Space & Time

  • Federal Chancellor of Austria welcomed to ESA Headquarters
    on 2025-07-18 at 16:55

    Image: On Friday 18 July, His Excellency Christian Stocker, Federal Chancellor of Austria, visited ESA Headquarters in Paris receiving a tour of the site from Director General Josef Aschbacher.It was the Chancellor’s first visit to an ESA establishment following his swearing in earlier this year. Visiting the Astrolabe interpretive centre, Mr Stocker saw how Austria’s participation in ESA contributes to the goals of sustainable development and scientific excellence, and also heard how commercial space has undergone rapid development in Austria. He was accompanied by the Austrian ambassador to France, Barbara Kaudel-Jensen.Austria became ESA’s 12th Member State when it ratified the ESA Convention in December 1986 and while always strongly committed to Earth observation and space applications, Austria has recently diversified its space interests, becoming more involved in launchers, navigation and human and robotic exploration. Austrian Carmen Possnig was selected as a member of ESA’s astronaut reserve in 2022 and will commence her second phase of training in the autumn. Carmen joined the visit and enthusiastically answered questions from the assembled Austrian media.As part of Austria’s innovation community, the ESA PhiLab opened last year and has a current call for proposals open until 8 October. Just last month, Austria hosted the Living Planet Symposium, which brought together 6500 members of the Earth observation community to present scientific results and plan future activities. It was supported by a citywide ‘Space in the City’ festival in Vienna, organised by the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and Urban Innovation Vienna GmbH (UIV) and demonstrating the everyday connections between citizens and space.

  • Vision problems emerge as astronauts spend months in orbit
    on 2025-07-18 at 15:20

    When astronauts began spending six months and more aboard the International Space Station, they started to notice changes in their vision. For example, many found that, as their mission progressed, they needed stronger reading glasses. Researchers studying this phenomenon identified swelling in the optic disk, which is where the optic nerve enters the retina, and flattening of the eye shape. These symptoms became known as Space-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS).

  • Scientists detect lithium in Mercury’s exosphere using magnetic wave analysis
    on 2025-07-18 at 15:18

    Using a cutting-edge magnetic wave detection technique, a new study in Nature Communications has identified lithium in Mercury’s exosphere for the first time.

  • Component reconnection drives filament splitting and double-decker formation in solar physics
    on 2025-07-18 at 14:10

    A new study led by researchers from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has unveiled a novel mechanism for filament splitting and the formation of double-decker filaments. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

  • Study suggests Orion Nebula, Pleiades and Hyades share a common origin
    on 2025-07-18 at 13:35

    Orion Nebula, Pleiades and Hyades: The latest research results indicate that these famous star clusters represent the different phases of life of one and the same star system. A team of astrophysicists at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences in Zanjan, Iran, and the University of Bonn have found evidence that these three star systems are not just located in roughly the same region of space but also developed in the same way. These results were recently published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

  • Week in images: 14-18 July 2025
    on 2025-07-18 at 13:10

    Week in images: 14-18 July 2025 Discover our week through the lens

  • Blue Origin lines up NASA’s Mars-bound mission for next New Glenn launch
    on 2025-07-18 at 12:00

    Blue Origin’s first launch of its New Glenn rocket was supposed to send up a pair of Mars-bound satellites for NASA, but uncertain readiness plans last year forced NASA to yank back its payload. Now things are lining up for the mission to finally take flight.

  • New Apollo Earthrise view shows Juice’s RIME working well
    on 2025-07-18 at 10:10

    When the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) flew past our Moon in August 2024, its Radar for Icy Moon Exploration (RIME) instrument listened to radio wave echoes to reveal the height of the lunar surface.

  • Earth from Space: Circles in the desert
    on 2025-07-18 at 08:00

    Image: This image from Copernicus Sentinel-1 shows circular agricultural structures near Tabarjal, in the barren desert of northern Saudi Arabia.

  • NASA to launch SNIFS, the sun’s next trailblazing spectator
    on 2025-07-17 at 19:30

    July will see the launch of the groundbreaking Solar EruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph mission, or SNIFS. Delivered to space via a Black Brant IX sounding rocket, SNIFS will explore the energy and dynamics of the chromosphere, one of the most complex regions of the sun’s atmosphere. The SNIFS mission’s launch window at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico opens on Friday, July 18.

