Watch a SpaceX Fairing's Fiery Re-Entry Through the Atmosphere
During the recent ViaSat-3 launch on a Falcon Heavy rocket, SpaceX released the protective spacecraft fairing at the highest altitude…
Thirsty on the Moon? Just Throw Some Regolith in the Microwave
Lunar colonists may use microwaves to extract water from the Moon's surface.
Newborn Star Surrounded By Planet-Forming Disks at Different Angles
One of the great questions about our solar system is: what was it like as it formed? We know that…
Solar Flares Could Have Helped Life Get Started on Earth
Stars emit powerful flares that can be deadly for any burgeoning life on nearby planets. Images from spacecraft that monitor…
It’s Surprisingly Easy to Hurl Rocks From Mars Into Space
Of the thousands of meteorites found on Earth, about 188 have been confirmed to be from Mars. How did they…
Dark Energy Was Always Present, Everywhere and at Every Time
The Force is with us, according to cosmologists working to understand a mysterious "something" that's making the universe expand. Its…
Astronomers are Starting to Find the Wreckage Left Over from the First Stars in the Universe
The first stars were odd ducks. Nobody's observed them yet (although astronomers are hopeful JWST might spot them someday) but…
Is This Nearby Asteroid a Chunk of the Moon?
The Moon dominates our view of the night sky. But it's not the only thing orbiting Earth. A small number…
Gravitational Lensing is Helping to Nail Down Dark Matter
Using gravitational lenses, a team of astronomers showed how axions could be the particle that makes up Dark Matter.
Black Hole Event Horizons Can Get So Big it'll Boggle Your Imagination
Some black holes are truly monsters, and astronomers are pretty good at determining just how large they are.