Universe Research Articles

The Fourth S-PLUS Data Release: 12-filter photometry covering ~3000 square degrees in the southern hemisphere

The Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey (S-PLUS) is a project to map $ sq deg of the sky using twelve bands (seven narrow and five broadbands). Observations are performed with the T80-South telescope, a robotic telescope located at the Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. The survey footprint consists of several large contiguous areas, including fields at high and low galactic latitudes, and towards the Magellanic Clouds. S-PLUS uses fixed exposure times to reach point source depths of about $21$ mag in the $griz$ and $20$ mag in the $u$ and the narrow filters. This paper describes the S-PLUS Data Release 4 (DR4), which includes calibrated images and derived catalogues for over 3000 sq deg, covering the aforementioned area. The catalogues provide multi-band photometry performed with the tools DoPHOT and SExtractor -- point spread function ( and aperture photometry, respectively. In addition to the characterization, we also present the scientific potential of the data. We use statistical tools to present and compare the photometry obtained through different methods. Overall we find good agreement between the different methods, with a slight systematic offset of 0.05\,mag between our and aperture photometry. We show that the astrometry accuracy is equivalent to that obtained in previous S-PLUS data releases, even in very crowded fields where photometric extraction is challenging. The depths of main survey (MS) photometry for a minimum signal-to-noise ratio $S/N = 3$ reach from $ for the bluer bands to $ mag on the red. The range of magnitudes over which accurate photometry is obtained is shallower, reaching $ to $ mag depending on the filter. Based on these photometric data, we provide star-galaxy-quasar classification and photometric redshift for millions of objects. We demonstrate the versatility of the data by presenting the results of a project to identify members of four Abell galaxy clusters in the Local Universe. The S-PLUS DR4 data allow for a reliable assessment of cluster membership out to a large radius corresponding to $5 $. The S-PLUS DR4 can be accessed through the survey data portal. All the software used to generate the catalogues for this release and the scientific investigation presented is available in the collaboration GitHub repository. The S-PLUS DR4 consists of a large, calibrated public dataset, providing powerful ways for studying Galactic and extra-galactic objects through an extensive set of (broad and narrow) filters.

Denser Environments Cultivate Larger Galaxies: A Comprehensive Study beyond the Local Universe with 3 Million Hyper Suprime-Cam Galaxies

The relationship between galaxy size and environment has remained enigmatic, with over a decade of conflicting results. We present one of the first comprehensive studies of the variation of galaxy radius with environment beyond the local Universe and demonstrate that large-scale environmental density is correlated with galaxy radius independent of stellar mass and galaxy morphology. We confirm with >5σ confidence that galaxies in denser environments are up to ∼25% larger than their equally massive counterparts with similar morphology in less dense regions of the Universe. We achieve this result by correlating projected two-dimensional densities over ∼360 deg2 with the structural parameters of ∼3 million Hyper Suprime-Cam galaxies at 0.3 ≤ z < 0.7 with logM/M⊙≥8.9 . Compared to most previous studies, this sample is ∼100–10,000 times larger and goes ∼1 dex deeper in mass completeness. We demonstrate that past conflicting results have been driven by small sample sizes and a lack of robust measurement uncertainties. We verify the presence of the above correlation separately for disk-dominated, bulge-dominated, star-forming, and quiescent subpopulations. We find the strength of the correlation to be dependent on redshift, stellar mass, and morphology. The correlation is strongest at lower redshifts and systematically weakens or disappears beyond z ≥ 0.5. At z ≥ 0.5, more massive galaxies still display a statistically significant correlation. Although some existing theoretical frameworks can be selectively invoked to explain some of the observed correlations, our work demonstrates the need for more comprehensive theoretical investigations of the correlation between galaxy size and environment.

