<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features a blanket of dust over the Tarim Basin - a vast, arid region in northwestern China. </p>



<p>Mountain peaks are visible through a break in the dust. These peaks are part of Tekilik Shan, a subrange of the Kunlun Mountains.</p>



<p>Though not as widely known as some other mountain ranges in the area, Tekilik Shan plays a significant role in shaping local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather</a> patterns and geography.</p>



<p>Its snow-covered peaks can rise above 13,000 feet, contributing to the dramatic elevation differences that define the basin’s borders.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-storms-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Dust storms in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Spring marks the height of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sahara-desert-dust-storms-carry-harmful-bacteria-and-fungi-around-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dust storm</a> activity in the Tarim Basin, particularly in its southern region.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It’s a time of year when regional wind patterns shift in ways that cause winds and storm systems to sweep in from the northwest,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154126/a-curtain-of-dust-over-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>“In early spring, when landscapes in this region are especially dry and have minimal vegetation, land surfaces warm rapidly under the Sun’s heat every morning, fueling convection that can help loft dust upward by the afternoon.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerlike-dust-formations-nbsp">Fingerlike dust formations&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Satellite images revealed dust formations with fingerlike shapes that mirrored the landscape below. These projections aligned with valleys, which channeled and directed the airborne dust.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ralph Kahn is an atmospheric scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and scientist emeritus at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.</p>



<p>According to Kahn, the dust may have been “self-lofting.” In this process, sunlight heats recently stirred-up surface dust, creating pockets of convection that lift it even higher into the air.</p>



<p>This interpretation is supported by hourly observations from Japan’s Himawari-9 geostationary satellite, which showed dust gradually rising into the Tekilik Shan throughout the day. By late afternoon, the storm had grown dense enough to obscure the mountains.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-atmospheric-dust">Decline in atmospheric dust</h2>



<p>Long-term satellite data from MODIS suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-in-the-gulf-of-alaska-help-shape-the-global-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric dust</a> levels in this region have declined by about 1.5 percent each year since the early 2000s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NASA researcher Hongbin Yu attributes this trend mainly to springtime changes - such as altered wind speeds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil moisture</a>, or vegetation cover - rather than shifts in other seasons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Rainfall in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Takla-Makan-Desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Takla Makan Desert</a> is one of the driest, most barren expanses on Earth. Flanked by mountain ranges on three sides and parched by the resulting <a href="https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Rain_shadow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain shadow</a>, parts of the Tarim Basin receive no more than 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) of rain per year,” noted NASA.</p>



<p>“Dust storms can lead to public health problems in populated areas downwind by transporting small particles, bacteria, and viruses that infiltrate human respiratory systems.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>NASA added that dust storms can also affect Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation and changing the properties of clouds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-landscape-of-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Landscape of the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Tarim Basin is one of the largest endorheic basins in the world, meaning that its rivers do not drain into the sea but instead flow into interior lakes or evaporate.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The basin is encircled by three mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. These ranges create a powerful rain shadow effect, making the region exceptionally dry.</p>



<p>At the heart of the Tarim Basin lies the Taklamakan Desert, one of the most extreme deserts on Earth. The desert is known for its high dunes, intense temperature swings, and minimal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-will-wreak-havoc-on-mountain-ranges-as-warming-climate-turns-snow-to-rain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-and-geology">History and geology</h2>



<p>Despite its harsh environment, the basin has been historically significant. It was a key section of the ancient Silk Road, with several oases such as Kashgar, Khotan, and Loulan serving as vital trading and cultural centers for centuries.</p>



<p>Geologically, the basin is rich in natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, and has become a focal point for China's energy exploration and development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The region’s challenging climate and remote location, however, make infrastructure development and human habitation difficult.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The image was captured on March 27, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager instrument on Landsat 8.</p>



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Blanket of dust covers China’s Tarim Basin

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features Messier 78 (M78), a reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion about 1,350 light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This image was released as part of the initial series of observations from ESA's <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid space mission</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>All data collected during these early observations, including a series of incredible <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid/Euclid_s_first_images_the_dazzling_edge_of_darkness" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new views</a> of the nearby universe, is available to the public.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-image-of-messier-78">Image of Messier 78</h2>



<p>Messier 78 is a dynamic region of star formation that is obscured by cosmic dust in this high-resolution image captured by the Euclid space telescope.</p>



<p>This specific view highlights how young stars generate winds of charged particles, carving out “cavities” in the molecular clouds around them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The blue hues in the image represent ionized atomic hydrogen, which is a primary component of the cloud, while the red indicates the absorption and scattering of light by dust particles.</p>



