エピソード

  • Dark Matter's Gamma-Ray Mystery Solved?

    Dark Matter's Gamma-Ray Mystery Solved?
    2025/12/05
    After almost a century, dark matter may finally have been seen. Using data from the Fermi telescope, Professor Totani detected a unique gamma-ray signal near the Galactic center that perfectly matches the predicted annihilation of WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles).

    This could be humanity's first direct glimpse of the universe's elusive material, hinting at a new particle beyond the standard model.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • Black Hole Survivors! Unmasking the Stable Orbits Near the Milky Way's Core

    Black Hole Survivors! Unmasking the Stable Orbits Near the Milky Way's Core
    2025/12/03
    New astronomical data from the VLT's ERIS instrument is rewriting the fate of celestial objects near the supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. Scientists tracked unusual entities, including the controversial G2 object and the D9 binary star system, expecting their destruction by the black hole’s immense gravity.

    The surprise? The objects are following surprisingly stable and resilient orbits. This evidence directly challenges prior theories of catastrophic destruction (or "spaghettification") in the galactic core. The results imply that the region near Sagittarius A* is far less destructive than previously thought, hinting at a more complex environment that might even facilitate star formation.

    Would you like me to suggest some related keywords for your episode's metadata?
    続きを読む 一部表示
    22 分
  • The Kuiper Belt's Secret: Uncovering the Mysterious Inner Kernel

    The Kuiper Belt's Secret: Uncovering the Mysterious Inner Kernel
    2025/12/01
    Beyond Neptune lies the enigmatic Kuiper Belt. In this episode, we explore a new 2025 finding that redefines this icy realm! Astronomers used the powerful DBSCAN algorithm to analyze the orbits of over a thousand Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs). While they confirmed the known 'kernel,' they also uncovered a mysterious, adjacent structure: the "inner kernel." Is this a truly separate population?

    We break down the science, the computational logic behind the discovery, and why future data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is the key to settling this cosmic mystery.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    31 分
  • Superstorm Shrinks Earth's Plasmasphere by 80%

    Superstorm Shrinks Earth's Plasmasphere by 80%
    2025/11/29
    Nagoya University researchers used the Arase satellite to capture unprecedented data from the May 2024 Gannon superstorm—the strongest geomagnetic event in over 20 years. The storm compressed Earth's plasmasphere to just one-fifth its normal size, disrupting navigation and communication systems worldwide.

    Scientists documented the extreme compression and surprisingly slow four-day recovery, driven by a "negative storm" that reduced ionospheric particle flow. Published in Earth, Planets and Space, these findings could revolutionize space weather forecasting and better protect our technology infrastructure. The storm's intensity even triggered rare low-latitude auroras visible in unusual regions around the globe.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    28 分
  • The i-process: The Missing Link in How Stars Create Heavy Elements

    The i-process: The Missing Link in How Stars Create Heavy Elements
    2025/11/27
    We thought we knew how the universe forged elements heavier than iron—until the data stopped adding up. In this episode, we sit down with experimental physicist Mathis Wiedeking from Berkeley Lab to discuss the i-process (intermediate neutron capture), a newly identified third mechanism of stellar nucleosynthesis.

    Discover why the traditional "slow" and "rapid" processes couldn't explain recent astronomical anomalies and how the i-process fills the gap. Wiedeking breaks down the complex nuclear physics experiments required to model these unstable reactions and explains why understanding the hearts of stars is crucial for advancing medical isotopes and nuclear technology here on Earth.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    35 分
  • Deep Learning Simulates 100 Billion Milky Way Stars

    Deep Learning Simulates 100 Billion Milky Way Stars
    2025/11/25
    AI successfully simulated the entire Milky Way, modeling 100 billion stars for 10,000 years. Using deep learning, researchers cut computation time that previously required decades.

    This method allows simultaneous modeling of all scales (supernovae to galactic dynamics), promising breakthroughs in astrophysics and climate modeling.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    28 分
  • Rewriting History: AI, Biosignatures, and the Hunt for Life on Mars

    Rewriting History: AI, Biosignatures, and the Hunt for Life on Mars
    2025/11/23
    New research led by the Carnegie Institution for Science uses AI to detect molecular fingerprints in rocks over 3.3 billion years old. By training computers to recognize degraded biomolecules, scientists have pushed back the emergence of photosynthesis by nearly a billion years.

    We discuss the methodology behind these "chemical whispers," the contribution of Michigan State University’s fossil samples, and why this innovation is a game-changer for identifying biosignatures on other celestial bodies.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    31 分
  • Solar System Moving Faster Than Expected? New Study Challenges Standard Cosmology

    Solar System Moving Faster Than Expected? New Study Challenges Standard Cosmology
    2025/11/21
    A new study from Bielefeld University suggests our solar system is racing through the universe at over three times the speed predicted by the standard cosmological model. Using LOFAR radio galaxy data, researchers found a strong directional “headwind” in the sky—evidence of significant anisotropy.

    With results reaching five-sigma confidence, the findings raise a major question: Is the universe less uniform than we thought? This episode breaks down what the discovery means and why it may force scientists to rethink key assumptions about cosmology.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    31 分