In a universe where entropy prevails, it’s interesting to see something like this:
SPACE.com — Cosmic ‘DNA’: Double Helix Spotted in Space
Magnetic forces at the center of the galaxy have twisted a nebula into the shape of DNA, a new study reveals.
Image: Double Helix Nebula – Credit: M. Morris, UCLA
The double helix shape is commonly seen inside living organisms, but this is the first time it has been observed in the cosmos.
“Nobody has ever seen anything like that before in the cosmic realm,” said the study’s lead author Mark Morris of UCLA. “Most nebulae are either spiral galaxies full of stars or formless amorphous conglomerations of dust and gas—space weather. What we see indicates a high degree of order.”
[ read more ]
It turns out that this phenomenon may be an effect caused by a large gravitational mass orbiting our galaxy center; the gravitational attraction causes the dust and gas in the nebula to twirl around every 10,000 years or so, as the nebula slowly drifts away from galaxy center on a line roughly perpendicular to the galactic plane. This theory is consistent with the observations.
Picture the Blue Angels in an air show doing formation aileron rolls with smoke jettisoning from the F-18s. The resulting double or triple helix is a real crowd pleaser.