Science & Astronomy

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an illustration of building on the surface of the moon, inside of which are farms growing plants

How astronauts could farm on the moon with lunar soil nutrients

By Samantha Mathewson published

A new technique for processing lunar soil may help foster plant growth on the moon in hopes for sustaining more long-term lunar missions.

an illustration of an alien planet orbiting a bright star

Sorry, Spock, but planet Vulcan's real-life doppelgänger doesn't exist

By Elizabeth Rayne published

A real-life version of Spock's home exoplanet in the 'Star Trek' universe has turned out to be nothing more than fiction.

an illustration of Earth beside a much larger blue-and-green planet

Here's the devastating impact a super-Earth would have on our solar system

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A study simulated what would happen if a super-Earth orbited in the middle of our solar system, and the results are chaotic.

There are more than 100 missions to the Moon planned in the coming years, including the next Artemis missions.

More lunar missions means more space junk around the moon. Two scientists are building a catalog to track the trash.

By Vishnu Reddy published

Scientists and government agencies have been worried about the space junk surrounding Earth for decades. But humanity's starry ambitions are farther reaching than the space just around Earth.

The two sets of colliding black holes in dwarf galaxies as seen by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Double trouble! Two pairs of giant black holes spotted on collision course

By Robert Lea published

Two pairs of giant black holes set to collide have been spotted by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the first evidence of such a cosmic collision.

The European Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, being unpacked at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana following its 9 February 2023 arrival from Airbus Toulouse.

Europe's 1st ever Jupiter mission in 'home straight' ahead of April launch

By Tereza Pultarova published

Europe's first Jupiter-bound mission is in the final stages of preparations for its launch on April 13 from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The far side of the moon, as imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Radio telescope on moon's far side will peer into universe's 'Dark Ages'

By Josh Dinner published

A few years from now, a small radio telescope on the far side of the moon could help scientists peer into the universe's ancient past.

NASA's official meatball insignia was designed by James Modarelli in 1959.

Watch NASA discuss its 2024 federal budget request today

By Mike Wall published

NASA will discuss its allocated budget for fiscal year 2024 during a news conference on Monday (March 13), and you can watch it live.

A star-studded image with a large pillar of gas and dust rising through the center.

James Webb Space Telescope images: 12 astonishing views of our universe (gallery)

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

The James Webb Space Telescope is busy capturing incredible images of our universe. We take a look at some of the best ones here in our gallery.

An artist's depiction of ESA's CHEOPS telescope at work studying exoplanets.

CHEOPS: A guide to ESA's exoplanet investigating mission

By Robert Lea last updated

Reference ESA's CHEOPS mission is investigating the characteristics of planets outside the solar system and identifying "golden targets" exoplanets for further analysis.

Reference
a hand holding up a phone using TikTok with the full moon in the background

No, the moon phase can't help find your soulmate on TikTok

By Robert Lea published

A new TikTok trend suggests that users can compare the phases of the moon on the day they are born to determine if they are soulmates.

Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii captured this shot of a meteorite impacting the moon (bright flash at bottom left) on Feb. 23, 2023.

Boom! Japanese astronomer catches meteorite smashing into the moon (video)

By Andrew Jones published

Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii captured the telltale flash of a meteorite impacting the moon, causing a brief flash on our celestial neighbor's nightside.

Three bright stars in a line in the sky above a rocky outcrop.

Orion's Belt: Stars, location and mythology of the famous asterism

By Ed Browne last updated

Reference Orion's Belt is the most recognizable feature of the Orion constellation. Here we explore this asterism in more detail and learn how and where to spot it.

Reference
Satellite trails seen in Hubble Space Telescope images taken between 2002 and 2021

Hubble Space Telescope images increasingly affected by Starlink satellite streaks

By Robert Lea published

Starlink satellite streaks have been found spoiling Hubble Space Telescope images, and the situation is only bound to get worse, a new study has revealed.

Forms of oxygen created by living organisms have been detected high above Earth's surface.

Earth spouts 'biosignatures' into space, hinting that other life-bearing worlds may do the same

By Tereza Pultarova published

Forms of oxygen created by living organisms can be found in space around our planet, a new study has revealed, hinting at a potential new method for tracing life on exoplanets.

The newly discovered asteroid 2023 DW flies close by Earth on Feb. 14, 2046.

Newly discovered asteroid the size of a swimming pool has a 1-in-600 chance of colliding with Earth, NASA says

By Brandon Specktor published

The newly discovered asteroid 2023 DW could collide with Earth in February 2046, although the odds of an impact are low.

An image of almost perfectly circular sand dunes on Mars taken by the HiRISE camera.

Strange circular dunes on Mars spotted in these NASA photos

By Robert Lea published

The sand dunes of Mars come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, but a new image shows sand dunes that are surprisingly near-perfect circles.

an illustration of a bright disk of material in space. the disk is white on its outer edges and yellow and red in its center

'Missing link' protostar may prove solar system's water is older than the sun

By Robert Lea published

A planet-forming disk around a distant star has revealed an abundance of water that may indicate the solar system's water is older than the sun.

An illustration of a rainbow-colored cloud of gas in space getting sucked into a funnel-like opening

Wormholes might bend light like black holes do — and that could be the key to finding them

By JoAnna Wendel published

If wormholes exist, they might magnify distant objects according to Einstein's theory of relativity — and that makes it possible for us to find them, new research suggests.

The moon seen from the Artemis 1 Orion capsule on Dec. 5, 2022, near the end of the mission.

NASA gets $27.2 billion in White House's 2024 budget request

By Mike Wall published

President Joe Biden's 2024 federal budget request allocates $27.2 billion to NASA, a 7% increase over the amount the agency got this year.