my Berkeley research group show that the recent observations of cloud shedding can be explained by the collision of undigested red clouds at the edge of the Great Red Spot with stagnation points produced during a close encounter with a cyclone.

Pieces of the red cloud scatter outward from the stagnation point, appearing as flakes and blades. Neither the mergers that created the lumps nor the close encounters with cyclones are unusual by themselves, but it is not that common for them to occur at the same time. However, neither event is a sign of ill health for the Great Red Spot. My colleagues and I believe it will survive for many more years.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/contrary-to-recent-reports-jupiters-great-red-spot-is-not-in-danger-of-disappearing-127673.

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Contrary to recent reports, Jupiter's Great Red Spot is not in danger of disappearing - Westport News

Astronomers Find a Galaxy Containing Three Supermassive Black Holes at the Center – Universe Today

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

NGC 6240 is a puzzle to astronomers. For a long time, astronomers thought the galaxy is a result of a merger between two galaxies, and that merger is evident in the galaxys form: It has an unsettled appearance, with two nuclei and extensions and loops.

NGC 6240 is about 400 million light years away, in the constellation Ophiuchus. Even though its been studied intensely, its a very dusty place, and certain details have been obscured. But a new study using the European Southern Observatorys (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT,) along with the advanced 3D MUSE Spectrograph, has opened up a new window into NGC 6240, and revealed a big surprise.

The galaxy is the result of not two galaxies merging, but three. And as a result, its home to not two supermassive black holes, but three.

Up until now, such a concentration of three supermassive black holes had never been discovered in the universe.

The MUSE spectrograph is a visible light spectrograph with both a wide field of view and excellent spatial resolution, thanks to adaptive optics. Its whats known as a panoramic integral-field spectrograph. It saw first light in 2014, and is optimized for studying a wide variety of objects, including supermassive black holes in nearby galaxies. Astronomers used MUSEs power to peer into NGC 6240 with more precision than ever before, revealing the three supermassive black holes.

An international team of scientists produced this new research, led by scientists from Gottingen and Potsdam. The study is published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. Their paper is titled A triple nucleus system in the advanced or final state of merging.

Up until now, such a concentration of three supermassive black holes had never been discovered in the universe, adds Dr Peter Weilbacher of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP). The present case provides evidence of a simultaneous merging process of three galaxies along with their central black holes.

This study could be part of a missing link in our understanding of how galaxies form. The largest, most massive galaxies in the universe are a bit of a puzzle. Our understanding of how they form cant explain the largest ones. There hasnt been enough time in the approximately 14 billion year age of the universe for the most massive galaxies to form, even taking into account the merging of two galaxies.

But if three galaxies can merge simultaneously, like NGC 6240 has, then that goes a long way towards explaining the existence of enormous galaxies.

If, however, simultaneous merging processes of several galaxies took place, then the largest galaxies with their central supermassive black holes were able to evolve much faster, said Peter Weilbacher in a press release. Our observations provide the first indication of this scenario.

The MUSE spectrographs capabilities made this discovery possible. Not only is it mounted on the 8-meter VLT with adaptive optics, which gives it a sharpness similar to the Hubble Space Telescope, but it creates a spectrum for each single pixel in the image. That power allowed it to peer into the dust and resolve the southern black hole into two separate black holes.

NGC 6240 is likely near the end of its merging process, which can take over a billion years to conclude. Each of the supermassive black holes has more mass than 90 million Suns, and eventually all three of these black holes will merge into one massive behemoth. When that happens, some time in the distant future, that merger will create powerful gravitational waves.