<p>The image captures hundreds of stars varying in brightness, illuminating their nebulous, purple surroundings. A dark, arch-like structure stretches from the upper left to the bottom right of the frame, merging into the densest, darkest clouds at the image’s base.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-active-site-of-star-formation-nbsp">Active site of star formation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Messier 78 is not just a single nebula but part of a larger complex of stars and nebulous regions in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orion</a>, which includes various other objects like dark nebulae that are visible as patches blocking light from behind.</p>



<p>This region is an active site of star formation, featuring many young stars and protostars, which are stars in the early stages of formation.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viewing-messier-78">Viewing Messier 78</h2>



<p>M78 is easily observable with small telescopes, and it appears as a hazy patch of light with two prominent stars near its center, which illuminate the surrounding dust.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The nebula is also a favorite among amateur astronomers for its beauty and relatively bright appearance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subject-of-scientific-interest-nbsp">Subject of scientific interest&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Messier 78 is fascinating not only for its visual beauty but also for its scientific interest, particularly in the study of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> and interstellar matter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The nebula consists of dense, cold gas and dust, which are essential ingredients for the birth of new stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The intense blue light that characterizes M78 is due to the reflection of starlight off these dust particles - a process known as scattering.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-region-surrounding-messier-78-nbsp">Region surrounding Messier 78&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The region surrounding M78 includes several other interesting features. For instance, there are Herbig-Haro objects within it, which are small patches of nebulosity associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-molecule-detected-in-space-where-stars-are-born/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">newly born stars</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These objects are formed when gas ejected by young stars collides with clouds of gas and dust at high speeds, creating shock waves that glow brightly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earliest-stages-of-star-development-nbsp">Earliest stages of star development&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Additionally, infrared observations of M78 have revealed much about the dust and colder objects in the area, which are not visible in optical light.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The observations have helped astronomers identify numerous young stars and brown dwarfs (objects that are too large to be planets and too small to be stars) within the nebula.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This makes M78 a critical area for studying the earliest stages of star development and the properties of the interstellar medium.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-euclid-space-mission-nbsp">Euclid space mission&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-batch-of-brilliant-images-from-the-euclid-mission-live-up-to-the-hype/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid space mission</a> is designed to study the dark universe, particularly focusing on dark energy and dark matter. These components are believed to drive the accelerating expansion of the universe and shape its large-scale structure. </p>



<p>The mission aims to map the geometry of the dark universe and better understand the physics of the cosmos.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-billions-of-galaxies-nbsp">Observing billions of galaxies&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Euclid uses two primary scientific instruments: a visible light camera (VIS) and a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer (NISP).&nbsp;</p>



<p>These instruments will allow Euclid to measure the shapes and redshifts of galaxies at distances of up to 10 billion light-years. By surveying more than a third of the sky, the mission is expected to observe several billion galaxies.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-dark-universe-nbsp">Studying the dark universe&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The data collected will help astronomers in studying the effects of dark matter and dark energy in depth, testing cosmological models, and exploring new theories about the nature of the universe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The mission, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, seeks to address key questions related to the structure of the universe and the fundamental laws of physics governing its evolution and expansion.</p>



<p>Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;</p>



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Young stars shine through dense dust

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the star-forming region NGC 604. The nebula is located 2.73 million light-years away from Earth in the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). </p>



<p>By studying regions like NGC 604, astronomers can gain insights into the complex interactions between stars and the interstellar medium, as well as the conditions that lead to the birth of stars. This, in turn, helps in understanding the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-like-our-own-milky-way-are-not-unique/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and the universe as a whole.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-massive-stars-of-ngc-604">Massive stars of NGC 604</h2>



<p>"Sheltered among NGC 604’s dusty envelopes of gas are more than 200 of the hottest, most massive kinds of stars, all in the early stages of their lives," said <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>"These types of stars are known as B-types and O-types, the latter of which can be more than 100 times the mass of our own Sun. It’s quite rare to find this concentration of them in the nearby universe. In fact, there’s no similar region within our own Milky Way galaxy."</p>



<p>According to ESA, this concentration of massive stars, combined with its relatively close distance, means that NGC 604 gives astronomers an opportunity to study these objects at a fascinating time early in their life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gigantic-region-of-ionized-hydrogen">Gigantic region of ionized hydrogen</h2>



<p>NGC 604 is one of the largest known regions of ionized hydrogen, also known as an H II region. This nebula is significantly larger than the Orion Nebula, which is one of the most well-known H II regions in our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-amount-of-dark-matter-may-be-missing-from-the-milky-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way galaxy</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NGC 604 spans about 1,500 light-years across, making it one of the largest H II regions in the Local Group of galaxies. This group includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and about 54 other smaller galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-604-starburst-phenomenon">NGC 604 starburst phenomenon </h2>



<p>Within NGC 604, there are hundreds of young, hot, massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stars-at-the-edge-of-our-milky-way-galaxy-travel-more-slowly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>. These stars have ionized the surrounding gas, causing it to glow and creating the nebula. The region is a prime example of a starburst phenomenon, where stars form at a much higher rate than in typical galactic conditions.</p>



