Astronomy

An asteroid called 2023 CX1 underwent a single explosion, hinting that it had an unusual structure that might be more damaging on the ground

Climate-fueled heat has caused thousands of excess deaths over the past three summers, which were the three hottest on record

David Bowie once sung ‘Is there life on Mars?’ and along with being a question in a hit song, its also a question that has driven decades of missions to the red planet. From early orbital surveys to rovers hunting for evidence that life once existed beyond Earth the search has become more and more sophisticated. Europe's upcoming Mars rover mission is one such mission and it has received an unexpected boost in its search for signs of ancient life, as two new studies reveal that natural Martian processes could deliver rich organic materials directly to the rover, eliminating the need for long distance travel to find the building blocks of life.

An examination of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows that it is likely to be a remnant of the Galaxy's “Cosmic Noon” period, ca. 9 to 13 billion years ago. An examination of the object by an active mission could provide clues about stellar and planetary formation, and maybe the emergence of life, during this early period of galactic history.

Ten Years Later, LIGO is a Black-Hole Hunting Machine lexigault60428 Fri, 09/12/2025 - 10:00 Ten Years Later, LIGO is a Black-Hole Hunting Machine https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/ten-years-later-ligo-is-a-black-hole-hunting-machine

Physicists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have calculated a more than 90% probability that we'll observe an exploding black hole within the next ten years. An event like this in our own celestial backyard may well be quite the spectacle but would revolutionise our understanding of physics and reveal the fundamental building blocks of everything in existence. Bold claims but a real possibility.

Of course physicists debate about which of the constants are the important ones, because physicists debate EVERYTHING.

It is one of the largest nebulas on the sky -- why isn't it better known?

A set of 29 stone tools, including blades and points for hunting, butchering and cutting wood, were found neatly arranged as if carried in a leather pouch that decayed

A set of 29 stone tools, including blades and points for hunting, butchering and cutting wood, were found neatly arranged as if carried in a leather pouch that decayed

Half a decade since the arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we're still learning about its complications, with the latest research suggesting that long covid may disrupt menstrual periods

Half a decade since the arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we're still learning about its complications, with the latest research suggesting that long covid may disrupt menstrual periods

Westerlund 1 is the biggest and closest “super” star cluster to Earth. Data from Chandra and other telescopes are helping astronomers delve deeper into this galactic factory where stars are vigorously being produced. Observations from Chandra have uncovered thousands of individual stars pumping out X-ray emission into the cluster.

Evidence shows that eating a longevity diet can dramatically lengthen your lifespan – and the sooner you start, the more of a difference it makes

Evidence shows that eating a longevity diet can dramatically lengthen your lifespan – and the sooner you start, the more of a difference it makes

To be truly fit in older age, you need to work on specific aspects of your fitness – and research shows that it’s never too late to reap the benefits

To be truly fit in older age, you need to work on specific aspects of your fitness – and research shows that it’s never too late to reap the benefits

Our friendly – and not so friendly – gut bacteria lie at the core of healthy ageing. Research is now revealing what it takes to maintain a youthful microbiome

Our friendly – and not so friendly – gut bacteria lie at the core of healthy ageing. Research is now revealing what it takes to maintain a youthful microbiome