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
![An illustration shows a gas giant planet forming around an infant star](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCiN3Rdfs3uK8pRD372hmC-320-80.png)
James Webb Space Telescope joins the hunt for newborn exoplanets
By Robert Lea published
The James Webb Space Telescope has joined the hunt for infant exoplanets, spotting a newly forming world — but not the one we had expected to see.
![A hazy scene with orange and burgundy gaseous clouds. A burst of bright blue stars is concentrated toward the right. A single red star is seen in the center-top.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GU6NDG42G4Fa9z3Xai5j8M-320-80.png)
Hubble Space Telescope finds bucket of cosmic Easter eggs — 500 blue and red stars
By Robert Lea published
Observations for the ULLYSES program, the Hubble Telescope's largest operation yet, are now completed. Scientists are now diving into some cosmic Easter treats.
![artist's illustration of a black hole devouring a star, generating a pinkish swirl of gas and dust in deep space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FqJtbN6BPzufD5rkf5misk-320-80.png)
Why are some supermassive black hole jets so short? Astronomers may have cracked the case
By Robert Lea published
New observations provide an intriguing window into what happens when a slumbering black hole awakens to devour a star.
![A brown region with lots of little craters.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pRUNfZ3qdEKGSxtB2rZ9R8-320-80.png)
Giant Mars asteroid impact creates vast field of destruction with 2 billion craters
By Robert Lea published
An asteroid that slammed into Mars around 2.3 million years ago left one nine-mile wide crater and created 2 billion smaller craters.
![This image of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A combines data from NASA's Chandra, James Webb, Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DjsEfBFyGLyd45sn8S5bVX-320-80.jpg)
Stardust particle locked in meteorite holds secrets of a star's explosive death
By Robert Lea published
A tiny grain of dust sealed within an ancient meteorite weaves together the story of the solar system's creation and reveals a much older tale of a rare star's explosive supernova death.
![A large black hole has a spinning disk around it. It also has a magnetic field represented as an orange cone on top and bottom of the black hole. A tiny black hole punches in and out through the disk as it orbits the larger one. Plum es from the large disk emerge when the tiny black hole travels. The plumes are especially strong in the magnetic fields](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/weAqJFtSyM4y3avKcggVcS-320-80.png)
Supermassive black hole’s mysterious hiccups' likely caused by neighboring black hole's 'punches'
By Robert Lea published
A black hole may be punching through the disk of gas and dust surrounding a supermassive black hole, causing its giant neighbor to "hiccup."
![An illustration of a white orb surrounded by warm-toned, bright hazes in a disk shape. There are jets protruding from the orb. On the left of the image, a giant yellow and red star is seen stealing some of that disk material.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LjZ4FtkRWyrQYMdEaqmuEk-320-80.png)
'Vampire' neutron star blasts are related to jets traveling at near-light speeds
By Robert Lea published
Scientists have measured for the first time the speed of jets launched by neutron star "vampires" as they feast on victim stars. The breakthrough connects these jets to thermonuclear blasts.
![A crack in an ice sheet an Antarctica ice sheet caused by climate change](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PhnmSDrpvaTgW4AaptaTyN-320-80.jpg)
Climate change and polar ice melting could be impacting the length of Earth's day
By Robert Lea published
Humanity's activities and climate change are impacting the polar ice sheets, causing excessive melting, and this is slowing Earth's rotation, challenging official timekeeping standards.
![three deep-space images, showing newfound distant galaxies as blue, orange, yellow, green and red dots](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S4nfNoFdGcyAA7d5XpZRHU-320-80.png)
Cosmic gold rush! Astronomers find 49 new galaxies in just 3 hours
By Robert Lea published
Using the MeerKat radio telescope, astronomers discovered a "gold rush" of galaxies in just three hours, including three joined by their gas content.
![The supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way Sgr A* seen in polarized light for the first time](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yMquMe4srNd7YKaBJUmqw6-320-80.png)
New view of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way hints at an exciting hidden feature (image)
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have for the first time imaged the powerful magnetic fields that dwell around the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*.
![illustration of a yellow star and a blue star circling close to each other](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DrUCCGghL6EAGYd7uBWgB8-320-80.png)
How are extreme "blue supergiant" stars born? Astronomers may finally know
By Robert Lea published
Scientists have discovered that the hottest and brightest stars in the cosmos, blue supergiants, are created when two smaller stars spiral together and merge, new research suggests.
