IIT Guwahati, ISRO Study Finds X-Ray Polarisation In Black Hole

by Manisha Das

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

In a first, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have detected polarised emissions from a black hole source that exists beyond our Milky Way Galaxy.

Guwahati, Nov 16: In a first, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have detected polarised emissions from a black hole source that exists beyond our Milky Way Galaxy.

The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, open a new window to investigate and understand the nature of astrophysical black hole sources.

Large Magellanic Cloud X-3 (LMC X3) is a binary star system consisting of a black hole and a ‘normal’ star that is much hotter, bigger, and more massive than the Sun. It is located in a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way, nearly 200,000 light-years away from Earth.

Since its discovery in 1971, it has been observed by various satellites. However, there has been a gap in understanding the polarisation properties of X-rays emitted by highly energetic objects like stellar mass black holes in the universe.

The team detected the emissions through a technique called X-ray polarimetry.

“X-ray polarimetry is a unique observational technique to identify where radiation comes from near black holes. LMC X-3 emits X-rays that are 10,000 times more powerful than those from the Sun," said Prof Santabrata Das, Department of Physics, IIT Guwahati, in a statement.

"When these X-rays interact with the material around black holes, specifically when they scatter, it changes the polarisation characteristics, i.e., degree and angle. This helps in understanding how matter is drawn toward black holes in the presence of intense gravitational forces," he added.

The researchers studied LMC X-3 using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), the first mission of NASA to study the polarisation of X-rays from celestial objects. They also made use of the simultaneous broad-band coverage of Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) Mission and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) Mission to constrain the spin of LMC X-3.

“Intense gravitational fields can cause the emitted light from black holes to become polarised. Our observations indicate that LMC X-3 likely harbours a black hole with low rotation rate, surrounded by a slim disc structure that gives rise to the polarised emissions,” said Dr. Anuj Nandi, Scientist, from U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) at ISRO, Bengaluru.

(IANS)

Record Low Birth Rates Leading To Population Collapse In Europe, Most Of Asia: Musk

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

New Delhi, Apr 28: Elon Musk on Sunday warned that record low birth rates are leading to population collapse and such countries will fall into ruin like several dead civilisations.

Replying to far-right Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek who promotes the idea of the 'Great Replacement' theory, the tech billionaire said that the problem with the theory is that it fails to address the foundational issue of low birth rates.

"Record low birth rates are leading to population collapse in Europe and even faster population collapse in most of Asia. Immigration is low in Asia, so there is no 'replacement' going on, the countries are simply shrinking away," the Tesla CEO emphasised.

If this does not turn around, then any countries on Earth with low birth rates will become "empty of people and fall into ruin, like the remains we see of the many long dead civilisations," the X owner argued.

Vlaardingerbroek posted that 'Great Replacement' is not a theory but a reality.

"White Europeans are being replaced in their own countries at an ever-accelerating rate and it will mean the end of our civilisation if we don't turn things around," she said.

The 'Great Replacement' theory has been widely criticised for its "blatant absurdity".

Meanwhile, South Korea's fertility rate dropped to a fresh record low in 2023. Countries like Japan and China are also grappling with low-birth rates.

(IANS)

Sonu Sood’s WhatsApp gets restored: ‘9,483 unread messages in 61 hours’

by Manisha Das

Mumbai, April 28: Actor Sonu Sood, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film 'Fateh', finally regained access to his WhatsApp after hours of his messaging app being blocked.

Earlier, the actor took to his Instagram stories and appealed to the messaging platform after his WhatsApp account was blocked for nearly 60 hours.

The actor made distressed appeals as people in need reached out to him for help.

On Sunday, Sonu once again updated his 27.7 million followers about the status of his account.

The actor shared that he had over 9,000 unread messages within a span of 61 hours.

"Finally retrieved my WhatsApp. Just 9,483 unread messages in 61 hours. Thanks," he wrote.

Previously, the actor turned to X (formerly known as Twitter), and wrote: "My number does not work on @WhatsApp. I have been facing this problem many times. I feel it's time for you guys to upgrade your services (sic)."

