Tag: Martina Matijević

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Dark Matter by Martina Matijević

The secret marriage
of dark matter and fifth force.
A matter of fact?

by Martina Matijević

Scientists from Université de Genève and collaborators performed one of the most precise tests of whether dark matter behaves like ordinary matter by comparing galaxy motions within cosmic gravitational wells to the predicted depth of those wells.

Their observations showed that dark matter falls into these wells exactly as expected under standard gravity, allowing no measurable deviations. Because any additional “fifth force” acting on dark matter stronger than about 7% of gravity would have altered galaxy velocities in detectable ways, the researchers conclude that if such a force exists, it must be weaker than that threshold.

Further reading:

‘Dark matter acts surprisingly normal in a new cosmic test’, 2025, Université de Genève, ScienceDaily, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115095924.htm

‘Comparing the motion of dark matter and standard model particles on cosmological scales’, 2025, Grimm, N., et al., Nature Communications, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65100-8

Author bio:

Martina Matijević is a poet from Croatia who has traveled around the Sun 24 times, which makes her 24 years old in Earth’s timekeeping. Her work has been featured in Modern Haiku, Frogpond, Kokako, The Cold Moon Journal, Acorn, and others. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi

Read more sciku by Martina here.

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The World’s Largest Camera by Martina Matijević

microscale canvas
painting our biography
pixel by pixel

by Martina Matijević

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has unveiled the world’s largest camera, a 3,200-megapixel device designed to capture ultra-high-definition images of the southern sky.

Over the next ten years, this camera will survey the cosmos, producing detailed images that help scientists study celestial phenomena from nearby asteroids to distant galaxies and dark energy. This massive project, involving international collaboration and cutting-edge technology, aims to create the most comprehensive and dynamic map of the universe ever recorded.

Further reading:

‘World’s largest camera just snapped the Universe in 3,200 megapixels’, 2025, ScienceDaily, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627095029.htm

‘Vera C. Rubin Observatory Unveils First Sky Images Taken with World’s Largest Camera’, 2025, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), available: https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/presse/lobservatoire-vera-c-rubin-devoile-les-premieres-images-du-ciel-prises-avec-la-plus-grande

Author bio:

Martina Matijević has orbited the Sun 23 times, making her 23 years old in Earth’s timekeeping system. A science enthusiast and poet, her work has appeared in Dadakuku, Haiku Commentary and other. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi

Read more sciku by Martina here.

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The Big Decay Theory by Martina Matijević

our universe weds
the Hawking radiation
final cul-de-sac

by Martina Matijević

Researchers from Radboud University now believe the universe will decay faster than previously thought, due to Hawking radiation. White dwarfs and black holes will evaporate in about 10⁷⁸ years, much sooner than the older estimate of 10¹¹⁰⁰ years. Surprisingly, black holes and neutron stars will disappear around the same time.

Further reading:

‘Universe decays faster than thought, but still takes a long time’, 2025, Radboud University Nijmegen, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250512105214.htm

‘An upper limit to the lifetime of stellar remnants from gravitational pair production’, 2025, Falcke, H., Wondrak, M.F. & van Suijlekom, W.D., Submitted to arXiv, available: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2410.14734

Author bio:

Martina Matijević has orbited the Sun 23 times, making her 23 years old in Earth’s timekeeping system. A science enthusiast and poet, her work has appeared in 5-7-5 Haiku Journal, Dadakuku, Haiku Commentary, and others. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi

Read more sciku by Martina here.

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The vast universe by Martina Matijević

the vast universe
divorced the Hubble constant
citing lack of space

by Martina Matijević

A recent study confirms that the universe is expanding faster than theoretical models predict, adding more evidence to the ongoing “Hubble tension” crisis.

Researchers measured the Hubble constant using a highly precise distance measurement to the Coma Cluster, revealing a local expansion rate of 76.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec. This new data challenges current cosmological models and suggests that adjustments to our understanding of the universe’s growth may be necessary.

Further reading:

‘Dan Scolnic Shows that the Universe Is Still Full of Surprises’, 2025, Chelini, M.C., Trinity Communications, available: https://trinity.duke.edu/news/dan-scolnic-shows-universe-still-full-surprises

‘The universe is expanding too fast to fit theories: Hubble tension in crisis’, 2025, Duke University, ScienceDaily, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250117161235.htm

‘The Hubble Tension in Our Own Backyard: DESI and the Nearness of the Coma Cluster’, 2025, Scolnic, D., et al., The Astrophysical Journal Letters, available: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada0bd

Author bio:

Martina Matijević has orbited the Sun 23 times, making her 23 years old in Earth’s timekeeping system. A science enthusiast and poet, her work has appeared in 5-7-5 Haiku Journal, View from Atlantis and other. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi

Read more sciku by Martina here.

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The quasar by Martina Matijević

Quasar beams with might,
The angry black hole awakens—
Who switched on the stars?

by Martina Matijević

Astronomers have identified the brightest and fastest-growing quasar ever observed, which is powered by a supermassive black hole. This black hole is rapidly growing at a rate of one solar mass per day, making it the fastest-growing black hole known. The quasar, located 12 billion light-years away, is over 500 trillion times more luminous than the Sun.

Further reading:

‘Brightest and fastest-growing: Astronomers identify record-breaking quasar’, 2024, ESO, ScienceDaily, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240222122324.htm

‘The accretion of a solar mass per day by a 17-billion solar mass black hole’, 2024, Wolf, C. et al., Nature Astronomy, available: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02195-x

Author bio:

Matijević has orbited the Sun 23 times, making her 23 years old in Earth’s timekeeping system. A science enthusiast and poet, her work has appeared in 5-7-5 Haiku Journal, View from Atlantis and Awen. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi 

Read more sciku by Martina here.

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Supersonic Winds by Martina Matijević

Supersonic winds
Strong enough to blow our star
Sun feeling ghosted

by Martina Matijević

WASP-127b located 520 light-years away, experiences equatorial winds reaching supersonic speeds of 33,000 km/h, the fastest ever measured on a planet. This gas giant orbits its host star every four days, enduring temperatures over 1,127 Celsius degrees. The discovery was made with the CRIRES+.

Further reading:

‘Extreme supersonic winds measured on planet outside our Solar System’, 2025, Science Daily, available: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250121125759.htm

‘CRIRES+ transmission spectroscopy of WASP-127 b – Detection of the resolved signatures of a supersonic equatorial jet and cool poles in a hot planet’, 2025, Nortmann, L., et al., Astronomy & Astrophysics, available: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202450438

Author bio:

Matijević has orbited the Sun 23 times, making her 23 years old in Earth’s timekeeping system. A science enthusiast and poet, her work has appeared in 5-7-5 Haiku Journal, View from Atlantis and Awen. You can discover more of her poetry here: https://tinamatijev.wixsite.com/martina-matijevi 

Read more sciku by Martina here.