![A bright point of light shines near center-right with diffraction spikes, surrounded by glowing clouds against black space. A blue jet of material extends roughly throughout the center of the image, partially obscured by the clouds.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wDcRmfmgeQmkt5ydCYasY8-320-80.png)
Hubble Telescope witnesses a new star being born in a stunning cosmic light show (image)
By Robert Lea published
The Hubble Space Telescope has imaged a powerful jet erupting from an envelope of gas and dust that represents a newly born star announcing itself to the cosmos.
![one side of the silvery-grey surface of the moon is slightly darkened by a shadow](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mvro4tM3FDc4eKMkcyYd7g-320-80.jpg)
March's Full Worm Moon wriggles its way through a subtle lunar eclipse in stunning photos
By Robert Lea published
The Worm Moon underwent a slightly undramatic lunar eclipse on Sunday, March 24, two weeks before the main event: April's total solar eclipse.
![A black circle in the center of the scene is emanating circular ripples going outward to the edges of the image.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qFhksxU8RFw7KkHfWaAR6Q-320-80.png)
'Quantum tornado' allows scientists to mimic a black hole on Earth
By Robert Lea published
Scientists created a giant vortex made of tiny quantum pieces to bring black hole physics down to Earth.
![The ancient stellar streams Shakti (yellow triangles) and Shiva (blue dots) that make up the Milky Way](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iEZJNavz2kMakf7rMbeN5g-320-80.png)
'Shiva and Shakti': The ancient star streams that helped weave the Milky Way
By Robert Lea published
The Gaia space telescope has discovered two ancient stellar streams woven through the heart of the Milky Way, which were present 12 billion years ago.
![A spacecraft that looks like its wrapped in foil (it's not really, of course) up in orbit.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/E8RmPGxxZujn98y8TyKRuW-320-80.png)
NASA suspends Swift gamma-ray space telescope operations
By Robert Lea published
NASA has shut down its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, but don't panic; this is only a temporary pause for the space telescope that has served the space agency since 2004.
![An asteroid races toward the icy Jovian moon Europa with the gas giant planet in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wPFm3tQkd2S999R8gtLAEQ-320-80.png)
A 'snowball fight' may help scientists find life on Jupiter's moon Europa
By Robert Lea published
Impact craters in Europa's icy crust have been used to measure the thickness of the world's shell, leading scientists closer to learning if this frozen moon could host life as we know it.
![An illustration shows two brown dwarf failed stars as they part ways](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HfEtXbH89uE2GNT6MWBzqk-320-80.png)
Hubble Space Telescope discovers 'failed stars' are bad at relationships too
By Robert Lea published
Using the Hubble astronomers found that "failed star" brown dwarfs struggle to maintain relationships as passing stars disrupt them like the cosmic equivalent of the distracted boyfriend meme.
![A view of Uranus in blue with auroras marked in reddish tones; Saturn is seen in an inset, its rings glowing brightly due to image filters.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Aydr3TZrRy9yaN3X79FEai-320-80.png)
Stunning light shows on Uranus and Saturn may soon draw James Webb Space Telescope's eye
By Robert Lea published
The James Webb Space Telescope will soon investigate stunning light shows from Uranus and Saturn as two projects look at the auroras of these planets to discover the processes that make them tick.
![A red giant star engulfs an orbiting planet.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rAGuXkQD7LTwXvsParExVB-320-80.jpeg)
'Singing' red giant stars could offer another way to measure the universe's expansion
By Robert Lea published
The different ways red giants "sing" could affect distance measurements of the universe, potentially helping soothe a cosmic headache: The Hubble tension.
![A black screen with lots of golden speckled dots. One area of the scene is zoomed-in with a box to the right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nZf3ZEZkuDdr6r8ry8mnrK-320-80.png)
Scientists find galaxy supercluster as massive as 26 quadrillion suns
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have discovered a treasure trove of 662 new galactic superclusters, the most prominent of which, the Einasto Supercluster, contains a staggering mass equivalent to 26 quadrillion suns.
![An illustration shows the egg-shaped planet WASP-12b on a death spiral towar its yellow dwarf parent star](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/teUbfLqDoaSqMThbK68A6d-320-80.png)
Doomed egg-shaped exoplanet is death-spiraling into its star
By Robert Lea published
WASP-12b, an ultrahot Jupiter planet molded into the shape of an egg, is set to nose-dive into its star.
![A view of a double-headed gray rock with a diagram on the right that shows its composition.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NFkRnECHUNSsamYBeohYAe-320-80.png)
Arrokoth the 'space snowman' and other Kuiper Belt objects may be packed with ancient ice
By Robert Lea published
A new model of cometary evolution and interiors could help explain the explosive behavior of "ice bomb" comets as they pass close to the sun.