Astronomy
Some planets might home brew their own water
Tests on olivine hint that water-rich exoplanets could generate H2O internally, possibly explaining ocean worlds and even some of Earth’s early water.
Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Space
- Astronomy
See a 3-D map of stellar nurseries based on data from the Gaia telescope
The map, spanning 4,000 light-years from the sun in all directions, combines a chart of space dust with the effects of a rare type of young, hot star.
- Planetary Science
Dwarf planet Makemake sports the most remote gas in the solar system
The methane gas may constitute a rarefied atmosphere, or it may come from erupting plumes on Makemake’s surface.
- Space
This black hole flipped its magnetic field
Event Horizon Telescope data reveal the magnetic field around M87* shifted, weakened and then flipped, defying theoretical expectations.
- Planetary Science
Enceladus’ ocean may not have produced precursor chemicals for life
Building blocks of life have been found on this moon of Saturn. They may come from chemical reactions beyond Enceladus’ possible life-supporting ocean.
- Particle Physics
A primordial black hole may have spewed the highest energy neutrino ever found
The Big Bang may have spawned these theoretical black holes, whose lives are thought to end in a burst of extremely energetic particles.
- Space
How a Harvard maverick forever changed our concept of the stars
At just 25, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin applied quantum physics to a treasure trove of astronomical observations to show that stars are mostly hydrogen and helium.
- Planetary Science
Future Martians will need to breathe. It won’t be easy
Asteroid impacts, microbes, mining: These are a few tactics engineers might one day use to create an Earthlike atmosphere on Mars.
- Physics
A ‘ringing’ black hole matches scientists’ predictions
Gravitational waves emitted after two black holes coalesced agree with theories from physicists Stephen Hawking and Roy Kerr.
- Planetary Science
Seismic waves suggest Mars has a solid heart
NASA’s InSight lander listened to Marsquakes for four years. The tremors revealed that Mars may have a solid inner core.
