Space & Future
The universe was warm before it was bright
So first the Big Bang happens. Everything is incredibly hot and dense; there are photons flying everywhere, but they keep colliding with electrons and...
Scientists capture ultra-rare, ultra-sharp images of powerful solar flares
Scientists have achieved something that almost never happens in solar research: they captured high-resolution images of an active region on the sun at the...
Stars surprisingly survive near the Milky Way’s black hole, study finds
Astronomers have long believed that the region around the Milky Way’s central black hole, Sagittarius A*, is one of the most dangerous places in...
Meteorites are ancient time capsules that reveal how our solar system was born
When a meteor flashes across the night sky, it’s more than a beautiful streak of light.
It’s a delivery from deep space—an ancient piece of...
Astronomers discover 400 “sibling” star clusters hidden in the Milky Way
Astronomers have uncovered more than 400 pairs of star clusters in our Milky Way—cosmic siblings that were born together or later became partners as...
Living microbes found in a meteorite crater may offer clues to life on Mars
Scientists have discovered living, methane-producing microbes deep inside a massive meteorite impact crater in Sweden, and the find could change the way researchers think...
Scientists discover a fast-spinning red giant star orbiting a silent black hole
Astronomers have uncovered the unusual history of a distant red giant star by “listening” to tiny vibrations rippling through it.
These vibrations, known as starquakes,...
Scientists capture the sound of sparks on Mars
For the first time, scientists have confirmed that tiny bursts of electricity are happening in the atmosphere of Mars.
These sparks were picked up by...
Mysterious ultraviolet light found in baby star nurseries
Astronomers have discovered something unexpected in the birthplaces of young stars: ultraviolet (UV) radiation where it should not exist.
Using the powerful James Webb Space...
After nearly 100 years, dark matter may finally have been seen
Nearly 100 years ago, astronomer Fritz Zwicky made a strange discovery while studying the movement of galaxies.
He noticed that galaxies were moving far faster...
Scientists find possible boiling oceans hidden beneath icy moons
Out in the cold, distant reaches of our solar system, many moons are wrapped in thick layers of ice.
At first glance, these worlds look...
Cosmic dust could help create life in space
Scientists have discovered that tiny particles of cosmic dust may play a much more important role in creating the building blocks of life than...
Deep Space
New video shows how tiny spacecraft will “swarm” Proxima Centauri
Earlier this year, NASA selected a rather interesting proposal for Phase I development as part of their NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program.
It’s known...
Water in your coffee might be older than the Sun, study finds
Astronomers have made a stunning discovery that reveals just how ancient some of the water in our universe really is.
Using the powerful Atacama Large...
Scientists discover a monster black hole in the early universe
Astronomers have discovered the most massive quasar known in the early universe, containing a monster black hole with a mass equivalent to 1.5 billion...
Scientists discover surprisingly calm and remote galaxy cluster
Scientists have stumbled upon the most remote 'relaxed' galaxy cluster to date—making it the furthest we've seen that isn't being disrupted by hectic collisions...
Astronomers discover more than 300 possible new exoplanets
Scientists have identified 366 new exoplanets, thanks in large part to an algorithm developed by a UCLA postdoctoral scholar.
Among their most noteworthy findings is...