Mark Thompson
Estimating the Basic Settings of the Universe
The Standard Model describes how the Universe has evolved at large scale. There are six numbers that define the model…
If Gravitons Exist, this Experiment Might Find Them
There are four fundamental forces in the Universe; strong, weak, electromagnetic and gravity. Quantum theory explains three of the four…
New Limits on Dark Matter
As it’s name suggests, dark matter is dark! That means it's largely invisible to us and only detectable through its…
For Their Next Trick, Gravitational Wave Observatories Could Detect Collapsing Stars
The merging of black holes and neutron stars are among the most energetic events in the universe. Not only do…
Giant Low-Frequency Scan Searches for Aliens in 2,800 Galaxies
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) has fascinated us for decades. Now a team of researchers have used the Murchison…
Is Betelgeuse Actually a Binary Star?
Betel-gurz or Beetle-juice has been a favourite among amateur astronomers for many years. However you pronounce it, its unexpected dimming…
X-Ray Telescopes Could Study Exoplanets Too
Exoplanets are often discovered using the transit method (over three quarters of those discovered have been found this way.) The…
There Might Be Water on the Surface of the Metal Asteroid Psyche
While a NASA probe heads for an asteroid known as Psyche, telescopes have been probing it to prepare for the…
Citizen Scientists Find a Star Escaping the Milky Way
Citizen science is such a great concept. Using the combined computing power of a gazillion (exaggeration) desktop and laptops to…
Primordial Black Holes Could Kick Out Stars and Replace Them.
Primordial black holes formed during the earliest stages of the evolution of the universe. Their immense gravity may be playing…