A small piece of a dead star, located just 731 light-years away, has left astronomers puzzled with a dazzling phenomenon: a bright, glowing bow shock. While such a feature might not be unusual in other cases, the white dwarf RXJ0528+2838 shows no apparent mechanism to explain the colorful nebula encircling it. Quiet Star Shocks Astronomers […]
Rainbow Around Nearby Dead Star Puzzles Scientists Read More »
Using the W. M. Keck Observatory astronomers in Hawaiʻi discovered the largest stream of superheated gas from a nearby galaxy, showing a supermassive black hole can affect its galaxy far beyond the core. The discovery highlights galaxy VV 340a, where massive gas streams extend up to 20,000 light-years—farther than ever recorded. The study, led by
First Wobbling Black Hole Jet Found in a Disk Galaxy Read More »
NEW YORK (AP) — In an unusual decision, NASA is ending an International Space Station mission ahead of schedule after an astronaut experienced a medical problem. NASA announced Thursday that the four-member U.S., Japanese, and Russian crew will return to Earth in the next few days, sooner than originally planned. Spacewalk Canceled as NASA Cites
NASA Orders ISS Crew Evacuation After Unusual Medical Incident Read More »
Think self-driving cars are impressive? Imagine a rover navigating a planet more than 100 million miles away. On Wednesday, NASA revealed that its Mars Perseverance rover had achieved an extraordinary display of endurance and autonomy. Over the span of four hours and 24 minutes, the rover traveled 1,350.7 feet—roughly a quarter mile—the longest distance any
NASA Enables Mars Rover to Navigate on Its Own Read More »
Hidden below the Moon’s pockmarked exterior are vast lava tubes and deep shafts—natural caverns that could one day protect lunar habitats from cosmic radiation and extreme temperature changes. These underground formations are among the most scientifically important sites in the solar system, yet reaching them remains a major and difficult obstacle. The openings to these
A Shape-Shifting Wheel Engineered for Moon Cave Exploration Read More »
Mars stands out as the leading candidate, with major space agencies motivated by the vision of expanding human civilization beyond Earth. Mars, with its thin atmosphere, extreme temperatures, and high radiation, requires engineering solutions far beyond simple shelters. Scientists have looked to natural Earth processes, like biomineralization, for inspiration. Turning Martian Soil into Durable Building
Bacteria are Being Explored by Scientists as a Way to Build Structures on Mars Read More »
NASA said the outage occurred as MAVEN passed behind Mars, and unexpectedly, it failed to reconnect once back in view of Earth. The most recent telemetry showed all systems operating normally, leaving the cause of the issue unclear for now. MAVEN—short for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution—was launched in 2013 and began orbiting Mars in
NASA has Lost Contact with the MAVEN Spacecraft after 11 years Orbiting Mars Read More »
Russia faces a major setback after its Soyuz MS-28 mission to the ISS caused serious damage to the country’s only launch pad for crewed spacecraft. Space launches have become so routine that they’re almost as mundane as a transatlantic flight taking off. Yet, accidents do occur, and some can have serious consequences. MS-28 Launches Routine
A Launch Accident Could Ground Russia’s Astronaut Missions for Years Read More »
A new textile-based exoskeleton from the University of Bristol could transform mobility in space and support people with disabilities on Earth. Scientists in England developed a prototype exosuit with artificial muscles to ease astronaut movement and reduce fatigue in low-gravity environments like the Moon or Mars. Innovation Driven by VIVO Hub’s Interdisciplinary Research VIVO Hub,
Scientists Create a Spacesuit with Artificial Muscles to Reduce Astronaut Strain Read More »
In a newly released image from NASA, the galaxy known as NGC 6240 features two supermassive black holes currently merging. The image combines fresh X-ray data from the Chandra Observatory (displayed in red, orange, and yellow) with an optical image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, first published in 2008. The two merging black holes,
NASA Unveils Photos Depicting Two Supermassive Black Holes Coming Together Read More »