livescience--2020-12-01--Broken Arecibo telescope collapses, ending an era of alien-hunting

A broken cable was the final straw for the already badly damaged Arecibo Observatory 's radio telescope in Puerto Rico .
The massive structure 's 900-ton instrument platform collapsed on Tuesday ( Dec. 1 ) and landed on the 1,000-foot-wide ( 305 meters ) radio dish .
The cable parted at around 8 a.m. local time , Ramon Lugo , director of the Florida Space Institute ( FSI ) at the University of Central Florida , told Science magazine .
The FSI manages the telescope , which is owned by the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) .
While details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous failures of two cables in August and November , respectively , placed an extra burden on the remaining support structures .
During the past week , the cables that were still in place were rapidly unraveling , losing about one wire per day , Lugo told Science .
Related : From Big Bang to present : Snapshots of our universe through time No one was injured in the incident , which was confirmed in a tweet by the NSF .
`` NSF is working with stakeholders to assess the situation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the agency tweeted .
Deborah Martorell , a meteorologist in Puerto Rico , posted side-by-side photos on Twitter this morning at 7:18 a.m. local time , showing two very different views of Arecibo .
In one image , taken Monday ( Nov. 30 ) , the instrument platform is visible over the treetops .
But in the second photo , captured Tuesday morning , the platform is gone .
Built in a natural sinkhole in 1963 , Arecibo was the world 's biggest single-dish telescope at the time of its construction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ near-Earth objects such as asteroids , and in 1974 it broadcast the now-famous `` Arecibo Message , '' declaring the technical prowess of humanity to any intelligent extraterrestrials that might be listening .
But after standing for 57 years , Arecibo had its worst year ever in 2020 .
Earthquakes in January shook the iconic telescope , and then one of its heavy cables snapped on Aug. 10 , ripping a gaping 100-foot ( 30 m ) gash in the delicate dish .
Just a few months later , on Nov. 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main support cable for the tower that had already lost a cable in August .
Though scientists hoped the telescope could be repaired , the damage was too great , and the NSF announced on Nov. 19 that they would decommission Arecibo .
`` NSF is saddened by this development , '' the agency wrote in a tweet after the platform collapse .
`` As we move forward , we will be looking for ways to assist the scientific community and maintain our strong relationship with the people of Puerto Rico . ''

A broken cable was the final straw for the already badly damaged Arecibo Observatory's radio telescope in Puerto Rico. The massive structure's 900-ton instrument platform collapsed on Tuesday (Dec. 1) and landed on the 1,000-foot-wide (305 meters) radio dish.
The cable parted at around 8 a.m. local time, Ramon Lugo, director of the Florida Space Institute (FSI) at the University of Central Florida, told Science magazine. The FSI manages the telescope, which is owned by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
While details of the collapse are still forthcoming, the previous failures of two cables in August and November, respectively, placed an extra burden on the remaining support structures. During the past week, the cables that were still in place were rapidly unraveling, losing about one wire per day, Lugo told Science.
Related: From Big Bang to present: Snapshots of our universe through time
No one was injured in the incident, which was confirmed in a tweet by the NSF.
"NSF is working with stakeholders to assess the situation. Our top priority is maintaining safety," the agency tweeted.
Deborah Martorell, a meteorologist in Puerto Rico, posted side-by-side photos on Twitter this morning at 7:18 a.m. local time, showing two very different views of Arecibo. In one image, taken Monday (Nov. 30), the instrument platform is visible over the treetops. But in the second photo, captured Tuesday morning, the platform is gone.
Ayer fue la última vez que visite esta belleza de lugar. Lamentablemente agonizaba. Aquí imágenes de ayer y hoy. pic.twitter.com/jWuAwtUc1sDecember 1, 2020 See more
Built in a natural sinkhole in 1963, Arecibo was the world's biggest single-dish telescope at the time of its construction. Astronomers used its massive dish to detect near-Earth objects such as asteroids, and in 1974 it broadcast the now-famous "Arecibo Message," declaring the technical prowess of humanity to any intelligent extraterrestrials that might be listening.
But after standing for 57 years, Arecibo had its worst year ever in 2020. Earthquakes in January shook the iconic telescope, and then one of its heavy cables snapped on Aug. 10, ripping a gaping 100-foot (30 m) gash in the delicate dish. Just a few months later, on Nov. 6, another cable failed — this one a main support cable for the tower that had already lost a cable in August. Though scientists hoped the telescope could be repaired, the damage was too great, and the NSF announced on Nov. 19 that they would decommission Arecibo.
"NSF is saddened by this development," the agency wrote in a tweet after the platform collapse. "As we move forward, we will be looking for ways to assist the scientific community and maintain our strong relationship with the people of Puerto Rico."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--Black holes may not exist, but fuzzballs might, wild theory suggests

Black holes are , by far , the most mysterious objects in the universe .
They are objects in the cosmos where all of our knowledge of physics completely breaks down .
And yet , despite their apparent impossibility , they exist .
But what if these gravitational monsters are n't black holes at all , but rather the cosmic equivalent of fuzzy , vibrating balls of string ?
New research suggests that may be the case , and that with upcoming observations we may actually be able to see them .
Black holes appear in Einstein 's theory of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply should n't exist .
In that theory , if a clump of matter crunches down into a tiny enough volume , then can become overwhelmingly strong .
This insane gravitational compression can out-compete any of the other — like the strong nuclear force that holds that clump of matter together .
Once a certain critical threshold is reached , the clump of matter just squeezes and squeezes , compressing down into an infinitely tiny point .
That infinitely tiny point is known as the singularity , and it 's encircled by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the place where the inward pull of gravity exceeds the speed of light .
Of course , there 's no such thing as an infinitely tiny point , so this picture seems wrong .
But in the mid-20th century astronomers began to find objects that looked like black holes , acted like black holes and probably smelled like black holes too .
Despite their impossibility , there they were , floating around the universe .
And that 's not the only problem .
In 1976 , physicist Stephen Hawking realized that black holes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weirdness of , black holes slowly evaporate .
This led to a paradox : All the information that falls into a black hole gets locked inside .
But Hawking 's radiation does n't carry away that information ( at least , as far as we understand ) .
So when the black hole eventually evaporates , what happens to all that information ?
Over the decades , theoretical physicists have been hard at work to find something — anything — to explain black holes .
Something that explains the information paradox and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that works .
Among those theorists are the ones working on , which is a model of the universe that replaces all the particles and forces that you love with subatomic , vibrating strings .
In string theory , these strings are the fundamental constituents of in the universe , but we ca n't see them as strings because they 're so small .
Oh , and in order for the math of string theory to work , there must be extra dimensions — all tiny any curled up on themselves to subatomic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those , either .
String theory claims to be a theory of everything , capable of explaining every kind of particle , every kind of force , and basically everything in the universe ( and , for completeness , the whole entire universe itself ) .
So string theory should be able to explain the unexplainable : it should be able to replace black holes with something less frightening .
And , indeed , string theorists have proposed a less-scary replacement for black holes .
They 're called fuzzballs .
In string theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holes .
Instead , the best metaphor to explain what a fuzzball is to look at another compact-and-weird object in the universe : .
Neutron stars are what happens when an object does n't quite have enough gravity to compress into what we call a black hole .
Inside a neutron star , matter is compressed into its highest density state possible .
Neutrons are one of the fundamental constituents of , but they usually play along with other particles such as protons and electrons .
But in a neutron star , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissolves , leaving behind just neutrons crammed together as tightly as possible .
With fuzzballs , the fundamental strings stop working together and simply crowd together , becoming a large , well , ball of strings .
A fuzzball .
Fuzzballs are n't fully fleshed out , even in theory , because as cool as string theory sounds , nobody has ever been able to come up with a complete mathematical solution for it — and so fuzzballs are n't just fuzzy in physical reality , but also fuzzy in mathematical possibility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ find fuzzballs with upcoming surveys , as described in a review article published Oct. 27 in the preprint journal arXiv .
We are just now beginning to move past proving the existence of black holes and toward probing the details of how they behave , and our best way to do it is through gravitational waves .
When black holes collide and merge , they release a tsunami of gravitational waves , which wash across the cosmos , eventually reaching our detectors on .
For all the dozens of black hole mergers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gravitational wave signature is exactly what general relativity predicts black holes to do .
But future instruments , like the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory ( LIGO ) and Laser Interferometer Space Antenna ( a proposed space-based gravitational wave detector ) , might have the sensitivity to tell the difference between normal black holes and stringy fuzzballs .
I say `` might '' because different fuzzball models predict different variations from standard black hole behavior .
If we are able to find evidence for fuzzballs , it would n't just answer the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would reveal some of the deepest underpinnings of nature .

