Astronomy

A sticky liquid made from vegetable oil could be sprayed onto plants to catch small pests such as thrips without affecting larger insects such as bees

Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) have recently received much attention in the physics community. One of the primary reasons is the potential link to dark matter. In effect, if PBHs can be proven to exist, there’s a very good chance that they are what dark matter, the invisible thing that makes up 85% of the universe’s mass, is made of. If proven, that would surely be a Nobel-level discovery in astrophysics. 

But to prove it, someone has to find them first. So far, PBHs exist only in theory. But we’re getting closer to proving they do exist, and a new paper from Marcos Flores of the Sorbonne and Alexander Kusenko of UCLA traces some ideas on how we might be able to finally find PBHs and thereby prove or disprove their connection to dark matter.

Drs. Flores and Kusenko focus on understanding PBH formation theories and then extrapolate how those formations might be detectable, even with modern equipment. A typical black hole, which we know exists, forms when supermassive stars collapse under their own weight.

Fraser discusses PBHs.

PBHs were formed before any stars of such size were available to collapse, so they must be formed using a different mechanism. The paper details a theorized PBH formation process that involves a detailed mathematical look at particle asymmetry and how that fits in with other models of particle physics. But how can astronomers see those formations?

One way is by watching a loss of angular momentum. Astronomers can observe “halos” of particles early on in the universe. In many cases, they are spinning rapidly. However, if their spin slows dramatically, it may indicate that a PBH was forming in the vicinity, sapping some of the energy from that angular momentum by pulling the particles towards themselves.

Another way is by watching a new favorite mechanism of astronomers everywhere – gravitational waves. It’s not completely clear whether the formation of PBHs can cause gravitational waves. Still, the paper discusses some frameworks that can potentially lead to a theory of whether they do. 

Fraser discusses how hard it is to find PBHs with Dr. Celeste Keith.

Supersymmetry provides one of those frameworks. In some cases, the early universe operating under the principles of supersymmetry could form a PBH that would form a gravitational wave that the next generation of gravitational wave detectors could potentially detect. In particular, it would involve what the paper calls a “poltergeist mechanism” resulting from space-time perturbations in certain theories. 

A final way to detect these PBHs is to watch for gravitational lenses. Some experiments like the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) of the Subaru telescope have noticed gravitational microlensing where there is no known massive object to cause such lensing. PBHs, which would be effectively invisible to those telescopes, could offer one explanation, though other explanations must be ruled out first.

Other theories offer other opportunities for PBH detection, including watching the interaction of “Q-balls” or theoretical large “blobs” of matter. If enough of these are collected together, they could potentially form a PBH. 

Ultimately, there are more questions than answers surrounding these mysterious objects. If they do exist, they could answer plenty of them. However, more data is needed to prove that beyond any reasonable doubt. Experimentalists are already pushing forward as quickly as they can to develop new and better detectors that can help in the hunt for PBHs. If they do exist, it’s only a matter of time before we find them.

Learn More:
Flores & Kusenko – New ideas on the formation and astrophysical detection of primordial black holes
UT – The Universe Could Be Filled With Ultralight Black Holes That Can’t Die
UT – If We Could Find Them, Primordial Black Holes Would Explain a Lot About the Universe
UT – Neutron Stars Could be Capturing Primordial Black Holes

Lead Image:
Illustration of colliding black holes.
Credit – Caltech / R. Hurt (IPAC)

The post Some Clever Ways to Search for Primordial Black Holes appeared first on Universe Today.

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The post See Photos of the Widespread Aurorae Last Weekend appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

SpaceX's Starlink fleet of nearly 6,000 satellites remains healthy after weekend solar storms sparked auroras across the world.

The world’s largest "ecoacoustic" survey, listening to Costa Rican rainforests, could pave the way for a network of sensors listening to the planet’s biodiversity in real time

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Mice given unlimited access to alcohol recovered faster after consuming a gel based on a milk protein, with the same treatment also preventing intoxication in another group of mice. If proved safe and effective in humans, it could offer a quick way to sober up

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We already know that water has existed on the surface of Mars but for how long? Curiosity has been searching for evidence for the long term presence of water on Mars and now, a team of researchers think they have found it. The rover has been exploring the Gale Crater and found it contains high concentrations of Manganese. The mineral doesn’t form easily on Mars so the team think it may have formed as deposits in an ancient lake. It is interesting too that life on Earth helps the formation of Manganese so its presence on Mars is a mystery.

