Space & Future
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...
Astronomers discover powerful “cosmic laser” shining from halfway across the universe
Astronomers using a powerful radio telescope in South Africa have discovered an extraordinary cosmic signal coming from more than 8 billion light-years away.
The signal...
Astronomers discover alcohol-rich interstellar comet passing through our solar system
Astronomers studying a rare interstellar comet have discovered something surprising: it contains unusually large amounts of methanol, a type of alcohol.
The discovery offers a...
Why are some stars always visible while others come and go with the seasons
As a space scientist, every time I go outside with my family, I tell my children to look up at the sky.
The front door...
Can life grow on the moon or Mars? New experiments offer surprising clues
As scientists plan future missions to the Moon and Mars, one major question remains: could humans grow food or even support life on these...
Deep Space
Would we have continents without asteroid impacts?
Early Earth was a wild and wooly place.
In its first billion years, during a period called the Archean, our planet was still hot from...
Scientists discover a hot super Earth near one of our galaxy’s oldest stars
A hot, rocky “super Earth,” near one of the oldest stars in the galaxy has taken a team of planet-hunting scientists by surprise.
The planet...
Is the Milky Way… normal?
Studying the large-scale structure of our galaxy isn’t easy.
We don’t have a clear view of the Milky Way’s shape and features like we do...
Rare visitor from another star system captured by Hawaiian Telescope
Astronomers have spotted a cosmic traveler passing through our Solar System — only the third of its kind ever discovered.
Using the powerful Gemini North...
Astronomers flag three exoplanets that are actually stars
The first worlds beyond our solar system were discovered three decades ago. Since then, close to 5,000 exoplanets have been confirmed in our galaxy.
Astronomers...