Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Pluto: A timeline of 85 years of discovery
Several observations in the last 85 years have given astronomers a little more information about Pluto, and the July 2015 flyby will offer the closest look yet at the solar system's far-flung satellite.
- Physics
The arrow of time
Gravity may explain how time always runs forward, even though the laws of physics should permit it to run backward.
- Planetary Science
Get New Horizons’ views of Pluto
The “Eyes on Pluto” app lets you ride alongside New Horizons for a simulated preview of the spacecraft’s impending encounter with the dwarf planet.
- Cosmology
Brightest supernova breaks record
A recent supernova shines with the light of 600 billion suns.
- Astronomy
Massive black hole lurks in lightweight galaxy
A heavyweight black hole grew to weigh as much as 7 billion suns within the first 2 billion years after the Big Bang.
- Astronomy
Exploding star breaks record for brightest supernova
A recent supernova shines with the light of 600 billion suns.
- Planetary Science
Pluto is only a ‘day’ away
Just one Pluto-day to go until New Horizons tears past the dwarf planet and its moons.
- Planetary Science
New Horizons recovers from overload, is on track for Pluto flyby
New Horizons transmits the best pictures of Pluto to date shortly before the spacecraft went quiet over the weekend.
- Astronomy
Beta Pictoris planet makes waves
Spiral waves whip through the belt of debris around a young star — and it’s all a giant planet’s fault.
- Planetary Science
Pluto may have spots the size of Missouri
Dark spots emerge on the surface of Pluto in recent images from the New Horizons spacecraft.
- Life
Puzzling cosmic signals, processed food defined and more reader feedback
Readers sort out a definition for processed food, discuss the benefits of tinkering with human DNA and more.
- Astronomy
A loopy look at sunspots
In visible light, sunspots look like dark blotches that often expel flares of searing plasma. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory offers a different view.
