On my phone is a slightly blurry photo of a distant, unnamed galaxy. It's a little white smudge with spiral arms like sheep's wool fluff-one galaxy among thousands of others in the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) new breathtakingly detailed image of the distant cosmos and I can't stop staring at it. There is nothing especially remarkable about this little white swirl; it's not the largest or sharpest or most perfectly rendered or in any way most interesting galaxy in the image. But before JWST, no human had ever really seen it. I am seeing it now, fully and completely, and it is beautiful.
JWST is going to show us a lot of things we've never seen before. The selection of images (and one spectrum) in the telescope's science image debut were chosen to showcase all the ways in which this project will change our view and understanding fundamentally of the Universe.
The first picture to be released, in a special presentation with US President Joe Biden on Monday night, brought us a giant galaxy cluster embedded in a skyscape scattered with enough distant background galaxies including my own tiny spiral - to rival the deepest of the Hubble Deep Fields. What took Hubble a week and a half, JWST did "before breakfast", according to Dr Jane Rigby, JWST's operations project scientist.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2022-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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Denne historien er fra Summer 2022-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
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COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
