Stepping Into the Past, Peering at the Stars: The Timeless Magic of the Yerkes Observatory
Wisconsin's historic Yerkes Observatory reveals a place where Edwin Hubble, Carl Sagan, and many pioneering women of astronomy once explored the cosmos.
Astronomy
Unusual New 3I/ATLAS Discovery Suggests the Interstellar Comet is “Anomalously Massive”
The mysterious comet 3I/ATLAS is "anomalously massive" compared to past interstellar objects observed in our solar system, a new study suggests.
Discovery of Vast Hydrogen ‘Cosmic Bridge’ Offers New Clues to Galactic Evolution
Australian astronomers have discovered a hydrogen gas bridge linking two dwarf galaxies, offering new insights into galactic interactions.
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is Making Its Way Closer to Earth—And New Research Suggests It Probably Isn’t Alone
Scientists say 3I/ATLAS, one of the rarest comets ever seen, likely isn’t alone and that more interstellar objects may soon be on the way.
“These Features Were Completely Unexpected”: Webb Telescope Detects Unexplained ‘Structures’ in Saturn’s Atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted mysterious structures in Saturn's atmosphere that scientists cannot easily explain.
Scientists Say Strongest Black Hole Merger Ever Observed “Challenges Our Understanding of How Black Holes Form”
Gravitational wave signals from the largest cosmic collision ever seen may alter our understanding of black holes, gravity, and the universe.
“The Earth May Not Be as Extraordinary as We Think”: Study Finds Earthlike Planets Are Common, but Not So for ‘Water Worlds’
New simulations suggest Earthlike planets may be much more typical than previously thought whereas water worlds may not.
Hayabusa2 Asteroid Sample-Return Mission’s Next Touchdown Just Got Complicated
Hayabusa2 is now facing an unexpected challenge: the asteroid it is targeting for its next visit is much smaller than previously expected.
NASA Official Issues Statement on 3I/ATLAS as Images Reveal the Interstellar Object Has ‘Grown’ a Striking New Feature
Astronomers have obtained new images of the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS that reveal a new feature: the fastest comet ever observed has now grown a tail.
Bizarre “Steam Worlds” Could Offer New Clues in the Search for Alien Life
Strange “steam worlds” may hold the key to understanding where life could exist beyond Earth.
Experts Say a Massive Space Object Will Speed Past Earth Tomorrow—Could It Strike Our Planet in the Future?
A massive space rock that once made its way onto a space agency's warning list for potentially dangerous objects is scheduled to pass by the Earth this Thursday, September 18, 2025.
“It Is Still a Surprise”: Cosmic Winds are Defying Expectations in Neutron Star and Supermassive Black Hole Observations
The data from the NASA and ESA's XRISM has discovered unexpected disparities between two different types of cosmic winds.
“The Accident”: How a Cosmic Misfit Helped Solve a Planetary Mystery
A detailed study of a cosmic mystery known as "The Accident" has now provided new insight into the formation of clouds on giant gas planets.
Ryugu Asteroid Discovery “Forces Us to Rethink” Origins of Water on Our Planet
Near-Earth asteroid Ryugu was previously covered in flowing water, say researchers examining samples returned by JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission.
Interstellar Objects Like 3I/ATLAS Could be “Ready-Made Seeds” For Planet Formation
As 3I/ATLAS is presently fascinating space enthusiasts, researchers say that such interstellar objects may act as planetary seeds.
China Says It Wants to Kill an Asteroid
According to China's space agency, the government is preparing to test a direct method of planetary defense by sending a spacecraft to collide with an asteroid.
Hawking Was Right: Unprecedented Black Hole Merger Observation Supports Predictions
A recently discovered black hole merger is proving correct theoretical predictions made by Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
When Asteroid Deflection Fails: How The Keyhole Effect Could Send Dangerous Space Rocks Back on A Collision Course With Earth
If asteroid deflection missions aren’t conducted with the utmost care and precision, they may send objects through a “gravitational keyhole.”
Life on Enceladus? New Findings Impact Chances of Life in the Subsurface Ocean of Saturn’s Icy Moon
New experiments of ice on the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus successfully recreates organic compounds without a subsurface ocean.
“Dark Matter Halos”: Harvard Researchers Propose New Explanation for Ghostly “Little Red Dots” in Deep Space
Harvard astronomers are proposing a new theory about the mysterious “little red dots” first spied by the James Webb Space Telescope: Dark Matter Halos
“One of the Best Habitable Zone Planets” Likely Has an Atmosphere, Says New Exoplanet Research
In hopeful news in the search for ET, researchers have discovered signs suggesting an atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like exoplanet.
ESA’s Solar Orbiter Unlocks the Mystery of the Sun’s Fastest Particles
The Solar Orbiter mission has made another new discovery, tracing two types of solar energetic electrons to their origins in separate events.
This Weird New Space Telescope Concept Could Revolutionize the Search for Alien Life
Rethinking the shape of space telescopes may be the answer to the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing missions to detect alien life.
Could Alien Technosignatures Be Detected from Interstellar Objects Like 3I/ATLAS? These Astronomers Say It’s Possible.
A new study says interstellar objects entering our solar system could offer scientists a chance to search for signs of alien technology.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Challenges What We Think We Know About Planet Formation
New James Webb Space Telescope observations present a fresh challenge to long-held ideas about the chemistry of planet-forming disks.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovers “Cool Gemstones” and “Fiery Grime” in New Butterfly Nebula Images
Recent James Webb Telescope findings reveal insights into the Butterfly Nebula that may explain how rocky planets form from cosmic dust.
