Presence of airborne dust could signify increased habitability of distant planets
Scientists have expanded our understanding of potentially habitable planets orbiting distant stars by including a critical climate component - the presence of airborne dust.
Cosmic quasars embrace 1970s fashion trend
The team has found that the shape of these so-called astrophysical jets changes from parabolic to conical at some distance from the black hole, reminiscent of the iconic flared jeans of the '70s.
Ancient asteroid impacts created the ingredients of life on Earth and Mars
A new study reveals that asteroid impact sites in the ocean may possess a crucial link in explaining the formation of the essential molecules for life.
First global map of rockfalls on the Moon
In October 2015, a spectacular rockfall occurred in the Swiss Alps: in the late morning hours, a large, snow-covered block with a volume of more than 1500 cubic meters suddenly detached from the summit of Mel de la Niva.
Asteroids Bennu and Ryugu may have formed directly from collision in space
Scientists with NASA's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, are gaining a new understanding of asteroid Bennu's carbon-rich material and signature "spinning-top" shape.
A new concept of space exploration for understanding Sun and the inner heliosphere
With the development of science and technology, human's activity was and is expanding from land, sea and sky to the space and other planets.
ESPRESSO confirms the presence of an Earth around the nearest star
The existence of a planet the size of Earth around the closest star in the solar system, Proxima Centauri, has been confirmed by an international team of scientists including researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE).
‘Distance’ from the brightest stars is key to preserving primordial discs
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope was used to conduct a three-year study of the crowded, massive and young star cluster Westerlund 2.
Astronomers predict bombardment from asteroids and comets in another planetary system
The planetary system around star HR8799 is remarkably similar to our Solar System.
Cosmic bursts unveil universe’s missing matter
Astronomers have used mysterious fast radio bursts to solve a decades-old mystery of 'missing matter', long predicted to exist in the Universe but never detected--until now.
Under pressure, black holes feast
It has been known for some time that when distant galaxies --and the supermassive black holes within their cores -- aggregate into clusters, these clusters create a volatile, highly pressurized environment.
Terrestrial bacteria can grow on nutrients from space
In the past decade, there has been renewed thinking about missions to the moon, perhaps even to Mars.
MAVEN maps electric currents around mars that are fundamental to atmospheric loss
Five years after NASA's MAVEN spacecraft entered into orbit around Mars, data from the mission has led to the creation of a map of...
Charging orbital fees to solve the problem of space junk in orbit
The orbit around the earth is becoming crowded with aging satellites and space debris that presents a risk of collision with every new launch.
Astronomers see ‘cosmic ring of fire,’ 11 billion years ago
Astronomers have captured an image of a super-rare type of galaxy - described as a "cosmic ring of fire" - as it existed 11...
