Category: Science

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have observed a new stellar phenomenon: a group of baby stars emitting high-speed gas jets in the same direction.

This discovery provides the first direct image of protostellar outflows—huge jets of gas from newborn stars that interact with surrounding molecular gas clouds. However, it also introduces a puzzle: Why are these jets aligned, despite coming from widely separated stars? The observations, detailed in a study in the Astrophysical Journal, could offer new insights into star formation and evolution.

“Astronomers have long assumed that as clouds collapse to form stars, the stars will tend to spin in the same direction,” principal investigator Klaus Pontoppidan of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said. “However, this has not been seen so directly before. These aligned structures are a historical record of how stars are born.”

The newly imaged stars are in the Serpens Main nebula, a star-forming gas cloud in the Serpens constellation, about 1,300 light-years from Earth. Using JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), astronomers noted the ionized gas trails in the star-forming cloud.

They identified at least 20 newborn stars actively emitting protostellar outflows. A group of 12 stars (seen in the upper left of the JWST image) drew attention because their jets were oriented almost identically, “like sleet pouring down during a storm,” according to NASA. These outflows began between 200 and 1,400 years ago.

Such alignment is unlikely to be random. Researchers suggest these stars formed around the same time along a dense gas filament, with a powerful magnetic field influencing the jet directions. Over time, interactions with other objects could alter the spin axes of individual stars, explaining why such alignments are rarely seen.

Further study of these coordinated outflows could provide new details about star formation. Researchers plan to use JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to study the chemical composition of the Serpens Main nebula, which could reveal how elements transfer from stars to young planets.

New research suggests that walking more could significantly alleviate back pain for millions of sufferers. Adults with a history of lower back pain experienced longer periods without recurrence when they engaged in regular walking, according to a groundbreaking study.

Approximately 800 million people worldwide endure low back pain, often recurring and a major cause of disability. The study by Macquarie University’s Spinal Pain Research Group in Sydney investigated whether walking could serve as a practical and effective intervention.

Researchers tracked 701 adults who had recently recovered from low back pain, dividing them into groups: one received an individualized walking program and physiotherapist-guided education sessions over six months, while the other served as a control.

Over one to three years, participants in the walking program experienced significantly longer periods before recurrence of pain compared to the control group (208 days versus 112 days median). Mark Hancock, senior author of the study published in The Lancet, emphasized the potential global impact of these findings on back pain management.

“Walking is a low-cost, widely accessible exercise that almost anyone can do, regardless of location, age, or socioeconomic status,” Hancock noted. He suggested that walking’s benefits likely stem from its gentle movements, which may strengthen spinal structures, provide relaxation, and release endorphins.

Dr. Natasha Pocovi, lead author, highlighted that the program not only extended pain-free periods but also proved cost-effective, reducing healthcare visits and work absences.

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Scientists are investigating a bright white rock on Mars, unlike any seen before.

NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered the 14-inch-high boulder in a dark rock field at Mount Washburn, inside Jezero crater. Named Atoko Point by researchers, the 18-inch-wide boulder has a speckled, light-colored surface. Analysis by Perseverance’s SuperCam and Mastcam-Z reveals that the rock contains pyroxene and feldspar minerals. “Atoko Point’s size, shape, and mineral composition make it unique,” NASA stated.

“The variety of textures and compositions at Mount Washburn is significant, as these rocks likely originated from the crater rim and beyond,” said Brad Garczynski of Western Washington University. “Among these rocks, Atoko Point stood out.” Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021 to explore the ancient crater, found the boulder while traversing a dried river delta. The rover altered its route to avoid rough terrain, passing through a dune field to reach the boulder-strewn hill.

Some scientists believe Atoko Point’s minerals formed in a subsurface magma body now exposed at the crater rim. Others suggest the boulder originated beyond Jezero crater and was transported by ancient Martian water flows. “While Atoko is unique, the team expects to find more like it,” NASA added.