Scientists discover an exoplanet atmosphere never seen before
New observations of WASP-39 b reveal a never-before-seen molecule in the atmosphere of a planet — sulfur dioxide — among other details.
Astronomers make the most robust catalog to trace rare, cosmic explosions
The galactic homes of 84 short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs) — produced by the collision of two neutron stars — have now been pinpointed in...
Many planets could have atmospheres rich in helium, study finds
We now know there are thousands and thousands of planets out there circling faraway stars, and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Our Milky Way galaxy’s mysterious filaments have ‘older, distant cousins’
Astrophysicist Farhad Zadeh has been fascinated and puzzled by a family of large-scale, highly organized magnetic filaments dangling in the center of the Milky...
Mars was covered by a 300-meter-deep ocean 4.5 billion years ago
When Mars was a young planet, it was bombarded by ice asteroids delivering water and organic molecules necessary for life to emerge.
This means...
Bright light from early universe ‘opens new chapter in astronomy’
The researchers found two exceptionally bright galaxies that existed approximately 350 and 450 million years after the big bang.
What would asteroid mining do to the world’s economy
About a decade ago, the prospect of “asteroid mining” saw a massive surge in interest.
Stars and planets grow up together, reveals white dwarfs
A study of the oldest stars suggests the building blocks of planets like Jupiter and Saturn begin to form while a young star is growing.
Black holes don’t always power gamma-ray bursts, shows study
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been detected by satellites orbiting Earth as luminous flashes of the most energetic gamma-ray radiation lasting milliseconds to hundreds of seconds.
Star death reveals a midsize black hole lurking in a dwarf galaxy
An intermediate-mass black hole lurking undetected in a dwarf galaxy revealed itself to astronomers when it gobbled up an unlucky star that strayed too...