  • Space exploration should be more democratic and equitable to all potential actors
    on 2025-07-17 at 19:16

    We are amid what appears to be a second space race, except this time, the space race is not just led by two major superpowers, but by a wider group of nations who have interests in engaging in space exploration.

  • Vigil: Space weather reporter launches in deep space
    on 2025-07-17 at 15:30

    Space weather probe Vigil will be the world’s first space weather mission to be permanently positioned at Lagrange point 5, a unique vantage point that allows us to see solar activity days before it reaches Earth. ESA’s Vigil mission will be a dedicated operational space weather mission, sending data 24/7 from deep space.

  • What has Webb taught us about rocky exoplanets so far?
    on 2025-07-17 at 15:20

    The hunt for potentially habitable rocky planets in our galaxy has been the holy grail of exoplanet studies for decades. While the discovery of more than 5,900 exoplanets in more than 4,400 planetary systems has been a remarkable achievement, only a small fraction (217) have been confirmed as terrestrial—aka rocky or “Earth-like.” Furthermore, obtaining accurate information on a rocky exoplanet’s atmosphere is very difficult, since potentially habitable rocky planets are much smaller and tend to orbit closer to their stars.

  • Researchers find distinct variability patterns in jetted active galactic nuclei
    on 2025-07-17 at 15:01

    A study led by Dr. Xiong Dingrong of the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with other researchers, has offered new insights into the variability mechanisms of jetted active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, the study draws on in-depth analysis of extensive optical survey data.

  • Astronomers map tangled, supersonic filaments in distant interstellar gas cloud
    on 2025-07-17 at 14:51

    A team of astronomers has uncovered an unexpectedly complex and dynamic filamentary network within a very-high-velocity cloud (VHVC) in the Milky Way.

  • A star is dissolving its baby planet
    on 2025-07-17 at 13:30

    Stars and planets are naturally associated with one another. While some planets have gone rogue and are drifting through space, the vast majority are in solar systems, where they’re gravitationally bound and orbit their stars in predictable ways. But some planets stray too close to their stars, with dire consequences. These exoplanets have something to teach us about the exoplanet population.

  • Galaxy cluster Abell 3558 has a peculiar mini-halo, observations suggest
    on 2025-07-17 at 12:00

    An international team of astronomers has performed multi-band radio observations of diffuse radio emission in a galaxy cluster known as Abell 3558. As a result, the observational campaign detected that the cluster hosts a peculiar mini-halo. The finding was detailed in a paper published July 10 on the arXiv preprint server .

  • Vigil: ESA’s space weather reporter in deep space
    on 2025-07-17 at 08:00

    Video: 00:01:51 Space weather ‘reporter’ Vigil will be the world’s first space weather mission to be permanently positioned at Lagrange point 5, a unique vantage point that allows us to see solar activity days before it reaches Earth. ESA’s Vigil mission will be a dedicated operational space weather mission, sending data 24/7 from deep space. Vigil’s tools as a space weather reporter at its unique location in deep space will drastically improve forecasting abilities. From there, Vigil can see ‘around the corner’ of the Sun and observe activity on the surface of the Sun days before it rotates into view from Earth. It can also watch the Sun-Earth line side-on, giving an earlier and clearer picture of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) heading toward Earth. Radiation, plasma and particles flung towards Earth by the Sun can pose a very real risk to critical infrastructure our society relies on. This includes satellites for navigation, communications and banking services as well as power grids and radio communication on the ground. A report by Lloyd’s of London estimates that a severe space weather event, caused by such an outburst of solar activity, could cost the global economy 2.4 trillion dollars over five years.  ESA’s response to this growing threat is Vigil, a cornerstone mission of the Agency’s Space Safety Programme, planned for launch in 2031. Vigil’s data will give us drastically improved early warnings and forecasts, which in turn help protect satellites, astronauts and critical infrastructure on the ground that we all depend on. Click here for the subtitled version of the video. Click here to access the related broadcast quality video material. 

  • Largest piece of Mars on Earth fetches $5.3 million at auction, but young dinosaur steals the show
    on 2025-07-16 at 20:26

    The largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth was sold for just over $5 million at an auction of rare geological and archaeological objects in New York on Wednesday. But a rare young dinosaur skeleton stole the show when it fetched more than $30 million in a bidding frenzy.

  • Astronomers find giant hidden molecular cloud fueling star birth in Milky Way
    on 2025-07-16 at 17:26

    An international team of astronomers has discovered a massive cloud of gas and dust located in a little-known region of our Milky Way galaxy. The Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC) is about 60 parsecs—or 200 light years—long.

