Universe Expansion

Universe Expansion

hypermassive neutron star
Somewhere out there in the Universe is the heaviest neutron star, and elsewhere lies the lightest black hole. Where's the line between them?
quantum entanglement qubit ER = EPR
Two very different ideas, wormholes and quantum entanglement, might be fundamentally related. What would "ER = EPR" mean for our Universe?
Not even Einstein immediately knew the power of the equations he gave us.
regions of the universe
The zero-point energy of empty space is not zero. Even with all the physics we know, we have no idea how to calculate what it ought to be.
planetary nebulae infrared spitzer
What kind of object will you form? What will its fate be? How long will a star live? Almost everything is determined by mass alone.
rcw 86 supernova remnant spitzer
If stars don't go supernova at first, they can get a second chance after becoming a white dwarf. But can their companions survive?
universe bulk volume brane dimension
Unless you confront your theory with what's actually out there in the Universe, you're playing in the sandbox, not engaging in science.
NASA spitzer infrared
JWST's revolutionary views arrive in high-resolution at infrared wavelengths. Without NASA's Spitzer first, it wouldn't have been possible.
Drake equation
The Fermi paradox (along with the subsequent Drake equation) is so difficult that even brilliant thinkers can make little dent in it.
dark energy
Dark energy is one of the biggest mysteries in all the Universe. Is there some way to avoid "having to live with it?"
qcd fields color anticolor
Protons and neutrons are held together by the strong force: with 3 colors and 3 anticolors. So why are there only 8 gluons, and not 9?
Roger Penrose conformal cyclic cosmology
Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose, famed for his work on black holes, claims we've seen evidence from a prior Universe. Only, we haven't.
UNCOVER NIRCam mosaic
An incredible composite image of Pandora's Cluster, Abell 2744, simultaneously showcases both our impressive knowledge and vast ignorance.
JWST NIRCam Tarantula Nebula
The glorious sights that JWST keeps revealing are less than a millionth of the whole Universe. Just imagine what else is out there.
EHT event horizons
Since its observation discovery in the 1990s, dark energy has been one of science's biggest mysteries. Could black holes be the cause?
When you combine the Uncertainty Principle with Einstein's famous equation, you get a mind-blowing result: Particles can come from nothing.
entanglement across space
Are quantum fields real, or are they simply calculational tools? These 3 experiments show that if energy is real, so are quantum fields.
From the Big Bang to dark energy, knowledge of the cosmos has sped up in the past century — but big questions linger.
hubble image
It is a story with nebulous beginnings and no discernible end.
halo evolve cosmic time millennium II
Generations ago, cosmologists asserted that the Universe might not just be the same in all directions, but at all times. But is that true?
Ghosts of andromeda molecular clouds
A fascinating 90 minute podcast between Dr. Ivanna Escala and Ethan Siegel on Starts With A Bang!
timeline of the universe history
From the earliest stages of the hot Big Bang (and even before) to our dark energy-dominated present, how and when did the Universe grow up?
Earth exoplanet direct imaging degraded
NASA has finally chosen which flagship mission, like Hubble and JWST, will launch in ~2040. Detecting alien life is now a reachable goal.
Bullet Cluster separation mass gravity x-ray lensing
19 years ago, the Bullet Cluster provided an empirical proof for dark matter. Even today, modified gravity still can't explain it.
A bright flash of light in the Universe
In general relativity, white holes are just as mathematically plausible as black holes. Black holes are real; what about white holes?
The Universe isn't as "clumpy" as we think it should be.
galaxy RXJ2129-z8HeII
The Universe certainly formed stars, at one point, for the very first time. But we haven't found them yet. Here's what everyone should know.
A circular pattern of overlapping purple and white spirals and loops appears against a black background.
3mins
Left–Right, Back–Forth, Up–Down. What’s the fourth dimension?