#Allie Yang

[xtruss]

This glowing red question mark was captured in the background of a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope. Photograph By NASA, ESA, CSA

NASA Just Found a Question Mark in Space. What Exactly is It?

The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away. But astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home.

— By Allie Yang | August 9, 2023

Two of our galaxy’s most famous stars were recently photobombed by what appears to be a celestial question mark.

The symbol was spotted in a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the forming stars Herbig-Haro 46/47, which are well-known and have been frequently observed by astronomers. These two stars can provide clues about how our own sun may have formed. They’re relatively close to Earth, about 1,400 light-years, and relatively young, only a few thousand years old. In fact, they’re still in gestation and have not technically been “born” yet, which is marked when the stars start shining from their own nuclear fusion.

The image is the first of the twin protostars from the NIRCam instrument on JWST. It was captured using infrared light, which penetrates space dust more easily than visual light, and it is the highest resolution image of the objects ever seen at these wavelengths.

The two protostars are buried deep in the gas and dust that are being drawn in to add to their mass—look for them at the center of the red diffraction spikes. These stars are only a few thousand years old, and stars take millions of years to fully form. Photograph By NASA, ESA, CSA

The telescope’s astonishing sensitivity allowed the glowing red question mark to be captured in the lower center of the image. The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away, says Christopher Britt, an education and outreach scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute who helped plan these observations.

His best guess is that the question mark is actually two galaxies merging.

“That's something that's seen fairly frequently, and it happens to galaxies many times over the course of their lives,” he says. “That includes our own galaxy, the Milky Way … [it] will merge with Andromeda in about four billion years or so.”

The hints pointing to two galaxies are found in the question mark’s strange shape. There are two brighter spots, one in the curve and the other in the dot, which could be the galactic nuclei, or the centers of the galaxies, Britt says. The curve of the question mark might be the “tails” being stripped off as the two galaxies spiral toward each other.

“It's very cute. It's a question mark … But you can find the colons and semicolons, and any other punctuation mark, because you have 10,000 little smudges of light in each image taken every half hour,” says David Helfand, an astronomer at Columbia University. The sheer number of shining objects we find are bound to create some serendipitous images, and our brains have evolved to find those patterns, he says.

Astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home. Two merging galaxies captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008 also look like a question mark, just turned 90 degrees.

Merging galaxies can take on many mesmerizing shapes. These merging galaxies, known as II Zw 096, are the site of a spectacular burst of star formation that is hinted at in the red speckles near the middle of the image. Photograph By NASA, Caltech, H. Inami (Hiroshima University)

This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows two spiral galaxies (Collectively Identified as Arp 256) in the early stages of merging. Notice its question mark-like shape. Photograph By NASA, ESA, The Hubble Heritage Team (STSCI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottsville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Helfand says the question mark seems to be two objects, the curve and the dot, but could be more that just happened to line up. They could also be completely unrelated objects, he says, if one is much closer to Earth than the other.

Britt warns that estimating distance based only on colors in the image can be tricky. The red of the question mark could mean it’s very far away (light waves stretch as they travel through the expanding universe, shifting to redder wavelengths) or that it’s closer and obscured by dust near the object.

It would take more investigation to identify exactly how far away the question mark is. This could be done by measuring photometric redshifts, determined by the brightness observed through different filters, but this would only provide an estimate for the distance, Britt says. Spectroscopy, which analyzes light from the source to determine its elemental makeup, could provide a more exact distance but requires a separate instrument to measure.

Given the number of intriguing targets spotted by JWST, the question mark may never receive this treatment. For now the source of this symbol in the sky remains a cosmic mystery.

[gamechangershow]

🪄GAME CHANGER SEASON 6 TRAILER HAS ARRIVED✨

Prepare yourself for another journey into the unknown, guided by @samreich. The new season premieres February 12th, exclusively on @dropoutdottv

For a full crew list for the season, please go here: https://bit.ly/GameChangerS6Credits

[riveluart]

When they finally get out of the Ever After

[dimension20official]

GAME CHANGER: BATTLE ROYALE - OLD GUARD vs. NEW BLOOD

Launches April 3rd on Dropout.tv

This 4 episode event series features host Sam Reich, contestants Ify Nwadiwe, Rekha Shankar, Ally Beardsley, Adam Conover, Vic Michaelis, Tao Yang, Anna Garcia, Izzy Roland, Lily Du, and Jacob Wysocki, with guests Rick Devens, Andrew Fuller, Clauda Sandoval, Laganja Estranja, and Howie Mandel.

