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Time of India
15-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
13-Billion-year-old ‘Cosmic Dawn' signal captured by ground-based telescope: A breakthrough in tracing the origins of universe
In a rare and remarkable scientific achievement, scientists have detected a 13-billion-year-old microwave signal from a period known as the Cosmic Dawn. It is a time just after the Big Bang when the first stars and galaxies began to form. What makes this achievement remarkable is that the signal was picked up not from space, but using Earth-based telescopes situated at high altitudes in the Andes mountains of northern Chile. The discovery was made by astrophysicists from the CLASS (Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor) project. The project is funded by the US National Science Foundation. These weak signals of polarised microwave radiation provide rare insights into the early universe and reveal how the first cosmic structures influenced light leftover from the Big Bang. This is the first time such a faint and ancient signal has been observed from the ground. The breakthrough was achieved by the team led by Professor Tobias Marriage of Johns Hopkins University (JHU). This major feat defies previous assumptions that these signals could only be detected using space telescopes, due to the many technological and environmental obstacles faced by ground observatories. What is the Cosmic Dawn that sent the 13-billion-year-old signal The Cosmic Dawn refers to the time period between roughly 50 million and one billion years after the Big Bang. This is the period when the first stars, galaxies, and black holes began to form. It was like a dawn for the Universe. Before this phenomena, the universe was in a dark, neutral state with no sources of light. The earliest stars also known as Population III stars ignited nuclear fusion and emitted intense ultraviolet radiation that lit up the universe and began the process of reionization. This radiation ionized the surrounding hydrogen gas which allow light to travel freely through space for the first time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo During this era, small, irregular galaxies started to assemble, and early black holes likely formed from the collapse of massive stars. These events fundamentally changed the nature of the cosmos. By studying light from this time, such as polarised microwave signals left on the cosmic microwave background, scientists can learn how the first luminous objects shaped the universe's structure. The Cosmic Dawn marks the universe's transition from darkness to light and holds key insights into how modern galaxies, including our own- Milky way, came to be. Why detecting this signal is so difficult and significant The microwaves that scientists are looking for from the Cosmic Dawn are extremely faint. It is about a million times weaker than regular cosmic microwave background radiation. These polarised microwave signals are measured in mere millimetres of wavelength and are easily drowned out by earthly interference such as radio broadcasts, radar signals, satellites, and even atmospheric conditions like humidity or temperature shifts. According to researchers, even under ideal conditions, detecting these signals requires highly sensitive and precisely calibrated instruments. CLASS telescopes were custom-designed for this task and strategically placed in high-altitude regions of Chile, where the thinner, drier air provides a clearer view of the universe. How the CLASS team overcome the odds: A first feat from Earth 'People thought this couldn't be done from the ground,' said Prof. Tobias Marriage. 'Astronomy is a technology-limited field, and microwave signals from the Cosmic Dawn are famously difficult to measure. Ground-based observations face additional challenges compared to space. Overcoming those obstacles makes this measurement a significant achievement.' The CLASS team addressed these challenges by cross-referencing their data with results from previous space missions, such as NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and the European Space Agency's Planck telescope. By identifying and eliminating interference, they were able to isolate a consistent signal from the polarised light. It confirmed that it originated from the early universe. The polarised microwave light Light becomes polarised when it bounces off surfaces or particles, causing the waves to align in a particular direction. A simple example is sunlight reflecting off a car hood, which creates a glare—one that can be reduced with polarised sunglasses. Similarly, ancient cosmic light that interacted with early matter became polarised. 'Using the new common signal, we can determine how much of what we're seeing is cosmic glare from light bouncing off the hood of the cosmic dawn, so to speak,' explained Dr. Yunyang Li, one of the study's co-authors and a researcher affiliated with Johns Hopkins and the University of Chicago. New path to explore the origins of the universe The CLASS project has opened a powerful new window into understanding the origins of the universe. The study of these signals can help scientists to see how the first light sources interacted with matter. They can trace how early stars triggered the formation of galaxies. These processes shaped large-scale structures that still define the universe today. This research opens the door to new discoveries. It gives scientists a roadmap to explore the earliest and most mysterious parts of the universe without relying only on space missions. It proves that advanced ground-based technology, when combined with clever methodology and favourable locations, can rival even space telescopes in tracing the earliest chapters of cosmic history. This research validates the capabilities of Earth-based astronomy and paves the way for deeper studies into the birth of stars, the formation of galaxies, and the evolution of the universe itself.
Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Scientists detect 13 billion-year old signal from ‘Cosmic Dawn' using Earth-based telescopes
In what can be called a truly unique accomplishment, scientists seem to have detected a 13 billion-year-old signal using Earth-based telescopes. This feat allow them to see how the first stars impacted light emitted from the Big Bang. Astrophysicists measured polarised microwave light to create a clearer picture of what is known as Cosmic Dawn. They traced this by using telescopes high in the Andes mountains of northern Chile. Cosmic Dawn refers to the period roughly between 50 million to one billion years after the Big Bang, a time when the first stars, black holes, and galaxies were reportedly formed. The research led by Tobias Marriage, professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), is the first time ground-based observations have captured signals from the Cosmic Dawn. 'People thought this couldn't be done from the ground. Astronomy is a technology-limited field, and microwave signals from the Cosmic Dawn are famously difficult to measure,' Marriage was quoted as saying by the JHU website. 'Ground-based observations face additional challenges compared to space. Overcoming those obstacles makes this measurement a significant achievement,' he added. According to the official JHU website, cosmic microwaves are barely millimetres in wavelength and are very hard to detect. The signal from polarised microwave light is about a million times fainter, making it much more difficult to trace. Meanwhile, on Earth, broadcast radio waves, radar and satellites can drown their signal, and changes in the atmosphere, weather and even temperature can distort it. The researchers claimed that even under perfect conditions, measuring this type of microwave would need highly sensitive equipment. Scientists from the US National Science Foundation's Cosmology Larger Angular Scale Surveyor, or CLASS project, used telescopes that have been specifically designed to detect traces left by the first stars in the relic big bang light. This was previously only accomplished by technology deployed in space, such as the US National Aerospace and Space Administration Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and European Space Agency Planck space telescopes. As part of the project, the researchers compared the CLASS telescope data with data from the Planck and WMAP missions. They identified interference and narrowed in on a common signal from the polarised microwave light. Polarisation is when light waves collide into something and scatter. 'When light hits the hood of your car and you see a glare, that's polarisation. To see clearly, you can put on polarised glasses to take away glare,' said author Yunyang Li, who was a PhD student at Johns Hopkins and then a fellow at the University of Chicago during the research. 'Using the new common signal, we can determine how much of what we're seeing is cosmic glare from light bouncing off the hood of the cosmic dawn, so to speak.'
NDTV
04-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
World's Largest Solar Telescope Captures Stunning Details Of Sun's Surface
The world's biggest solar telescope has captured the stunning details of the Sun's surface, showing sunspots and intense magnetic activity. The newly released image comes as the Sun moves towards its most active phase of its 11-year solar cycle. The image was released by Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. It is the first image captured with the US National Science Foundation's new Visible Tunable Filter (VTF). The high-resolution photograph, taken in early December, shows a collection of enormous sunspots only 10 kilometres apart in size but spanning thousands of miles. The image showed sunspots, each about the size of a continent on Earth. Scientists from the International Solar Cycle Prediction Panel, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced in October that the sun reached the solar maximum or peak of activity. The sun's magnetic poles reverse during the peak, causing more sunspots to show up on its surface. These sunspots are cooler, active areas on the Sun that can cause big solar explosions like solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). When these solar outbursts take place, they shoot out charged particles into space, and if these particles reach Earth, they can disrupt satellites, cause power outages or affect GPS and phone signals. Friedrich Woeger, the instrument program scientist at the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope, said, "A solar storm in the 1800s (the Carrington Event) reportedly was so energetic that it caused fires in telegraph stations. We need to understand the physical drivers of these phenomena and how they can affect our technology and ultimately our lives." Mark Miesch, a research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, said that sunspots were like magnetic plugs blocking some of the heat coming up to the surface. That's the reason they look darker and are cooler than the rest of the Sun's surface, he added. He compared these sunspots to an oven. "Even though these sunspots are cooler, they are still hotter than any oven on Earth," he added.
