Latest articles by Samantha Mathewson
NASA's doomed Swift space telescope restarts science work after rescue mission fails
NASA's Swift space telescope has resumed science observations after a private mission failed to boost its decaying orbit, making the most of its remaining time in space.
Astronomers discover a giant, rocky 'mega-Earth' 23 times more massive than our planet
"This isn't what we expected at all."
It's harder to poop in space. Scientists may finally know why
Spaceflight can do strange things to the human body — including making it harder for astronauts to poop.
Water can survive surprisingly close to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, James Webb Space Telescope finds
Water and cosmic dust can survive in the harsh environment near Sagittarius A*, new observations reveal.
Scientists create largest 2D map of the universe with 5.6 trillion pixels and nearly 4 billion cosmic objects
"It's part of the fabric of astronomy research now."
Scientists find 2 million active black holes, exploding stars and more, nearly doubling our view of the high-energy universe
Astronomers have nearly doubled the number of known cosmic X-ray sources.
A 9,000-pound SpaceX rocket will crash into the moon tonight. Will you be able to see it?
While the impact itself probably won't be visible from Earth, observers may have a chance to spot a plume of debris rising above the lunar surface.
'Significant areas of Mars may have once been covered by water': Scientists find hidden clue in Spirit rover data
A new analysis of NASA's Spirit rover data reveals overlooked traces of crystalline hematite and altered magnetite.
How do supermassive black holes grow? AI finds 7 spacetime-warping 'quasars' that could help solve the mystery
Astronomers found seven rare quasar gravitational lens candidates using AI, providing a powerful new tool for studying black hole and galaxy evolution.
What lurks beneath the volcanoes of Jupiter's moon Io? NASA's Juno probe just took a peek
The subsurface findings could transform how scientists study volcanoes across the solar system — including those on Earth.
How to watch SpaceX launch Starship Flight 13 today
SpaceX's 13th Starship test flight will carry out the first deployment of Starlink V3 satellites while testing booster recovery and upgraded flight systems in a key step toward operational missions.
After nearly 30 years, NASA realized this near-Earth asteroid is actually a comet. The discovery may help us defend the planet some day
Astronomers discovered that a near-Earth asteroid is actually a comet that could help scientists identify more hidden comets and improve planetary defense.
Are we underestimating the threat of solar storms? A 'once-in-a-thousand-year' disaster is worth considering, scientists say
A new study suggests the most extreme solar storms to strike Earth could have greater impacts on satellites, power grids and communications than previously thought.
This cosmic 'lighthouse' is blazing a magnetic trail through the Milky Way
Scientists have directly measured the magnetic field surrounding the speedy neutron star for the first time.
In 1776, the solar system only had 6 planets. Now, it has 8. Does it end there?
As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the history of the solar system tells its own story of exploration.
Strange glowing 'bow-and-arrow' structure may be a giant cosmic shock wave created by a supersonic galaxy collision
A bizarre "bow-and-arrow" radio galaxy nearly 1.8 million light-years across could reveal how galaxy clusters sculpt some of the universe's largest structures.
Searching for alien life: New model could help scientists home in on habitable exoplanets
A new exoplanet model screens rocky worlds by their ability to retain atmospheres over geologic timescales, helping narrow the search for potentially habitable planets beyond Earth.
James Webb Space Telescope discovers 'galaxy-killing' wind that may explain why some early galaxies lived fast and died young
Powerful outflows of gas may explain why so many massive galaxies shut down star formation soon after the Big Bang.
The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs may have created a vast underground habitat for life that lasted 8 million years
The asteroid impact that triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs may also have created one of Earth's most enduring habitats for life.
Glittering star cluster image reveals missing patch of stars: 'We were not looking for the gap, but we found it'
Euclid space telescope observations of ancient globular cluster NGC 6397 reveal a subtle gap in brightness distribution of red dwarf stars.
Shockwaves from dying stars may sculpt 'cosmic wagon wheel' stellar nurseries, simulations reveal
3D simulations reveal how shockwaves from stellar explosions and winds may carve hub-and-spoke structures in molecular clouds, shaping star formation in the Milky Way.
Unusual red northern lights over Japan suggest some solar storms are stronger than we thought
"I was really surprised because I didn't expect such tall auroras to appear even during moderately intense storms."
NASA satellite images uncover dramatic changes in Earth's nighttime lights
Using nearly a decade of satellite observations, NASA's Black Marble project reveals a constantly shifting portrait of human nighttime activity visible from space.
