Technologies

Dazzling Milky Way panorama reveals nearly 1,000 mysterious galactic threads

An astrophysicist behind the beauty compares the image with modern art.

In the early 1980s, scientists imaged the center of our galaxy 25,000 light-years from Earth. To their surprise, they stumbled upon a cluster of «strands» 150 light-years long hanging out in an oddly organized pattern. For years, they scrutinized the stringy forces, trying to understand what they are and why they’re there.

No, these galactic noodles (probably) aren’t the work of aliens. But they later revealed themselves to be some sort of magnetic wiring, catching space-borne cosmic ray electrons and forcing the particles to gyrate around their fields at nearly the speed of light. If anything, the enigma escalated.

Fast-forward to today. The same researcher who led the first imaging endeavor decided to create an updated version. In a paper published online Wednesday and accepted to The Astrophysical Journal Letters, he presents his results: an absolutely spectacular panorama of radio emission data stemming from the Milky Way’s center.

Cosmic phenomena such as star bursts, stellar nurseries and supernova graveyards stained the picture with brilliant streaks, but most strikingly, the image unveiled 10 times more perplexing strands than before. «It’s like modern art,» Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, an astrophysicist at Northwestern University and lead author of the paper, said in a statement. «These images are so beautiful and rich, and the mystery of it all makes it even more interesting.»

He calls the newer picture a «watershed in furthering our understanding of these structures,» because the initial, relatively sparser collection of filaments was too small to draw any real conclusions about their origin and purpose.

Photographing a massive galaxy

It took three years of surveying the sky and 200 hours using the Meerkat telescope at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory for Yusef-Zadeh’s team to generate precise observations of 20 separate sections.

Then, the researchers pieced the cutouts together and isolated the magnetic filaments by removing the background. That led to the mesmerizing mosaic photograph that resembles a Jackson Pollock.

«I’ve spent a lot of time looking at this image in the process of working on it, and I never get tired of it,» Ian Heywood, an astrophysicist at Oxford University and study co-author, said in a statement. «When I show this image to people who might be new to radio astronomy, or otherwise unfamiliar with it, I always try to emphasize that radio imaging hasn’t always been this way, and what a leap forward Meerkat really is in terms of its capabilities.»

Leads on the filaments

Now blessed with an ocean of inexplicable Milky Way filaments to analyze, Yusef-Zadeh and team are carrying out a sort of population analysis to understand what the cosmic spaghetti strands have in common, and where they differ.

«If you were from another planet, for example, and you encountered one very tall person on Earth, you might assume all people are tall. But if you do statistics across a population of people, you can find the average height,» he said. «That’s exactly what we’re doing. We can find the strength of magnetic fields, their lengths, their orientations and the spectrum of radiation.»

So far, the team concludes the strands’ magnetic fields are amplified as you travel across them and exhibit variation in their radio emissions. Due to the latter, they say the pieces could’ve originated from a black hole that once lurked in the center of our galaxy or a giant radio-emitting bubble, like one discovered in 2019.

Still, huge question marks remain, such as why are these filaments so structured? And why are there so many? Perhaps the biggest confusion lies within the fact that particles on the strands’ field are moving at nearly the speed of light. Any faster, and they’d fit a time-travel requirement.

«How do you accelerate electrons at close to the speed of light?» Yusef-Zadeh wonders. «One idea is there are some sources at the end of these filaments that are accelerating these particles.»

Going forward, the team says they’ll continue searching for answers.

«We’re certainly one step closer to a fuller understanding,» Yusef-Zadeh said. «But science is a series of progress on different levels. We’re hoping to get to the bottom of it, but more observations and theoretical analyses are needed. A full understanding of complex objects takes time.»

Technologies

Thousands of Cases of Shredded Cheese Recalled Due to Possible Metal Fragments

The cheeses were recalled from Aldi, Target, Walmart and more by Great Lakes Cheese.