“Watching It Perform at That Limit is Exhilarating”: Inouye Solar Telescope Captures Highest Resolution Solar Flare Ever
The clearest image of a solar flare yet captured will provide scientists with unprecedented insight into these violent events.
3I/ATLAS Was Just Spotted by the James Webb Telescope, Confirming an Odd New Discovery About the Strange Interstellar Comet
An unusual interstellar visitor speeding through our solar system was recently spotted by the powerful eye of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Astronomers Detect Evidence of Matter ‘Evolving’ Into Dark Energy, Challenging Previous Assumptions
A new study based on recent data provides fresh evidence that instead of being steady, dark energy’s impact on the universe is altering over time.
Strange ‘Raindrops’ of Molten Rock That Witnessed Jupiter’s Birth Reveal Clues to the Solar System’s Mysterious Origins
Meteorites discovered on Earth escaped the violent formation of the planet Jupiter, and now researchers have analyzed these space rocks.
3I/ATLAS Comet Mystery Deepens After ‘Tantalizing’ New Observations by NASA’s SPHEREx Mission
3I/ATLAS has captured the attention of astronomers—and the public’s fascination—as new clues about its mysterious nature are revealed.
Astronomers Have Detected the Brightest Known Fast Radio Burst, Offering Unmatched Insights Into Their Mysterious Origins
The brightest fast radio burst (FRB) on record has been observed with unprecedented precision thanks to recent upgrades to CHIME.
ALMA Telescope Discovery is Challenging Our Ideas on Accretion Disk Theory of Massive Star Formation
Japanese researchers are proposing immense gas streams as an explanation for how high-mass stars mysteriously manage to form.
Is Anybody Out There? SETI Researchers Reveal Where Aliens Could Spot Earth’s Deep Space Signals
Scientists engaged in the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI) have flipped the question on its head, providing new ideas in quest for ET.
Stunning X-Ray and Radio Composite Image Shows Hand-like Nebula Reaching for a Pulsar
Astronomers have now combined radio data with X-ray images to produce a stunning new image of the pulsar B1509-58 surrounded by its nebula.
“We Found Organic Material that’s Highly Anomalous”: Samples From Asteroid Bennu Reveal Cosmic Surprises
Scientists working with return samples from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu have uncovered a cosmic time capsule.
What Came Before the Big Bang? New Study Says ‘Numerical Relativity’ Could Unlock Cosmology’s Biggest Mysteries
New research suggests numerical relativity, a computational approach to the Einstein's equations, could resolve some of cosmology's greatest questions.
A Secret Energy Source Once Existed on the Dwarf Planet Ceres—Could It Have Fueled Habitability?
Deep within the dwarf planet Ceres, a chemical energy source once existed that may have made the now-cold planet habitable in the distant past.
A New “Pale Blue Dot”? NASA’s Psyche Glimpses Earth and the Moon From Deep Space
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, while on its mission to study a metal-rich asteroid, has captured a stunning view of Earth and the Moon from deep space.
‘Stripped to the Bone’: This Unusual Supernova is Challenging Models of Stellar Death
In a dying star’s supernova explosion, astrophysicists discover a strange chemical signature that is radically different from others ever observed.
NASA’s Juno Mission Reveals Exotic Plasma Behavior in Jupiter’s Aurora
Astronomers have identified a new type of plasma wave in Jupiter’s aurora, thanks to data collected by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovers ‘Earendel,’ the Most Distant Star Ever Seen, Could Be Something Else
Earendel, which astronomers believed to be the most distant star ever observed, may be something else according to new research.
New Study Exposes How the Search for Alien Life Becomes Exaggerated and Oversold to the Public
New study reveals how scientific claims about alien life often become exaggerated and oversold to the public.
Clever New Trick Uses the Universe as a ‘Gigantic Particle Accelerator’ in the Hunt for Dark Matter
Astrophysicists develop a new tactic that uses galaxy clusters a sort of natural particle accelerator in the hunt for dark matter.
“It Is a Scientific First”: Groundbreaking Star Map Reveals Stellar Evolution at a Galactic Scale
Variable stars are being studied on a new scale, thanks to a star map bringing together open clusters and providing astronomers new tools.
3I/ATLAS, the Latest Interstellar Visitor to Make Its Way to Our Solar System, is Challenging Cosmic Norms
The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has sparked debate among astronomers since its discovery, and some are exploring whether it could be more unusual than the standard comet.
“We Just Opened Up a Pandora’s Box”: Ionic Liquid Discovery May Expand Habitable Zones in Search for Alien Life
MIT study suggests ionic liquid-based life forms could survive on the surface of rocky planets previously considered uninhabitable.
James Webb Space Telescope Spots “Mysterious Objects” So Bright They Challenge Current Ideas About the Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted 300 bright, mysterious objects in deep space that defy traditional cosmological classification.
What Is It? Astronomers Reveal “Punctum,” a New Celestial Object Unlike Any Other Known to Exist
A faint signal detected in a nearby galaxy led to the discovery of "Punctum," a celestial object unlike any previously observed in our universe.
NASA Investigates Strange, Leopard-Spotted Martian Stone Discovered by Perseverance Rover
NASA's perseverance rover recently collected samples from an unusual red stone on Mars bearing spots resembling a leopard’s coat.