Ryan Whalen

A Mysterious Gravitational Wave Signal Could Represent the First Known Detection of a Primordial Black Hole, Study Suggests

Ryan Whalen·March 27, 2026

New research says that theoretical primordial black holes formed in the first moments after the Big Bang may be responsible for dark matter.

Physicists Using X-Rays Make “Impossible” Discovery of a New Critical Point in Water

Ryan Whalen·March 27, 2026

A new critical point in water has been discovered by Stockholm University physicists, explaining some of water’s strangest properties.

NASA Unveils New Plans to Build a Permanent Moon Base as Space Competition Intensifies

Ryan Whalen·March 26, 2026

NASA is committing to building a permanent Moon base, as revealed at the agency’s Tuesday “Ignition event."

Hubble Space Telescope Images Reveal the Stunning Cosmic Evolution of the Crab Nebula

Ryan Whalen·March 25, 2026

The Crab Nebula has evolved as seen in a stunning 2024 cosmic display captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

“We Want to Understand How We Got Here”: Extragalactic Archaeology is Helping Astronomers Reveal a Spiral Galaxy’s Hidden Past

Ryan Whalen·March 23, 2026

Extragalactic archaeology has come of age, with astronomers for the first time reconstructing the history of a spiral galaxy.

Rujm el-Hiri, Israel’s Mysterious “Stonehenge of the East” Is Not Alone, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·March 22, 2026

Israel’s strange Wheel of Ghosts turns out not to be so unusual after all, as new research has uncovered many similar sites in the region.

Fast-Spinning Giants Help Astronomers Distinguish Planets from Failed Stars, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·March 21, 2026

Distinguishing between brown dwarfs and giant planets has confused astronomers, but a clear separating factor has finally been identified.

“We Knew This Was Something Really, Really Special”: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Captures a Comet’s Destruction

Ryan Whalen·March 20, 2026

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope had a lucky day last year, just happening to capture the rare breakup of a comet for the first time.

How a Fungal Gene Stolen from Bacteria Could be the Next Weather Manipulation Tool

Ryan Whalen·March 20, 2026

Fungi may be the key to weather manipulation, after researchers isolated a fungal protein that promotes ice formation.

Tiny Electrical Sparks May Help Explain Lightning and the Origins of Life

Ryan Whalen·March 19, 2026

The spark that transfers a charge from one carbon particle to another, generating lightning and possibly life itself, is finally understood.

Scientists Discover Ryugu Asteroid Samples Contained Full Set of Life’s Genetic Building Blocks

Ryan Whalen·March 18, 2026

The complete set of the fundamental building blocks of life, making up DNA and RNA, has been discovered in samples from the asteroid Ryugu.

Was the Sun an Ancient Galactic Traveler? New Research Suggests How Our Star May Have Escaped the Early Milky Way’s Core

Ryan Whalen·March 18, 2026

The Sun may have been part of a small group of stars that migrated from the core of our galaxy between 4 and 6 billion years ago.

As the Brain Stabilizes Dizzying Eye Movements, These Ghostly Images Appear—Now Scientists Know Why

Ryan Whalen·March 17, 2026

Ghostly afterimages are the result of our brain stabilizing our vision, according to German researchers who investigated the process.

Quantum Computers Reveal a Strange New Molecule With Twisting Electron Motion

Ryan Whalen·March 16, 2026

A new type of molecule, not only never before seen but not even predicted, was created with the aid of quantum computers.

James Webb Space Telescope Discovers New Type of Magma Planet With “No Equivalent in Our Own Solar System”

Ryan Whalen·March 16, 2026

The James Webb Space Telescope and supplementary observations have revealed a new type of magma planet, rich in sulphur.

NASA Satellite Imagery Reveals Lifeforms Swarming Around This Iconic Dying “Megaberg”

Ryan Whalen·March 14, 2026

The climate change-fueled demise of one of Antarctica’s largest icebergs has ironically fueled a surge in nature’s “biological carbon pump.”

“Destruction Can Be a Catalyst for Creation”: How Neutron Star Collisions and Explosive Gamma Bursts Create the Universe’s Heaviest Elements

Ryan Whalen·March 13, 2026

The violent collision of two neutron stars is providing new insights on how the universe’s heaviest elements were created.

