Scientists discover an exoplanet atmosphere never seen before
New observations of WASP-39 b reveal a never-before-seen molecule in the atmosphere of a planet — sulfur dioxide — among other details.
Bright light from early universe ‘opens new chapter in astronomy’
The researchers found two exceptionally bright galaxies that existed approximately 350 and 450 million years after the big bang.
Stars and planets grow up together, reveals white dwarfs
A study of the oldest stars suggests the building blocks of planets like Jupiter and Saturn begin to form while a young star is growing.
Black holes don’t always power gamma-ray bursts, shows study
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been detected by satellites orbiting Earth as luminous flashes of the most energetic gamma-ray radiation lasting milliseconds to hundreds of seconds.
Exoplanets make it harder to figure out a star’s age
Estimating stellar age has always been a challenge for astronomers.
Now, a certain class of exoplanets is making the process even more complicated.
Hot Jupiters –...
MIT engineers develop a low-cost terahertz camera
Terahertz radiation, whose wavelengths lie between those of microwaves and visible light, can penetrate many nonmetallic materials and detect signatures of certain molecules.
These handy...
Tree rings reveal devastating radiation storms
A new study has shed new light on a mysterious, unpredictable and potentially devastating kind of astrophysical event.
A team led by Dr Benjamin Pope...
Scientists conduct the most precise accounting yet of dark energy and dark matter
Astrophysicists have performed a powerful new analysis that places the most precise limits yet on the composition and evolution of the universe.
With this analysis,...
Novel PET imaging tech can detect earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease
Memory problems are often one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer's disease.
The decline in non-memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding,...
NASA’s Hubble detects ultra-speedy jet blasting from star crash
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have made a unique measurement that indicates a jet, plowing through space at speeds greater than 99.97% the...