Astronomy and space
Latest developments
Students mark Jodrell Bank anniversary with epic LEGO model of the Lovell Telescope
The model will now go on display at the University of Manchester's Schuster Building
Cosmic conflict continues: new data fuel the Hubble tension debate
New measurements of the universe’s expansion using James Webb Space Telescope appear to resolve the Hubble constant conflict – or do they?
Latest news
Read article: Vera C Rubin Observatory reveals its first spectacular images of the cosmos
Vera C Rubin Observatory reveals its first spectacular images of the cosmos
Pictures include the Trifid and Lagoon nebulas and the Virgo cluster
Read article: Japan’s ispace suffers second lunar landing failure
Japan’s ispace suffers second lunar landing failure
ispace was attempting to become the first non-US firm to land on the Moon
Read article: China launches Tianwen-2 asteroid sample-return mission
China launches Tianwen-2 asteroid sample-return mission
The craft will aim to collect about 100 g of material from a “quasi-satellite” of Earth
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Research headlines
Andromeda galaxy may not collide with the Milky Way after all
Odds of a collision in the next 10 billion years may be only 50/50, according to new simulations
How magnetar flares give birth to gold and platinum
Starquakes and magnetic recombination drive the r-process of nucleosynthesis
New coronagraph pushes exoplanet discovery to the quantum limit
Technique could also give optical communications a boost
This is what an aurora looks like on Mars
Image is the first taken on the surface of another planet, and the first visible-light aurora image from anywhere other than Earth
Plasma physics sets upper limit on the strength of ‘dark electromagnetism’
Result could force a rethink on basic models of dark matter, say researchers
Smartphone sensors and antihydrogen could soon put relativity to the test
Camera components will improve precision of moiré deflectometer
Explore more in astronomy and space
Read article: Astronomers capture spectacular ‘thousand colour’ image of the Sculptor Galaxy
Astronomers capture spectacular ‘thousand colour’ image of the Sculptor Galaxy
The image revealed around 500 planetary nebulae that can be used as distance markers to their host galaxies
Read article: Yale researcher says levitated spheres could spot neutrinos ‘within months’
Yale researcher says levitated spheres could spot neutrinos ‘within months’
David Moore claims his table-top set-up is on the cusp of detecting ghostly particles, reports Matin Durrani
Read article: There’s an elephant in the room at the Royal Society – and for once, it’s not (just) Elon Musk
There’s an elephant in the room at the Royal Society – and for once, it’s not (just) Elon Musk
A conference on the future of the UK space sector makes stunningly little mention of how proposed cuts to NASA funding might affect it
Read article: Richard Bond and George Efstathiou: meet the astrophysicists who are shaping our understanding of the early universe
Richard Bond and George Efstathiou: meet the astrophysicists who are shaping our understanding of the early universe
Our podcast guests are the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy winners
Read article: Richard Bond and George Efstathiou share the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy
Richard Bond and George Efstathiou share the 2025 Shaw Prize in Astronomy
Pair are honoured for their work on the cosmic microwave background
Read article: Universe may end much sooner than predicted, say theorists
Universe may end much sooner than predicted, say theorists
New estimate suggests that the most persistent stellar objects may decay away via Hawking radiation within the next 10^78 years
Read article: Loop quantum cosmology may explain smoothness of cosmic microwave background
Loop quantum cosmology may explain smoothness of cosmic microwave background
Repulsive gravity at the quantum scale would have flattened out inhomogeneities in the early universe
Read article: Beyond the Big Bang: reopening the doors on how it all began
Beyond the Big Bang: reopening the doors on how it all began
Emma Chapman reviews Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins by Niayesh Afshordi and Phil Halper
Read article: Axion quasiparticle appears in a topological antiferromagnet
Axion quasiparticle appears in a topological antiferromagnet
New finding could aid the search for fundamental axions, say physicists
Read article: Exoplanet could be in a perpendicular orbit around two brown dwarfs
Exoplanet could be in a perpendicular orbit around two brown dwarfs
Observation expands the diversity of known planetary systems
Read article: New research suggests gravity might emerge from quantum information theory
New research suggests gravity might emerge from quantum information theory
Theoretical study offers novel insights into the nature of spacetime and matter interactions
Read article: Solar wind burst caused a heatwave on Jupiter
Solar wind burst caused a heatwave on Jupiter
New analysis of 2017 data suggest that the Jovian atmosphere is not as self-contained as scientists thought
Read article: Spectacular images of the cosmos released to celebrate Hubble’s 35 years in orbit
Spectacular images of the cosmos released to celebrate Hubble’s 35 years in orbit
A series of spectacular images of the cosmos has been released to celebrate the Hubble Space Telescope's 35 years in space
Read article: Top-quark pairs at ATLAS could shed light on the early universe
Top-quark pairs at ATLAS could shed light on the early universe
Massive particles reveal properties of the quark–gluon plasma
Read article: KATRIN sets tighter limit on neutrino mass
KATRIN sets tighter limit on neutrino mass
New maximum for notoriously shy particle is 0.45 eV – 1 million times less than the electron
Read article: Helium nanobubble measurements shed light on origins of heavy elements in the universe
Helium nanobubble measurements shed light on origins of heavy elements in the universe
Particle-accelerator study focuses on the r-process thought to be responsible for forming elements heavier than iron
Read article: Photon collisions in dying stars could create neutrons for heavy elements
Photon collisions in dying stars could create neutrons for heavy elements
Simulations shed light on the r-process of nucleosynthesis
Read article: DESI delivers a cosmological bombshell
DESI delivers a cosmological bombshell
“Phantom” dark energy existed long ago, observations suggest
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