Latest news with #MaynoothUniversity
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland's EuroMillions winner can earn €200k a month, or burn €10k every day
The Euromillions €250m jackpot was a 140 million-to-one shot and could now earn the lucky winner €200,000-a-month in interest. A financial expert revealed the biggest Euromillions win ever means Ireland's newest multi-millionaire could spend €10,000 a day until the year 2093. But personal money guru Eoin McGee warned that mismanagement of such a colossal amount could 'ruin you' and beware 'making promises'. He said: 'My advice is do absolutely nothing, except sign the back of the ticket. Ring the Lotto and confirm you have the winning ticket, but then sit back and tell nobody apart from your inner circle. Don't make any big decisions now. This is life-changing. I tell Lotto winners to remember that the things which made you happy before this win are the same things that are going to make you happy afterwards. 'Life will be different, but if you do not manage this properly, it can ruin you. This €250m can ruin you. Be careful about your decisions and any promises you're making. Even be careful about telling your children how much they're going to get. Make no promises. It is a time of celebration and joy and being happy about it, but in the first six months, do not spend more than €10,000 on any one item." McGee added: 'Don't buy a €2.5m villa and then realise after three years that you haven't used it. It's a huge amount of money. You could invest €1m a month and you would never eat into the €250m. Even if you put it into a bank account with 1%, you will get €2.5m a year from that. That's over €200,000 a month. Sign the back of the ticket and get a financial planner. It's scary having a €250m ticket sitting in a drawer but take your time.' He claimed that the jackpot is so gargantuan that the winner can spend €10,000 a day for over half a century and not run out of cash. Eoin said: 'It's so much money that you could spend €10,000 a day for 68 years without running out of money.' Maynooth University math professor David Malone calculated the odds of winning the jackpot at 140m-to-one. Prof Malone, who is director of the Hamilton Institute, said: 'That's your chances of winning the thing. Buying the ticket actually only makes a small difference to the chance of winning. Probability is tough. This €250m win is an amount that's not like the normal Lottery wins. Plan your future carefully.' Meanwhile, RTE radio presenter Oliver Callan joked that the €250m could be spent on painting 'some of' the new National Children's Hospital. It has faced many controversial delays with costs soaring from early estimates of €650m in 2015 to €2.2bn, according to a Government update in February 2024. Callan said on his RTE show: 'If you've won the Euromillions, you can send the money to wherever you like, to places in need. RTE never wastes a penny, as you know. We could do with another Francis Brennan series and maybe Room to Improve. There could be a full month of improving the buildings at RTE because there are nicer looking rooms in the drama series Chernobyl. This €250m would paint some of the National Children's Hospital. Good luck to the winner, you're about to discover a lot of cousins.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Tiny ‘primordial' black holes created in the Big Bang may have rapidly grown to supermassive sizes
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Primordial black holes that formed during the earliest moments of the universe could have swollen quickly to supermassive sizes, complex cosmological simulations have revealed. The discovery could lead to a solution for one of the biggest problems in modern cosmology: how supermassive black holes could have grown to be millions or billions of times more massive than the sun before the universe was 1 billion years old. This problem has gotten out of hand recently, thanks to NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The powerful scope has been probing the early universe, discovering more and more supermassive black holes that existed just 700 million years after the Big Bang, or even earlier. "The problem here is that, when we view the early universe with more and more powerful telescopes, which effectively allow us to see the cosmos as it was at very early times due to the finite speed of light, we keep seeing supermassive black holes," research team member John Regan, a Royal Society University research fellow at Maynooth University in Ireland, told "This means that supermassive black holes are in place very early in the universe, within the first few hundred million years." The processes that scientists previously proposed to explain the growth of supermassive black holes, such as rapid matter accretion and mergers between larger and larger black holes, should take more than a billion years to grow a supermassive black hole. The earliest and most distant supermassive black hole discovered thus far by JWST is CEERS 1019, which existed just 570 million years after the Big Bang and has a mass 9 million times that of the sun. That's too big to exist 13.2 billion years or so ago, according to the established models. "This is confusing, as the black holes must either appear at this large mass or grow from a smaller mass extremely quickly," Regan said. "We have no evidence to suggest that black holes can form with these huge masses, and we don't fully understand how small black holes could grow so rapidly." The new research suggests that primordial black holes could have given early supermassive black holes a head start in this race. Black holes come in an array of different masses. Stellar-mass black holes, which are 10 to 100 times heftier than the sun, are created when massive stars exhaust their nuclear fuel an die, collapsing to trigger huge supernova explosions. Supermassive black holes have at least one million times the mass of the sun and sit at the heart of all large galaxies. They're too large to be formed when a massive star dies. Instead, these black holes are created when smaller black holes merge countless times, or by ravenously feeding on surrounding matter, or in a combination of both