Space & Future
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...
The mystery of the colliding black holes solved
In 2023, astronomers detected one of the most extraordinary cosmic events ever seen — a collision between two enormous black holes, located about seven...
Is the universe slowing down? New evidence challenges what we know about dark energy
For more than 25 years, scientists have believed that the universe is expanding faster and faster, pushed apart by a mysterious force called dark...
Tiny dwarf galaxies help solve a 40-year dark matter debate
For decades, scientists have puzzled over why galaxies spin faster than expected.
The stars in their outer regions move so quickly that, by the laws...
Space snacks with legs: How insects might feed astronauts on Mars
Before humans ever ventured into space, insects were already making the trip — and thriving.
Lightweight, adaptable, and packed with nutrients, insects are now being...
Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may hide a long-lived ocean that could support life
Scientists have discovered that Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus is warmer than they thought — and that its hidden ocean may have remained liquid for...
Many “mini-Neptunes” once thought to be lava worlds may have solid surfaces
Astronomers have long puzzled over a strange and abundant type of planet found across the galaxy—known as “mini-Neptunes.”
These worlds are smaller than Neptune but...
Astronomers observe a black hole in another galaxy tearing a star apart
During the 1950s, the study of the cosmos was revolutionized with the introduction of radio astronomy.
In the ensuing decades, astronomers detected numerous bright radio...
Deep Space
Scientists enlist AI to search for ‘lethal’ baby star eruptions
Young stars – just like young humans – are prone to temper flares.
But star flares can incinerate everything around them, including the atmospheres of...
Scientists on the hunt for alien atmospheres: A step toward finding extraterrestrial life
Astronomer Sebastian Zieba, who graduated with honors from Leiden University, is on an exciting mission to find atmospheres around planets outside our solar system.
Using...
Some sand on Mars is actually green, shows study
NASA’s rover Perseverance has made a startling discovery on Mars.
Many of the rocks in the Jezero Crater on Mars are composed of large grains...
The universe’s big mystery: Why does matter exist? Maybe electrons can tell us
Have you ever wondered why we exist, or more specifically, why matter exists?
At the beginning of our universe, a ton of particles like protons,...
What part of a space rock survives to the ground?
When a small asteroid enters Earth's atmosphere from space, its surface is brutally heated, causing melting and fragmenting.
Therefore, it was somewhat of a mystery...