The Mars Curiosity Rover was launched in November 2011. It arrived on 6 August 2012 in the Gale Crater region of Mars. It’s purpose was to explore the geology of the area, climatic conditions and the potential for habitability for future explorers.  We have seen stunning images from the surface of Mars thanks to Curiosity and our understanding of Mars both past and present has been improved as a result of its work. 

New simulations are helping inform the Curiosity rover’s ongoing sampling campaign. Credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

A paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research : Planets has reported on findings using the ChemCam instrument on board Curiosity. The paper’s lead author Patrick Gasda from the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Space Science and Application group announced the findings of high levels of manganese in rocks from the base of the crater. It is thought that the Gale Crater is an ancient lake so this poses interesting questions as to its origin. 

On Earth, biological processes are fundamental to the formation of materials like manganese oxide with photosynthesis producing atmospheric oxygen. There are also microbes that act as a catalyst to the oxidisation of manganese. The problem is that there is no such sign other life on Mars so the process that led to the formation of oxygen in the ancient Martian atmosphere is unclear. If we cannot understand the formation of oxygen, then we struggle to understand how manganese oxide might form. Perhaps something relating to large bodies of surface water could be responsible. 

The ChemCam instrument on Curiosity uses a laser to generate small amounts of plasma on the surface of Martian rocks. Light is then collected to enable the composition of the rock to be identified. The team studied sand, silts and muds, the former being more porous than the latter. The majority of the manganese found in the sands is thought to have been the result of ground water percolation. On Earth the manganese is oxidised by atmospheric oxygen in a process that is accelerated by microbes. 

We still don’t have all the answers but but the study has revealed yet again, to an environment that was once suitable for life. That environment seems similar to many places on Earth that also display rich manganese deposits. 

Source : New findings point to an Earth-like environment on ancient Marsh

The post These Rocks Formed in an Ancient Lake on Mars appeared first on Universe Today.

“A dream come true.”
“I never expected this!”
“The most amazing light show I’ve ever seen in my life!”
“Once in a lifetime!”
“No doubt, this weekend will be remembered as ‘that weekend.’”

That’s how people described their views of the Aurora borealis this weekend, which put on a breathtaking celestial show around the world, and at lower latitudes than usual. This allowed hundreds of millions of people to see the northern lights for the first time in their lives. People as far south as Arizona and Florida in the US and France, Germany and Poland in Europe got the views of their life as a series of intense solar storms – the most powerful in more than 20 years – impacted Earth’s atmosphere starting Friday and through the weekend.

As we reported on Friday, a giant Earth-facing sunspot group named AR3664 hurled at least six coronal mass ejections our way, triggering a dazzling display of breathtaking celestial shows over several nights. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a geomagnetic storm watch in anticipation of G4 or G5 events; G5 is the highest rating on NOAA’s space weather scale. This means not only was there a spectacular sky show, but some electrical grid systems could have experienced blackouts; however, there was no widespread reports of any problems or damage to electrical grids.

“Watches at this level are very rare,” the SWPC said in an advisory on Saturday.

Let’s take a look at the incredible views of our readers and friends, many shared on Universe Today’s Flickr page. Our lead image comes from Julien Looten, who took this photo at the cliffs of Étretat in northern France. Looten said, “These auroras began to be visible around 10:30 PM, even before nightfall… From then on, they were visible to the naked eye until dawn… Without interruption…”

A spectacular light show over North Cascades National Park, Washington state, USA. Credit: Patrick Vallely. Used by permission. A 360° panorama of the May 10/11, 2024 great aurora display, as seen in southern Alberta, Canada. This is a stitch of 20 segments, each 13-second exposures, with “very odd vertical blue and magenta rays.” Credit: Alan Dyer/AmazingSky.com A unique orange and red aurora seen over Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Karla Thompson.