Glimmers in the Cosmic Dawn: A Census of the Youngest Supermassive Black Holes by Photometric Variability* * This research is based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 526555. These observations are associated with

We report the first results from a deep near-infrared campaign with the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain late-epoch images of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, 10–15 yr after the first epoch data were obtained. The main objectives are to search for faint active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshifts by virtue of their photometric variability and measure (or constrain) the comoving number density of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), n SMBH, at early times. In this Letter, we present an overview of the program and preliminary results concerning eight objects. Three variables are supernovae, two of which are apparently hostless with indeterminable redshifts, although one has previously been recorded as a z ≈ 6 object precisely because of its transient nature. Two further objects are clear AGN at z = 2.0 and 3.2, based on morphology and/or infrared spectroscopy from JWST. Three variable targets are identified at z = 6–7 that are also likely AGN candidates. These sources provide a first measure of n SMBH in the reionization epoch by photometric variability, which places a firm lower limit of 3 × 10−4 cMpc−3. After accounting for variability and luminosity incompleteness, we estimate n SMBH ≳ 8 × 10−3 cMpc−3, which is the largest value so far reported at these redshifts. This SMBH abundance is also strikingly similar to estimates of n SMBH in the local Universe. We discuss how these results test various theories for SMBH formation.

Characterizing the γ-Ray Emission from FR0 Radio Galaxies

FR0 galaxies constitute the most abundant jet population in the local Universe. With their compact jet structure, they are broadband photon emitters and have been proposed as multimessenger sources. Recently, these sources have been detected for the first time in γ rays. Using a revised FR0 catalog, we confirm that the FR0 population as a whole are γ-ray emitters, and we also identify two significant sources. For the first time, we find a correlation between the 5 GHz core radio luminosity and γ-ray luminosity in the 1–800 GeV band, having a 4.8σ statistical significance. This is clear evidence that the jet emission mechanism is similar in nature for FR0s and the well-studied canonical FR (FRI and FRII) radio galaxies. Furthermore, we perform broadband spectral energy distribution modeling for the significantly detected sources as well as the subthreshold source population using a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. Within the maximum jet power budget, our modeling shows that the detected γ rays from the jet can be explained as inverse Compton photons. To explain the multiwavelength observations for these galaxies, the modeling results stipulate a low bulk Lorentz factor and a jet composition far from equipartition, with the particle energy density dominating over the magnetic field energy density.

Measuring the Conditional Luminosity and Stellar Mass Functions of Galaxies by Combining the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Legacy Imaging Surveys Data Release 9, Survey Validation 3, and Year 1 Data

In this investigation, we leverage the combination of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Surveys Data Release 9, Survey Validation 3, and Year 1 data sets to estimate the conditional luminosity functions and conditional stellar mass functions (CLFs and CSMFs) of galaxies across various halo mass bins and redshift ranges. To support our analysis, we utilize a realistic DESI mock galaxy redshift survey (MGRS) generated from a high-resolution Jiutian simulation. An extended halo-based group finder is applied to both MGRS catalogs and DESI observation. By comparing the r- and z-band luminosity functions (LFs) and stellar mass functions (SMFs) derived using both photometric and spectroscopic data, we quantified the impact of photometric redshift (photo-z) errors on the galaxy LFs and SMFs, especially in the low-redshift bin at the low-luminosity/mass end. By conducting prior evaluations of the group finder using MGRS, we successfully obtain a set of CLF and CSMF measurements from observational data. We find that at low redshift, the faint-end slopes of CLFs and CSMFs below ∼109 h −2 L ⊙ (or h −2 M ⊙) evince a compelling concordance with the subhalo mass functions. After correcting the cosmic variance effect of our local Universe following Chen et al., the faint-end slopes of the LFs/SMFs turn out to also be in good agreement with the slope of the halo mass function.