Black holes are, by far, the most mysterious objects in the universe. They are objects in the cosmos where all of our knowledge of physics completely breaks down.
And yet, despite their apparent impossibility, they exist. But what if these gravitational monsters aren't black holes at all, but rather the cosmic equivalent of fuzzy, vibrating balls of string?
New research suggests that may be the case, and that with upcoming observations we may actually be able to see them.
Related: The biggest black hole findings
The problem of black holes
Black holes appear in Einstein's theory of general relativity , and by all rights they simply shouldn't exist. In that theory, if a clump of matter crunches down into a tiny enough volume, then gravity can become overwhelmingly strong. This insane gravitational compression can out-compete any of the other four fundamental forces of nature — like the strong nuclear force that holds that clump of matter together. Once a certain critical threshold is reached, the clump of matter just squeezes and squeezes, compressing down into an infinitely tiny point.
That infinitely tiny point is known as the singularity, and it's encircled by a surface known as the event horizon — the place where the inward pull of gravity exceeds the speed of light.
Of course, there's no such thing as an infinitely tiny point, so this picture seems wrong. But in the mid-20th century astronomers began to find objects that looked like black holes, acted like black holes and probably smelled like black holes too. Despite their impossibility, there they were, floating around the universe.
And that's not the only problem. In 1976, physicist Stephen Hawking realized that black holes aren't completely black. Due to the weirdness of quantum mechanics , black holes slowly evaporate. This led to a paradox: All the information that falls into a black hole gets locked inside. But Hawking's radiation doesn't carry away that information (at least, as far as we understand). So when the black hole eventually evaporates, what happens to all that information?
Related: Stephen Hawking's most far-out ideas about black holes
A stringy solution
Over the decades, theoretical physicists have been hard at work to find something — anything — to explain black holes. Something that explains the information paradox and something to replace the singularity with math that works.
Among those theorists are the ones working on string theory , which is a model of the universe that replaces all the particles and forces that you love with subatomic, vibrating strings. In string theory, these strings are the fundamental constituents of matter in the universe, but we can't see them as strings because they're so small. Oh, and in order for the math of string theory to work, there must be extra dimensions — all tiny any curled up on themselves to subatomic scales so that we don't see those, either.
String theory claims to be a theory of everything, capable of explaining every kind of particle, every kind of force, and basically everything in the universe (and, for completeness, the whole entire universe itself).
So string theory should be able to explain the unexplainable: it should be able to replace black holes with something less frightening.
And, indeed, string theorists have proposed a less-scary replacement for black holes. They're called fuzzballs.
Unraveling the yarn
In string theory, black holes are neither black nor holes. Instead, the best metaphor to explain what a fuzzball is to look at another compact-and-weird object in the universe: neutron stars .
Neutron stars are what happens when an object doesn't quite have enough gravity to compress into what we call a black hole. Inside a neutron star, matter is compressed into its highest density state possible. Neutrons are one of the fundamental constituents of atoms , but they usually play along with other particles such as protons and electrons. But in a neutron star, that kind of atomic camaraderie breaks down and dissolves, leaving behind just neutrons crammed together as tightly as possible.
With fuzzballs, the fundamental strings stop working together and simply crowd together, becoming a large, well, ball of strings. A fuzzball.
Fuzzballs aren't fully fleshed out, even in theory, because as cool as string theory sounds, nobody has ever been able to come up with a complete mathematical solution for it — and so fuzzballs aren't just fuzzy in physical reality, but also fuzzy in mathematical possibility.
Still, we might be able to find fuzzballs with upcoming surveys, as described in a review article published Oct. 27 in the preprint journal arXiv. We are just now beginning to move past proving the existence of black holes and toward
probing the details of how they behave, and our best way to do it is through gravitational waves.
When black holes collide and merge, they release a tsunami of gravitational waves, which wash across the cosmos, eventually reaching our detectors on Earth . For all the dozens of black hole mergers that we've witnessed so far, the gravitational wave signature is exactly what general relativity predicts black holes to do.
But future instruments, like the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (a proposed space-based gravitational wave detector), might have the sensitivity to tell the difference between normal black holes and stringy fuzzballs. I say "might" because different fuzzball models predict different variations from standard black hole behavior.
If we are able to find evidence for fuzzballs, it wouldn't just answer the question of what black holes really are; it would reveal some of the deepest underpinnings of nature.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--These photos of the Arecibo Observatory telescope collapse are just heartbreaking

Gut-wrenching pictures and video documented the beginning of the end for one of the world 's most iconic telescopes .
The National Science Foundation 's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico , known for its studies of asteroids and aliens and for its cameo in a James Bond film , collapsed this morning ( Dec. 1 ) .
The 900-ton platform that hung above the radio dish fell 450 feet ( 140 meters ) into the structure below around 8 a.m. local time , causing massive damage documented online .
The pictures of the destruction are sad , although the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Science Foundation announced days ago it would need to decommission the observatory following hurricane and cable damage at the famed observatory .
Related : The Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed '' We heard a loud sound , a loud bang outside the control room .
We started to see the eventual downfall of the observatory , '' Ángel Vázquez , chief of telescope operations and a worker at Arecibo for four decades , said in a video posted on Twitter .
Pointing at a large poster-picture of the cables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that through the past week those working at the observatory saw strands coming off the remaining three cables holding up the platform on one side .
The strands were sure signs of more stress coming on the cables due to fewer of them holding up the platform 's weight , he said .
`` Eventually , it just gave way , '' he said .
The other side of the platform still had cables under tension , he added , so the platform did n't suddenly fall , but took approximately 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Related : Losing Arecibo Observatory creates a science hole that ca n't be filled Drone footage taken after the collapse shows the crumpled cable towers lying on top of the dish , with tower pieces and other debris scattered around the area .
Numerous pictures posted on Getty Images by photographer Ricardo Arduengo of Agence France-Presse show the radio dish elements split in the middle from the force of the fall .
`` Engineers are on-site .
Top priorities are maintaining safety at the site and assessing damage , '' NSF said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the damage showing crumpling in the radio telescope .
`` We knew this was a possibility , but it is still heartbreaking to see , '' Elizabeth Klonoff , vice-president for research at UCF , said in an NSF statement .
`` Safety of personnel is our number one priority .
We already have engineers on site to help assess the damage and determine the stability and safety of the remaining structure .
We will continue to work with the NSF and other stakeholders to find ways to support the science mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter @ howellspace .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom and on Facebook .

