SPACE/COSMOS
Machine learning to scan for signs of extraterrestrial life
image:
Visualization of the distribution of compounds in meteoritic samples and terrestrial geologic samples and the regression coefficients of the logistic regression model trained in LifeTracer.
view moreCredit: Saeedi et al.
A machine learning framework can distinguish molecules made by biological processes from those formed through non-biological processes and could be used to analyze samples returned by current and future planetary missions. José C. Aponte, Amirali Aghazadeh, and colleagues analyzed eight carbonaceous meteorites and ten terrestrial geologic samples using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Using this data, the authors developed LifeTracer, a computational framework that processes mass spectrometry data and applies machine learning to identify patterns distinguishing abiotic from biotic origins. A logistic regression model trained on compound-level features achieved over 87% accuracy in classifying samples as meteoritic or terrestrial. The analysis identified 9,475 peaks in meteorite samples and 9,070 in terrestrial samples, with statistically significant differences between the two sample types in molecular weight distributions and retention times, which describes how long it takes the compound to move through the chromatograph’s two columns. Organic compounds in meteorite samples showed significantly lower retention times, consistent with higher volatility in abiotically formed materials. The framework identified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylated variants as key predictive features, with naphthalene emerging as the most predictive compound for abiotic samples. According to the authors, the approach enables scalable, unbiased biosignature detection and could be a powerful tool for interpreting complex organic mixtures that will be returned by current and future planetary sample return missions.
Journal
PNAS Nexus
Article Title
Discriminating abiotic and biotic organics in meteorite and terrestrial samples using machine learning on mass spectrometry data
Article Publication Date
18-Nov-2025
A sparkling ‘Diamond Ring’ in space: Astronomers in Cologne unravel the mystery of a cosmic ring
image:
Cygnus X is about 4,500 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, or the Swan.
view moreCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA
An international team led by researchers from the University of Cologne has solved the mystery of an extraordinary phenomenon known as the ‘Diamond Ring’ in the star-forming region Cygnus X, a huge, ring-shaped structure made of gas and dust that resembles a glowing diamond ring. In similar structures, the formations are not flat but spherical in shape. How this special shape came about was previously unknown. The results have been published under the title ‘The Diamond Ring in Cygnus X: an advanced stage of an expanding bubble of ionized carbon’ in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
The ring has a diameter of around 20 light years and shines strongly in infrared light. It is the relic of a former cosmic bubble that was once formed by the radiation and winds of a massive star. In contrast to other similar objects, the ‘Diamond Ring’ does not have a rapidly expanding spherical shell, but only a slowly expanding ring.
“For the first time, we observed the final stage of such a gas bubble in a distinctly flat cloud structure,” explains Simon Dannhauer from the University of Cologne’s Institute for Astrophysics, who lead the study. “The bubble has ‘burst’, because gases were able to escape into the thinner areas around it. All that remained was the particular flat shape.”
Computer simulations show that the bubble initially expanded in all directions and later escaped perpendicular to the cloud. What remained was the structure of the ‘Diamond Ring’ that is visible today. This cosmic formation is estimated to be around 400,000 years old – very young compared to the lifespan of massive stars. Sebastian Vider from the University of Cologne carried out these computer simulations on the new ‘RAMSES’ supercomputer.
The bubble consisting of ionized carbon was once inflated by a hot star with a mass approximately 16 times that of our Sun. This star heats up the gas and dust until it glows. Observations like this are technically very demanding and were only possible with the help of the flying observatory SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). With SOFIA, a modified Boeing aircraft that flies at an altitude of 13 kilometres or more, researchers can observe a wavelength range of light that is not accessible from Earth. In doing so, the researchers were able to precisely measure the movement of the gas: The ring expands at around 1.3 kilometres per second – this corresponds to around 4,700 km/h and is actually quite slow compared to similar bubbles.
The discovery provides valuable insights into how the radiation and winds of young stars shape their environment and therefore also influence the formation of new stars. “The ‘Diamond Ring’ is a prime example of how enormous the influence of individual stars can be on entire cloud complexes,” says Dr Nicola Schneider, co-author of the study. “Such processes are crucial for understanding the formation of stars in our Milky Way,” continues Dr Robert Simon.
Yet there’s still one small disappointment for the romantics. The study also shows that what looks like a ‘Diamond Ring’ from Earth actually consists of two individual objects. It seems as if the ‘Diamond’, a cluster of young stars, is merely part of the ring. In fact, it is located a few hundred light years in front of it.
Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
The Diamond Ring in Cygnus X: an advanced stage of an expanding bubble of ionized carbon’
Article Publication Date
17-Nov-2025
OFC 2026 plenary speakers address AI, advances in optical technologies and satellite communications
Four visionaries from NVIDIA, Coherent and Tesat-Spacecom are announced as presenters.
Optica
LOS ANGELES – The 2026 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition (OFC), the premier global event for optical communications and networking, will be held 15 – 19 March 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, USA.
The centerpiece of the conference’s technical program is the Plenary Session, which will feature four industry luminaries: Alexis Bjorlin, Senior Vice President and General Manager for DGX Cloud, NVIDIA, USA; Julie Sheridan Eng, Chief Technology Officer, Coherent, USA; Siegbert Martin, Chief Technology Officer, Tesat-Spacecom, Germany; and Gilad Shainer, Senior Vice President of Networking, NVIDIA, USA.
