Short Wave Hot galaxies alert!
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Jan 9, 2026 
Scott Detrow, an NPR journalist, joins to discuss a surprising astronomical discovery: a young galaxy cluster that's hotter than the Sun—challenging long-held theories about galaxy formation. They also delve into the remarkable olfactory abilities of elephants, who excel in maze tests by choosing paths with more food. Lastly, the conversation explores the intriguing migration patterns of painted lady butterflies, revealing how DNA changes affect their movement across the equator, highlighting its ecological significance.
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Unexpectedly Hot Young Galaxy Cluster
- Astronomers found a galaxy cluster formed ~12 billion years ago that is far hotter than expected, even hotter than the Sun's surface.
- This challenges models of early cluster formation and suggests we may need to rethink how large structures evolve in the young universe.
Active Black Holes In An Early Cluster
- The cluster contains active galaxies with three supermassive black holes, surprising given its young age.
- Researchers caution it might be an extreme case, so more observations are needed to generalize the finding.
Elephant Noses Are Exceptionally Sensitive
- Elephants have ~2,000 olfactory genes, five times humans and twice dogs, enabling fine scent discrimination over distances.
- They can detect quantity differences down to about six to ten trunk loads (≈600 grams) in controlled tests.