No doubt this weekend will be remembered as 'that weekend'. Here's my rushed, ordinary photos of an extraordinary event.
Taken locally in Cheshire during the 'spike' at 03:00 Saturday. Zero colour enhancement in post processing. The greens were JUST visible with the naked eye: pic.twitter.com/Z9uQA4fFaW

— Andy Saunders – Apollo Remastered (@AndySaunders_1) May 12, 2024 Ohio’s Aurora 05-10-2024, captured in front of John Chumack’s observatory domes at JBSPO in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Canon 6DDSLR 16mm F2.8 lens, ISO 1250, 10 second exposure. Credit: John Chumack, galacticimages.com. Used by permission.

"Once in a Lifetime" – The Needles, Isle of Wight, UK
Credit @chadpowellphoto pic.twitter.com/NAoi6k9h9E

— Chad Powell (@chadpowellphoto) May 12, 2024 “Bonkers” aurora display in Tucson, Arizona, USA. Credit: Robert Sparks. Used by permission.

8 hrs, 2 camera batteries, 500 photos & a full memory card later, we're home after our epic aurora hunt. Just a magical, magnificent night. Aurora filling the sky at one point, green curtains/ red/pink rays & beams, reflected in the reservoir we were parked next to up nr Shap… pic.twitter.com/0iApnjZ05H

— Stuart Atkinson (@mars_stu) May 11, 2024 Aurora over Raisting Earth Station near near Raisting, Bavaria, Germany. “We experienced three waves of incredibly strong Aurora, especially for our rather Southern latitude. During the second wave we saw individual pulsating filaments dancing over our heads. What a breathtaking experience!” Credit: Simeon Schmauß, used by permission. The aurora as seen in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver on May10-11, 2024, taken with an iPhone. Credit: Carolyn Collins Petersen. This timelapse from May 10-11 shows a fish-eye view of the sky in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Credit: Mark C. Petersen/Loch Ness Productions

I asked a complete stranger to take my photo during the stunning aurora show. I did the same for her.
Seeing the aurora from our location was incredible. We will treasure the memory of our shared experience.
10.05.24 Bedfordshire UK #aurora #auroraUK #StormHour #ThePhotoHour pic.twitter.com/vWwAjSQK2I

— Dawn (@DawnSunrise1) May 12, 2024 This colorful auroral display was visible from Bishopmill, Scotland, UK on May 10, 2024. “It was capped by several beautiful coronae, the holy grail for many aurora photographers. At times, the colours were clearly visible to the unaided eye.” Credit: Alan Tough. Used by permission. A beautiful aurora, with the International Space Station passing by, right at the zenith. Seen south of Peterborough (Keene), Ontario, with tripod mounted Canon EOS 60D and Bower 8mm prime lens with ISO 800 and 10 seconds. “It doesn’t get much better than this, the best display here in 15 years at least!” Credit: Rick Stankiewicz, Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA).

The sky opened over Bear Lake, Utah pic.twitter.com/zW3nSRafZa

— Riding with Robots (@ridingrobots) May 11, 2024 Aurora on May 10/11 2024, taken from Ottawa, Canada with an iPhone 14 Pro Max. Credit: Andrew Symes. Used by permission. Aurora Borealis on May 10, 2024 From British Columbia, Canada. Credit: Debra Ceravolo. Used by permission. “The moment when the Great Aurora of 2024 went from looking average to exploding and filling the entire sky. Until that moment, it looked cool, but nothing I hadn’t seen from this location before. The curious part was it was in the western sky instead of the north when I normally see it. But in this moment, the entirity of the visible sky lit up in the most amazing light show I’ve ever seen in my life. Credit: Dark Arts Astrophotography. Used by permission. Unique view of the KP9 aurora on May 11, 2024 at Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Credit: Northern Lights Graffiti. Used by permission

The amount of insane beauty that’s on my memory cards right now is almost overwhelming. Aurora chasing may be my new addiction.

I also will likely release a shot or two in print, so if you want a memento from this event make sure you’re on my email list! pic.twitter.com/OjrthGlqJB

— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) May 12, 2024 Aurora and the Moon seen over central Minnesota, USA. Credit: Nancy Atkinson

The post What a Weekend! Spectacular Aurora Photos from Around the World appeared first on Universe Today.

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