Space
- Physics
Much of the sun’s light is green. Why does it look yellow?
Sunlight's peak intensity is at a green wavelength. Here’s why it doesn’t appear that way to us.
- Space
The universe: How will it end?
The Big Bang likely brought our universe into existence. What will mark its grand finale? Scientists blend imagination and data to make predictions.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Nucleosynthesis
For this nuclei-forging cosmic process, the Big Bang was just a way to get started.
- Planets
Pluto and its moon Charon may have paired up with a kiss
After about 30 hours of contact, Charon could have separated from Pluto and drifted into its current orbit.
- Planets
A distant crumbling planet spills its guts
Based on the light being emitted by its shed minerals, astronomers can for the first time determine the internal composition of an exoplanet.
- Planets
So many wondrous moons — just a spaceship ride away
Scientists are studying extraterrestrial moons for clues to how planets form, how life began — and whether there’s life out there right now.
- Space
Ancient black holes might solve the mystery of dark matter
Studies of gravitational waves, stars and other features of the universe could reveal whether such “primordial” black holes exist.
- Space
Jane Rigby helped make the James Webb telescope a superstar
The senior project scientist for the JWST, Rigby believes being part of the LGBTQ+ community has made her a better astronomer.
- Space
This zombie star’s spiky filaments are baffling astronomers
The star's odd tendrils were somehow formed by a supernova that skywatchers saw way back in 1181.
- Planets
Scientists Say: Regolith
This sandlike dust blankets planets, asteroids and other rocky surfaces of our solar system, including our own planet.
- Space
The biggest discoveries of Voyagers — NASA’s most distant explorers
Voyager 1 and 2 left Earth in 1977 to fly by the outer planets. Nearly 50 years later, these spacecraft are still transforming our knowledge of space.
- Space
Let’s learn about the International Space Station
Astronauts on the space station have gathered data on everything from climate change to dark matter.
