New Scientist - Space https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2489792-peculiar-galaxy-seems-to-contain-surprisingly-pristine-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:00:51 +0100 Stars uncontaminated by heavier elements are thought to have formed very early in the universe, but a galaxy much later in cosmic history might let us see them for the first time 2489792-peculiar-galaxy-seems-to-contain-surprisingly-pristine-stars|2489792 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2488766-immortal-stars-could-live-forever-by-eating-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:00:16 +0100 A computer simulation of stars near the centre of our galaxy offers an explanation for their mysteriously young appearance – they may be capturing dark matter for extra fuel 2488766-immortal-stars-could-live-forever-by-eating-dark-matter|2488766 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2488725-little-red-dot-galaxies-have-now-been-found-in-our-local-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:00:26 +0100 Small, compact galaxies seen in the early universe have puzzled astronomers – finding these unusual objects closer to home could provide hints about how they form 2488725-little-red-dot-galaxies-have-now-been-found-in-our-local-universe|2488725 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2488696-adam-robertss-lake-of-darkness-is-a-quest-to-understand-utopia-itself/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:00:12 +0100 In his sci-fi novel Lake of Darkness , Adam Roberts set out to write a utopia, a genre predating science fiction that imagines a better or perfect world. "I wanted to investigate the logic of utopia itself. Is utopia possible?" he says. Despite this, he admits that utopia novels are hard: "There can be, by … 2488696-adam-robertss-lake-of-darkness-is-a-quest-to-understand-utopia-itself|2488696 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26735521-900-otherworldly-space-images-from-a-major-photography-competition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 16 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From a silhouetted space station to glowing comet tails and swirling stars, this year's ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest inspires us to see the cosmos in a new light mg26735521-900-otherworldly-space-images-from-a-major-photography-competition|2488253 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2488520-simple-device-can-produce-water-oxygen-and-fuel-from-lunar-soil/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 16 Jul 2025 17:00:58 +0100 Using samples collected by the Chinese Chang’e 5 mission, researchers have discovered a new way to release water from lunar regolith and process the carbon dioxide breathed out by astronauts 2488520-simple-device-can-produce-water-oxygen-and-fuel-from-lunar-soil|2488520 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2488140-water-might-be-even-more-important-for-alien-life-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:00:06 +0100 Without enough liquid water on the surface, a planet's atmosphere can become choked with carbon dioxide, raising temperatures to a level beyond what is survivable for all known life 2488140-water-might-be-even-more-important-for-alien-life-than-we-thought|2488140 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2488074-ligo-has-spotted-the-most-massive-black-hole-collision-ever-detected/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:01:13 +0100 A puzzling gravitational wave was detected, and astronomers have determined that it comes from a record-breaking black hole merger 2488074-ligo-has-spotted-the-most-massive-black-hole-collision-ever-detected|2488074 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2487950-we-may-have-finally-solved-an-ultra-high-energy-cosmic-ray-puzzle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:30:28 +0100 The IceCube neutrino detector has allowed researchers to resolve a debate about what types of particles make up ultra-high-energy cosmic rays – but much remains unknown about these rare events 2487950-we-may-have-finally-solved-an-ultra-high-energy-cosmic-ray-puzzle|2487950 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2487736-astronomers-found-a-completely-new-type-of-plasma-wave-near-jupiter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:00:11 +0100 Observations from NASA’s Juno spacecraft reveal that Jupiter’s strong magnetic field and the unique properties of its plasma can produce a truly novel kind of extraterrestrial wave near its poles 2487736-astronomers-found-a-completely-new-type-of-plasma-wave-near-jupiter|2487736 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26735510-100-the-cosmos-is-vast-so-how-do-we-measure-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The awe-inspiring distances of the cosmos are hard to visualise, so how can we be certain we are measuring them correctly? Chanda Prescod-Weinstein explains mg26735510-100-the-cosmos-is-vast-so-how-do-we-measure-it|2487153 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2487772-interstellar-visitor-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-comet-ever-seen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:33:13 +0100 Astronomers tracking an interstellar object flying through the solar system think it comes from a star at least 8 billion years old, almost twice the age of our sun 2487772-interstellar-visitor-3i-atlas-might-be-the-oldest-comet-ever-seen|2487772 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2487252-did-something-just-hit-saturn-astronomers-are-racing-to-find-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:10:12 +0100 Around seven asteroids or comets are thought to hit Saturn every year, but we have never spotted one in the act. Now, it seems one astronomer may have caught the moment of impact and the hunt is on for other images to verify the discovery 2487252-did-something-just-hit-saturn-astronomers-are-racing-to-find-out|2487252 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486915-meteorite-causes-rethink-of-how-and-when-our-solar-system-formed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:19:14 +0100 Rocky bodies called protoplanets were thought to have formed slightly earlier in the inner solar system than those beyond the asteroid belt, but now a meteorite from the outer solar system is rewriting that view 2486915-meteorite-causes-rethink-of-how-and-when-our-solar-system-formed|2486915 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486653-bioplastic-habitats-on-mars-could-be-built-from-algae/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:00:55 +0100 A lab experiment that simulated Mars conditions showed that green algae can grow in plastic containers made from the same algae, setting the stage for a self-sustaining system to build habitats on the planet 2486653-bioplastic-habitats-on-mars-could-be-built-from-algae|2486653 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486823-new-horizons-images-enable-first-test-of-interstellar-navigation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:12:47 +0100 By looking at the shifting of stars in photos from the New Horizons probe, astronomers have calculated its position in the galaxy – a technique that could be useful for interstellar missions 2486823-new-horizons-images-enable-first-test-of-interstellar-navigation|2486823 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486670-interstellar-comet-hurtling-through-solar-system-named-3i-atlas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:24:15 +0100 An object from another star has been seen entering the solar system at high speed, and is expected to whip around the sun in the coming months 2486670-interstellar-comet-hurtling-through-solar-system-named-3i-atlas|2486670 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486512-stunning-image-of-a-supernova-reveals-a-dead-star-that-exploded-twice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:00:52 +0100 Pictures of a distant supernova remnant show two concentric rings, providing clear evidence that exploding white dwarf stars go boom twice in the blink of an eye 2486512-stunning-image-of-a-supernova-reveals-a-dead-star-that-exploded-twice|2486512 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483986-why-are-the-physical-constants-of-the-universe-so-perfect-for-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:22 +0100 Conditions in our little pocket of the universe seem to be just right for life - and the much-debated anthropic principle forces us to wonder why 2483986-why-are-the-physical-constants-of-the-universe-so-perfect-for-life|2483986 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485990-read-an-extract-from-adam-robertss-far-future-set-lake-of-darkness/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:45:31 +0100 In this passage from near the opening of Lake of Darkness, the latest read for the New Scientist Book Club, we are given an insight into how deep-space travel works in Adam Roberts’s universe 2485990-read-an-extract-from-adam-robertss-far-future-set-lake-of-darkness|2485990 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486081-mystery-fireball-spotted-plummeting-to-earth-over-the-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:09:37 +0100 There have been hundreds of reports of sightings of a “fireball” in the skies over the southern US – it may have been a meteor breaking up as it falls through Earth’s atmosphere 2486081-mystery-fireball-spotted-plummeting-to-earth-over-the-us|2486081 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2485807-look-inside-the-revolutionary-vera-c-rubin-observatory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:05:56 +0100 After decades of planning and construction, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is about to begin a 10-year survey of the southern sky . This enormous telescope has already produced stunning new images of the heavens and discovered thousands of new asteroids . New Scientist got a behind-the-scenes look at the telescope during the first few … 2485807-look-inside-the-revolutionary-vera-c-rubin-observatory|2485807 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485692-weird-line-of-galaxies-may-have-been-created-by-a-cosmic-bullet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:00:16 +0100 A high-speed crash between two dwarf galaxies might explain a unique feature in space – and provide useful information on dark matter 2485692-weird-line-of-galaxies-may-have-been-created-by-a-cosmic-bullet|2485692 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485526-vera-rubin-observatory-has-already-found-thousands-of-new-asteroids/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:46:51 +0100 In just 10 hours of observing the night sky, the powerful new telescope detected more than 2000 new asteroids, including a few that will pass near Earth 2485526-vera-rubin-observatory-has-already-found-thousands-of-new-asteroids|2485526 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485408-stellar-flares-may-hamper-search-for-life-in-promising-star-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:53 +0100 Astronomers have been trying to detect atmospheres on planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, but bursts of radiation from the star make this challenging 2485408-stellar-flares-may-hamper-search-for-life-in-promising-star-system|2485408 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485201-stunning-first-images-show-the-power-of-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:00:19 +0100 A powerful new telescope in Chile is set to transform astronomy, and its first pictures of stellar nurseries and galaxies have just been unveiled 2485201-stunning-first-images-show-the-power-of-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory|2485201 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635480-800-this-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-to-marvel-at-the-milky-way/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Milky Way viewing is at its best right now, especially if you’re in the southern hemisphere. Here's what to look out for, says Abigail Beall mg26635480-800-this-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-to-marvel-at-the-milky-way|2484242 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485157-dead-nasa-satellite-unexpectedly-emits-powerful-radio-pulse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:00:23 +0100 Astronomers are puzzled by a strong burst of radio waves traced back to a NASA satellite that had been inactive since the 1960s 2485157-dead-nasa-satellite-unexpectedly-emits-powerful-radio-pulse|2485157 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635480-400-new-scientist-recommends-a-new-space-show-at-the-hayden-planetarium/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week mg26635480-400-new-scientist-recommends-a-new-space-show-at-the-hayden-planetarium|2484227 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484769-asteroid-on-collision-course-with-moon-could-fire-shrapnel-at-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:38:32 +0100 Earth is no longer at risk of a direct collision with the asteroid 2024 YR4, but an impact on the moon in 2032 could send debris hurtling towards our