Latest developments
Space-borne atoms herald new tests of Einstein’s equivalence principle
Measuring the free-fall rate of different type of atoms in space could unveil hidden mechanisms of gravity
Battle for the skies: US insists GMT and TMT telescopes must vie for funding
The NSF has been told to choose between the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Thirty Meter Telescope as a next-generation ground-based observatory
Latest news
US Odysseus mission becomes first private craft to successfully land on the Moon
The craft also becomes the first US mission to make a soft landing on the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972
European Space Agency gives construction go-ahead for LISA gravitational-wave mission
Estimated to cost €1.5bn, LISA is expected to launch in 2035
Japan’s lunar lander falls head over heels for the Moon
JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon is currently in standby unable to generate power
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Research headlines
Kink in cosmic ray spectrum puzzles astrophysicists
Observation suggests a need to rethink origins of cosmic rays
Treasure trove of gas giants on wide orbits could provide insight into our own solar system
Data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite reveal a valuable collection of exoplanet candidates with temperatures similar to planets in our solar system
Weathering and ocean burial of rocks could have triggered Earth’s ice ages
Layered clays called ophiolites trap carbon efficiently and may still be cooling the planet today
Evidence grows for deconfined quark matter in neutron-star cores
New study applies Bayesian inference to multiple observations
Unifying gravity and quantum mechanics without the need for quantum gravity
Approach uses the random coupling of the quantum and classical worlds
Lots of oxygen existed in the early universe, JWST reveals
Conditions for life could have been present earlier than previously thought
Explore more in astronomy and space
A suspenseful story of life and death in the universe
Katherine Skipper reviews Things That Go Bump in the Universe by C Renée James
Radio astronomy: from amateur roots to worldwide groups
Emma Chapman on the amateur roots of radio astronomy, and the importance of balancing the scientific and engineering factions today
Dark matter vs modified gravity: which team are you on?
Two researchers who have switched sides in this heated cosmic debate
Nuclear spaceflight: igniting the next era of exploration
First devised during the Space Race, the idea of nuclear-propelled rockets is back
Cosmic code of conduct: the ethics of human testing in space
Biomedical ethicist Vasiliki Rahimzadeh discusses the need for a universal code of ethics for doing scientific research on human subjects in space
Ask me anything: Xavier Calmet – ‘Scientific intuition is crucial. Either you have it, or you don’t’
Calmet's work encompasses a broad “wavefunction” of physics, with a particular focus on quantum gravity and black holes
Nuclear-powered spacecraft: why dreams of atomic rockets are back on
Richard Corfield examines whether nuclear power could launch NASA’s next generation of rockets into space
Arno Penzias: Nobel laureate who co-discovered ‘echo of Big Bang’ dies aged 90
His work led to the discovery of the cosmic microwave background
Light fever: bringing disco to astronomy
Laura Hiscott finds out how disco balls can be used in astronomy
Radio pioneers: the enduring role of ‘amateurs’ in radio astronomy
With its wartime origins and iconic facilities, radio astronomy has always inspired curious tinkerers
The Magellanic Clouds: astronomers make the case for a name change
Move could make astronomy more welcoming to people of all cultures
US Peregrine lunar lander suffers propellent leak following launch
Soft landing on the Moon now not possible following ruptured fuel tank
How to avoid collapsing a fruit display, astrophysicists home in on icebergs
Excerpts from the Red Folder
Six planet system is perfectly tuned
Harmonious mini-Neptunes have remained undisturbed for a billion years
Mysterious ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray puzzles astronomers
Source of 244 EeV particle is unknown
Biomedical ethicist calls for rules governing human research in commercial spaceflight
Experiments should minimize risks to astronauts and benefit society
New telecoms satellites will degrade our view of the cosmos
In this podcast, two astronomers discuss the implications of the BlueWalker 3 prototype
Seismic waves reveal complexities in Mars’ mantle
Studies shed light on orbit of Martian moon and origins of the red planet
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