This aerial view shows the damage at the Arecibo Observatory after one of the main cables holding the receiver broke in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, on December 1, 2020.
Gut-wrenching pictures and video documented the beginning of the end for one of the world's most iconic telescopes.
The National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, known for its studies of asteroids and aliens and for its cameo in a James Bond film, collapsed this morning (Dec. 1). The 900-ton platform that hung above the radio dish fell 450 feet (140 meters) into the structure below around 8 a.m. local time, causing massive damage documented online.
The pictures of the destruction are sad, although the situation was not a surprise after the National Science Foundation announced days ago it would need to decommission the observatory following hurricane and cable damage at the famed observatory.
Related: The Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed
Image 1 of 3 This aerial view shows the damage at the Arecibo Observatory after one of the main cables holding the receiver broke in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, on December 1, 2020. (Image credit: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images) (Image credit: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images) This aerial view shows the damage at the Arecibo Observatory after one of the main cables holding the receiver broke in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, on December 1, 2020. (Image credit: Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images)
"We heard a loud sound, a loud bang outside the control room. We started to see the eventual downfall of the observatory," Ángel Vázquez, chief of telescope operations and a worker at Arecibo for four decades, said in a video posted on Twitter.
Pointing at a large poster-picture of the cables holding up Arecibo's platform, Vázquez said that through the past week those working at the observatory saw strands coming off the remaining three cables holding up the platform on one side. The strands were sure signs of more stress coming on the cables due to fewer of them holding up the platform's weight, he said.
"Eventually, it just gave way," he said. The other side of the platform still had cables under tension, he added, so the platform didn't suddenly fall, but took approximately 30 seconds to glide into the radio dish.
Related: Losing Arecibo Observatory creates a science hole that can't be filled
Ángel Vázquez explains the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory @SaveTheAO. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7VCZNCFsA4December 1, 2020 See more
Drone footage taken after the collapse shows the crumpled cable towers lying on top of the dish, with tower pieces and other debris scattered around the area. Numerous pictures posted on Getty Images by photographer Ricardo Arduengo of Agence France-Presse show the radio dish elements split in the middle from the force of the fall.
"Engineers are on-site. Top priorities are maintaining safety at the site and assessing damage," NSF said on Twitter, along with a closeup of the damage showing crumpling in the radio telescope.
(Image credit: UCF)
(Image credit: UCF)
"We knew this was a possibility, but it is still heartbreaking to see," Elizabeth Klonoff, vice-president for research at UCF, said in an NSF statement. "Safety of personnel is our number one priority. We already have engineers on site to help assess the damage and determine the stability and safety of the remaining structure. We will continue to work with the NSF and other stakeholders to find ways to support the science mission at Arecibo."
Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.


livescience--2020-12-02--Roman subjects paid emperor piles of silver to leave them alone, inscription reveals

An ancient Greek inscription dating to the second century A.D. is essentially a thank-you note for a shady cash gift , a new translation reveals .
The inscription immortalized the words of a Roman emperor who accepted piles of silver from a city anxious to demonstrate its loyalty .
During a time of political upheaval in the , residents of the city Nicopolis ad Istrum , in what is now Bulgaria , backed an unsuccessful contender for the emperor 's seat .
After their champion 's loss , they promptly sent the victor — Emperor Septimus Severus — 700,000 silver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Emperor Severus openly acknowledged accepting their donation in a letter that was sent to the town in A.D. 198 , written in ancient Greek .
The letter 's text was then immortalized by the city as a stone monument .
Scholars recently restored the broken artifact and translated the inscription , making it available to the public for the first time , a researcher with the restoration project told Live Science in an email .
Few letters penned by Roman emperors survived the era .
In this rare example , Severus tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which he called a `` cash contribution , '' according to the new translation by Nicolay Sharankov , an assistant professor in the Department of Classical Philology at Sofia University in Bulgaria .
Sharankov recently translated the text into Bulgarian and updated a prior English translation by James H. Oliver , said Kalin Chakarov , an archaeologist at the Regional Museum of History in Veliko Tarnovo , Bulgaria , and coordinator of the project that restored the stone monument and its inscription .
Nicopolis ad Istrum was founded by the Roman Emperor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century .
It quickly grew to be a thriving metropolis , populated by artisans and full of sculpture and ornate architecture ; the city even minted its own coins , according to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre .
But the city 's inhabitants may have found themselves in a potentially dangerous predicament when Emperor Commodus was assassinated in A.D. 192 .
Five men vied for the vacancy ; the city likely threw its support behind one of the losers and had to prove to the new Emperor Severus that they could be trusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably decided to write a letter to the emperor , begging him for mercy , and bringing him the sum of 700,000 denarii ( Roman silver coins ) as a gift for their loyalty , '' Chakarov explained .
`` The recently restored monument is actually an answer of the Emperor Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla to the citizens of Nicopolis ad Istrum .
They describe their victories and state that they receive [ d ] this gift by people who had taken 'the right side . '
'' Because the emperor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town , they carved his words into a limestone monument standing about 10 feet ( 3 meters ) tall and 3 feet ( 1 m ) wide , and weighing about 2 tons ( 2 metric tons ) , Chakarov said .
When archaeologists discovered the carved slab in the city 's ruins in the early 1900s , it was badly damaged and broken into burned fragments , .
The monument was stored in pieces until the end of 2019 , when a grant enabled scientists to begin the seven-month-long conservation process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once the monument was repaired , it was installed at the Nicopolis ad Istrum site , next to a display of the translation in Bulgarian and English .
Emperor Severus was clearly pleased with the citizens ' gesture , praising the townsfolk for their `` zeal '' and declaring `` You have shown thereby that you are men of good will and loyalty and are anxious to have the better standing in our judgment of you . ''
But the emperor did n't just embrace gifts of money in his letter — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the inscription , Severus describes himself as an heir of Emperor Marcus Aurelius , who ruled from A.D. 161 to A.D. 180 .
However , Severus ' ancestors hailed from northern Africa ; he was born in the city of Leptis Magna in what is now Libya , and he was n't related to Marcus Aurelius — or the line of emperors that came before him , Sharankov told Archaeology in Bulgaria .
`` With this letter , the emperor sought to legitimize himself before the people , '' Sharankov said .

"You are men of good will and loyalty," said Roman emperor Septimus Severus in the letter.
An ancient Greek inscription dating to the second century A.D. is essentially a thank-you note for a shady cash gift, a new translation reveals. The inscription immortalized the words of a Roman emperor who accepted piles of silver from a city anxious to demonstrate its loyalty.
During a time of political upheaval in the Roman Empire , residents of the city Nicopolis ad Istrum, in what is now Bulgaria, backed an unsuccessful contender for the emperor's seat. After their champion's loss, they promptly sent the victor — Emperor Septimus Severus — 700,000 silver coins, as a sign of fealty.
Emperor Severus openly acknowledged accepting their donation in a letter that was sent to the town in A.D. 198, written in ancient Greek. The letter's text was then immortalized by the city as a stone monument. Scholars recently restored the broken artifact and translated the inscription, making it available to the public for the first time, a researcher with the restoration project told Live Science in an email.
Related: The weird reason Roman emperors were assassinated
Few letters penned by Roman emperors survived the era. In this rare example, Severus tells the town that he accepts their bribe, which he called a "cash contribution," according to the new translation by Nicolay Sharankov, an assistant professor in the Department of Classical Philology at Sofia University in Bulgaria.
Sharankov recently translated the text into Bulgarian and updated a prior English translation by James H. Oliver, said Kalin Chakarov, an archaeologist at the Regional Museum of History in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, and coordinator of the project that restored the stone monument and its inscription.
Archaeologists that excavated the site in the early 1900s found the limestone slab in pieces. (Image credit: Courtesy of Kalin Chakarov)
Buying mercy
Nicopolis ad Istrum was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the second century. It quickly grew to be a thriving metropolis, populated by artisans and full of sculpture and ornate architecture; the city even minted its own coins, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre .
But the city's inhabitants may have found themselves in a potentially dangerous predicament when Emperor Commodus was assassinated in A.D. 192. Five men vied for the vacancy; the city likely threw its support behind one of the losers and had to prove to the new Emperor Severus that they could be trusted.
"That's why they had probably decided to write a letter to the emperor, begging him for mercy, and bringing him the sum of 700,000 denarii (Roman silver coins) as a gift for their loyalty," Chakarov explained. "The recently restored monument is actually an answer of the Emperor Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla to the citizens of Nicopolis ad Istrum. They describe their victories and state that they receive[d] this gift by people who had taken 'the right side.'"
Because the emperor's response was so important to the town, they carved his words into a limestone monument standing about 10 feet (3 meters) tall and 3 feet (1 m) wide, and weighing about 2 tons (2 metric tons), Chakarov said.
Citizens of Nicopolis ad Istrum carved the monument to commemorate the importance of the emperor's letter. (Image credit: Courtesy of Kalin Chakarov)
When archaeologists discovered the carved slab in the city's ruins in the early 1900s, it was badly damaged and broken into burned fragments, Archaeology in Bulgaria reported . The monument was stored in pieces until the end of 2019, when a grant enabled scientists to begin the seven-month-long conservation process, Chakarov told Live Science in an email. Once the monument was repaired, it was installed at the Nicopolis ad Istrum site, next to a display of the translation in Bulgarian and English.
Emperor Severus was clearly pleased with the citizens' gesture, praising the townsfolk for their "zeal" and declaring "You have shown thereby that you are men of good will and loyalty and are anxious to have the better standing in our judgment of you."
But the emperor didn't just embrace gifts of money in his letter — he also lied about his credentials.
In the inscription, Severus describes himself as an heir of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who ruled from A.D. 161 to A.D. 180. However, Severus' ancestors hailed from northern Africa; he was born in the city of Leptis Magna in what is now Libya, and he wasn't related to Marcus Aurelius — or the line of emperors that came before him, Sharankov told Archaeology in Bulgaria.
"With this letter, the emperor sought to legitimize himself before the people," Sharankov said.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--Scientists just mapped 1 million new galaxies, in 300 hours