<p>“The bright orange streaks in this image signify the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs," explained ESA.</p>



<p>"As you travel further from the immediate cavities of dust where the star is forming, the deeper red signifies molecular hydrogen. This cooler gas is a prime environment for star formation. Ionized hydrogen from ultraviolet radiation appears as a white and blue ghostly glow."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-star-formation">More about star formation </h2>



<p>Star formation is crucial for the evolution of galaxies and the synthesis of heavy elements. In the cores of stars, elements heavier than helium are created.</p>



<p>The elements are spread throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-stars-shakti-shiva-shaped-milky-way-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a> when stars reach the end of their lives and expel their material - either gently through winds or violently via supernova explosions. </p>



<p>This enriching process allows for the formation of new stars and planets, and ultimately, the potential for life.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cloud collapse</h3>



<p>The process begins when part of a molecular cloud becomes unstable and starts to collapse under its own gravity. This can be triggered by events like shock waves from nearby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, galactic collisions, or the influence of other massive stars.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Formation of a protostar</h3>



<p>As the cloud collapses, it fragments into smaller clumps. Each clump will eventually form one or more stars. </p>



<p>The material within these clumps continues to fall inward, heating up as it does so, eventually forming a warm core called a protostar. At this stage, the protostar is not yet hot enough for nuclear fusion (the process that powers stars) to occur.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Accretion disk</h3>



<p>Around the protostar, material from the surrounding cloud continues to fall inward, forming a rotating disk. This material slowly accretes onto the protostar, increasing its mass.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Nuclear fusion begins</h3>



<p>Once the core of the protostar reaches a high enough temperature and pressure, hydrogen atoms begin to fuse into helium, releasing energy in the process. This marks the transition from a protostar to a main sequence star, like our sun.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Main sequence and beyond</h3>



<p>The star will spend the majority of its life in the main sequence stage, where it balances the gravitational forces trying to collapse it and the outward pressure from nuclear fusion. </p>



<p>Eventually, the star will exhaust its hydrogen fuel. Its subsequent evolution will depend on its initial mass, leading to various end stages such as red giants, supernovae, neutron stars, or black holes.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope</p>



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Young, massive stars in the Triangulum Galaxy

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features NGC 1792, a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Columba about 43 million light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This galaxy, discovered by British astronomer James Dunlop in 1826, is part of the larger NGC 1808 group of galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intimate-view-of-ngc-1792">Intimate view of NGC 1792</h2>



<p>“An orange glow radiates from the center of NGC 1792, the heart of this stellar forge. Captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, this intimate view of NGC 1792 gives us some insight into this galactic powerhouse,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“The vast swathes of tell-tale blue seen throughout the galaxy indicate areas that are full of young, hot stars, and it is in the shades of orange, seen nearer the center, that the older, cooler stars reside.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vigorous-star-formation-nbsp">Vigorous star formation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>NGC 1792 is notable for its vigorous star formation, classifying it as a starburst galaxy. The high rate of star birth is thought to be triggered by gravitational interactions with neighboring galaxies, though the exact cause is still under study.</p>



<p>“Nestled in the constellation of Columba (The Dove), NGC 1792 is both a spiral galaxy, and a starburst galaxy,” said ESA. </p>



<p>“Within starburst galaxies, stars are forming at comparatively exorbitant rates. The rate of star formation can be more than 10 times faster in a starburst galaxy than in the Milky Way.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fierce-bursts-of-star-formation">Fierce bursts of star formation</h2>



<p>ESA noted that when galaxies have a large reservoir of gas, like NGC 1792, these short-lived starburst phases can be sparked by galactic events such as mergers and tidal interactions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“One might think that these starburst galaxies would easily consume all of their gas in a large forming event. However, supernova explosions and intense stellar winds produced in these powerful starbursts can inject energy into the gas and disperse it.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This halts the star formation before it can completely deplete the galaxy of all its fuel. Scientists are actively working to understand this complex interplay between the dynamics that drive and quench these fierce bursts of star formation.”</p>



<p>Due to its distance and brightness, NGC 1792 can be observed with medium-sized telescopes under favorable conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-evolution-of-galaxies">The evolution of galaxies </h2>



<p>Galaxy evolution refers to the process by which galaxies form and change over time. It begins in the early universe, shortly after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-observations-disprove-big-bang-theory-universe-began-tired-light-theory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Bang</a>, when small density fluctuations in the primordial gas led to the collapse of matter into the first galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-mergers">Galaxy mergers</h3>



<p>Early galaxies were small and irregular, and were composed mostly of gas and dark matter. Over billions of years, galaxies grew larger by merging with one another and by accreting gas from the surrounding space.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These interactions often triggered bursts of star formation, and collisions between galaxies sometimes led to the creation of new, more massive galaxies.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structural-changes">Structural changes</h3>



