Space & Future
Scientists capture the first high-detail “real-time” images of stars exploding
Astronomers have captured the most detailed close-up images ever taken of stars exploding, known as novae.
These pictures were taken within days of the eruptions...
Did asteroids invent gum billions of years ago?
What is “gum”? Most people have probably never considered this question, and might answer something like a chewy material you can put in your...
Do super-Jupiters look like Jupiter? New Webb discovery says the answer is more surprising...
At first glance, giant planets called super-Jupiters might seem like close cousins of Jupiter. Some are even ten times more massive.
For years, astronomers assumed...
New tech could shield space electronics from deadly cosmic radiation
Modern life depends heavily on electronics that can survive in extreme environments.
Satellites that provide TV broadcasts, GPS signals, phone services and internet must operate...
Astronomers find hidden star that solves a major cosmic dust mystery
Only 70 light-years from Earth, a star called Kappa Tucanae A hosts one of astronomy’s strangest mysteries.
Around it swirls dust so scorching—more than 1,000...
Asteroid Bennu holds clues to how life began: Sugars, organics, and stardust
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission brought back pristine pieces of the asteroid Bennu in 2023—and these tiny grains are turning out to be a treasure chest...
What time is it on Mars? Scientists finally have a precise answer
On Earth, telling time is easy. Our clocks are synchronized using atomic clocks, GPS satellites, and fast communication networks.
But according to Einstein’s theory of...
Scientists detect static discharge on airplanes using giant European telescope
Scientists have accidentally uncovered a surprising behavior in commercial airplanes: they emit radio waves when they release built-up static electricity.
This discovery, made by an...
Two hot stars passed near our solar system and left a lasting mark
Around 4.4 million years ago—long before humans existed—two massive, blazing-hot stars swept past our solar system.
They didn’t come close enough to pose any danger,...
Chang’e-6 uncovers strange “sticky” soil on the moon’s far side
Scientists have finally taken a close look at the first-ever soil samples brought back from the far side of the moon, and the results...
Why galaxies die faster in crowded regions
Astronomers have long known that galaxies grow and change over billions of years, but new results from a major international project show that where...
The universe was warm before it was bright
So first the Big Bang happens. Everything is incredibly hot and dense; there are photons flying everywhere, but they keep colliding with electrons and...
Deep Space
Scientists discover mysterious Pluto-like object at the edge of the solar system
Astronomers have discovered a strange and distant object orbiting far beyond Neptune, raising new questions about the outer edges of our solar system.
The object,...
The first galaxies might ignite the universe’s eternal glow
When we look up at the night sky, we are not just seeing stars and distant galaxies.
We are also seeing a faint "afterglow" of...
Scientists map gusty winds in a far-off neutron star system
The 2D map of this “disk wind” may reveal clues to galaxy formation.
Ancient meteorite reveals evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago
A team of scientists has found evidence of liquid water on Mars from 742 million years ago in a Martian meteorite known as the...
Scientists find where the heaviest elements in our universe come from
Researchers have found the unequivocal evidence of where the heaviest elements in our universe come from.
For the first time, the researchers have detected an...