  • Miniature satellite Φsat-2 begins science phase for AI Earth images
    on 2025-07-16 at 17:14

    Φsat-2, a miniature satellite, has completed its commissioning and has begun delivery of science data, using algorithms to efficiently process and compress Earth observation images, as well as detect wildfires, ships, marine pollution and more.

  • Study suggests liquid brines could form on Mars’ surface during seasonal frost melting
    on 2025-07-16 at 15:54

    Due to extreme temperatures and the dryness of Mars, it’s thought to be impossible for liquid water to form on the planet’s surface, a critical precondition for habitability. The only hope of finding liquid water appears to be in the form of brines, which are liquids with high concentrations of salts that can freeze at much lower temperatures. But the question of whether brines can even form on Mars has yet to be answered.

  • Lunar soil could support life on the Moon, say scientists
    on 2025-07-16 at 15:00

    Scientists have developed a technology that may help humans survive on the moon. In a study published in the journal Joule, researchers extracted water from lunar soil and used it to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and chemicals for fuel—potentially opening new doors for future deep space exploration by mitigating the need to transport essential resources like water and fuel all the way from Earth.

  • Cosmic baby steps: For the first time, astronomers witness the dawn of a new solar system
    on 2025-07-16 at 15:00

    For the first time, international researchers have pinpointed the moment when planets began to form around a star beyond the sun. Using the ALMA telescope, in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner, and the James Webb Space Telescope, they have observed the creation of the first specks of planet-forming material—hot minerals just beginning to solidify. This finding marks the first time a planetary system has been identified at such an early stage in its formation and opens a window to the past of our own solar system.

  • NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission gears up for space station research
    on 2025-07-16 at 15:00

    A host of scientific investigations await the crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission during their long-duration expedition aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, are set to study plant cell division and microgravity’s effects on bacteria-killing viruses, as well as perform experiments to produce a higher volume of human stem cells and generate on-demand nutrients.

  • Astronomers use the colors of trans-Neptunian objects to track an ancient stellar flyby
    on 2025-07-16 at 14:38

    Trans-Neptunian objects (TNO) are some of our solar system’s lesser-known objects. They number in the thousands, and they get their name from their orbits. These dwarf planets orbit the sun at a greater average distance than Neptune does. Pluto is the group’s most well-known member, having been demoted from planet to TNO in recent years.

  • Gemini north observes comet 3I/ATLAS, the third-known interstellar object
    on 2025-07-16 at 14:30

    Interstellar objects are visitors from solar systems beyond our own, and the third ever such object, known as 3I/ATLAS, has just been discovered. Using the Gemini North telescope, astronomers have captured 3I/ATLAS as it makes its temporary passage through our cosmic neighborhood. These observations will help scientists study the characteristics of this rare object’s origin, orbit, and composition.

  • Video: Earth views from Cupola during Ignis mission
    on 2025-07-16 at 14:10

    View of Earth as seen by ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station’s “window to the world.”

  • To find another Earth, we should understand atmospheric escape
    on 2025-07-16 at 13:50

    The search for habitable exoplanets is a key priority and sits at the pinnacle of exoplanet science. The science community stated that clearly in the 2020 Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 (Astro2020). That survey identified the search for habitable worlds as a priority in their Pathways to Habitable Worlds report.

  • Distant galaxy protocluster harbors a remarkably evolved core, observations find
    on 2025-07-16 at 12:00

    Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has performed deep and high spectral resolution imaging of a distant protocluster of galaxies, designated A2744-z7p9OD. Results of the new observations, published July 8 on the arXiv preprint server, shed more light on the properties of this protocluster, revealing that it hosts a remarkably evolved core.

  • Subaru telescope discovers ‘fossil’ in outer solar system
    on 2025-07-16 at 11:12

    The Subaru Telescope has made an exciting discovery: a small body beyond Pluto, with implications for the formation, evolution, and current structure of the outer solar system.

  • Earth views from Cupola during Ignis mission
    on 2025-07-16 at 08:00

    Video: 00:00:40 View of Earth as seen by ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station’s “window to the world”.The European Space Agency-built Cupola is the favourite place of many astronauts on the International Space Station. It serves not only as a unique photo spot, but also for observing robotic activities of the Canadian Space Agency’s robotic arm Canadarm2, arriving spacecraft and spacewalks. Sławosz was launched to the International Space Station on the Dragon spacecraft as part of Axiom Mission 4 on 25 June 2025. The 20-day mission on board is known as Ignis.During the Ignis mission, Sławosz conducted 13 experiments proposed by Polish companies and institutions and developed in collaboration with ESA, along with three additional ESA-led experiments. These covered a broad range of areas including human research, materials science, biology, biotechnology and technology demonstrations.  The Ax-4 mission marks the second commercial human spaceflight for an ESA project astronaut. Ignis was sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT) and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA).   

