Aisha Al Yazeedi, an Emirati astrophysics researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi who has recently published a scientific paper about a galaxy.
Aisha Al Yazeedi, an Emirati astrophysics researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi who has recently published a scientific paper about a galaxy.
Aisha Al Yazeedi, an Emirati astrophysics researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi who has recently published a scientific paper about a galaxy.
Aisha Al Yazeedi, an Emirati astrophysics researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi who has recently published a scientific paper about a galaxy.

Emirati researcher makes discovery on evolution of galaxies


Daniel Bardsley
  • English
  • Arabic

An Emirati astrophysics researcher has published a paper describing the light and radio signals emanating from a galaxy with a supermassive black hole at the centre.

The findings by Aisha Al Yazeedi, 25, of NYU Abu Dhabi, may prove useful to researchers as they try to understand how such enormous black holes influence changes in their galaxies.

Ms Al Yazeedi likes to share a picture that illustrates space through the lens of Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope.

A composite produced from hundreds of photos, the remarkable image shows about 5,500 galaxies.

This is a tiny portion of the known universe, so tiny that another 30million similar images would be required to show the universe in full.

“This by itself is something that I contemplate all the time,” Ms Al Yazeedi said.

“We’re so lucky to be here. I will always be a student learning about space. This is something phenomenal to me.”

This passion for understanding space and mankind’s place in it led Ms Al Yazeedi and a team of co-researchers to analyse the galaxy, called MaNGA 1-166919, in her first scientific paper.

MaNGA 1-166919, one of an estimated two trillion galaxies in the universe, is characterised by having a particularly active supermassive black hole, a huge type of black hole that draws material into itself.

When a supermassive black hole is particularly active it forms an “accretion disk”, described by one author as a “rotating queue” of material such as gases and stars waiting to be drawn into it.

This accretion disk forms part of what is called the galaxy’s Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). As the material moves ever faster, it heats up and emits signals of the kind analysed in the paper.

The radio signals were found to consist of two jets emanating from the galaxy’s centre and these signals corresponded well with the optical signals from the galaxy.

A composite produced from hundreds of photos shows about 5,500 galaxies.
A composite produced from hundreds of photos shows about 5,500 galaxies.

“This is the goal: to understand the physics of the SMBH (supermassive black hole) at the centre of the galaxy, and how it influences the galaxy’s evolution,” Ms Al Yazeedi said.

“I picked this galaxy because it has very interesting radio morphology. Simply by looking at the radio morphology, you could tell that this galaxy has an AGN, which tells you that the SMBH at the centre of the galaxy is active and therefore it has an effect on the galaxy.”

Radio morphology is a function of optical identification for the sources for which there are radio images.

The analysis employed specialist software to process vast amounts of data on the galaxy collected by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico, US.

In carrying out this work, the results of which were recently published in The Astrophysical Journal, the researchers hope to gain insights that could lead to a better understanding of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

“We need to work on a long list of galaxies to see if the same physics applies,” Ms Al Yazeedi said. “We want to take this further with other galaxies.”

The Milky Way does not have an AGN, but research has indicated it may have had one as recently as within the last few million years. When, as predicted, the Milky Way collides with another galaxy called Andromeda in 4.5 billion years, another AGN could form.

  • People look at the Milky Way galaxy rising in the night sky in Kuwait's Al Salmi desert, 120Km north of the capital.
    People look at the Milky Way galaxy rising in the night sky in Kuwait's Al Salmi desert, 120Km north of the capital.
  • The Milky Way galaxy and various constellations are visible to the naked eye.
    The Milky Way galaxy and various constellations are visible to the naked eye.
  • A woman looks at the Milky Way rising in the night sky in Kuwait's Al Salmi desert.
    A woman looks at the Milky Way rising in the night sky in Kuwait's Al Salmi desert.
  • People watch as the stars light up the sky over the rolling sand dunes.
    People watch as the stars light up the sky over the rolling sand dunes.
  • The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
    The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
  • A Palestinian man watches stars above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
    A Palestinian man watches stars above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
  • The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
    The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
  • The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.
    The Milky Way galaxy rising above the Judaean mountains between Jericho in the occupied West Bank and Ein Gedi in Israel.

Ms Al Yazeedi, who is supported by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, has been conducting research at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Centre for Astro, Particle and Planetary Physics under the supervision of Dr Joseph Gelfand, an associate professor of physics and co-author of the paper, through the university’s Kawader programme.