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Astronomers Find a Galaxy Containing Three Supermassive Black Holes at the Center - Universe Today

Three Supermassive Black Holes Discovered at the Core of One Galaxy – SciTechDaily

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

The irregular galaxy NGC 6240. New observations show that it harbors not two but three supermassive black holes at its core. The northern black hole (N) is active and was known before. The zoomed-in new high-spatial resolution image shows that the southern component consists of two supermassive black holes (S1 and S2). The green color indicates the distribution of gas ionized by radiation surrounding the black holes. The red lines show the contours of the starlight from the galaxy and the length of the white bar corresponds to 1000 light-years. Credit: P Weilbacher (AIP), NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

An international research team led by scientists from Gttingen and Potsdam proved for the first time that the galaxy NGC 6240 contains three supermassive black holes. The unique observations, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, show the black holes close to each other in the core of the galaxy. The study points to simultaneous merging processes during the formation of the largest galaxies in the universe.

Massive Galaxies like the Milky Way typically consist of hundreds of billions of stars and host a black hole with a mass of several million up to several 100 million solar masses at their centers. The galaxy known as NGC 6240 is known as an irregular galaxy due to its particular shape. Until now, astronomers have assumed that it was formed by the collision of two smaller galaxies and therefore contains two black holes in its core. These galactic ancestors moved towards each other at velocities of several 100 km/s and are still in the process of merging. The galaxy system which is around 300 million light-years away from us close by cosmic standards has been studied in detail at all wavelengths, and has so far been regarded as a prototype for the interaction of galaxies.

Through our observations with extremely high spatial resolution we were able to show that the interacting galaxy system NGC 6240 hosts not two as previously assumed but three supermassive black holes in its center, reports Professor Wolfram Kollatschny from the University of Gttingen, the lead author of the study. Each of the three heavyweights has a mass of more than 90 million Suns. They are located in a region of space less than 3000 light-years across, i.e. in less than one-hundredth of the total size of the galaxy. Up until now, such a concentration of three supermassive black holes had never been discovered in the universe, adds Dr. Peter Weilbacher of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP). The present case provides evidence of a simultaneous merging process of three galaxies along with their central black holes.

The discovery of this triple system is of fundamental importance for understanding the evolution of galaxies over time. Until now it has not been possible to explain how the largest and most massive galaxies, which we know from our cosmic environment in the present time, were formed just by normal galaxy interaction and merging processes over the course of the previous 14 billion years approximately, ie the age of our universe. If, however, simultaneous merging processes of several galaxies took place, then the largest galaxies with their central supermassive black holes were able to evolve much faster, Peter Weilbacher summarizes. Our observations provide the first indication of this scenario.

For the unique high-precision observations of the galaxy NGC 6240 using the 8-meter VLT, a telescope operated by the European Southern Observatory in Chile, the 3D MUSE spectrograph was used in spatial high-resolution mode together with four artificially generated laser stars and an adaptive optics system. Thanks to the sophisticated technology, images are obtained with a sharpness similar to that of the Hubble Space Telescope but additionally contain a spectrum for each image pixel. These spectra were decisive in determining the motion and masses of the supermassive black holes in NGC 6240.

The scientists assume that the observed, imminent merging of the supermassive black holes in a few million years will also generate very strong gravitational waves. In the foreseeable future, signals of similar objects can be measured with the planned satellite-based gravitational wave detector LISA and further merging systems can be discovered.

Reference: NGC 6240: A triple nucleus system in the advanced or final state of merging by W. Kollatschny, P.M. Weilbacher, M.W. Ochmann, D. Chelouche, A. Monreal-Ibero and R. Bacon, T. Contini, Astronomy & Astrophysics 2019.DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201936540(PDF)

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Three Supermassive Black Holes Discovered at the Core of One Galaxy - SciTechDaily

Of the Two Stars in Alpha Centauri, One is Probably More Habitable than the Other – Universe Today

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

In the past, the number of known exoplanets has exploded, with 4093 confirmed detections so far (and another 4,727 candidates awaiting confirmation). With the discovery of so many planets that are dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of light years away, a great deal of attention has understandably been directed to our nearest stellar neighbors. Could planets be right next door, with the possibility of life being there as well?

