Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 began its mission to explore the outer planets—and became the farthest human-made object from Earth. It flew by Jupiter in 1979, revealing volcanic activity on Io, and then Saturn in 1980, capturing the first detailed images of its rings and moons.

In 1990, Voyager 1 turned around to take the iconic "Pale Blue Dot" photo—Earth seen from 6 billion kilometers away.
In 2012, it entered interstellar space, making history as the first spacecraft to do so.

Now, nearly 50 years later, Voyager 1 continues to send data back to Earth from over 15 billion miles away, crossing the boundary where the solar wind ends and the realm of the stars begins.

It carries the Golden Record, a time capsule of sounds, music, and greetings from Earth—our message to the cosmos.

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.

On June 23, the Rubin Observatory will unveil stunning ultrahigh-definition images and videos of the cosmos from its mountaintop site in Chile.

The public can join via a bilingual livestream or attend in-person watch parties at planetariums, universities, and museums worldwide.

These events will feature a live stream of the unveiling and virtual tours of the observatory atop Cerro Pachón in the Chilean Andes.

Visitors to participating U.S. planetariums—including Adler (Chicago), CCNY (New York), Fogg (Florida), EMU (Michigan), Fiske (Colorado), and Ritter (Ohio)—will enjoy immersive full-dome views of the Southern Hemisphere night sky.

A full list is available on the Rubin Observatory Watch Party website.

Physicists may have found a surprising new link between the universe’s biggest and smallest mysteries—hidden in the twist of light.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers discovered that when photons journey through the warped fabric of spacetime, their polarization—the direction in which they vibrate—can behave in a way that defies classical expectations. Instead of returning to its original state, the polarization can shift in a phenomenon known as non-reciprocity. This subtle effect suggests that light, in the presence of gravity, may not be as predictable as once thought.

At the heart of this discovery is a shift in perspective—literally. By carefully adjusting the quantization axis, or the angle at which polarization is observed, scientists detected amplified changes in the photon’s orientation, known as Wigner Rotation Angles (WRAs). Remarkably, near massive objects like black holes, these shifts could be ten times greater than previously anticipated.

To test this theory, researchers propose using advanced space-based interferometers and quantum optical systems. If confirmed, this non-reciprocal twist could offer a new way to explore how quantum mechanics and general relativity interact—and may even challenge Einstein’s cherished Equivalence Principle.

“This opens up a new experimental window into some of physics’ biggest mysteries,” said Dr. Warner Miller, co-author of the study.

Published in Scientific Reports, the findings could reshape how we probe the cosmos—from the vast gravitational wells of black holes to the subatomic quirks of quantum particles.

It’s mind-blowing how ideas that once lived only in equations have helped us unlock the secrets of black holes, galaxies, and the fabric of time itself.

The universe speaks in numbers—and we’ve slowly learned how to listen.

#MathMeetsCosmos #UniverseInEquations #AstroWonder #BlackHoleMath #ScienceAndSpace