An artist's impression of a supermassive black hole. EPA
An artist's impression of a supermassive black hole. EPA
An artist's impression of a supermassive black hole. EPA
An artist's impression of a supermassive black hole. EPA

Science

How the collision of two black holes may solve one of the universe's biggest mysteries

Invisible particles that clump together to create 'boson stars' with massive gravitational force could be the key to unlocking the mysteries of dark matter

Robert Matthews

March 07, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

A year after scientists witnessed the "mind-boggling" collision of two giant black holes, they now suspect the event actually involved two even more bizarre objects – and could answer one of the biggest mysteries about our universe.

What could be weirder than black holes?

Astronomers have long suspected that our universe contains vast quantities of a substance unlike anything observed on Earth.

Studies of galaxies hint at the presence of invisible “dark matter” lurking between the visible stars, revealing its presence through its gravitational pull.

Quite what this dark matter consists of is one of the biggest of all cosmic mysteries. Now an international team of scientists think they may have an answer.

After re-examining what was thought to be the collision of two huge black holes announced last September, the scientists think the event was actually the merger of two colossal clumps of invisible dark matter known as boson stars.

An illustration depicting two black holes of about 66 and 85 solar masses spiralling into each other to form the huge black hole. AP
An illustration depicting two black holes of about 66 and 85 solar masses spiralling into each other to form the huge black hole. AP

What on Earth are boson stars?

All the matter we are familiar with consists of electrons, protons and neutrons – particles collectively known as fermions. All other particles are bosons, and they are best-known for transmitting forces like gravity and electromagnetism.

But attempts to solve the dark matter mystery have led theorists to suggest another type of boson might exist. Known as an ultralight boson, it would have a mass far below even that of the electron. But if such particles gather together in sufficient numbers they would form vast, invisible star-sized clumps called “boson stars”.

Spread across the whole cosmos, these could invisibly exert enough gravitational pull to account for dark matter.

So why do scientists now think boson stars exist?

Last September’s announcement of a collision between two giant black holes made headlines because even astronomers were shocked by what they had witnessed. Ripples in the very fabric of space and time were picked up by observatories in the US and Europe, which appeared to come from the collision of two black holes halfway across the universe.

Dozens of such events have been detected before, but the sheer size of the black holes involved made this one different – and perplexing.

Read More

Abu Dhabi professor finds rare black hole in a galaxy 45 million light years away

Emirati astronomer collaborates with NYUAD on black holes research

Black holes are typically formed when huge stars run out of nuclear fuel and collapse under their own gravity. But calculations suggest that stars over 65 times the mass of the sun explode before they can form black holes. Last September’s event involved black holes 66 and 85 times the mass of the sun – both breaking this limit.

Now a team led by Dr Juan Calderón Bustillo of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, believe the mystery can be solved if the collision actually involved two boson stars.

In research published in the leading physics journal Physical Review Letters, the team compare the observations with predictions of what would happen if two such objects collided. They found boson stars gave a better fit than assuming black holes were involved.

What are the implications?

Literally cosmic. First, the boson star explanation means there is no need to worry about how two “impossibly” massive black holes came to exist.

Second, the team calculates that the collision of the two boson stars would still have created a huge black hole around 250 times the mass of the sun. This opens up the possibility that truly colossal black holes may be formed by colliding clumps of dark matter, rather than lots of smaller black holes.

But most important of all, the boson star explanation would mean scientists have had their first-ever glimpse of what dark matter really is. Calculations by the team suggest the two objects each contained around 100 billion billion billion tonnes of dark matter in the form of ultralight vector bosons, particles each around a billion billion times lighter than the electron.

What happens next?

When two huge boson stars collide, they affect the surrounding space differently from colliding black holes – giving clues to their true identity. Astronomers will now be looking out for these in future events. Laboratory experiments have been set up to detect dark matter particles on Earth – so far without success. Now scientists have a better idea of what they may be looking for, this will help tune their detectors and design new experiments.

The hope is that, almost a century after the mystery of dark matter reared its head, scientists may soon have a good answer when schoolchildren ask: “What is the universe made of?”

Robert Matthews is Visiting Professor of Science at Aston University, Birmingham, UK

