Scientists Believe Unusual Star Structure May Not Be 'Runaway' Black Hole
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Scientists Believe Unusual Star Structure May Not Be 'Runaway' Black Hole
Scientists Believe Unusual Star Structure , May Not Be 'Runaway' Black Hole.
'The Independent' reports that scientists may
have solved the mystery surrounding a "runaway"
black hole shooting across the universe.
In April, scientists found a black hole that they
believed was thrown out of its home galaxy
and sent speeding across the cosmos.
.
Astronomers discovered a long trail of stars stretching
out into a narrow shape that is approximately
the same size as our own Milky Way galaxy.
.
At first, scientists believed
the trail of stars was left behind
in the wake of a runaway black hole.
.
Now, scientists at the Instituto de AstrofĂsica
de Canarias (IAC) suggest a much more ordinary
explanation for the unusual star structure.
The IAC team believes that
the anomaly may just be a flat, thin galaxy
that is being observed from its side.
The motions, the size, and the quantity
of stars fits what has been seen in
galaxies within the local universe, Jorge Sanchez Almeida, IAC researcher and
first author of the article, via 'The Independent'.
It’s a relief to have found the solution
to this mystery, the new proposed
scenario is much simpler, Jorge Sanchez Almeida, IAC researcher and
first author of the article, via 'The Independent'.
In one sense it is also a pity, because
the existence of fleeing black holes
is expected, and this could have
been the first one to be observed, Jorge Sanchez Almeida, IAC researcher and
first author of the article, via 'The Independent'.
'The Independent' reports that the team hopes
further observations will reveal more details of
the galaxy that prove interesting to astronomers.
McDonald's Posts , Disappointing Q1 Results , Amid Ongoing Boycotts.
'The Independent' reports that McDonald's posted weaker-
than-expected results in the first quarter of 2024, as a result
of a boycott over the company's perceived support for Israel. .
'The Independent' reports that McDonald's posted weaker-
than-expected results in the first quarter of 2024, as a result
of a boycott over the company's perceived support for Israel. .
According to McDonald's, higher sales in the
United States helped the fast-food giant overcome
weakness in markets where the brand is being boycotted.
According to McDonald's, higher sales in the
United States helped the fast-food giant overcome
weakness in markets where the brand is being boycotted.
The company saw same-store sales rise by
1.9% worldwide between January and March,
below the Wall Street forecast of 2.1%.
Increased menu pricing and delivery demand
saw same-store sales in the U.S. increase by 2.5%.
In international markets, sales fell
by 0.2% for the first time since 2020.
Despite this, McDonald's said the company's revenue
increased 5% to reach $6.17 billion, while net income went
up 7% to $1.93 billion, in-line with Wall Street estimates.
'The Independent' reports that Muslim-majority
markets like Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East
have been boycotting McDonald's for months.
The boycotts started after a McDonald's franchise in
Israel announced in October that it would provide free
meals for Israeli troops amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
In the months since then, the company has tried to limit
the fallout by taking over all 225 McDonald's in the country
with the purchase of Alyonal Limited, its Israeli franchise.
Our hearts remain with
the communities and families
impacted by the war in the Middle East.
We abhor violence of any kind and
firmly stand against hate speech,
and we will always proudly
open our doors to everyone, McDonald's statement, via 'The Indepndent'.
Our hearts remain with
the communities and families
impacted by the war in the Middle East.
We abhor violence of any kind and
firmly stand against hate speech,
and we will always proudly
open our doors to everyone, McDonald's statement, via 'The Indepndent'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Negotiations on Global Treaty , to End Plastic Pollution , Reach Critical Phase .
'The Independent' reports that negotiators from around
the world have met to discuss what could become
a global treaty meant to end plastic pollution. .
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on
Plastic Pollution has begun agreeing on treaty language
at their fourth of five scheduled plastics summits.
The most ambitious and contentious
idea revolves around limiting how much
plastic can be manufactured globally.
As most plastics are made from fossil fuels
and chemicals, oil and gas exporters
have strongly objected to the limitations, along
with plastic-producing countries and companies.
According to Stewart Harris, an industry spokesperson
with the International Council of Chemical Associations,
the treaty also focuses on recycling and reuse. .
We want to see the treaty
completed. We want to work
with the governments on
implementing it. The private
sector has a role to play, Stewart Harris, an industry spokesperson
with the International Council of Chemical
Associations, via 'The Independent'.
'The Independent' reports that the Scientists’
Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty provided
scientific evidence on plastic pollution at
the negotiations.
I heard yesterday that there’s
no data on microplastics,
which is verifiably false:
21,000 publications on micro and
nanoplastics have been published, Bethanie Carney Almroth, an ecotoxicology professor at Sweden's University of Gothenburg who co-leads the coalition, via 'The Independent'.
Ecuador's chief negotiator, Walter Schuldt stressed that
countries present at the negotiation share a common
vision of moving forward in the treaty process.
Because at the end of the day,
we’re talking about the survival
of the future of life, not only
of human life but all sorts
of life on this planet, Walter Schuldt, Ecuador's chief
negotiator, via 'The Independent'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
A group representing the fired
workers said the total number of staff
terminated for protesting is now over 50. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
Last week, workers held sit-in
protests at Google's offices in both
New York and Sunnyvale, California.
The protests were organized by the group
No Tech For Apartheid, who said that 30 workers
were fired following the initial sit-in. .
According to Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for
No Tech For Apartheid, Google has now fired
"over 20" more workers, “including non-participating
bystanders during last week’s protests.”.
