sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ: ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ʟɪɴᴋᴇᴅ ʙʏ “ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇs”
ɪɴ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀs, sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇssɪɴɢ ʙʏ ʟᴇᴀᴘs ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅs. ғᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ, ʙʏ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴘ ᴏғ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ, sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪsᴛs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴏғ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs.
ɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ sᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs. ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ ᴍᴀᴘ, ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ “ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇs” ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ɪɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ, ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛs ᴘʜʏs.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴘ, ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴍᴀʏ ᴀʟsᴏ sʜᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ’s ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴏᴜʀ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ, ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛɪɴɢ sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪsᴛs sᴀɪᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ sᴛᴀᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴇɴɴsʏʟᴠᴀɴɪᴀ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ.
ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴏғ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs ʜᴀs ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴘ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ, ᴜsɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ɪɴғᴇʀ ɪᴛs ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ɪᴛs ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏɴ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs (ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴅᴏᴛs). ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴅᴇɴsɪᴛʏ ᴍᴀᴘs — ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏss sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴅɪᴍᴇɴsɪᴏɴs — ʀᴇᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ, ᴘʀᴏᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ ғᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ (ʀᴇᴅ) ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟsᴏ ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ sᴍᴀʟʟᴇʀ ғɪʟᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ғᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇs (ʏᴇʟʟᴏᴡ) ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀᴄᴛ ᴀs ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇs ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ x ᴅᴇɴᴏᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪʟᴋʏ ᴡᴀʏ ɢᴀʟᴀxʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀʀᴏᴡs ᴅᴇɴᴏᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛʏ. ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ: ʜᴏɴɢ ᴇᴛ. ᴀʟ., ᴀsᴛʀᴏᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟ
ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛs ʀᴏᴜɢʜʟʏ 𝟾𝟶% ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ, ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ, ɪs ᴘᴏᴏʀʟʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴏᴏᴅ. ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪs ɪɴᴠɪsɪʙʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴡᴀᴠᴇʟᴇɴɢᴛʜs ᴏғ ʟɪɢʜᴛ, sᴏ ɪᴛ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʙᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴇʟᴇsᴄᴏᴘᴇs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪsᴛs ᴄᴀɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ’s ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛʏ ᴏɴ ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ sᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs, sᴜᴄʜ ᴀs ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs.
“ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴅᴏᴍɪɴᴀᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ, ɪᴛ ʙᴀsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴇs ᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴛᴇ,” sᴛᴜᴅʏ ᴄᴏ-ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴅᴏɴɢʜᴜɪ ᴊᴇᴏɴɢ, ᴀɴ ᴀssᴏᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴘʀᴏғᴇssᴏʀ ᴏғ ᴀsᴛʀᴏɴᴏᴍʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀsᴛʀᴏᴘʜʏsɪᴄs ᴀᴛ ᴘᴇɴɴ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ, sᴀɪᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ.
“ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴀsᴋ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴘ ғᴏʀ ʙɪʟʟɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏғ ᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀʜᴏᴏᴅ.”
ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ɪs, ɪᴛs ᴇғғᴇᴄᴛs ᴀʀᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ғᴏʀᴄᴇs ᴘᴇʀᴍᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ. ᴍᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴠɪsɪʙʟᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ғᴏʀᴄᴇ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴀsʏ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ.
ᴛʏᴘɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ, ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ ʙʏ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜᴛᴇʀ sɪᴍᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, sᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀsᴛ-ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʙɪʟʟɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴏғ ᴇxᴘᴀɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴠɪsɪʙʟᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ, ғɪʟʟɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʙʟᴀɴᴋs ᴛᴏ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪᴛ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ.
ᴛʜɪs ʀᴇǫᴜɪʀᴇs ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜᴛɪɴɢ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sɪɢɴɪғɪᴄᴀɴᴛ ᴀᴍᴏᴜɴᴛs ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ᴊᴇᴏɴɢ sᴀɪᴅ.
“ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴀ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴍᴀᴘ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ ᴡᴇʙ ᴏᴘᴇɴs ᴜᴘ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ᴄᴏsᴍᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ sᴛᴜᴅʏ,” sᴀɪᴅ ᴊᴇᴏɴɢ. “ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ sᴛᴜᴅʏ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪsᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴅᴀᴛᴀ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴜs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ sᴛᴜᴅʏ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ғɪʟᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ sᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇs ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs.”
ғᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ, ɪᴛ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪʟᴋʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅʀᴏᴍᴇᴅᴀ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs ᴍᴀʏ ʙᴇ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀʏ ᴄᴏʟʟɪᴅᴇ ɪɴ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʙɪʟʟɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ʏᴇᴀʀs ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ᴜɴᴄʟᴇᴀʀ. sᴛᴜᴅʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ғɪʟᴀᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ɢᴀʟᴀxɪᴇs ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ɪɴsɪɢʜᴛs ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ.
