How much mass makes a black hole? Astronomers challenge current theories

ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2010) — Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, European astronomers have for the first time demonstrated that a magnetar -- an unusual type of neutron star -- was formed from a star with at least 40 times as much mass as the Sun. The result presents great challenges to current theories of how stars evolve, as a star as massive as this was expected to become a black hole, not a magnetar. This now raises a fundamental question: just how massive does a star really have to be to become a black hole? To reach their conclusions, the astronomers looked ... Read More

NGC 4696: A cosmic question mark

ScienceDaily (Aug. 15, 2010) — Curling around itself like a question mark, the unusual looking galaxy NGC 4696 itself begs many questions. Why is it such a strange shape? What are the odd, capillary-like filaments that stretch out of it? And what is the role of a large black hole in explaining its decidedly odd appearance? A new picture, taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys, is not just a beautiful snapshot of NGC 4696, the largest galaxy in the Centaurus Cluster (galaxy cluster Abell 3526). It is also an illustration of the rich variety of objects that astronomers can see with ... Read More

Rain of giant gas clouds create active galactic nuclei: New research explains how galaxy centers light up

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2010) — Galaxies like our own were built billions of years ago from a deluge of giant clouds of gas, some of which continue to rain down. Now new calculations tie the rain of giant clouds of gas to active galactic nuclei (AGN), the extremely bright centers of some galaxies. If a gas cloud with millions of times more mass than our Sun wanders too close to the center of a galaxy, it can either be consumed by the supermassive black hole that lurks there or, through shocks and collapse, give birth to new stars. "For a while, people ... Read More

Is Gravity Real? A Scientist Takes On Newton

A string theorist is not tethered to the notion of gravity, saying the force is a consequence of thermodynamics.By By DENNIS OVERBYE Yaab

The End Is Nigh, They Say, but It’s a Prophecy With a Long and Unfulfilled History

Wednesday will probably be just another day like Oct. 22, 1844, or Oct. 30, 1938. The world was supposed to end then, too.By By JAMES BARRON Yaab

The Origins of the Universe: A Crash Course

After more than a decade of development and construction, the Large Hadron Collider was switched on this week. So what can we expect?By By BRIAN GREENE Yaab

Suit to Halt Big Collider in Europe Is Dismissed

U.S. courts lack jurisdiction on environmental grounds over a controversial scientific project, the judge ruled.By By DENNIS OVERBYE Yaab

Theory Ties Radio Signal to Universe’s First Stars

A mysterious radio static that seems to pervade the universe has astronomers theorizing as to its source.By By DENNIS OVERBYE Yaab

Team May Have Found Intermediate Black Hole

A team of scientists has reported the latest, and perhaps the most compelling, candidate yet for an intermediate-mass black hole.By By KENNETH CHANG Yaab

Black Holes, a Riddle All Their Own, May Be Fueling the Blobs

Scientists are divided about the origins of glowing clouds of gas.By By DENNIS OVERBYE Yaab