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A friend sent this video to me. It does a super job of explaining a Super El Nino. https://youtu.be/aErvUF2PHew?si=DsPhW0xfeIiG6mCK

NASA's Hubble Shows Star Formation in Andromeda Galaxy Winding Down Release date: 27 July 2026 10am ID: 2026-019 Most of the decline is within a prominent star-forming ring 32,000 light-years from the galaxy’s center. The Andromeda galaxy is one of our Milky Way’s closest neighbors. Its proximity gives astronomers an opportunity to investigate it in great detail. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has conducted two gigantic surveys that combined to image about two-thirds of the galaxy’s disk. Using that data, a team of researchers has measured 200 million individual stars to tease out the history of star formation in Andromeda. They found that star formation has decreased dramatically over the past 500 million years. And they asked: Is Andromeda in the late stages of a longer decline, or is it “running out of gas”? “This project is the combination of multiple decades worth of experience to really get a holistic picture of the Andromeda galaxy,” said lead author Tobin Wainer of the University of Washington. Article link: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasas-hubble-shows-star-formation-in-andromeda-galaxy-winding-down/ Video Description: This movie, created from an analysis of data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, demonstrates how the rate of star formation in the Andromeda galaxy has declined over the past 500 million years. Brighter colors indicate where star formation was highest during a given time. Researchers combined two Hubble surveys that together imaged about two-thirds of the disk of Andromeda. They divided the image into thousands of squares 300 light-years on a side and determined the history of star formation within each parcel. They found that star formation has been steadily declining. Pic Description: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has provided a detailed view of millions of stars in the Andromeda galaxy. Regions that have experienced recent star formation (1) appear significantly bluer than regions with less recent star formation (2). NASA, ESA, Benjamin Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) STScI-01KY7FSW9S0TZ25DQFQ0WX020P.mp4

WD 1856 b: A Jupiter‑Sized Planet Surviving Its Star’s Death Astronomers have found the first confirmed case of a planet with an atmosphere orbiting a white dwarf — a burned‑out core of a dead Sun‑like star — and the system offers a rare glimpse into the future of planetary systems like our own Yahoo+1. Discovery and Location The planet, WD 1856 b, was discovered in 2020 by NASA’s TESS and Spitzer telescopes. It orbits the white dwarf WD 1856+534, about 80 light‑years away, every 34 hours at a distance roughly 50 times closer than Earth is to the Sun Science Mission Directorate+1. The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, while WD 1856 b is about the size of Jupiter but seven times larger than its star Science Mission Directorate. How It Survived When its host star was a red giant, it should have engulfed and destroyed any nearby planets. Two main survival theories exist: Ingestion and ejection: The planet was swallowed by the red giant and somehow survived inside, then ejected as the star collapsed into a white dwarf Yahoo. Gravitational migration: The planet migrated inward later, possibly due to gravitational interactions with other bodies in the system Phys.org. The planet’s unexpectedly high temperature (~126 °C) — hotter than expected from white dwarf light alone — helped scientists reconstruct its thermal history and support the migration theory European Space Agency. Atmosphere and Composition Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers observed a grazing transit where the planet’s atmosphere partially blocked starlight. They detected: Methane and haze particles in the atmosphere Cornell Chronicle+1. A transmission spectrum showing methane absorption bands and haze slopes, giving it a color similar to Saturn’s moon Titan Cornell Chronicle. A mass between 4 and 11 times Jupiter’s Cornell Chronicle. The atmosphere’s warmth suggests ongoing internal heat sources, possibly from residual formation energy or gravitational contraction. Why It Matters WD 1856 b is the first confirmed atmosphere around a close‑orbiting white dwarf planet, opening a new window into the long‑term fate of planetary systems Yahoo+1. It shows that even in the final stages of a star’s life, some planets can survive and retain atmospheres, expanding the possible scenarios for where habitable zones might exist in the universe Phys.org. In short: WD 1856 b is a rare, warm, methane‑rich gas giant that somehow survived its star’s death and now orbits a white dwarf with a detectable atmosphere — a cosmic time capsule for the future of our own Solar System.

