Astronomy

Astronomers sometimes find conflicting data when trying to answer a question. This is a normal part of the scientific process, and it simply means that more data is needed to prove or disprove the theory they are trying to test. One prominent example of conflicting data in recent exoplanet research was that of planet GJ 1132 b, which either had or didn’t have an atmosphere, depending on which data set was being used. A new paper from researchers using more observational time on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can now definitively say that, most likely, GJ 1132 b doesn’t have an atmosphere - and that finding has wider implications for exoplanet research more generally.

What can parabolic flights teach scientists and engineers about electrolyzers and how the latter can help advance human missions to the Moon and Mars? This is the goal of a recent grant awarded to the Mars Atmospheric Reactor for Synthesis of Consumables (MARS-C) project, which is sponsored by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The $500,000 award for this research is part of NASA’s TechLeap Prize program with the goal of testing experimental electrolyzer technology that can be used for future missions.

The early Universe continues to spring surprises on astronomers. In a recent study of dim, distant objects, astronomers at the University of Missouri found at least 300 of them that look way too bright. That means they're forming stars much earlier than expected, or something else is going on. Whatever it is could affect our understanding of events in the infant cosmos.

After a string of setbacks, SpaceX executed the most successful flight test of its Starship launch system to date, featuring a first-of-its-kind payload deployment and a thrilling Indian Ocean splashdown.

Sometimes in science a negative result is just as important as a positive one. And sometimes data artifacts get the better of even the best space observatories. Both of those ideas seem to hold true for the James Webb Space Telescope’s recent observation of Epsilon Eridani, one of our nearest stars, and one that has decades worth of debate about whether there is a planet orbiting it or not. Unfortunately, while JWST’s NIRCam did find some interesting features, they were too close to a noise source in the telescope's instruments to be definitively labeled a “planet”. Their results were recently published on arXiv, and while it may sound disappointing, this type of work is exactly how science progresses.

Leap into the killer cosmic combat for Keepsake Games' retitled first-person PvE shooter

On Episode 175 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and and Tariq Malik are joined by Daniel Selva to talk about crew interactions and trust with AI using computers.

In this quiz, you’ll test your knowledge of Neptune's features, moons, and the science that keeps astronomers fascinated.

The Trump administration's "One Big, Beautiful Bill" slashes federal funding for efforts to create renewable or sustainable types of fuel for aircraft.

At the core of the

A new executive order signed by President Donald Trump removes NASA employees from federal labor-management protections, under the justification of national security.

Check out this collection of nonfiction and fiction books recommended by Scientific American

Scientists have revived an ignored area of math to envision a path toward stable quantum computing

The moon will appear in the constellation Scorpius at sunset on Aug. 30-31.

SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink broadband satellites today (Aug. 30), sending 24 of them up from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base.

NASA's Perseverance rover has turned its attention to towering sand formations called megaripples at a site named Kerrlaguna on Mars. These windblown features, standing up to 1 metre tall, are providing new insights into how wind shapes the red planet today and could even help prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Scientists at the South Pole have developed revolutionary new algorithms that can track mysterious particles coming from space called neutrinos in just 30 seconds, helping astronomers around the world hunt for the sources of cosmic radiation. This breakthrough technology has already eliminated some promising candidates and is transforming our ability to solve one of the universe's greatest mysteries.

The James Webb Space Telescope has observed a planet-birthing disk of gas and dust around a young star, uncovering some strange and unexpected chemistry.

This quiz will challenge your knowledge of Uranus's strange rotation, chilly atmosphere, and curious collection of moons.