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The supernova explosion of a massive star can create the most compact and mysterious objects in the universe: very dense neutron stars and black holes. For the first time, astronomers were able to observe it directly in a neighboring galaxy.

There is therefore a direct connection between the explosive death of massive stars and the formation of the most compact objects in the universe, namely black holes and neutron stars. This was demonstrated for the first time through direct observation: two teams studied the aftermath of a supernova explosion in a neighboring galaxy and were able to find important information about the mysterious compact object it left behind. Her work has been published in Nature and The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

At the end of their lives, when they have burned all their fuel, massive stars collapse in on themselves under the action of their own gravity, creating a gravitational singularity; Then an extremely violent explosion occurs, a so-called supernova (see box). A very rare catastrophic phenomenon: the last one in our galaxy, the Milky Way, dates back four centuries ago.

And what remains after such an explosion? Astronomers believe that the star leaves behind only a compact remnant, its ultra-dense core: depending on the star's mass, it is a neutron star or a black hole. A neutron star is so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh about a trillion kilograms on our Earth! As for the black hole, with its infinite density, not even light can escape.

>> Also read: Humanity sees a black hole with its own eyes for the first time in history

>> The supernova SN 2022jli, discovered in May 2022, before and after its explosion:

The supernova SN 2022jli in the spiral arm of the neighboring galaxy NGC 157, 75 million light-years away, before (a) and after (b) its explosion. [Ping Chen & al. – Nature]

A two star system

It is not uncommon for massive stars to orbit a companion star in a so-called binary star system; The star behind the supernova SN 2022jli is no exception to the rule. What is notable here is that the companion star apparently survived the violent death of its partner and that the two objects, the compact remnant and the companion star, probably continued to orbit each other.

>> The ballet of a companion star and the dense object resulting from the supernova:

This artist's impression shows the process by which a massive star within a binary star system goes supernova. After the catastrophic explosion, the original star leaves behind a compact object: a neutron star or a black hole. The companion star survived the explosion, but its atmosphere expanded. The compact object and its companion star continue to orbit each other; The compact object regularly steals matter in the star's inflated atmosphere. This accumulation of matter was observed in the research teams' data in the form of regular fluctuations in brightness as well as periodic fluctuations in hydrogen. [L. Calçada – ESO]

Astronomers observed that after this supernova exploded, the companion star's atmosphere swelled and became enriched with the hydrogen gas left behind from the explosion. As the cosmic ballet between the two entities continued, scientists found that the compact object was continually extracting material from the supernova's atmosphere and forming a hot disk with that material around itself. This enrichment generates a lot of energy.

This causes periodic fluctuations in hydrogen as well as variation in luminosity: “This is the first time that repeated periodic oscillations over many cycles have been detected in the light curve of a supernova,” notes Thomas Moore, a doctoral student at Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the study he led, quoted in a press release from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Gamma ray bursts from the binary star system have also been observed.

This real-time observation of the phenomenon provides “a direct link” to this compact remnant, as Ping Chen, a researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and lead author of one of the studies, emphasizes.

Now that the presence of a black hole or neutron star has been confirmed, scientists still have much to discover about this enigmatic system, including the exact nature of the compact object or the end that might await this binary system. According to ESO, next-generation telescopes such as the Extremely Large Telescope, due to enter service by the end of the decade, will help enable astronomers to reveal unprecedented details about this unique telescope and many others.

>> A video and an English summary of the discovery:

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Stephanie Jaquet

NASA has reestablished contact with its small helicopter called Ingenuity on Mars, the space agency said Saturday, after an unexpected failure that sparked fears of the machine's demise.

• Also read: NASA loses contact with its helicopter on Mars

The helicopter, which looks like a large drone, became the first motorized device to fly on another planet in 2021.

He had arrived on Mars with the Perseverance rover, which serves as a relay for data transmission between the helicopter and Earth and whose task is to search for traces of ancient life on Mars.

Communication between the helicopter and the rover suddenly stopped on Thursday during Ingenuity's 72nd flight.

“Good news today,” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is responsible for the machine, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) late Saturday afternoon.