While a potentially-habitable planet was recently discovered around Proxima Centauri (Proxima b), Alpha Centauri remains something of a question mark. But thanks to a recent study from the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT), we might be getting closer to determining if this neighboring system supports life. In a twist, the study revealed that one of the stars in the binary system is more likely to be habitable than the other.

The study, Obliquity Evolution of Circumstellar Planets in Sun-like Stellar Binaries, recently appeared in the Astrophysical Journal and was funded through the NASA Exobiology Program. The study was led by Billy Quarles, a research scientist with the Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, and included Prof. Gongjie Li of GITs Center for Relativistic Astrophysics and Jack Lissauer from NASAs Ames Research Center.

When it comes right down to it, individual stars that have a system of multiple planets (like our Solar System) are quite rare. Binary systems like Alpha Centauri, on the other hand, are quite common. This system is made up of Alpha Centauri A, a G-type yellow star that is slightly larger than our Sun, and Alpha Centauri B a K-type orange star that is closer in size to our Sun.

In 2012, astronomers thought they had detected a candidate exoplanet orbiting around Alpha Centauri B (designated Alpha Centauri Bb). Unfortunately, subsequent analysis led astronomers to announce by 2015 that this was a false positive that was likely just a spurious ghost in the data analysis. A possible planetary transit was noted in 2013, but it was reportedly too close to its primary to support life.

To determine if Alpha Centauri could have any habitable planets orbiting them, the team of astrophysicists modeled a theoretical twin of Earth into a binary system. This consisted of contrasting how Earths axial tilt (aka. obliquity) varies over time with the variation of Mars axial tilt. They then modeled Earth into Alpha Centauri A and Bs circumsolar habitable zones (aka. Goldilocks zones).

While both planets are similarly inclined 23.4 vs. 25.19 to their orbital plane Mars obliquity has been subject to more change over time. And whereas the stability of Earths variations in obliquity over time has ensured a stable climate, Mars more pronounced variations have been a major factor in its transition from a warmer, wetter world to the cold and inhospitable place it is today.

Basically, changes in Earths obliquity are what is responsible for Earth experiencing ice ages and warm epochs (aka. glacial and interglacial periods). However, the precession of Earths tilt is gentle and slow, varying between 22.1 and 24.5 over the course of 41,000 years. These types of long-term transitions have provided lifeforms with enough time to adapt and evolve, and have also prevented any period from being too long or extreme.

Mars axis, on the other hand, precesses between 10 and 60 every 2 million years. When tilted to 10, the atmosphere condenses at the poles and causes both water vapor and carbon dioxide to solidify, making the ice expand. At a tilt of 60, Mars would be more likely to grow an ice belt around its equator, where it is otherwise much warmer and experiences surface temperatures of up to 35C (95 F) at midday during summer.

The presence of the Moon is also a factor since its gravitational pull helps to stabilize our axis. Were it not for the Moon, Earths gravitational interactions with Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter would cause wilder changes in our tilt. If we didnt have the moon, Earths tilt could vary by about 60 degrees, Quarles said in a recent GIT news story. Wed look maybe like Mars, and the precession of its axis appears to have contributed to a loss of atmosphere.

While the study modeled variations of an exo-Earth orbiting either star, it mainly focused on an Earth-like planet orbiting in the habitable zone around B, with A being the orbiting star. While Alpha Centauri A did relatively well in this simulation, the results were not encouraging for that Alpha Centauri B showing that an Earth-like exoplanet would unlikely be able to support life.

In short, Alpha Centauri A and B orbit each other at about the same distance as Uranus and our sun, which is very close in a binary system. As highly-elliptical orbit with B causes it to pass close to B before moving far away, which generates a powerful gravitational sling. When modeled, this effect overpowered the exo-Earths own dynamics, causing its tilt and orbit to vary widely.

Even the presence of a large satellite such as our own Moon did not improve the situation for the exo-Earth. In fact, it actually made it worse since it contributed to axial instability. As Quarles explained:

The biggest effect you would see is differences in the climate cycles related to how elongated the orbit is. Instead of having ice ages every 100,000 years like on Earth, they may come every 1 million years, be worse, and last much longer.

