Space & Future
How the Milky Way’s smallest neighbors reveal the early universe
Astronomers have long been fascinated by tiny galaxies that orbit the Milky Way.
These faint and fragile systems, known as ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, are often...
Binary stars form lots of exoplanets, but many of them are ejected as rogue...
Astronomers don't have to work hard to find binary stars in the Milky Way.
They're common, even abundant. For a long time, they thought that...
Scientists finally discover the true edge of the Milky Way
For many years, astronomers have wondered where the Milky Way truly “ends.” Unlike a solid object, our galaxy does not have a clear boundary.
Its...
Potential signs of life on distant planets sound exciting, but confirmation can take years
Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighboring planets, in nebulae—clouds of interstellar dust and gas—hundreds or thousands of...
Astronomers find the edge of the Milky Way’s star-forming disc
Where exactly is the edge of the Milky Way?
That question is harder to answer than one might expect. Since we’re inside of the galaxy...
Forget our Sun—Planets might form more easily around double stars
For a long time, scientists believed that having two stars in one system would make it difficult for planets to form.
The strong gravitational pull...
Do stars slow down before they die? New study reveals a surprising twist
Stars may look calm and steady in the night sky, but deep inside they are constantly moving and changing.
One of the most important changes...
Young sun-like stars are not as menacing as thought
Scientists know that the behaviour of stars can dictate planetary habitability.
Research shows that young stars emit powerful radiation that can strip planetary atmospheres away.
And...
Curiosity rover uncovers 3.5-billion-year-old organic matter on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a surprising variety of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals that scientists consider important building blocks for life on...
Scientists map hidden magnetic fields on the sun’s far side
From Earth, we only ever see half of the sun.
The other half—the far side—is always hidden from view. But what happens there still matters.
Powerful...
Cosmic dances reveal the true weight of young stars in Orion
A star’s mass decides almost everything about its life, from how bright it shines to how it eventually dies.
But for young stars hidden deep...
Astronomers spot a Jupiter-like planet with possible ice clouds
Astronomers have discovered a distant planet similar to Jupiter that may be covered with thick clouds, offering new insights into how giant planets form...
Deep Space
Hungry mini black hole takes ‘bites’ from sun-like star every 25 days!
Scientists at the University of Leicester have made a jaw-dropping discovery in a galaxy about 500 million light-years away from our own Milky Way.
They...
Neutron stars could be the best way to measure dark energy
Dark energy is central to our modern theory of cosmology.
We know the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate, and the clearest explanation is...
Why some meteor showers are so unpredictable
Meteor showers can be spectacular, but predicting when and where they’ll appear in the night sky has often been a challenge.
For a long time,...
What time is it on Mars? Scientists finally have a precise answer
On Earth, telling time is easy. Our clocks are synchronized using atomic clocks, GPS satellites, and fast communication networks.
But according to Einstein’s theory of...
Astronomers detect key clue in how planets form: A ‘wiggle’ in space”
A team of international astronomers has made an exciting discovery about how planets form, thanks to new observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array...