  • The Habitable Worlds Observatory could find more very massive stars
    on 2025-07-15 at 19:57

    Very massive stars (VMSs) have had a massive impact on the formation of our universe. However, there aren’t very many of them, with only around 20 known specimens in the Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud. Even observing those is difficult for the current generation of telescopes, which is where an unexpected technological champion might play a role.

  • Synthetic biology could support future outposts on the moon and Mars
    on 2025-07-15 at 18:58

    As humanity sets its sights on long-duration missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond, keeping astronauts healthy will be as critical as building rockets or habitats. A new paper appearing in npj Microgravity explores the possibilities of synthetic biology in accomplishing this.

  • NASA’s IXPE imager reveals mysteries of rare pulsar
    on 2025-07-15 at 18:48

    An international team of astronomers has uncovered new evidence to explain how pulsing remnants of exploded stars interact with surrounding matter deep in the cosmos, using observations from NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) and other telescopes.

  • Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets
    on 2025-07-15 at 17:47

    Macquarie University astronomers have tracked an extreme planet’s orbital decay, confirming it is spiraling toward its star in a cosmic death dance that could end in three possible ways.

  • Φsat-2 begins science phase for AI Earth images
    on 2025-07-15 at 14:31

    Φsat-2, a miniature satellite, has completed its commissioning and has begun delivery of science data, using algorithms to efficiently process and compress Earth observation images, as well as detect wildfires, ships, marine pollution and more.

  • Smile passes gruelling set of tests
    on 2025-07-15 at 14:01

    All its parts have been built and put together. It has been wrapped in shiny gold insulating foil. Its launch is getting closer. But the Smile spacecraft had one major phase to pass before it could be certified ready for space – and it involved testing, testing and yet more testing.

  • Big-Bang echoes unmask a billion-light-year hole around Earth—and it’s stretching space faster
    on 2025-07-15 at 10:04

    Our galaxy may reside in a billion-light-year-wide cosmic bubble that accelerates local expansion, potentially settling the long-running Hubble tension. Galaxy counts reveal a sparsely populated neighborhood, and “fossil” sound waves from the Big Bang bolster the void scenario, hinting that gravity has hollowed out this region. Confirming the bubble could refine the universe’s age and reshape our grasp of cosmic growth.

  • Hubble Cracks Open a Glittering Cosmic Time Capsule, Revealing Multi-Generational Stars 160,000 Light-Years Away
    on 2025-07-15 at 02:49

    Hubble’s crystal-clear look at NGC 1786—an ancient globular cluster tucked inside the Large Magellanic Cloud—pulls us 160,000 light-years from Earth and straight into a cosmic time machine. Packed with stars of several different ages, this glittering sphere helps astronomers test whether layered “generations” of suns are common across galaxies. By comparing NGC 1786 and other dwarf-galaxy clusters with those orbiting the Milky Way, researchers hope to retrace how both the LMC and our own galaxy pieced themselves together in the early universe.

  • It looked like nothing—then scientists found a world 10x the size of Jupiter
    on 2025-07-14 at 12:49

    Astronomers have uncovered a massive, hidden exoplanet nestled in the dusty disc of a young star—MP Mus—by combining cutting-edge data from the ALMA observatory and ESA’s Gaia mission. Initially thought to be planet-free, the star’s surrounding disc appeared deceptively empty. But new observations and a telltale stellar “wobble” pointed to a Jupiter-sized gas giant forming within the disc’s obscured gaps. This marks the first time a planet in such a disc has been detected using these tools, opening the door to finding more young worlds that have so far evaded detection.

  • Two monster black holes just collided — it’s so massive, it shouldn’t exist
    on 2025-07-14 at 09:22

    Two colossal black holes among the most massive ever seen collided in deep space, creating gravitational waves that rippled across the cosmos and shook the foundations of astrophysical theory. Detected by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observatories, this record-breaking merger has stunned scientists not only because of its size, but also due to the black holes extreme spins, challenging our current understanding of how such behemoths form.

