Space & Future
Moon’s far side keeps a hidden record of how Earth slows the solar wind
For billions of years, the moon has been constantly bombarded by the solar wind—a stream of charged particles flowing outward from the sun.
Scientists have...
Webb Telescope finds hidden giant planet in one of the galaxy’s best-known star systems
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered a giant planet that had been hiding in plain sight within one of the most closely studied...
Scientists are ‘listening’ to black holes to test Einstein’s theory and search for new...
Black holes are famous for swallowing everything that comes too close, including light.
But when two black holes collide and merge, they briefly produce something...
Scientists discover the Sun contains far more silver than previously thought
Scientists have discovered that the sun contains about 55% more silver than previous estimates suggested, solving a long-standing mystery about the element's abundance in...
Nearby Earth-like planet may have a rare atmosphere, giving us new hope
A rocky planet about 40 light-years from Earth may have something that scientists have struggled to find on similar worlds—a lasting atmosphere.
The planet, called...
This exoplanet hid for 10 years before astronomers finally found it
Astronomers have found a new exoplanet in the Beta Pictoris (β Pic) system.
β Pic is about 63 light years away, and is notable for...
Scientists uncover the secret behind Mars’ mysterious metallic-looking sand dunes
A stunning new image from the European Space Agency (ESA) has revealed an ancient crater on Mars filled with dark, wave-like sand dunes that...
Rare Meteorite from New Jersey Contains Clues to the Origins of Life, Scientists Find
A meteorite that crashed through the roof of a home in Hillsborough, New Jersey, has given scientists a rare look at the chemistry of...
Astronomers Uncover A Strange Nearby Planet System Unlike Anything In Our Solar System
Barnard’s Star is one of the most famous stars in the night sky for astronomers because it is so close to Earth.
Located just under...
Astronomers find new features hiding in the Orion Nebula
As one of the most prominent features of the night sky, the Orion Nebula has been studied, probed, and imaged by almost every telescope...
Hidden fifth dimension could finally explain the mystery of dark matter, scientists say
Dark matter, the mysterious substance that holds galaxies together, may be connected to a hidden fifth dimension of space, according to a new theory...
Astronomers uncover long-lost black hole hidden among 10 million stars
Astronomers have discovered the first known stellar-mass black hole hiding inside the massive star cluster Omega Centauri, solving part of a mystery that has...
Deep Space
Waves shed light on mysterious ‘mixing’ inside massive stars
Astronomers commonly refer to massive stars as the chemical factories of the universe.
They generally end their lives in spectacular supernovae, events that forge many...
Scientists discover the largest sulfur molecule ever found in space
Astronomers have discovered the largest sulfur-containing molecule ever seen in space, offering new clues about how the chemical ingredients of life may form long...
Could we use an asteroid to shield astronauts on their way to Mars
Radiation is a primary concern for long-duration human spaceflight, such as the planned trips to Mars, which are the stated goal of organizations such...
MIT students create lunar habitats
MIT students are stepping into the future with a unique challenge: designing homes and workplaces for humans on the moon.
This spring, a special course...
NASA’s Webb reveals never-before-seen details in Cassiopeia A
The explosion of a star is a dramatic event, but the remains the star leaves behind can be even more dramatic. A new mid-infrared image provides one stunning example.