Mars continues to captivate scientists with its complex geological history, from ancient water flows to modern dust avalanches. Three new studies published this month offer fresh insights into the Red Planet’s past and present conditions, challenging some long-held assumptions about Martian water. Dark streaks on Mars likely dust avalanches, not water flows Those mysterious dark … Read more
Jupiter’s northern lights are putting on a more dynamic and puzzling light show than scientists ever expected. New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal that the gas giant’s auroras can flicker and change within seconds, challenging previous understandings of how these massive light displays behave. The findings, published May 12 in Nature … Read more
Europe’s ambitious exoplanet observatory is rapidly taking shape as engineers have successfully mounted 24 of the 26 specialized cameras that will serve as the mission’s eyes on the universe. The European Space Agency’s Plato (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) spacecraft, designed to search for Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars, has reached a critical milestone … Read more
Six hundred kilometers above Earth, Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski is turning the International Space Station into a floating laboratory where he will control computers with his thoughts, grow volcanic algae, and test whether tardigrade genes can help yeast survive the harsh conditions of space. As part of the European Space Agency’s Ignis mission, Uznański-Wiśniewski will … Read more
Astronomers have discovered an unusual cosmic family drama playing out 650 light-years away, where over 1,000 young stars are behaving in ways that challenge our understanding of stellar evolution. The European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope has identified a massive group of stars, dubbed “Ophion,” that’s breaking up at an unprecedented pace and in a … Read more
The venerable Hubble Space Telescope continues to redefine our understanding of the cosmos as it celebrates an extraordinary milestone this week – 35 years of uninterrupted observation from Earth orbit. To mark the occasion, NASA and the European Space Agency have released a collection of stunning new images showcasing Hubble’s remarkable capabilities, from detailed observations … Read more
Time moves differently in space – and a revolutionary European timepiece launched this week will prove it with unprecedented precision. The Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) successfully reached orbit on April 21, launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission puts the most accurate timekeeping system ever sent … Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected telltale signatures of a supermassive black hole lurking in the heart of galaxy M83, a discovery that challenges decades of assumptions about our galactic neighbor. Using Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), astronomers identified highly ionized neon gas in M83’s nucleus – specifically the emission lines of [Ne V] and … Read more
Scientists have discovered that Mars’ iconic rust-red appearance likely developed in a wetter environment than previously thought, challenging a longstanding theory about the planet’s geological history. For decades, researchers believed the Red Planet got its distinctive hue from anhydrous hematite, an iron oxide that forms in dry conditions. But a new study published in Nature … Read more
In a vast warehouse in Cologne, Germany, astronauts are walking on the Moon without ever leaving Earth. The European Space Agency’s LUNA facility, a 700-square-metre terrain filled with 900 tonnes of artificial lunar dust, is now combining physical simulation with virtual reality to prepare humans for returning to the lunar surface. The stark contrast between … Read more