[fistfuloflightning]

“Your welcome was rather disappointing, Jiang-zongzhu,” Jin Zixun calls mockingly. “Even your husband here failed to make us feel at home.” The obvious baiting is answered with a dangerously still, silent courtyard. Jin Zixun throws a glance at the three cultivators keeping Lan Wangji kneeling, chin tipped in a wordless order.

The blade hooked beneath Lan Wangji’s throat digs deeper, drawing more blood and he knows without looking that the red on the front of his robes is growing. Still no response. Lan Wangji can feel his wife’s presence, along with a handful of other qi signatures he recognizes as Jiang senior disciples. And he prays she doesn’t come out.

Jin Zixun’s grin is feral. “Very well.” But before the blade slides home and ends it all, the doors are flung wide and Jiang Cheng emerges. A silent breath escapes him. He should have known his Wanyin would not stand by. It is not in her nature.

Hair unbound and eyes flickering with Zidian’s energy, she looks like a wrathful goddess of lightning. Even where he’s forced to kneel, Lan Wangji can feel the electricity thrumming through his wrecked meridians, thinned to the point of snapping. Sandu’s naked blade gleams wickedly in one hand. And in the other, she carries their son.

She is not like his mother, bowing her head with furious acceptance of her fate and allowing her sons to be dragged away from her. She is not like her own mother, vicious in her pride and arrogance, blind to the needs of her children.

Jiang Cheng would do the impossible for those she loves. That is her strength.

Lan Wangji knows that there is no safer place for their son than in her arms.

[intcrastra]

Welt (and Ratio’s) Disappointment Was Immeasurable And His Day Was Ruined

[voxphantasma]

oh izzy the woman you are 🫶

[IMAGE ID’S: six screenshots from game changer season 5 episode 11, battle royale pt 2. in the first one izzy is standing by sam, and sam is reaching out to shake her hand. in the second one sam still has his hand out, but izzy is doing a fake out where she just pretended to go in for a shake. in the third she has completed the fake out, having instead made a motion as to brush hair out of her face. she is turned to the camera and the captions show her saying “psych”. in the fourth one izzy has turned around and is walking off set, while sam is doubled over laughing. the captions say “(all laughing and cheering)”. the fifth and sixth screenshots show the other contestants, either laughing, cheering, shouting, or looking shocked. tao, rekha, and lily have jumped out of their seats and are jumping/dancing. /END ID’S]

[say-hi-intrepid-heroes]

pfps for you and the squad

[shitpostingfromthebarricade]

The Communist Manifesto didn't come out until 1848, so it's impossible for Feuilly to have read it in canon; however, Les Mis wasn't published until 1862, and I refuse to believe that Feuilly's character was not at least informed by some of the ideas.

[cryptid-moose]

@mores0 thankyou for your request!! i had a lot of fun drawing her :D

how many non-background backgrounds can i come up with before i have to start learning how to draw actual backgrounds HUABSVFEB

[nightmare-foundation-2]

Am I the only one that disagrees with peoples perception of Oz being that he's a religious paranoid zealot out to destroy and demonize Salem??

Because,, I really never got that kind of vibe from Oz. Oz is a lot of things- bitter, cynical- but what he is NOT is a religious fanatic who follows the GoL without question.

At first, yes he was willing to follow the GoL's orders with little argument.

But did everyone just,, forget,, that he flat-out originally said NO to the God of Light with no hesitation just because he thought Salem wasn't alive?? Like. He straight up said that he basically DOES NOT CARE about the world (and by extension, the gods) if she's not in it.

And when he found out Salem was alive? He completely ignored the GoLs actual warning, the only thing he SHOULD have listened to. He only accepted the GoLs order because Salem was there. That's it.