AGN populations in the local Universe: Their alignment with the main sequence, stellar population characteristics, accretion efficiency, and the impact of AGN feedback

In this study, we used a sample of 338 galaxies – within the redshift range of 0.02 &lt; z &lt; 0.1 drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) – for which there are available classifications based on their emission line ratios. We identified and selected Compton-thick (CT) AGN through the use of X-ray and infrared luminosities at 12 μm. We constructed the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for all sources and fit them using the CIGALE code to derive properties related to both the AGN and host galaxies. Employing stringent criteria to ensure the reliability of SED measurements, our final sample comprises 14 CT AGN, 118 Seyfert 2 (Sy2), 82 composite, and 124 low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINER) galaxies. Our analysis reveals that, irrespective of their classification, the majority of the sources lie below the star-forming main sequence (MS). Additionally, a lower level of AGN activity is associated with a closer positioning to the MS. Using the Dn4000 spectral index as a proxy for the age of stellar populations, we observe that, compared to other AGN classes, LINERs exhibit the oldest stellar populations. Conversely, CT sources are situated in galaxies with the youngest stellar populations. Furthermore, LINER and composite galaxies tend to show the lowest accretion efficiency, while CT AGN, on average, display the most efficient accretion among the four AGN populations. Our findings are consistent with a scenario in which the different AGN populations might not originate from the same AGN activity burst. Early triggers in gas-rich environments can create high-accretion-rate supermassive black holes (SMBHs), leading to a progression from CT to Sy2, while later triggers in gas-poor stages result in low-accretion-rate SMBHs like those found in LINERs.

Blueberry galaxies up to 200 Mpc and their optical and infrared properties

Context. Dwarf highly star-forming galaxies (SFGs) dominated the early Universe and are considered the main driver of its reionization. However, direct observations of these distant galaxies are mainly confined to rest-frame ultraviolet and visible light, limiting our understanding of their complete properties. Therefore, it is still paramount to study their local analogs, the green pea (GP) and blueberry (BB) galaxies. Aims. This work aims to expand our knowledge of BBs by identifying a new sample that is closer and in the southern sky. Methods. In addition to the already known BBs, this new sample will allow for a statistically significant study of their properties probed by visible and infrared (IR) light. By utilizing the HECATE catalog, which provides optical and IR photometry and characterization of galaxies, along with data from Pan-STARSS and SDSS, this study selects and analyzes a new sample of BBs. We employed spectral energy distribution fitting to derive homogeneous measurements of star-formation rates and stellar masses. Additionally, we measured emission-line fluxes, including He II λ4686, through spectral fitting. Results. Through this work, we identified 48 BBs, of which 40 were first recognized as such, with the nearest at 19 Mpc. Fourteen of the BBs are in the south sky. The BBs tend to be extremely IR red in both WISE W1 – W2 and W2 – W3 colors, distinguishing them from typical SFGs. Dwarf SFGs with higher specific star-formation rates tend to have redder IR colors. Conclusions. Blueberry galaxies stand out as the most intensely star-forming sources in the local Universe among dwarf galaxies. They are intrinsically bluer in visible light, redder in the infrared, and less massive. They also have higher specific star-formation rates, equivalent widths, lower metallicities, and the most strongly ionized interstellar medium compared to typical SFGs and GPs.

Global Realism with Bipolar Strings: From Bell Test to Real-World Causal-Logical Quantum Gravity and Brain-Universe Similarity for Entangled Machine Thinking and Imagination

Following Einstein’s prediction that “Physics constitutes a logical system of thought” and “Nature is the realization of the simplest conceivable mathematical ideas”, this topical review outlines a formal extension of local realism limited by the speed of light to global realism with bipolar strings (GRBS) that unifies the principle of locality with quantum nonlocality. The related literature is critically reviewed to justify GRBS which is shown as a necessary and inevitable consequence of the Bell test and an equilibrium-based axiomatization of physics and quantum information science for brain–universe similarity and human-level intelligence. With definable causality in regularity and mind–light–matter unity for quantum superposition/entanglement, bipolar universal modus ponens (BUMP) in GRBS makes quantum emergence and submergence of spacetime logically ubiquitous in both the physical and mental worlds—an unexpected but long-sought simplification of quantum gravity with complete background independence. It is shown that GRBS forms a basis for quantum intelligence (QI)—a spacetime transcendent, quantum–digital compatible, analytical quantum computing paradigm where bipolar strings lead to bipolar entropy as a nonlinear bipolar dynamic and set–theoretic unification of order and disorder as well as linearity and nonlinearity for energy/information conservation, regeneration, and degeneration toward quantum cognition and quantum biology (QCQB) as well as information-conservational blackhole keypad compression and big bang data recovery. Subsequently, GRBS is justified as a real-world quantum gravity (RWQG) theory—a bipolar relativistic causal–logical reconceptualization and unification of string theory, loop quantum gravity, and M-theory—the three roads to quantum gravity. Based on GRBS, the following is posited: (1) life is a living bipolar superstring regulated by bipolar entropy; (2) thinking with consciousness and memory growth as a prerequisite for human-level intelligence is fundamentally mind–light–matter unitary QI logically equivalent to quantum emergence (entanglement) and submergence (collapse) of spacetime. These two posits lead to a positive answer to the question “If AI machine cannot think, can QI machine think?”. Causal–logical brain modeling (CLBM) for entangled machine thinking and imagination (EMTI) is proposed and graphically illustrated. The testability and falsifiability of GRBS are discussed.

