Ripples in space reveal second-generation black holes billions of light-years away
Astronomers have detected two extraordinary gravitational wave events that may have come from black holes formed in earlier black hole mergers — what scientists...
Scientists map the biggest structures in the universe
Astronomers have unveiled a new map of the universe’s largest structures—massive clusters of galaxies that stretch across millions of light-years.
These cosmic giants are helping...
Astronomers unveil hidden “dark” gas fueling star birth in the Milky Way
Astronomers have, for the first time, mapped a mysterious form of matter in our galaxy that had remained invisible until now.
Using the U.S. National...
Physicists use molecules to peer inside an atom’s nucleus for the first time
Physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a revolutionary way to look inside an atom’s nucleus — without needing a massive...
Are we in the solitude zone of the universe
Are we alone?
It’s probably one of the, if not the most basic questions of human existence.
People have been trying to answer it for millennia...
Scientists discover secret light traps in atom-thin material
Scientists have discovered that ultra-thin materials—just a few atoms thick—can naturally create tiny “cavities” that trap light and electrons.
This surprising finding helps explain why...
Why some quantum materials succeed while others never leave the lab
Quantum materials sound futuristic — their strange behaviors come directly from the laws of quantum physics, which govern how atoms and electrons interact.
They can...
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,...
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...