Page 28 - atoday

A28

SCIENCEThursday 7 January 2016

Rare galaxy with 2 black holes has
1 starved of stars

MARCIA DUNN Florida. black holes is significantly
AP Aerospace Writer To date, only 12 galaxies
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — An are known to exist with two smaller than the other and
astrophysicist has discov- black holes in their midst,
ered something even rarer Comerford said. Normally apparently starved of stars.
than a double-black hole galaxies have a single su-
galaxy: a skinny black hole. permassive black hole at Black holes typically are

surrounded by stars; this

one appears “naked.”

Comerford speculates the

slim black hole lost mass in

the collision of two galaxies

that merged into this one

—” a crash diet.” Or it’s a

rare example of an inter- The Lumosity logo is seen in this screen grab.

mediate-sized black hole (Lumosity/File)

that likely will morph over

time into a supermassive Lumosity will pay $2 million to
settle deceptive ad allegations
monster.

Astronomers have yet to

confirm an intermediate-

size black hole, which MATTHEW PERRONE loss, dementia, and even
AP Health Writer Alzheimer’s disease,” said
makes Comerford’s WASHINGTON (AP) — The Jessica Rich, a director in
developer of Lumosity FTC’s consumer protec-
streamlined target extra “brain training” games will tion unit. “But Lumosity sim-
pay $2 million to settle fed- ply did not have the sci-
tantalizing. Intermediate eral allegations that it mis- ence to back up its ads.”
led customers about the Customers pay anywhere
black holes are 100 to 1 cognitive benefits of its on- from $15, for a monthly
line apps and programs. subscription, or up to $300
million times the mass of The Federal Trade Com- for lifetime access to Lu-
mission said this week the mosity’s online and mobile
our sun. company’s advertisements apps. An FTC spokesman
deceptively suggested said Tuesday’s action is
Comerford used the Hub- that playing the games a the first government set-
few times a week could tlement with a maker of
ble Space Telescope and boost performance at apps intended to boost
work, in the classroom and brain health. Previous set-
This image provided by CU-Boulder shows the galaxy SDSS NASA’s Chandra X-ray Ob- even delay serious condi- tlements have involved
J1126+2944 taken with the Hubble Space Telescope and the tions like dementia. Un- makers of dietary supple-
Chandra X-ray Observatory, with an arrow placed by the source servatory in her study. She der the settlement, Lumos ments and other products
pointing to a black hole that lost most of its stars. The University Labs must contact its cus- intended to boost mental
of Colorado’s Julie Comerford has discovered something even discovered this latest two- tomers and offer them an performance. The govern-
rarer than a double-black hole galaxy: a skinny black hole. Her easy way to cancel their ment agency, which regu-
findings were reported Tuesday, Jan 5, 2016 at the American black hole galaxy — her subscriptions.The San Fran- lates consumer advertising,
Astronomical Society’s annual meeting. cisco company frequent- plans to refund the $2 mil-
fourth — last year. Finding ly promoted its games lion to Lumosity customers.
(NASA/CU-Boulder via AP) through national TV and ra- The agency initially ob-
a potential intermediate- dio stations including CNN, tained a $50 million judg-
Fox News and National ment against Lumos Labs,
size black hole inside was Public Radio. The company but the amount was down-
also used Google advertis- sized because of compa-
“an extra bonus,” she told ing services to drive traffic ny’s inability to pay.
to its website, the FTC said Lumosity is one of the most
the center, equivalent to 1 reporters. in a statement. visible services in the bur-
million to 1 billion times the “Lumosity preyed on con- geoning brain training
The University of Colorado mass of our sun. The first double-black hole sumers’ fears about age- industry, which has esti-
at Boulder’s Julie Comer- But in this newly identified related cognitive decline, mated sales of over $1 bil-
ford reported her findings galaxy about 1 billion light- galaxy was found in 2003 suggesting their games lion per year, according to
this week at the American years away, one of the two could stave off memory trade publications. q
Astronomical Society’s an- by accident, according
nual meeting in Kissimmee,
to Comerford. She is trying

to systematically uncover

more. q

Study:
Star clusters might host intelligent civilizations

MARCIA DUNN STEF-uh-no) of the Harvard- old and stable, a plus for
AP Aerospace Writer Smithsonian Center for As- any civilization. In addition,
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Clus- trophysics in Cambridge, so many stars are clumped
ters of stars on the fringes of Massachusetts, presented together it would be easy
our Milky Way galaxy may her theory Wednesday at to hop from one planet to
be home to intelligent life. the American Astronomical another, keeping an ad-
That’s that word from an Society’s annual meeting vanced society going.
astrophysicist who’s new to in Kissimmee (kuh-SIMM-ee) She says the first step is to
probing extraterrestrial ter- Florida. DiStefano said the locate more planets in
ritory. approximately 150 globu- these clusters. So far, only
Rosanne DiStefano (dee lar clusters in our galaxy are one has been found.q