The agency said contact with the helicopter was eventually established by instructing Perseverance to “conduct long listening sessions to pick up Ingenuity's signal.”

The team in charge of the helicopter is “examining the new data to better understand the unexpected communications disruption during Flight 72,” she added.

NASA previously said Thursday's flight was intended to “check the helicopter's systems after the previous flight landed earlier than planned.”

Ingenuity reached an altitude of 12 meters, NASA said in this report published Friday evening, but “during the descent, communication between the helicopter and the rover ended earlier, before landing.”

At

NASA had temporarily lost contact with the helicopter in the past, including last year for an extended period of about two months.

Originally, the Ingenuity, which weighs just 1.8 kg, was only supposed to launch five times, but the mission exceeded all expectations.

In total, the helicopter covered around 17 kilometers and flew to a height of 24 meters.

Its longevity is remarkable, especially considering that it has to survive freezing nights on Mars and warms up thanks to solar panels that charge its batteries during the day.

Working with Perseverance, he acted as an aerial scout to help his wheeled companion search for possible signs of ancient microbial life.

The algorithm, called “Life2vec,” is based on medical, social and economic data from six million people and is able to predict a person’s death conditions 78.8% of the time.

Between 2008 and 2016, 100,000 profiles aged 35 to 65 were tested, half of whom died four years later. The goal? Predict what will happen in the future based on past events.

To develop this algorithm, scientists had access to a lot of data: history of doctor's appointments with diagnoses, income, employment, education, etc. Information updated daily from 2008 to 2020. According to the Technical University of Denmark, the results are not surprising: men with the lowest Income dies more often. Likewise, a person who leads a poor lifestyle and has lived in polluted places all his life is more likely to die in the next four years.

“Advancing science”

Despite these predictions, the algorithm cannot predict a person's exact age at death. “Our goal is not to alarm people by telling them their expected age of death,” one of the study’s authors, Sune Lehmann, told Franceinfo. “We just want to advance science.”

For comparison: In France, researchers have access to 4% of the population's data. In this sense, “the size and precision of the database used represent a major advance in demographic research,” emphasizes Florian Bonnet, researcher at the National Institute for Demographic Studies, to Franceinfo.

And while life expectancy in France is “calculated according to a specific variable: gender, socio-professional category, geographical origin,” Danish researchers integrate all of these variables and add temporality. “The algorithm created represents a break with the classic statistical analysis of demography,” explains the researcher.

Sometimes just hearing a few notes of a song is enough to transport us back in time, to a moment long forgotten. Our brain is actually able to reconstruct entire memories from small fragments. How does it work?

The human brain consists of billions Neurons who work collectively. Neurons are like the building blocks of thought and each can serve multiple purposes. For example, different memories are encoded by different patterns of activity within the same neurons. The process is similar to the way your smartphone screen can display different images with the same pixels, or how the same LEGO bricks can be used to build different objects.

Neuroresearch

How neurons achieve this has been a rapidly evolving area of ​​research in recent decades, and sophisticated models of neural networks are now widely used in digital computers.

Surprisingly, this type of computation is not unique to neurons: the same computation principles can also occur in other biological and even purely physical processes.

A new study

A new study led by researchers at Caltech, the University of Chicago and the University of Maynooth in Ireland has shown how neural network-like capabilities are inherent in the natural dynamics of molecules as they self-direct and assemble into structures. The phenomenon is similar to the way neurons work together to retrieve and reassemble memories, and can therefore be considered a form of “associative retrieval.”

The self-organization process

To understand what happens in this test tube full of molecules, imagine a large swimming pool with hundreds of LEGO pieces. LEGO pieces can be assembled in different ways, so you can build a car, a castle or a caterpillar from the same bricks.

The idea of ​​how self-assembly achieves associative remembering is this: if you give the pool mix a “seed” of a design – for example, a few pieces already assembled to create a wheel and a windshield – the rest could Assemble components yourself to produce the desired end product (in this case a car)? This is an example of a successful associative memory process.

