Astrophysics
Astronomers Spy a Black Hole's Double 'Burp'
New observations suggest that black holes cycle between activity and rest
New Clues to the Origins of the Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts From Space
New analysis suggests that the bursts originate near massive black holes or neutron stars
Dust, Not an Alien Megastructure, Likely Causes Strange Winks in Tabby’s Star Brightness
After extensive observations, researchers can now confidently say: It's not aliens
In Attempt to Contact Intelligent Life, Group Sends Musical Signal Toward Planet GJ 273b
Though the chances are slim, the team hopes this latest transmission is just the first of many
Astronomers Spot One of the Oldest Galaxies in the Universe
The dusty, star-forming galaxy is 12.8 billion years old
How Scientists Identified the Oldest Known Solar Eclipse ... Using the Bible
The new research by two physicists adds to astronomical knowledge—and overturns previous Biblical interpretations
Our Nearest Neighbor Might Harbor Its Own Solar System
New data from Proxima Centauri shows it has a ring of cold dust—a sign that many planets may orbit the distant star
What the Neutron Star Collision Means for Dark Matter
The latest LIGO observations rekindle a fiery debate over how gravity works: Does the universe include dark matter, or doesn’t it?
Stephen Hawking's PhD Thesis Goes Online, Crashing Internet Servers
After less than a day on the internet, it racked up 60,000 downloads
Scientists Spot the Spark From Ancient Collision of Neutron Stars
The chirp and flash from the event offers clues to the origin of Earth's precious metals
World's Largest Radio Telescope Spies Its First Pulsars
Still in its trial run, the China's FAST radio telescope has already identified two new pulsars and perhaps a dozen more
How a 1604 Supernova Presented a Challenge to Astronomers
The supernova provided proof to Galileo, Kepler and others that the heavens were not fixed–although they were wrong about what caused the bright star
Could a Magnetic Shield Protect Earth From Space Weather?
A bad geomagnetic storm would fry the electric grid and cripple civilization for years—a space shield is cheap by comparison
Three Scientists Behind the Detection of Gravitational Waves Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics
The trio is the leading force behind the massive pair of detectors that can measures ripples in the fabric of space-time smaller than the width of a proton
Scientists Detect Fourth Gravitational Wave, Homing in on an Ancient Black Hole Collision
By triangulating measurements, scientists could soon detect these once elusive energy bursts on a weekly basis with greater precision than ever before
Why Everyone Went on a Wild Goose Chase Looking for the Planet Vulcan
The idea of a ninth planet in the Solar System would resolve a mathematical conundrum about Mercury–only problem is, it wasn't there
Astronomers Detect 15 Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts From a Distant Galaxy
The new cosmic blasts may help researchers finally figure out what's producing the energy in space
This Is the Best Image of a Star Beyond Our Solar System (Yet)
A detailed convection map of the red supergiant Antares is spectacular, but it also shows we don't know everything that's going on
Half of Our Atoms May Come From Other Galaxies
According to computer simulations, large galaxies may grow by sucking in matter smaller star clusters expel
Could You Crash Into a Black Hole?
Probably not, but it’s fun to think about
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