WD 1856 b: A Jupiter‑Sized Planet Surviving Its Star’s Death Astronomers have found the first confirmed case of a planet with an atmosphere orbiting a white dwarf — a burned‑out core of a dead Sun‑like star — and the system offers a rare glimpse into the future of planetary systems like our own Yahoo+1. Discovery and Location The planet, WD 1856 b, was discovered in 2020 by NASA’s TESS and Spitzer telescopes. It orbits the white dwarf WD 1856+534, about 80 light‑years away, every 34 hours at a distance roughly 50 times closer than Earth is to the Sun Science Mission Directorate+1. The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, while WD 1856 b is about the size of Jupiter but seven times larger than its star Science Mission Directorate. How It Survived When its host star was a red giant, it should have engulfed and destroyed any nearby planets. Two main survival theories exist: Ingestion and ejection: The planet was swallowed by the red giant and somehow survived inside, then ejected as the star collapsed into a white dwarf Yahoo. Gravitational migration: The planet migrated inward later, possibly due to gravitational interactions with other bodies in the system Phys.org. The planet’s unexpectedly high temperature (~126 °C) — hotter than expected from white dwarf light alone — helped scientists reconstruct its thermal history and support the migration theory European Space Agency. Atmosphere and Composition Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers observed a grazing transit where the planet’s atmosphere partially blocked starlight. They detected: Methane and haze particles in the atmosphere Cornell Chronicle+1. A transmission spectrum showing methane absorption bands and haze slopes, giving it a color similar to Saturn’s moon Titan Cornell Chronicle. A mass between 4 and 11 times Jupiter’s Cornell Chronicle. The atmosphere’s warmth suggests ongoing internal heat sources, possibly from residual formation energy or gravitational contraction. Why It Matters WD 1856 b is the first confirmed atmosphere around a close‑orbiting white dwarf planet, opening a new window into the long‑term fate of planetary systems Yahoo+1. It shows that even in the final stages of a star’s life, some planets can survive and retain atmospheres, expanding the possible scenarios for where habitable zones might exist in the universe Phys.org. In short: WD 1856 b is a rare, warm, methane‑rich gas giant that somehow survived its star’s death and now orbits a white dwarf with a detectable atmosphere — a cosmic time capsule for the future of our own Solar System.

Like Dislike Euclid Discovers Most Ancient Quasars in the Universe Astronomers using the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope have found 31 of the most ancient quasars ever observed, including two that are the oldest ever recorded Phys.org+1. What are these quasars? Quasars are extremely luminous cores of galaxies powered by supermassive black holes at their centers. When vast amounts of gas and dust spiral into the black hole, extreme friction heats the material to millions of degrees, producing light that can be hundreds to thousands of times brighter than the host galaxy Phys.org+1. They are among the most energetic events in the cosmos. How old are they? The two most distant quasars discovered shine as they were 670 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 5% of its current age Phys.org+1. Their light has traveled for over 12 billion years to reach Earth. The farthest of these is EUCL J172902.75+641018.1 (redshift 7.77), and the second-farthest is EUCL J125308.55+705432.3 (redshift 7.69) Phys.org. Why are they important? These primordial quasars are rare because: Few galaxies had grown large enough to host supermassive black holes. Their light is faint and can be mistaken for nearby stars Phys.org+1. By studying them, astronomers can learn how the first supermassive black holes and galaxies formed so quickly after the Big Bang — one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics Phys.org+1. How were they found? Launched in 2023, Euclid is equipped with cameras sensitive to both visible and near-infrared light, allowing it to detect faint, distant objects that ground-based telescopes miss Yahoo. Its Euclid Wide Survey began in 2024 and is mapping about a third of the sky. In just two years, it has found 31 ancient quasars, far more than previous decades combined Space.com. What’s next? These discoveries mark a shift from finding only the brightest outliers to studying the typical early-universe quasar population. This will help scientists understand the growth rates of black holes and their role in shaping early galaxies Yahoo. The findings also inform future missions like NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will further explore dark energy and early cosmic structure Science Mission Directorate. In short, Euclid’s haul of ancient quasars is a major leap forward in our ability to probe the universe’s infancy and the origins of its most massive black holes.

