Latest articles by Nancy Atkinson
This New Detector Technology Aims to 'Scintillate' Elusive Dark Matter Particles
Dark matter is thought to account for 25 percent of the mass of the universe, but it has never been observed. Berkeley Lab researchers hope to change that with a new approach.
China Plans to Build the World's Largest Steerable Radio Telescope
The Xinjiang Qitai 110-meter Radio Telescope — QTT, for short — could help advance research on dark matter, gravitational waves, and extraterrestrial intelligence.
'Bone Glue' Experiments on the ISS Test Possible Treatment for Osteoporosis
Astronauts can lose 2 percent of their bone mass each month, and experiments on the International Space Station are testing a method for countering bone loss in orbit — and back on Earth.
Dark Energy Survey Finds New Stellar Streams Infiltrating the Milky Way
Sky watchers discovered 11 new streams of stars that are the remnants of nearby galaxies and star clusters absorbed by the Milky Way.
The Youngest Galaxies in the Universe Spin Like the Mature Milky Way
Astronomers observed two 13-billion-year-old galaxies spinning in whirlpool motions, which was thought to be characteristic of mature galaxies like ours.
A New Theory Explains Why the Universe Is Three Dimensional
Physicists have a new scenario of the universe's expansion at the Big Bang that may explain why our universe has three large spatial dimensions.
The Mystery of the Universe's Missing 'Normal' Matter Has Begun to Unravel
Previously undetected matter was found in the form of gas filaments between galaxies, which is a major step toward explaining the structure of the cosmos.
Scientists Analyze Earth's Elemental Makeup to See How the Planet Was Formed
A new estimate of our planet's chemical composition will help scientists understand how the Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago.
Fossilized Cosmic Dust Found in the Iconic White Cliffs of Dover
Micrometeorite fossils embedded in the cliffs could help explain events that took place as many as 98 million years ago.
The Sun's Core Rotates Four Times Faster Than the Solar Surface
The discovery could help scientists better understand how the sun formed 4.6 billion years ago.
As Much as Half of the Milky Way Likely Came From Distant Galaxies
Astronomers looking at how intergalactic gas and dust moves across great distances found that up to half of the matter surrounding us comes from galaxies far, far away.
NASA's Curiosity Rover Traces Ancient Environmental Changes on Mars
The latest research suggests with even more certainty that Mars was once habitable, while revealing striking mineralogical diversity on the Red Planet.
Do Stars Vanish Into a Black Hole or Crash Against a Surface? A New Test Answers
Some have cast doubt about the existence of black hole event horizons from which nothing, not even light, can escape the gravitational pull.
'Styrofoam' Planet Discovery Will Help Us Find Habitable Planets and Alien Life
KELT-11b will help astronomers develop the best tools for assessing habitability or possible life on distant exoplanets.
Comet 67P Found to Be Producing Its Own Oxygen in Deep Space
The finding shows that oxygen can be generated in space without the need for life, and could influence how researchers search for signs of life on exoplanets.
Astronomers Capture the First 'Image' of the Dark Matter That Holds the Universe Together
Researchers have produced what they say is the first composite image of a dark matter filament that connects galaxies across the cosmos.
The Mystery of How Black Holes Collide and Merge Is Beginning to Unravel
A new study pursues a kind of “paleontology” for gravitational waves in an attempt to explain how and why black holes collide and merge.
This Video Maps the Milky Way's Galactic Space Dust in 3D
A team of astronomers has mapped distortions caused by the dust that pervades our galaxy in order to begin measuring how quickly the universe is expanding.
