Asteroid samples returned to Earth were immediately colonized by bacteria
We’ve known for a while that complex chemistry occurs in space.
Organic molecules have been detected in cold molecular clouds, and we have even found...
Jupiter’s polar ‘tornadoes’ are stirring up strange, dark spots
Astronomers have discovered mysterious, Earth-sized dark spots at Jupiter's poles that appear and disappear unpredictably.
These spots, only visible in ultraviolet (UV) light, are embedded...
The Hubble and FU Orionis: a new look at an old mystery
In 1936 astronomers watched as FU Orionis, a dim star in the Orion constellation, brightened dramatically.
The star’s brightness increased by a factor of 100...
Scientists reveal a new way to study near-earth asteroids
On November 18th, 2022, shortly before midnight, the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) in Arizona and other observatories worldwide detected a small object (now designated...
Astronomers spot a rare ‘hot Neptune’ close to its star
Astronomers have discovered a rare type of planet called a "hot Neptune."
Named TOI-3261 b, this Neptune-sized planet is extremely close to its star, completing...
China tests a reusable inflatable module in space
Inflatable space modules are not a new concept, NASA have been exploring the possibility since the 1960’s.
The Chinese Space Agency is now getting in...
We’re living in an abnormal galaxy
Astronomers often use the Milky Way as a standard for studying how galaxies form and evolve. Since we’re inside it, astronomers can study it...
100 years ago, we discovered the universe was bigger than we ever imagined
One hundred years ago, on November 23, 1924, a groundbreaking discovery reshaped our understanding of the universe.
A small article in The New York Times...
Astronomers find a 3-million-year-old planet
Astronomers have just found one of the youngest planets ever.
At only 3 million years old, planet TIDYE-1b (also known as IRAS 04125+2902 b) is...
Scientists discover sizzling hot disk around young star FU Ori
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered surprising details about the young star FU Orionis (FU Ori) in the constellation Orion.
Nearly 90 years...