Robert Lea
Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.
Latest articles by Robert Lea
Gaia space telescope helps astronomers image hidden objects around bright stars
By Robert Lea published
The Gaia space telescope has spotted the dim companions of eight bright stars, suggesting we can expect new glimpses of distant planets.
Something 'kicked' this hypervelocity star racing through the Milky Way at 1.3 million miles per hour (video)
By Robert Lea published
A low-mass star races through the Milky Way at over a million miles per hour, a journey that began with either the supernova explosion of a vampire star or an encounter with black holes.
Astronomers get closer to solving the lingering mystery of fast radio bursts
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers using the CHIME telescope are looking at strange, one-off cosmic explosions with a new angle. This could bring us closer to solving the lingering mystery of fast radio bursts.
NASA telescope spots 'cosmic fireworks' and faint echos from the Milky Way's supermassive black hole
By Robert Lea published
NASA's NuSTAR telescope found evidence of cosmic fireworks and X-ray echoes coming from the Milky Way's supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*.
NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope captures closest super star cluster to Earth (image)
By Robert Lea published
NASA's Chandra X-ray space telescope has imaged Westerlund 1, the largest and closest super star cluster to Earth, in stunning detail.
Hubble Telescope maps high-speed 'burps' from nearby feeding supermassive black hole for 1st time
By Robert Lea published
Hubble has mapped the outflow "burps" of a nearby feeding supermassive black hole-powered quasar for the first time, measuring speeds of 6.5 million mph, around 8,500 times the speed of sound.
'Supernova discovery machine' James Webb Space Telescope finds most distant star explosion on record
By Robert Lea published
The JWST has proven itself to be a "supernova discovery machine" by finding 80 exploding stars in the infant universe, including the most distant and earliest supernova ever seen.
An interstellar cloud may have caused an ice age on Earth. Here's how
By Robert Lea published
The sun protects our solar system's planets from the harsh environment of interstellar space; 2 million years ago, a dense cloud of matter could have curtailed this shielding.
James Webb Space Telescope spots asteroid collision in neighboring star system
By Robert Lea published
The James Webb Space Telescope has seen signs of a violent asteroid collision in neighboring star system, Beta Pictoris. The observations could reveal the early stages of planet birth.
Take a video tour of Boeing’s Starliner with its 2 NASA astronauts
By Robert Lea published
In a new video, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams conduct a guided tour of Starliner, the Boeing craft that carried them to the International Space Station last week.
'We thought it was impossible:' Water frost on Mars discovered near Red Planet's equator
By Robert Lea published
Water frost has been found on huge volcanoes at the equator of Mars, a region where scientists thought frost was impossible.
The Milky Way's last major act of galactic cannibalism was surprisingly recent
By Robert Lea published
Gaia discovers the Milky Way's last major act of galactic cannibalism was surprisingly recent, as the space telescope counts the "wrinkles" of our galaxy to retell its history."
'Supercharged rhino' black holes may have formed and died a second after the Big Bang
By Robert Lea published
Tiny 'supercharged' black holes born just after the Big Bang may have been brief companions to primordial black holes, dying before the universe was a second old.
'Vampire stars' explode after eating too much — AI could help reveal why
By Robert Lea published
Type Ia supernovas erupt when white dwarf "dead stars" vampirically feast on a companion star. Researchers are turning to AI to better understand why.
Scientists find slowest spinning 'radio neutron star' — it breaks all the dead-star rules
By Robert Lea published
Taking almost a full hour to rotate rather than fractions of a second, ASKAP J1935+2148 is the slowest spinning radio-blasting neutron star ever seen.
Massive 'El Gordo' galaxy cluster suggests dark matter smashes into itself
By Robert Lea published
El Gordo is a massive collection of colliding galaxies 7 billion light-years away. Its odd behavior could suggest dark matter interacts with itself.
Rocky, carbon-rich exoplanets more likely around tiny stars, James Webb Space Telescope reveals
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers using the JWST have discovered tiny stars may be better suited at birthing small, rocky planets with atmospheres dominated by carbon.
Chang'e 6 probe's far-side moon samples enter return-to-Earth module in lunar orbit, China says
By Robert Lea published
The two spacecraft of the Chang'e 6 mission met and docked in orbit over the moon on Thursday (June 6) to transfer samples the moon's far side. They'll now be returned to Earth.
NASA exoplanet hunter finds 'weird' world surviving a star's relentless bombardment — it's named Phoenix
By Robert Lea published
NASA's TESS exoplanet hunter has discovered a weird world called Phoenix that has managed to hold on to its atmosphere despite being relentlessly bombarded with radiation from its red giant star.
China's Chang'e 6 probe launches samples of far side of the moon to lunar orbit. Next stop? Earth (photos)
By Robert Lea published
China's Chang'e 6 moon mission returned stunning lunar surface images as it collected samples and sent them to orbit to begin their historic return to Earth for study.
NASA 3D Instagram 'experience' brings nebulas into your home
By Robert Lea published
Ever wanted to see the wreckage of a supernova or explore distant clouds of gas and dust ejected by a dying star? A new NASA Instagram Experience brings celestial bodies to Earth.
Rogue planets may originate from 'twisted Tatooine' double star systems
By Robert Lea published
"Twisted Tatooine" binary star systems could be a major player in ejecting rogue planets that go on to drift through the Milky Way without a stellar parent to heat or illuminate them.
Watch China's Chang'e 6 probe land on far side of the moon in dramatic video
By Robert Lea published
China's Chang'e-6 has successfully touched down on the far side of the moon, and its dramatic approach to the mysterious lunar region was captured in a stunning video.
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