Scientific American
02-05-2025
- Science
- Scientific American
National Science Foundation Halts Funding Indefinitely
Staff members at the US National Science Foundation (NSF) were told on 30 April to 'stop awarding all funding actions until further notice,' according to an email seen by Nature. The policy prevents the NSF, one of the world's biggest supporters of basic research, from awarding new research grants and from supplying allotted funds for existing grants, such as those that receive yearly increments of money. The email does not provide a reason for the freeze and says that it will last 'until further notice'. Earlier this week, NSF leadership also introduced a new policy directing staff members to screen grant proposals for 'topics or activities that may not be in alignment with agency priorities'. Proposals judged not 'in alignment' must be returned to the applicants by NSF employees. The policy has not been made public but was described in documents seen by Nature. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. An NSF staff member says that although good science can still be funded, the policy has the potential to be 'Orwellian overreach'. Another staff member says, 'They are butchering the gold standard merit review process that was established at NSF over decades'. One program officer says they are resigning because of the policy. Nature spoke with five NSF staffers for this story, all on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media. An NSF spokesperson declined Nature 's request for comment. Continuing turmoil The changes are hitting an agency already in crisis. In the past two weeks, the NSF has terminated roughly 1,040 grants that would have awarded US$739 million to researchers and their institutions. The agency's director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, resigned last month. Uncertainty is also being felt by scientists outside the agency. Colin Carlson, an expert in disease emergence at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, leads an initiative to predict viruses that pose pandemic threats. The project, which involves roughly 50 researchers across multiple universities, is funded by a $US12.5 million NSF grant. The project's latest round of funding was approved, but Carlson worries about subsequent rounds, and the fate of other researchers. Unless it is lifted, the freeze 'is going to destroy people's labs,' Carlson says. Funding for the NSF, as for all other federal agencies, is set by the US Congress. To date, the agency has received only about one-quarter of the funding that Congress appropriated to it for the current fiscal year, which ends on 30 September. More cuts on the way It is not clear whether a funding shortfall is driving the latest grant freeze. But Matthew Lawrence, a specialist in administrative law at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, says that under a 1974 law called the Impoundment Control Act, the NSF must give Congress special notice of the grant halt, which would otherwise be unlawful. Cuts to NSF spending this year could be a prelude to a dramatically reduced budget next year. Science previously reported that US President Donald Trump will request a $4 billion budget for the agency in fiscal year 2026, a 55% reduction from what Congress appropriated for 2025. Similarly, the proposed 2026 budget for the National Institutes of Health calls for a 44% cut to the agency's $47 billion budget in 2025, according to documents leaked to the media. During Trump's first term, Republicans in Congress rejected many of the president's requested cuts to science funding, but it is not clear that they will do so again. In the long term, severe reductions to science funding could damage the economy, according to new research. A report by economists at American University in Washington DC estimates that a 50% reduction in federal science funding would reduce the US gross domestic product by approximately 7.6%. 'This country's status as the global leader in science and innovation is seemingly hanging by a thread at this point,' one NSF staffer says. NSF staff expect hundreds more grants to be terminated Friday.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First image from the world's largest solar telescope captures the sun in unheard-of detail
Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. A newly released image of the sun captured by the world's largest solar telescope shows the surface of our nearest star in unprecedented detail, shedding light on its fiery complexity. The image is the first taken by the US National Science Foundation Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope's new Visible Tunable Filter, or VTF. The instrument can build a closer-than-ever, three-dimensional view of what's happening on the sun's surface, according to a news release. The close-up reveals a cluster of continent-size dark sunspots near the center of the sun's inner atmosphere, at a scale of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) per pixel. These blemishes mark areas of intense magnetic activity, where solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, are likely to occur. Coronal mass ejections are large clouds of ionized gas called plasma and magnetic fields that erupt from the sun's outer atmosphere. Detailed images such as this one, which was taken in early December, pose an important way for scientists to learn about and predict potentially dangerous solar weather, said Friedrich Woeger, the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope instrument program scientist, in an email. 'A solar storm in the 1800s (the Carrington Event) reportedly was so energetic that it caused fires in telegraph stations,' Woeger said. 'We need to understand the physical drivers of these phenomena and how they can affect our technology and ultimately our lives.' These energetic outbursts from the sun can interact with our planet's own electromagnetic field, causing disturbances to key infrastructure such as electrical power grids and satellite-powered communication networks, he explained. The sun goes through periods of high and low magnetic activity in an 11-year cycle. In October, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA and the international Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced the sun reached the peak of activity, called the solar maximum. During the peak, the sun's magnetic poles flip, and more sunspots appear on its surface. The maximum is expected to last for several months, so it's a fitting time for the Inouye Solar Telescope to be ramping up its instrument testing with spectacular images of the sun's dynamic surface. Like boiling soup on a stove, heat escapes the core of the sun and rises to its surface through fluid motions, said Mark Miesch, a research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Miesch was not involved in the research. Sunspots, then, are like 'magnetic plugs,' or tangles in the star's complex magnetic fields that prevent the heat from reaching the surface, Miesch said. For this reason, the sunspots, which emit less light than other areas of the sun, appear darker in images and are cooler than their surroundings. Nevertheless, sunspots are 'still hotter than any oven on Earth,' he added. The apparent texture of the sun comes from the varying densities and temperatures within its surface, which has layers similar to an onion. By 'tuning' in to different wavelengths, or colors, like a radio tuner, the VTF offers a way to probe these various layers and observe what is happening between them, Miesch said. In other words, while an image from a personal camera uses light that contains multiple wavelengths at the same time, the VTF, a type of imaging spectro-polarimeter, filters measurable wavelengths one by one. To accomplish this filtering, the instrument uses an etalon — two glass plates separated by mere microns. 'The principle is not unlike that of noise-canceling headphones: when two waves with similar wavelength(s) travel on the same or an intersecting path, they can interact with each other to either cancel each other out, or they can reinforce each other,' Woeger said. 'Light waves 'trapped' between those two plates interfere, and the distance between the plates selects which exact 'colors' of the light are passed on, and which ones cancel out.' In just a few seconds, the powerful instrument captures hundreds of images through the different filters and combines them into a three-dimensional snapshot. Researchers can then use the resulting views to study the temperature, pressure, velocity and magnetic field structure at different layers of the solar atmosphere. 'Seeing those first spectral scans was a surreal moment. This is something no other instrument in the telescope can achieve in the same way,' said Dr. Stacey Sueoka, a senior optical engineer at the National Solar Observatory, in a statement. The imaging spectro-polarimeter represents a culmination of over a decade's worth of development. Located at the NSF's National Solar Observatory, at the top of Maui's 10,000-foot (3,000-meter) Haleakalā volcanic mountain, the VTF itself spans multiple stories of the Inouye Solar Telescope. After the VTF was designed and built by the Institute for Solar Physics in Germany, the instrument's parts were shipped across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and then reassembled — like a 'ship in a bottle,' Woeger said. The team expects the tool to be fully operational and ready for use by 2026. 'The significance of the technological achievement is such that one could easily argue the VTF is the Inouye Solar Telescope's heart, and it is finally beating at its forever place,' said Dr. Matthias Schubert, a VTF project scientist at the Institute for Solar Physics, in a statement. The solar telescope is among several other recent efforts by scientists to better understand the sun and its stormy weather patterns, including the Solar Orbiter, a joint mission of the European Space Agency and NASA launched in 2020, and NASA's Parker Solar Probe, the first spacecraft to 'touch' the sun.