“As demands on bandwidth continue to accelerate, there has never been a greater urgency to build sustainable, high-capacity networks to power our digital future, said OFC General Co-Chair Jiajia Chen, ByteDance, USA. “Our plenary speakers each focus on key technologies that are transforming global connectivity: the use of AI-driven network architectures; advances in optical technologies for hyperscale datacenters; and laser-based communications between satellites.”
Plenary Talks
Scaling the Optical Future: Optical Technologies Driving AI, Datacenters and Communications Networks
Presented by Julie Sheridan Eng, Chief Technology Officer, Coherent, USA
In her talk, Dr. Sheridan Eng will examine market dynamics and key technological advances in lasers and modulators, transceivers, co-packaged optics and optical circuit switches enabling higher bandwidth density and energy efficiency within the datacenter. She will also highlight advances in coherent optics and transport technologies that are enabling scalable, high-capacity datacenter interconnect (DCI) and communications networks. Prior to becoming CTO at Coherent, Dr. Sheridan Eng served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Optoelectronic Devices and Modules Business Unit. Previously, she held various senior management positions at Finisar Corporation. Over the 15 years she managed datacom transceiver engineering, her teams achieved numerous industry firsts and production-released hundreds of fiber optic transceiver products.
“Dr. Julie Sheridan Eng is a highly-esteemed and recognized figure within the OFC community, and Coherent has long been a valued partner to and supporter of our conference,” said General Co-Chair Johannes Fischer, Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz Institute, Germany. “We anticipate greatly her insights on how innovations in hardware solutions will meet the increasing performance demands necessary for AI, datacenters and networks.”
Revolutionizing Networking for Gigawatt AI Factories
Co-presented by: Alexis Bjorlin, Senior Vice President and General Manager for DGX Cloud, NVIDIA, USA; and Gilad Shainer, Senior Vice President of Networking, NVIDIA, USA
This shared talk from two NVIDIA leaders first reinforces that training at the future million-GPU scale requires significant advancements in compute, memory (scale-up) and networking (both scale-up and scale-out) — and that this human-like iterative inferencing requires extremely low latencies and reduced energy consumption per answer. The talk then addresses how these massive networking challenges are being addressed by optical innovations including CPO, with micro-ring modulators, 3D-stacked silicon photonics engines, high-power lasers and detachable fiber connectors.
Dr. Bjorlin is Senior Vice President and General Manager for DGX Cloud at NVIDIA. Prior to NVIDIA, she was Vice President of Infrastructure at Meta; Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom Optical Systems Division; and Corporate Vice President of the Data Center Group and General Manager of the Connectivity Group at Intel. Gilad Shainer’s role as Senior Vice President of Networking at NVIDIA focuses on high-speed InfiniBand, NVLINK and Ethernet networking, high-performance computing and AI platforms. He came to NVIDIA from Mellanox, where he worked first as a design engineer and later in senior marketing management roles.
“We are thrilled to welcome two leaders from NVIDIA, a company almost synonymous with artificial intelligence,” said General Co-Chair Tetsuya Hayashi, Sumitomo Electric, Japan. “Their shared talk will illustrate the evolution beyond a typical hyperscale datacenter: a network stitched together from GPUs operating as a single unit, and using a layered-design architecture with leading technologies like co-packaged optics.”
Optical Networks in Space — From Technology to Application
Presented by: Siegbert Martin, Chief Technology Officer, Tesat-Spacecom, Germany
Dr. Martin’s talk asserts that optical networks in space are becoming a substantial, resilient solution for worldwide communication — serving either as a backup solution to terrestrial data networks or as an independent extension. He will discuss how significantly lower launch costs and other developments are leading to the deployment of satellite constellations of unprecedented scale, and the advantages and challenges of laser-based communications between satellites over conventional RF links. Dr. Martin’s career has been concentrated in terrestrial and satellite communication networks, spanning microwave and optical technologies. Prior to becoming CTO at Tesat-Spacecom, he held positions at Bosch Telecom, Marconi and Ericsson.
“The cost to launch satellites has long been a primary constraint for the satellite communications industry,” said General Co-Chair Jiajia Chen. “With lower launch costs, optical communications networks can now be extended not just undersea, but into space. We are genuinely excited to hear Dr. Siegbert Martin discuss this next ‘giant leap’ in how the world communicates.”
The OFC Plenary Session will be presented on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, from 08:00 – 10:00 PDT (UTC -07:00).
Registration to attend OFC is open.
About OFC
The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is the world’s largest event for optical communications and networking professionals — a showcase for the trends and technologies that impact how the world communicates and transacts. It is the locus for scientific visionaries and the industry’s biggest brands to make connections and move business forward. For more than 50 years, participants from all corners of the globe have been drawn to OFC by its high-impact, peer-reviewed research, dynamic business programs and the world’s largest in-person exhibition for optical communications.
OFC is co-sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc) and the IEEE Photonics Society and co-sponsored and managed by Optica.
OFC takes place 15 – 19 March 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California, USA. Learn more at OFCConference.org or follow @OFCConference on LinkedIn and X.
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