Are you — is every person you’ve ever loved, every incredible sight you’ve ever witnessed — part of a hologram? Some scientists think so.
They argue that all the information in the universe may be stored on some sort of two-dimensional object. In this video, NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller delves into frontier science — an unchartered territory that may require a new level of physics to better understand.
An algae-powered bioreactor, called the Photobioreactor, arrived at the International Space Station on May 6 and represents a major step toward so-called closed-loop life-support systems, which could one day sustain space crews during long-duration missions to the moon and Mars.
A group of astronomers led by Crystal Martin and Stephanie Ho of the University of California, Santa Barbara, has discovered a dizzying cosmic choreography among typical star-forming galaxies; their cool halo gas appears to be in step with the galactic disks, spinning in the same direction.
The researchers used W. M. Keck Observatory to obtain the first-ever direct observational evidence showing that corotating halo gas is not only possible, but common. Their findings suggest that the whirling gas halo will eventually spiral in towards the disk.
“This is a major breakthrough in understanding how galactic disks grow,” said Martin, Professor of Physics at UC Santa Barbara and lead author of the study. “Galaxies are surrounded by massive reservoirs of gas that extend far beyond the visible portions of galaxies. Until now, it has remained a mystery how exactly this material is transported to galactic disks where it can fuel the next generation of star formation.”
June 19, 2019 Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)
Work on the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea, bitterly opposed by Hawaiian activists, may soon be underway.
Posted in space
🌎 It’s the only place in the universe that we know contains life. Celebrate its beauty by taking a look at these breathtaking images of our home planet, as captured by crew members aboard the International Space Station:
Astronauts living on the International Space Station help with the study of human survival and endurance in space. The challenges they encounter are unique due to the lack of gravity that we take for granted on Earth.