On the Transformation and Characteristics of Aesthetic Practice in the Ming Dynasty

Traditional Chinese social concepts have always been controlled and constrained by the thinking of “wén yǐ zài dào”(Literature Is the Vehicle of Ideas, in Chinese “文以载道”), but the so-called “wén yǐ zài dào”(Literature Is the Vehicle of Ideas, in Chinese “文以载道”) here is an extremely generalized concept. The “wén” (literature, in Chinese “文”) here can refer to any kind of material carrier, image or action. In short, it is a material presentation related to the physical world. The “dào” (Tao, in Chinese “道”) here refers to any kind of spiritual essence. In the view of traditional Chinese literati, the form must be loaded with a certain spiritual essence in order to have meaning. Through the study of the visual arts of the Ming Dynasty (明代), we will find that in the Ming Dynasty (明代), no matter the presentation of various objects such as clothing, furniture, book illustrations and literati painting or physical activities such as entertainments and travels have already broken away from the thinking mode of “wén yǐ zài dào” (Literature Is the Vehicle of Ideas, in Chinese “文以载道”). Not only has the aesthetic form separated from its core and existed independently, but the form has also begun to develop in the direction of expansion.

Temporal segmentation and "look ahead" simulation: Physical events structure visual perception of intuitive physics.

How we perceive the physical world is not only organized in terms of objects, but also structured in time as sequences of events. This is especially evident in intuitive physics, with temporally bounded dynamics such as falling, occlusion, and bouncing demarcating the continuous flow of sensory inputs. While the spatial structure and attentional consequences of physical objects have been well-studied, much less is known about the temporal structure and attentional consequences of physical events in visual perception. Previous work has recognized physical events as units in the mind, and used presegmented object interactions to explore physical representations. However, these studies did not address whether and how perception imposes the kind of temporal structure that carves these physical events to begin with, and the attentional consequences of such segmentation during intuitive physics. Here, we use performance-based tasks to address this gap. In Experiment 1, we find that perception not only spontaneously separates visual input in time into physical events, but also, this segmentation occurs in a nonlinear manner within a few hundred milliseconds at the moment of the event boundary. In Experiment 2, we find that event representations, once formed, use coarse "look ahead" simulations to selectively prioritize those objects that are predictively part of the unfolding dynamics. This rich temporal and predictive structure of physical event representations, formed during vision, should inform models of intuitive physics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring geospatial digital twins: a novel panorama-based method with enhanced representation of virtual geographic scenes in Virtual Reality (VR)

An important step in implementing geospatial digital twins is to enhance the expressiveness of virtual geographical scenes for the physical world. However, the existing virtual geographical scenes cannot quickly express the dynamically changing geographic environment for remote users due to the inefficient handling of modeling processes, user perception, and remote sharing. The research analysed the concept and characteristics of geospatial digital twins, and constructed the virtual geographical scene ontology, based on which we developed geographical spatiotemporal semantic rules and designed a dynamic annotation algorithm to enhance the representation of virtual geographical scenes. Finally, we investigated a real-time transmission method of panoramic video based on 5 G and used immersive virtual reality (IVR) to realize the user experience of remote immersion in geographical scenes. We selected a specific geographic environment containing multiple typical geographic entities to develop three prototype systems for experimental analyses. The results showed that the proposed method enabled users to view the virtual geographical scene on a VR device. The average latency for this process was 14.72 seconds. Compared with the virtual geographical scenes constructed by traditional methods, the experiments showed the proposed method advantageous in comprehensiveness, timeliness, and photorealism and abilities to enhance the user’s geographical scene perception.

