Astrophysics

Astrophysics

euclid globular cluster NGC 6397
Sometimes, going "deeper" doesn't reveal the answers you seek. By viewing more Universe with better precision, ESA's Euclid mission shines.
A group of planets in space with a sun in the background.
The TRAPPIST-1 system is a treasure trove of possibilities and questions. Observations by JWST have just begun.
cosmic inflation
If the Universe is expanding, and the expansion is accelerating, what does that tell us about the cause of the expanding Universe?
Lockman hole galaxy cluster herschel
Everything we observe beyond our Local Group is speeding away from us, omnidirectionally. If the Universe is expanding, where is the center?
Crab Nebula James Webb JWST
In 1054, a core-collapse supernova occurred 6500 light-years away. In 2023, JWST imaged the remnant, and might solve a massive mystery.
venus earth comparison
Out of the four rocky planets in our Solar System, only Earth presently has plate tectonics. But billions of years ago, Venus had them, too.
A cluster of black holes in space.
For the first time, astronomers have created a data-driven estimate for how many black holes are in our Universe: more than anyone expected.
An image of a rocket taking off.
See the 3 biggest space stories from October 16-22, 2023.
An image of the Martian surface.
Sophisticated rovers have found the conditions for Martian life, as well as the building blocks of life, but never life itself. AI can help.
Friedmann equation
If you said "with the Big Bang," congratulations: that was our best answer as of ~1979. Here's what we've learned in all the time since.
An image showcasing the captivating shape of space featuring a mesmerizing red and blue nebula.
Einstein's theory of general relativity introduced the concept of space having a shape. So, what is the shape of space?
A little alien talking on a telephone.
"If we find just one other example of biology out there, then life is not an accident."
LIGO squeezed light
There's a quantum limit to how precisely anything can be measured. By squeezing light, LIGO has now surpassed all previous limitations.
aliens
A true scientific view of if, where, and when extraterrestrial life exists is within our grasp thanks to biosignatures and technosignatures.
Keywords: Joyce Neighbors

Description: A black and white photo featuring Joyce Neighbors standing proudly next to a rocket.
A woman’s name would undermine the credibility of the mission. Names of former Nazis, however, were no problem.
“To take this in, you need to ride inside the mathematical symbols.” 
NASA's JWST captures the deepest view of galaxies in the night sky.
JWST has already broken many of Hubble's cosmic records. Perhaps additional record-breakers already exist within this data-rich image?
borexino
Back during the hot Big Bang, it wasn't just charged particles and photons that were created, but also neutrinos. Where are they now?
An artist's rendering of the surface of venus.
We don’t need to think about what life is made of but rather what it does.
42 life universe everything douglas adams
Although we still don't know the question, we know that the answer to life, the Universe, and everything is 42. Here are 5 possibilities.
A photo of an astronaut on the moon and a signed letter from Apollo 11.
Considering the astronomical occupational risks, life insurance was prohibitively expensive for the first NASA astronauts.
Einstein with his class of students in 1896
Hermann Minkowski called Einstein a "lazybones" with a "not very solid" education. Less than 10 years later, he would eat his words.
An artist's impression of a planet collision.
The Universe, although violent, is filled with creation events following destructive ones. 1850 light-years away, both types are unfolding.
star vs planet vs brown dwarf
Between the least massive star and most massive planet lies the mysterious brown dwarf: a class of objects that are neither star nor planet.
black hole baby universe
From the Big Bang to black holes, singularities are hard to avoid. The math definitely predicts them, but are they truly, physically real?
A black and white photo of Albert Einstein demonstrating gravity force.
Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are locked in an eternal battle over the nature of gravity. Whose side are you on?
An image of a nebula with stars in it.
Measurements of the acceleration of the universe don’t agree, stumping physicists working to understand the cosmic past and future. A new proposal seeks to better align these estimates — and is likely testable.
JuMBOs planet mass orion nebula JWST nircam
In the largest star-forming region close to Earth, JWST found hundreds of planetary-mass objects. How do these free-floating planets form?
FIRE simulation JWST starburst star-forming
With so many early galaxies of unexpectedly large brightnesses, JWST surprised us all. Here's how scientists made sense of what we see.
A mummy inside a casket found in Mexico.
Every astrobiologist wants to find an alien. But the public should be skeptical when the "aliens" look like tiny humans.