With these results in hand, the team then expanded their study to encompass more in the way of star systems. When it comes right down to it, single-star systems with multiple planets (like the Solar System) are actually quite rare. Meanwhile, multiple-star systems are common, with roughly 50% of stars in the known Universe appearing to have binary companions.

From this, the team determined that 87% of Earth-like exoplanets located in systems were likely to have axial tilts similar to Earths which is stably inclined at 23.4. Moreover, they found that with binary systems in the more general sense, the probability that plants would experience gentle precessions in their obliquity increased considerably. Said Prof. Li:

In general, the separation between the stars is larger in binary systems, and then the second star has less of an effect on the model of Earth. The planets own motion dynamics dominate other influences, and obliquity usually has a smaller variation. So, this is quite optimistic.

Still, bad news for Alpha Centauri, especially any planets that could be orbiting B. Its also bad news for those hoping to send a mission there in the not-too-distant future to search for signs of life such as Breakthrough Starshot. However, there was a sliver of hope to be found in the study since the model showed that a planet with the right kind of orbital mechanics could support life

Planetary orbit and spin need to precess just right relative to the binary orbit. There is this tiny sweet spot, said Quarles. We simulated what it would be like around other binaries with multiple variations of the stars masses, orbital qualities, and so on. The overall message was positive but not for our nearest neighbor.

Its a sort of good news/bad news situation. While it is a little discouraging to think that Alpha Centauri may not have any habitable planets (which appears to be the case for Proxima b as well), it is good to know that 50% of stars in the known Universe have a shot at supporting life. In the end, finding extraterrestrial life (not to mention extraterrestrial intelligence) is all about numbers!

Jobs Boost at Innovative Gwent Insurtech Firm – Business News Wales

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

Leading Wales insurtech incubator Pontypool-based pH Innovate continues to expand it technical and marketing teams after winning new customers for its innovative insurance trading platform.

Success in winning new contracts, including one with an app offering an unique reverse auction insurance product, is leading to jobs growth at the Torfaen business.

pH Innovate, based at Torfaens Mamhilad Park Estate, has an unique approach to recruiting technical staff via its trainee programme. The scheme allows school leavers, who have an interest in technology but perhaps limited qualifications and experience, to start a career.

The burgeoning business recently recruited five new staff, four trainee developers and a marketing executive three of whom have now started. It has plans to recruit a further four trainee developers in the new year.

Stephen Peck, one of the owners of pH Innovate, explained:

While businesses are in dire need of technical skills very few want to help develop these skills and instead chase the limited number of experienced or well-qualified applicants or they even end up outsourcing work abroad.

In addition to the personal satisfaction in helping develop careers and building skills we find that we our employment recruitment programme gives us a competitive advantage in the market both through reduced cost of staff turnover and ability to provide a high level of technical skill to our customers.

Fellow business owner David Harlow said:

The five new recruits all come from the local area. Were extremely pleased with the calibre and quality of the local recruitment pool. One of our recruits has a degree in astro physics so were pleased to be able to say that we now have our very own rocket scientist.

David said:

All the recruits are from the local NP4 or NP44 areas. All of them have been struggling to get jobs in IT and development and have, until now, been working in fast food chains/warehouses. The recruits like the idea that they can learn and grow with the business.

pH Innovate has won several contracts over the last quarter including with a young driver insurance start up, a comparison site for a large financial organisation and with industry first insurance app Honcho.

Honcho operate a reverse auction market place that notifies a panel of brokers / Insurers when customers are looking for car insurance, providers then bid for the customers business.

Honcho have partnered with Quote The Market, part of pH Innovate also based here in Torfaen, to supply multiple insurance providers to their platform allowing them to build a competitive panel of providers swiftly and economically.

Forming a part of Quote The Markets next generation innovative comparison services, the ability to supply multiple brands in a single (API) feed frees up partners, such as Honcho, to focus on developing their front facing brand.

