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Outer Space

An artist's impression shows two tiny but very dense neutron stars at the point at which they merge and explode as a kilonova.

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?

The International Space Station can be seen as a small object in upper left of this image of the moon in the early evening Jan. 4 in the skies over the Houston area flying at an altitude of 242.8 miles.

Out-of-This-World Facts for International Observe the Moon Night

This Saturday, people around the world will be gazing up at the glowing orb in the sky

New Research

Google Earth Leads to Discovery of 400 Stone “Gates” in Saudi Arabia

Amateur researchers first came across the rock structures in 2004. Four years later, after seeing them again on Google Earth, they decided to investigate

This illustration shows a star's light illuminating the atmosphere of a planet.

New Research

The Search for Habitable Worlds Just Got a Boost

More realistic simulations of the atmosphere of far-flung planets are helping researchers sort out the best candidates for possible life

An Orionid meteor

Trending Today

Look Up: The Orionid Meteor Shower Will Streak Through Skies This Weekend

Bits of Halley’s Comet are raining down on Earth, and the show will peak in the wee hours of Saturday morning

Could satellites ever prevent natural disasters?

The “Science” Behind “Geostorm”, the Newest Weather-Fueled Doomsday Flick

Researchers have long sought control over the weather, but have yet to find a realistic way to master it

Jemison aboard the space shuttle 'Endeavour' in the Spacelab Japan science module.

This Groundbreaking Astronaut and Star Trek Fan Is Now Working on Interstellar Travel

Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, wants us to look beyond Earth

"We were joking that we could do some kind of a comedy about organ printing," says Zach Weinersmith. "What if there was this world where every part of your body is disposable? Everyone could act way more dangerously."

Ten Technologies That Will Change Our Lives, Soonish

A scientist and admired cartoonist explore how today’s research is becoming tomorrow’s innovations in a new book

An illustration of two neutron stars merging, ejecting gamma ray streams and clouds of matter that produce heavy elements and light

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

New research allowed astronomers to see a star forming region on the other side of the galaxy.

New Research

Scientists Peek Across the Galaxy to the “Dark Side” of the Milky Way

Until now, researchers haven’t been able to map half of the galaxy we call home

Artist's depiction of a pulsar.

Cool Finds

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

Trending Today

An October Harvest Moon Rises Tonight

The full moon closest to the equinox rises soon after sunset, casting a glow early evening that helps farmers bring in their crops

Trending Today

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

Rosetta's last image, a 11-foot square area of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Cool Finds

Scientists Discover One Last Image From the Rosetta Mission

The probe sent partial data for the photo before it crash landed on a comet September 30, 2016

An artist's impression of ripples in the fabric of space-time formed from the collision of two black holes.

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

An illustration envisioning how the satellite OSIRIS-REx will collect rocks from the asteroid Bennu

How a Satellite Just Used Earth Like a Slingshot

On its way to study an asteroid for clues about the origins of life, OSIRIS-REx got a little boost from Earth’s gravity

Behind Saturn's icy rings is the moon Tethys, illuminated by the planet's reflected sunlight.

How Scientists Engineered Cassini’s Final Demise

After a rich scientific life, Cassini went out in a blaze, becoming one with the planet it had revolved around for so long

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio poses with the bacteria grown with antibiotics on the International Space Station

New Research

Why Bacteria in Space Are Surprisingly Tough to Kill

Learning how space changes microbes might help fight antibiotic resistance here on Earth

This illustration shows NASA's Cassini Spacecraft above Saturn's northern hemisphere.

Trending Today

Celebrate Cassini’s Historic Voyage in Eight Incredible Images

After 13 years of exploration, one of NASA’s most successful probes will crash into Saturn’s atmosphere

Skybolt 2 launch

Trending Today

Rocket Powered by Recycled Tires and Hope Launches in the U.K.

With a successful test of the Skybolt 2 rocket, Starchaser Industries takes a step towards sending tourists into space

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