Astronomy and space
Latest developments
ESA’s Euclid mission unveils treasure trove of cosmic data
The release comprises 13 months of observations, capturing the light of more than a billion objects
White dwarf star glows an eerie green
Pink, purple and blue white dwarfs also exist, upending common ideas about these end-of-life stellar remnants
Latest news
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Research headlines
Primordial black holes could reveal a hidden fifth dimension
Primordial black holes formed in the early universe might experience an extra dimension of space; a recent study suggests new ways to search for these mysterious objects
Earth’s gravity and magnetism have unexpected effects on the human genome and mitochondria
Findings could have implications for space travel and for treating neurodegenerative diseases
Astronomers propose solution for ‘little red dot’ mystery
Recently observed objects could be black holes that grew extremely quickly during an early stage of their lives
New type of superionic water ice observed for the first time
Hexagonal close-packed phase could exist deep within the planets Uranus and Neptune, contributing to their peculiar magnetic fields
Fastest star in the Milky Way feels the rotation of our central black hole
The Milky Way’s massive black hole is rapidly rotating, and a star in an unprecedentedly close orbit could help measure its spin
Scientists explain how a 300 TeV photon could reach Earth
A mysterious signal from a powerful gamma-ray burst may reveal how exotic particles and altered physics could let extreme radiation cross the universe
Explore more in astronomy and space
The physics of weather, a literary look at gravity, plus philosophical takes on uncertainty and space exploration: micro reviews of recent books
Condensed natter: Physics World editors give their compressed verdicts on top new books
Read article: The physics of weather, a literary look at gravity, plus philosophical takes on uncertainty and space exploration: micro reviews of recent books
Life will find a way: how statisticians are enhancing the search for life beyond Earth
The future of the search for extraterrestrial life may lie in statistical methods, as Abigail Williams discovers
Read article: Life will find a way: how statisticians are enhancing the search for life beyond Earth
Graham Farmelo: ‘What’s really striking is Stephen Hawking’s colossal determination and stubbornness’
Andrew Glester talks to Graham Farmelo, author of a new authorized biography of Stephen Hawking
Read article: Graham Farmelo: ‘What’s really striking is Stephen Hawking’s colossal determination and stubbornness’
Hawking, warts and all: a new biography of a scientific icon
Graham Farmelo's biography examines the brilliance and the imperfections of one of the world’s most famous scientists
Read article: Hawking, warts and all: a new biography of a scientific icon
Cosmic chronicles: the impact of celestial instabilities on human history
Emma Chapman reviews Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: How the Solar System Shaped Human History – And May Help Save Our Planet by Dagomar Degroot
Read article: Cosmic chronicles: the impact of celestial instabilities on human history
Francis Halzen and IceCube: why neutrinos keep attracting Nobel prizes
Neutrino expert Kirsty Duffy is our podcast guest
Read article: Francis Halzen and IceCube: why neutrinos keep attracting Nobel prizes
Did space weather delay a train in 1841?
It would have been the earliest example of space weather impacting human technology, but an international team of researchers found a slight problem
Read article: Did space weather delay a train in 1841?
How the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will turn the sky into a dataset
Richard de Grijs looks at how the Roman Space Telescope will change astronomy forever
Read article: How the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will turn the sky into a dataset
Einstein’s equivalence principle put to two new tests
The theory of general relativity still holds, according to new space-based and laboratory experiments
Read article: Einstein’s equivalence principle put to two new tests
Proton–oxygen collisions put cosmic-ray models to the test
CERN’s ATLAS experiment probes the extreme universe
Read article: Proton–oxygen collisions put cosmic-ray models to the test
Microbes may survive at the Moon’s south pole
Crewed missions to the lunar polar regions must limit the unintended transfer of Earth life forms, say scientists
Read article: Microbes may survive at the Moon’s south pole
Spectacular image of the Shark Nebula wins Royal Observatory Greenwich prize
The picture – The Quiet Predator– was taken by Kuwaiti photographer Ali Alobaidly
Read article: Spectacular image of the Shark Nebula wins Royal Observatory Greenwich prize
Uncertainty and the random universe: a slide puzzle
Can you reconstruct the astrophysics illustration in our interactive slide puzzle?
Read article: Uncertainty and the random universe: a slide puzzle
Moon’s water reserves insufficient to sustain a lunar city, astronomers find
While energy usage could be met, water would cause some issues
Read article: Moon’s water reserves insufficient to sustain a lunar city, astronomers find
Could quantum information theory explain universe evolution?
Gravity from entropy theory offer hints of why low-entropy regions persist in the universe
Read article: Could quantum information theory explain universe evolution?
Mercury may not need an ancient dynamo to explain its magnetic crust
New analyses of MESSENGER data find that present-day magnetic field can explain most of its crustal magnetism
Read article: Mercury may not need an ancient dynamo to explain its magnetic crust
Magnetism likely played a key role in early solar system formation
Study of inclusions in a primordial meteorite suggests that magnetism must be considered in simulations of planet formation, and may even be the dominant factor
Read article: Magnetism likely played a key role in early solar system formation
Astronomers discover unusual 10-sided atmospheric wave on Saturn
Astronomers estimate the decagon-shaped wave may still be evolving
Read article: Astronomers discover unusual 10-sided atmospheric wave on Saturn
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