The Secrets Hiding in the Vacuum
Empty space is nothing but. According to the weird rules of quantum mechanics, it’s actually filled with an endless amount…
A Europan Lander Could Return an Ice Core For A Fraction of the Cost of Europa Clipper
Cost is a major driving factor in the development of space exploration missions. Any new technology or trick that could…
Earth-like exoplanets might be in short supply for the Habitable Worlds Observatory
How common are Earth-like exoplanets—also called exo-Earths—and which exoplanetary systems should we target to find them? This is what a…
Ancient Rocks in Mars’ Jezero Crater Confirm Habitability
According to NASA's Perseverance rover, ancient rocks in Jezero Crater formed in the presence of water. These sedimentary rocks are…
We Know When a Black Hole Will Have its Next Feast
Black holes are notoriously destructive to stars near them. Astronomers often see flashes representing the death throes of stars collapsing…
Galaxies in Dense Environments Get Larger
Galaxies are some of the largest clearly defined structures in space. There are trillions of them, and many are clustered…
Specialized Materials Could Passively Control the Internal Temperature of Space Habitats
Areas of space have wildly different temperatures depending on whether they are directly in sunlight or not. For example, temperatures…
Webb Relieves the Hubble Tension
Sometimes, when scientists measure things differently, they get different results. Whenever that happens with something as crucial to humanity's long-term…
Project Helianthus – a Solar Sail Driven Geomagnetic Storm Tracker
Solar storms captured the imagination of much of the American public earlier this year when auroras were visible well south…
Ocean Salinity Affects Earth’s Climate. How About on Exoplanets?
There's a link between Earth's ocean salinity and its climate. Salinity can have a dramatic effect on the climate of…