<p>As galaxies evolve, their morphology - shape and structure - can change. Early galaxies were often irregular or disk-shaped, but over time, many galaxies formed into the elliptical or spiral shapes we see today.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-formation">Star formation</h3>



<p>Star formation is a key driver of galaxy evolution, but it gradually slows down as galaxies age. </p>



<p>The gas that fuels <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> can be used up, or it can be heated and pushed out of galaxies by supernovae or black holes, reducing the galaxy's ability to form new stars.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-environment-nbsp">Galaxy environment&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The environment in which a galaxy resides also plays a role in its evolution. Galaxies in dense clusters are more likely to interact with their neighbors, which can alter their shape or trigger bursts of star formation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In contrast, galaxies in more isolated regions of space evolve more slowly and without as many dramatic interactions.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-matter">Dark matter</h3>



<p>Dark matter also plays a crucial role in galaxy evolution. It provides the gravitational framework that holds galaxies together and influences their interactions with one another.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Supermassive <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=Galaxies%20merge&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a>, found at the centers of most large galaxies, can also affect their evolution by releasing energy that impacts star formation and the movement of gas within the galaxy.</p>



<p>Overall, galaxy evolution is a complex and ongoing process driven by interactions between stars, gas, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>, and black holes, and shaped by both internal processes and external influences.</p>



<p>Image Credit<strong>:</strong> ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, J. Lee</p>



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Starburst galaxy in the constellation Columba

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features a brilliant stellar nursery located about 163,000 light-years away.</p>



<p>According to ESA, the image is one of the most photogenic examples of the many stellar nurseries observed by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope during its 30-year lifetime. </p>



<p>“The portrait features the giant nebula NGC 2014 and its neighbor NGC 2020 which together form part of a vast star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-stellar-nursery">What is a stellar nursery?</h2>



<p>Stellar nurseries are regions in space where new stars are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">born</a> - often within vast clouds of gas and dust called molecular clouds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These areas are fascinating because they are cradles of stellar evolution, where gravity causes clumps of gas to collapse, eventually forming protostars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Over time, the protostars will heat up and start the nuclear fusion process that powers a star.</p>



<p>One of the most well-known stellar nurseries is the Orion Nebula, which is visible to the naked eye and located about 1,350 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamic-nature-of-a-stellar-nursery-nbsp">Dynamic nature of a stellar nursery&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Within these nurseries, the balance between gravity and pressure determines the types of stars that form, from massive, luminous stars to smaller, cooler ones like our Sun.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The environment is incredibly dynamic, with powerful winds from young stars shaping the clouds and triggering the birth of even more stars.</p>



<p>These regions are often illuminated by the light from massive newborn stars - creating stunning, colorful displays. The light reveals the intricate structure of the dust and gas, sculpted by the energy of young stars.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-stellar-nurseries-nbsp">Significance of stellar nurseries&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Stellar nurseries are essential for understanding the early stages of planetary formation, as protoplanetary disks (the material from which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets form</a>) are often found around young stars in these regions.</p>



<p>Stellar nurseries play a crucial role in the ongoing evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>. They are responsible for the continuous birth of new stars that enrich the interstellar medium with heavier elements. This constant recycling of material is key to the development of future generations of stars and planets.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Furthermore, the study of these regions helps astronomers understand the fundamental processes that govern the life cycles of stars and the overall dynamics of the universe.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-local-group">The Local Group</h2>



<p>The Local Group is a collection of over 80 galaxies that includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Triangulum Galaxy, along with numerous smaller dwarf galaxies. These galaxies are bound together by gravity and span a region roughly 10 million light-years across.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> and Andromeda are the dominant members, with their respective satellite galaxies orbiting them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Local Group is part of a larger structure known as the Virgo Supercluster, and its galaxies are moving toward the gravitational center of the Local Group, contributing to its dynamic nature.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-magellanic-cloud">Large Magellanic Cloud</h2>



<p>The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the fourth largest galaxy in the Local Group and can be seen with the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This irregular dwarf galaxy is home to the Tarantula Nebula, one of the most active star-forming regions in our cosmic neighborhood.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Large Magellanic Cloud played a key role in astronomical history, particularly when the supernova SN 1987A was observed, providing valuable insights into stellar evolution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The LMC's interaction with the Milky Way, along with its own companion, the Small Magellanic Cloud, is believed to influence its shape and star formation activity. Its proximity and unique properties make it a crucial object of study for understanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-galactic-explosion-provides-clues-about-galaxy-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy evolution</a>, star formation, and the dynamics of interacting galaxies.</p>



<p>Image Credit<strong>: </strong>NASA, ESA, and STScI</p>



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Hubble captures a stunning stellar nursery

