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Astronomers have found a massive cluster of galaxies hiding in plain sight.
Astronomers have found a massive cluster of galaxies hiding in plain sight. Obscured by their own creation—dust—these giants are forming stars at rates that challenge our understanding of the universe.
The Paradox: Young stars emit brilliant ultraviolet light. But they form inside dense clouds of dust.
Jan 241 min read


Scientists have reverse-engineered evolution to rebuild an ancient enzyme.
Scientists have reverse-engineered evolution to rebuild an ancient enzyme. By putting it inside living bacteria, they are viewing Earth's past—and the future of finding aliens—through a new lens.
The Target: Nitrogenase. Without this enzyme turning air into food (ammonia), life as we know it wouldn't exist.
Jan 241 min read


Astronomers have found a 13-atom chemical ring that bridges the gap between interstellar dust and the origins of life
Deep in the Milky Way, astronomers have found a 13-atom chemical ring that bridges the gap between interstellar dust and the origins of life.
Until now, space sulfur was only found in tiny fragments—molecules with fewer than 6 atoms.
Jan 241 min read


Edmond Halley gets the credit, but a flying monk named Eilmer knew the secret 600 years earlier.
Edmond Halley gets the credit, but a flying monk named Eilmer knew the secret 600 years earlier. "I see you, you bringer of tears..."989 AD: Eilmer, a young monk at Malmesbury Abbey, witnesses a terrifying "hairy star." It coincides with Viking raids and the death of an Archbishop. He never forgets it.
Jan 241 min read


Why do icy comets contain fire-forged crystals?
Why do icy comets contain fire-forged crystals? JWST has found the answer in a violent, pulsating protostar called EC 53.
The Paradox: Comets form in the freezing outer reaches of a solar system. Yet, they contain Crystalline Silicates—gems like olivine that require 1000 Kelvin heat to form.
Jan 221 min read


Why does Saturn have one giant storm while Jupiter has a cluster of them?
Why does Saturn have one giant storm while Jupiter has a cluster of them? New fluid dynamics simulations suggest the answer lies deep underground.
Jupiter and Saturn are siblings—similar size, similar gas composition. Yet their weather at the poles couldn't be more different.
Jan 191 min read


New X-ray data reveal that a massive galaxy cluster is still trembling from a cosmic collision that occurred millions of years ago.
It looks calm on the surface. But new X-ray data reveals that this massive galaxy cluster is still trembling from a cosmic collision millions of years ago.
The Target: Abell 3571, a titan weighing 910 trillion solar masses.
First Impression: To early X-ray telescopes, it looked "relaxed"—a perfect sphere of glowing gas. No signs of trouble.
Jan 191 min read


Is Earth the only green planet? NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) aims to find out
Is Earth the only green planet? NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) aims to find out—but it might find purple worlds, green oceans, or red rocks instead.
Jan 191 min read


Scientists have detected "chirping" plasma waves at Mercury identical to those on Earth
Scientists have detected "chirping" plasma waves at Mercury identical to those on Earth, proving that even tiny magnetospheres can sing.
Chorus Emissions: Electromagnetic waves generated by energetic electrons spiraling in a magnetic field. On Earth, they sound like a flock of chirping birds when converted to audio.
Jan 191 min read


The timing of two exploding stars could finally tell us how fast the universe is expanding.
Two exploding stars, magnified by gravity, are arriving in replay. Their timing could finally tell us how fast the universe is expanding.
Massive galaxy clusters warp space-time, acting as giant lenses. When a supernova explodes behind one, its light takes multiple paths to reach Earth.
Jan 191 min read


Deep in the Orion Molecular Cloud, baby stars are throwing a tantrum.
Deep in the Orion Molecular Cloud, baby stars are throwing a tantrum. Powerful winds and jets are carving out caverns in the gas, shaping the future of their solar systems.
A protostar isn't just a passive ball of gas. It is a violent engine.
Accretion: Gas falls in from a disk, feeding the star.
Jan 191 min read


We thought Betelgeuse was dying alone. New evidence reveals a secret partner
We thought Betelgeuse was dying alone. New evidence reveals a secret partner, "Siwarha," pushing the red giant toward its explosive fate.
Betelgeuse has been acting strange—dimming, brightening, and pulsing. While some of this is due to aging, a 6-year cycle stood out.
Jan 191 min read
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