The results of the study

In this study, the team designed 917 different molecules, or “molecule tiles,” that can combine to form three different two-dimensional shapes: the letters H, A, or M. The team added three trillion of these molecules in relatively equal amounts of each of the 917 variations in a test tube and observed that the pieces actually assembled themselves to form numerous small Hs, A's and M's. Although some of the letters were not so partially formed, there were no random hybrids of two or three letters. This was an important initial result of the study.

The future of research

The project builds on several decades of work in Winfree's laboratory. “The exciting thing about DNA nanotechnology is that it is truly the only molecular design technology today that makes it possible to explore sophisticated theories of molecular computation at the large-N limit—here are almost a thousand different types of molecules all working together,” explains Constantine Evans, lead author of the study.

synthetic

Research into the way neurons encode memories has led to a fascinating discovery: molecules can also self-assemble into structures, similar to a neural network. This study showed that molecules can self-assemble into specific structures, a process that can be viewed as a form of “associative recall.”

For better understanding

What is associative memory?

Associative retrieval is a process by which memories are retrieved. In the context of this study, it refers to how molecules can self-assemble to form specific structures, a process similar to the way neurons work together to retrieve and reassemble memories.

What is a Neural Network?

A neural network is a collection of interconnected neurons that work together to process information. In the human brain, neural networks are responsible for many functions, including the encoding of memories.

What is self-organization?

Self-organization is a process in which molecules combine to form complex structures without external intervention. In this study, researchers observed that molecules can self-assemble to form specific structures, a process similar to the way neurons work together to retrieve and reassemble memories.

What are the implications of this study?

This study could have significant implications for understanding how memories are encoded and retrieved. It could also pave the way for new advances in the field of nanotechnology.

What is the next step in this research?

The researchers plan to continue their work by exploring other types of biomolecular processes, such as multicomponent condensates and genetic regulatory networks.

References

Caption: Molecular tiles in a solution self-organize into three shapes – H, A or M – depending on the concentration of common tiles that form a “seed” or seed point of a particular shape. Photo credit: Olivier Wyart

“Pattern recognition in the nucleation kinetics of nonequilibrium self-assembly.” In addition to Evans, Murugan and Winfree, Jackson O'Brien from the University of Chicago is co-author. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, the Evans Foundation for Molecular Medicine, the European Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland and the Carver Mead New Adventures Fund.

[ Rédaction ]

In the municipality of Gore, 30 minutes from Saint-Sauveur, we dare to help you find a warm favorite property.

In perfect harmony with its surroundings, this pan-abod wooden house lies in the prestigious Domaine Lakefield in the heart of the Laurentians.

With its alpine chalet atmosphere it is extremely warm. And you will find the same atmosphere inside. Offered for sale in 1985 by Lyndsay Wood of Remax Bonjour, the property has undergone numerous improvements over time and has been renovated with high quality materials. Now a perfect turnkey property awaits you!

Main residence or chalet? One thing is for sure: once you're here, you won't want to leave!

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

Inside we find the incomparable atmosphere of old wooden chalets with their wall-to-wall woodwork, exposed beams and numerous windows that seem to open onto the surrounding nature.

And in this entrance hall, like almost everywhere on the ground floor, the ceramic floor is heated. A much appreciated cold weather bonus!

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

Undoubtedly one of the central rooms on the ground floor, the living room with its wood-burning fireplace promises moments of pleasant relaxation. Its generous dimensions and cozy atmosphere make it the perfect space for entertaining guests.

Among other things, it has access to the long terrace overlooking the courtyard.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The dining room with access to the terrace also has the same warm style and friendly atmosphere. In summer, you only have to take two steps to go outside and continue the discussions started at the table while enjoying the natural splendor.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

A little further back we find a completely renovated kitchen. The wall mounted cabinets feature a sparkling backsplash and lighting to make it easier for you to complete your daily tasks.