<p>Antarctica is home to some of the clearest skies on Earth, and that brutal clarity makes it the perfect place to eavesdrop on the cosmos. Hovering high above the continent, a NASA balloon carries the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna, or ANITA.</p>



<p>The ANITA experiment <a href="https://techport.nasa.gov/projects/94282" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">catches radio murmurs</a> born when ultra-energetic cosmic rays hit the atmosphere. </p>



<p>Most of those pops behave exactly as physicists expect: the signals flip polarity after bouncing off the two-mile-thick ice sheet, a clean mirror image that tells researchers the particle came from above.</p>



<p>But ANITA has also logged a handful of pulses that refuse to flip. </p>



<p>The implication is unsettling because the only way to produce such upward-going radio waves is for a particle to plow straight through the planet, survive more than 3,000 miles of rock, and burst out of the ice on the far side. No known particle should manage that trick.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anita-finds-rule-breaking-pulses">ANITA finds rule-breaking pulses</h2>



<p>Those anomalous pulses arrived at surprisingly steep angles, emerging from about 30° below the horizon instead of the gentle slopes seen in run-of-the-mill cosmic-ray echoes. </p>



<p>The geometry alone flags them as outliers, yet the team verified that the pulses were real and not an instrumental hiccup.</p>



<p>“The radio waves that we detected were at really steep angles, like 30 degrees below the surface of the ice,” said <a href="https://science.psu.edu/physics/people/szw5718" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stephanie Wissel</a>, an associate professor of physics, astronomy and astrophysics who combs the ANITA data for unexpected patterns. </p>



<p>“It’s an interesting problem because we still don't actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are, but what we do know is that they're most likely not representing neutrinos.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-anita-filter-cosmic-chatter">Helping ANITA filter cosmic chatter</h2>



<p>Separating genuine particle signatures from noise takes painstaking effort. Researchers replay thousands of hours of balloon data through computer models that mimic the detector’s response to lightning, satellite transmissions, and even the crackle of auroras. </p>



<p>By comparing those simulations with real events, they can cull anything that lacks the hallmark shape of a particle-induced shower.</p>



<p>The ANITA collaboration also leans on cross-checks with ground networks such as <a href="https://icecube.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IceCube</a> and the <a href="https://www.auger.org/observatory/auger-hybrid-detector" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pierre Auger Observatory</a>. If a pulse appears only in the balloon logs and nowhere else, it goes under the microscope. </p>



<p>The handful of strange upward events survived every filter the scientists could devise, reinforcing the sense that something unfamiliar is in play.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ghostly-nature-of-neutrinos">Ghostly nature of neutrinos</h2>



<p>The obvious culprits would be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-breaking-ghost-particle-km3-230213a-neutrino-spotted-deep-in-the-mediterranean-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutrinos</a>, the universe’s most elusive messengers. These chargeless wisps hardly ever collide with matter, making them perfect probes of distant cataclysms, yet fiendishly hard to spot.</p>



<p>“You have a billion neutrinos passing through your thumbnail at any moment, but neutrinos don't really interact,” she said. </p>



<p>“So, this is the double-edged sword problem. If we detect them, it means they have traveled all this way without interacting with anything else. We could be detecting a neutrino coming from the edge of the observable universe.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-listening-from-25-miles-up">Listening from 25 miles up</h2>



<p>“We use radio detectors to try to build really, really large neutrino telescopes so that we can go after a pretty low expected event rate,” Wissel explained. </p>



<p>ANITA tackles that challenge by floating roughly 25 miles above the snow, a perch that expands each antenna’s footprint to hundreds of square miles without planting a single pole in the ice.</p>



<p>“We have these radio antennas on a balloon that flies 40 kilometers above the ice in Antarctica,” Wissel said. “We point our antennas down at the ice and look for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-source-of-cosmic-rays-found-after-a-century-long-search/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutrinos</a> that interact in the ice, producing radio emissions that we can then sense with our detectors.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



<p>When the team traced the weird signals backward, the flight paths pointed through Earth’s interior, defying the standard model of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-category-of-particles-discovered-in-the-subatomic-realm-paraparticles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particle physics</a>. </p>



<p>Additional searches in data from the IceCube and Auger neutrino detectors turned up no counterpart events, trimming the roster of ordinary explanations.</p>



<p>“My guess is that some interesting radio propagation effect occurs near ice and also near the horizon that I don't fully understand, but we certainly explored several of those, and we haven't been able to find any of those yet either,” Wissel said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hoping-that-pueo-can-help">Hoping that PUEO can help</h2>



<p>The next balloon in the series is the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations, or <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Vieregg_PUEO_MOE_June2021_TAGGED.pdf?emrc=8a9411" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PUEO</a>, set for its first Antarctic voyage in December 2025. </p>



<p>It will carry more antennas and faster electronics, improving sensitivity by at least a factor of five over ANITA.</p>



