universe
Why “The Big Bang” Is a Terrible Name
Have a discussion about the origins of the Universe and, ere long, someone will inevitably use the term "the Big…
What Is A Quasar?
I love it when scientists discover something unusual in nature. They have no idea what it is, and then over…
Earth’s Gold Came From Colliding Stars
Are you wearing a gold ring? Or perhaps gold-plated earrings? Maybe you have some gold fillings in your teeth... for…
A Galaxy Grows Fat on Nearby Gas
If you live in the U.S. you may be enjoying a sultry summer day off in honor of Independence Day,…
An “Elemental” Explanation of Dark Matter
Atoms, string theory, dark matter, dark energy... there's an awful lot about the Universe that might make sense on paper…
Feeling Small in the Universe?
Well, you shouldn't be. Yes, you're just one person out of over 7 billion on Earth. Yes, your lifetime --…
A Mega-Merger of Massive Galaxies Caught in the Act
Even though the spacecraft has exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant necessary to observe the infrared energy of the…
Researchers May Have Finally Detected a Dark Matter Particle
Dark matter: it's invisible, it's elusive, it's controversial... and it's everywhere -- in the Universe, yes, but especially in the…
Do We Really Need Dark Matter?
Hubble mosaic of massive galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745, thought to be connected by a filament of dark matter. Credit: NASA, ESA,…
The Brightest Galaxies in the Universe Were Invisible… Until Now
Hubble images of six of the starburst galaxies first found by ESA's Herschel Space Observatory (Keck data shown below each…