New data reveals Earth closer to a black hole and 16,000 mph faster

A new study shows our planet is much closer to the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center than previously estimated.

Credit: NAOJ
  • A Japanese radio astronomy project revealed Earth is 2,000 light years closer to the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center.
  • The data also showed the planet is moving 7 km/s or 16,000 mph faster in orbit around the Galactic Center.
  • The findings don't mean Earth is in more danger from the black hole but reflect better modeling of the galaxy.
    • Keep reading Show less
    black hole earth planet cosmos space universe physics astronomy milky way

    Top 5 theories on the enigmatic monolith found in Utah desert

    A strange object found in the desert has prompted worldwide speculation.

    Credit: Utah Department of Public Safety
    • A monolithic object found in a remote part of Utah caused worldwide speculation about its origins.
    • The object is very similar to the famous monolith from Stanley Kubrick's "2001: Space Odyssey".
    • The object could be work of an artist or even have extraterrestrial origins.
    Keep reading Show less
    art utah space art history alien extraterrestrial life cosmos movies evolution Conspiracy theories

    Zircon in a meteorite opens the door on Mars’ past

    Zircons in a Martian meteorite widens the possible timeframe for life on Mars.

    Credit: Deng, et al./University of Copenhagen
    • A meteorite from Mars unexpectedly contains zircons that reveal the planets history.
    • The rock likely comes from one of the solar system's tallest volcanoes.
    • Analyzing the zirconium required smashing some very expensive rock.
    Keep reading Show less
    cosmos discovery extraterrestrial life geology planets space mars

    Astrophysicists reconstruct the Milky Way's family tree

    A team of astrophysicists used AI to figure out which clusters of stars merged to become our galaxy.

    Credit: D. Kruijssen / Heidelberg University
    • Scientists use artificial intelligence to reconstruct the globular clusters that merged to form our Milky Way galaxy.
    • The researchers ran simulations on a neural network to discover the history and details about our galactic ancestors.
    • They found that a collision with a previous galaxy called "Kraken" was so powerful it transformed the Milky Way.
    Keep reading Show less
    physics cosmos space universe planets galaxy nasa astrophysics Astronomy

    Water may naturally occur as rocky planets form, new study suggests

    An ancient Martian meteorite carries with it some compelling implications.

    Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Big Think
    • The meteorite behind the new research, Black Beauty, is 4.45 billion years old. This means it is from right around the time when Mars formed.
    • It contained intact, ancient water-bearing minerals.
    • The research indicates later asteroid-impact effects that could only have occurred if water was already present.
    Keep reading Show less
    mars universe space cosmos discovery rocky planets water extraterrestrial life
    Quantcast