Astronomy

Studies of the Solar System's dynamics generally treat it in isolation and do not consider the influence a passing star could have on the orbits of the planets over time. According to a recent study by a team of astronomers, stars passing close to the Solar System could result in the loss of planets over the next 5 billion years.

The largest, most powerful launch vehicle ever built is meant to be a key part of SpaceX’s plans to send humans to Mars—and NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the moon, too

YouTube star Derek Muller built an 18-million-subscriber YouTube empire by challenging misconceptions about science. Now his own blood test and a sudden EPA reversal give his work urgent relevance.

Ultraviolet astronomical observations have always been hindered by one simple fact - the Earth's atmosphere blocks most UV photons, especially in the UV-C and UV-B range of 100-315nm wavelengths. So, astronomers must have a collector above the atmosphere if they want to know what is happening in those wavelengths. A consortium from Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) hopes to provide additional insight into that realm with their PhotSat mission, a CubeSat that will observe the whole sky in UV and visible light once every few days.

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' aerospace company, is targeting Saturday (May 31) for its 12th human spaceflight mission.

The Trump administration is closing a historic NASA science office in the name of efficiency, but critics point out that the move won't actually save much money.

Manifestation is easy to dismiss as unscientific nonsense. Certain techniques used in the practice, though, do work — just not in the magical way some people think, as neuroscientist Sabina Brennan elucidates

Manifestation is easy to dismiss as unscientific nonsense. Certain techniques used in the practice, though, do work — just not in the magical way some people think, as neuroscientist Sabina Brennan elucidates

A bright spiral galaxy of the northern sky,

Generation starships may be the only way humans travel to other stars. These hypothetical spacecraft would travel at sub-light speed and take generations to reach their destination. Over the hundreds or even thousands of years, generations of human beings would be born, live, and then die on these ships. Even if that awkward arrangement could be made to work, how would everything else function for so long? What about the spacecraft? What about the AI?

Whether or not we have partial free will could soon be resolved by experiments in quantum physics, with potential consequences for everything from religion to quantum computers

Whether or not we have partial free will could soon be resolved by experiments in quantum physics, with potential consequences for everything from religion to quantum computers

The latest version of Grok, the chatbot created by Elon Musk’s xAI, is promoting fringe climate viewpoints in a way it hasn’t done before, observers say

The mystery surrounding a strange cosmic object, or 'long-period transient,' has deepened. This object is bursting with X-rays, and astronomers describe it as unlike anything seen before.

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2025 marks a landmark year for Europe’s ‘bridge between Earth and space’. The European Space Agency’s Estrack satellite tracking network turns 50.

Since its inception in 1975, Estrack – ESA’s global network of ground stations – has formed the vital communication bridge between satellites in orbit and mission control at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany.

Now comprising six stations spanning six countries, Estrack has grown into a strategic asset for Europe, enabling communication with spacecraft, transmitting commands and receiving scientific data.

The network keeps an eye on satellites no matter their location: tracking them across Earth orbit, voyaging to comets or asteroids, keeping station at the scientifically important Sun-Earth Lagrange points, and deep into our Solar System. It even keeps tabs on European launchers as they soar into orbit, ensuring no rocket is ever out of reach.

Fittingly, this celebration of technological excellence coincides with the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss II and the 50th anniversary of ESA. To honour this convergence of milestones, ESA and the Vienna Tourist Board are orchestrating a unique mission: broadcasting The Blue Danube Waltz to its destined home among the stars.

Don’t miss the live concert of the Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra) on Saturday, 31 May. The event will start at 20:30 CEST and the transmission from ESA’s Cebreros antenna will occur at 21:30 CEST.

The live stream can be followed via space.wien.info and the Vienna Instagram channel.

Waltzing celebration for half a century of European satellite tracking

The vividness of your mind’s eye isn't fixed - and training it up is the secret tool of top athletes and businesspeople. Here’s how you can help develop yours

The vividness of your mind’s eye isn't fixed - and training it up is the secret tool of top athletes and businesspeople. Here’s how you can help develop yours

Thousands of fossils from the La Brea tar pits in California show no signs of mammals and birds evolving in response to shifting temperatures over the past 50,000 years

Thousands of fossils from the La Brea tar pits in California show no signs of mammals and birds evolving in response to shifting temperatures over the past 50,000 years