<p>“So, right now, it's one of these long-standing mysteries, and I'm excited that when we fly PUEO, we'll have better sensitivity," Wissel concluded. </p>



<p>"In principle, we should pick up more anomalies, and maybe we'll actually understand what they are. We also might detect neutrinos, which would in some ways be a lot more exciting.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



<p>Elsewhere, instruments buried deep in ice, anchored to the seafloor, or orbiting aboard satellites are racking up their own successes. </p>



<p>In February 2025 a detector beneath the Pacific seafloor logged the most energetic neutrino ever observed, underscoring how quickly the discipline is advancing.</p>



<p>Whether ANITA’s anomalies prove to be exotic particles or a quirk of radio propagation, upcoming missions promise fresh clues. Until then, we will all have to wait and wonder.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.121003" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a></em>.</p>



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Unknown radio waves coming from deep below the Antarctic ice "defy physics"

Antarctica is home to some of the clearest skies on...

Good,Morning,,New,Day,,Weekend,,Holiday.,Happy,Middle,Aged,Woman

<p>Night after night, our bodies cycle through light and heavy slumber. Most of us judge a good night’s rest by how spry we feel over morning coffee, but there is a deeper story. During the night, when muscles go limp and dreams fade, the brain slips into slow-wave sleep - the quietest, most restorative phase.</p>



<p>Researchers now point to a slow erosion of that phase as a silent warning sign for dementia. The issue is not the total number of hours you sleep each night, it's about how deeply we sleep year after year. </p>



<p>Losing too much of that deep stretch appears to open the door to memory problems later in life. Even small nightly losses, study authors argue, can snowball over time and quietly shape cognitive destiny.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-slow-wave-sleep">Understanding slow-wave sleep</h2>



<p>Often called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sleep-clears-toxic-waste-from-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep sleep</a>, slow-wave sleep is the most restorative phase of the sleep cycle. During this stage, the brain produces slow, high-amplitude delta waves, and the body enters its most relaxed state - heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and muscles become nearly immobile.</p>



<p>During these spells, cerebrospinal fluid washes through brain tissue, sweeping away proteins such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-may-lower-levels-of-alzheimers-abnormal-proteins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amyloid and tau</a> that gather while we are awake.</p>



<p>Both are major suspects in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stopping-alzheimers-before-it-starts-early-treatment-shows-potential/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a>, which already affects about one in nine Americans older than 65.</p>



<p>When deep sleep shrinks, that nightly rinse falters. Laboratory work confirms that even a single restless night nudges amyloid levels upward. </p>



<p>Over decades, a chronic shortfall can allow debris to pile up, fraying the circuits that handle recall, planning, and mood.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-sleep-over-decades">Tracking sleep over decades</h2>



<p>An analysis drawn from the <a href="https://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Framingham Heart Study</a> followed 346 adults older than 60 who completed two overnight sleep studies five years apart. </p>



<p>Over the next 17 years, 52 of them developed dementia, and a clear pattern emerged: each 1 percent annual drop in slow-wave sleep was linked to a 27 percent increase in risk.</p>



<p>“Slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, supports the ageing brain in many ways, and we know that sleep augments the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain, including facilitating the clearance of proteins that aggregate in Alzheimer’s disease,” explained Associate Professor Matthew Pase of <a href="https://www.monash.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monash University</a>.</p>



<p>“However, to date we have been unsure of the role of slow-wave sleep in the development of dementia. Our findings suggest that slow-wave sleep loss may be a modifiable dementia risk factor.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-sleep-and-risk">Genes, sleep, and risk</h2>



<p>The same project highlighted a genetic wildcard: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5839141/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APOE ε4</a>. Carriers of this variant lost deep sleep faster than their peers. Even without that gene, though, a steep decline in slow-wave minutes still spelled trouble.</p>



<p>Brain-volume measurements did not explain the trend, hinting that sleep itself is the driver. By tracking nightly brain waves, clinicians may gain an early heads-up long before symptoms appear.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-slow-wave-sleep">Studying slow-wave sleep</h2>



<p>A <a href="https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-023-02811-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">separate study</a> at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>, shows how deep sleep might soften the blow even when pathology is already in place. </p>



<p>Sixty-two older volunteers spent a night undergoing electroencephalography and then tried to match names to faces. </p>



<p>Those with heavy beta-amyloid deposits but plentiful slow-wave sleep performed as well as participants with cleaner brains.</p>



<p>“With a certain level of brain pathology, you’re not destined for cognitive symptoms or memory issues,” said <a href="https://www.abg.psychol.cam.ac.uk/staff/dr-zsofia-zavecz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zsófia Zavecz</a>, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley’s <a href="https://www.humansleepscience.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Human Sleep Science</a>. </p>