Meanwhile, on the work front, the actor will soon be seen in 'Fateh'. The film also stars Jacqueliene Fernandez in the lead role and marks Sonu's directorial debut.

Produced by Shakti Sagar Productions and Zee Studios, the movie revolves around the complexities and challenges of cybercrime.

The film will also feature some action sequences supervised by Hollywood stunt expert Lee Whittaker.

‘Fateh’ is all set to hit screens this year.

"BJP will win 35-plus seats in Bengal, people fed up with anarchy under Mamata": Nadda

by Swati Sucharita

New Delhi, Apr 28: Talking up hopes of the lotus blooming in Mamata's Bengal, BJP national president JP Nadda said on Monday the BJP will register thumping wins in the more than 35 constituencies in the state as the people were fed with the 'anarchy' in the state under the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Coming down heavily on the TMC regime over the alleged abuse and excesses on women, as well as charges of land-grab in Sandeshkhali, Nadda said it was 'painful' to see women coming out on the streets and saying that they were being threatened by goons enjoying the patronage of the ruling party in the state.

In a personalised video address on Sunday, the BJP national chief said, "We have seen how on the watch of the Mamata Banerjee government, the state is being overrun by strongmen and goons, and how the likes of (Sheikh) Shahjahan were intimidating women and posing a threat to their safety in Sandeshkhali. The prevailing situation, in a nutshell, is sensitive and painful. Teams from central investigating agencies, which went to Sandeshkhali to protect the honour and dignity of women, were thwarted and attacked."

On the recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the house of a person allegedly linked to a TMC leader, who is believed to be a close aide of Shahjahan, the key Sandeshkhai accused who is currently behind bars in connection with the attack on an ED team earlier, Nadda asked if Mamata's 'strongmen' were threatening people at gunpoint for votes in the ongoing general elections.

"Is this how Mamata Banerjee is planning to win these elections? By threatening the public? Was this the idea and vision for Bengal that the likes of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindra Nath Tagore, and Swami Vivekananda had put forward?" Nadda questioned.

Asserting that Sandeshkali has emerged as a symbol of resistance against the 'cruelty' and 'ruthlessness' of the Mamata regime, Nadda said the people will give the ruling party in the state a befitting reply in the ongoing elections.

"During the searches in Sandeshkhali, the joint team of the CBI and NSG bomb squads recovered 3 foreign-made revolvers, 1 revolver used by the state police, several bullets, and cartridges. The NSG commandos were also at the scene to protect the people in Sandeshkhali (while the searches were underway). The arms recovery and the state of fear among the people tell us how the Mamata government is spreading anarchy in Bengal. The public will give you (Mamata) a befitting reply, as the BJP will win more than 35 seats in the state," Nadda added.

Amid polling in Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, the CBI, along with NSG bomb squads, carried out searches at two premises in Sandeshkhali and the North 24 Parganas district in connection with its probe into the attack on a team from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) earlier.

During the raids, the joint team recovered a large number of arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistol and revolvers.

The team recovered three foreign-made revolvers, one Indian-made revolver, one Colt revolver used by the state police, one foreign-made pistol, one countrymade pistol, 120 09 mm bullets, 50 .45 calibre cartridges, 120 09 mm calibre cartridges, 50 .380 cartridges and eight .32 cartridges, the agency stated.

Besides these, several other incriminating documents related to Sheikh Shahjahan were also recovered, according to the agency. Some items suspected to be countrymade explosives, which were also found during the searches, were disabled or disposed of, the agency informed.

However, the ruling Trinamool Congress lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state on Saturday over the raids in Sandeshkhali, terming it as a BJP ploy and claiming that the weapons were planted to give it the appearance of recovery and seizure.

The ruling party in the state alleged further that the CBI did not issue 'actionable notice' to the state government or the police administration before carrying out the raids.

Further, according to the complaint, in the absence of any representative of the state government, the "purported recovery of arms and ammunition" was a ploy by the BJP, which is in cahoots with the CBI and the NSG to "plant such weapons at the site".