Our solar system’s oldest molecular fluids could hold the key to early life
The oldest molecular fluids in the solar system could have supported the rapid formation and evolution of the building blocks of life, says a...
Giant meteorite impacts may have formed parts of the moon’s crust
New research published in the journal Nature Astronomy reveals a type of destructive event most often associated with disaster movies and dinosaur extinction may...
Scientists have a cool way to catch interstellar visitors
In 2017, a telescope in Hawaii detected our first celestial visitor from another solar system — a big deal, since we haven’t quite figured...
Scientists discover the closest black hole to Earth
A team of astronomers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and other institutes has discovered a black hole lying just 1000 light-years from Earth.
The...
Astronomers use “sunglasses” to find cloud bands on a brown dwarf
Astronomers have detected what appear to be bands of clouds streaking across the surface of a cool star-like body known as a brown dwarf.
The...
How we will search for signs of life in exoplanets
Whether there is life elsewhere in the universe is a question people have pondered for millennia; and within the last few decades, great strides...
Galaxies like our Milky Way are more likely to harbor intelligent life, says study
Giant elliptical galaxies are not as likely as previously thought to be cradles of technological civilizations such as our own, according to a recent...
Scientists establish new timeline for ancient magnetic field on Mars
Mars had a global magnetic field much earlier—and much later—in the planet's history than scientists have previously known.
A planet's global magnetic field arises from...
ALMA reveals unusual composition of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov
A galactic visitor entered our solar system last year -- interstellar comet 2I/Borisov.
Last December 15 and 16, astronomers directly observed for the first time...
Long-dead stars can yield clues to life in the cosmos
Astronomers may one day decipher the atmospheres of Earth-like rocky exoplanets shown in the picture.
The next generation of powerful Earth- and space-based telescopes will...