Space & Future
Scientists detect a sugar in deep space for the first time, offering new clues...
For the first time, scientists have discovered a sugar molecule floating in interstellar space, a breakthrough that could help explain how some of the...
Astronomers discover four dead stars in our cosmic neighborhood
Astronomers have uncovered four previously hidden white dwarfs surprisingly close to Earth, revealing that even our own corner of the galaxy still holds major...
Chemistry reveals the origins of an interstellar comet
Somewhere in the Milky Way Galaxy is an old star that has lost one of its comets.
By some quirk of orbital mechanics, that frozen...
Scientists recreate a black hole energy trick in the lab without anything spinning
More than 50 years ago, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Sir Roger Penrose proposed an extraordinary idea.
He suggested that it might be possible to extract energy...
Scientists capture the tiny ‘drift’ that signals the birth of a star
How does a new star begin?
It is a question astronomers have been trying to answer for decades.
Now, scientists have observed an important process that...
Most of moon’s water likely remains chemically bound in its deep interior
After decades of analyzing reams of lunar rocks back here on Earth, the canonical view of the Moon was that it was anhydrous; that...
Scientists discover how an exoplanet with endless day and night could still support life
An unusual planet located about 48.5 light-years from Earth may seem far too extreme for life.
One side is permanently exposed to intense heat, while...
A rapidly growing black hole in a nearby galaxy could provide a window into...
An international team led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) recently made a first-ever discovery when observing SDSS J110546.07+145202.4,...
Astronomers Find Clouds Can Heat Alien Planets by More Than 1,000°C
Scientists have discovered that clouds on distant planets may be doing much more than blocking our view.
New research suggests these clouds can trap heat...
Astronomers uncover a hidden history inside the Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula is one of the brightest and most famous objects in the night sky.
It can even be seen without a telescope, and...
Scientists discover rare super-Jupiter with an incredible 180-day orbit
Astronomers have discovered a rare giant planet outside our solar system that could help scientists better understand how large planets form and evolve.
The newly...
Ancient supernova hides baby stars rich in life’s building blocks, study finds
Astronomers have made a surprising discovery inside the remains of a giant star that exploded about 1,600 years ago.
They found newborn stars surrounded by...
Deep Space
Early-universe stars likely formed in pairs, study finds
Astronomers have long known that many of the largest stars in our Milky Way do not live alone but instead exist in pairs.
Now, an...
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.
Our solar system is stable for at least the next 100,000 years
It’s nice to have a feel-good story every once in a while, so here’s one to hold off the existential dread:
The Earth isn’t likely...
Satellite constellation could boost Wi-Fi on planes soon
Flight passengers will soon be able to connect to their families and colleagues on Earth via low-orbit telecommunications satellites.
Speeds will be comparable to those...
Why some meteor showers are so unpredictable
Meteor showers can be spectacular, but predicting when and where they’ll appear in the night sky has often been a challenge.
For a long time,...