That... doesn't tell me he's a zealot blindly following the God of Light.

And about trying to follow through with his task, yes it's bc the GoL told him to. But he's not a fanatic.

The only reason he originally wanted to destroy Salem (which was probably a last resort to him, lbr) was because she was actively working AGAINST him. She hurt him DEEPLY by incidentally killing their kids and him (which, yes, she killed their kids, she attacked first for no reason without trying to talk to him), so naturally he's going to see her in a not-so-good light.

As for Oz being paranoid, it's reasonable he would be. He doesn't know which Grimm is hers, which Grimm was deliberately sent, what events are because of her, etc. There's NO WAY to tell at all. He HAS to be vigilant, because if he isn't, people DIE.

And he isn't demonizing her for no reason. This entire time, Salem has been vying for the destruction of Remnant. Whatever her reason is doesn't matter, that's what she wants. If she really wanted to just bring the Gods back to defeat them, she could've easily communicated this to Oz and worked WITH him instead of against him. Not only that, but she destroyed 3 Academies and is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of deaths, everyone from the guilty to innocent, from elders to children. And it's HEAVILY implied that she started the Great War ("no one knows who shot first" <- in stories that implies the third party, the antagonist, caused it, and Oz was still fighting her then), which resulted in possibly MILLIONS of deaths.

There's also nothing to even imply that she grieved for her daughters' deaths. It's explicitly stated that OZ grieved and drowned his sorrows with alcohol, when Jinn easily could've mentioned if both of them grieved. Oz was, and likely still is, deeply traumatized by his and Salems first fight.

The reason Oz sees her as a manipulative monster is because that's what she currently IS. She tortured Cinder after she disobeyed Salem and manipulated her right after, told Tyrian she was extremely disappointed in him knowing it would hurt him deeply, used Hazels sister to manipulate and keep him on her side EVEN WHILE fighting him- there's probably a million more examples that I can't think of right now. She deliberately uses the broken and hurt of society for her own gain and keeps them broken.

Because of this, in her songs Sacrifice and Divide, she projects HARSHLY onto Oz. Everything she says Oz does is what SHE does- she lies, manipulates, gets people's hopes up only to crush them. She sees humanity 2.0 as nothing more than pawns to use, that she and Oz are the only players. So she thinks that Oz MUST be the same, right? They're both immortal, the only 'true' people, why wouldn't he??

So Salem doesn't TRULY understand Oz in my opinion.

But I really think that Oz DOES understand Salem, at least better than Salem 'understands' him.

Oz... is definitely disillusioned in the Gods. He refers to his immortality as a curse despite the GoL delivering it as a blessing. He's pretty much given up on not just destroying Salem, but also on his task (he straight up said he has no plan when Ruby asked him). He's bitter and no doubt angry. If he was so zealous in his love for the Gods, why would he refer to a blessing as a curse? Why would he give up on his task? Why would he refer to them as essentially people who get into petty fights? To an actual zealot, that would be extreme blasphemy and heresy.

I really do think Oz understands Salems dislike for the Gods. Maybe not at first, not entirely, but now he definitely does. The only thing is that he's not willing to crush people under his boot like Salem does just to get that point across.

I definitely don't think they could ever work together, but mostly because of Salem. Salem views herself as completely separate and better than humanity and hates everything Oz is responsible for. Oz was likely willing to compromise with her, but he didn't like how she did things (like being a tyrannical dictator). And now that Salems done so much damage to him and everyone else, I highly doubt Oz would ever be willing to work with her, same thing with Salem.

To be clear, I don't think Salem was always evil or manipulative nor that Oz is perfect. Salem was, at one point, just a grieving woman who loved her husband enough to go against the Gods because of it. But I think time and constant fighting jaded and twisted her. Oz too- he's had to do things he's not proud of, made mistakes that blew up in his face, hurt people without meaning to. But time also changed him, and he's learning because of Oscar as well as teams RWBY and JNPR.

Ultimately, I don't think Oz is the zealot people think he is. He's not evil, and Salem isn't good or remotely sympathetic anymore. Salem doesn't understand Oz as much as she likes to think she does, but Oz understands her and not only does he hate it, but it scares him.

