A Rare Once-in-a-Generation Total Solar Eclipse Occurs on April 8: What to Expect, and Safety Measures to Take
On April 8, 2024, North America will be treated to a rare total solar eclipse. Here's how to prepare for this once-in-a-generation event.
Astronomy
NASA Launches BurstCube on New Mission to Study Mysterious Short Gamma Ray Bursts
NASA has just sent BurstCube on the first leg of its scientific mission to study the most powerful explosions in the known universe.
Controversial Dark Matter Discovery Could Upend Our Current Understanding of the Universe
A controversial new paper argues that there may not be enough room in the universe for dark matter, after all.
Astronomers Reveal the Largest Ever Three-Dimensional Map of the Known Universe
Data collected from quasars fueled by supermassive black holes helps create the first-ever three-dimensional map of the known universe.
James Webb Space Telescope Detects Alcohol and Icy Organic Molecules Around a Protostar Pair
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted alcohol and other complex organic molecules in icy areas around a pair of young protostars.
Rare Asteroids Showing Strange “Activity” Are Challenging Existing Theories About the Solar System
Fifteen very unusual asteroids showcasing strange “active” properties have been detected as part of a an international volunteer effort.
Engineers Create “Ultrablack” Coating for Light-Sensitive Equipment Operating in Outer Space
Engineers create an "ultrablack" coating for space applications that absorbs 99.3% of the light it encounters across a wide range of light wavelengths.
New Cosmic Expansion Data Could Mean “We Have Misunderstood the Universe”, Nobel Prize Physicist Says
A Nobel Prize winning physicist studying cosmic expansion says that new astronomical data may mean we have misunderstood the universe.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots Triangulum Galaxy’s ‘Tendrils’ Amid a Chaotic Stellar Nursery
The James Webb Space Telescope is offering new perspectives on a chaotic star-forming region in the Triangulum galaxy in stunning new images.
Astronomers Discover Something Strange About The Oldest ‘Dead’ Galaxy in the Universe
Astronomers discovered the oldest 'dead' galaxy ever observed, but it seems to challenge our understanding of early galaxy evolution.
James Webb Space Telescope Has Detected Something Enormous Hiding in One of the Farthest Known Galaxies
Astronomers have made a massive discovery in one of the most distant known galaxies with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
Chang’e-5 Sample Analysis Reveals Moon’s Hidden History, Curious Link to “Anomalous” Crater
Samples collected by China’s Chang’e-5 lander have revealed connections to a mysterious crater that has long perplexed astronomers.
James Webb Space Telescope Solves Cosmic Mystery of ‘Missing’ Giant Planets Around Young Stars
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new data that reveals why some stars are unable to possess giant planets.
In Antarctica, Dark Matter Mystery Comes into Focus as South Pole Telescope Extends Our View of the Cosmos
An upgraded camera system on Antarctica's South Pole Telescope could offer astronomers clues to a longstanding cosmic mystery.
James Webb Space Telescope Has Discovered an Enormous Remnant of the Early Universe That Astronomers Say Shouldn’t Exist
The James Webb Space Telescope has made an 11-billion-year-old discovery more massive than the Milky Way, and it shouldn't exist.
Strategic Anomaly Detection Effort Uses SETI Ellipsoid Technique to Scour the Cosmos for Technosignatures
New research reveals how the SETI Ellipsoid technique could move SETI researchers one step closer to discovering intelligence elsewhere in the cosmos.
‘They Are Rare, and Very Hard to Find.’ NASA’s Roman Telescope Could Solve a Cosmic Mystery by Viewing These Weird Celestial Objects
NASA’s Roman Telescope may soon help unravel one of the greatest mysteries about our universe, with help from a strange cosmic phenomenon.
Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ Moon Mimas is Hiding a Secret Beneath its Icy Shell. Astronomers Now Say It’s ‘a Prime Candidate for Study’
An international research team has announced the discovery of an ocean hidden beneath the surface of Saturn's "Death Star" moon, Mimas.
NASA Announces Discovery of a Cosmically Close “Super Earth” Orbiting Within its Star’s Habitable Zone
NASA researchers say they have spotted a Super Earth that is only 137 light years away and orbits within its star's habitable zone.
Mars Rover Spots Mysterious Polygons Hidden Beneath the Red Planet’s Surface
Ground penetrating radar data captured by China's Zhurong Mars rover has revealed the presence of a series of 16 mysterious polygons hidden beneath the planet's surface.
NASA Just Tested a Crucial Technology That May Soon Help Its Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Detect Life on Distant Worlds
NASA says it has successfully administered multiple tests to a new instrument on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will allow unprecedented views of planets beyond our solar system.
What’s That in the Night Sky? Photographer Captures Rare, Perplexing Phenomenon in Striking New Images
A rare natural electrical phenomenon was recently captured in images of the night sky over Iceland’s Kerid Crater.
Cutting-Edge Analysis of the Winchcombe Meteorite Confirms Presence of Life-Supporting Organic Compounds
Researchers using a high-resolution electron microscope have confirmed the presence of organic compounds within the Winchcombe meteorite without the use of any chemicals.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Has Made “a Landmark Discovery” in the Atmosphere of This Small Exoplanet
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has made "a landmark discovery" through observations of the atmosphere of a tiny distant exoplanet.
Something is Orbiting These Distant Exoplanets After All, According to Researchers Who Fire Back Over Exomoon Controversy
Have we discovered Exomoons? Recent news of moons orbiting planets outside our solar system has sparked debate in the astronomical community.
