Brian Koberlein
Measuring Distances in the Universe With Fast Radio Bursts
Astronomers still aren't entirely sure what causes fast radio bursts, which can briefly release a galaxy's worth of energy. However,…
The Event Horizon Telescope Zooms in on a Black Hole's Jet
The Event Horizon Telescope has given us amazing views of the supermassive black holes at the hearts of M87 and…
Did the Galileo Mission Find Life on Earth?
Although it was bound for Jupiter, NASA's Galileo spacecraft made flybys of Earth in 1990 and 1992 to get boosts…
Dust Ruins Another Way of Measuring Distance in the Universe
Astronomers are always searching for new ways to measure distance in the Universe, especially at the greatest distances where less…
Astronomers Measure the Mass of the Milky Way by Calculating How Hard it is to Escape
Several techniques have been developed to measure the mass of the Milky Way, providing a range of estimates. In a…
How Could Laser-Driven Lightsails Remain Stable?
How can we send spacecraft to other star systems? One proposed by Breakthrough Foundation is the Starshot, which uses high-powered…
Atmospheres in the TRAPPIST-1 System Should be Long Gone
When the TRAPPIST-1 system was discovered, astronomers were elated to find seven Earth-sized worlds, three in the star's habitable zone.…
How Dangerous are Kilonovae?
Neutron stars' collisions create powerful explosions, a type of gamma-ray burst known as a kilonova. What would it be like…
Dark Matter Might Help Explain How Supermassive Black Holes Can Merge
Astronomers aren't sure what dark matter is, but they carefully observe to determine which models best match the data. Astronomers…
Even Early Galaxies Grew Hand-in-Hand With Their Supermassive Black Holes
Almost every galaxy in the local Universe seems to contain a supermassive black hole. There's a direct relationship between the…