Space & Future

Jupiter’s giant shockwave reveals how particles reach near-light speed

Scientists studying Jupiter have captured electrons in the act of being accelerated to extremely high speeds, offering new clues about one of the universe's...

Ancient Martian ocean? Vast clay deposits may hold clues to life on Mars

Scientists have discovered that huge clay deposits near the landing site of the upcoming ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover are much larger than previously thought. The...

Webb Telescope discovers giant sleeping black hole from the early universe

Astronomers have discovered the most distant dormant black hole ever detected, offering a rare glimpse into the early universe and how massive black holes...

How Jupiter May Have Helped Deliver the Building Blocks of Life to Earth

A new NASA-supported study suggests that Jupiter may have played a surprisingly important role in helping Earth acquire some of the key ingredients needed...

Astronomers Discover Missing Red Dwarf Stars in Ancient Star Cluster

Astronomers studying an ancient star cluster have discovered a strange gap where certain stars should exist but do not. The finding provides new clues about...

Asteroid dirt is fluffier than we thought

The strength of gravity is different on every body in the solar system. Whether it's the crushing weight of Jupiter or the miniscule pull of...

New laser-treated metal could help keep satellites cool in space

Keeping satellites cool in space is a major challenge. Unlike on Earth, where heat can escape into the surrounding air, space is a vacuum. This...

Why lunar regolith could be the key to living on the Moon

The moon may look peaceful from Earth, but its surface is one of the harshest environments imaginable. It is covered by a layer of fine...

Astronomers solve mystery of strange cosmic signals with rare two-star system

Astronomers have solved one of the biggest mysteries in radio astronomy by identifying the source of a strange type of cosmic signal that has...

How heavy can a neutron star get

The physics of neutron stars are almost too fantastic to believe. Something the weight of two Suns compacted to a sphere the size of...

Scientists get their best-ever look at distant planet’s surface

Astronomers have found thousands of worlds in faraway star systems, but one of the questions that’s been hardest to answer is the one that...

Is extracting oxygen from lunar soil the future of space exploration

A new race to the moon is emerging between the United States and China. Unlike fifty years ago, the goal is no longer just about...

Deep Space

How accessible is titanium on the Moon

Mining the Moon to extract its resources is a critical step on humanity’s path into the solar system. One of the most common resources on...

Astronomers spot rare star explosion triggered by a black hole

Astronomers have spotted one of the strangest space explosions ever recorded — a massive star blowing up while trying to swallow a black hole. This...

If exoplanets have lightning, it’ll complicate the search for life

Discovering exoplanets is almost routine now. We’ve found over 5,500 exoplanets, and the next step is to study their atmospheres and look for biosignatures. The James...

NASA’s Curiosity Rover captures stunning colorful clouds on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured breathtaking images of red and green-tinted clouds drifting across the Martian sky. These clouds, called noctilucent clouds (which means...

Moonquakes tumble boulders, build lunar scarps

The Apollo Moon buggies weren’t the only things rolling over the Moon’s surface in the early 1970s. New research has found that a strong moonquake...