astrophysics

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Astronomers use giant galaxy cluster as X-ray magnifying lens

    From UChicago News, Oct. 15, 2019: Astronomers at the University of Chicago, MIT and elsewhere have used a massive cluster of galaxies as an X-ray magnifying glass to peer back in time, to nearly 9.4 billion years ago. In the process, they spotted a tiny dwarf galaxy in its very first, high-energy stages of star formation. Fermilab and University of Chicago scientist Brad Benson is a co-author of the study.

    Q&A: Paving a path for AI in physics research

      From APS’s Physics, Oct. 3, 2019: Fermilab scientist Brian Nord imagines a future where machines test hypotheses on their own — and considers the challenges ahead as scientists embrace artificial intelligence techniques. Nord has begun applying AI to problems in astronomy, such as identifying unusual astronomical objects known as gravitational lenses. He spoke to Physics about his recent projects and how he thinks AI will change the way researchers do science.

      How AI could change science

        From UChicago News, Oct. 1, 2019: AI technology is increasingly used to open up new horizons for scientists and researchers. At the University of Chicago, researchers are using it look for supernovae, find new drugs and develop a deeper understanding of Earth’s climate. University of Chicago and Fermilab scientist Brian Nord is partnering exploring a “self-driving telescope:” a framework that could optimize when and where to point telescopes to gather the most interesting data.

        The 9 percent difference

          Few numbers have gotten under astronomers’ skin like the Hubble constant. In fact, experts have debated the value of this single parameter for 90 years, and if astronomers can measure its value with great precision, they’ll be one step closer to solving some of the other grand astronomical mysteries of our age. There’s just one problem: The measurements they’ve taken don’t agree. The discrepancy makes scientists question whether something is amiss in our understanding of the universe.