Astronomers in Australia have just mapped 83 % of the observable universe , in just 300 hours .
This new sky survey , which Australia 's national science agency ( CSIRO ) as a `` Google map of the universe '' , marks the completion of a big test for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder ( ASKAP ) radio telescope –- a network of 36 antennas rooted in the remote Western Australia Outback .
While astronomers have been using ASKAP to scour the sky for radio signatures ( including mysterious ) since 2012 , the telescope 's full array @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single sky survey –- until now .
By harnessing the telescope 's full potential , researchers mapped roughly 3 million galaxies in the southern sky , according to a paper published Nov. 30 in the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia .
As many as 1 million of these distant galaxies may be previously unknown to astronomy , the researchers wrote , and that 's likely just the beginning .
With the success of this first survey , CSIRO scientists are already planning even more in-depth observations in the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3D map of the universe ever '' For the first time , ASKAP has flexed its full muscles , building a map of the universe in greater detail than ever before , and at record speed , '' lead study author David McConnell , a CSIRO astronomer , .
`` We expect to find tens of millions of new galaxies in future surveys . ''
Many all-sky surveys can take months , even years , to complete .
CSIRO 's new effort , which they 've labeled the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While each of the telescope 's 36 receivers took vast , panoramic pictures of the sky , a dedicated network of supercomputers worked double-time to combine them .
The resulting map , which covers 83 % of the sky , is a combination of 903 individual images , each containing 70 billion pixels .
( For comparison , the highest-definition cameras for sale snap a few hundred million pixels per image ) .
Each of these images will be made publicly available through CSIRO 's Data Access Portal , as scientists analyze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sky-charting adventures .

Astronomers in Australia have just mapped 83% of the observable universe, in just 300 hours.
This new sky survey, which Australia's national science agency (CSIRO) described in a statement as a "Google map of the universe" , marks the completion of a big test for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope –- a network of 36 antennas rooted in the remote Western Australia Outback. While astronomers have been using ASKAP to scour the sky for radio signatures (including mysterious fast radio bursts ) since 2012, the telescope's full array of antennas has never been used in a single sky survey –- until now.
By harnessing the telescope's full potential, researchers mapped roughly 3 million galaxies in the southern sky, according to a paper published Nov. 30 in the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia . As many as 1 million of these distant galaxies may be previously unknown to astronomy, the researchers wrote, and that's likely just the beginning. With the success of this first survey, CSIRO scientists are already planning even more in-depth observations in the coming years.
Related: Scientists unveil largest 3D map of the universe ever
"For the first time, ASKAP has flexed its full muscles, building a map of the universe in greater detail than ever before, and at record speed," lead study author David McConnell, a CSIRO astronomer, said in a statement . "We expect to find tens of millions of new galaxies in future surveys."
Many all-sky surveys can take months, even years, to complete. CSIRO's new effort, which they've labeled the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey, only took a few weeks of stargazing. While each of the telescope's 36 receivers took vast, panoramic pictures of the sky, a dedicated network of supercomputers worked double-time to combine them. The resulting map, which covers 83% of the sky, is a combination of 903 individual images, each containing 70 billion pixels. (For comparison, the highest-definition cameras for sale snap a few hundred million pixels per image).
Each of these images will be made publicly available through CSIRO's Data Access Portal, as scientists analyze the results and plan for their next sky-charting adventures.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--Why did this man's urine turn green?

Why did this man's urine turn green?

A hospitalized man 's case took a strange turn when his urine became a murky shade of green , according to a new report .
Although alarming , the unusual color turned out to be a harmless side effect of his medication .
The 62-year-old man had , a progressive lung disease , and he went to the emergency room after having difficulty breathing for two days , according to the report , published Wednesday ( Dec. 2 ) in The New England Journal of Medicine .
The man had high levels of in his blood , a condition that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to the intensive care unit , placed on a ventilator and given a general anaesthetic called propofol .
Five days later , the man 's urine , which was being collected in a catheter bag , turned green .
Green urine can be due to a number of factors , including medication side effects , certain infections and liver problems , according to the authors , from Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago .
In the man 's case , the culprit was propofol .
This medication is widely used for general anesthesia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can turn a person 's urine green .
Exactly how this discoloration happens is n't fully understood .
But it may occur when certain breakdown products ( metabolites ) of propofol are eliminated through the kidneys rather than the liver , according to a 2015 report of a similar case published in the .
( Propofol is usually metabolized in the liver . )
It is the metabolites that cause the green color .
Fortunately , this discoloration is benign and goes away once the medication is stopped .
Indeed , the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once he was taken off propofol , the report said .
He stayed in the hospital for two weeks and was then released to a rehabilitation facility , the report said .
People 's urine can take on an .
In 2019 , doctors reported the case of a woman with `` purple urine bag syndrome , '' which is the result of an odd chemical reaction that can take place inside catheter bags , .

A man's urine turned green after five days in the ICU. Above, an image of the urine collected in a catheter bag.
A hospitalized man's case took a strange turn when his urine became a murky shade of green, according to a new report.
Although alarming, the unusual color turned out to be a harmless side effect of his medication.
The 62-year-old man had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) , a progressive lung disease, and he went to the emergency room after having difficulty breathing for two days, according to the report, published Wednesday (Dec. 2) in The New England Journal of Medicine .
The man had high levels of carbon dioxide in his blood, a condition that can be life-threatening. The man was admitted to the intensive care unit, placed on a ventilator and given a general anaesthetic called propofol.
Five days later, the man's urine, which was being collected in a catheter bag, turned green.
Green urine can be due to a number of factors, including medication side effects, certain infections and liver problems, according to the authors, from Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
In the man's case, the culprit was propofol. This medication is widely used for general anesthesia, but in rare cases, it can turn a person's urine green.
Exactly how this discoloration happens isn't fully understood. But it may occur when certain breakdown products (metabolites) of propofol are eliminated through the kidneys rather than the liver, according to a 2015 report of a similar case published in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research . (Propofol is usually metabolized in the liver.) It is the metabolites that cause the green color.
Fortunately, this discoloration is benign and goes away once the medication is stopped. Indeed, the man's urine returned to a normal color once he was taken off propofol, the report said. He stayed in the hospital for two weeks and was then released to a rehabilitation facility, the report said.
People's urine can take on an array of colors . In 2019, doctors reported the case of a woman with "purple urine bag syndrome," which is the result of an odd chemical reaction that can take place inside catheter bags, Live Science previously reported .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--The Falklands War: Margaret Thatcher's great victory