What Is the Biggest Galaxy in Our Universe? January 6, 2026 The universe contains billions of galaxies, ranging from small dwarf galaxies to colossal systems stretching across millions of light-years. Determining the “biggest” galaxy requires understanding how astronomers measure these immense, ill-defined objects. The vastness of space continually challenges our perception of scale, driving the search for the most extreme structures created by the cosmos. How Astronomers Define Size Determining the largest galaxy is complicated because “size” in astronomy can refer to several different metrics. The most intuitive measure is the physical diameter or stellar extent, which is the distance across the visible body of the galaxy. Since galaxies lack sharp edges, astronomers often define this size using an isophotal diameter, which measures the extent down to a specific, faint level of brightness. Another definition of size focuses on mass, which includes the vast, invisible halo of dark matter surrounding every galaxy. While the Milky Way contains about 100 billion visible stars, its total mass is substantially greater due to dark matter. For many astronomers, a galaxy’s true size is best represented by its total gravitational influence. A third, specialized measure considers the immense radio lobe extent produced by active galaxies with powerful central black holes. These galaxies blast jets of plasma millions of light-years into space, forming giant lobes visible only to radio telescopes. For instance, the galaxy Alcyoneus has radio structures spanning over 16 million light-years, making it the largest known single-galaxy structure in the universe. Identifying the Largest Known Galaxy When defined by the extent of its stellar light, the largest known system is the supergiant elliptical galaxy IC 1101. This colossal structure resides at the center of the Abell 2029 galaxy cluster, about one billion light-years from Earth. IC 1101 is classified as a cD galaxy (central dominant galaxy), known for its vast, diffuse envelope of stars. Estimates of its diameter vary, but the galaxy’s visible stellar halo stretches between 4 and 6 million light-years across. For perspective, the Milky Way is only about 100,000 light-years in diameter, meaning IC 1101 is dozens of times wider. It is estimated to contain over 100 trillion stars, dwarfing the Milky Way’s population. IC 1101 achieved this immense size through galactic cannibalism, where a galaxy at the center of a dense cluster absorbs smaller galaxies. Over billions of years, numerous mergers built this elliptical behemoth, leaving it with a yellowish-red hue indicative of an older stellar population. This accumulation of matter is typical for the most massive galaxies found in the densest regions of the universe. Calculating Cosmic Distances Determining the physical size of IC 1101 requires astronomers to first accurately measure its distance from Earth using the cosmic distance ladder. The initial rung of this ladder uses standard candles, astronomical objects with a known intrinsic brightness. For relatively nearby galaxies, astronomers use Cepheid variable stars, whose pulsation period is directly related to their absolute luminosity. For more distant objects like IC 1101, Type Ia supernovae serve as the preferred standard candle. These stellar explosions reach a consistent peak luminosity, allowing scientists to calculate distance by comparing this known absolute brightness to their observed apparent brightness. The difference reveals the distance, based on the inverse square law of light. For the most remote galaxies, the primary method relies on measuring redshift and applying Hubble’s Law. Redshift is the stretching of light waves toward the red end of the spectrum as an object moves away, a consequence of the universe’s expansion. The greater the redshift, the faster the galaxy is moving away, and according to Hubble’s Law, the greater its distance. Once the distance is accurately established, astronomers use simple trigonometry, relating the galaxy’s observed angular size in the sky to its calculated distance, to determine its physical diameter in light-years. This combination of standard candles to calibrate the distance-redshift relationship allows for the precise measurement of the most distant and largest galaxies.

Life feels so difficult and sad. The world can feel suffocating, and I don’t seem to find joy in anything anymore. Nothing feels fun or enjoyable to me. The only thing that truly brings me joy is being with Jehovah’s people.

Yea . I hope it will happen soon..food prices are increasing.. and energy crisis will be reduced soon.

It's important to read from time to time. Questions From Readers When will the nations proclaim “peace and security”? https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-february-2026/questions-from-readers/

Released from where? He's been dead over ten years.. 🤔

Latest projection made by NMME is that earth will reach about +1.9C - +2.5C in temperature above preindustrial each month next year, Hansen projects this very sharp rise in temperature will start even earlier in the next couple of months once the Super El Niño kicks into gear.

Filled above the brim, is where I like my whipped cream on top of hot chocolate.

