Space & Future
Astronomers discover a superheated galaxy building stars at record speed
Astronomers have found a distant galaxy that’s building stars 180 times faster than our own Milky Way—offering a new clue to how galaxies grew...
How cloud-dwelling microbes could help us find life on other worlds
Clouds may seem like a barrier when looking for life on distant planets, but new research shows they could actually be the key.
Scientists at...
The impossible black holes that shouldn’t exist
In 2023, gravitational wave detectors picked up the signature of a collision 7 billion light years away.
Two black holes had merged in an explosion...
Rare meteor strike on Mars triggers dust avalanches and new streaks
A rare meteoroid impact on Mars has given scientists a glimpse into how the planet’s dusty surface is constantly reshaped.
When a space rock struck...
The mystery of the colliding black holes solved
In 2023, astronomers detected one of the most extraordinary cosmic events ever seen — a collision between two enormous black holes, located about seven...
Is the universe slowing down? New evidence challenges what we know about dark energy
For more than 25 years, scientists have believed that the universe is expanding faster and faster, pushed apart by a mysterious force called dark...
Tiny dwarf galaxies help solve a 40-year dark matter debate
For decades, scientists have puzzled over why galaxies spin faster than expected.
The stars in their outer regions move so quickly that, by the laws...
Space snacks with legs: How insects might feed astronauts on Mars
Before humans ever ventured into space, insects were already making the trip — and thriving.
Lightweight, adaptable, and packed with nutrients, insects are now being...
Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may hide a long-lived ocean that could support life
Scientists have discovered that Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus is warmer than they thought — and that its hidden ocean may have remained liquid for...
Many “mini-Neptunes” once thought to be lava worlds may have solid surfaces
Astronomers have long puzzled over a strange and abundant type of planet found across the galaxy—known as “mini-Neptunes.”
These worlds are smaller than Neptune but...
Astronomers observe a black hole in another galaxy tearing a star apart
During the 1950s, the study of the cosmos was revolutionized with the introduction of radio astronomy.
In the ensuing decades, astronomers detected numerous bright radio...
Aging stars may be swallowing their closest planets, study finds
New research suggests that aging stars may be destroying the giant planets orbiting nearest to them—a dramatic process that could foreshadow the distant future...
Deep Space
Astronomers discover planets with tilted orbits and bizarre timing
A surprising new discovery has come from a fresh look at data from NASA’s retired Kepler Space Telescope.
Astronomers have found that the KOI-134 system,...
Astronomers detect extreme weather on ultra-hot Jupiters
In studying a unique class of ultra-hot exoplanets, NASA Hubble Space Telescope astronomers may be in the mood for dancing to the Calypso party...
Arrokoth flyby reveals how planetary building blocks were constructed
The farthest, most primitive object in the solar system ever to be visited by a spacecraft — a bi-lobed Kuiper Belt object known as...
Astronomers detect rare radio signals from comet 12P/Pons-Brooks
Astronomers have picked up radio signals from comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, offering new insights into the mysterious outbursts and icy composition of this spectacular space visitor.
The...
Astronomers capture the “eye of Sauron” in deep space
like the fiery “Eye of Sauron” from The Lord of the Rings.
But this isn’t fantasy—it’s a cosmic jet powered by a supermassive black hole,...