In 1982 , British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Argentine President General Leopoldo Galtieri had much in common .
Both were fervently anti-Communist , both presided over nations in economic turmoil , and both were ruthless leaders prepared assert their power by going to war .
On April 2 , 1982 , Argentina sent a force of 600 soldiers to seize control of the tiny British-held islands off the country 's coast , according to the Imperial War Museums .
In the pre-dawn hours , two Argentine Navy vessels crept up on the coast of East Falkland , close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unleashed an armada of landing craft into the choppy waters of the South Atlantic .
Equipped with armored personnel carriers , heavy machine guns , mortars and recoilless rifles , the invasion force swept ashore unchallenged and rushed inland toward the capital .
Related : Read a FREE issue of All About History magazine At the start , fewer than 100 Royal Marines stationed on East Falkland were all that stood in the way of Argentina realizing a dream that dated back to its birth as an independent nation 170 years earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , known to the Argentines as Islas Malvinas , which they considered rightfully theirs , and to finally boot out the region 's last remaining colonial bullies was more than just a matter of national pride — it was the fulfilment of a long-awaited destiny .
The lightly-armed British soldiers were outnumbered , and Argentinian commanders predicted their opponents would surrender without a fight .
But the Brits held out for three hours , inflicting casualties and kills without suffering any themselves .
Nonetheless , as news of the invasion reached Buenos Aires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show their support for the Galtieri-led junta — their authoritarian , military-led government .
A 250,000-strong crowd appeared in the heart of the capital chanting their approval where just days before they gathered to howl in protest against rocketing inflation , unemployment and the regime 's brutality , according to a review published by the Center for Contemporary Conflict .
In London , the mood could n't have been more different .
While not everyone could be sure where the Falkland Islands were ( off the coast of Scotland was the joke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly talked itself into a state of righteous indignation .
British sovereign territory had been invaded , the country 's honor insulted and the lack of respect shown by the nation of Argentina was indicative of just how far Britain 's national standing had fallen .
The popularity of the Thatcher government in the spring of 1982 was at an all-time low .
Spiraling unemployment and inner-city riots , coupled with her perceived lack of compassion had rendered Thatcher an electoral liability .
Documents declassified decades after the war revealed that Thatcher described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her life , the BBC reported .
The U.S. was Britain 's biggest ally , but this was happening during the height of the Cold War , and America was far more concerned with containing communism than helping preserve British overseas interests .
Galtieri may have been a brutal dictator , but in the eyes of the American government , he was anti-Communist and therefore , an important leader in South America .
President Ronald Regan swiftly dispatched Secretary of State Alexander Haig to London to explain the American perspective to the prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London on April 8 , 1982 , he was too late .
A British military task force had set sail for Argentina three days earlier , and as Haig would discover , Thatcher had no interest in asking them to return home .
As the flotilla 's flagship , the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes steamed out of Portsmouth on April 5 .
Television news footage showed rows of specialized military aircraft sitting proudly on the deck of the HMS Hermes ' deck , rather than stored below as they typically would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcasting a message to the world : Britain was n't messing around .
As the ships departed , the public enthusiastically waved troops off with Union flags while military bands played Victorian marching tunes on the dockside .
The spirit of jingoism was being reawakened as the British nation lined up behind its leader .
Thatcher 's newly formed War Cabinet was essentially the prime minister 's inner court — her most trusted political and military advisors .
But it was Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Terence Lewin who set the cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived , the War Cabinet was entirely focused on the liberation of the Falkland Islands and the removal of the occupying army .
The Argentine junta , meanwhile , had even less intention of abandoning the islands than it did of compromising .
Documents released in 2012 show just how far the U.S. was prepared to go in appeasing Galtieri , with minutes from a meeting on April 30 revealing the extent of Haig 's exasperation with the regime .
`` Our proposals , in fact , are a camouflaged transfer of sovereignty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Argentine foreign minister knows this , but the junta will not accept it . ''
Related : The outer-space treaty has been successful — but is it fit for the modern age ?
As U.S. diplomat Jean Kirkpatrick later recalled of the Argentine position in a 1990 interview : `` I do n't think they understood what war was like .
They did n't understand they were going to be defeated … and they did n't really understand that young Argentines and young Brits were going to die in this effort .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unreality about their attitude as I experienced it . ''
It was true .
The junta 's leaders may have worn flash uniforms and rows of medals , but few had been anywhere near a battlefield .
The same was tragically true of the men they sent to do their fighting .
As the task force edged closer , the Falklands began to fill up with thousands of young conscripts , many still teenagers .
When hostilities started , there may have been 13,000 Argentinian troops on the islands , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British war machine had : Royal Marines , the Parachute Regiment , Ghurkas , the Scots and Welsh Guards , plus various special forces .
When the battle for the Falklands began on May 1 , the first clash was in the air .
Despite being outnumbered , the British had the technological edge .
Their newly acquired sea harriers , vertical take off/landing fighter jets , were armed with the latest sidewinder missile system , allowing pilot aces to shoot down four Argentinian planes on the first day alone .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wins .
To control the skies , the carriers had to be protected at all costs .
After sinking the Argentine Cruiser Belgrano on May 2 , Britain suffered its first major loss .
On May 4 , in retaliation for the Belgrano , Argentine air forces attacked and sank the British destroyer HMS Sheffield , killing 20 British soldiers .
By mid-May the South Atlantic winter was kicking in and foul weather hampered the British air campaign .
With time running out , and Thatcher ruling out the option of turning back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land invasion without air cover — a high-risk strategy .
On May 18 , the second wave of British ships arrived just off the Falklands .
It included the landing force of marines and paratroopers who would spearhead the invasion under the command of Brigadier Julian Thompson .
Related : 'Vigorous ' magnetic field oddity spotted over South Atlantic In the early hours of May 21 , Thompson 's troops hit the beaches of San Carlos Bay on the northwest coast of East Falkland .
Encountering little resistance , they made for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , in the bay , the ships that brought them were unloading supplies when they were attacked by Argentine air forces .
The attacks continued for four days and by the end of it eight ships had been hit and two sunk .
But the worst was yet to come .
On May 25 , Thompson 's helicopters finally arrived in a cargo ship called the Atlantic Conveyor .
As the ship approached San Carlos , Argentinian jets launched an attack and destroyed all but one of the helicopters , the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time , the British ground campaign was transformed and destined to be vastly different from the one commanders had envisaged .
This most modern of wars would now be fought and won on foot .
As Argentine air assaults on British naval forces continued , British land forces were making headway .
By June 1 , with the arrival of an additional 5,000 troops , the British were planning their attack on Port Stanley , according to the Falklands War Military Wiki .
The British advance was not without set-backs , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 14 , British casualties numbered over 1,000 , with 258 dead .
The Argentinians , on the other hand , suffered 649 dead and 1,600 wounded .
Of the 1,820 Falklanders , just three had lost their lives .
Within days , Galtieri was swept from power and Argentina — rather than opting for Communism , as Regan had feared — was on its way to reestablishing itself as a democracy .
The real winner , though , was Margaret Thatcher .
Almost a year to the day after the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a landslide off the back of the victory .
What many military analysts had declared impossible — to launch a successful seaborne invasion of a target 8,000 miles away in hostile waters with no real prospect of resupply — had been achieved in just 74 days .
• Find more photos and information about the Falklands War from Britain 's National Army Museum .
• Watch footage of a tense aerial battle during the Falklands War , from the Smithsonian .
• Watch a short documentary about the land battles of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

