Astronomy
Defining Life With Constants From Physics
What is the meaning of life? Even the best of us couldn’t hope to answer that question in a universe today article. But there are those who would try to “constrain” it, at least in terms of physics. A new paper from Pankaj Mehta of Boston University of Jané Kondev of Brandeis that was recently pre-published on arXiv looks at how the fundamental constants of physics might be applied to life as we know it - and even life as we don’t know it yet. Their idea doesn't necessarily give the answer to the ultimate question, but it does tie two seemingly disparate fields nicely together.
Finding Exomoons Using Their Host Planet's Wobble
Exoplanets aren’t the only objects floating around other stars - they likely have comets and asteroids as well. Even some of the exoplanets themselves will have “exomoons”, at least according to our current understanding of the physics of planetary formation. However, we have yet to find any of these other objects conclusively, though there has been some hint at the presence of exomoons in the last ten years. A new paper from astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), recently pre-published on arXiv, suggests a way in which we might be able to finally detect the presence of an exomoon - using a technique that is also commonly used to find exoplanets themselves.
The Search for Australia's Hidden Impact Crater
A team of scientists in south Australia have discovered tiny pieces of glass that tell the story of a catastrophic event that happened 11 million years ago, an asteroid impact so massive it should have left a crater the size of a major city, yet mysteriously, no one has found it. This discovery represents only the sixth known tektite field ever identified on Earth. The glassy fragments, scattered across the landscape are forcing scientists to reconsider what they know about ancient asteroid impacts and the geological features they leave behind.
Hurricane Humberto and Potential Tropical Storm Imelda Complicate Forecasts
Hurricane Humberto and a system that may become Tropical Storm Imelda in the coming days are swirling quite close to each other in the western Atlantic Ocean
Water Worlds Might Be Few and Far Between
Primordial chemistry might destroy most of the water on sub-Neptunes; if so, there could be far fewer “water worlds” than previously thought.
The post Water Worlds Might Be Few and Far Between appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
NIH Funds New Autism Studies on Genes and Environment as Trump Focuses on Tylenol
The National Institutes of Health is investing $50 million into research on genetic and environmental factors underlying autism—news that was eclipsed by President Donald Trump’s recent controversial claims about acetaminophen
Lung inflammation may make traumatic events harder to forget
Lung inflammation may make traumatic events harder to forget
Novels with a certain structure are more likely to be classics
Novels with a certain structure are more likely to be classics
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 26 – October 5
The waxing crescent Moon crosses Scorpius on its way to a meetup with Saturn, while the Moon's own sunrise line unveils more and more lunar lands for telescopes.
The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 26 – October 5 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
NASA's VIPER Mission Has Found Another Ride to the Moon
VIPER, a water-seeking rover, has gotten a new lease on life, with a new launch vehicle and lander announced by NASA.
The post NASA's VIPER Mission Has Found Another Ride to the Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Golden Lake
Did a star blow up and hit Earth 10 million years ago?
Did a star blow up and hit Earth 10 million years ago?
Week in images: 22-26 September 2025
Week in images: 22-26 September 2025
Discover our week through the lens