An artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18b. Could an alien world have a biosphere? (Image credit: A. Smith, N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge)) The most talked about planet in the universe right now is K2-18b, a potentially habitable planet orbiting…
(Image credit: Science Photo Library via Getty Images) Jump to: Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and the fifth farthest from the sun. This gas giant is known for its beautiful cloud bands, a set of thin…
A storm near Jupiter’s north pole was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The ammonia-rich clouds produced by these storms help create accurate weather models for many exoplanets. (Image credit: NASA) Jupiter weather forecasting now includes softball-shaped hailstones known as “mushballs”…
An illustration of a supermassive black hole surrounded by dust. (Image credit: ESA) Observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) show that a black hole that grows rapidly and appears to defy the laws of physics is actually…
A mosaic of Saturn taken by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft on November 20, 2017. The image is a composite of 42 wide-angle photographs taken with red, green, and blue spectral filters that were combined and stitched together to form a natural-color…
Data from NASA’s STEREO mission showing the solar wind in action. The researchers reduced the brightness of stars and dust in the collected data to make the solar wind stand out more clearly. (Image credit: NASA/SwRI/Craig DeForest) Continuous emissions of…
An image from the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. (Image credit: National Science Foundation Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope) The weather on our planet can be unpredictable, but it’s not the only type of atmospheric conditions we have to cope…
Illustration of the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall. Our entire galaxy sits on one of these tiny strands. (Image credit: Robert Lee (created with Canva)) The largest structure in the Universe, the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall, was already difficult to analyze…
Magnetars are capable of tearing apart anything that gets too close to their powerful magnetic fields. (Image credit: Getty Images) Astronomers have identified an incredibly powerful “zombie star” hurtling through the Milky Way at more than 110,000 mph (177,000 km/h).…
NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered a unique dark, jagged rock called Skull Hill while exploring the rim of Jezero Crater. The rock stands out from its lighter surroundings and scientists believe it may have been transported from another location. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)…
An illustration of a Dyson sphere surrounded by a star (Image credit: Marc Ward/Stocktrek Images/Getty) Dyson spheres, theoretical megastructures that advanced alien civilizations could use to envelop a star and extract its energy, have a serious flaw: They are horribly…
A new study has found that lichens can withstand the intense ionizing radiation that hits the surface of Mars. (The lichen in this photo is Cetraria aculeata.) (Image credit: Pensoft) A recent study suggests that organisms known as lichens may…