A 70-year journey in the search for extraterrestrial life reveals the discovery of life's building blocks in meteors and across the solar system, yet confirms no actual alien organisms. While organic molecules traverse interstellar dust, the core challenge remains in proving chemical evolution into biology. Advanced AI assists in distinguishing biological from non-biological chemistry, as the quest continues amidst various scientific findings and theories.
In visible light, it looks like a normal galaxy. In infrared, it reveals a monster. Meet Virgil, the galaxy that is rewriting black hole history.
Before JWST, astronomers believed galaxies grew first, nurturing small black holes that grew slowly over time.
Virgil breaks this rule. Its black hole is "Overmassive"—far larger than its host galaxy should be able to support. It's like finding a skyscraper engine inside a compact car.
JWST has found evidence of a thick atmosphere on the ultra-hot Super-Earth TOI-561 b, challenging the idea that such close-in worlds are barren rocks.
TOI-561 b is an "Ultra-Short Period" planet, orbiting its star in less than 11 hours. It is tidally locked, meaning one side faces the star forever.
Westerlund 1 is the biggest star cluster in our galaxy. New data reveals it acts as a colossal particle accelerator, blasting a hole through the Milky Way's disk.
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