New Gravitational Wave Study Reveals the Unexpected Dance Between Black Holes and Neutron Stars

Ryan Whalen·March 12, 2026

The final dance of a black hole and a neutron star before their ultimate merger has been revealed, according to new research.

Astronomers Finally Solve the Mystery of Superluminous Supernovae

Ryan Whalen·March 12, 2026

The mystery of superluminous supernovae has finally been solved, as researchers have conclusively linked these cosmic phenomena to magnetars.

Mars Hit by Massive Solar Storm Delivering 200 Days of Radiation in 64 Hours

Ryan Whalen·March 10, 2026

A solar superstorm recorded on Mars by the ESA orbiters reveals the hidden dangers in Mars’ upper atmosphere.

Unexpected Speeding Electron Discovery Could Boost the Future of Solar Power

Ryan Whalen·March 9, 2026

New solar energy research has demonstrated that electrons can move across solar panels at a speed far greater than previously understood.

“This Was Very Unexpected”: New Phase of Matter Discovered Where Quantum Qualities Appear in a Non-Quantum State

Ryan Whalen·March 9, 2026

Researchers were shocked to discover that what was thought to be a quantum state is actually an entirely new phase of matter.

This Device Promises to Mitigate Earthquake Damage in the World’s Most Vulnerable Regions

Ryan Whalen·March 7, 2026

A newly patented device could protect essential infrastructure from the worst effects of earthquakes, wind storms, and even man-made forces.

Gas Prices “Around $5 Per Gallon”? Economist Warns of Rising Fuel Costs as Conflict in Iran Escalates

Ryan Whalen·March 5, 2026

In the chaos of the Iran conflict, U.S. consumers may be in for sticker shock as the destruction shreds the global energy supply chain.

“Maybe We’re Martians!”: Scientists Say Some Microbes Could Survive the Violent Journey Between Planets

Ryan Whalen·March 4, 2026

Asteroid impacts may catapult life from one planet to another, as new research claims that hardy bacteria can survive the ejection.

Questions Mount Over Viral Claims of Apocalyptic Iran War Briefings in the Military

Ryan Whalen·March 4, 2026

A viral claim has been circulating that as many as 200 US troops were told that the war in Iran is being conducted to hasten the end times.

NASA Delays First Crewed Artemis Moon Landing to 2028: What Do Major Program Changes Mean for the Future of Space Travel?

Ryan Whalen·March 3, 2026

NASA has announced massive changes to its Artemis program, including delaying the first crewed Moon landing since the Apollo program in 1972.

Source of Scandinavian Bronze Age Metals Traced to Mysterious Source Thousands of Miles Away

Ryan Whalen·March 3, 2026

Six previously unknown Bronze Age mines discovered in Spain may be the missing piece in explaining ancient Scandinavian metalwork.

A Mandatory Safety Feature in Millions of Cars Can Be Used to Track Where You Drive

Ryan Whalen·March 2, 2026

Researchers in Europe have revealed a potential surveillance system that is mandatory in all cars in the US built in the last 20 years.

Genetic Study Rewrites the Story of Human and Neanderthal Interbreeding, Pointing to Social Interaction, Not Just Survival

Ryan Whalen·March 2, 2026

Genetic research indicates that Neanderthal and Homor Sapiens interbreeding was socially driven to an unexpected degree.

4,200-Year-Old Climate Crisis Forced the Abandonment of China’s Largest Neolithic City

Ryan Whalen·March 2, 2026

An ancient climate event 4,200 years ago produced disruptions leading to the decline of major societies, offering warnings for the future.

Lightning on Mars: NASA’s MAVEN Orbiter Reveals a Strange Phenomenon on the Red Planet

Ryan Whalen·February 28, 2026

Researchers have identified powerful Martian electrical discharges, similar to lightning, and strong enough to be observed from orbit.

This Tiny Dinosaur Fossil Could Offer a Missing Link That Explains the Spread of an Unusual Class of Dinosaurs

Ryan Whalen·February 27, 2026

A tiny dinosaur species may be the missing link in the bird-like dinosaurs Alvarezsaurs, after the discovery of the first complete fossil.

Our Brain’s “Fear Center” May Guide Complex Learning Decisions, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·February 27, 2026

The brain’s primitive “fear center” may be much more than that, according to new research on the amygdala.