processes. These two examples of black holes, as well as elusive intermediate-mass black holes, which sit in the mass gulf between stellar-mass and supermassive black holes, are classed as "astrophysical" black holes. Scientists have long proposed the existence of "non-astrophysical" black holes, in the form of primordial black holes. The "non-astrophysical" descriptor refers to the fact that these black holes don't rely on collapsing stars or prior black holes for their existence. Instead, primordial black holes are proposed to form directly from overdense pockets in the soup of steaming-hot matter that filled the universe in the first second after the Big Bang. There is no observational evidence of these primordial black holes thus far. However, that hasn't stopped scientists from suggesting that these hypothetical objects could account for dark matter, the mysterious "stuff" that accounts for 85% of the matter in the universe but remains invisible because it doesn't interact with light. The new research suggests that primordial black holes, proposed to have masses between 1/100,000th that of a paperclip and 100,000 times that of the sun, could have a big advantage in rapidly forming supermassive black holes. That's because the upper limit on their mass isn't restricted by how massive a star can get before it dies, as is the case with stellar mass black holes. "Primordial black holes should form during the first few seconds after the Big Bang. If they exist, they have some advantages over astrophysical black holes," Regan said. "They can, in principle, be more massive to begin with compared to astrophysical black holes and may be able to settle more easily into galactic centers, where they can rapidly grow." Primordial black holes can also get a head start on stellar-mass black holes, because they don't have to wait for the first generation of massive stars to die — a process that could take millions of years. Regan explained that, due to their origins, astrophysical black holes can form only after the first stars run out of fuel. Even then, astrophysical black holes can still be just a few hundred solar masses in total. Additionally, negatively impacting the prospect of supermassive black hole growth from stellar-mass black holes is the fact that the energy emitted from stars during their lives and their explosive supernova deaths clears material from around the newborn black holes, depleting their potential larder and curtailing their growth. "That can mean that there is no material for the baby black hole to accrete," Regan explained. Primordial black holes wouldn't emit energy and wouldn't "go 'nova, eliminating this hindrance. But, they would still need to find their way to an abundant source of matter. In the simulation performed by Regan and colleagues, primordial black holes needed to grow by accreting matter, with black hole mergers taking a backseat in the process. "Matter in the early universe is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium," Regan continued. "These primordial black holes are expected to mostly grow by accreting hydrogen and helium. Mergers with other primordial black holes may also play a role, but accretion is expected to be dominant." For the matter accretion of primordial black holes to be efficient enough to result in the creation of supermassive black holes, these objects need to be able to rapidly gobble up matter. That means making their way to regions of the universe where matter congregates — namely, the center of galaxies, which also happens to be where supermassive black holes lurk in the modern epoch of the cosmos. "For this, primordial black holes need to sink to the center of a galaxy," Regan said. "This can happen if there are enough primordial black holes. Only a few have to get lucky!" The number of primordial black holes available for this process determines whether astrophysical black holes would eventually play a role in the growth of early supermassive black holes. "If primordial black holes are very abundant, then they can make up the whole supermassive black hole population," Regan said. "Whether primordial black holes account for the entire mass of early supermassive black holes depends on how many there are. In principle, it's possible, but my guess is that astrophysical black holes play a role, too." Of course, these findings are based on simulations, so there is a long way to go before this theory can be confirmed. One line of observational evidence for this theory would be the detection of a massive black hole in the very, very early universe, prior even to 500 million years after the Big Bang. Another possible line of observational evidence would be the detection of a black hole with a mass smaller than three times that of the sun in the modern-day universe. That's because no black hole so small could have formed from the supernova death and collapse of a massive star, indicating this diminutive black hole grew from a primordial one. "I was surprised that primordial black holes grew so rapidly and that our simulations at least matched the parameter space in which they can exist," Regan said. "All we need now is a 'smoking gun' of a primordial black hole from observations — either a very low-mass black hole in the present-day universe or a really high-mass black hole in the very early universe. "Primordial black holes, if they exist, will be hiding in the extremes!" Related Stories: — A 'primordial' black hole may zoom through our solar system every decade — Primordial black holes may flood the universe. Could one hit Earth? — Tiny black holes left over from the Big Bang may be prime dark matter suspects In lieu of such observational evidence, the team will seek to improve their cosmological simulations to strengthen the theory of supermassive black holes starting off as primordial black holes. "The next steps are to increase the realism of the simulations. This was a first step. The simulations only had primordial black holes," Regan concluded. "Next, we want to model primordial and astrophysical black holes in the same environment and see if we can see any distinguishing characteristics." The team's research appears as a pre-peer review paper on the repository site arXiv.
