Mysterious galactic glow may be the first sign of dark matter
For decades, astronomers have been puzzled by a faint but powerful glow of gamma rays shining from the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
Now,...
Martian sandworms: How CO₂ ice blocks carve mysterious gullies on Mars
The strange gullies etched into the red sands of Mars have long puzzled scientists.
Were they carved by running water, avalanches, or perhaps even traces...
Dark matter may leave a subtle “fingerprint” on light
Dark matter—the mysterious substance that makes up about 27% of the universe—has long been thought to be completely invisible. But new research suggests that...
Pulsars may reveal the universe’s hidden gravitational beats
For decades, astronomers have listened to the cosmos through pulsars — rapidly spinning neutron stars that emit perfectly timed radio pulses.
These “cosmic clocks” are...
Could life survive on Mars? Yeast passes the ultimate red planet test
Could life—past or future—survive on Mars?
New research suggests that even the simplest organisms from Earth might be tougher than we think.
Scientists have discovered that...
Cosmic dust may have delivered the ingredients for life to early Earth
Life on Earth may have begun with a little help from the stars.
New research suggests that amino acids—the essential building blocks of proteins—could have...
Astronomers find water traces in an interstellar visitor
For millions of years, a tiny icy fragment wandered through space—like a sealed bottle drifting across a cosmic ocean.
This summer, that “message in a...
Comet or alien spaceship? An astrophysicist explains what we know about interstellar traveler 3IAtlas
The eyes of every astronomer widened this year when an interstellar traveler was discovered in our solar system.
Despite some suggestions that it could be...
Astronomers confirm Betelgeuse has a hidden companion star
For decades, scientists have suspected that Betelgeuse—the giant red star that forms Orion’s shoulder—wasn’t alone.
Now, a team from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has confirmed...
This young star’s magnetic heartbeat runs 10 times faster than the Sun’s
Astronomers have taken a close look at the magnetic activity of a young star strikingly similar to our own sun—and discovered that it has...