Astronomers discover massive galaxy ‘shipyard’ in the distant universe
Even galaxies don't like to be alone.
While astronomers have known for a while that galaxies tend to congregate in groups and clusters, the process...
Scientists find new way to search for Earth-like planets
Astronomers searching for Earth-like planets in other solar systems have made a breakthrough by taking a closer look at the surface of stars.
A new...
Extraterrestrial objects likely delayed complex life on Earth, shows study
Bombardment of Earth’s surface by asteroids six or more miles long likely delayed the accumulation of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere.
New evidence shows the number...
Scientists detect an exoplanet candidate outside our Milky Way galaxy for the first time
Signs of a planet transiting a star outside of the Milky Way galaxy may have been detected for the first time.
This intriguing result, using...
Neutron star collisions are a goldmine of heavy elements, MIT study finds
New research suggests binary neutron stars are a likely cosmic source for the gold, platinum, and other heavy metals we see today.
Most elements lighter...
This gas giant planet is moving closer to its star
A newly discovered gas giant planet with an elliptical, comet-like orbit is closing in on its host star, according to new research by a...
How asteroid, comet strikes may have delayed evolution of atmosphere
Between 2.5 and 4 billion years ago, a time known as the Archean eon, Earth’s weather could often be described as cloudy with a...
The early solar system had a gap where the asteroid belt is today
Wind the cosmic clock back a few billion years and our Solar System looked much different than it does today.
About 4.5 billion years ago,...
Scientists reveal the makeup of exoplanets known as hot Jupiters
Hot Jupiters – giant gas planets that race around their host stars in extremely tight orbits – have become a little bit less mysterious...
Scientists find strange black superionic ice that could exist inside other planets
Scientists used diamonds and a beam of brilliant X-rays to recreate the conditions deep inside planets, and found a new phase of water called...