An international team of physicists led by Professor Enrique Gaztañaga of the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth has questioned the idea that the Universe began with the Big Bang.

This new theory challenges the traditional Big Bang model by proposing that our universe was born inside a black hole from a previous universe.

Published in Physical Review D, the model uses Einstein–Cartan theory, which includes quantum "torsion" to prevent singularities. Instead of a singular beginning, the universe undergoes a "bounce" inside the black hole, expanding outward to become a new cosmos.

This bounce naturally explains both the early rapid expansion (inflation) and the current accelerated expansion (dark energy), without needing exotic new particles or fields.

The model also predicts a slightly curved, closed universe—something future space missions like ESA’s ARRAKIHS or NASA’s SPHEREx may be able to detect.

One of the most compelling predictions is that our universe could carry the spin of the parent black hole, potentially explaining why two-thirds of galaxies seem to rotate in the same direction.

If confirmed by future observations, this cosmic spin could be a key signature supporting the theory.

In essence, this bold idea reimagines our universe not as the beginning of everything, but as part of a cosmic cycle, where each black hole could spawn a new universe—each with its own evolution.

At the edge of our solar system lies a turbulent boundary called the heliopause—the region where the solar wind (a stream of charged particles from the Sun) is stopped by the interstellar medium.

When NASA’s Voyager 1 crossed this boundary in 2012, and Voyager 2 followed in 2018, both spacecraft made a remarkable discovery: a region where the temperature of interstellar plasma spikes dramatically, reaching an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Kelvin.

This phenomenon has sometimes been described as encountering a “wall of fire” or a “50,000 Kelvin wall,” though these terms are metaphorical.

The high temperature doesn’t mean it’s a literal, fiery wall. Rather, it refers to the kinetic energy of the sparse plasma particles found beyond the heliopause.

Despite the extremely high temperatures, the density of particles in this region is extraordinarily low, meaning that the heat doesn’t transfer in a way that would damage spacecraft or feel "hot" by human standards.

The heating is likely due to magnetic reconnection—an energetic process where magnetic fields from the Sun and the interstellar medium interact and release energy, compressing and heating the plasma.

This "hot wall" marks the boundary where the Sun’s influence ends and true interstellar space begins.

Voyager’s instruments were able to detect this change using a combination of plasma wave sensors, cosmic ray detectors, and magnetometers.

These tools confirmed the change in environment—particularly noting an increase in cosmic ray activity and changes in magnetic field orientation—which further validated the spacecraft had entered a new domain of space.

In summary, while the phrase “50,000 Kelvin wall” sounds dramatic, it is scientifically grounded in real data from the Voyager missions.

It refers to a heated, ionized region just beyond the heliosphere, offering critical insights into how our solar system interacts with the larger galactic environment.

The finding not only helped define the solar system’s outermost limits but also provided invaluable clues about the nature of interstellar space.

At Systems Labs in California, six brilliant NASA scientists stood on ladders, chalk in hand, filling an enormous blackboard with equations to plot satellite orbits—no computers, just pure brainpower.

In the dawn of the space age, with limited technology and no digital calculators, every calculation was done by hand. Precision mattered. One error could send a satellite off course—or worse, into oblivion.

This iconic scene is a powerful reminder of the grit, collaboration, and raw intellect that fueled the earliest leaps into space.
A true tribute to the pioneers who laid the mathematical groundwork for humanity’s journey beyond Earth.

#NASAHistory #SpaceRace #SatelliteScience #BrainsBeforeBytes #1950sNASA

Astronomers Just Found a Magnetar That Breaks All the Rules

Magnetars are among the most extreme objects in the universe—ultra-dense neutron stars with magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than Earth’s. But a recent discovery is turning our understanding of their origins upside down.

Using data from NASA’s Hubble and ESA’s Gaia space telescopes, scientists traced the motion of a magnetar named SGR 0501+4516—and what they found is shocking. Contrary to long-standing beliefs, this magnetar likely didn’t form from a typical core-collapse supernova.

SGR 0501 sits near a known supernova remnant called HB9, and for years, scientists assumed the two were connected. But precision tracking shows the magnetar couldn’t have come from HB9—or any nearby supernova explosion.

So where did it come from?

Researchers propose a more exotic origin: a white dwarf that collapsed after feeding off a companion star, growing too massive and unstable. This alternative path could form a magnetar without any supernova at all.

If confirmed, SGR 0501+4516 would be the strongest case yet for a magnetar formed through an unconventional route—forcing astronomers to rethink how these magnetic monsters are born and opening new doors in high-energy astrophysics.

RESEARCH
A.A. Chrimes et al., “The infrared counterpart and proper motion of magnetar SGR 0501+4516”, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025)

Defying gravity like never before! This iconic photo captures astronaut Bruce McCandless II on the first untethered spacewalk using the MMU—a jetpack-like device that changed space exploration forever. A true leap for future missions!

Photo credit: NASA

#Spacewalk #Astronaut #NASA