Monster black hole flips out 🕳

Plus: Watch SpinLaunch's test vehicle catapult toward space at 1,000 MPH May 10, 2022 [View in browser]( A few years ago, a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy underwent an identity crisis. It couldn’t dye its hair with its feet on the air and its head on the ground. I jest — a black hole can’t be hurt, but it’s all one can do wondering what caused a rare and enormous outburst from a galaxy more than 236 million light-years away. Today's main news will reveal how that black hole may have flipped its entire magnetic field before our very eyes. But before that, here's a video of a car moving without wheels to get you started on your day with a good laugh. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s dive in. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [What happens when you pop all four wheels off of a moving car?]( You know it's going to be a fun ride when the wheels somehow overtake the car. [What happens when you pop all four wheels off of a moving car?]( SCIENCE [A gigantic black hole appears to be flipping out]( [Black hole.]( A colossal black hole [may have done a 180-degree magnetic flip]( after observing a mysterious cosmic outburst in a galaxy 236 million light-years away, ​​according to NASA scientists who proposed the theory. - The NASA team believes the unusual characteristics of the eruption are linked to changes observed in the black hole's vicinity that suggest a magnetic flip took place back in 2017. Hold up. Magnetic field reversals are relatively common occurrences in space. The sun flips its north and south poles every 11 years or so as part of a cycle tied to a recent string of massive solar eruptions. However, this event marks the first time the researchers have seen X-rays dropping out completely while the other wavelengths brighten. If scientists can confirm that the outburst was caused by a supermassive black hole in the galaxy's core [changing its magnetic field]( the event might help astrophysicists comprehend how such a transformation impacts the black hole's environment. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Watch SpinLaunch's test vehicle catapult toward space at 1,000 MPH]( [SpinLaunch.]( SpinLaunch, the company testing a catapult-like system that sends payloads to space with almost no rocket propellant, [has shared footage from one of its test launches](. - In the new video, the test vehicle, which measures 9.8 ft, was launched on April 22 at a speed of more than 1,000 mph. SpinLaunch didn't release any altitude data for this launch, though its previous test launch reached an altitude of roughly 30,000 feet, meaning it still has some way to go to reach space. The technology. The company uses a catapult-like system that spins a vacuum-sealed centrifuge at several times the speed of sound before releasing the payload toward orbit at thousands of miles per hour — faster than Mach 6. If companies like SpinLaunch can prove their technologies work as viable a alternative to traditional smallsat rocket launches, we may be on the verge of [a new era of more sustainable spaceflight]( in which experimental payloads and satellites can be launched at a fraction of the environmental cost. [Read More]( SCIENCE [NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has snapped even more perfect images]( [NASA.]( NASA [released another batch of breathtaking images]( from the James Webb Space Telescope during a Monday morning press conference, which was held to further report on Webb's readiness as alignment efforts go on. - Behold, our closest galactic neighbor, as seen by Webb: The image above is of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), as captured via Webb's MIRI instrument — which specializes in mid-infrared imaging. The LMC is a small, satellite galaxy to our own Milky Way, but one that contains dense star fields, thus serving as an apt field in which to test Webb's next-gen capabilities. What’s next? Officials on the ground are continuing to test Webb's highly advanced equipment, with the first experiments starting this summer. From then on, [the updates are going to increase in frequency]( as the future of astronomy begins to accelerate like never before, and the history of the universe begins to unfold, right before our eyes. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will answer some of astronomy's biggest questions. Which snippet of astrophysical wonder is most exciting to you? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [I only care about the breathtaking photos. Gimme more.]( [Seeing the first stars and protoplanetary disks. How did we happen?]( [Supermassive black holes. Piece the puzzle together.]( [Unlocking the evolution of galaxies.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked whether you would change your diet to help the world. The largest consensus said they would if the impact is backed with science. Yes, if its impact is backed with research. 34% Just because we can rationalize a moral high ground, doesn’t make it true. 27% I already have. 26% Maybe, I’m trying. I could cut back on meat. 13% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ Partly by default, partly by design, all of nature is now in the process of being domesticated — of coming, or finding itself, under the (somewhat leaky) roof of civilization. ” Michael Pollan in “The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World” AND ANOTHER THING... - Benjamin Choi, a seventeen-year-old student from Virginia, used the spare time offered by the pandemic to build a [mind-controlled, AI-powered, and low-cost prosthetic arm](. - Here’s what a 1970s philosophical concept [can teach us about space governance](. (Fast Company) - The Cambrian explosion, which occurred roughly 542 million years ago, [was the "Wild West" of speciation]( — where everything and anything went. - Lincoln College [is closing its doors Friday]( becoming the first U.S. institution of higher learning to shut down in part due to a ransomware attack. (NBC News) - Can [China's new Xuntian Space Telescope rival]( NASA's James Webb Space Telescope? - We haven’t cloned a human yet. But is it for ethical reasons or [are there technological barriers]( (Live Science) - [An enormous hydrogen battery-hybrid truck]( can help cut emissions. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? [Subscribe]( [About Us]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe [here.]( © Copyright 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]