Astronomy
A Possible Crisis in the Cosmos Could Lead to a New Understanding of the Universe
Several unexplained measurements are threatening to upend scientists’ understanding of the universe’s origin and fate
Astrophysics1384 articles archived since 1845
Astrophysics
‘Modified’ Gravity May Make Planet Nine Disappear
Strange patterns in the orbits of small objects in the outer solar system could be explained by gaps in our understanding of gravity rather than an as-yet-unseen new world
Astrophysics
Traces of Oldest and Largest Solar Storm Found in Buried French Forest
An enormous “Miyake event”—a bombardment of Earth by particles from the sun—hit 14,300 years ago. Such an event today would have devastating effects
Astrophysics
Can Lucky Planets Get a Second Chance at Life?
Worlds around red giant stars—and others that don’t orbit any star at all—hint at an unexpected diversity of possibilities for planets and life in the universe
Astrophysics
Song of the Stars, Part 3: The Universe in all Senses
An astronomy festival in Italy opted to make all of its events and workshops multisensory. They wanted to see whether sound, touch and smell can, like sight, transmit the wonders of the cosmos...
Astrophysics
Song of the Stars, Part 2: Seeing in the Dark
In 2014, a blind astronomer “sonified” the universe’s most explosive event: a gamma-ray burst. By listening to, rather than looking at, the data, she made a critical discovery and changed the field of astronomy...
Astrophysics
Song of the Stars, Part 1: Transforming Space into Symphonies
Space is famously silent, but astronomers and musicians are increasingly turning astronomical data into sound as a way to make discoveries and inspire people who are blind or visually impaired...
Astronomy
Mistranslation of Newton’s First Law Discovered after Nearly 300 Years
A new interpretation of Isaac Newton’s writings clarifies what the father of classical mechanics meant in his first law of motion
Astronomy
What Color Is the Sun?
Yellow, white or maybe even green—the sun’s hue depends on how you see it
Astronomy
Will the Universe Ever Stop Expanding?
Scientists debate what the future of the cosmos looks like and whether space will ever stop getting bigger and bigger
Astrophysics
The Colors of Stars, Explained
From dim red to brilliant blue, stellar colors span the spectrum—and reveal how much any star brings the heat
Astrophysics
This Bizarre Star Could Become One of the Strongest Magnets in the Universe
Magnetars possess magnetic fields that are trillions of times stronger than those of ordinary stars. Now we might have seen one of these extraordinary objects about to form
Astrophysics
A Background ‘Hum’ Pervades the Universe. Scientists Are Racing to Find Its Source
Astronomers are now seeking to pinpoint the origins of an exciting new form of gravitational waves that was announced earlier this year
Astronomy
Can You Decode an Alien Message?
An artist, a programmer and a scientist have created a simulation of extraterrestrial communication to test Earthlings’ ability to understand it
Astrophysics
Rippling Waves of Plasma May Cause Massive Stars to ‘Twinkle’
Scientists have developed a new model to predict how much “gravity waves” could alter a star’s brightness
Astrophysics
Helium in Distant Galaxies May Help Explain Why the Universe Exists
New measurements from Japan’s Subaru telescope have helped researchers study the matter-antimatter asymmetry problem
Astronomy
The Most Surprising Discoveries in Physics
Experts weigh in on the most shocking, paradigm-shifting and delightful findings in the history of physics
Astronomy
Only 26 Black Women Have Ever Become Astrophysicists in the U.S. Here’s One’s Story
Astrophysicist Aomawa Shields recounts her alternative career path in a new memoir about life, space and motherhood
Astrophysics
Nearby Supernova Gives Unique View of a Dying Star’s Last Days
Astronomers are piecing together the final moments of supernova 2023ixf and learning more about it than any other in recent history
Astrophysics
JWST Might Have Spotted the First Dark Matter Stars
Stars fueled by the self-annihilation of dark matter might have been spotted for the first time by JWST
