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All the life we know of in the entire universe is squeezed onto a tiny rock, floating in a minor arm of the Milky Way. There are billions of other [...]

We may be on the cusp of finding a new kind of gravitational wave signal that can reveal many of the universe's secrets, finds Jonathan O'Callaghan DID you hear the [...]

Planets orbiting other stars could host all manner of exotic moons, some of which may be habitable – and we are finally on the cusp of finding them, says Jonathan [...]

Could a resurgent hypothetical particle called the axion solve all of the biggest mysteries of the universe? Jonathan O'Callaghan investigates IN 1977, physicist https://physics.mit.edu/faculty/frank-wilczek/ took a walk that would change [...]

NASA is working to define a time zone for the moon as an aid to lunar exploration ASTRONAUTS, set your watches. Time on the surface of the moon has been [...]

NEPTUNE'S largest moon, Triton, and the dwarf planet Pluto may have shared a common origin before being separated, an analysis of their composition suggests. Triton and Pluto are both icy [...]

THE conundrum of a star that seemed too small to exist has been solved by the detection of another star hiding in the same system. In 2019, astronomers announced the [...]

Infrared signatures of dozens of stars hint they host structures called Dyson spheres IS ANYONE out there? Two surveys of millions of stars in our galaxy have revealed mysterious spikes [...]

This document provides a concise overview of various aspects related to space and the universe. It begins by discussing Edwin Hubble's discovery that the Andromeda nebula is a separate galaxy, which revolutionized our understanding of the universe's scale. It then explores the competing forces of gravity and dark energy that determine the universe's size and the ongoing study of space-time's shape to determine if the universe is finite or infinite. The text also mentions the impact of constants of nature on the existence of life and the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life. It further discusses how contemplating the vastness of space can provide perspective and comfort, as well as the limitations of our subjective experience in understanding the universe objectively. The document also explores different theories about the nature of the universe, including the possibility of a multiverse, cyclic universes, and mirror universes, and mentions ongoing research in these areas. It provides information about the Earth's physical location in the universe, including its position in the Milky Way, the Local Group, the Virgo supercluster, and the observable universe. Additionally, it highlights key facts such as the distance of Proxima Centauri, the nearest star, the number of confirmed exoplanet discoveries, the diameter of the observable universe, and the current knowledge of only one planet supporting life. [Extracted from the article]

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered unexpectedly large and bright galaxies in the early universe, challenging current understanding of cosmic evolution. These galaxies are brighter and more active than expected, with star-formation rates comparable to the Milky Way today. Several studies suggest that astrophysical explanations, such as earlier-forming black holes or bursts of star formation, may account for their unusual characteristics. However, more research is needed to determine the true nature of these galaxies and whether they can be explained within the current cosmological model. [Extracted from the article]

A bizarre new class of star powered by dark matter could solve a supermassive mystery in cosmology. Have we already spotted some, asks Jonathan O'Callaghan IN THE early days – [...]

THE two moons of Mars may once have been a single comet that was ensnared and split by the planet – and an upcoming mission could find out for certain. [...]

A BLACK hole in the early universe has almost half the mass of its host galaxy despite no longer sucking in matter, raising questions about how these cosmic monsters grow. [...]

A DISTANT planet once touted as a potential location to look for alien life is actually likely to be inhospitable. In 2015, astronomers discovered a planet 110 light years away [...]

Thirty years ago, we spotted a particle from space with the energy of a dropped bowling ball. Where did this monster and the ones that followed it come from? Jonathan [...]

These miniature spacecraft have allowed us to operate in space for over half a century when the United States and the Soviet Union first decided to venture into the cosmos [...]

ASTRONOMERS have examined the stars that a new multibillion-dollar space telescope might target, to prepare for one of the most advanced searches for life on other planets. They have found [...]

A MYSTERIOUS flash of radio waves that hit Earth in 2022 came from a small group of galaxies some 8 billion light years away. To date, we have spotted more [...]

DARK matter may occupy a mirror universe, parallel to our own – and, if so, we may be able to spot a strange kind of mirror star. To explain dark [...]

Natalie Batalha was itching for data from the James Webb Space Telescope. It was a few months after the telescope had reached its final orbit, and her group at the [...]

1 SPACE SHUTTLE The world's first reusable launch system The Space Shuttle remains one of the most controversial spacecraft ever flown. While its awesome power and practical reusability were plain [...]

A STAR system 1800 light years from our own may have been the scene of a cataclysmic collision, as two giant planets crashed together and were incinerated, leaving behind a [...]

LUNAR dust could be melted into paving slabs to create roads on the moon, enabling easier transport across its surface. Miranda Fateri at Aalen University in Germany and her colleagues [...]

PROJECT Kuiper, Amazon's planned space internet service, kicked off with the launch of its first ever satellites on 6 October. The firm hopes the service will rival SpaceX's Starlink. A [...]

A HIGH school teacher and his students have discovered that an asteroid struck by a probe, in a test run for saving Earth should a collision one day threaten us, [...]

AN OBJECT in the outer solar system appears to have had a huge chunk taken out of it in a violent collision, despite such impacts being rare at this distance [...]

Why would you choose to go to Mars' moon Phobos rather than directly to Mars? This plan is just a concept. It is US policy right now to go to [...]

Why did you decide to become an astronaut? I've always had this fascination with things I didn't completely understand. I spent a lot of time in the Navy only because [...]

We humans aren't particularly good at cleaning up after ourselves on Earth, and it turns out we may be even worse when we leave our planet. In over 60 years [...]

Why did you decide to become an astronaut? It all started when I was about 12 with some science-fiction books I had from my grandmother. That triggered my fantasy, but [...]

Supernova 2023ixf has also given astrophysicists their earliest-ever detailed glimpse of the intricate interactions between a supernova's shock wave and the material the star had previously shed. Researchers also want to know where the bright burst of energy seen during a supernova comes from - whether it's entirely from the explosion or partly from the impact of the supernova shock wave on the surrounding debris. Red supergiants' dying days are crucial for understanding how supernovae enrich galaxies. [Extracted from the article]

How did you become interested in space exploration? It all started when I was nine years old; I was in fourth grade reading an article in a magazine about the [...]