Latest news with #JPL
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Turns out supermassive black holes are way more common than we thought
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. Supermassive black holes are some of the densest objects found within our universe. These cosmic objects are so heavy that they often weigh billions of times more than our sun, and they're so dense, not even light can escape their grasp. For the most part, we've believed these massive beasts were only found at the center of galaxies. However, new research suggests they might be far more common than we thought. The new study, which is published in The Astrophysical Journal, used data from NASA's InfraRed Astronomy Satellite and the NuSTAR X-ray telescope, which is operated by NASA/JPL. By looking at data from both the infrared and x-ray spectrums, they were able to determine that several of these cosmic objects managed to slip past earlier observations. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 Supermassive black holes should be pretty hard to miss. Just like Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way is. While you can't expect see them by going outside and looking up from your backyard, their enormous mass causes ripples and distortions in space, which isn't hard to spot when viewing the universe through a powerful telescope. Despite the immense pull these objects have on the universe, it's still possible to miss them due to unexpected readings or even things like gravitational lensing from other galaxies. And since we still don't know how black holes evolve, there's only so much we can do to spot them. Not to mention there are a ton of less active, silent black holes out there that aren't siphoning off matter and light anymore. So, how exactly did the researchers spot new black holes? Well, according to the findings, they looked at how gas and dust emit light after being heated. From there, they were able to spot several new supermassive black holes hidden in the cosmos. We know that sometimes these cosmic objects can break free of their galaxies, leading to rogue black holes, so it's not too surprising that there are more of them than we previously expected. This is all part of a growing attempt to understand more about how dust interacts within the universe as a whole, and what's going on behind it. While there are likely still thousands (if not millions) of black holes we have yet to discover, this new research at least tells us it is worth looking harder. More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
STV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
St Mirren sign Jamaica international Richard King on two-year deal
St Mirren have signed Jamaica international Richard King as Stephen Robinson prepares his squad for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old has moved to Paisley from JPL side Cavalier FC in his homeland and has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, subject to a medical and visa approval. King has 30 caps for the Jamaica national side, where he has been working under former England boss Steve McLaren and is currently at the Gold Cup. He started as the Reggae Boyz lost 1-0 in their opening group game to Guatemala in California. St Mirren announced the signing on Tuesday, and Robinson revealed he has been tracking him for some time. The manager said: 'Richard King is a player I tried to sign in January, along with Martin [Foyle]. 'We had tracked him for a long time and kept up with his progress. He has progressed really well under Steve McLaren and the Jamaican national team. 'He's quick, he's strong, and he's a project for us as well as it's a step up in level. 'I had a really good conversation with Richard and the Cavalier owner, and we are aligned in our thinking in terms of giving Richard a good platform. 'We believe he can be a really good asset for the football club when he returns from playing in the Concacaf Gold Cup. 'We think Richard will add real competition to the boys we've already got and give us another option in that department.' King has joined until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend for a further year. He is the third new arrival at the Saints this summer, following the permanent acquisitions of Killian Phillips and Roland Idowu. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
NASA Satellite Detects Sewage on California Beach
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Scientists have discovered signs of sewage in the water at a beach in southern California in NASA satellite images. In their study, researchers examined a large wastewater plume at the mouth of the Tijuana River, south of Imperial Beach near San Diego, using NASA's EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation) instrument. EMIT, which orbits the Earth aboard the International Space Station, was able to detect the sewage by observing sunlight reflecting off the planet. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) explained that the EMIT's "advanced optical components split the visible and infrared wavelengths into hundreds of color bands." Scientists were able to differentiate what molecules were present based on their unique spectral "fingerprint" by analyzing each satellite scene pixel by pixel. The EMIT's observations of the Tijuana River plume were compared with water samples tested on the ground. The comparison revealed "a spectral fingerprint pointing to phycocyanin, a pigment in cyanobacteria, an organism that can sicken humans and animals that ingest or inhale it." A stock image of a view from the California side of the United States/Mexico border into Tijuana, where the border fence meets the Pacific Ocean. A stock image of a view from the California side of the United States/Mexico border into Tijuana, where the border fence meets the Pacific Ocean. Getty Paper author and oceanographer Eva Scrivner of the University of Connecticut said that the findings "show a 'smoking gun' of sorts for wastewater in the Tijuana River plume." Christine Lee, a scientist at JPL in Southern California who is a co-author of the study, added: "It's like a diagnostic at the doctor's office that tells you, 'Hey, let's take a closer look at this.'" "From orbit you are able to look down and see that a wastewater plume is extending into places you haven't sampled." Hundreds of millions of liters of untreated wastewater are discharged into the Tijuana River each year. This water brings harmful pollutants through two major cities—with more than three million combined residents—as well through a protected estuarine reserve before emptying into the Pacific Ocean, the researchers note. Contaminated coastal waters not only impact human health but also harm marine ecosystems, fisheries, and wildlife. Scientists have monitored water quality issues, such as harmful algal blooms, for decades using satellite instruments that analyze ocean color. However, other pollutants and harmful bacteria are harder to track as they are more difficult to decipher using traditional satellite sensors. The researchers say that "current monitoring methods are resource-intensive and limited in coverage" and "optical satellite imaging may enable broader spatiotemporal monitoring." The findings of the latest study provide a base for future projects to develop "remote sensing derived wastewater plume maps that also estimate associated water quality parameters such as bacterial concentrations in this system." The scientists concluded: "The ability to do so fills a critical gap in our ability to study how wastewater plumes impact regional biodiversity, local economies and public health at varying spatial and temporal scales." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about pollution? Let us know via science@ Reference Scrivner, E., Mladenov, N., Biggs, T., Grant, A., Piazza, E., Garcia, S., Lee, C. M., Ade, C., Tufillaro, N., Grötsch, P., Zurita, O., Holt, B., & Sousa, D. (2025). Hyperspectral characterization of wastewater in the Tijuana River Estuary using laboratory, field, and EMIT satellite spectroscopy. Science of The Total Environment, 981.
