Since interstellar objects crashed into Earth in the past, could they have brought life
On October 19th, 2017, astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey detected an interstellar object (ISO) passing through our Solar System for the first time.
The object,...
Half of this exoplanet is covered in lava
Astronomers working with TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) have discovered a planet that’s been left out in the Sun too long. Or at least...
Why is the universe ripping itself apart?
What is the universe made of? This question has driven astronomers for hundreds of years.
For the past quarter of a century, scientists have believed...
Scientists find mysterious glowing gas on a lonely brown dwarf
Have you ever heard of brown dwarfs?
They're these fascinating space objects, bigger than planets like Jupiter but not quite big enough to be stars.
Well,...
Dark matter could map the universe’s early magnetic fields
We think of magnetic fields as a part of planets and stars.
The Earth and Sun have relatively strong magnetic fields, as do more exotic...
The meteorites that made earth were filled with water
According to the most widely accepted scientific theory, our Solar System formed from a nebula of dust and gas roughly 4.56 billion years ago...
Scientists find an unusual star that hints at a new way stars can die
Scientists have found a star unlike any other one recorded—which may change our picture of how stars die.
This unusual star, 13,000 light-years away, has...
There are mysteries at Venus. It’s time for an astrobiology mission
When scientists detected phosphine in Venus’ atmosphere in 2020, it triggered renewed, animated discussions about Venus and its potential habitability.
It would be weird if...
Solar electric propulsion systems are just what we need for efficient trips to Mars
There are many different ways to get to Mars, but there are always tradeoffs. Chemical propulsion, proven the most popular, can quickly get a...
Astronomers discover a solo brown dwarf with auroras
Astronomers have used JWST to find a brown dwarf with polar auroras like the Earth, or Jupiter.
This is surprising because the brown dwarf, dubbed...