<p>“People should be aware that, despite having a certain level of pathology, there are certain lifestyle factors that will help moderate and decrease the effects. One of those factors is sleep and, specifically, deep sleep.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-memory-afloat">Keeping memory afloat</h2>



<p>Neuroscientist <a href="https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/matthew-p-walker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthew Walker</a>, senior author of the UC Berkeley study, posed a compelling question: If sleep is truly essential for memory, could it be a missing piece in the puzzle explaining why two people with the same level of amyloid pathology experience such different memory outcomes?</p>



<p>He noted that if this theory proves true, it would be exciting - because sleep is something we can actually change. It’s a modifiable factor.</p>



<p>Walker went on to compare deep sleep to a life raft: it keeps memory afloat rather than letting it sink under the weight of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-disruptions-could-signal-the-onset-of-alzheimers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a>. </p>



<p>He suggested that non-REM, slow-wave sleep may be a crucial piece in understanding cognitive reserve. Even better, it’s something we can improve, even later in life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-getting-more-slow-wave-sleep">Getting more slow-wave sleep</h2>



<p>Laboratory gadgets cannot guarantee longer slow-wave stretches, yet everyday choices matter. </p>



<p>Regular bedtimes anchor the body clock; a cool, dark bedroom keeps overheating at bay; and avoiding caffeine after lunch reduces late-night jitters. A warm shower before lights-out also nudges the brain toward <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sleep-how-slow-waves-boost-memory-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deeper stages</a>. </p>



<p>“One of the advantages of this result is the application to a huge population right above the age of 65,” Zavecz said. </p>



<p>“By sleeping better and doing your best to practice good sleep hygiene, which is easy to research online, you can gain the benefit of this compensatory function against this type of Alzheimer’s pathology.”</p>



<p>Wearable sensors are not perfect, but they now offer a glimpse into nightly slow-wave trends at home.</p>



<p>By understanding and supporting this critical stage of sleep through consistent habits and healthy routines, we gain a powerful, accessible tool for maintaining cognitive resilience well into older adulthood.</p>



<p>Spotting a downward drift early gives older adults a chance to course-correct with simple habits - an investment that could pay off in sharper memories for years to come.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2810957" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Neurology</a></em>.</p>



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Scientists point to one particular sleep stage as being most important for preventing dementia

Night after night, our bodies cycle through light and heavy...

<p>Astronomers have uncovered what may be the heaviest black hole ever directly measured. Located at the center of a galaxy nearly six billion light-years away, this ultramassive cosmic monster is estimated to weigh in at 36 billion times the mass of our Sun.</p>



<p>This discovery was made in the foreground galaxy of a rare gravitational lensing system known as the <a href="https://britastro.org/section_news_item/cosmic-horseshoe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cosmic Horseshoe</a>, which was first identified in 2007. </p>



<p>The new research, led by Carlos R. Melo-Carneiro from the <a href="https://www.if.ufrgs.br/if/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute of Physics</a> at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, used a combination of gravitational lens modeling and detailed stellar dynamics to pinpoint the ultramassive black hole (<a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/521/3/3298/7085506" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UMBH</a>) lurking at the center of the lensing galaxy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-cosmic-horseshoe">What is the cosmic horseshoe</h2>



<p>The Cosmic Horseshoe is a near-perfect example of a <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.84.2188.506">gravitational lens</a>: a phenomenon where the gravity of a massive foreground galaxy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-confirm-lone-black-hole-wandering-through-our-galaxy/">bends</a> the light of a background galaxy. </p>



<p>In this case, the background galaxy appears as a luminous arc encircling the lensing galaxy, forming what’s called an <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/a-gallery-of-einstein-rings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Einstein Ring</a>.</p>



<p>The lensing galaxy, named <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/image-detail/einstein-ring-lrg-3-757/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LRG 3-757</a>, is what astronomers refer to as a <a href="https://classic.sdss.org/dr5/products/general/edr_html/node53.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">luminous red galaxy</a>. This is a giant elliptical galaxy that shines brightly in infrared light and contains very little star formation. </p>



<p>LRG 3-757 is not only huge, about 100 times more massive than the Milky Way, but is now also known to host one of the largest black holes ever measured.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-ultramassive-black-hole">Measuring the ultramassive black hole</h2>



<p>Black holes, especially the largest ones, are notoriously difficult to measure. Researchers typically rely on the motion of nearby stars and gas to estimate how much mass must be present to account for their velocity. </p>



<p>But at vast distances like this one, over five billion light-years away, direct observations are challenging.</p>



<p>Melo-Carneiro and his team took a different approach. They used detailed data from the <a href="https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/develop/instruments/muse.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE)</a> instrument on the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Very Large Telescope</a>, paired with high-resolution images from the Hubble Space Telescope, to create a combined model of the galaxy’s mass.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The key innovation was incorporating both the gravitational lensing distortion of background light and the motion of stars within the lensing galaxy itself. </p>