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced an extensive recall of shredded cheese due to the possibility that it contains metal fragments. According to the report, the cheeses were distributed in 31 states and Puerto Rico, with many of them being sold at popular retailers such as Aldi, Target, Walmart and others.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

The reason listed for the recall is «potential metal fragments from supplier raw material,» and Great Lakes Cheese from Hiram, Ohio, is the company behind the recall. The bulk of the recalled cheeses — which includes 235,789 cases — are low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese packaged in individually plastic bags. Those recalled cheeses are:

Always Save — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7003865782, 4/case
Borden — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5300007162 6 or 12/case
Borden — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 5300007170, 6/case 3
Brookshire’s — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510119, 12/case
Brookshire’s — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510120, 12/case
Brookshire’s — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 9282510130, 6/case
Brookshire’s — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 9282592197, 12/case 4
Cache Valley Creamery — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7495802553, 6 or 12/case
Chestnut Hill — Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3225116742, 6/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5193331657, 12/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 5193321820, 18/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 5193334257, 6/case
Econo — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 893800294, 12/case
Food Club — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680045573, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680005117, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 3680005144, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 32 oz., tube-style bag, UPC 3680012914, 6/case, case UPC 3680041215
Food Club — Shredded, 32 oz., square-style bag, UPC 3680038305, 6/case
Food Lion — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3582609008, 12/case
Gold Rush Creamery — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1401401014, 12/case
Gold Rush Creamery — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1401401030, 6/case
Good & Gather — Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 8523903860, 12/case
Good & Gather — Classic, 8 oz., UPC 8523903849, 12/case
Good & Gather — Classic, 32 oz., UPC 8523903852, 6/case
Great Lakes Cheese — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 3651415034, 4/case
Great Value — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874237425, 6/case
Great Value — Finely Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874204492, 5/case
Great Value — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874235317, 6/case
Great Value — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874235321, 5/case
Great Value — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7874237475, 6/case
Great Value — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7874204980, 4/case
Happy Farms by Aldi — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4061463330864, 12/case
Happy Farms by Aldi — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4061463369413, 8/case
H-E-B — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122022272, 12/case
H-E-B — Thick, 8 oz., UPC 4122061295, 12/case
H-E-B — Shredded/Fancy Finamente Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122006759, 12/case (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122018977
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4122016234
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4122042334
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 4122082998
Hill Country Fare — Shredded/Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122024512 (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
Know & Love — Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030650
Know & Love — Fine Cut, 16 oz., UPC 788030657
Know & Love — Classic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030659
Know & Love — Classic Cut, 32 oz., UPC 788030658
Know & Love — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030678
Laura Lynn — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685401031
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685400824
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 8685400815
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 8685406528
Laura Lynn — Thick Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685407109
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004867
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004259
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Shredded Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004741
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Rustic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 2113004944, 12/case
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Rustic Cut Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004949
Nu Farm — Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3104100151
Publix — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4141511665
Publix — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4141523365
Schnuck’s — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4131858010
Simply Go — Classic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983021
Simply Go — Classic Cut Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1015983020
Simply Go — Rustic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983040
Sprouts Farmers Market — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4667052284
Sprouts Farmers Market — Shredded Value Pack, 32 oz., UPC 4667052279
Stater Bros. Markets — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546413
Stater Bros. Markets — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546402
Stater Bros. Markets — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7417546435
Sunnyside Farms — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 1754450204
Sunnyside Farms — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1754450057

Other recalled cheeses, which include Italian-style shredded cheese blends, pizza-style shredded cheese, mozzarella and provolone blends and a mozzarella and parmesan blend, can be found in the FDA announcement.

Where was the cheese sold?

The states where the recalled cheeses were distributed include Alabama, Arkansa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.

What to do if you have cheese that has been recalled?

You can return recalled cheeses to the retailer you bought them from to receive a refund. CNET has reached out to Great Lakes Cheese for comment but has not heard back.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 4, #907

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Dec. 4, #907.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a fun one. Some of the phrases are just too odd to mean anything but what you think they mean, so finding connections isn’t tricky. If you need help sorting them into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Snuggle time.

Green group hint: Cheers!

Blue group hint: Put it together.

Purple group hint: Mammal noses.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Cuddle.

Green group: Imbibe.

Blue group: Things you assemble.

Purple group: Snouts.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is cuddle. The four answers are draw close, hold tight, nuzzle and spoon.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is imbibe. The four answers are guzzle, knock back, pound down and swill.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is things you assemble. The four answers are Ikea furniture, Lego set, model and puzzle.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is snouts. The four answers are beak, muzzle, proboscis and rostrum.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 4 #641

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Dec. 4, No. 641.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is kind of a challenge. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: In the driver’s seat.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: You rule!

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

LITE, LOST, LOSE, LOSES, REST, BASE, CURE, KITE, ASSURE, BORE, LIKE, SIRE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: