Space & Future
New study suggests atoms can “hear” ripples in spacetime
Gravitational waves are tiny ripples in space and time, created by some of the most violent events in the universe, such as when two...
Why the Small Magellanic Cloud is behaving so strangely
Astronomers have discovered that one of our closest neighboring galaxies is going through a dramatic transformation—and they can watch it happening in real time.
The...
Giant craters may reveal if Psyche is a lost planetary core
When we think of asteroids, we almost immediately think of giant rocks bouncing around like the iconic chase scene in Empire Strikes Back, and...
Earth was already moving 3.5 billion years ago, study finds
The story of our planet is written in the slow movement of its surface.
Over billions of years, shifting tectonic plates have shaped continents, opened...
How will Martian gravity affect skeletal muscle
NASA and the China National Space Agency (CNSA) plan to send astronauts to Mars as early as the next decade.
Naturally, this ambitious goal requires...
This pair of brown dwarfs can’t get enough of each other
Binary stars are known to transfer mass to one another. In extreme cases, mass transfer can even cause a supernova explosion. That happens when...
When two ‘failed stars’ team up to light the sky
Brown dwarfs are often called “failed stars” because they are too small to keep nuclear fusion going in their cores, the process that makes...
Scientists discover “rotten egg” planet with a massive ocean of lava
Astronomers have discovered a strange new kind of planet beyond our solar system—one that may be covered by a vast, long-lasting ocean of molten...
A giant space rock’s scars may reveal how planets were born
Asteroid 16 Psyche has puzzled scientists for more than 200 years.
Now, new research suggests that its large craters could hold the key to understanding...
A “cotton candy” planet wrapped in haze leaves scientists puzzled
Astronomers have taken a closer look at one of the strangest planets ever discovered, and it is raising more questions than answers.
The planet, called...
Scientists discover one of the oldest stars ever, with almost no iron
Astronomers have discovered one of the oldest and most primitive stars ever found, offering a rare glimpse into the early universe.
The star, named PicII-503,...
Nearby galaxies suggest the universe may be expanding more slowly than thought
For decades, scientists have tried to measure how fast the universe is expanding.
This expansion rate is known as the Hubble constant, and it plays...
Deep Space
Where did the water on Earth come from
Earth's supply of water is incredibly important for its ability to sustain life, but where did that water come from?
Was it present when Earth...
A new look at how planets are born
Imagine a young star, much like our own sun, but in its earliest days. Around it, there's a swirling dance of dust and gas....
Scientists propose new way to defend the Earth against cosmic impacts
In February of 2013, skywatchers around the world turned their attention toward asteroid 2012 DA14, a cosmic rock about 150 feet (50 meters) in...
New digital tool can reveal the past, predict Earth’s future
For the first time, scientists have a high-resolution model of how today's geophysical landscapes were created and how millions of tonnes of sediment have...
This hungry black hole is one of the most massive in the Universe
We now know just how massive the fastest-growing black hole in the Universe actually is, as well as how much it eats, thanks to...