Apollo Lunar Samples Misled Scientists About the Moon’s Magnetic Field For Decades—Here’s the Surprising Reason Why

Ryan Whalen·February 26, 2026

The Apollo missions’ strange landing zone has led to decades of incorrect assumptions about the Moon’s magnetic field strength.

40,000 Year Old Markings Reveal What Could Be a Mysterious Ancient Precursor to Writing

Ryan Whalen·February 25, 2026

Researchers have discovered signs of a Paleolithic writing precursor in ancient tools and sculptures dating back 40,000 years.

Missing Geomagnetic Polarity Reversals Reveal the Secrets of Earth’s Ancient Past

Ryan Whalen·February 23, 2026

Japanese researchers say they are closing in on the mystery of Earth’s “missing” geomagnetic polarity reversals, identifying where they believe scientists should look for evidence of their unusual absence.

“This is Antarctic Frontier Science”: The Deepest Antarctic Core Sample Ever Collected Reveals 23 Million Years of Remote Geological History

Ryan Whalen·February 23, 2026

Researchers have drilled the deepest Antarctic sediment core ever, uncovering 23 million years of climate history beneath the ice sheet.

James Webb Space Telescope Maps Uranus’s Atmosphere and Auroras for the First Time

Ryan Whalen·February 21, 2026

James Webb Space Telescope data has allowed researchers to map Uranus’s upper atmosphere in three dimensions for the first time.

Scientists Unearth a Scimitar-Crested “Hell Heron” During a Daunting Sahara Desert Expedition

Ryan Whalen·February 21, 2026

A new “scimitar-crested” spinosaurid, Spinosaurus mirabilis, has been uncovered in the Sahara, marking a major new dinosaur fossil find.

‘Fire Weather Synchronicity’ is Increasing Globally, as Climate Change Strains International Fire Fighting Resources

Ryan Whalen·February 20, 2026

According to researchers, worldwide fire weather synchronicity has more than doubled over a 45-year period.

Antarctica’s Mysterious Gravity Hole is Finally Explained, Revealing Why the Icy Continent Experiences Earth’s Weakest Gravity

Ryan Whalen·February 20, 2026

The origins of Antarctica’s gravity hole have finally been revealed, after researchers probed beneath the ice to trace it's formation.

Saturn’s Largest Moon May Be the Remnant of an Ancient Impact, New Research Reveals

Ryan Whalen·February 17, 2026

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may have been born of the collision of two smaller moons, according to new research.

Bottling the Sun: How Researchers Created Organic Solar Storage Molecules More Efficient than Lithium-Ion Batteries

Ryan Whalen·February 17, 2026

Researchers have managed to bottle the Sun, advancing renewable energy goals by enabling the storage of solar power in a novel format.

“This Was Not an Ordinary Gamma-Ray Burst”: Astronomers Have Witnessed An Extreme Cosmic Explosion Unlike Anything Ever Seen

Ryan Whalen·February 16, 2026

China’s Einstein Probe has detected an event suspected to be the first recorded instance of a black hole devouring a white dwarf.

Astronomers Have Discovered an “Inside-Out” Planetary System That’s Breaking All the Rules

Ryan Whalen·February 14, 2026

An inside-out planetary system around the star LHS 1903 is turning everything that astronomers know about planet formation upside down.

Danish Cemetery Study Challenges Assumptions About Leprosy Stigma in the Middle Ages

Ryan Whalen·February 14, 2026

Medieval Christian burials in Denmark were likely more influenced by money than supposed outward markers of sin, according to new research.

Astronomers Were Baffled by the Disappearance of a Massive Star in a Nearby Galaxy—Now They Have Solved This Cosmic Cold Case

Ryan Whalen·February 13, 2026

NASA’s NEOWISE has allowed astronomers to get the best and most complete view of a star collapsing into a black hole ever recorded.

Extraordinary Claim? NASA Study Says Life on Ancient Mars May Be the Best Explanation for Odd Curiosity Rover Samples

Ryan Whalen·February 12, 2026

Organic compounds discovered on the Red Planet cannot be fully explained by non-biological sources, say astrobiologists.

The Search for Alien Tech Reveals a Pulsar at the Heart of the Galaxy—And It Could Help Test Einstein’s Theory of Gravity

Ryan Whalen·February 11, 2026

Researchers looking for signs of extraterrestrial life instead stumbled upon a pulsar at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.