Chilean President Boric Makes Historic Visit to the South Pole

The scientific community is sounding the alarm over a proposed industrial mega-project by AES Andes, a subsidiary of the American AES Corporation, located just seven miles from the Cerro Paranal Observatory in Chile's Atacama Desert. The plan involves a 3,000-hectare electric power plant aimed at producing ammonia and green hydrogen using wind and photovoltaic sources, with operations scheduled to begin in 2032, according to astronomer María Teresa Ruiz, who highlighted the potential destruction of the area's dark skies in a letter to El Mercurio. The Atacama Desert is renowned for its exceptionally dark and clear skies, essential for astronomical observations. The European Southern Observatory (ESO), which has partnered with Chilean authorities since 1963, warns that the project threatens to significantly increase sky brightness, potentially downgrading the area’s observational quality from “excellent dark sky” to “rural sky.” ESO Director General Xavier Barcons emphasized the substantial risks, including dust emissions and light pollution, which could severely impact scientific work. Chilean government officials have convened a roundtable to explore ways to balance energy development with astronomical preservation, while AES Andes claims it is open to collaboration during the environmental review process.

Astronomers have revealed new insights into how the universe's most massive black holes maintain themselves by utilizing surrounding gas. Conducted by a team led by Valeria Olivares from the University of Santiago de Chile, the research utilized data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope in Chile to study seven galaxy clusters. The findings demonstrate that black hole outbursts activate a self-sustaining feeding process. When these black holes consume surrounding gas, they release powerful jets that cool the gas, leading to the formation of narrow filaments of warm gas. These processes are visibly represented in the Perseus and Centaurus galaxy clusters, where glowing filaments and colorful gas aesthetics illustrate this mechanism. The study found a correlation between the brightness of hot gas and warm gas in these clusters, indicating that when hot gas shines brighter, it enhances the glow of the warm gas, thus confirming the feeding cycle of black holes. This cyclical feeding not only fuels more outbursts but also connects phenomena observable in different cosmic structures, such as the tails of "jellyfish galaxies." The research highlights the collaboration of experts from various countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, and Italy, showcasing the integration of advanced astronomical tools to deepen our understanding of the universe's workings.