  • Gravitational shockwave: LIGO catches a 225-solar-mass black-hole smash-up
    on 2025-07-14 at 09:21

    Gravitational-wave detectors have captured their biggest spectacle yet: two gargantuan, rapidly spinning black holes likely forged by earlier smash-ups fused into a 225-solar-mass titan, GW231123. The record-setting blast strains both the sensitivity of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA and the boundaries of stellar-evolution theory, forcing scientists to rethink how such cosmic heavyweights arise.

  • These mysterious stars could glow forever using dark matter
    on 2025-07-13 at 17:31

    Imagine a star powered not by nuclear fusion, but by one of the universe’s greatest mysteries—dark matter. Scientists have proposed the existence of “dark dwarfs,” strange glowing objects potentially lurking at the center of our galaxy. These stars might form when brown dwarfs absorb enough dark matter to prevent cooling, transforming into long-lasting beacons of invisible energy. A specific form of lithium could give them away, and if detected, these eerie objects might reveal the true nature of dark matter itself.

  • 100 ghost galaxies may be orbiting the Milky Way—and we’re just now uncovering them
    on 2025-07-13 at 15:33

    New supercomputer simulations suggest the Milky Way could be surrounded by dozens more faint, undetected satellite galaxies—up to 100 more than we currently know. These elusive “orphan” galaxies have likely been stripped of their dark matter by the Milky Way’s gravity and hidden from view. If spotted by next-gen telescopes like the Rubin Observatory’s LSST, they could solidify our understanding of the Universe’s structure and deliver a stunning validation of the Lambda Cold Dark Matter model.

  • 2.35-billion-year-old Moon rock found in Africa rewrites lunar history
    on 2025-07-13 at 07:14

    A 2.35-billion-year-old Moon rock that fell to Earth in Africa is rewriting what we know about lunar volcanism. This rare meteorite, studied by UK scientists and unveiled at a major geochemistry conference, reveals that the Moon was volcanically active far longer than previously thought. With a unique chemical makeup and an age that bridges a billion-year gap in Moon rock samples, it suggests the Moon had internal heat sources that persisted for ages.

  • NASA probe flies into the Sun and captures the origins of solar storms
    on 2025-07-11 at 15:03

    In its closest-ever dive into the Sun’s atmosphere, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has returned stunning new images and data that bring scientists closer to solving one of the Sun’s biggest mysteries: how the solar wind is born. Captured from just 3.8 million miles away, the footage shows chaotic collisions of solar eruptions, twisting magnetic fields, and the origin zones of the solar wind—phenomena that shape space weather and can disrupt life on Earth. This unprecedented view from inside the corona is helping scientists understand and predict the Sun’s violent behavior like never before.

  • Scientists uncover 15,000 kilometers of lost rivers on Mars
    on 2025-07-11 at 13:09

    Mars may not have always been the dry and dusty world we imagine. A staggering network of ancient riverbeds, spanning over 15,000 kilometers, has been discovered in the planet’s Noachis Terra region, suggesting that flowing water, fueled by precipitation, was once widespread. Unlike previously studied valley networks, these “inverted channels” reveal a long history of persistent water activity, challenging the idea that Mars was merely cold and dry.

  • This interstellar comet may be a frozen relic from before the Sun
    on 2025-07-11 at 12:59

    A newly discovered comet, 3I/ATLAS, may be the most ancient visitor ever detected, potentially older than our solar system itself. Unlike previous interstellar objects, this ice-rich comet seems to originate from the thick disk of the Milky Way, a region filled with ancient stars. First spotted in July 2025, it’s already showing signs of activity and could help scientists understand more about galactic chemistry and the origins of planetary systems.

  • NASA’s Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle will search for lunar ice and subsurface structures
    on 2025-07-11 at 12:27

    NASA is gearing up for an exciting chapter in lunar exploration by sending a trio of high-tech instruments to the Moon. Two of the devices will be attached to a new lunar rover capable of carrying astronauts or operating remotely, while the third will gather data from orbit. These tools will hunt for ice, map minerals, and analyze what lies beneath the surface, offering a clearer picture of the Moon s makeup and potential resources.

  • This tiny rice plant could feed the first lunar colony
    on 2025-07-11 at 12:01

    In a bold step toward sustainable space travel, scientists are engineering a radically small, protein-rich rice that can grow in space. The Moon-Rice project, led by the Italian Space Agency in collaboration with three universities, aims to create crops that thrive in microgravity while boosting astronaut nutrition and well-being.

