mapmeoblivion:

Thieving Stars Snatch Orphan Planets

Our galaxy is thought to be teeming with billions of ‘nomad’ planets. These worlds are interstellar orphans, with no stellar parent to call home. Some were likely gravitationally flung from their parent star at an early age, while others may have evolved on their lonesome, clumping from small clouds of interstellar gas and dust.

If there are so many orphaned worlds drifting alone, how often might they be snatched by the gravitational tug of a star that happens to be drifting in the same direction?

Surprisingly, say astronomers from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) in Cambridge, Mass., and Peking University in China, it may happen more often than astrophysicists ever dreamed.

“Stars trade planets just like baseball teams trade players,” said CfA’s Hagai Perets in the April 17 press release.

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thenewenlightenmentage:

“The Demon Star” —Cairo Calendar Shows Egyptians Discovered Binary Algol 3200 Years Ago

Algol, aka the Demon Star, is actually a binary star in the Perseus constellation, and has been discovered by a group of Finnish researchers to be  first noted by the Egyptians some 3200 years ago. It is one of the best known eclipsing binaries, the first such star to be discovered, and also one of the first (non-nova) variable stars to be discovered. 

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betweensaturnsrings:

String theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything (TOE), a self-contained mathematical model that describes all fundamental forces and forms…

cosmictoquantum:

The idea of nothingness is another concept that is embedded into humanity that impacts how we experience the world around us. But is that all nothingness is? Is nothingness just a man-made idea with no real ties to the physical world beyond human perception? Nothingness as an idea has been around since there has been something. However, physicists have recently decided to take nothingness out of the metaphysical realm of thought and apply it to the fabric of physical existence to answer a simple question: Does “nothing” actually exist?

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reichenballs:

thenewenlightenmentage:

“Super Earths” —Could They Seed Microbial Life in their Solar Systems? Experts Debate

“One of the big scientific questions is how did life get started and how did it spread through the universe,” said Jay Melosh, distinguished professor of earth and atmospheric sciences.

“That question used to be limited to just the Earth, but we now know in our solar system there is a lot of exchange that takes place, and it’s quite possible life started on Mars and came to Earth. There’s also been a great deal of discussion about the possible spread of life in the universe from star to star.”

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