Space Exploration News – Latest Headlines

Researchers find new minor planets beyond Neptune

An updated catalog of trans-Neptunian objects, and the methods used to find them, could aid in future searches for undiscovered planets in the far reaches of the solar system.

March 12, 2020 Read more

Discovery points to the origin of mysterious ultraviolet radiation

Billions of lightyears away, gigantic clouds of hydrogen gas produce a special kind of radiation, a type of ultraviolet light known as Lyman-alpha emissions. The enormous clouds emitting the light are Lyman-alpha blobs (LABs). LABs are several times larger than our Milky Way galaxy, yet were only discovered 20 years ago.

March 12, 2020 Read more

Observed: An exoplanet where it rains iron

This exoplanet, 390 light years away towards the constellation Pisces, has days when its surface temperatures exceed 2,400 Celsius, sufficiently hot to evaporate metals. Its nights, with strong winds, cool down the iron vapour so that it condenses into drops of iron.

March 11, 2020 Read more

The axion solves three mysteries of the universe

A hypothetical particle called the axion could solve one of physics' great mysteries: the excess of matter over antimatter, or why we're here at all.

March 10, 2020 Read more

Slime mold simulations used to map dark matter holding universe together

The behavior of one of nature's humblest creatures is helping astronomers probe the largest structures in the universe.

March 10, 2020 Read more

Solved: the mystery of the expansion of the universe

A new hypothesis to solve a conundrum that has been splitting the scientific community for a decade: at what speed is the universe expanding?

March 10, 2020 Read more

Producing human tissue in space

Researchers have sent adult human stem cells to the International Space Station (ISS) to explore the production of human tissue in weightlessness.

March 7, 2020 Read more

Space lettuce

Nutritious and safe crops would be a dietary supplement to assist long-distance space missions.

March 6, 2020 Read more

Organic molecules discovered by Curiosity Rover consistent with early life on Mars

Organic compounds called thiophenes are found on Earth in coal, crude oil and oddly enough, in white truffles, the mushroom beloved by epicureans and wild pigs. Thiophenes were also recently discovered on Mars, and astrobiologists think their presence would be consistent with the presence of early life on Mars.

March 5, 2020 Read more

Globular cluster billowing in the Galactic wind

The Galactic magnetic field plays an important role in the evolution of our Galaxy, but its small-scale behaviour is still poorly known. It is also unknown whether it permeates the halo of the Galaxy or not.

March 2, 2020 Read more

Massive protostar keeps growing despite ionization heating by ultraviolet light

A massive young star has been spotted that is continuing to grow despite boiling away the gas it feeds on.

March 2, 2020 Read more

KABOOM! Astronomers detect biggest explosion in the history of the universe

Scientists studying a distant galaxy cluster have discovered the biggest explosion seen in the Universe since the Big Bang. The blast came from a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy hundreds of millions of light-years away.

February 28, 2020 Read more

Stunning images capture cosmic ray tracks

The beauty in science shines through at RHIC's STAR detector and makes a cosmic connection.

February 27, 2020 Read more

Earth has got a new 'moon'- here is what to expect

The Minor Planet Centre has just announced that the Earth has been orbited by a second moon for the past three years or so. But while excitement about the discovery is growing, it is important to keep in mind that this moon isn't as impressive as our main satellite.

February 26, 2020 Read more

Satellites for monitoring CO2 emissions

The European Space Agency ESA is working on the development of new satellites which will be able to determine CO2 emissions in the future.

February 25, 2020 Read more

Europlanet launches 10M Euro research infrastructure to support planetary science

Europlanet has launched a 10 million Euro project, the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure, to provide open access to the world's largest collection of planetary simulation and analysis facilities, as well as a global network of small telescopes, data services, and community support activities.

February 25, 2020 Read more

Magnetic field at Martian surface ten times stronger than expected

New data gleaned from the magnetic sensor aboard NASA's InSight spacecraft is offering an unprecedented close-up of magnetic fields on Mars.

February 24, 2020 Read more

First bean harvest on Martian and lunar soil fertilised with human urine

The experiment is designed to research the possibilities of feeding future inhabitants of the moon or Mars with locally grown crops.

February 22, 2020 Read more