More on AI & Astronomy: This Time Google’s Bard

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: CBS

This past Sunday, 60 Minutes had a segment on Google and artificial intelligence (AI) called Exploring the human-like side of artificial intelligence at Google. Part of the discussion covered Google’s new AI chat bot Bard. And while the creative output of Bard was impressive, it was a little too creative when asked asked about economics. Bard recommended five books, but all five were nonexistent books. This is called “hallucination” in the AI realm.

I decided to try this myself, but ask for the five best books on black holes. This is what came back from Bard:

1. Black Holes: The BBC Guide by Andrew Hamilton. This book is a comprehensive introduction to black holes, covering their history, physics, and astrophysics. It is written in a clear and accessible style, and is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about these fascinating objects. (link provided: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29537175-black-holes-the-reith-lectures)

2. The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the Universe Safe for Quantum Mechanics by Leonard Susskind. This book tells the story of the scientific debate between Susskind and Hawking about the nature of black holes. It is a fascinating read, and provides a great introduction to some of the most complex physics of our time. (link provided: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-black-hole-war-my-battle-with-stephen-hawking-to-make-the-world-safe-for-quantum-mechanics_leonard-susskind/296413/#edition=4644854&idiq=11329467)

3. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. This classic book is a must-read for anyone interested in black holes or cosmology. Hawking explains complex concepts in a clear and engaging way, and his book is full of insights into the nature of the universe. (link provided: https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Time-Stephen-Hawking/dp/0553380168)

4. Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein’s Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne. This book is a more advanced treatment of black holes, but it is still written in a clear and accessible style. Thorne is one of the world’s leading experts on black holes, and his book provides a wealth of information about these fascinating objects. (link provided: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Holes-Time-Warps-Commonwealth/dp/0393312763)

5. The Little Book of Black Holes by Janna Levin. This book is a great introduction to black holes for people who are new to the subject. Levin writes in a clear and engaging style, and she uses humor and analogy to make the physics more accessible. (link provided: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Black-Holes-Science-Essentials/dp/0691163723)

Bard was even helpful enough to provide links to the books being cited.

After looking up these books, related authors, and links, here is what I found:

  • I could not find the first book by Andrew Hamilton, though he is a professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at Cornell University. Also, the link was to a different book.
  • The second, third, and fourth book references were accurate, as were the associated links.
  • The fifth book exists, but the authors are Steven S. Gubser and Frans Pretorius, not Janna Levin, who wrote other books on black holes.

So that gives you a 40 percent error rate on the 5 books listed. It does not inspire confidence. I am afraid to ask for the top 10 if only because it would take more time to correct this supposedly amazing chat bot.

And I do not really know if these are the top books in the field. Chat GPT gave me three of the five books listed, and also named the first book linked in Bard’s response, but attributed the lecture to Roger Penrose (the name of the lecture series) rather than Stephen Hawking.

Caution is highly recommended with these chat bots.

Space Stories: Mapping with Pulsars, Rocky Exoplanets, and Words from the Pope

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Vela pulsar, a neutron star that was formed when a massive star collapsed. (X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Toronto/M.Durant et al; Optical: DSS/Davide De Martin)

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—Universe Today: “Pulsars Could Help Map the Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way“

Last year, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)—an international consortium of astronomers and observatories—announced they had taken the first images of Sag A*, which came just two years after the release of the first-ever images of an SMBH (M87). In 2014, the European members of the EHT launched another initiative known as BlackHoleCam to gain a better understanding of SMBHs using a combination of radio imaging, pulsar observations, astrometry, and GR. In a recent paper, the BHC initiative described how they tested GR by observing pulsars orbiting Sgr A*.

—Max Planck Institute for Astronomy: “Searching for an Atmosphere on the Rocky Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 c“

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, an MPIA-led group of astronomers searched for an atmosphere on rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 c. Although the planet is nearly identical in size and temperature to Venus, its atmosphere has turned out to be very different. By analysing the heat emitted from the planet, they conclude it may only have a tenuous atmosphere with minimal carbon dioxide. However, this measurement is also consistent with a barren rocky planet without any significant atmosphere. This work contributes to our understanding of how the atmospheres of rocky planets orbiting low-mass stars can withstand their strong stellar winds and intense UV radiation.

—Catholic News Service: “Pope Francis to Young Astronomers: Keep Love and Wonder Alive“

Pope Francis sent a letter to young astronomy scholars Tuesday encouraging them to maintain their “sense of wonder” and surprise throughout their research. While praising the “great discoveries” of astronomy, he urged the researchers never to lose sight of other important realities such as love and friendship.

Space Stories: James Webb’s Partner, the Big Bang Black Holes, and Green Energy on the Red Planet

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): James Webb Space Telescope. (NASA)

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—Futurism: “NASA Sending Adorable Little Buddy to Hang Out Next to the James Webb“

The space agency recently selected a toaster-sized cubesat that will become the much bigger telescope’s tiny, adorable “sidekick,” according to a statement. NASA chose the $8.5 million space mission, called the “Monitoring Activity from Nearby sTars with uv Imaging and Spectroscopy” (MANTIS), which will be designed and built by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. The diminutive but mighty spacecraft, scheduled to launch sometime in 2026, will make observations of the night sky in the full range of ultraviolet light, including extreme UV (EUV) light, a more energetic form.

—Universe Today: “Why Didn’t the Big Bang Collapse in a Giant Black Hole?“

Despite the enormous densities, the early universe didn’t collapse into a black hole because, simply put, there was nothing to collapse into…Even though the early universe was incredibly dense, it was also incredibly uniform. The average density throughout the universe was the same from place to place. There weren’t enough differences to trigger the formation of black holes.

—University of Warwick: “Using Photosynthesis for Martian Occupation—While Making Space Travel More Sustainable“

In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists assess a new technique which could convert renewable, green energy from outside the Earth’s atmosphere. They are taking advantage of photosynthesis—the chemical process plants undergo every day to create energy—to help the space industry become more sustainable. The research led by the University of Warwick evaluates the use of a special device known as semiconductor to absorb sunlight on moon and Mars. It is hoped that the devices could promote Martian life support systems.

Happy Black Hole Week!

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): NGC 5283, as captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, with its active galactic nucleus, which is at the heart of a galaxy where a supermassive black hole exists. (NASA, ESA, A. Barth (University of California – Irvine), and M. Revalski (STScI); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Yes, I know. This is too many celebrations over an eight-day period, starting with Astronomy Day last Saturday. But who cannot be excited by Black Hole Week?

If you missed the various NASA-sponsored events over the past week, you can find them here.

Check out the presentation of the largest black holes from Monday’s presentation. It puts it all into very scary perspective.

And you can learn plenty more about black holes by visiting this NASA page.

Space Stories: Merging Galaxies, Anniversary for TESS, and Helicopter Flights on Mars

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Arp 220 as captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Alyssa Pagan)

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—PetaPixel: “Webb Captures Star-Forming Galactic Merger Brighter Than 1 Trillion Suns’”

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning “smash-up” of two spiral galaxies. Collectively called Arp 220, the collision of the pair of galaxies has facilitated massive star formation. Arp 220 is located within the constellation Serpens, about 250 million light-years from Earth. Arp 220 gets its namesake because it is the 220th object in Hallton Art’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. Arp 220 is “peculiar” because it’s an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG), and the nearest ULIRG to Earth.

—Phys.org: “NASA’s TESS Celebrates Fifth Year Scanning the Sky for New Worlds’”

Now in its fifth year in space, NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) remains a rousing success. TESS’s cameras have mapped more than 93% of the entire sky, discovered 329 new worlds and thousands more candidates, and provided new insights into a wide array of cosmic phenomena, from stellar pulsations and exploding stars to supermassive black holes.

—NASA: “NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Completes 50th Flight’”

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has completed its 50th flight on Mars. The first aircraft on another world reached the half-century mark on April 13, traveling over 1,057.09 feet (322.2 meters) in 145.7 seconds. The helicopter also achieved a new altitude record of 59 feet (18 meters) before alighting near the half-mile-wide (800-meter-wide) “Belva Crater.”