Host Galaxies for Four Nearby CHIME/FRB Sources and the Local Universe FRB Host Galaxy Population

We present the host galaxies of four apparently nonrepeating fast radio bursts (FRBs), FRB 20181223C, FRB 20190418A, FRB 20191220A, and FRB 20190425A, reported in the first Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME/FRB) catalog. Our selection of these FRBs is based on a planned hypothesis testing framework where we search all CHIME/FRB Catalog-1 events that have low extragalactic dispersion measure (<100 pc cm−3), with high Galactic latitude (∣b∣ > 10°) and saved baseband data. We associate the selected FRBs with galaxies with moderate to high star formation rates located at redshifts between 0.027 and 0.071. We also search for possible multimessenger counterparts, including persistent compact radio and gravitational-wave sources, and find none. Utilizing the four FRB hosts from this study, along with the hosts of 14 published local Universe FRBs (z < 0.1) with robust host association, we conduct an FRB host demographics analysis. We find all 18 local Universe FRB hosts in our sample to be spirals (or late-type galaxies), including the host of FRB 20220509G, which was previously reported to be elliptical. Using this observation, we scrutinize proposed FRB source formation channels and argue that core-collapse supernovae are likely the dominant channel to form FRB sources. Moreover, we infer no significant difference in the host properties of repeating and apparently nonrepeating FRBs in our local Universe FRB host sample. Finally, we find the burst rates of these four apparently nonrepeating FRBs to be consistent with those of the sample of localized repeating FRBs observed by CHIME/FRB. Therefore, we encourage further monitoring of these FRBs with more sensitive radio telescopes.

Identification of Intermediate-mass Black Hole Candidates among a Sample of Sd Galaxies

We analyzed images of every northern hemisphere Sd galaxy listed in the Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies with a relatively face-on inclination (θ ≤ 30°). Specifically, we measured the spiral arms’ winding angle, ϕ, in 85 galaxies. We applied a novel black hole mass planar scaling relation involving the rotational velocities (from the literature) and pitch angles of each galaxy to predict central black hole masses. This yielded 23 galaxies, each having at least a 50% chance of hosting a central intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH), 102 < M • ≤ 105 M ☉. These 23 nearby (≲50 Mpc) targets may be suitable for an array of follow-up observations to check for active nuclei. Based on our full sample of 85 Sd galaxies, we estimate that the typical Sd galaxy (which tends to be bulgeless) harbors a black hole with log(M•/M☉)=6.00±0.14 , but with a 27.7% chance of hosting an IMBH, making this morphological type of galaxy fertile ground for hunting elusive IMBHs. Thus, we find that a ∼106 M ☉ black hole corresponds roughly to the onset of bulge development and serves as a conspicuous waypoint along the galaxy–supermassive black hole coevolution journey. Our survey suggests that >1.22% of bright galaxies (B T ≲ 15.5 mag) in the local Universe host an IMBH (i.e., the “occupation fraction”), which implies a number density >4.96 × 10−6 Mpc−3 for central IMBHs. Finally, we observe that Sd galaxies exhibit an unexpected diversity of properties that resemble the general population of spiral galaxies, albeit with an enhanced signature of the eponymous prototypical traits (i.e., low masses, loosely wound spiral arms, and smaller rotational velocities).