In 1982, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Argentine President General Leopoldo Galtieri had much in common. Both were fervently anti-Communist, both presided over nations in economic turmoil, and both were ruthless leaders prepared assert their power by going to war.
On April 2, 1982, Argentina sent a force of 600 soldiers to seize control of the tiny British-held islands off the country's coast, according to the Imperial War Museums. In the pre-dawn hours, two Argentine Navy vessels crept up on the coast of East Falkland, close to the capital city of Port Stanley, and unleashed an armada of landing craft into the choppy waters of the South Atlantic. Equipped with armored personnel carriers, heavy machine guns, mortars and recoilless rifles, the invasion force swept ashore unchallenged and rushed inland toward the capital.
Related: Read a FREE issue of All About History magazine
At the start, fewer than 100 Royal Marines stationed on East Falkland were all that stood in the way of Argentina realizing a dream that dated back to its birth as an independent nation 170 years earlier. To take back the Falkland Islands, known to the Argentines as Islas Malvinas, which they considered rightfully theirs, and to finally boot out the region's last remaining colonial bullies was more than just a matter of national pride — it was the fulfilment of a long-awaited destiny.
The lightly-armed British soldiers were outnumbered, and Argentinian commanders predicted their opponents would surrender without a fight. But the Brits held out for three hours, inflicting casualties and kills without suffering any themselves.
Nonetheless, as news of the invasion reached Buenos Aires, locals swept out onto the streets to show their support for the Galtieri-led junta — their authoritarian, military-led government. A 250,000-strong crowd appeared in the heart of the capital chanting their approval where just days before they gathered to howl in protest against rocketing inflation, unemployment and the regime's brutality, according to a review published by the Center for Contemporary Conflict.
Britain's reaction
In London, the mood couldn't have been more different. While not everyone could be sure where the Falkland Islands were (off the coast of Scotland was the joke doing the rounds) the British establishment quickly talked itself into a state of righteous indignation. British sovereign territory had been invaded, the country's honor insulted and the lack of respect shown by the nation of Argentina was indicative of just how far Britain's national standing had fallen.
The popularity of the Thatcher government in the spring of 1982 was at an all-time low. Spiraling unemployment and inner-city riots, coupled with her perceived lack of compassion had rendered Thatcher an electoral liability. Documents declassified decades after the war revealed that Thatcher described the invasion as the worst moment of her life, the BBC reported.
Related: Margaret Thatcher: Why powerful women face more stress
The U.S. was Britain's biggest ally, but this was happening during the height of the Cold War, and America was far more concerned with containing communism than helping preserve British overseas interests. Galtieri may have been a brutal dictator, but in the eyes of the American government, he was anti-Communist and therefore, an important leader in South America. President Ronald Reagan swiftly dispatched Secretary of State Alexander Haig to London to explain the American perspective to the prime minister.
But when Haig arrived in London on April 8, 1982, he was too late. A British military task force had set sail for Argentina three days earlier, and as Haig would discover, Thatcher had no interest in asking them to return home.
Related: Cold War satellites tracked missiles and … marmots?
As the flotilla's flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes steamed out of Portsmouth on April 5. Television news footage showed rows of specialized military aircraft sitting proudly on the deck of the HMS Hermes' deck, rather than stored below as they typically would have been. This was Thatcher's way of broadcasting a message to the world: Britain wasn't messing around. As the ships departed, the public enthusiastically waved troops off with Union flags while military bands played Victorian marching tunes on the dockside. The spirit of jingoism was being reawakened as the British nation lined up behind its leader.
The Falkland Islands sit off the coast of southern Argentina. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
A diplomatic dead end
Thatcher's newly formed War Cabinet was essentially the prime minister's inner court — her most trusted political and military advisors. But it was Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Terence Lewin who set the cabinet's agenda. By the time Haig arrived, the War Cabinet was entirely focused on the liberation of the Falkland Islands and the removal of the occupying army.
The Argentine junta, meanwhile, had even less intention of abandoning the islands than it did of compromising. Documents released in 2012 show just how far the U.S. was prepared to go in appeasing Galtieri, with minutes from a meeting on April 30 revealing the extent of Haig's exasperation with the regime. "Our proposals, in fact, are a camouflaged transfer of sovereignty," he told colleagues. "The Argentine foreign minister knows this, but the junta will not accept it."
Related: The outer-space treaty has been successful — but is it fit for the modern age?
As U.S. diplomat Jean Kirkpatrick later recalled of the Argentine position in a 1990 interview: "I don't think they understood what war was like. They didn't understand they were going to be defeated … and they didn't really understand that young Argentines and young Brits were going to die in this effort. There was a real Don Quixotesque sense of unreality about their attitude as I experienced it."
It was true. The junta's leaders may have worn flash uniforms and rows of medals, but few had been anywhere near a battlefield. The same was tragically true of the men they sent to do their fighting. As the task force edged closer, the Falklands began to fill up with thousands of young conscripts, many still teenagers. When hostilities started, there may have been 13,000 Argentinian troops on the islands, but they were up against the very best the British war machine had: Royal Marines, the Parachute Regiment, Ghurkas, the Scots and Welsh Guards, plus various special forces.
Remains of a Argentine helicopter shot down during the Falklands War. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Battle highlights
When the battle for the Falklands began on May 1, the first clash was in the air. Despite being outnumbered, the British had the technological edge. Their newly acquired sea harriers, vertical take off/landing fighter jets, were armed with the latest sidewinder missile system, allowing pilot aces to shoot down four Argentinian planes on the first day alone.
But the Brits weren't to have all the wins. To control the skies, the carriers had to be protected at all costs. After sinking the Argentine Cruiser Belgrano on May 2, Britain suffered its first major loss. On May 4, in retaliation for the Belgrano, Argentine air forces attacked and sank the British destroyer HMS Sheffield, killing 20 British soldiers.
By mid-May the South Atlantic winter was kicking in and foul weather hampered the British air campaign. With time running out, and Thatcher ruling out the option of turning back, the Brits decided to launch the land invasion without air cover — a high-risk strategy. On May 18, the second wave of British ships arrived just off the Falklands. It included the landing force of marines and paratroopers who would spearhead the invasion under the command of Brigadier Julian Thompson.
Related: 'Vigorous' magnetic field oddity spotted over South Atlantic
In the early hours of May 21, Thompson's troops hit the beaches of San Carlos Bay on the northwest coast of East Falkland. Encountering little resistance, they made for the high ground and dug in. Below them, in the bay, the ships that brought them were unloading supplies when they were attacked by Argentine air forces. The attacks continued for four days and by the end of it eight ships had been hit and two sunk. But the worst was yet to come.
On May 25, Thompson's helicopters finally arrived in a cargo ship called the Atlantic Conveyor. As the ship approached San Carlos, Argentinian jets launched an attack and destroyed all but one of the helicopters, the BBC reported. In a very short amount of time, the British ground campaign was transformed and destined to be vastly different from the one commanders had envisaged. This most modern of wars would now be fought and won on foot.
As Argentine air assaults on British naval forces continued, British land forces were making headway. By June 1, with the arrival of an additional 5,000 troops, the British were planning their attack on Port Stanley, according to the Falklands War Military Wiki.
A memorial to the HMS Sheffield, a British ship destroyed during the Falklands War. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
Argentina surrenders
The British advance was not without set-backs, and by the time the Argentinians surrendered on June 14, British casualties numbered over 1,000, with 258 dead. The Argentinians, on the other hand, suffered 649 dead and 1,600 wounded. Of the 1,820 Falklanders, just three had lost their lives.
Within days, Galtieri was swept from power and Argentina — rather than opting for Communism, as Reagan had feared — was on its way to reestablishing itself as a democracy.
The real winner, though, was Margaret Thatcher. Almost a year to the day after the end of hostilities, she was re-elected prime minister by a landslide off the back of the victory. What many military analysts had declared impossible — to launch a successful seaborne invasion of a target 8,000 miles away in hostile waters with no real prospect of resupply — had been achieved in just 74 days.
Additional resources:


livescience--2020-12-02--COVID-19 quarantine now 10 days, 7 with test, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has shortened the quarantine period for close contacts of people with COVID-19 .
That period is now 10 days if the person does n't develop symptoms — or seven days , if the person has no symptoms and gets a negative test at the right point in time .
Previously , the CDC recommended that close contacts for 14 days after exposure .
The new guidelines say people can stop quarantining after 10 days if no emerge ; they can exit quarantine even earlier , at seven days , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnostic test on Day 5 or later .
Both PCR tests and antigen tests will work for this purpose , Dr. John Brooks , the Chief Medical Officer for the CDC 's COVID-19 response , said in a news briefing on Wednesday ( Dec. 2 ) .
For those who test out of quarantine , they can get their diagnostic test up to 48 hours before the seventh day , so as early as Day 5 .
If a negative test result comes back quickly , they should still stay in quarantine until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes back later than Day 7 , they should wait to exit quarantine until they have their results .
Related : 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history Even after exiting quarantine early , `` people should still watch for symptoms for … a full 14 days after exposure , '' Dr. Henry Walke , the incident manager for the CDC 's response , said during the briefing .
`` The recommendation … was based on extensive modeling , not just by CDC , '' Brooks said .
`` All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same direction , '' suggesting that shorter quarantines can still significantly reduce infections while enabling more people to follow the guidance , he said .
The new recommendation does carry a small risk in that some people could spread the virus after exiting quarantine , Brooks added .
However , that risk is fairly small — it 's estimated that a person stopping at Day 10 has about a 1 % risk of spreading the virus , while someone exiting at Day 7 with a negative test has a 5 % risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ those exiting quarantine to continue taking other precautions , such as tracking their symptoms , social distancing and wearing masks .
`` When we get more people on board to complete that [ shorter quarantine ] , overall , that will result in fewer infections , '' Brooks said .
In other words , if more people comply with the short quarantines than long ones , the benefits should outweigh the risks of their leaving quarantine early .
It 's difficult to gather data on how many people typically complete the 14-day quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments have reported accounts of people stopping too soon , Walke said .
`` I think it 's a good thing that people have options to prevent infections , '' Dr. Cindy Friedman , chief of the travelers health branch at the CDC , said in the briefing .
The 14-day quarantine can pose a huge economic burden for those who ca n't work during that time , so shorter quarantines will likely increase compliance , Brooks said .
While the CDC 's recommendations for quarantine have changed , the agency 's guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 — has not .
The CDC says that people can exit isolation on Day 10 of their illness , provided that they have n't had symptoms within 24 hours , Brooks said .
As for winter holiday travel , `` the safest thing to do is to postpone holiday travel and stay home , '' Friedman said .
For those who do travel , there are ways to make the trip safer , she added .
The CDC recommends travelers be tested one to three days before their trip , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after arriving at their destination .
Once back home , travelers should eliminate non-essential activities for at least seven days and track their symptoms for two weeks .
`` We know it 's a hard decision , and people need time to prepare and have discussions with family and friends and to make these decisions , '' Friedman said .
`` Our recommendations are trying to give them the tools they need to make these tough choices . ''

