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Astronomy, astrophysics & cosmology

For the latest news, features, jobs and products for those in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.

Latest articles

Darwin’s legacy

Jul 1, 2009 2 comments

Born 200 years ago, Charles Darwin is rightly celebrated for his work explaining the origin of species. But in setting a new standard for what an explanation of nature should be like, he also had a huge impact on physics and cosmology, as Leonard Susskind explains

The call of the wild

Jul 1, 2009

Robert P Crease talks to a former string theorist who found what he wanted in science when he applied the tools of physics to fundamental questions in biology

Alan Guth bags Isaac Newton medal

Jul 1, 2009 9 comments

Inflationary universe pioneer to be honoured in London

Galactic link to climate change in doubt

Jun 25, 2009 11 comments

Sun’s passage through spiral arms not correlated with climate change, says new research

Foundation gives Canadian physics a boost

Jun 25, 2009

SNOLAB and Perimeter Institute benefit from infrastructure grants

NASA launches two missions to the Moon

Jun 19, 2009 1 comment

Unmanned probes will map the Moon and search for water

'Sluggish' jet streams linked to quiet Sun

Jun 18, 2009 2 comments

Solar activity about to rise, researchers claim

Black-hole analogue traps sound

Jun 16, 2009 15 comments

BEC presents good chance to detect Hawking radiation, say researchers

Earth’s magnetic field perturbed by 'electric oceans', claims researcher

Jun 14, 2009 9 comments

Is Atlantic Ocean circulation responsible for magnetic oddities in Europe?

Axions could shed light on solar mysteries

Jun 12, 2009 1 comment

Hot corona could result from hypothetical particles converting to X-rays

Moonshine could light the way to extraterrestrial life

Jun 11, 2009 1 comment

Signs of life on distant planets could be easier to detect than previously thought

Cosmic rays offer clue to lightning

Jun 5, 2009 6 comments

Tracking cosmic rays in a thunderstorm may explain how lightning occurs, say physicists

Is there really no place like home?

Jun 2, 2009 5 comments

The unique universe

Jun 2, 2009 32 comments

Many cosmological theories not only see our universe as one of many but also claim that time does not exist. Lee Smolin argues against the timeless multiverse

The power of robotics

Jun 2, 2009 1 comment

Robotics competitions supply a vital missing link in science and engineering education, says Robert P Crease

Featured Journal

Classical approximation to quantum cosmological correlations Nov 22, 2007

Meindert van der Meulen et al. 2007 JCAP 11 023