Intelligent Immersion: The current landscape of AI tools in the Mixed Reality development pipeline for creative experiences

Among the technologies that hold immense potential to revolutionize how we interact with information and digital content, Mixed Reality (MR) offers unique immersive experiences that seamlessly integrate virtual objects into the user's physical environment. This groundbreaking fusion of the physical and digital worlds has a complex development process which is a fertile ground for applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of AI tools and their applications, in all stages of the development of MR experiences for the creative sector. It also discusses the challenges and opportunities of incorporating them in the development pipeline and offer some use guidelines as a compass to navigate this rapidly changing landscape.

Kesan Penggunaan Teknologi Realiti Terimbuh Terhadap Pencapaian Akademik Pelajar : Sebuah Kajian Literatur Sistematik

The use of technological elements in education has become one of the elements of learning in the 21st century (21st Century Learning) Incorporated Augmented Reality is one of the branches of technology that is increasingly being applied in education. Augmented Reality is a technology that applies virtual information to the physical world in a three-dimensional form, which produces an interactive and comprehensive experience for the user. The highlighting objective of this systematic study is to identify the use of Augmented Reality applications in education and its impact on student academic achievement. The methodology of this study is based on online research highlighting from databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The keywords used in the search are Augmented Reality in education, impact, learning, and academic achievement. This systematic study highlighted the use of augmented reality in a range of primary education level up to tertiary education level in learning fields, such as language studies, science, mathematics, and higher education. The study also found that the application of augmented reality can help improve student visualization skills, student problem-solving skills and help improve students' academic achievement. This aided researchers and educators to use the augmented reality application in education, while also providing future study related to the implementation of augmented reality and appropriate learning strategies for effective use of augmented reality technologies. The study also found that both teachers and also students have positive perception towards the use of augmented reality applications in learning process.

The second data release from the European Pulsar Timing Array V. Search for continuous gravitational wave signals

We present the results of a search for continuous gravitational wave signals (CGWs) in the second data release (DR2) of the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) collaboration. The most significant candidate event from this search has a gravitational wave frequency of 4-5 nHz. Such a signal could be generated by a supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) in the local Universe. We present the results of a follow-up analysis of this candidate using both Bayesian and frequentist methods. The Bayesian analysis gives a Bayes factor of 4 in favour of the presence of the CGW over a common uncorrelated noise process. In contrast, the frequentist analysis estimates the p-value of the candidate to be $&lt; 1&lt;!PCT!&gt;$, also assuming the presence of common uncorrelated red noise. However, comparing a model that includes both a CGW and a gravitational wave background (GWB) to a GWB only, the Bayes factor in favour of the CGW model is only $0.7$. Therefore, we cannot conclusively determine the origin of the observed feature, nor can we rule it out as a CGW source. We present results of simulations that demonstrate that data containing a weak gravitational wave background can be misinterpreted as data including a CGW and vice versa, providing two plausible explanations for the EPTA DR2 data. Further investigations combining data from all PTA collaborations will be needed to reveal the true origin of this feature.

Unorientable topological gravity and orthogonal random matrix universality

The duality of Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) gravity and a double scaled matrix integral has led to studies of the canonical spectral form factor (SFF) in the so called τ−scaled limit of large times, t → ∞, and fixed temperature, in order to demonstrate agreement with universal random matrix theory (RMT). Though this has been established for the unitary case, extensions to other symmetry classes requires the inclusion of unorientable manifolds in the sum over geometries, necessary to address time reversal invariance, and regularization of the corresponding prime geometrical objects, the Weil-Petersson (WP) volumes. We report here how universal signatures of quantum chaos, witnessed by the fidelity to the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble, emerge for the low-energy limit of unorientable JT gravity, i.e. the unorientable Airy model/topological gravity. To this end, we implement the loop equations for the corresponding dual (double-scaled) matrix model and find the generic form of the unorientable Airy WP volumes, supported by calculations using unorientable Kontsevich graphs. In an apparent violation of the gravity/chaos duality, the τ−scaled SFF on the gravity side acquires both logarithmic and power law contributions in t, not manifestly present on the RMT side. We show the expressions can be made to agree by means of bootstrapping-like relations hidden in the asymptotic expansions of generalized hypergeometric functions. Thus, we are able to establish strong evidence of the quantum chaotic nature of unorientable topological gravity.

