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- A Blazar is bombarding Earth with radiation
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In this newsletter
A Blazar is bombarding Earth with radiation
A supermassive black hole located 13 billion light-years away from Earth is sending some spectacular beams of radiation toward Earth. Scientists call it a ‘blazar’, a quasar that gives out gamma rays.
Named J0410-0139, the blazar has a mass of about 700 million Suns. But that’s not the only mind-blowing fact about the blazar. The energy beams directed at Earth right now began their journey about 100 million years after the Big Bang, making the blazar one of the oldest observed black holes.
J0410-0139 thus offers us a rare glimpse into events of the early universe and helps scientists understand how supermassive black holes can grow so fast so early in the universe.
The research findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
A new blood group identified after 50 years
Blood groups A, B, AB, and O, along with the Rh factor categories, are known to everyone. But there are also rare blood groups that are seen in certain, such as MAL, which was recently classified as a new blood group.
Researchers have previously identified the antigen AnWj but its genetic basis was unclear. Now the antigen has been associated with a protein called Mal. People who don’t have this protein are referred to as AnWj negative. People who are AnWj negative are extremely rare and need special attention and care.
Blood transfusions between AnWj-negative and AnWj-positive individuals can cause bad transfusion reactions. Awareness and knowledge of MAL blood group can help medical teams take extra steps if these patients need blood.
The research findings were published in Ash Publications.
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The world’s brightest X-ray source created
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have produced the brightest X-ray source by using a laser beam. It is twice as bright as the current X-ray sources available and was made using the laser at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and ultra-light metal foams.
Conventionally, electron beams are made to crash into the heavy metal plate which then creates X-rays. On this occasion though, the researcher replaced it with a high-power laser beam and targeted it at silver atoms to create a plasma.
The team manufactured 4mm wide cylindrical targets using a mold and silver nanowires. By freezing the nanowire in the mold, the researchers created a metal foam in which the laser can heat up a larger volume of the material. In this medium, heat propagates much faster than in a solid.
Using different foam densities, the researchers were able to experiment with various outputs and generated ultra-bright X-rays that can image and observe extremely dense structures, including inertial confinement plasma used in nuclear fusion reactions.
The study was published in the journal Physics Review E.
Is depression in your genes?
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh and King’s College London led a study involving 5 million people from 29 countries to identify 300 previously unknown genetic risk factors for depression.
The study has found 700 new genetic variations are linked to depression, almost half of which have not been linked to this condition before.These variations are linked to neurons in brain regions largely associated with areas that control emotion.
100 of these variations were identified in people of African, east Asian, Hispanic and South Asian descent since the study involved a more diverse sample of patients. Previously, research in this area has focused on white and rich populations.
Overall, the study associated 308 genes with a higher risk of depression. The team also assessed the impact of 1,600 medications on these genes. In addition to antidepressants, even pregabilin and modafinil, used to treat chronic pain and narcolepsy could be potentially used to treat depression.
The research findings were published in the journal Cell.
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Until next time,
Adya
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