Economic Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
NASA Layoffs: Is Trump's budget cut approved by Congress? NASA asks employees to opt for early retirement, deferred resignation, or voluntary separation. Here's last date and terms of departure
NASA has announced new staff reduction programs in response to a proposed 24% budget cut. Employees may opt for early retirement, deferred resignation, or incentive-based separation. The programs aim to reduce the workforce from 17,391 to 11,853. Affected staff must decide by July 25, with most leaving by January 2026. Signage stands outside the Mary W. Jackson headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Washington, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Programs for Staff Exit Reasons Behind Staff Reductions Deadline for Employee Decisions Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Terms of Departure Similar Changes Across Other Agencies FAQs NASA has introduced a range of new programs aimed at reducing its workforce. These changes follow proposed budget cuts by the Trump administration for the 2026 fiscal year. The programs are voluntary and give employees multiple options for leaving the sent memos to employees on June 9, announcing early retirement, deferred resignation, and voluntary separation incentive options. These programs are part of a larger workforce reduction effort. The goal is to reduce the number of NASA employees significantly by Trump administration has proposed a 24% cut to NASA's overall budget for 2026. This proposal aims to lower the employee count from 17,391 to 11,853, a 32% drop. The proposed budget is still under review by Congress and not yet has asked employees to decide by July 25 if they want to participate in the new staff reduction options. Those who opt into the Deferred Resignation Program will likely stop working soon afterward but will continue to receive pay until January 9, to the agency, employees who sign the separation agreement will start administrative leave within one to two weeks. Most participants are expected to complete their employment by January 9, 2026. Some critical staff may receive approval to delay their departure until April 1 or as late as September 30, new programs follow similar moves at other government agencies. Around 75,000 federal workers have already taken deferred resignation offers. Changes have also occurred at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which recently ended remote work. Most of the 5,500 staff at JPL are now required to return to the office or is responding to proposed budget cuts for 2026. These cuts aim to reduce spending and the number of employees across the employees who accept the offer will stop working by January 9, 2026. Some may stay until April or September 2026, based on need.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Piezo Stacks with Space-Tested Technology Now Available with Extended Displacement
Quick availability, compact design, excellent temperature stability, humidity resistance, new from PI AUBURN, Mass., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- PI, a global leader in precision motion control and nanopositioning, is extending the capabilities of its renowned PICMA® piezo stack actuator series with the introduction of the new PICMA® Plus actuators. While the standard PICMA® actuators are already celebrated for their long lifetime, high stiffness, microsecond response times, and sub-nanometer resolution, the PICMA® Plus line represents a significant advancement by offering substantially greater displacement. Extended Displacement Without Sacrifice Previously, PI's quickly available PICMA® piezo actuators provided displacement ranges from 6.5 microns to 36 microns per monolithic stack. The new PICMA® Plus actuators build upon this proven foundation by delivering even longer travel ranges up to 43 microns, allowing for applications requiring larger displacement in the same package size, without sacrificing the core benefits of the PICMA® technology. Space-Proven Technology - Extreme Lifetime and Operating Temperature Range Both the original and the new PICMA® Plus actuators share the same patented, ceramic-encapsulation process. This proprietary, polymer-free, all-ceramic insulation is what sets PI's actuators apart from conventional, polymer-insulated piezo actuators, which are susceptible to humidity and temperature fluctuations. This robust ceramic encapsulation ensures superior durability and reliability, as demonstrated by NASA/JPL's 100 billion cycle test for the Mars rover Curiosity. The PICMA® technology, including the new Plus variants, continues to offer humidity resistance and a wide operating temperature range from -40°C to 150°C, and up to 200°C for modified versions, making them ideal for challenging environments. Industries Served Micro-manufacturing, nano-dispensing, optics & photonics, semiconductor test equipment, astronomy, biotechnology, surface metrology, quality assurance, nanometrology, nanopositioning Specifications, datasheet: Achieving High Precision with Multilayer Piezo Linear Actuators Read the blog posts: Small Motion Steps Yield Big Effects in the Quest for Life on Mars Reliable Piezo Motion Devices for Industrial and Space Applications PI Americas | info@ | (508) 832-3456 Applications Blog | Videos | LinkedIn Media Contact PI Press Releases, PI (Physik Instrumente) LP, (508) 832-3456, press-release@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE PI (Physik Instrumente) LP Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