Aimed at well-qualified graduates and post-doctoral researchers, the scheme aims to build capability within the UAE by offering a three-year salaried programme tailored to the interests of each researcher.

The UAE has become a key player in space exploration, launching the Mars orbiter, Hope, a year after sending one of its own astronauts to the International Space Station.

Next year the country aims to send a rover called Rashid to the Moon.

“It’s like we’re making history with all the milestones we’re taking in space science and the space industry,” Ms Al Yazeedi said.

“It makes me very, very proud and very lucky to be an Emirati in this era.”

A 2017 graduate of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Ms Al Yazeedi hopes to continue her research by going on to study for a PhD.

Space year 2021 - in pictures

  • This is a year of landmark space missions. 'The National' looks at the five most exciting ones.
    This is a year of landmark space missions. 'The National' looks at the five most exciting ones.
  • The UAE's Hope probe (pictured) arrived on Mars in February. It will studied why the planet's atmosphere is being stripped away, making it impossible for life to exist.
    The UAE's Hope probe (pictured) arrived on Mars in February. It will studied why the planet's atmosphere is being stripped away, making it impossible for life to exist.
  • China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft includes a Mars orbiter and a rover. Pictured is the Long March-5 rocket that carried Tianwen-1 into space.
    China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft includes a Mars orbiter and a rover. Pictured is the Long March-5 rocket that carried Tianwen-1 into space.
  • Nasa's Perseverance rover landed on Mars on February. The return mission brought back Mars soil and rock samples. This is a computer-generated image of the rover.
    Nasa's Perseverance rover landed on Mars on February. The return mission brought back Mars soil and rock samples. This is a computer-generated image of the rover.
  • The James Webb Space Telescope is set to be the most advanced space observatory. It will orbit the Sun and will be able to see what the universe looked like millions of years ago. It is expected to be launched on October 31.
    The James Webb Space Telescope is set to be the most advanced space observatory. It will orbit the Sun and will be able to see what the universe looked like millions of years ago. It is expected to be launched on October 31.
  • Nasa will launch a return mission to the Moon. The Space Launch System, world's most powerful rocket (pictured), will carry the Orion spacecraft into space as part of the Artemis 1 mission. Orion will orbit the Moon for several days. If successful, it will pave the way for a crewed flight to the Moon in 2023. Courtesy: Nasa
    Nasa will launch a return mission to the Moon. The Space Launch System, world's most powerful rocket (pictured), will carry the Orion spacecraft into space as part of the Artemis 1 mission. Orion will orbit the Moon for several days. If successful, it will pave the way for a crewed flight to the Moon in 2023. Courtesy: Nasa
  • 2021 will also be the year of space tourism. Actor Tom Cruise, director Doug Liman and another private citizen will fly to the International Space Station as part of a private space flight with a company called Axiom. Mr Cruise and Mr Liman will film a movie there. Russia will also try to film a move in space around the same time. SpaceX is providing the ride. IMDb
    2021 will also be the year of space tourism. Actor Tom Cruise, director Doug Liman and another private citizen will fly to the International Space Station as part of a private space flight with a company called Axiom. Mr Cruise and Mr Liman will film a movie there. Russia will also try to film a move in space around the same time. SpaceX is providing the ride. IMDb
  • In July, Nasa was set to launch a mission that would deliberately crash a spacecraft (artist impression is pictured) into an asteroid's moon to change the space rock's course.
    In July, Nasa was set to launch a mission that would deliberately crash a spacecraft (artist impression is pictured) into an asteroid's moon to change the space rock's course.
In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

RACE CARD

6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m

8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m

9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species

Camelpox

Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.

Falconpox

Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.

Houbarapox

Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.

U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES

UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)

  • Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs 
  • Thursday 20 January: v England 
  • Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh 

UAE squad:

Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith  

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

While you're here
Profile Box

Company/date started: 2015

Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif

Based: Manama, Bahrain

Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation

Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads

Stage: 1 ($100,000)

Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)

THE SPECS

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE

Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors

Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode

Power: 121hp

Torque: 142Nm

Price: Dh95,900

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

WWE TLC results

Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair

Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins

Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles

Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women's Championship against Nia Jax

Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match

Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre

Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match

Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match

Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day

R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Profile

Company: Libra Project

Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware

Launch year: 2017

Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time

Sector: Renewable energy

Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

Updated: August 18, 2021, 9:48 AM