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shortened the quarantine period for close contacts of people with COVID-19. That period is now 10 days if the person doesn't develop symptoms — or seven days, if the person has no symptoms and gets a negative test at the right point in time.
Previously, the CDC recommended that close contacts quarantine for 14 days after exposure. The new guidelines say people can stop quarantining after 10 days if no symptoms emerge; they can exit quarantine even earlier, at seven days, if they test negative for the virus with a diagnostic test on Day 5 or later. Both PCR tests and antigen tests will work for this purpose, Dr. John Brooks, the Chief Medical Officer for the CDC's COVID-19 response, said in a news briefing on Wednesday (Dec. 2).
For those who test out of quarantine, they can get their diagnostic test up to 48 hours before the seventh day, so as early as Day 5. If a negative test result comes back quickly, they should still stay in quarantine until Day 7. If the test result comes back later than Day 7, they should wait to exit quarantine until they have their results.
Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history
Even after exiting quarantine early, "people should still watch for symptoms for … a full 14 days after exposure," Dr. Henry Walke, the incident manager for the CDC's COVID-19 response, said during the briefing.
"The recommendation … was based on extensive modeling, not just by CDC," Brooks said. "All of these [studies] point in the same direction," suggesting that shorter quarantines can still significantly reduce infections while enabling more people to follow the guidance, he said.
The new recommendation does carry a small risk in that some people could spread the virus after exiting quarantine, Brooks added. However, that risk is fairly small — it's estimated that a person stopping at Day 10 has about a 1% risk of spreading the virus, while someone exiting at Day 7 with a negative test has a 5% risk. And of course, the CDC advises those exiting quarantine to continue taking other precautions, such as tracking their symptoms, social distancing and wearing masks.
"When we get more people on board to complete that [shorter quarantine], overall, that will result in fewer infections," Brooks said. In other words, if more people comply with the short quarantines than long ones, the benefits should outweigh the risks of their leaving quarantine early. It's difficult to gather data on how many people typically complete the 14-day quarantine, but anecdotally, local public health departments have reported accounts of people stopping too soon, Walke said.
"I think it's a good thing that people have options to prevent infections," Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of the travelers health branch at the CDC, said in the briefing. The 14-day quarantine can pose a huge economic burden for those who can't work during that time, so shorter quarantines will likely increase compliance, Brooks said.
While the CDC's recommendations for quarantine have changed, the agency's guidance on self-isolation — for people who test positive for COVID-19 — has not. The CDC says that people can exit isolation on Day 10 of their illness, provided that they haven't had symptoms within 24 hours, Brooks said.
As for winter holiday travel, "the safest thing to do is to postpone holiday travel and stay home," Friedman said. For those who do travel, there are ways to make the trip safer, she added. The CDC recommends travelers be tested one to three days before their trip, and then again three to five days after arriving at their destination. Once back home, travelers should eliminate non-essential activities for at least seven days and track their symptoms for two weeks.
"We know it's a hard decision, and people need time to prepare and have discussions with family and friends and to make these decisions," Friedman said. "Our recommendations are trying to give them the tools they need to make these tough choices."
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-02--Mystery of galaxy's missing dark matter solved. (And it involves a thief.)

A small , mysterious galaxy 44 million light-years away is finally yielding up its secrets .
Revealed last year to have a shockingly low amount of dark matter , the galaxy NGC 1052-DF4 posed a significant challenge to our models of galaxy formation .
Those models yet live another day .
According to new research , NGC 1052-DF4 is indeed lacking in dark matter - but only because another nearby galaxy nicked it .
`` The dark matter is n't there because it 's already been removed , '' said astrophysicist Mireia Montes of the University of New South Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute .
`` We found that the gravitational pull from the nearby massive galaxy NGC1035 is removing its stars - and dark matter . ''
The discovery of NGC 1052-DF4 ( or DF4 for short ) was announced last year , and it was immediately a dilly of an astronomical pickle .
It was the second galaxy of its type - a faint , ultra-diffuse galaxy , or UDF - to be found seriously dark-matter depleted .
The first was NGC 1052-DF2 ( DF2 ) , and DF4 represented a confirmation that galaxies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The problem was that , according to our current models , dark matter is necessary for galaxies to form in the first place .
We do n't know what dark matter is , and we ca n't detect it directly , but we do know that most galaxies have way more gravity than their normal , detectable matter could create .
There 's some hidden mass in the Universe creating that extra pull , and without it , according to our understanding of galaxy formation , there would n't be enough gravity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ galaxies .
The matter seemed to draw close to a resolution when a team of astrophysicists found that DF2 was actually a lot closer to us than first thought .
That meant it has much less mass than initial calculations suggested , and the proportion of normal matter was much lower .
Once calculations based on the revised distance were completed , DF2 had a pretty normal amount of dark matter .
Then they focused their attention on DF4 .
It , too , seemed to be much closer… but something was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clusters of stars inside the galaxy were still suggesting that there was much less dark matter than there should have been .
The faint galaxy is very hard to see , so Montes and her colleagues booked time on some of the world 's most powerful telescopes to see if they could figure out why .
Using the IAC80 Telescope , the Gran Telescopio Canarias , and the Hubble Space Telescope , they detected stars being pulled out of DF4 , consistent with an interaction with the much larger spiral galaxy NGC 1035 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body gravitationally `` disrupts '' a smaller one , is known as tidal disruption .
`` Initial papers showed that the galaxy has a very 'relaxed ' symmetrical shape , suggesting that no outside forces were perturbing it , '' Montes said .
`` But our deep images show that this galaxy is in fact being affected by its neighbour galaxy - it 's just caught in the beginning of the interaction .
The inner part of the galaxy keeps its shape , but the outer , fainter parts are where you see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been already separated from the galaxy . ''
Since dark matter surrounds galaxies in a large halo , this tidal stripping would remove most of the smaller galaxy 's dark matter before affecting the stars , Montes noted .
Stars only start to be stripped once the dark matter content falls below 10 to 15 percent of the galaxy 's total mass .
That 's consistent with the team 's observations .
UDFs tend to have a high proportion of dark matter - around 99 percent of the total mass of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the team estimated that dark matter makes up just one percent of the total mass .
Because dark matter is basically the gravitational glue that holds galaxies together , this also means that DF4 's time in this Universe is limited .
`` With time , '' said astrophysicist Ignacio Trujillo of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias , `` NGC1052-DF4 will be cannibalised by the large system around NGC1035 , with at least some of their stars floating free in deep space . ''
But at least we do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on galaxy formation .
The research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal .
This article was originally published by ScienceAlert .
Read the original article here .

