Carbon monoxide detectors could warn of extraterrestrial life
Carbon monoxide detectors in our homes warn of a dangerous buildup of that colorless, odorless gas we normally associate with death. Astronomers, too, have...
Superbugs have colonized the International Space Station — but there’s a silver lining
Astronauts leave behind many things when they boldly go. Bacteria, however, stay with them. Extreme spaceflight conditions can force these bacteria to toughen up, while...
Hubble’s dazzling display of 2 colliding galaxies
Located in the constellation of Hercules, about 230 million light-years away, NGC 6052 is a pair of colliding galaxies. They were first discovered in...
Astronomers optimistic about its existence, hope to see more evidence soon
Seeing is believing, but when it comes to Planet Nine, complex calculations of space objects’ behavior, careful observation of orbital anomalies, and watchful observation...
The case of the over-tilting exoplanets
For almost a decade, astronomers have tried to explain why so many pairs of planets outside our solar system have an odd configuration —...
Asteroids are stronger, harder to destroy than previously thought
A popular theme in the movies is that of an incoming asteroid that could extinguish life on the planet, and our heroes are launched...
How Ingredients for Water Could Be Made on Surface of Moon
When a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind careens onto the Moon’s surface at 450 kilometers per second (or nearly 1...
Citizen scientist finds ancient white dwarf star with enigmatic dust rings
A volunteer working with the NASA-led Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project has found the oldest and coldest known white dwarf -- an old Earth-sized...
First Evidence Discovered of a Gigantic Remnant Around an Exploding Star
A San Diego State University astrophysicist has helped discover evidence of a gigantic remnant surrounding an exploding star—a shell of material so huge, it...
Built to last 90 days, Mars rover Opportunity ends mission after 15 years
The Mars rover Opportunity, NASA’s robotic geologist fitted with an array of tools to search for evidence of water, ended its mission Feb. 13...