Quartz countertops add a bright pop of color to the decor.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

A cocoon of intimate softness: This is what awaits you when you open the door to the master bedroom! You will immediately feel calm and ready to be transported into the world of dreams.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The tastefully updated first bathroom elegantly combines knotty woodwork and pristine ceramic tiling. In addition to a glass-enclosed shower, the room has a vanity and a matching large closet.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The second bedroom offers more space for all your needs: sleeping area, office, relaxation room or other.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The garden level is fully furnished and just as inviting as the ground floor. On this level is the third bedroom: a space of considerable size that you can use in a thousand and one ways.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The elegantly renovated lower level bathroom features a soaking tub/shower decorated with elegant tile and an efficiently designed vanity with ample storage space.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The long family room leads directly onto the covered terrace through its double doors.

The underfloor heating ensures your comfort, while the generous surface area allows you to design the room according to your wishes. In its current form, we have even created a dormitory, ideal for the little ones or for receiving guests staying with you.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

Also on this level is a laundry room, a cold room and an impressive multi-functional storage room, equipped with a variety of cupboards and accessible from the outside.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

Outside, it is the size of the property that attracts attention.

With a total area of ​​120,839 square meters, this huge private property offers an extremely peaceful living environment with plenty of mature trees.

In addition to the house there is a detached and heated double garage, as well as a shed, a small greenhouse and a woodshed.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

The carefully landscaped property is adorned with beautiful vegetable and flower gardens, low stone walls, mature hedges and a beautiful waterfall pond with bridge. All these elements contribute to the incredibly picturesque character of the outdoor decoration.

Do you like gardening? Thanks to the vegetable drawers equipped with an automatic watering system, you can train your green thumb.

In addition to a stone terrace on the ground floor, the magnificent Ipe wooden terrace has a perfect orientation to allow you to enjoy the surrounding beauties. And as a bonus, this terrace, designed with high-quality materials, comes with a 50-year guarantee.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

There are several relaxation areas in the large courtyard, including an area for lighting a fire. There is even a play area specifically for children!

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

You can easily reach Lake Echo, just a 5-minute walk away. In addition to this body of water, whose sandy banks are ideal for swimming, there are two other lakes and over 12 km of hiking trails at your disposal.

This peaceful corner of nature is located 20 minutes from Lachute, 30 minutes from Saint-Sauveur, 40 minutes from Saint-Jérôme and 1 hour from Montreal.

Photos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax BonjourPhotos: Service Photo Plus / Agent: Lyndsay Wood – Remax Bonjour

This warm wooden house in the middle of nature is for sale for $659,000 with several services included. Get informed!

We invite you to view the file of this property to find out all the details or contact the agent.

In the current situation, where competition is fierce and technologies are evolving at a dizzying pace, SMEs are increasingly aware that the key to differentiation lies in their ability to innovate. Establishing a culture of creativity is not just a plus; It is a necessity that allows innovation to germinate within the company.

Understand the challenge of creativity for innovation

Emerging companies are often driven by the desire to revolutionize the market with innovative ideas. But for an idea to be more effective, it must be constantly nourished by constantly renewed creativity.

The pillars of the culture of innovation

Create a stimulating environment

The work environment plays a key role in stimulating creative thinking. Open spaces promote communication and the exchange of ideas, while retreat areas enable reflection and concentration. Enriching spaces with inspiring elements and cutting-edge technologies encourages teams to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Encourage risk-taking

Fear of failure is a major barrier to creativity. SMEs need to develop a mindset where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. Valuing courageous attempts, even if they are unsuccessful, creates a safe environment in which creativity thrives.

Diversify teams

A melting pot of skills and perspectives is fertile ground for innovation. Recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds enriches brainstorming and opens up new ways of thinking. The best ideas often come from confronting differences.

Techniques to promote creativity in everyday life

Brainwriting workshops

In contrast to brainstorming, brainwriting involves writing down ideas on paper and then sharing them with the group. This method allows everyone to express themselves without interruption and thus ensures a variety of perspectives.

Design thinking sessions

Design thinking is a user-centered, iterative approach to creative problem solving. Through phases of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping and testing, teams can develop innovative solutions that address real customer needs.

time to think

By setting aside specific times for reflection, employees can disconnect from the incessant flow of daily tasks and focus on generating new ideas. The most avant-garde companies even go so far as to organize “innovation days” where exploration is the norm.

