Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches spacecraft higher than ever
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket company shot a capsule higher into space Wednesday than it's ever done before.
Last update Brazil reports at least 744 infected with measles, 1 hour ago
Astronomy & Space news
Martian atmosphere behaves as one
New research using a decade of data from ESA's Mars Express has found clear signs of the complex martian atmosphere acting as a single, interconnected system, with processes occurring at low and mid levels significantly affecting ...
X-ray data may be first evidence of a star devouring a planet
For nearly a century, astronomers have puzzled over the curious variability of young stars residing in the Taurus-Auriga constellation some 450 light years from Earth. One star in particular has drawn astronomers' attention. ...
Team creates high-fidelity images of Sun's atmosphere
In 1610, Galileo redesigned the telescope and discovered Jupiter's four largest moons. Nearly 400 years later, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope used its powerful optics to look deep into space—enabling scientists to pin down ...
NASA's new mini satellite will study Milky Way's halo
Astronomers keep coming up short when they survey "normal" matter, the material that makes up galaxies, stars and planets. A new NASA-sponsored CubeSat mission called HaloSat, deployed from the International Space Station ...
Supersharp images from new VLT adaptive optics
ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) has achieved first light with a new adaptive optics mode called laser tomography—and has captured remarkably sharp test images of the planet Neptune and other objects. The MUSE instrument ...
Jupiter's moon count reaches 79, including tiny 'oddball'
Twelve new moons orbiting Jupiter have been found—11 "normal" outer moons, and one that they're calling an "oddball." This brings Jupiter's total number of known moons to a whopping 79—the most of any planet in our Solar ...
Mode changing and giant pulses found in a millisecond pulsar
Dawn mission to gather more data in home stretch
As NASA's Dawn spacecraft prepares to wrap up its groundbreaking 11-year mission, which has included two successful extended missions at Ceres, it will continue to explore—collecting images and other data.
Astronomers find a famous exoplanet's doppelgänger
When it comes to extrasolar planets, appearances can be deceiving. Astronomers have imaged a new planet, and it appears nearly identical to one of the best studied gas-giant planets. But this doppelgänger differs in one ...
One of the densest clusters of galaxies in the universe is revealed
A study published recently in the journal Nature Astronomy and which questions current models of structure formation in the universe is based on data obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias and among its authors is a team ...
How glacial biomarkers can hone the search for extraterrestrial life
Detecting biomarkers in glacial lakes on Earth could pave the way for astrobiologists to detect evidence for life on other worlds, and also unravel the properties of the environments in which that life lived.
Brown dwarf detected in the CoRoT-20 system
NASA Juno data indicate another possible volcano on Jupiter moon Io
Data collected by NASA's Juno spacecraft using its Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument point to a new heat source close to the south pole of Io that could indicate a previously undiscovered volcano on the small ...
South Africa unveils super radio telescope
South Africa on Friday unveiled a super radio telescope, a first phase of what will be the world's largest telescope in a project to try to unravel the secrets of the universe.
'X'-ploring the Eagle Nebula and 'Pillars of Creation'
The Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, contains the young star cluster NGC 6611. It also the site of the spectacular star-forming region known as the Pillars of Creation, which is located in the southern portion of the ...
Observatories team up to reveal rare double asteroid
New observations by three of the world's largest radio telescopes have revealed that an asteroid discovered last year is actually two objects, each about 3,000 feet (900 meters) in size, orbiting each other.
Boeing, SpaceX unlikely to make manned flights to ISS in 2019
Boeing and SpaceX are unlikely to be able to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, according to a US government audit report, resulting in a possible gap in the US presence on the spacecraft.
First space tourist flights could come in 2019
The two companies leading the pack in the pursuit of space tourism say they are just months away from their first out-of-this-world passenger flights—though neither has set a firm date.
Hubble and Gaia team up to fuel cosmic conundrum
Using the power and synergy of two space telescopes, astronomers have made the most precise measurement to date of the universe's expansion rate.
Could gravitational waves reveal how fast our universe is expanding?
Since it first exploded into existence 13.8 billion years ago, the universe has been expanding, dragging along with it hundreds of billions of galaxies and stars, much like raisins in a rapidly rising dough.
James Webb Space Telescope to inspect atmospheres of gas giant exoplanets
In April 2018, NASA launched the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Its main goal is to locate Earth-sized planets and larger "super-Earths" orbiting nearby stars for further study. One of the most powerful tools ...
Researchers investigate two ultraluminous X-ray sources in the galaxy NGC 925
Scientists discover 'ghost dunes' on Mars
Scientists have discovered hundreds of crescent-shaped pits on Mars where sand dunes the size of the U.S. Capitol stood billions of years ago. The curves of these ancient dune impressions record the direction of prevailing ...
Colorful celestial landscape
New observations with ESO's Very Large Telescope show the star cluster RCW 38 in all its glory. This image was taken during testing of the HAWK-I camera with the GRAAL adaptive optics system. It shows RCW 38 and its surrounding ...