<p>The result was a precise mass estimate of the central black hole, weighing in at an astonishing 36 billion solar masses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-what-was-thought-possible">Beyond what was thought possible</h2>



<p>Astronomers have long known that <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/universe/black-holes/types/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive</a> black holes lie at the centers of most large <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monster-in-the-shadows-giant-black-hole-emerges-from-cosmic-dust/">galaxies</a>. </p>



<p>Their masses tend to follow a predictable trend based on the speed at which stars move in the galaxy’s center, a relationship called the <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2020/02/aa36321-19/aa36321-19.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MBH–σe relation</a>, where σe stands for the effective stellar velocity dispersion. </p>



<p>But the black hole in LRG 3-757 doesn’t play by these rules.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cosmic-horseshoe_radial-arc_ultramassive-black-hole-umbh_NASA_1big.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cosmic-horseshoe_radial-arc_ultramassive-black-hole-umbh_NASA_1s.webp" alt="HST/WFC3 color composite image of the Cosmic Horseshoe, created using the F814W, F606W, and F475W filters. The system is composed by the main deflector, the eponymous Einstein ring of the Cosmic Horseshoe, and the radial arc and its counter-image, both highlighted. The inset shows the radial arc. Credit: NASA/Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul" class="wp-image-1974107"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>HST/WFC3 color composite image of the Cosmic Horseshoe, created using the F814W, F606W, and F475W filters. The system is composed by the main deflector, the eponymous Einstein ring of the Cosmic Horseshoe, and the radial arc and its counter-image, both highlighted. The inset shows the radial arc. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>This black hole’s mass is about 1.5 standard deviations above what the MBH–σe relation would predict, based on the velocity dispersion of 366 km/s. </p>



<p>That’s a significant outlier. It suggests something unusual happened in the galaxy’s past or is still happening now.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-ultramassive-black-hole-is-so-big">Why this ultramassive black hole is so big</h2>



<p>Several theories might explain this deviation. One possibility is that LRG 3-757 underwent a dramatic history of mergers. </p>



<p>During such events, central black holes from each galaxy can eventually merge, while gravitational interactions fling nearby stars outward, a process known as <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.12537" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scouring</a>. This can inflate the black hole’s mass without increasing the average stellar speed.</p>



<p>Another explanation is that <a href="https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept13/Silk/Silk8.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AGN feedback</a>, when an actively feeding black hole pumps energy into its surroundings, disrupts star formation and changes the internal structure of the galaxy.</p>



<p>There’s also a chance that this black hole is a fossil remnant of an ancient <a href="https://esahubble.org/wordbank/quasar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quasar</a>, an early universe black hole that grew rapidly by consuming large amounts of matter. </p>



<p>In this scenario, LRG 3-757 could once have been far more active, with the black hole gaining mass much faster than its surrounding stars could evolve.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deviant-ultramassive-black-holes">Deviant ultramassive black holes</h2>



<p>This study adds to a growing list of ultramassive black holes that deviate from the expected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/">galaxy</a>-black hole scaling laws. But what makes this finding special is its distance.</p>



<p>We see the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxy-jwst-er1g-dark-matter-einstein-ring-mystery-solved/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cosmic Horseshoe</a> as it was over four billion years ago. </p>



<p>That places it significantly earlier in the universe’s timeline than most direct mass measurements of supermassive black holes (SMBHs). It is also one of the most massive black holes ever directly measured at any redshift.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-tools-will-soon-join-the-hunt">New tools will soon join the hunt</h2>



<p>With telescopes like <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid</a> already scanning the sky, researchers expect to find hundreds of thousands of new gravitational lenses in the next five years. </p>



<p>Many of these may host similarly massive galaxies, with hidden black holes that challenge our understanding of galactic evolution.</p>



<p>With upcoming tools like the <a href="https://elt.eso.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)</a>, scientists will be able to measure stellar dynamics with far greater precision, even in galaxies that are billions of light-years away.</p>



<p>“This new era of discovery promises to deepen our understanding of galaxy evolution and the interplay between baryonic and dark matter components,” the authors concluded in their paper.</p>



<p>The study is published the online journal <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.13788" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arxiv</a>.</p>



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Astronomers discover the largest 'ultramassive' black hole ever seen

Astronomers have uncovered what may be the heaviest black hole...


<div class="vdb_player vdb_591c9e3c9efa894c3c6e150b58d96b98cd4fed198a0d2a49"><script type="text/javascript" src="//delivery.vidible.tv/jsonp/pid=591c9e3c9efa894c3c6e150b/vid=592ddcd45091f01e67825ce1/58d96b98cd4fed198a0d2a49.js"></script></div>
<p>Chris Draft, former NFL player</p>


EPA: Asthma Can Be Tackled

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