Space & Future
Dark matter may leave a subtle “fingerprint” on light
Dark matter—the mysterious substance that makes up about 27% of the universe—has long been thought to be completely invisible. But new research suggests that...
Pulsars may reveal the universe’s hidden gravitational beats
For decades, astronomers have listened to the cosmos through pulsars — rapidly spinning neutron stars that emit perfectly timed radio pulses.
These “cosmic clocks” are...
Could life survive on Mars? Yeast passes the ultimate red planet test
Could life—past or future—survive on Mars?
New research suggests that even the simplest organisms from Earth might be tougher than we think.
Scientists have discovered that...
Cosmic dust may have delivered the ingredients for life to early Earth
Life on Earth may have begun with a little help from the stars.
New research suggests that amino acids—the essential building blocks of proteins—could have...
Astronomers find water traces in an interstellar visitor
For millions of years, a tiny icy fragment wandered through space—like a sealed bottle drifting across a cosmic ocean.
This summer, that “message in a...
Comet or alien spaceship? An astrophysicist explains what we know about interstellar traveler 3IAtlas
The eyes of every astronomer widened this year when an interstellar traveler was discovered in our solar system.
Despite some suggestions that it could be...
Astronomers confirm Betelgeuse has a hidden companion star
For decades, scientists have suspected that Betelgeuse—the giant red star that forms Orion’s shoulder—wasn’t alone.
Now, a team from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has confirmed...
This young star’s magnetic heartbeat runs 10 times faster than the Sun’s
Astronomers have taken a close look at the magnetic activity of a young star strikingly similar to our own sun—and discovered that it has...
Gravity vs. magnetism: How the universe shapes giant stars
Astronomers have taken their clearest look yet at how some of the biggest stars in our galaxy are born—and it turns out the process...
20 years of space images reveal the secrets of Mars dust devils
For decades, we’ve known that Mars is a dusty world.
Its red surface is constantly shaped by wind, storms, and whirlwinds that dance across its...
Far side of the moon may be colder than the side we see, study...
The moon has long puzzled scientists with its “two faces.”
The near side, which always faces Earth, looks very different from the mysterious far side...
Astronomers detect the smallest dark object ever seen through gravity’s lens
Astronomers have made an exciting breakthrough in the search for the universe’s most mysterious substance—dark matter.
They have discovered the lowest-mass dark object ever detected...
Deep Space
Bacteria could make rocket fuel on Mars, shows study
There are many types of rocket fuel.
Some are more useful on a particular planet. And some can be created by bacteria.
A team from Georgia...
Scientists are taking the temperature of dark matter
Warm, cold, just right?
Physicists at the University of California, Davis are taking the temperature of dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up about...
Dying stars’ cocoons could be new source of gravitational waves
Researchers suggest looking at an entirely unexplored place: The turbulent, energetic cocoons of debris that surround dying massive stars.
Scientists catch a moving supermassive black hole
Scientists have long theorized that supermassive black holes can wander through space--but catching them in the act has proven difficult.
Now, researchers at the Center...
Einasto supercluster: universe’s new heavyweight discovery
The cosmos has always been a source of mystery and fascination, inviting us to unravel its secrets.
A recent breakthrough by an international team led...