[xtruss]

Since gaining popularity online, the diabetes medication Ozempic (semaglutide) has been increasingly requested to manage weight. Now, there’s a shortage that’s affecting people who use the medication. Photograph By Imyskin, Getty Images

Ozempic is a Serious Drug with Serious Risks. Here’s What to Know.

The diabetes medication semaglutide has recently become a trendy weight loss treatment. But like every drug, there are downsides—and potentially serious side effects.

— By Allie Yang | August 1, 2023

Billionaire Elon Musk credited it for his dramatic weight loss. Celebrity sites allege that many more A-listers are using it to stay trim. And TikTok is full of influencers showing off their startling before-and-after shots showing off their weight loss after using it.

What is it? A medication called semaglutide, which is sold under different brand names, including Ozempic, approved in 2017 for treating type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, approved just last year for weight loss.

The buzz about these drugs has created a shortage of both, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is expected to last for several months—causing alarm among patients with diabetes who rely on Ozempic to help control their blood sugar. Experts caution that it’s important to understand these are not miracle drugs—and that there are risks to taking them outside of their intended use.

Here’s what you need to know about semaglutide, including how it works and the risks.

What’s The Science Behind The Drug?

Semaglutide helps lower blood sugar by mimicking a hormone that’s naturally secreted when food is consumed, says Ariana Chao, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and medical director at the school’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. This medication, administered through injection, helps people feel full for longer, helps regulate appetite, and reduces hunger and cravings.

There is significant demand for the drug. In 2019, more than 11 percent of the population was diagnosed with diabetes, while more than four in ten adults classified as obese in 2020.

Patients with type 2 diabetes often have impairments in insulin, a hormone that helps break down food and convert it into fuel the body can use, Chao says. Semaglutide signals the pancreas to create more insulin and also lowers glucagon, which helps control blood sugar levels. This can result in weight loss but experts point out that Ozempic has not been approved for that purpose, though semaglutide at a higher dose (Wegovy) has been.

Wegovy is the first drug since 2014 to be approved for chronic weight management. The difference between the two drugs is that Wegovy is administered at a higher dose of semaglutide than Ozempic. Wegovy’s clinical trials showed more weight loss but only slightly greater improvements in glycemic control compared to Ozempic, Chao says.

The FDA sees Ozempic and Wegovy as two different medications for different uses. Chao says many insurance companies cover Ozempic for diabetes but don't cover Wegovy for obesity—a prime example of weight bias in health care. That's why some medical providers use the two doses somewhat interchangeably, as obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked–obesity is the leading risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

What Are The Risks?

Like every medication, there can be downsides.

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, constipation, and diarrhea, Chao says—and more rarely, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and diabetic retinopathy.

Angela Godwin, nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, explains that recent reports of extreme vomiting and gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach) are to be expected.

Gastroparesis “just means the food’s in your stomach longer, which then makes you feel fuller longer,” she explains.

Nausea is one of the biggest side effects of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, and that can always lead to vomiting, Godwin says. In June, the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommended patients stop taking these medications before surgery to avoid aspiration and vomiting.

“Normally, in my experience, it's tolerable,” she says. “But then there are times when I ask [patients], ‘Well, what happened?’ And they [say] they ate too much and ate too quickly. And then yes, the body will vomit it up, because it just can't tolerate that much food anymore.”

These drugs have been extensively studied, but their relatively recent approval means researchers still don’t know what the effects of taking them long term might be.

Continuing research is helping us understand more about what happens when people stop taking these medications—which many may be forced to do amid current shortages. Research does suggest that stopping use of this medication could cause patients to regain weight, especially if they didn’t make any lifestyle changes.

“In almost all weight-loss studies, it really depends on your foundation,” says Stanford endocrinologist Sun Kim. “Your efforts at lifestyle will determine how much weight you lose. If you have your foundations like food, exercise, and sleep, you’re gonna do well.” If not, you might regain as much as 20 percent of the weight lost per year.

These medications can also be incredibly expensive, especially without insurance. Kim says an injection pen can run more than $1,000.

What Does It Mean To Use This Drug Off-label?