Princeton's McComas will lead IMAP, a NASA mission to study the heliosphere
Princeton astrophysicist David McComas will be the principal investigator for a science mission to sample, analyze and map particles streaming to Earth from the sun and from the edges of interstellar space. He is presenting ...
From an almost perfect universe to the best of both worlds
It was 21 March 2013. The world's scientific press had either gathered in ESA's Paris headquarters or logged in online, along with a multitude of scientists around the globe, to witness the moment when ESA's Planck mission ...
How does the sun's rotational cycle influence lightning activity on earth?
A collaborative research team in Japan has taken the first steps to understanding how the sun's rotational cycle influences lightning activity. They found answers in an unusual source—diaries dating back to the 1700s.
Antimatter plasma reveals secrets of deep space signals
Mysterious radiation emitted from distant corners of the galaxy could finally be explained with efforts to recreate a unique state of matter that blinked into existence in the first moments after the Big Bang.
The longest period transiting planet candidate from K2
To discover and confirm the presence of a planet around stars other than the sun, astronomers wait until it has completed three orbits. However, this very effective technique has its drawbacks since it cannot confirm the ...
Image: The Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey
At first glance this frame is flooded with salt-and-pepper static. Rather than being tiny grains or pixels of TV noise, every single point of light in this image is actually a distant galaxy as observed by ESA's Herschel ...
Disruption tolerant networking to demonstrate internet in space
NASA's Human Exploration and Operations and Science Mission Directorates are collaborating to make interplanetary internet a reality.
Image: Jamming with the 'spiders' from Mars
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, acquired May 13, 2018 during winter at the South Pole of Mars, shows a carbon dioxide ice cap covering the region and as the sun returns in the spring, "spiders" begin to ...
ATLAS telescope pinpoints meteorite impact prediction
A multinational team of scientists has just found the first fragments of the small asteroid 2018 LA, which exploded harmlessly high above Africa on June 2. The University of Hawaiʻi's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert ...
Scotland chosen as site for first British space port
The UK Space agency said Sunday that it had chosen a peninsula on Scotland's north coast as the site of the country's first space port.
Researchers develop new solar sailing technology for NASA
Spacecraft outfitted with sails and propelled by the sun are no longer the stuff of science fiction or theoretical space missions. Now, a Rochester Institute of Technology researcher is taking solar sailing to the next level ...
Crescent moon and Venus pair closely on Sunday, July 15th
Soon after the Sun dips below the western horizon on Sunday, July 15th, anyone looking in that direction will see a dramatic sight: a pretty crescent Moon paired closely with the dazzling planet Venus, the "Evening Star."
Plasma jets inside the sun foretell unequal activity of its two hemispheres
The sun's activity waxes and wanes periodically and holds sway over our space environment. Sunspots, strongly magnetized blotches on the solar surface, sometimes release fierce storms in space that severely impact our satellite ...
Brown's student satellite to be deployed from ISS into orbit
Friday, July 13, will mark a major milestone for current and former members of Brown Space Engineering, a student group that has spent the past seven years designing and building a small satellite.
VERITAS supplies critical piece to neutrino discovery puzzle
The VERITAS array has confirmed the detection of high-energy gamma rays from the vicinity of a supermassive black hole located in a distant galaxy, TXS 0506+056. While these detections are relatively common for VERITAS, this ...
NASA's TESS spacecraft continues testing prior to first observations
After a successful launch on April 18, 2018, NASA's newest planet hunter, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, is currently undergoing a series of commissioning tests before it begins searching for planets. The TESS ...
Report: NASA needs backup plan as US crew launches slip (Update)
NASA needs a backup plan for getting astronauts to space, given additional delays on the horizon for new commercial crew capsules, the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended Wednesday.
Method of making oxygen from water in zero gravity raises hope for long-distance space travel
Space agencies and private companies already have advanced plans to send humans to Mars in the next few years – ultimately colonising it. And with a growing number of discoveries of Earth-like planets around nearby stars, ...
In the ocean's twilight zone, tiny organisms may have giant effect on Earth's carbon cycle
Deep in the ocean's twilight zone, swarms of ravenous single-celled organisms may be altering Earth's carbon cycle in ways scientists never expected, according to a new study from Florida State University researchers.
Cities as study proxies for climate change
Cities can serve as useful proxies to study and predict the effects of climate change, according to a North Carolina State University research review that tracks urbanization's effects on plant and insect species.
Metal too 'gummy' to cut? Draw on it with a Sharpie or glue stick, science says
Your everyday permanent markers, glue sticks and packing tape may offer a surprisingly low-tech solution to a long-standing nuisance in the manufacturing industry: Making soft and ductile, or so-called "gummy" metals easier ...
Team studies complexities of biodiversity, disease transmission
Biodiversity is disappearing at an alarming rate as infectious diseases increasingly spill over from wildlife to humans. Disease ecologists fervently debate whether biodiversity loss leads to an increased disease risk. Now, ...
Researchers to present new results on hurricanes and other extreme events
The availability of water from underground aquifers is vital to the basic needs of more than 1.5 billion people worldwide.
Atlantic circulation is not collapsing—but as it shifts gears, warming will reaccelerate
A huge circulation pattern in the Atlantic Ocean took a starring role in the 2004 movie "The Day After Tomorrow." In that fictional tale the global oceanic current suddenly stops and New York City freezes over.
