meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Science Quickly

Little Galaxy Keeps Churning Out Stars

Science Quickly

Scientific American

Science

4.2639 Ratings

🗓️ 15 November 2015

⏱️ 2 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The recently discovered small galaxy Leo P contains only about a hundred-thousandth as many stars as the Milky Way, but it's bucking the small galaxy trend by continuing to make new ones   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Understanding the human body is a team effort. That's where the Yachtel group comes in.

0:05.8

Researchers at Yachtolt have been delving into the secrets of probiotics for 90 years.

0:11.0

Yacold also partners with nature portfolio to advance gut microbiome science through the global grants for gut health, an investigator-led research program.

0:19.6

To learn more about Yachtolt, visit yawcult.co.

0:22.7

.jp. That's Y-A-K-U-L-T.C-O.J-P. When it comes to a guide for your gut, count on Yacult.

0:33.5

This is Scientific Americans, 60-second science. I'm Steve Merski. Got a minute?

0:39.8

Our galactic home, the Milky Way, is big. Most galaxies are far smaller. And it's not easy

0:46.2

being one of those little galaxies. A big galaxy's gravity can rob their gas. And gas creates new stars.

0:53.5

So losing gas spells the end of star making.

0:56.9

That's what happened in nearly all the small galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. But a small galaxy

1:02.3

can still succeed. Take the example of Leo P. discovered in 2013, the galaxy Leopi lies some

1:10.3

5.3 million light years from Earth,

1:13.2

and it contains only about 100,000ths as many stars as the Milky Way, but it's thriving

1:18.9

nevertheless.

1:20.1

So what's Leopi's secret for success?

1:22.4

Pretty simple.

1:23.5

Steer clear of gas-grabbing big galaxies.

1:27.4

Leopi still has lots of gas. In fact, Leopi's gas

1:30.8

outweighs its stars. Astronomers use the Hubble Space Telescope to study the small galaxy

1:36.2

and published their findings recently in the astrophysical journal. All that gas means that Leopi

1:41.7

can keep making new stars, so the diminutive galaxy has a bright future.

1:46.8

As long as it keeps obeying the number one rule of survival, don't let any behemoths siphon off your gas.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Scientific American, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Scientific American and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.