Darwin’s Theories About Life on Earth Gain Fresh Support, May Aid the Search for Life on Other Worlds
A new study by researchers from the University of Washington is lending fresh support to Charles Darwin's idea that the origin of life on Earth began in phosphate-rich bodies of water.
Something ‘Anomalous’ on the Moon’s Surface is Exhibiting ‘Unique’ Magnetic and Reflective Properties
Researchers studying over one million digital photos have found something anomalous on the Moon's surface that exhibits unique magnetic and reflective properties.
James Webb Space Telescope Has Helped Solve a Mystery That Left Astronomers Baffled For Years
One of astronomy’s most perplexing mysteries has been resolved, according to scientists involved with new findings made possible by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
13-Billion-Year-Old Black Hole is the Oldest Ever Observed, and It Has a Monstrous Appetite
Astronomers have detected the oldest black hole ever observed, dating back to just 400 million years after the Big Bang.
The Vanishing Star Enigma and the 1952 Washington D.C. UFO Wave
Astronomer Beatriz Villarroel examines the enigma of "vanishing stars" in relation to the famous 1952 Washington D.C. UFO incident.
Astronomers Baffled by a Mysterious Object in the “Mass Gap” Between Neutron Stars and Black Holes
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Germany have spotted an unknown object in the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes.
Groundbreaking New Study Reveals Origins of Intense Unexplained Phenomena Caused by Supermassive Black Holes
New simulations have replicated a phenomenon associated with supermassive black holes, revealing something as yet unknown to astronomers.
3000-Year-Old Carvings on Enigmatic Disk Unearthed in Italy Could Be Ancient Star Map, Controversial Study Claims
A stone disk bearing peculiar markings could be an ancient star map, according to new claims that prompted debate among archaeologists.
First Ever Earth-sized Planet Orbiting a Sun-Like Star Has Been Discovered Lurking in Our Solar Back Yard
Astronomers are reporting the first discovery of an Earth-sized planet orbiting a sun-like star, and its only 73 light years away.
Discovery of Mysterious ‘Big Ring” Megastructure Challenges Our Current Understanding of the Universe
A recent discovery of a second ultra-large structure dubbed the "Big Ring" challenges long-held assumptions about the universe's structure.
Landmark Dark Energy Study Is Complicating Our View of the Universe, but Offers New Insights on Cosmic Expansion
A landmark new study based on the results of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is complicating our understanding of the cosmos, but offers promising new insights into the accelerating expansion of the universe.
Unexplained Gamma-Ray Signal from Beyond Our Galaxy Baffles Astronomers, Points to Deeper Cosmic Mystery
Astronomers report the unexpected discovery of a gamma-ray signal emanating from outside our galaxy that they can’t yet explain.
Want to Visit an Exoplanet? Make Sure You Check Out This Travel Calculator
The Exoplanet Travel Planner Calculator is your next essential tool for that trip to another planet. Kinda.
Hubble Space Telescope Reveals ‘Oddball’ Origins of Farthest and Weirdest Mysterious Radio Signal of Its Kind
A team of astronomers says they have found the unusual location of a rare cosmic event, which appears to be the farthest of its kind yet detected, with help from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronomers May Have Figured Out How to Detect Liquid Water and Life on Exoplanets
A novel technique to locate planets that could potentially harbor life uses an analysis of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in their atmospheres.
The James Webb Space Telescope Has Changed Our View of the Cosmos in 2023. Here Are Some of This Year’s Best Images and Greatest Discoveries.
Here are some of the key discoveries made in 2023 by the James Webb Space Telescope that are expanding our view of the cosmos.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots ‘Unusual’ and ‘Enigmatic’ Features on Ice Giant Uranus
NASA has released stunning new imagery of the ice giant Uranus captured by its premiere space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope.
Scientists Report First Spectrographic Analysis of “Ghosts” in New Study of Rare Atmospheric Phenomenon
Astronomers have successfully obtained spectroscopic data on a rare atmospheric phenomenon known as “ghosts,” according to new research.
NASA Identifies 17 Potentially Habitable Earth-Sized Icy Worlds, Including Two Cosmic Nearby Neighbors
A team of NASA researchers says they have identified 17 potentially habitable icy worlds including two that are cosmically nearby, which may have subsurface oceans teeming with extraterrestrial life.
New Plasma Instability Discovery Could Revolutionize Our Understanding of Cosmic Rays
Scientists in Germany report the discovery of a new plasma instability could potentially upend our current understanding of cosmic rays and their origins.
Has Dark Matter’s Identity Been Revealed? Scientists Searching for Mysterious Hypothetical Particle May Soon Have an Answer
Scientists may be closing in on the mystery of dark matter, in new research that may link it to the existence of a hypothetical particle.
The First and Only Exomoons Ever Discovered Orbiting Distant Planets May Be Something Else Entirely
Astronomers studying the first and only two exomoons ever discovered outside our solar system say deeper investigations now reveal they don't exist.
A Celestial Object “Too Large to Exist” Has Been Detected by Astronomers, Upending Past Theories on Planetary Formation
Researchers say the discovery of a planet too large for its nearest star is challenging existing theories about planetary and solar system formation.
NASA Funded Experiments Show Detecting Signs of Life in Water Ejected from Enceladus is Viable
Experiments funded by NASA show that sending a probe to Enceladus to search for extraterrestrial life is viable.
James Webb Space Telescope Rediscovers Mysterious Vanishing Ghost Galaxy Astronomers Are Calling a “Monster”
The James Webb Space Telescope has relocated a ghostly dusty galaxy originally detected by ground telescopes before it mysteriously vanished.