Astronomy

On 31 May, a live performance of The Blue Danube – often referred to as the ‘anthem of space’ – was transmitted by the European Space Agency (ESA) into the vastness of space. The event marked a double celebration: ESA’s 50th anniversary and the 200th birthday of the King of Waltz Johann Strauss II.

A potentially hazardous asteroid roughly the size of an aircraft carrier is due to pass within 2.8 million miles (3.5 million km) of Earth on June 5 and you can watch it happen live online.

Science communicator Hank Green explains how our species’ unique intelligence got us into this climate mess—and how it will help us solve it

Aurora chasers, keep your eyes on the skies as we might be in for another show this weekend, albeit slightly smaller than the performances earlier this week.

A 40-year-old conjecture on shapes’ cross sections is finally proven

As our ancestors developed more advanced tools and cultural practices, they also developed new ways of explaining concepts to others – culminating in the emergence of complex language

As our ancestors developed more advanced tools and cultural practices, they also developed new ways of explaining concepts to others – culminating in the emergence of complex language

Layoffs and funding freezes have gutted the CDC’s response to the opioid crisis—just as harm reduction was beginning to work

Surveys show that how nuclear strike options are presented strongly influences the decision a president may make

The velvet worm’s extraordinary goo could inspire recyclable bioplastics

The Meteosat Third Generation Sounder satellite (MTG-S) will generate a completely new type of data product, especially suited to nowcasting severe weather events. Here are five ways in which Europe’s latest weather satellite will change how we forecast weather.

Mikael Genberg discusses his "Moonhouse" project, which is about to land a tiny replica of the iconic red-and-white Swedish house on Earth's nearest neighbor.

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) newest planetary defender has opened its ‘eye’ to the cosmos for the first time. The Flyeye telescope’s ‘first light’ marks the beginning of a new chapter in how we scan the skies for new near-Earth asteroids and comets.

New research suggests that the largest magnetic fields in the universe originated through some exotic mechanism that absolutely soaked the early cosmos.

A 500-page proof that only a handful of people in the world claim to understand kicked off a saga unlike anything else in the history of mathematics – and now there’s a new twist to the story, says Jacob Aron

A 500-page proof that only a handful of people in the world claim to understand kicked off a saga unlike anything else in the history of mathematics – and now there’s a new twist to the story, says Jacob Aron

Despite reports of a recent surge in ADHD, a global analysis has found no reliable evidence of an increase in the number of children diagnosed with the condition since 2020

Scientists are rallying to reverse ruinous proposed cuts to both NASA and the National Science Foundation

After an extraordinary six-week voyage from northern Norway, the iconic Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl has docked in Nice, France, concluding ESA’s 2025 Advanced Ocean Training course. Braving everything from wild storms to calm near-freezing seas, students aboard mastered techniques for collecting ocean measurements and harnessed satellite data to unlock insights into our blue planet.

Led by experts, this real-world expedition offered more than education – it sparked curiosity and a deeper commitment to understanding and protecting our oceans.

NASA has quietly taken steps to prepare for a death in space. We need to ask how nations will deal with this inevitability now, as more people start traveling off the planet