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
Ireland set for extreme cold if Atlantic current collapses, new study suggests
The collapse of the Atlantic ocean current that warms Ireland could see Dublin experiencing temperatures of minus 22 degrees and more days reaching a maximum of zero degrees. That's according to stark findings by Netherlands-based scientists who published their results on Wednesday in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc) is a large ocean circulation that plays a crucial role in regulating both the global and European climate by redistributing heat through the ocean. There has been growing concern among scientists that the Amoc, of which the Gulf Stream is a part, may collapse following a big influx of freshwater. While this would bring colder conditions to northwest Europe, global warming would continue in other parts of the planet. READ MORE Commenting on the findings, Met Éireann said: 'This research adds to a body of evidence showing that an Amoc collapse would be a high-impact, transformative event. The concern is justified because the consequences, as modelled here, would be severe. 'People should be concerned about the risk that climate change poses to major Earth systems like the Amoc,' it added. 'This paper underscores the severity of what is at stake. However, it is not a prediction that Ireland is headed for an ice age in the coming decades.' 'This study looks at a future where the Amoc has collapsed,' said Dr Gerard McCarthy who is based at Maynooth University 's climate research unit Icarus. 'The Amoc is a system of ocean currents incorporating the Gulf Stream and is one of the factors that gives Ireland a relatively mild climate,' added Dr McCarthy, who is also co-chair of JPI Oceans, a pan-European initiative aiming to deliver climate assessment of the Amoc. [ Amoc: Atlantic Ocean current that gives Ireland benign climate 'may not collapse this century', study finds Opens in new window ] Specifically for Dublin, the scientists at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and Utrecht University predict 32 per cent of days per year will go below zero – 95 days more than pre-industrial times. They conclude 37 days per year will only reach a maximum temperature of below zero in Dublin – 36 days more than pre-industrial levels. Belfast will be even harder hit, the scientists predict, with 41 per cent of the year below zero. Met Éireann said the figures mentioned by the researchers for Dublin and Belfast should be interpreted with 'extreme caution'. Dr McCarthy said the study was not a forecast, and looks centuries into the future when flooding is expected to increase the freshwater flowing into the North Atlantic by 10 to 40 times. 'That Ireland would have a relatively cooler, stormier future under a scenario where the Amoc collapses has been seen often before,' he said. 'However, this is a study even more dramatic in its projections. Hearing these numbers can be shocking and worrying. There is no doubt that the risks associated with an Amoc collapse would be large for Ireland.' The study was not a projection of what is likely to happen 'but a warning about what could if we fail to act on climate.' 'In particular, winter sea ice extending as far south as Ireland, with associated sub-zero cold extremes is quite shocking. Action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions is by far the most important thing we can do to avoid these worst-case scenarios,' he added. [ Winter flood and storm damage may worsen due to Atlantic wind system changes, scientists warn Opens in new window ] For Europe as a whole, this study predicts the advance of sea ice – covering parts of Britain, for example – substantial cooling, more cold extremes, increased winter storms and bigger day-to-day temperature variations. Major cities such as London and Paris would experience cold extremes of -19 and -18 degrees respectively, and more than two months' worth of additional days with sub-zero temperatures compared with the pre-industrial climate. In Scotland, researchers predict its cold extremes could drop to -30C, some 23 degrees colder than the coldest episodes there in the late 19th century. 'The relatively mild climate for a city such as Edinburgh would see drastic changes,' said Dr Michiel Baatsen, a co-author of the study. It would experience 164 days with minimum temperatures below zero, that's almost 50 per cent of the year, and an increase of 133 days compared with the pre-industrial climate.
