Surprising Science — May 26, 2010

Centers of Mystery

The strange behavior of two suppermassive black holes may change the way scientists understand the evolution of galaxies, including our own Milky Way.

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The strange behavior of two suppermassive black holes may change the way scientists understand the evolution of galaxies, including our own Milky Way. “It is possible that these findings could also shed light on how active galaxies – including faraway, developing galaxies known as quasars, the most luminous objects in the universe – are born and how their jets are formed.”

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Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Does the CMB really “prove” the Big Bang?

Since the mid-1960s, the CMB has been identified with the Big Bang’s leftover glow. Could any alternative explanations still work?

Three red, cloud-like structures are set against a starry background in space.

Starts With A Bang

What do JWST’s “red monster” galaxies mean for cosmology?

The most massive early galaxies grew up faster, and have more stars, than astronomers expected, according to JWST. What does it all mean?

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: How do scientists color the Universe?

When we see pictures from Hubble or JWST, they show the Universe in a series of brilliant colors. But what do those colors really tell us?

Starts With A Bang

How a nearby supernova could reveal dark matter

The last naked-eye Milky Way supernova happened way back in 1604. With today’s detectors, the next one could solve the dark matter mystery.

Animation of a star being engulfed by another star, emitting bright light and gas in space.

Starts With A Bang

A new origin story for supernovae after 94 years

Since 1930, type Ia supernovae have been thought to arise from white dwarfs exceeding the Chandrasekhar mass limit. Here’s why that’s wrong.

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Guest Thinkers

“Competing Narratives”

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