“Pluto Never Stops Surprising Us”: SwRI Scientists Find Evidence of Liquid Nitrogen on Pluto
SwRI researchers have revealed evidence of liquid nitrogen on the surface of the dwarf planet Pluto captured by NASA's New Horizons mission.
Space
An Out-of-Control SpaceX Rocket May Have Struck the Moon with the Force of Three Tons of TNT—Here’s What We Know
A portion of an out-of-control SpaceX rocket is believed to have collided with the Moon on Wednesday, producing a new impact crater.
Could Humans Evolve Into a New Spacefaring Species? Scientists Explore the Future of Reproduction Beyond Earth
Reproduction in space may be humanity's biggest hurdle as researchers explore pregnancy, evolution, and life beyond Earth.
Mystery of Martian “Honeycombs” Deepens with Discovery of Unusual Patterns by NASA’s Curiosity Rover
NASA’s Curiosity rover continues to uncover unusual polygon-shaped features resembling “honeycombs” on the Red Planet.
Rare Meteorite From New Jersey Roof Strike Offers New Clues to the Origins of Life
A meteorite that crashed through a New Jersey home reveals ancient asteroid chemistry that may offer clues to the origins of life on Earth.
SETI Researchers Are Expanding the Search Beyond the ‘Water Hole’
Astronomers searching for extraterrestrial intelligence have traditionally focused on a specific, narrow band of the radio spectrum.
Britain’s Power Grid Has a Blind Spot for Extreme Solar Storms, New Research Reveals
In May 2024, the strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades exposed important gaps in how the UK monitors and prepares its power grid, satellites, and aviation for future extreme space weather.
Impulse Space Unveils New Electric Propulsion System to Enable Hybrid Spaceflight Strategy for Extended Missions
Impulse Space reveals its new electric propulsion system designed to extend the capabilities of spacecraft during long space missions.
Satellite Images Revealed Something Unusual About the Color of These Antarctic Islands—Here’s the Odd Reason Behind Their Appearance
Satellite imagery reveals why the Danger Islands have an odd pink-orange color, and what that means for this fragile ecosystem.
It Appears the Reports of Venus’s Death Were Greatly Exaggerated—New Models Suggest the Planet is Still Geologically Active
New computer models suggest that Venus is not geologically dormant as previously believed, including possibly active volcanoes.
NASA’s Bennu Samples Reveal Tiny Ancient Clues About the Asteroid’s Long-Lost Origins
Tiny ancient minerals inside Bennu reveal where its parent asteroid formed and how young Jupiter shaped the early Solar System.
“That’s No Moon!”: Astronomers Vexed by “Super Weird” Moon-Like Object Without a Planet
Astronomers have discovered a possible moon-like object they are calling an 'exosatellite' that astronomers cannot easily identify.
U.S. Space Development Agency Orders 36 Space Vehicles for Defense Against Missile Attacks
The U.S. Space Development Agency has ordered 36 space vehicles operating in four distinct orbits designed to defend against missile attacks.
“Everywhere We Looked, We Found the Temperature Rising”: NASA Identifies a “Surprise” Heat Signature Below the Surface of Jupiter’s Moon Io
NASA and Southwest Research Institute scientists report the "surprising" detection of a heat signature below Jupiter's moon Io's surface.
New Gravity Theory Suggests How Cosmic Order Emerges Despite Rising Entropy
A recent study offers a mathematical explanation for how cosmic structures form while still obeying the second law of thermodynamics.
Astronomers May Have Been Looking for Alien Megastructures Around the Wrong Stars
A new study suggests astronomers may have been looking for alien structures known as Dyson spheres in the wrong places.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Crescents and Surface Details During Recent Martian Flyby
New imagery released by NASA has revealed a growing “crescent” and surface details on Mars obtained by the agency’s Psyche spacecraft.
“A Major Milestone in the Search for Life on Other Planets”: First Ever Detection of an Atmosphere Around an Earth-Like, Habitable Zone Rocky Exoplanet
In a major boost to the search for life, Harvard astronomers have detected an atmosphere around a habitable-zone, Earth-like rocky exoplanet.
“This Upper Limit is an Illusion”: NASA Study Warns There May Be “No Limit” to How Solar Storms Impact Earth
Our modern society depends heavily on communications and power networks that are highly susceptible to interference from solar storms.
Astronomers Uncovered a Hidden Bubble Inside the Orion Nebula
A key component of the Orion Nebula had evaded detection by astronomers until now, according to newly published research.
No Sample-Return Required? Scientists Demonstrate Extraterrestrial Biosignature Detection Method Using the Mars Rover’s Existing Instruments
A new mineral-based biosignature detection method could identify signs of life on Mars using the Perseverance Rover's existing tools.
An ‘Asteroid’ Tracked Since 1998 Made an Unexplained Orbital Shift—Now Astronomers Say It’s Something Far More Mysterious
Astronomers say an asteroid recently failed to appear where it was predicted to be, revealing a "dark" twist after decades of observations.
Mysterious Metallic Spheres Were Discovered in an Australian Town—Now Officials Have Confirmed They Fell from Space
Australian Space Agency officials have confirmed that mysterious metallic spheres discovered near a beachside town fell from space.
“A Potential Minefield” in Earth’s Orbit Has Scientists Sounding the Alarm Over Hidden Objects Threatening Critical Satellites
Scientists have uncovered dozens of previously undetected fragments of space debris, revealing a “potential minefield” in orbit.