Edinburgh Live
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Darragh Ennis' life away from The Chase with childhood sweetheart and second job
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The Chase star Darragh Ennis, who is best known for his role as The Menace had originally been a contestant on the show back in 2016 before ITV producers invited him back to become a Chaser instead. Despite being the newest member of Bradley Walsh's Chaser army, Darragh is by no means a fresh face on the show, having made his formal debut back in 2020. Since then, he's made numerous appearances on the popular quiz programme and its spin-off show Beat The Chasers alongside co-stars Paul Sinha, Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett, Jenny Ryan and Shaun Wallace, with very few proving to ever be triumphant against him. While the Irishman tends to keep closed lid on private affairs away from the series, he has in the past let slip on the show about personal matters, including his past job, co-star connection and childhood sweetheart wife. Darrah's TV debut Back in 2016, the Irish star appeared on the ITV programme as a player sporting long curly locks. He quickly impressed host Bradley Walsh and Chaser Paul Sinha, who hailed him as "very, very good" after he'd achieved £9,000 in the cash builder round. His exceptional performance later saw him invited back for a screen test in which he bagged the role of the newest Chaser, The Menace. In a past interview, he attributed his cool on-camera style for his success. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo previously, he reflected: "I did well on the quiz, but a lot of people do. I don't get stage fright. I don't get rattled by cameras or anything and a lot of people do. That can subtract a bit from how well their personality comes across. "So, because I had that advantage, maybe they just saw something and thought 'this fella is very relaxed on camera', which is a big part of the job. It's not just about knowing stuff. It's about being calm enough in the moment to recall everything quickly so I think just a combination of those things." Family life (Image: ITV) The TV star previously revealed that he studied at Maynooth University and that this is how he and his wife were first acquainted. Giving a brief glimpse into how they met, he told RSVP Live: "We did our degrees and PhDs there [Maynooth University]. We were in labs down the hall from each other and she's from Kildare." Darragh insists on keeping his private affairs out the spotlight, on the matter of privacy after being trolled online himself, the father-of-two told The Irish Mirror: "I have been keeping my family out of the limelight so my wife doesn't get involved, she doesn't want to. "And my children, I don't share photos of my children or anything like that. No one knows what my children look like or their names or anything like that." His Instagram profile instead is awash with pictures of bird feeders and the bee hives that are native to his Oxford home. Second job (Image: ITV) Darrah opted to maintain in his profession as a neuroscientist and entomologist alongside his commitments on The Chase. Opening up on his career, during his TV debut as a contestant back in 2016, he told Bradley Walsh: "I work in brain development and how insect brains grow and develop." Stunned, Brad asked: "How insect brains grow and develop?" As Darragh quipped: "Well we can't use people's brains so..." On a more recent episode, Darragh even revealed to the host that he would be "back in the lab on Monday," confirming that he was still in the industry despite his fame. Darragh's link to Paul Sinha before TV fame As a contestant on The Chase, Darragh also spilled that he and Paul Sinha shared a common connection before they were co-stars on the ITV show. When asked by host Bradley who he'd like to come up against, the Irishman firmly stated: "I'd like to play Paul because apparently he used to play in the quiz league that I used to play in." "You play in a quiz league?" gasped Brad as Darragh confirmed: "Yes a pub quiz," as Paul stepped out from behind the famous red doors to go head-to-head. The Chase airs weekdays on ITV1 at 5pm.
Agriland
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Agriland
‘Farming sector forefront to impact of climate change'
The impact of climate change needs to 'appear higher' on the policy agenda, according to Maynooth University's Prof. Conor Murphy. The professor was speaking at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's (DAFM) Agriculture and Climate Change conference in Dublin Castle this morning (June 5). According to Prof. Murphy, Ireland's agriculture sector is 'vulnerable' and needs to adapt to climate change. He said: 'The farming sector is at the forefront of the impact of climate change. No other livelihood is more influenced by the weather conditions on a day-to-day, season-to-season, and year-to-year basis. 'Many people talk about Ireland experiencing a reduced impact of climate change. Our observation shows that many parts of the country are experiencing a rate of warming higher than the global minimum,' he explained. Climate change Prof. Murphy believes that in the coming years, droughts will become more intense, and more extreme. The professor claims that the future impacts of climate change will depend on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Murphy said: 'If we look back a couple of years to 2018, and the drought impacts that we saw, droughts have occurred right throughout history, but we expect them to become more intense, more extreme, with changes in rainfall at the increased temperature. 'At the time, many people were saying, 'we've always had drought'. Yes, we did in the 1970s, but take a step back, in the 2018 context it's happening in a much warmer world.' 'The future impacts of climate change will be more severe. We're seeing the impacts emerge,' Murphy explained. The professor also noted, that if GHG emissions were stopped today, the impacts of climate change would still be experienced 'for decades to come'. 'The earlier we reduce emissions the less severe future impacts will be,' Prof. Murphy said. 'One way for individuals to think about future climate change, is to think about memorable extremes. What did it mean for your farm? What did it mean for your sector?' he added.