Light-controlled polymers can switch between sturdy and soft
MIT researchers have designed a polymer material that can change its structure in response to light, converting from a rigid substance to a softer one that can heal itself when damaged.
Warming rivers make marked contribution to global greenhouse gas levels
Warming streams and rivers could be disproportionately contributing to the amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases, according to a new study.
Glowing bacteria on deep-sea fish shed light on evolution, 'third type' of symbiosis
You may recognize the anglerfish from its dramatic appearance in the hit animated film Finding Nemo, as it was very nearly the demise of clownfish Marlin and blue-tang fish Dory. It lives most of its life in total darkness ...
Secular countries can expect future economic growth, confirms new study
New research measuring the importance of religion in 109 countries spanning the entire 20th century has reignited an age-old debate around the link between secularisation and economic growth. The study, published in Science ...
Air pollution negatively associated with US national park visitation
More than 300 million visitors travel to U.S. national parks every year to experience America's iconic landscapes. But poor air quality in parks may negatively affect visitation, according to a study published in Science ...
Barley heads east—living plant varieties reveal ancient migration routes across Eurasia
The emergence of agriculture is one of the most important transitions in the development of human societies, as it allowed the establishment of settled communities, specialization of labour and technological innovation.
Billion-year-old lake deposit yields clues to Earth's ancient biosphere
A sample of ancient oxygen, teased out of a 1.4 billion-year-old evaporative lake deposit in Ontario, provides fresh evidence of what the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere were like during the interval leading up to the emergence ...
For one tropical tree, effective seed dispersal relies especially on elephants
Deer, bears, gibbons, but especially elephants, play an important role in seed dispersal for a large-fruited tree in the forests of Thailand, according to a new study publishing July 18 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE ...
Great Barrier Reef not bouncing back as before, but there is hope
The Great Barrier Reef is losing its ability to recover from disturbances, but effective local management could revive its capacity to bounce back.
Study first to confirm where baby white sharks 'hang out' in the North Atlantic
Using cutting-edge satellite and acoustic technology, a researcher from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is among a team of scientists who are the first to confirm the movement patterns ...
The relationship between charge density waves and superconductivity? It's complicated
For a long time, physicists have tried to understand the relationship between a periodic pattern of conduction electrons called a charge density wave (CDW), and another quantum order, superconductivity, or zero electrical ...
A possibly better way to measure our own galaxy speed moving through space
A pair of physicists at Aix-Marseille University has offered a possible way to measure the speed of our own galaxy more accurately as it moves through space. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, ...
Bacterial armor could be a new target for antibiotics
For over a century, scientists have studied E. coli, one of the bacteria that cause food poisoning, as a model for fighting infections. Such research has led to a variety of antibiotics that penetrate the protective cell ...
Splitting water: Nanoscale imaging yields key insights
In the quest to realize artificial photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel—just as plants do—researchers need to not only identify materials to efficiently perform photoelectrochemical ...
Life on Earth kept to darkness for much of history, study finds
Tiny creatures that lived in the dark—either underground or below the sea floor—were the dominant life forms on Earth for much of the planet's history, a study suggests.
Solar supercapacitor could power future of wearable sensors
A new form of solar-powered supercapacitor could help make future wearable technologies lighter and more energy-efficient, scientists say.
No more zigzags: Scientists uncover mechanism that stabilizes fusion plasmas
Sawtooth swings—up-and-down ripples found in everything from stock prices on Wall Street to ocean waves—occur periodically in the temperature and density of the plasma that fuels fusion reactions in doughnut-shaped facilities ...
Google braces for huge EU fine over Android
Google prepared Wednesday to be hit with huge EU fine for freezing out rivals of its Android mobile phone system in a ruling that could spark new tensions between Brussels and Washington.
New evidence suggests the Devonian Nekton Revolution never occurred
A pair of researchers at Yale University has found evidence that suggests the Devonian Nekton Revolution never actually occurred. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Christopher Whalen and Derek ...
A new approach for narrowing down huge calculations by focusing on a single, predictive parameter
A team that includes nuclear physicists, a machine-learning researcher and an NC State mathematician has created a new approach for narrowing down huge calculations – such as those involved in quantum physics – by focusing ...
Study finds climate determines shapes of river basins
There are more than 1 million river basins carved into the topography of the United States, each collecting rainwater to feed the rivers that cut through them. Some basins are as small as individual streams, while others ...
Artificial intelligence technology could help protect water supplies
Progress on new artificial intelligence (AI) technology could make monitoring at water treatment plants cheaper and easier and help safeguard public health.
Materials processing tricks enable engineers to create new laser material
By doping alumina crystals with neodymium ions, engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new laser material that is capable of emitting ultra-short, high-power pulses—a combination that could ...
Concentrated wealth in agricultural populations may account for the decline of polygyny
Across small-scale societies, the practice of some males taking multiple wives is thought to be associated with extreme disparities of wealth. But in fact, polygyny has been more common among relatively egalitarian low-tech ...
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