Science Daily

A Black Hole found in binary star system: More than five times greater in mass than our Sun.

ScienceDaily (2011-03-25) -- The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) has obtained the first spectroscopy data from the X-ray transient binary XTE J1859+226, which confirm the existence of a black hole.

Only about 20 binary stellar systems are known to contain a black hole, out of an estimated population of around 5,000 in the Milky Way Galaxy.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110325082725.htm%22%3Eread full article

COSMOLOGY PUZZLE

So you think you can solve a cosmology puzzle? Scientists challenge other scientists with a series of galaxy puzzles

ScienceDaily (2010-12-08) -- Cosmologists have come up with a new way to solve their problems. They are inviting scientists, including those from totally unrelated fields, to participate in a grand competition. The idea is to spur outside interest in one of cosmology's trickiest problems -- measuring the invisible dark matter and dark energy that permeate our universe. ... > read full article

NEUTRON STARS & STRING THEORY IN THE LAB?

Neutron stars and string theory in a lab: Chilled atoms give clues to deep space and particle physics



ScienceDaily (2010-12-11) -- Using lasers to contain some ultra-chilled atoms, a team of scientists has measured the viscosity or stickiness of a gas often considered to be the sixth state of matter. The measurements verify that this gas can be used as a "scale model" of exotic matter, such as super-high temperature superconductors, the nuclear matter of neutron stars, and even the state of matter created microseconds after the Big Bang. The results may also allow experimental tests of string theory in the future. ... > read full article

CURVING MIRRORS IN SPACE? WEBB TELESCOPE ACTUATORS

Webb telescope's actuators: Curving mirrors in space



ScienceDaily (2010-12-13) -- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is a wonder of modern engineering. As the planned successor to the Hubble Space telescope, even the smallest of parts on this giant observatory will play a critical role in its performance. A new video takes viewers behind the Webb's mirrors to investigate "actuators," one component that will help Webb focus on some of the earliest objects in the universe. ... > read full article

Black holes and warped space revealed by powerful new array of radio telescopes

ScienceDaily (2010-12-09) -- A new image shows how the light from a quasar billions of light years away is bent around a foreground galaxy by the curvature of space. This light has been traveling for 9 billion years before it reached the Earth. The quasar is a galaxy powered by a super-massive black hole, leading to the ejection of jets of matter moving at almost the speed of light. ... > read full article