Supernova

18.10.2023

Supernova , RACE IAS : Best IAS coaching in Lucknow , Daily Current Affairs 

Why in the news?

Recently,Artificial intelligence has discovered its first supernova without human intervention.

About Supernova

• It is a stellar explosion that occurs when a star reaches the end of its life cycle.
• There are several types of supernovae, but they all share the common characteristic of releasing an enormous burst of energy, often outshining entire galaxies for a brief period.
•  They are often seen in other galaxies. But supernovas are difficult to see in our own Milky Way galaxy because dust blocks our view.

Types of Supernova

First Type  Supernova:

•  The first type of supernova happens in binary star systems.
• Binary stars are two stars that orbit the same point. One of the stars, a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, steals matter from its companion star.
• Eventually, the white dwarf accumulates too much matter. Having too much matter causes the star to explode, resulting in a supernova.
• As the white dwarf accretes matter from its companion, it eventually reaches a critical mass, triggering a runaway nuclear fusion that causes the entire star to explode.

Type II Supernova:

 These are the result of the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star.

The core of the star collapses under its own gravity, leading to a rebound effect that results in a powerful explosion.

Why Do Scientists Study Supernovas?

• A supernova burns for only a short period of time, but it can tell scientists a lot about the universe. One kind of supernova has shown scientists that we live in an expanding universe, one that is growing at an ever increasing rate.
• Supernovas play a key role in distributing elements throughout the universe. When the star explodes, it shoots elements and debris into space. These elements travel on to form new stars, planets and everything else in the universe.

Importance of Supernova

Element Formation: Supernova play a crucial role in the creation of elements heavier than iron, as the intense heat and pressure during the explosion facilitate nucleosynthesis.

Cosmic Evolution: The energy and elements released during supernovae enrich the interstellar medium, influencing the formation of subsequent generations of stars and planetary systems.

Cosmic Distance Indicators: Type 1 supernova, due to their uniform brightness, are essential in measuring cosmic distances and have contributed significantly to our understanding of the expansion of the universe.

Artificial Intelligence

• The term was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy.
• AI is the ability of a computer, or a robot controlled by a computer to do tasks that are usually done by humans because they require human intelligence and discernment.
• It refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem-solving and decision making. It describes the action of machines accomplishing tasks that have historically required human intelligence. It includes technologies like machine learning, pattern recognition, big data, neural networks, self algorithms etc.

Applications of AI:

Providing niche solutions to specific problems: that banks and other service providers are deploying, such as speeding up loan application processing or improving customer service.

For better governance and social impact: E.g. During the lockdown, the Telangana police used AI-enabled automated number plate recognition software to catch violations.

AI during COVID: AI used in monitoring and prediction. Ex. Arogya Setu App.

Education: AI could open new possibilities for innovative and personalised approaches catering to different learning abilities.

Source:Indian Express