UK researchers awarded 30m investment in global neutrino physics project – University of Birmingham

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Danzig

The UK has made a new, multi-million pound investment in the DUNE global science project, bringing together the scientific communities of the UK and 31 countries from Asia, Europe and the Americas to build the worlds most advanced neutrino observatory.

DUNE (the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is a flagship international experiment that has the potential to lead to profound changes in our understanding of the universe. It is hosted by the United States Department of Energys Fermilab, and will be designed and operated by a collaboration of over 1,000 physicists across 32 countries.

The investment from UK Research and Innovations Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is a four-year construction grant to 13 educational institutions and to STFCs Rutherford Appleton and Daresbury Laboratories. The grant represents the first of two stages to support the DUNE construction project in the UK which will run until 2026 and represent a total investment of 45M.

Various elements of the experiment are under construction across the world, with the UK taking a major role in contributing essential expertise and components to the experiment and facility. UK scientists and engineers will design and produce the principle detector components at the core of the DUNE detector, which will comprise four large tanks each containing 17,000 kg of liquid argon. The UK groups are also developing a state-of-the art, high speed data acquisition system to record the signals from the detector, together with the sophisticated software needed to interpret the data and provide the answers to the scientific questions.

Professor Alfons Weber from the University of Oxford, who is leading the project in the UK, says: DUNE will be an exciting experiment and it is fantastic to see how the UK is supporting fundamental science. This announcement has allowed us to take a lead in many aspects of the experiment as the biggest contributor outside the USA. We have a significant task ahead of us in the coming years and we are looking forward to delivering our contributions.

The Birmingham team received 252,805 to provide essential contributions to the experiment. They are bringing their experience in data acquisition from experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and Super Proton Synchrotron to the challenges of selecting and recording data from the DUNE detectors.

Dr Alan Watson, the Birmingham team leader, says: DUNE is an exciting new direction for us, and offers a unique opportunity to answer fundamental questions in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology.

The DUNE project aims to advance our understanding of the origin and structure of the universe. It will study the behaviour of particles called neutrinos and their antimatter counterparts, antineutrinos. This could provide insight as to why we live in a matter-dominated universe while anti-matter has largely disappeared.

DUNE will also watch for supernova neutrinos produced when a star explodes, which will allow the scientists to observe the formation of neutron stars and black holes, and will investigate whether protons live forever or eventually decay, bringing us closer to fulfilling Einsteins dream of a grand unified theory.

The UK universities involved in the project are: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield, Sussex, UCL and Warwick.

For media enquiries, please contact Beck Lockwood, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel +44 (0)121 414 2772.

About DUNE

The international Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), hosted by the U.S. Department of Energys Fermilab, will provide insight into the origin of matter in the universe. LBNF will create the worlds most intense high-energy neutrino beam and send it 1300km from Fermilab in Illinois towards the 70,000 ton DUNE detector one mile underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota. Once constructed, LBNF and DUNE will operate for at least 15 years undertaking a broad and exciting science programme.

Fermilab is Americas premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. A U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, Fermilab is located near Chicago, Illinois, and operated under contract by the Fermi Research Alliance LLC, a joint partnership between the University of Chicago and the Universities Research Association, Inc.

UK involvement with the DUNE collaboration is through STFC and the following universities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Imperial, Lancaster, Liverpool, UCL, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield, Sussex and Warwick. They provide essential expertise and components to the experiment and facility. This ranges from the high-power neutrino production target, the readout planes, accelerator development associated with PIP-II and data acquisitions systems to the reconstruction software.

STFC manages the UKs investment in the international facility, giving UK scientists and engineers the chance to take a leading role in the management and development of the DUNE far detector and the LBNF beam line. The STFC Technology Department is also involved in the data acquisition system for the detector and in designing a high power neutrino production target.

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UK researchers awarded 30m investment in global neutrino physics project - University of Birmingham

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