Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
A possible new dwarf planet skirts the solar system’s edge
For the dwarf planet candidate, one trip around the sun takes over 24,000 years. Its orbit challenges a proposed path for a hypothetical Planet Nine.
- Space
A private Japanese spacecraft failed on its way to the moon’s surface
The spacecraft’s owner, ispace, is attempting to land these crafts to commercialize lunar resources.
- Astronomy
A dwarf galaxy just might upend the Milky Way’s predicted demise
The Milky Way may merge with the Large Magellanic Cloud in 2 billion years, not Andromeda, contrary to previous findings.
- Planetary Science
Venus’ tectonics may be actively reshaping its surface
Circular landforms speckling the Venusian surface may be the work of tectonic activity.
- Space
A passing star could fling Earth out of orbit
Simulations show that the star's tug could send Mercury, Venus or Mars crashing into Earth — or let Jupiter eject our world from the solar system.
- Space
Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora
A faint yet visible Martian aurora is the first instance of the phenomenon spotted from another planet's surface.
- Space
A Soviet spacecraft has returned to Earth
Kosmos 482 launched for Venus in 1972 but never left Earth orbit. The spacecraft finally lost enough energy that it couldn't fight gravity anymore.
- Astronomy
A gas cloud 5,500 times as massive as the sun lurks nearby
At 300 light-years away, the interstellar cloud is the closest of its kind ever found to Earth and the largest apparent single structure in the sky.
- Space
See how the Hubble Space Telescope is still revolutionizing astronomy
Hubble is still going strong 35 years after it was launched into space. Celebrate its anniversary with some out-of-this-world images.
- Astronomy
A gas clump in the Milky Way’s neighborhood might be a ‘dark galaxy’
A blob of gas seen outside the Milky Way could be a type of starless, dark matter–dominated galaxy. Some scientists are skeptical.
- Astronomy
A claimed hint of alien life whips up spirited debate
Astronomers have a lot of thoughts about the latest paper claiming we’ve found the strongest hints of alien life yet on the distant planet K2 18b.
- Space
A NASA rover finally found Mars’ missing carbon
The Curiosity rover identified hidden caches of the mineral siderite, which could help explain why Mars lost its habitable climate.
