When we look at a map of the galaxies, we can find that they are not randomly distributed across the universe. Instead, they form in large clusters, which are part of even larger superclusters, of which they are around 10 million. Nevertheless, due to careful analysis of mass distribution in galaxies, astrophysicists have determined thatContinue reading “Galaxy Filaments”
Author Archives: Mateusz Ratman
Hidden Figures – The Story of Katherine Johnson
When we think of the Apollo program, most of us imagine the story of brave white male military test pilots, engineers and politicians. Nevertheless, the real heroes of the first Moon landing remain under-appreciated to this day. These women challenged the patriarchal structure of NASA. They faced racial discrimination and sexism on their way toContinue reading “Hidden Figures – The Story of Katherine Johnson”
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!
I love the works of Richard Feynman, and I especially love biographies of famous scientist. But this one is surely the best one I have read so far. It shows the human, funny and artistic side to one of the most prominent physicists of all time. There are so many things to love about thisContinue reading “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”
Gravitational Lensing
The world of general relativity is a full of valleys, undulations and holes. Light, as any type of matter, gets affected by the curvature of spacetime and bends around objects with a large gravitational field. We see this effect when we look at the sky, some distant galaxies become distorted and unrecognisable. This also actsContinue reading “Gravitational Lensing”
Caroline Herschel
She was the first woman to discover a comet, receive a salary as a full-time scientist, hold a government office in England, publish in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, receive a Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, and be named a honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society. A trailblazer and a brilliantContinue reading “Caroline Herschel”
The Magnetic Field of the Earth
If you have ever seen the northern lights (aurora borealis), you have probably wondered where they originate from. It turns out, they are a stunning visual demonstration of the Earth’s magnetic field interacting with cosmic rays. The magnetic field is estimated to a have originated around 3.5 billion years ago based on analysis of AustralianContinue reading “The Magnetic Field of the Earth”
Very Large Telescope
The Very Large Telescope is a beautiful facility in northern Chile. The ESO ran facility started operation in 1999. It consists of four optical telescopes that operate at infrared and visible wavelengths. The facility is extremely productive, with only the Hubble telescope producing more research papers during its operation. I just think it’s a dreamContinue reading “Very Large Telescope”
Detecting Gravitational Waves
The detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO and Virgo groups announced in 2016 was one of the biggest experimental breakthroughs in recent physics. Not only was it direct evidence for a prediction made all the way back in 1916 by Einstein, but also was the first observation of a binary black hole merger. ButContinue reading “Detecting Gravitational Waves”
The Sun
Our Sun is the source of all useful energy on Earth. It is absolutely necessary for life. It’s a gigantic nuclear fusion reactor that uses hydrogen as fuel. It is the center of the Solar System, around which all the other planets rotate. But, how does it really work? Structure Most scientists divide the SunContinue reading “The Sun”
Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Dark matter and energy are fascinating concepts that capture the imagination of every astrophysicist. They have not yet been observed directly, but they impact a lot of the processes we take for granted. Without them, galaxies would fly apart and possibly would not have formed. They account for 95% of the total mass-energy composition ofContinue reading “Dark Matter and Dark Energy”