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Astronomy Jul 8, 2022

Building blocks for RNA-based life abound at center of our galaxy

Nitriles, a class of organic molecules with a cyano group—that is, a carbon atom bound with a triple unsaturated bond to a nitrogen atom—are typically toxic. But paradoxically, they are also a key precursor for molecules ...

Astronomy Jul 5, 2022

Shedding light on comet Chury's unexpected chemical complexity

A team of researchers led by the University of Bern has for the first time identified an unexpected richness of complex organic molecules at a comet. This was achieved thanks to the analysis of data collected during ESA's ...

Space Exploration Jun 23, 2022

Australia just flew its own 'vomit comet'. It's a big deal for zero-gravity space research

Last Saturday, a two-seater SIAI-Marchetti S.211 jet took off from Essendon Fields Airport in Melbourne with an expert aerobatic pilot at the controls and a case full of scientific experiments in the passenger seat.

Astronomy Jun 15, 2022

Near-sun comet roasted to death

Astronomers using a fleet of world leading telescopes on the ground and in space have captured images of a periodic rocky near-sun comet breaking apart. This is the first time such a comet has been caught in the act of disintegrating ...

Space Exploration Jun 9, 2022

Comet Interceptor approved for construction

ESA's Comet Interceptor mission to visit a pristine comet or other interstellar object just starting its journey into the inner solar system has been "adopted" this week; the study phase is complete and, following selection ...

Astronomy May 6, 2022

'Spot the difference' to help reveal Rosetta image secrets

Today, ESA and the Zooniverse launch Rosetta Zoo, a citizen science project that invites volunteers to engage in a cosmic game of "spot the difference." By browsing through pictures collected by ESA's Rosetta mission, you ...

Astronomy May 4, 2022

Scientists discover comet's hourglass-shaped dust trail

Researchers from Finland, Canada, and Russia have discovered an unusual, hourglass-shaped dust trail of the comet 17P/Holmes. The particles that formed the dust trail were released by the most powerful of the thus-far documented ...

Astronomy Apr 28, 2022

Discovery of 30 exocomets in a young planetary system

For the past 30 years, the star β Pictoris has fascinated astronomers because it enables them to observe a planetary system in the process of formation. It is made up of at least two young planets, and also contains comets, ...

Astronomy Apr 20, 2022

Future of Earth's defense is ground-based planetary radar

Powerful radar systems have played a major role in the study of planets, moons, asteroids, and other objects in our Solar System for several decades, and now have a "unique role" to play in planetary defense—"providing ...

Planetary Sciences Apr 19, 2022

Space dust, asteroids and comets can account for all water on Mercury

Mercury harbors water ice in the shadows of the steepest craters around its poles. But it is unclear how those water molecules ended up on Mercury. Now a new simulation shows that incoming minor bodies such as asteroids, ...

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