Space & Future
Astronomers spot first stars billions of years after they were supposed to die
Over the course of billions of years, the universe has steadily been evolving.
Thanks to the expansion of the universe, we are able to “see”...
Hunting for wandering black holes in dwarf galaxies
Tracking down black holes at the center of dwarf galaxies has proven difficult.
In part that is because they have a tendency to “wander” and...
How dark energy changed cosmology forever
Let’s rewind the clock back…oh, I don’t know, let’s say a hundred years. It was 1917, and Einstein had just developed his general theory...
How colorful microbes in clouds could help us find life on other planets
Clouds may spoil a picnic or block our view of the stars, but they could also help scientists discover life on distant planets.
A new...
Astronomers crack the case of mysterious radio relics in galaxy clusters
Galaxy clusters are the largest structures held together by gravity in the universe.
Each cluster contains hundreds or even thousands of galaxies, along with hot...
Our solar system is moving three times faster than expected
A new study has found that our solar system is racing through the universe much faster than current theories predict.
This surprising discovery, led by...
The rust that could reveal alien life
Iron rusts.
On Earth, this common chemical reaction often signals the presence of something far more interesting than just corroding metal for example, living microorganisms...
Astronomers discover the Pleiades is part of a giant hidden star family
The Pleiades, also known as the “Seven Sisters,” is one of the most recognizable sights in the night sky.
For centuries, people around the world...
Astronomers discover a superheated galaxy building stars at record speed
Astronomers have found a distant galaxy that’s building stars 180 times faster than our own Milky Way—offering a new clue to how galaxies grew...
How cloud-dwelling microbes could help us find life on other worlds
Clouds may seem like a barrier when looking for life on distant planets, but new research shows they could actually be the key.
Scientists at...
The impossible black holes that shouldn’t exist
In 2023, gravitational wave detectors picked up the signature of a collision 7 billion light years away.
Two black holes had merged in an explosion...
Rare meteor strike on Mars triggers dust avalanches and new streaks
A rare meteoroid impact on Mars has given scientists a glimpse into how the planet’s dusty surface is constantly reshaped.
When a space rock struck...
Deep Space
Ancient stars could make elements with more than 260 protons
The first stars of the Universe were monstrous beasts. Comprised only of hydrogen and helium, they could be 300 times more massive than the...
Scientists find nearly 1,000 mysterious strands in Milky Way galaxy’s turbulent center
An unprecedented new telescope image of the Milky Way galaxy's turbulent center has revealed nearly 1,000 mysterious strands, inexplicably dangling in space.
Stretching up to...
Voyager 1 is forced to rely on its low power radio
Voyager 1 was launched waaaaaay back in 1977. I would have been 4 years old then!
It’s an incredible achievement that technology that was built...
Scientists answer key questions about the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua
Since its discovery in 2017, an air of mystery has surrounded the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, an elongated, cigar-shaped...
Flickering lights from a giant black hole reveal cosmic secrets
Every big galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center, but scientists are still trying to fully understand how these black holes and...