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Lior Shamir | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | (2025)
Primary Link DOI Openalex Full text (OA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT JWST provides a view of the Universe never seen before, and specifically fine details of galaxies in deep space. JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) is a deep field survey, providing unprecedentedly detailed view of galaxies in the early Universe. The field is also in relatively close proximity to the Galactic pole. Analysis of spiral galaxies by their direction of rotation in JADES shows that the number of galaxies in that field that rotate in the opposite direction relative to the Milky Way galaxy is $\sim$50 per cent higher than the number of galaxies that rotate in the same direction relative to the Milky Way. The analysis is done using a computer-aided quantitative method, but the difference is so extreme that it can be noticed and inspected even by the unaided human eye. These observations are in excellent agreement with deep fields taken at around the same footprint by Hubble Space Telescope and JWST. The reason for the difference may be related to the structure of the early Universe, but it can also be related to the physics of galaxy rotation and the internal structure of galaxies. In that case the observation can provide possible explanations to other puzzling anomalies such as the $H_o$ tension and the observation of massive mature galaxies at very high redshifts.

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Sample Definition And Size

The study analyzed spiral galaxies in the GOODS‑S field of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), using NIRCam imaging in the 4.4, 2.0, and 0.9 μm bands. The field spans RA 53.01885° to 53.2184° and Dec –27.9145° to –27.7292°. A total of 263 galaxies had identifiable rotation directions. Of these, 158 rotate in the opposite direction relative to the Milky Way, and 105 rotate in the same direction. ([academic.oup.com](https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/538/1/76/8019798?utm_source=openai))

Study Type

Observational study using quantitative image analysis of JWST deep‑field data, applying a computer‑aided algorithm (Ganalyzer) to determine galaxy rotation direction. ([researchgate.net](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389391604_The_distribution_of_galaxy_rotation_in_JWST_Advanced_Deep_Extragalactic_Survey?utm_source=openai))

Conflicts Of Interest

No conflicts of interest are declared in the paper. ([academic.oup.com](https://academic.oup.com/mnras/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mnras/staf292/8019798?utm_source=openai))

Results Summary

The number of galaxies rotating opposite to the Milky Way is approximately 50% higher than those rotating in the same direction (158 vs. 105). The asymmetry is visually obvious and statistically significant. ([academic.oup.com](https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/538/1/76/8019798?utm_source=openai))

Referenced In

StarTalk

Season 17, Episode 3: Are We Living Inside a Black Hole?

Hey StarTalkians! Season 17, Episode 3’s collection of “Cosmic Queries” saw Neil and Chuck tackle a lot of questions about black holes, and this question in particular stood out:

Alcubierre Drives, Antimatter Multiverses & More! | Cosmic Queries #103

Neil’s answer is solid. But lurking underneath that question is something they didn’t address in the episode: why would we be living in a black hole at all? This post takes a brief look at one recent paper making this argument as an example, but there are others .

Black Hole Universe: The Bounce Model

The paper investigated what happens when a cloud of matter collapses in on itself in curved space, taking into account quantum mechanics.

Quantum mechanics matters because of the Pauli Exclusion Principle, which says that no two fermions in the same system can occupy the same quantum state. There are two key parts to this definition:

  • Fermions include electrons, as well as composite particles like protons and neutrons. Basically, it includes all the “regular” matter we’re most familiar with.

  • Quantum states are defined by some key values. For example, in an atom, electrons occupy discrete “energy levels,” denoted by an integer physicists label n. So n = 1 is the lowest energy level. Other quantum numbers relate to magnetic properties and “spin.”

It’s like there are set seats for the particles, and if someone else has seat n = 1, ℓ = 1, m = 0 and s = 1/2, then the next fermion has to sit somewhere else.

So when all of the quantum numbers fill up, this limits how much the matter can be squashed. Some particles have to move to a different “seat.” This creates a kind of pressure that pushes the matter back outwards.

This bounce is what the paper investigates. While from the “outside,” an observer would see a black hole form, on the inside there would be a big bang. This is illustrated in the attached image.

  • The good news: It would explain the initial inflation phase of the universe and dark energy.

  • The bad news: It requires a curved universe, but most evidence says ours is flat.

So do we live in a black hole? Maybe! But probably not.

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