Uncertain Future Dwelling: Emergent Interiors of the Metaverse

Contemporarily, a flood of digital interior architectural imagery has emerged of spaces developed for the Metaverse, a forthcoming immersive 3D virtual world. These spaces are not bound by the conventions of architectural practice nor the demands of the physical world, providing an opportunity for design exploration and innovation in the future of interiors and positing challenges to core architectural concepts that have accompanied traditional practice. This research offers a visual analysis of aesthetic trends and new typologies present in the interior architectural spaces designed for the Metaverse. The analysis features a curated and collaged collection of works from ten creators of Metaverse spaces, categorised to examine the impact of digital architectural spaces that increasingly detach from the needs of physical dwellings. The research reveals commanding visual trends in Metaverse interior imagery that challenge traditional notions of interiority and dwelling and finds aesthetic signifiers of belonging in spaces that Augé (1995/2009) would neatly classified as an empirical 'non-place.' Positioned as a form of heterotopia in a realm where architecture is being designed for the purely visual, we posit that the less recognisable these spaces become, the more potential they hold for innovation in both the Metaverse and in dialogue with real-world interior architecture.

H i content at cosmic noon – a millimetre-wavelength perspective

ABSTRACT In order to understand galaxy growth evolution, it is critical to constrain the evolution of its building block: gas. Mostly comprised by Hydrogen in its neutral (H i) and molecular (H$_2$) phases, the latter is the one mostly directly associated to star formation, while the neutral phase is considered the long-term gas reservoir. In this work, we make use of an empirical relation between dust emission at millimetre wavelengths and total gas mass in the interstellar medium (M$_{\rm HI}$ plus M$_{\rm H_2}$) in order to retrieve the H i content in galaxies. We assemble an heterogeneous sample of 335 galaxies at $0.01\lt z\lt 6.4$ detected in both mm-continuum and carbon monoxide (CO), with special focus on a blindly selected sample to retrieve H i cosmological content when the Universe was $\sim 2-6\,$ Gyr old ($1\lt z\lt 3$). We find no significant evolution with redshift of the M$_{\rm HI}$/M$_{\rm H_2}$ ratio, which is about $1-3$ (depending on the relation used to estimate M$_{\rm HI}$). This also shows that M$_{\rm H_2}$-based gas depletion times are underestimated overall by a factor of $2-4$. Compared to local Universe H i mass functions, we find that the number density of galaxies with M$_{\rm HI}\gtrsim 10^{10.5}\,$M$_\odot$ significantly decreased since 8–12 Gyr ago. The specific sample used for this analysis is associated to 20–50 per cent of the total cosmic H i content as estimated via Damped Lyman-$\alpha$ Absorbers. In IR luminous galaxies, H i mass content decreases between $z\sim 2.5$ and $z\sim 1.5$, while H$_2$ seems to increase. We also show source detection expectations for SKA surveys.

Discovery of neutrino and oscillation phenomenon

As an intersection of particle physics, nuclear physics and geophysics, neutrinos are currently a hot research direction in the physics field, and it plays an important role in the study of the origin and evolution of the universe and the formation and evolution of celestial bodies. The Standard Model of particle physics has achieved great success in describing experimental phenomena in particle physics and correctly classifying known particles. In 2015, Takaaki Kajita and Arthur B. McDonald won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of neutrino oscillations, which brought neutrino research to a climax. In recent years, major breakthroughs have been made in the study of neutrinos, with the discovery that neutrinos have mass and that different neutrinos can be transformed into each other in a way known as neutrino oscillations, or neutrino mixing. Neutrino oscillations are the only physical phenomenon so far that cannot be explained by the Standard Model. Because neutrinos play an important role in both the most microscopic particle physics and the most macroscopic formation and evolution of the universe, the study of neutrinos is increasingly becoming a popular research direction. In this paper, the neutrino oscillation experiment is comprehensively studied and interpreted from the perspective of historical development. Designed to verify the existence of neutrino oscillations and thus prove that neutrinos have mass.