Using a drug off-label means using it in a way other than its intended and its FDA-approved purpose, which may not be safe or effective. Ozempic has been approved only for type 2 diabetics, and Wegovy has been approved only for patients with a BMI above 30, or 27 if they have a weight-related comorbidity like high blood pressure.

“There is no scientific evidence to show whether this medication will be effective or of benefit to those who do not fit the criteria from the FDA-approved label indications, such as people with a BMI lower than 27,” Chao says. “We also do not know the side effects or risks in these populations—there could be unknown drug reactions. These medications are not meant to be a quick fix.”

Even if you meet the criteria, experts warn against trying to obtain the medication without a prescription by traveling to countries that don't require them.

“When the medication’s not used under supervision of a health-care provider, then they can come into misuse,” Chao says. “There could be more serious adverse events that can happen.”

Godwin says recent reports of extreme vomiting and gastroparesis are a reminder that patients should schedule regular checkups with their doctor when taking these medications.

“I think it's so popular now that practitioners might be tempted to just prescribe more freely, and then maybe not monitor patients as frequently,” she says.

Patients should not increase their Ozempic dose without doctor approval—which is possible because there are multiple doses in one pen. “They could definitely have a lot of poor side effects, because they didn't titrate up to that level yet,” Godwin says. The same could be said for Wegovy, which comes in a pack of four one-dose pens.

Robert Gabbay, the American Diabetes Association’s chief scientific and medical officer, said the organization is “very much concerned” about the Ozempic shortage.

“The medication has been an important tool for people with diabetes,” he says. “Not only does it lower blood glucose and weight but it has been shown to decrease cardiovascular events—heart attacks—one of the leading causes of death for those living with diabetes.”

A Last Resort?

Still, Kim says that prescribing drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to patients who are desperate for a new approach to weight loss can make her feel “like a superhero.” By the time patients come to her, they’ve often tried methods like Weight Watchers and following the advice of dieticians. In that case, she says, medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can be a great option.

“What I find is sometimes as they're becoming successful at losing weight, it really does feed into their lifestyle too, and then they're able to be more active,” Kim says. “It’s hard to lose weight. Seventy-five percent of the U.S. population is overweight or obese. I feel that we shouldn't be holding this back if this can help.”

Chao agrees that these medications are a good alternative for those who are unable to lose 5 percent of their body weight within about three months of making lifestyle changes. Still, she recommends trying those approaches before turning to medication.

Patients should “make sure that they're focusing on a healthy dietary pattern, reducing calories, as well as increasing physical activity,” she says. “It’s important they know that even if they are taking the medication, it's not an easy way out: They're still going to have to make lifestyle changes.”

[ecoamerica]

Watch the 2024 American Climate Leadership Awards for High School Students now: https://youtu.be/5C-bb9PoRLc

The recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by student climate leaders! Join Aishah-Nyeta Brown & Jerome Foster II and be inspired by student climate leaders as we recognize the High School Student finalists. Watch now to find out which student received the $25,000 grand prize and top recognition!

[riveluart]

Bumbleby Week Day 2 Meeting Parents

Firm believer that Ghira will like Yang immediately (unlike how he felt about Sun)

[heytherecentaurs]

Game Changer Battle Royal Spoilers

What a show!

Ify is a big dude. He’s like football player sized. Holy! He’s so competent I see why they got him out early. But it’s sad because I like him. He’s very funny.

Ally fucked up big time. I would’ve voted them out. (I know they have an immunity thingy but still they’d’ve been my vote)

Izzy is great. She is so funny. You can see she respects the game and she’s played it well.

Jacob is low key a problem. He’s dangerous and the others are gonna have to watch out for him. He always makes me laugh.

Everything about Vic is so attractive. Their mind! How they’ve played so far. They’re originally from Toronto like me. The way they talk. And ya know, like very pretty. Them, Izzy and Jake are a powerful alliance.

Tao knows the game and he played well in the first challenge. I gotta think getting him out early makes sense. It also leaves Lily vulnerable. Someone could take advantage of that for sure.

I don’t have thoughts on the other few yet.

[psychlowdown]

Happy Valentines Day, from me to you! 

[ecoamerica]

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!