The forces of rotation caused red hot masses of stones to be torn away from the Earth and to be thrown into the ether, and this is the origin of the stars.

— Anaxagoras 428 BC

Astronomy

The first quantum fluctuations set into motion a huge cosmic mystery

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 1:00pm
The earliest acoustic vibrations in the cosmos weren’t exactly sound – they travelled at half the speed of light and there was nobody around to hear them anyway. But Jim Baggott says from the first moments, the universe was singing
Categories: Astronomy

Congress Proposes Strong Science Funding for 2026

Scientific American.com - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 1:00pm

Lawmakers aim to support science research despite cuts proposed by the Trump administration

Categories: Astronomy

Astronomers May Have Unlocked the Reason for Betelgeuse’s Bizarre Dimming

Scientific American.com - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 1:00pm

Researchers found evidence that a companion star may be influencing Betelgeuse, explaining why the latter star’s brightness changes over time

Categories: Astronomy

At CES 2026, AI Leaves the Screen and Enters the Real World

Scientific American.com - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 1:00pm

Humanoids, robotaxis and industrial bots dominate the year’s biggest consumer technology show. Their usefulness remains an open question

Categories: Astronomy

Passwords will be on the way out in 2026 as passkeys take over

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 12:00pm
The curse of having to remember easily hackable passwords may soon be over, as a new alternative is set to take over in 2026
Categories: Astronomy

Passwords will be on the way out in 2026 as passkeys take over

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 12:00pm
The curse of having to remember easily hackable passwords may soon be over, as a new alternative is set to take over in 2026
Categories: Astronomy

The South Pole Just Moved. Here’s Why

Scientific American.com - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 12:00pm

Antarctica’s New Year’s celebration is unlike any other: every January 1 scientists physically move the South Pole. This is why

Categories: Astronomy

Jellyfish sleep about as much as humans do – and nap like us too

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 11:00am
The benefits of sleep may be more universal than we thought. We know it helps clear waste from the brain in humans, and now it seems that even creatures without brains like ours get similar benefits
Categories: Astronomy

Jellyfish sleep about as much as humans do – and nap like us too

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 11:00am
The benefits of sleep may be more universal than we thought. We know it helps clear waste from the brain in humans, and now it seems that even creatures without brains like ours get similar benefits
Categories: Astronomy

The secret weapon that could finally force climate action

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 11:00am
An ambitious form of climate modelling aims to pin the blame for disasters – from floods to heatwaves – on specific companies. Is this the tool we need to effectively prosecute the world’s biggest carbon emitters?
Categories: Astronomy

The secret weapon that could finally force climate action

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 11:00am
An ambitious form of climate modelling aims to pin the blame for disasters – from floods to heatwaves – on specific companies. Is this the tool we need to effectively prosecute the world’s biggest carbon emitters?
Categories: Astronomy

First Sky Map from NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory

NASA Image of the Day - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 10:43am
NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory has mapped the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, as seen here in this image released on Dec. 18, 2025. This image features a selection of colors emitted primarily by stars (blue, green, and white), hot hydrogen gas (blue), and cosmic dust (red).
Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Rogue Saturn Discovered Floating Through the Milky Way

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 10:14am

Astronomers have measured the mass of a free-floating planet for the first time. Comparable to Saturn, it’s surprisingly massive for such rogue worlds.

The post Rogue Saturn Discovered Floating Through the Milky Way appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Doctor Visits for Flu Hit Highest Level in Almost 30 Years

Scientific American.com - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 10:00am

Almost one in 10 people who visited a doctor in the U.S. in the week ending on December 27 were there for flulike symptoms, according to new data

Categories: Astronomy

The first commercial space stations will start orbiting Earth in 2026

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 9:00am
For nearly three decades, the International Space Station has been the only destination in low Earth orbit, but that will change this year. Could it be the start of a thriving economy in space?
Categories: Astronomy

The first commercial space stations will start orbiting Earth in 2026

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 9:00am
For nearly three decades, the International Space Station has been the only destination in low Earth orbit, but that will change this year. Could it be the start of a thriving economy in space?
Categories: Astronomy

US will need both carrots and sticks to reach net zero

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 7:00am
Modelling suggests both carbon taxes and green subsidies will be necessary to decarbonise the US economy, but the inconsistent policies of successive presidents are the "worst case" scenario
Categories: Astronomy

US will need both carrots and sticks to reach net zero

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Tue, 01/06/2026 - 7:00am
Modelling suggests both carbon taxes and green subsidies will be necessary to decarbonise the US economy, but the inconsistent policies of successive presidents are the "worst case" scenario
Categories: Astronomy