Planetary Science
A ‘phoenix’ planet was born from the ashes of its dead star
Finding the potential planet hints that our sun’s death could lead to the creation of new worlds.
Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Space
- Planetary Science
Magnetism may have helped kick-start our solar system
Ancient meteorites reveal a powerful magnetic field that may have helped feed the growing sun.
- Astronomy
First radio waves seen from an exoplanet hint at otherworldly auroras
The gas giant Beta Pictoris b, about 63 light-years away, has the mass of 10 Jupiters and a magnetic field thousands of times as strong as Earth’s.
- Space
Big space mirrors could bring Earth on-demand light — and upend our night sky
A space satellite that would offer light on demand has astronomers asking: Who controls the night sky?
- Space
The U.S. has weapons in space. Here’s what that could mean
A cryptic announcement raises questions about the type of weapons and how they could be used. We talked to an expert about the consequences.
- Planetary Science
New Hubble images reveal a bizarre decagon over Saturn’s south pole
A hexagon darkens the clouds over Saturn’s north pole. Now, astronomers have found a similarly shaped atmospheric wave at the other pole.
- Astronomy
The universe may have been building rocky planets almost from the start
Simulations suggest rocky planet building blocks could have formed just 100 million years after the Big Bang.
- Physics
Free-falling atoms in space put a new twist on Galileo’s gravity test
Rubidium atoms on China’s Tiangong space station fell with the same acceleration, upholding a cornerstone of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
- Space
NASA’s new space telescope will reveal the universe like never before
NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman space telescope will tackle nearly every aspect of astrophysics, including dark matter, dark energy and alien planets.
- Astronomy
A space telescope was falling from orbit. Its rescue mission fell apart too
NASA’s attempt to save the falling Swift telescope failed, revealing the realities of the burgeoning field of satellite servicing.
