Meet "Spikey," a Possible Pair of Merging Supermassive Black Holes

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February 10, 2020

Dear Reader, Scientists have identified a flaring object at the center of a distant galaxy that they suspect is formed from the impending merger of two monstrous black holes. In other space news, Solar Orbiter, a collaboration between the European Space Agency and NASA, is officially on its way to the sun. The mission is expected to return unprecedented data and images, including our first views of the sun's polar regions. Today's newsletter also takes a look into Iran's nuclear capabilities, more record flooding in the U.S. interior and a risky EPA proposal that could endanger public health.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Space Meet "Spikey," a Possible Pair of Merging Supermassive Black Holes A flare predicted for this spring could confirm the object is indeed two monstrous black holes coming together By Nola Taylor Redd

Environment A Proposed EPA Regulation Would Endanger the Public's Health Under a new rule, the agency would be prevented from using crucial studies that include confidential information By Andrew Rosenberg

Engineering How Quickly Can Iran Make a Nuclear Bomb? With an international deal in serious jeopardy, Iran is not racing to build nuclear weapons—but its capabilities are growing By Davide Castelvecchi,Nature magazine

Natural Disasters Second Year of Major Spring Floods Forecast for U.S. Heartland Swollen rivers could impede levee repairs, inundate homes and delay the planting of crops By Thomas Frank,E&E News

Evolution Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams Neandertals ate clams and then modified the hard shells into tools for cutting and scraping. By Susanne Bard | 02:36

Space Solar Orbiter Launches on a Mission to Study the Sun's Poles The probe's long, historic journey is underway By Amy Thompson,SPACE.com

FROM THE STORE Mathematics in the 21st Century One of the most powerful tools in the science arsenal, mathematics allows scientists across disciplines to test hypotheses about the real world. In this eBook, we look at important recent advances in the field and examine the role of modeling and statistical analysis in understanding biology, physics, politics and more.

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FROM THE ARCHIVE Bombs Dropped from Zeppelins Are Highly Accurate Originally published in May 1914 | February 2020

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Whenever you launch something, it's incredibly exciting...The biggest relief comes when you see the light from the rocket and then when the sounds waves hit you." Günther Hasinger, ESA's Director of Science, Space.com

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