At first glance, the galaxy NGC1052-DF4 (center) appears to be intact. But faint stars leaving the galaxy – shown by the grey shading in this composite color image – reveals the galactic theft at play. NGC1035 is the large galaxy to its left.
A small, mysterious galaxy 44 million light-years away is finally yielding up its secrets. Revealed last year to have a shockingly low amount of dark matter, the galaxy NGC 1052-DF4 posed a significant challenge to our models of galaxy formation.
Those models yet live another day. According to new research, NGC 1052-DF4 is indeed lacking in dark matter - but only because another nearby galaxy nicked it.
"The dark matter isn't there because it's already been removed," said astrophysicist Mireia Montes of the University of New South Wales in Australia and the Space Telescope Science Institute.
"We found that the gravitational pull from the nearby massive galaxy NGC1035 is removing its stars - and dark matter."
The discovery of NGC 1052-DF4 (or DF4 for short) was announced last year, and it was immediately a dilly of an astronomical pickle. It was the second galaxy of its type - a faint, ultra-diffuse galaxy, or UDF - to be found seriously dark-matter depleted. The first was NGC 1052-DF2 (DF2), and DF4 represented a confirmation that galaxies with insufficient dark matter could exist.
The problem was that, according to our current models, dark matter is necessary for galaxies to form in the first place.
We don't know what dark matter is, and we can't detect it directly, but we do know that most galaxies have way more gravity than their normal, detectable matter could create. There's some hidden mass in the Universe creating that extra pull, and without it, according to our understanding of galaxy formation, there wouldn't be enough gravity for matter to collapse down to form baby galaxies.
The matter seemed to draw close to a resolution when a team of astrophysicists found that DF2 was actually a lot closer to us than first thought. That meant it has much less mass than initial calculations suggested, and the proportion of normal matter was much lower. Once calculations based on the revised distance were completed, DF2 had a pretty normal amount of dark matter.
Then they focused their attention on DF4. It, too, seemed to be much closer… but something was still not quite right. The velocities of clusters of stars inside the galaxy were still suggesting that there was much less dark matter than there should have been.
The faint galaxy is very hard to see, so Montes and her colleagues booked time on some of the world's most powerful telescopes to see if they could figure out why.
Using the IAC80 Telescope, the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and the Hubble Space Telescope, they detected stars being pulled out of DF4, consistent with an interaction with the much larger spiral galaxy NGC 1035. This process, whereby a larger body gravitationally "disrupts" a smaller one, is known as tidal disruption.
"Initial papers showed that the galaxy has a very 'relaxed' symmetrical shape, suggesting that no outside forces were perturbing it," Montes said.
"But our deep images show that this galaxy is in fact being affected by its neighbour galaxy - it's just caught in the beginning of the interaction. The inner part of the galaxy keeps its shape, but the outer, fainter parts are where you see these 'tidal tails': stars that have been already separated from the galaxy."
Since dark matter surrounds galaxies in a large halo, this tidal stripping would remove most of the smaller galaxy's dark matter before affecting the stars, Montes noted. Stars only start to be stripped once the dark matter content falls below 10 to 15 percent of the galaxy's total mass.
That's consistent with the team's observations. UDFs tend to have a high proportion of dark matter - around 99 percent of the total mass of the galaxy. In the case of DF4, the team estimated that dark matter makes up just one percent of the total mass.
Because dark matter is basically the gravitational glue that holds galaxies together, this also means that DF4's time in this Universe is limited.
"With time," said astrophysicist Ignacio Trujillo of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, "NGC1052-DF4 will be cannibalised by the large system around NGC1035, with at least some of their stars floating free in deep space."
But at least we don't have to go back to the drawing board on galaxy formation.
The research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.
This article was originally published by ScienceAlert. Read the original article here.


livescience--2020-12-02--Watch China spacecraft land on the moon in this amazing video

A spectacular video from China 's Chang ' e 5 lander spacecraft n as it softly set down to collect the first lunar samples in 44 years .
was captured by a camera underneath the Chang ' e 5 lander as it passed over the vast Oceanus Procellarum ( `` `` ) while aiming for a safe landing site on Tuesday ( Dec. 1 ) .
The black-and-white footage shows peaks on the horizon before the spacecraft moves into a vertical position to begin its powered descent onto the surface .
Another video , released by China 's CCTV news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's sample-collection arm drilling into the lunar surface as it collected samples .
( We combined them into one in the video above . )
In pictures : China on the moon !
A history of Chinese lunar missions In the descent video , craters of all sizes appear and disappear as the lander slows its fall .
With all of this taking place around 236,000 miles ( 380,000 kilometers ) away and signals taking two seconds to travel from the Earth and back , the process needed to be automated .
used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance to the surface and optical and laser systems to detect potential hazards .
The lander appears to hover as it selects its landing site and makes it final descent .
Related : The spacecraft launched on Nov. 23 and finally touched down safely Tuesday at 10:11 a.m. EST ( 1511GMT , 11:11 p.m. Beijing Time ) near Mons Rümker , a volcanic peak .
However the landing is only one part of a very challenging mission which aims to deliver the first fresh lunar samples to Earth since the 1970s .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hours of landing , both scooping from the surface and drilling into the lunar regolith to obtain scientifically precious material .
An ascent vehicle will launch the valuable cargo back into lunar orbit on Thursday in preparation to dock with the waiting Chang ' e 5 orbiter .
The orbiter will then carry the samples back towards Earth , releasing a reentry capsule that will enter the atmosphere and land around Dec.16 .
If all goes well scientists will have the first new lunar samples in decades which potentially could be billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Apollo and Soviet Luna missions .
The samples could help scientists understand why this area of the moon may have been geologically active long after volcanism in most other parts of the moon had ended .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom and on Facebook .

A spectacular video from China's Chang'e 5 lander spacecraft revealsits successful touchdown on the moo n as it softly set down to collect the first lunar samples in 44 years.
The 49-second, sped-up video was captured by a camera underneath the Chang'e 5 lander as it passed over the vast Oceanus Procellarum (" Ocean of Storms ") while aiming for a safe landing site on Tuesday (Dec. 1). The black-and-white footage shows peaks on the horizon before the spacecraft moves into a vertical position to begin its powered descent onto the surface. Another video, released by China's CCTV news network, shows Chang'e 5's sample-collection arm drilling into the lunar surface as it collected samples. (We combined them into one in the video above.)
In pictures: China on the moon! A history of Chinese lunar missions
Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: CNSA) (Image credit: CNSA) (Image credit: CNSA) (Image credit: CNSA)
In the descent video, craters of all sizes appear and disappear as the lander slows its fall. With all of this taking place around 236,000 miles (380,000 kilometers) away and signals taking two seconds to travel from the Earth and back, the process needed to be automated.
Chang'e 5 used a gamma ray altimeter to gauge the distance to the surface and optical and laser systems to detect potential hazards. The lander appears to hover as it selects its landing site and makes it final descent.
Related: The latest news about China's space program
Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: CNSA via CCTV) (Image credit: CNSA via CCTV) (Image credit: CNSA via CCTV)
The spacecraft launched on Nov. 23 and finally touched down safely Tuesday at 10:11 a.m. EST (1511GMT, 11:11 p.m. Beijing Time) near Mons Rümker, a volcanic peak. However the landing is only one part of a very challenging mission which aims to deliver the first fresh lunar samples to Earth since the 1970s.
The spacecraft began collecting samples within a couple of hours of landing, both scooping from the surface and drilling into the lunar regolith to obtain scientifically precious material.
Chang'e-5 has been busy scooping and drilling for samples from the landing site in Oceanus Procellarum. Here's gif of the scoop arm in action, placing material into the sample container. pic.twitter.com/jq0hbJwV20December 2, 2020 See more
An ascent vehicle will launch the valuable cargo back into lunar orbit on Thursday in preparation to dock with the waiting Chang'e 5 orbiter. The orbiter will then carry the samples back towards Earth, releasing a reentry capsule that will enter the atmosphere and land around Dec.16.
If all goes well scientists will have the first new lunar samples in decades which potentially could be billions of years younger than those collected previously by Apollo and Soviet Luna missions.
The samples could help scientists understand why this area of the moon may have been geologically active long after volcanism in most other parts of the moon had ended.
Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.