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Google’s quantum supreme cryostat, with the Sycamore quantum computer inside.

'Supremacy' Achieved: Quantum Computer Notches Epic Milestone

By Mike Wall

For the first time, a quantum computer has solved a problem that a traditional computer, for all practical purposes, cannot, researchers reported today (Oct. 23).

Charles White of NASA JPL posted this photo of himself to Twitter with the caption "I'm Charles. I document Lessons Learned to improve our knowledge of exploring space. #actuallivingscientist #engineers #science," on Feb. 3, 2017.

An AMA With the 'Space Pope' is LIVE Now on Space.com Forums!

By Space.com Staff

With the return of the Space.com forums, we're hosting an AMA with NASA JPL's Charles White, aka the "Space Pope."

Artist's illustration of HD 21749c, the first Earth-size planet found by NASA's Transiting Exoplanets Survey Satellite, as well as its sibling, HD 21749b, a warm sub-Neptune-sized world. In a new study, a research team led by Björn Benneke, a professor at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal, discovered water vapor and likely even raining clouds in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2-18 b.

NASA's Planet-Hunting Probe Joins the Search for Intelligent Aliens

By Mike Wall

Scientists with the TESS mission will work with the Breakthrough Listen project.

Engineers test cameras on the Mars 2020 rover in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, on July 23, 2019.

Mars 2020 Rover Cost Could Starve Other Red Planet Missions

By Elizabeth Howell

The Mars science community is concerned that the growing costs of NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission could affect the availability of funds for other robotic missions.

Researchers have found signatures of strontium in the aftermath of a neutron star merger.

We May Finally Know How the Universe's Heavy Elements Formed

By Charles Q. Choi

For the first time, scientists have detected a newly born heavy element in space, forged in the aftermath of a collision between a pair of dead stars known as neutron stars.

H. Jon Benjamin is perfectly cast in "Star Trek's" first full-on foray into funny sci-fi.

New 'Short Trek' Gets Funny with a Shipload of Tribbles

By Scott Snowden

The second 'Short Trek,' 'The Trouble With Edward,' is a perfect blend of Trek and comedy.

Israel's Beresheet spacecraft captured this selfie during its landing maneuver on April 11, 2019. That maneuver was unsuccessful, and the probe slammed hard into the lunar surface.

Israel Plans to Go Back to the Moon … And Stick the Landing This Time

By Meghan Bartels

Israel had pinned its hopes on becoming the fourth country to land softly on the moon, and although the country's team failed on the first try, it still intends to try to claim that coveted title.

The supermassive black hole Gargantua plays a major role in the 2014 sci-fi blockbuster "Interstellar."

Rogue, Starless Planets May Circle Black Holes

By Charles Q. Choi

Thousands of planets may form and orbit around the kind of supermassive black holes found in the cores of most, if not all, galaxies, a new study finds.

The ozone hole (blue) can be seen here over Antarctica on Oct. 4, 2019.

Ozone Hole Over Antarctica Shrinks to Record-Small Size

By Jeanna Bryner

The ozone hole over Antarctica has shrunk to its smallest size yet. Here's why.

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano will control this rover remotely in November to simulate remote control of future lunar rovers. In the experiment, known as ANALOG-1, he will use the rover and its arm to move rocks instead of cones.

Astronaut to Control a Moon Robot From the Space Station

By Chelsea Gohd

An astronaut on the space station will practice remotely driving a robot on the moon in the ESA ANALOG-1 experiment this November.

Japan has its eyes on the moon, with two new partnerships designed to advance the country's lunar goals.

Japan Sets Sights on Moon with NASA and India

By Meghan Bartels

Japan has its eyes on the moon, with two new partnerships designed to advance the country's lunar goals.

A full moon glows over the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile in this view captured by astrophotographer Gerard Hüdepohl. The observatory is located on top of Cerro Paranal, a mountain with an elevation of 8,500 feet (2,600 meters), and it is home to several telescope facilities. The Very Large Telescope (VLT) array and the VLT Survey Telescope are both visible at the top of the peak in this photo, on the left, and four smaller auxiliary telescopes are on the smaller peak to the right.

Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day

By Space.com Staff

A full moon glows over the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile in this view captured by astrophotographer Gerard Hüdepohl.

LIGO Collaboration scientist Gabriela Gonzalez will give a public lecture at The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. EDT.

Watch Live @ 7pm ET: LIGO Scientist Discusses Epic Gravitational Wave Finds

By Space.com Staff

Gabriela González talks about the LIGO Collaboration's gravitational-wave discoveries during a special public lecture today (Oct. 23) at 7 pm EDT (2300 GMT). Watch it live here.

An STS-120 crewmember captured this photo of the Harmony module in the payload bay of the space shuttle Discovery on Oct. 24, 2007.

On This Day in Space! Oct. 23, 2007: Space Station's Harmony Module Launches on STS-120

By Hanneke Weitering

On October 23, 2007, the space shuttle Discovery launched the Harmony module to the International Space Station. See how it happened in our On This Day in Space video series!

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaks at the Heads of Agency press conference at the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington, on Oct. 21, 2019.

Space Agencies and Private Industry Discuss Making a Giant Leap on Collaboration

By Elizabeth Howell

The next 50 years of human spaceflight will surely see a proliferation of private companies working alongside government agencies – but how they will work together is a matter of intense debate.

An artist's depiction (not to scale) of the Lucy spacecraft visiting the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter.

Pioneering NASA Asteroid Mission Clears Key Hurdle on Path to 2021 Launch

By Mike Wall

The first mission to visit a mysterious swarm of asteroids that circle the sun along Jupiter's path has cleared an important hurdle on the way to its 2021 launch.

Astronomers map dark matter indirectly, via its gravitational pull on other objects.

The 'Dark' Legacy of Nobel Prize Winner Jim Peebles

By Paul Sutter

You might not recognize Peebles' name, but he theorized the existence of dark matter and has been a key player in painting the portrait of the universe that we now understand.

A still from a new video showing the lights coming on inside Virgin Galactic's third SpaceShipTwo vehicle.

Virgin Galactic Powers Up New SpaceShipTwo Vehicle (Video)

By Mike Wall

The Spaceship Co., Virgin Galactic's manufacturing subsidiary, recently wrapped up a landmark "Power On" test of the third SpaceShipTwo vehicle, which is being assembled in Mojave, California.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine named Douglas Loverro as the agency’s new associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate on Oct. 16, 2019.

Meet NASA's New Leader of Human Spaceflight Operations

By Hanneke Weitering

Agency chief Jim Bridenstine announced last week that Douglas Loverro has been named the agency’s new associate administrator for its Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.

An artist's depiction of the VERITAS mission concept, designed to explore Venus.

We Could Go to Venus with Today's Technology, Scientists Say

By Elizabeth Howell

We could go to Venus tomorrow with the technology we have today, urged a NASA scientific advisory group, and the group's members would like to get a mission off the ground as soon as possible.