ESA’s Euclid Telescope Just Spotted Two Record-Breaking Ancient Giants Among the Most Remote Objects in the Cosmos
The ESA's Euclid Space Telescope has spotted more than 30 ancient quasars that rank among the oldest and most remote space objects ever seen.
Mysterious “Space Dust” Falling on Earth May Originate from Unidentified Objects Lurking Near Our Planet, New Study Finds
New research has discovered evidence linking space dust that falls to Earth every year with an unknown variety of near-Earth objects.
Earth Has a ‘Quasi-Moon’ Lurking Nearby, and These Are the First Images of the Space Object That Prove It
The Chinese Tianwen-2 mission has captured the first imagery of a space object that some astronomers are calling Earth’s “quasi-moon.”
Look: Japan’s Hayabusa2 Spacecraft Just Had a Close Encounter with the Mysterious Asteroid ‘Torifune’
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft completed its flyby of the asteroid Torifune over the weekend, according to Japan’s space agency.
Look: NASA Celebrates “America 250” This Independence Day With a Patriotic View of the Cosmos
With the arrival of America’s 250th birthday this Independence Day weekend, NASA is marking the occasion with a patriotic-themed perspective on the cosmos.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover is Investigating Unusual Polygon Structures That Look Like a “Giant Martian Honeycomb”
An odd-looking series of polygon-shaped structures have been discovered on Mars, as revealed in new images obtained by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
Earth May Have Been Sending Microscopic Hitchhikers Toward Venus for a Billion Years
A new model suggests that asteroid impacts on Earth may have occasionally launched microscopic material into space that could have reached Venus’s atmosphere over billions of years.
Something is Swarming in Swirls of Green in the Black Sea—and These NASA Images Captured the Phenomenon from Orbit
NASA orbital imagery of the Black Sea has revealed eerie-looking swirls of turquoise-green swarming in its waters.
Look What NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Just Spotted Lurking in the Red Planet’s Arbot Hills
A tiny green dot in an image taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures a historic tale of Red Planet exploration.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Finds Complex Carbon at Ancient Martian Site Rich in Potential Biosignatures
Evidence for possible life on Mars in the ancient past continues to build, thanks to a recent discovery by NASA’s Perseverance rover.
Could Spaceflight Alter Human Consciousness? Scientists Say Microgravity May Mimic Psychedelic Brain States
Consciousness may change in space, as new research suggests microgravity reshapes the brain and produces effects resembling psychedelic states.
NASA’s Webb Telescope Spied on Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS as It Left Our Solar System—What It Spotted “Surprised Researchers”
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have revealed surprising new data about the mysterious interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
Scientists Warn Extraterrestrial Encounters Could Endanger Earth—a Quarantine Facility on the Moon May Be Our Last Line of Defense
Researchers say a biocontainment facility on the Moon could be humanity's last line of defense against potential future alien contamination.
Scientists Release New Images Captured by the Lucy Spacecraft Flyby of Asteroid Donaldjohanson
Newly released images of the asteroid Donaldjohanson captured by NASA's Lucy spacecraft reveal age, rotation, and composition details.
Earthlings on Europa? Provocative Study Explores ‘Reverse Panspermia’ Scenario Where Earth Life May Have Invaded an Alien Moon
A provocative study suggests that Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa may not only be hospitable, but that life from Earth could be thriving there.
NASA’s JPL Is Testing the Next Generation of Autonomous Martian and Lunar Technology
NASA is developing the next generation of surface exploration technology with its Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain.
Inside a Martian Meteorite, These Grains of an Unexpected Gemstone Hold Clues to a Hidden Past
A Martian meteorite fragment containing unexpected grains of the mineral garnet could hold clues to the Red Planet’s geological history.
NASA’s Curiosity Uncovers New Clues to Mars’ Potential of Supporting Ancient Life
NASA’s Curiosity rover has made a discovery that offers promising new indications of the ancient preservation of organic chemistry on Mars.
This Breakthrough Propulsion Technology Could One Day Carry Humans to the Stars—But There’s a Problem
A futuristic propulsion system may have a few hurdles to cross before it can attain the near-light-speeds many experts had hoped for.
Scientists Say We Need to Prepare Astronauts for What They May Encounter Inside the Moon’s Oldest and Largest Crater
Scientists examining the Moon's oldest and largest crater have provided a "roadmap" for what future Artemis astronauts may encounter.
James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Two Completely Different Twilights on an Alien World
For the first time, astronomers have distinguished between the morning and evening atmospheres of a single planet, revealing two remarkably different environments at its edges.
Black Holes Aren’t Real? Astronomers Propose Elusive Formation Mechanism for “Gravastar” Alternative That is “Easier to Accept”
After 25 years of debate, scientists have proposed a mathematical model for an alternative to black holes called a gravastar.
The Amaterasu Particle May Not Be a Proton at All, New Research Suggests
A recent study suggests that the Amaterasu particle, along with other extremely energetic cosmic rays, may actually be atomic nuclei heavier than iron.
This Philosopher Thinks Physics May Be Asking the Wrong Question About Space-Time
Einstein's equations have withstood every experimental test for more than a century; however, according to one philosopher, they have not withstood careful scrutiny of the language used to describe them.
Transformers on the Moon? Japan Reveals Details of Tiny Shape-Shifting Rover’s Historic Lunar Exploration
Japan's space agency has revealed details from their historic SLIM mission, including an autonomous shape-shifting rover's lunar exploration.
Prada and Axiom Space Unveil New Lunar Spacesuit Garment for Artemis Missions
Astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis missions are traveling to outer space in style, the American space agency has revealed.