Space & Future
Dark energy might not exist—new study offers a different view of the universe’s expansion
One of the biggest mysteries in science—dark energy—might not exist after all.
This surprising idea comes from researchers at the University of Canterbury in New...
Astronomers find a black hole tipped over on its side
Almost every large galaxy has a supermassive black hole churning away at its core.
In most cases, these black holes spin in concert with their...
Scientists discover first binary star near Milky Way’s supermassive black hole
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.
For the first time, researchers have...
Where’s the most promising place to find Martian life
New research suggests that our best hopes for finding existing life on Mars isn’t on the surface, but buried deep within the crust.
Several years...
Hidden water and rare magmas: How Mars’ thick crust could have supported life
New research suggests that ancient Mars may have been more geologically and hydrologically active than we once thought.
Scientists from Rice University have discovered that...
Purple diamonds could unlock secrets of deep space signals
Diamonds have always been admired for their beauty, but now they might become a powerful tool for astronomers and scientists.
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have...
Astronomers discover a star devouring black hole
A team of astronomers have detected a surprisingly fast and bright burst of energy from a galaxy 500 million light years away.
The burst of...
What makes brown dwarfs so weird
Meet the brown dwarf: bigger than a planet, and smaller than a star. A category of its own, it’s one of the strangest objects...
Violent volcanism reveals the moon is older than we thought
New research suggests the moon is much older than previous estimates, with a history marked by intense volcanic activity that melted its crust multiple...
Astronomers discover new class of cosmic X-ray sources
A team of astronomers has discovered a new class of cosmic X-ray sources, called "millinovae," in nearby galaxies.
This breakthrough was led by researchers from...
Jupiter’s moon Io doesn’t have a shallow ocean of magma
Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System, with roughly 400 active volcanoes regularly ejecting magma into space.
This activity...
Dead stars reveal secrets of extreme gravity and dark matter
Scientists have confirmed a long-predicted but elusive effect in dying stars called white dwarfs: hotter white dwarfs are slightly puffier than cooler ones, even...
Deep Space
Dancing planets: A unique cosmic symphony 100 light-years away
In a remarkable discovery, scientists have found a star system, not too far from Earth, where six planets are performing a cosmic dance around...
Dwarf-sized double-named starburst galaxy NGC 178
Have you ever heard of the galaxy NGC 178? It may be small, but it sure is mighty!
At only around 40,000 light-years across, it's...
How could a galaxy exist with almost no dark matter?
Three years ago, a team of astronomers led by Yale’s Pieter van Dokkum surprised the scientific community with the discovery of a far-off galaxy...
Scientists find two rare binary star systems
Astronomers have identified only the second and third examples of a rare type of star system comprising two central stars orbiting each other, encompassed...
Why dark matter halos of ultra-diffuse galaxies are so odd
Scientists have found that dark matter halos of ultra-diffuse galaxies are very odd, raising questions about physicists’ understanding of galaxy formation and the structure...