Strengthening measure

Set creativity indicators

To ensure that creativity is not just an abstract concept, it is crucial to measure it. This can be the number of ideas produced, the rate of implementation of new suggestions or the frequency of ideation sessions. By analyzing this data, creativity processes can be constantly changed and improved.

Constructive and continuous feedback

Feedback is fundamental to developing ingenuity. Regular, supportive feedback helps teams refine their ideas and stay motivated. A culture that values ​​constructive criticism creates self-confidence and encourages courage.

Creativity is focused on the future

For SMEs, fostering a culture of creativity is a powerful lever to maintain the momentum of business innovation. Such a culture cannot be prescribed; It is maintained every day through well-thought-out practices, processes and policies. Stimulating creativity means creating a future in which flexibility, originality and ingenuity are the key words and lead the company to new horizons of success.

Embark on an adventure full of mysteries with Another Code: Recollection, available for Nintendo Switch on January 19, 2024.

Aspiring detectives and puzzle enthusiasts pay attention! There Nintendo Switch is preparing for a new mystery to solve… Immerse yourself in the fascinating universe of since January 19, 2024Another code: memory. This exciting adventure invites you to follow in the footsteps of Ashley, a young girl in search of the truth about her past, in an environment that will stimulate your deductive mind.

Another trailer for the Code Recollection game:

For those who want to test the game before purchasing, note that the Free demoaccessible via the Nintendo eShopcontains the first chapter ofAnother code: double memoriesone of the two adventures Another code: memory. This prologue not only introduces you to Ashley's compelling story; It also gives you the opportunity to get a head start on the full version of the game. And good news for dedicated players: your progress in the demo will be preserved in the final version!

Ashley believes her father is missing, and the discovery of a mysterious letter leads her to the mysterious island Blood Edward, where a large part of the adventure will take place. This exciting beginning is a glimpse into the challenges and puzzles the game will present, and offers a compelling taste of the mysteries to be solved.

Another code: memory is not just a simple remake. In addition to the offer Another code: double memories And Another code: Memory Doorsthis version Switch benefits from improved graphics, fully explorable environments and new voice acting. To round out the experience, new puzzles, captivating music, navigation systems and optional hints enrich the gameplay and make the adventure accessible to players of all skill levels.

There Another Code: Recollection demo is an invitation to discover a world full of secrets and promises an enriching and captivating adventure. Get ready to solve the puzzles Blood Edward and discover the secrets that lie behind it Another code !

DUX eats better reveals the finalists of the 12th edition of the DUX Grands Prix. Actors and professionals in the organic food industry are invited to attend the DUX Gala, which will take place on February 21st. Now in its 12th year, the DUX Grands Prix rewards and supports agri-food companies, nonprofits and organizations that have developed products and initiatives that improve the health of populations and the planet.

More than 45 experienced experts are involved in selecting the finalists
After a week of consultations involving more than 45 experts from the food, eco-packaging and environmental sectors, DUX presents the finalists. In addition, as a result of the consultations, all companies receive a detailed report summarizing the experts' comments.

Anne Marie LeclairVice President, Strategy and Innovation – LG2 and President of the Jury of the Initiative in Communication, also mentions that “this edition is once again well-staffed with interesting candidates, which makes the feat of differentiating and shining even more challenging.” Consumers are looking for “healthy, new and unique ” Offered, that’s why it’s so important to stand out in the market.”

You can find the complete expert jury here!

The DUX Grand Prix Gala: a unique experience and an opportunity for everyone!
Every year, the DUX Gala brings together almost 500 actors from the agri-food industry in the prestigious atmosphere of the Bonsecours market. The 12th edition promises to be colorful! THE February 21st from 4:00 p.mJoin us for a festive networking experience in the new “Eat Better Zone”, which brings together knowledge, trends and innovations and offers a festive gastronomic dinner created by the chef Danny St Pierre, and the presentation of the DUX Grand Prix rounded off the evening. This will be a unique opportunity for every company and organization in the industry to exchange and share the best of the industry! The evening's entertainment is provided Josee Bournival.

Click here to discover the finalists of the 12th edition of the DUX Grands Prix!

Buy your tickets for the DUX Gala here!