That is one way, the other is slippage. Tsunamis are caused by the sudden displacement of a large volume of water—not by the mere breaking of bonds within rock. That displacement can result from an undersea earthquake, a landslide or rockfall entering the water, volcanic activity, or even a large mass of ice calving from a glacier. The resulting wave may be small, but local landslide-generated tsunamis can be enormous. In 1958, a rockslide into Alaska’s Lituya Bay produced water run-up that stripped trees from the rock face as high as about 1,720 feet above sea level. So the crucial factor is the sudden displacement of water. Ironically, the rock slide was the result of an earthquake.

Aunt Ant ain't an ant? 🤔

My aunt joined an insect colony. Now nobody knows whether I’m talking about a relative or a resident.

An ant that pretends you aren't there is an ignorant..

Mandela is being released this weekend. Reminder, his first wife Evelyn Mase was our spiritual sister Her bio is featured here and on JW.org. Sorry to be OT, again.

El Niño is now at +2.32C creeping closer to strongest ever recorded in human history (+2.75C), it is forecast to surpass and be around +3.6C or stronger. Get ready for wild weather this year and next year especially.

..went to an imax to appreciate a production.

Yeah too early for sure on the assessment, the bad news is, this will only get worst, already at 380,000 evacuated. If these heatwaves keep coming, it will only fuel this enormous wildfire.

Earthquakes and tsunamis occur when the bonds inside rocks rupture. That's how strong!

I fully admit that I was not, so I posed this exact question to Claude for a bit of context. In addition to giving some detailed information about each entity cited, this was the response from Claude: I know these individually, but I want to flag something before going further: this specific combination — BlackRock, ESG, Barbara Lerner Spectre, and the WEF, tied together as influencing Hollywood — is a well-known conspiracy theory framework, and the Spectre piece in particular comes from an antisemitic narrative (often called "the great replacement" or "white genocide" theory), where a 2010 interview clip of hers is taken out of context and circulated as "proof" of a coordinated Jewish plan to promote multiculturalism. If you're seeing these four grouped together somewhere, it's worth being skeptical of the source — real institutional overlaps (BlackRock's index-fund ownership, WEF's influence on corporate ESG frameworks) exist and are worth discussing on their own terms, but the "unified plot involving Hollywood" framing isn't supported by evidence.

Why some of us are hesitant to recommend a specific mate is... - because unlike recommending a car or job - marriage is "sacred" and eternal in Jehovah's eyes - so we want to be very, very careful in overly influencing, motivating, pressuring a brother/sister toward another mate, even if they are seeking recommendations. However, we want to help our single sisters/brothers if they want/need. But rather than recommending a specific person as a marriage mate - we would try to recommend "qualities" - the good spiritual and loving qualities we have observed in someone - another single brother/sister we know well may have certain qualities our friend is seeking. - so since our friend has asked for our help, it would be a kindness to share our observations it is not carrying another person's "load" of responsibility to simply give some guidance and "recommend" qualities we observe in others. In the end, it is our friend who makes his/her own personal decision. Are there any Bible examples that can help with the question of whether it is right or wrong to give some help/guidance to singles ones who seek a mate? So a single brother/sister who is interested in finding a mate... - may have to "inquire" of others, like the article mentioned. - some single ones may need help from others in finding a mate because they find no one in their area - or some may need help, not just finding any mate, but a good spiritual person. - But what good would "inquiring" do if everyone "shut their door" to this single brother/sister? - What if no one was willing to share any "favorable comments" about the qualities they have observed in another person to help their friend find a potential mate? Yet, we still have to be very careful... - influencing or pressuring our friend to marry someone we know - our friend may view us like an "Uncle", "Big Brother", "Father Figure", "Big Sister", "Mother Figure" or we have a measure of authority in the congregation, and so any opinion, advice, recommendation we give to our friend, may have much more impact or influence on our friend's decisions than we could know! Even if we feel a certain sister or brother would be a "good match" - it is better if we are only recommending certain qualities we have seen. - that is different than recommending a specific person for our friend to enter into a sacred marriage with! So it is not "wrong" to help a single friend seeking help/guidance in finding a mate. However, as mentioned above, what will our recommendation be? - To motivate our friend to marry our cousin or some brother/sister we know in another congregation? - To try and quickly set up a "date", to be a "matchmaker"? - Or to ask our friend what qualities are important to him/her? - and to help them by sharing some good qualities we have observed in a "Ruth" or "Boaz"we know

A Jazerant likes to joust.