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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Astronomy

    A cosmic ‘Platypus’ might link two astronomical mysteries

    A flash of light called the Platypus has hallmarks of a mid-sized black hole shredding a star and a type of burst thought to be a stellar explosion.

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  2. Astronomy

    Galactic chaos at cosmic noon may have stunted Milky Way planet formation

    High radiation during a time of frenzied star formation in the Milky Way left one stellar population with few chances to form planets, a study reports.

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  3. Planetary Science

    A crumbling exoplanet spills its guts

    Astronomers have determined the internal composition of a distant, disintegrating planet for the first time.

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  4. Cosmology

    How we might finally find black holes from the cosmic dawn

    After decades of study, scientists sound genuinely optimistic about the possibility of detecting primordial black holes, which might explain dark matter.

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  5. Planetary Science

    Pluto may have captured its moon Charon with a kiss

    When Pluto met Charon, there was an instant connection, new simulations suggest.

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  6. Space

    NASA’s Parker Solar Probe survived its closest approach to the sun

    The solar probe came within 6.1 million kilometers of the surface of the sun and lived to tell the tale.

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  7. Particle Physics

    Scientists are building underwater neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean

    The KM3NeT telescopes, currently under construction, will catch high-energy neutrinos that could reveal secrets of the cosmos.

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  8. Science & Society

    These are the 5 most popular Science News stories of 2024

    Science News drew millions of visitors to our website this year. Here’s a recap of the most-read and most-watched news stories of 2024.

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  9. Space

    50 years ago, astronomers saw the surface of a distant star for the first time

    In the 1970s, technological advances let scientists peer through stars’ atmospheres. Now, scientists can measure roiling gas in the stars themselves.

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  10. Life

    These scientific feats set new records in 2024

    Noteworthy findings include jumbo black hole jets, an ultrapetite frog, ancient asteroid remnants and more.

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  11. Space

    What will space exploration look like under Trump?

    A lot is unknown, but the roles of billionaires like Elon Musk and Jared Isaacman suggests a focus on human and private spaceflight.

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  12. Life

    Here are 8 remarkable scientific firsts of 2024

    Making panda stem cells, mapping a fruit fly’s brain and witnessing a black hole wake up were among the biggest achievements of the year.

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