Google’s aims are clear:
the corporation is attempting
to quash dissent, silence
its workers, and reassert
its power over them, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
Google has disputed the group's claims,
stressing that the company carefully found that, “every single one of those whose employment
was terminated was personally and definitively
involved in disruptive activity inside our buildings.”
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Upcoming , Lyrid Meteor Shower , May Be Hard to See.
'The Independent' reports that skywatchers
looking to catch the Lyrid meteor shower
may be foiled by the moon. .
This year's peak activity occurs
on April 21 and 22, with up to
20 meteors expected per hour. .
Potential viewing should
last through April 29. .
However, the American Meteor Society
warns that strong moonlight
may interfere with viewing. .
Every year, multiple meteor showers
occur and don't require special
equipment to see them. .
For the most part, meteor showers originate
from debris left behind by comets, like the Lyrids,
which come from the comet Thatcher. .
As these space rocks enter the Earth's atmosphere,
air resistance makes them extremely hot,
which causes the air around them to glow.
This glow leaves a fiery trail behind
the meteor, which can be observed
from the ground as a "shooting star.".
Look to the northeast and just
keep staring at the same spot
in the sky. It's always impressive
when you see these things, Don Pollacco, University of Warwick
astronomer, via 'The Independent'.
The Lyrids are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere,
while the upcoming Eta Aquarids meteor shower
can best be seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Microsoft Makes $1.5 Billion , Investment in Leading , UAE Technology Firm.
Microsoft Makes $1.5 Billion , Investment in Leading , UAE Technology Firm.
'The Independent' reports that Microsoft has announced
a $1.5 billion investment in a leading United Arab
Emirates-based artificial intelligence firm. .
'The Independent' reports that Microsoft has announced
a $1.5 billion investment in a leading United Arab
Emirates-based artificial intelligence firm. .
The deal, overseen by the UAE's powerful national security
adviser, will see Microsoft president Brad Smith join
technology holding company G42's board of directors.
The deal, overseen by the UAE's powerful national security
adviser, will see Microsoft president Brad Smith join
technology holding company G42's board of directors.
The UAE's national security adviser,
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the
current chairman of G42's board of directors. .
In a statement released on April 16, Microsoft
said the deal “was developed in close consultation
with both the UAE and U.S. governments.”.
In a statement released on April 16, Microsoft
said the deal “was developed in close consultation
with both the UAE and U.S. governments.”.
G42, which runs data centers in the Middle East
and elsewhere, has built the world's leading
Arabic-language AI model, Jais. .
According to Microsoft, G42 will move its
AI applications and services over to the U.S.
tech giant's cloud computing platform. .
According to Microsoft, G42 will move its
AI applications and services over to the U.S.
tech giant's cloud computing platform. .
The deal will also look to bring digital infrastructure
to regions that G42 has already established
a presence, including the Middle East and Africa.
'The Independent' reports that G42 previously cut ties with
Chinese hardware suppliers to limit U.S. concerns that
the company was closely tied to the Chinese government.
'The Independent' reports that G42 previously cut ties with
Chinese hardware suppliers to limit U.S. concerns that
the company was closely tied to the Chinese government.
Prior to Microsoft's investment, the company
reportedly faced allegations of spying for its
connection to a mobile phone app identified as spyware.
The tech company also faced accusations
that it gathered genetic material from
U.S. users for the Chinese government. .
The tech company also faced accusations
that it gathered genetic material from
U.S. users for the Chinese government.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Astronomers May Have Solved, the Mystery Surrounding , Blue Supergiant Stars.
'Newsweek' reports that astronomers now believe
that some of the brightest and hottest stars in existence
may be the result of collisions between two other stars.
Scientists have long sought to determine
how these intensely bright stars,
known as blue supergiants, are formed. .
According to a new paper published by
'The Astrophysical Journal Letters,' scientists
suggest that blue supergiants are the result
of two binary stars merging into one.
Blue supergiants, which are about 16 to 40
times the mass of our sun, are some of
the most massive stars in the universe. .
Their intensely hot surface temperatures
are often two to five times hotter than our
sun and over 10,000 times more luminous.
'Newsweek' reports that the latest research
looked at 59 early B-Type blue supergiant
stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud,
a satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way galaxy. .
We simulated the mergers
of evolved giant stars with
their smaller stellar companions
over a wide range of parameters,
taking into account the interaction
and mixing of the two stars
during the merger, Athira Menon, study author and an astrophysicist at the Instituto
de AstrofĂsica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain, via 'Newsweek'.
The newly-born stars
live as blue supergiants
throughout the second
longest phase of a star's life,
when it burns helium in its core, Athira Menon, study author and an astrophysicist at the Instituto
de AstrofĂsica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain, via 'Newsweek'.
The results obtained explain
why blue supergiants are found
in the so-called 'evolutionary gap'
from classical stellar physics,
a phase of their evolution where
we would not expect to find stars, Artemio Herrero, study co-author and a researcher at the Instituto
de AstrofĂsica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain, via 'Newsweek'.
The team reportedly hopes to continue its
investigation into the role that merging stars
could play in the formation of galaxies, as well as how
blue supergiants form neutron stars or black holes. .
The team reportedly hopes to continue its
investigation into the role that merging stars
could play in the formation of galaxies, as well as how
blue supergiants form neutron stars or black holes.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
A team of astronomers led by the University of Southampton in England have uncovered the largest cosmic explosion ever witnessed. The explosion is more than ten times brighter than any known supernova..