  • Chang’e-6 unearths volcanic and magnetic mysteries on the Moon’s farside
    on 2025-07-11 at 07:32

    China’s Chang’e-6 mission has delivered the first-ever samples from the Moon’s far side, shedding light on one of planetary science’s greatest mysteries: why the near and far sides are so different. The South Pole–Aitken Basin, a colossal crater created 4.25 billion years ago, has now revealed clues about ancient volcanic activity, fluctuating magnetic fields, and unexpectedly dry, depleted lunar mantle regions. These insights could reshape our understanding of the Moon’s, and even Earth’s, geological evolution.

  • Astronomers Catch Planets in the Act of Being Born
    on 2025-07-09 at 12:41

    Astronomers have spotted centimeter-sized “pebbles” swirling around two infant stars 450 light-years away, revealing the raw ingredients of planets already stretching to Neptune-like orbits. Using the UK’s e-MERLIN radio array, the PEBBLeS project found these rocky seeds in unprecedented detail, bridging the elusive gap between dusty discs and fully-formed worlds. The discovery hints that systems even larger than our own could be commonplace and sets the stage for the upcoming Square Kilometre Array to map hundreds more planetary nurseries.

  • Ice in a million-degree Fermi bubble reveals the Milky Way’s recent eruption
    on 2025-07-09 at 09:59

    Astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope spotted surprisingly cold, dense hydrogen clouds embedded inside the Milky Way’s vast, super-hot Fermi bubbles—structures thought to be created by a recent, violent outburst from the galaxy’s core. Because such chilled gas should evaporate quickly in million-degree surroundings, its survival hints that the bubbles are only about a million years old. Ultraviolet data from Hubble backs the discovery, and the clouds’ million-mph speeds reinforce the bubbles’ youth. The find forces scientists to rethink how energy and matter flow through galaxies.

  • Hidden DNA-sized crystals in cosmic ice could rewrite water—and life itself
    on 2025-07-09 at 07:10

    Scientists from UCL and the University of Cambridge have revealed that “space ice”—long thought to be completely disordered—is actually sprinkled with tiny crystals, changing our fundamental understanding of ice in the cosmos. These micro-crystals, just nanometers wide, were identified through simulations and lab experiments, revealing that even the most common ice in space retains a surprising structure. This has major implications not just for astrophysics, but also for theories about the origin of life and advanced materials technology.

  • Can one vanishing particle shatter string theory — and explain dark matter?
    on 2025-07-05 at 09:06

    Scientists are on the trail of a mysterious five-particle structure that could challenge one of the biggest theories in physics: string theory. This rare particle—never seen before and predicted not to exist within string theory—might leave behind vanishing tracks in the Large Hadron Collider, like ghostly footprints that suddenly disappear. Spotting it wouldn’t just shake up physics theory—it might also reveal clues to dark matter, the invisible stuff that makes up most of the universe.

  • A star exploded twice — First-ever image reveals its cosmic fingerprint
    on 2025-07-03 at 04:57

    Astronomers studying the remnant SNR 0509-67.5 have finally caught a white dwarf in the act of a rare “double-detonation” supernova, where an initial helium blast on the star’s surface triggers a second, core-shattering explosion.

  • UF students are bending metal with lasers to build massive structures in orbit
    on 2025-07-03 at 02:28

    UF engineers, backed by DARPA and NASA, are perfecting laser-forming techniques that let metal sheets fold themselves into giant solar arrays, antennas, and even space-station parts right in orbit—sidestepping rocket size limits and paving the way for sustainable off-Earth construction.

  • Earth’s weather satellites just spent 10 years watching Venus — here’s what they found
    on 2025-07-02 at 13:43

    Japan’s Himawari weather satellites, designed to watch Earth, have quietly delivered a decade of infrared snapshots of Venus. By stitching 437 images together, scientists tracked daily thermal tides and shifting planetary waves in the planet’s cloud tops, even flagging calibration quirks in past spacecraft data.

  • Citizen scientists spot rare exploding star in real-time
    on 2025-07-01 at 08:24

    Citizen scientists using the Kilonova Seekers platform spotted a stellar flash 2,500 times brighter than before, allowing astronomers to identify the exploding cataclysmic variable GOTO0650 within hours. Swift community follow-up captured X-ray, UV, and amateur telescope data, revealing the star’s rare “period-bouncer” stage.