Space Exploration News – Latest Headlines

How black hole jets break out of their galaxies (w/video)

A simulation of the powerful jets generated by supermassive black holes at the centres of the largest galaxies explains why some burst forth as bright beacons visible across the universe, while others fall apart and never pierce the halo of the galaxy.

June 18, 2016 Read more

Relax, it'll be 1,500 years before aliens contact us

Deconstructing the Fermi paradox and pairing it with the mediocrity principle into a fresh equation, Cornell astronomers say extraterrestrials likely won't phone home - or Earth - for 1,500 years.

June 16, 2016 Read more

Gravitational waves 2.0

Researchers observe a signal originating from two merging black holes of about 14 and 8 solar masses.

June 15, 2016 Read more

Black holes and the prospects for measuring gravitational waves

The supermassive black holes found at the centre of every galaxy, including our own Milky Way, may, on average, be smaller than we thought, according to new work.

June 15, 2016 Read more

First detection of methyl alcohol in a planet-forming disc

The organic molecule methyl alcohol (methanol) has been found by the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the TW Hydrae protoplanetary disc. This is the first such detection of the compound in a young planet-forming disc.

June 15, 2016 Read more

Prebiotic molecule detected in interstellar cloud

Researchers have detected, for the first time, a chiral molecule outside of our solar system, bringing them one step closer to understanding one of the most puzzling mysteries of the early origins of life.

June 14, 2016 Read more

Natural quasicrystals may be the result of collisions between objects in the asteroid belt

Naturally formed quasicrystals - crystal-like solids with supposedly impossible symmetries - are among the rarest structures on Earth. Only two have ever been found.

June 14, 2016 Read more

Extreme trans-Neptunian objects lead the way to Planet Nine

Astronomers have confirmed, with new calculations, that the orbits of the six extreme trans-Neptunian objects that served as a reference to announce the existence of Planet Nine are not as stable as it was thought.

June 13, 2016 Read more

Black hole fed by cold intergalactic deluge

An international team of astronomers has witnessed a cosmic weather event that has never been seen before.

June 9, 2016 Read more

Universe's first life might have been born on carbon planets

New research suggests that planet formation in the early universe might have created carbon planets consisting of graphite, carbides, and diamond. Astronomers might find these diamond worlds by searching a rare class of stars.

June 7, 2016 Read more

'Wasteful' galaxies launch heavy elements into surrounding halos and deep space

Galaxies 'waste' large amounts of heavy elements generated by star formation by ejecting them up to a million light years away into their surrounding halos and deep space, according to a new study.

June 6, 2016 Read more

A method to image black holes (w/video)

New algorithm could stitch together astronomical measurements made across the globe.

June 6, 2016 Read more

3-D simulations illuminate supernova explosions

While the 3-D simulation approach is still in its infancy, early results indicate that the models are providing a clearer picture than ever before of the mechanisms that drive supernova explosions.

June 3, 2016 Read more

Elliptical galaxies not formed by merging

Using an 'intuitive' approach, a new study confirms a recent hypothesis on the formation of galaxies, according to which the larger elliptical galaxies formed in very ancient times through a process of local (in situ) star formation. This contradicts the current paradigm that they formed through the merging of spiral galaxies.

June 1, 2016 Read more

How to tell the world you've discovered an alien civilisation

After countless fictional scenarios of humans making contact with alien civilisations, you'd think we'd be prepared for actually discovering one. But finding intelligent life beyond the Earth is clearly likely to be one of the most shattering moments in the history of our species.

May 26, 2016 Read more

Supermassive black hole wind can stop new stars from forming

Scientists have uncovered a new class of galaxies with supermassive black hole winds that are energetic enough to suppress future star formation.

May 26, 2016 Read more

Scientist suggests possible link between primordial black holes and dark matter

An intriguing alternative view is that dark matter is made of black holes formed during the first second of our universe's existence, known as primordial black holes. A scientist suggests that this interpretation aligns with our knowledge of cosmic infrared and X-ray background glows and may explain the unexpectedly high masses of merging black holes detected last year.

May 25, 2016 Read more

Footprints of baby planets in a gas disk

A new analysis of the ALMA data for a young star HL Tauri provides yet more firm evidence of baby planets around the star. Researchers uncovered two gaps in the gas disk around HL Tauri.

May 25, 2016 Read more