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Scientists discover mysterious cosmic threads in Milky Way

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Summary

Astronomers have discovered hundreds of mysterious cosmic threads that point towards the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. These filaments, which stretch five to 10 light years, resemble dots and dashes of morse code on a vast scale. It is believed that an outburst of material from the black hole 6 million years ago resulted in the formation of the threads, which may help astronomers understand more about the spin of the Milky Way’s central black hole and the accretion disc of infalling material that whirls around it.

Q&As

What mysterious cosmic threads have scientists discovered in the Milky Way?
Scientists have discovered hundreds of mysterious cosmic threads that point towards the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way.

What is the length of the threads?
The threads stretch five to 10 light years through space.

How did the structures form?
The structures formed through an outburst of material from the black hole that slammed into surrounding stars and gas clouds, creating streaks of hot plasma that point back towards the black hole.

What clues do the threads provide about the activity of the black hole?
The threads provide clues about the spin of the Milky Way’s central black hole and the accretion disc of infalling material that whirls around it.

What is the purpose of studying the cosmic threads?
The purpose of studying the cosmic threads is to understand more about the activity of the black hole and the accretion disc of infalling material that whirls around it.

AI Comments

👍 What an incredible discovery! It's amazing that scientists have been able to use the MeerKAT radio telescope to uncover these mysterious cosmic threads and gain insight into the activity of the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. It's exciting to think about the possibilities of what else we may learn from these structures!

👎 This is a fascinating discovery, but it's concerning that it took four decades for anyone to notice these horizontal filaments. It's a reminder of how much more research is needed to truly understand the complexities of the universe.

AI Discussion

Me: Scientists have discovered mysterious cosmic threads in the Milky Way that point towards the supermassive black hole at its center. The threads are five to 10 light years long and spread like spokes from the galactic center. They seem to have a strong magnetic field and emit radio waves as they accelerate particles.

Friend: Wow, that's really interesting. It's amazing what scientists are able to discover about our universe. What are the implications of this discovery?

Me: Well, this discovery could help us better understand the nature of the black hole at the center of our galaxy, as well as the accretion disc of infalling material that whirls around it. It could also provide insights into how the universe works and how galaxies form and evolve. Additionally, studying these cosmic threads could lead to the development of new technologies and methods for exploring the universe.

Action items

Follow the research of Farhad Yusef-Zadeh and other astronomers studying the cosmic threads in the Milky Way.
Learn more about the MeerKAT radio telescope and other instruments used to observe the galactic core.
Participate in citizen science projects that involve studying the Milky Way and its structures.

Technical terms

Astronomy: The scientific study of the universe and celestial objects.
Light Year: The distance light travels in one year, which is about 9.5 trillion kilometers.
Supermassive Black Hole: A type of black hole with a mass of millions to billions of times that of the Sun.
MeerKAT Radio Telescope: A radio telescope located in the Northern Cape of South Africa.
Very Large Array: A radio telescope located in New Mexico.
Sagittarius A*: The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
Cosmic Rays: High-energy particles that travel through space.
Astrophysical Journal Letters: A scientific journal that publishes research on astronomy and astrophysics.
Accretion Disc: A disc of material that forms around a central object due to gravitational attraction.