13 of the most incredible pictures from space

Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope captured the tiny moon Phobos during its orbital trek around Mars. Because the moon is so small, it appears star-like in the Hubble pictures. The Hubble observations were intended to photograph Mars, and the moon's cameo appearance was a bonus. Phobos is one of the smallest moons in the solar system. It is so tiny that it would fit comfortably inside the Washington, DC. Courtesy: Nasa
Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope captured the tiny moon Phobos during its orbital trek around Mars. Because the moon is so small, it appears star-like in the Hubble pictures. The Hubble observations were intended to photograph Mars, and the moon's cameo appearance was a bonus. Phobos is one of the smallest moons in the solar system. It is so tiny that it would fit comfortably inside the Washington, DC. Courtesy: Nasa
This is the first image of Saturn's ultraviolet aurora taken by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in October 1998, when Saturn was a distance of 810 million miles (1.3 billion km) from Earth. Courtesy: Nasa
This is the first image of Saturn's ultraviolet aurora taken by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in October 1998, when Saturn was a distance of 810 million miles (1.3 billion km) from Earth. Courtesy: Nasa
Astronomers are using the Nasa / ESA Hubble Space Telescope to study auroras — stunning light shows in a planet’s atmosphere — on the poles of the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. Courtesy: Nasa
Astronomers are using the Nasa / ESA Hubble Space Telescope to study auroras — stunning light shows in a planet’s atmosphere — on the poles of the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. Courtesy: Nasa
This colourful bubble is a planetary nebula called NGC 6818, also known as the Little Gem Nebula. It is located in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer), roughly 6000 light-years away from us. Courtesy: Nasa
This colourful bubble is a planetary nebula called NGC 6818, also known as the Little Gem Nebula. It is located in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer), roughly 6000 light-years away from us. Courtesy: Nasa
This majestic false-colour image from Nasa's Spitzer Space Telescope shows 'mountains' where stars are born. These towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm embryonic stars. Courtesy: Nasa
This majestic false-colour image from Nasa's Spitzer Space Telescope shows 'mountains' where stars are born. These towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm embryonic stars. Courtesy: Nasa
This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope photograph captures the chaotic activity atop a three-light-year-tall pillar of gas and dust that is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars. The pillar is also being assaulted from within, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from towering peaks. This turbulent cosmic pinnacle lies within a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina. Courtesy: Nasa
This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope photograph captures the chaotic activity atop a three-light-year-tall pillar of gas and dust that is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars. The pillar is also being assaulted from within, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from towering peaks. This turbulent cosmic pinnacle lies within a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina. Courtesy: Nasa
These eerie, dark, pillar-like structures are actually columns of cool interstellar hydrogen gas and dust that are also incubators for new stars. The pillars protrude from the interior wall of a dark molecular cloud like stalagmites from the floor of a cavern. They are part of the Eagle Nebula (also called M16), a nearby star-forming region 7,000 light-years away, in the constellation Serpens. Courtesy: Nasa
These eerie, dark, pillar-like structures are actually columns of cool interstellar hydrogen gas and dust that are also incubators for new stars. The pillars protrude from the interior wall of a dark molecular cloud like stalagmites from the floor of a cavern. They are part of the Eagle Nebula (also called M16), a nearby star-forming region 7,000 light-years away, in the constellation Serpens. Courtesy: Nasa
In this image provided by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Omega Nebula (M17) resembles the fury of a raging sea, showing a bubbly ocean of glowing hydrogen gas and small amounts of other elements such as oxygen and sulphur. The nebula, also known as the Swan Nebula, is a hotbed of newly born stars residing 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Courtesy: Nasa
In this image provided by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Omega Nebula (M17) resembles the fury of a raging sea, showing a bubbly ocean of glowing hydrogen gas and small amounts of other elements such as oxygen and sulphur. The nebula, also known as the Swan Nebula, is a hotbed of newly born stars residing 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Courtesy: Nasa
Nasa / ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the heart of the Lagoon Nebula. Courtesy: Nasa
Nasa / ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the heart of the Lagoon Nebula. Courtesy: Nasa
The Cat's Eye Nebula, one of the first planetary nebulae discovered, also has one of the most complex forms known to this kind of nebula. Eleven rings, or shells, of gas make up the Cat's Eye. Courtesy: Nasa
The Cat's Eye Nebula, one of the first planetary nebulae discovered, also has one of the most complex forms known to this kind of nebula. Eleven rings, or shells, of gas make up the Cat's Eye. Courtesy: Nasa
The Cone Nebula resides 2,500 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros. Radiation from hot, young stars (located beyond the top of the image) has slowly eroded the nebula over millions of years. Courtesy: Nasa
The Cone Nebula resides 2,500 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros. Radiation from hot, young stars (located beyond the top of the image) has slowly eroded the nebula over millions of years. Courtesy: Nasa
This planetary nebula's simple, graceful appearance is thought to be due to perspective: our view from Earth looking straight into what is actually a barrel-shaped cloud of gas shrugged off by a dying central star. Hot blue gas near the energising central star gives way to progressively cooler green and yellow gas at greater distances with the coolest red gas along the outer boundary. Courtesy: Nasa
This planetary nebula's simple, graceful appearance is thought to be due to perspective: our view from Earth looking straight into what is actually a barrel-shaped cloud of gas shrugged off by a dying central star. Hot blue gas near the energising central star gives way to progressively cooler green and yellow gas at greater distances with the coolest red gas along the outer boundary. Courtesy: Nasa
This image shows the galaxy Messier 94, which lies in the small northern constellation of the Hunting Dogs, about 16 million light-years away. Within the bright ring around Messier 94 new stars are forming at a high rate and many young, bright stars are present within it – thanks to this, this feature is called a starburst ring. The cause of this peculiarly shaped star-forming region is likely a pressure wave going outwards from the galactic centre, compressing the gas and dust in the outer region. Courtesy: Nasa
This image shows the galaxy Messier 94, which lies in the small northern constellation of the Hunting Dogs, about 16 million light-years away. Within the bright ring around Messier 94 new stars are forming at a high rate and many young, bright stars are present within it – thanks to this, this feature is called a starburst ring. The cause of this peculiarly shaped star-forming region is likely a pressure wave going outwards from the galactic centre, compressing the gas and dust in the outer region. Courtesy: Nasa
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)

Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg

Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD

Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

Empty Words

By Mario Levrero  

(Coffee House Press)
 

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

What is type-1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.

It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.

Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.

Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

While you're here
Barings Bank

 Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal. 

Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson. 

Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.  

Recommended

Fixtures:

Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm

Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm

Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm

Results

6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)

7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson

9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi

How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

On Women's Day
ENGLAND SQUAD

Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad

Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Pakistan Super League

Previous winners

2016 Islamabad United

2017 Peshawar Zalmi

2018 Islamabad United

2019 Quetta Gladiators

 

Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286

Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Three trading apps to try

Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:

  • For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
  • If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
  • Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
OIL PLEDGE

At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.

Look north

BBC business reporters, like a new raft of government officials, are being removed from the national and international hub of London and surely the quality of their work must suffer.

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