planet that could take out orbiting satellites 2484769-asteroid-on-collision-course-with-moon-could-fire-shrapnel-at-earth|2484769 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484544-why-you-should-join-a-watch-party-for-the-first-vera-c-rubin-images/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:50 +0100 The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is releasing its first images on 23 June, showing us galaxies as we’ve never seen them before. Here’s how you can join a party to see those shots in full definition 2484544-why-you-should-join-a-watch-party-for-the-first-vera-c-rubin-images|2484544 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484311-the-milky-ways-black-hole-may-be-spinning-at-top-speed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:00:06 +0100 Using machine learning to analyse data from the Event Horizon Telescope, researchers found the black hole at the centre of our galaxy is spinning almost as fast as possible 2484311-the-milky-ways-black-hole-may-be-spinning-at-top-speed|2484311 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484343-stunning-pictures-show-the-first-ever-artificial-solar-eclipse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:30:16 +0100 The Proba-3 mission, consisting of two spacecraft that fly in close formation to study the sun, has returned images of the first ever artificial solar eclipse 2484343-stunning-pictures-show-the-first-ever-artificial-solar-eclipse|2484343 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484193-perseverance-rover-may-hold-secrets-to-newly-discovered-mars-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:00:07 +0100 There appears to be a volcano near Jezero crater on Mars and the Perseverance rover might already have samples from it that we could use to precisely date the activity of another planet's volcano for the first time 2484193-perseverance-rover-may-hold-secrets-to-newly-discovered-mars-volcano|2484193 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483846-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory-is-about-to-totally-transform-astronomy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:27:37 +0100 With the ability to scan the entire southern night sky every three days, the huge Vera C. Rubin Observatory could be about to start solving the mysteries of the universe, from dark matter to Planet Nine 2483846-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory-is-about-to-totally-transform-astronomy|2483846 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635470-200-trumps-proposed-science-cuts-will-have-huge-consequences/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The universe will still be there to marvel at, despite brutal cuts set to hit NASA and the National Science Foundation's budgets. But the damage to future research will be long-lasting, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein mg26635470-200-trumps-proposed-science-cuts-will-have-huge-consequences|2483474 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483674-these-images-are-the-first-time-we-have-seen-the-suns-south-pole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:00:53 +0100 The Solar Orbiter spacecraft, a joint mission between the European Space Agency and NASA, is the first to venture into a tilted orbit around the sun, letting it take some unusual pictures 2483674-these-images-are-the-first-time-we-have-seen-the-suns-south-pole|2483674 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483828-impossible-particle-that-hit-earth-may-have-been-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:09:15 +0100 We may already have had our first-ever encounter with dark matter, according to researchers who say a mysteriously high-energy particle detected in 2023 is not a neutrino after all, but something far stranger 2483828-impossible-particle-that-hit-earth-may-have-been-dark-matter|2483828 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483574-starlink-satellites-are-leaking-radio-signals-that-may-ruin-astronomy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:00:55 +0100 Our ability to study faint radio signals from when the first stars began to form is being threatened by SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which seem to be unintentionally leaking radio signals that overpower astronomers' telescopes 2483574-starlink-satellites-are-leaking-radio-signals-that-may-ruin-astronomy|2483574 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635460-500-life-of-first-us-woman-in-space-sally-ride-makes-a-moving-documentary/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A new documentary sheds light on the extraordinary story of the US's first woman astronaut, Sally Ride, who defied all expectations in both her career and personal life mg26635460-500-life-of-first-us-woman-in-space-sally-ride-makes-a-moving-documentary|2482481 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483366-japans-resilience-moon-lander-has-crashed-into-the-lunar-surface/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:03:09 +0100 An attempt to become the third successful private landing on the moon has ended in failure, as ispace's Resilience probe crashed due to a malfunctioning laser sensor 2483366-japans-resilience-moon-lander-has-crashed-into-the-lunar-surface|2483366 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2483302-we-may-have-discovered-the-first-ever-stars-powered-by-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 06 Jun 2025 11:23:49 +0100 Dark stars were first suggested in 2007, but now observations with the James Webb Space Telescope hint that we may have actually found some of these unusual cosmic objects 2483302-we-may-have-discovered-the-first-ever-stars-powered-by-dark-matter|2483302 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482594-why-its-taking-a-century-to-pin-down-the-speed-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:00:58 +0100 The Hubble constant, a set number that connects a galaxy’s speed to its distance from Earth and tells us how fast the universe is expanding, was first described more than a hundred years ago – but astronomers have debated it ever since 2482594-why-its-taking-a-century-to-pin-down-the-speed-of-the-universe|2482594 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482828-private-ispace-resilience-probe-will-attempt-lunar-landing-this-week/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:05:30 +0100 If successful, Resilience will be only the third private spacecraft to complete a landing on the moon, and the first operated by a non-US company 2482828-private-ispace-resilience-probe-will-attempt-lunar-landing-this-week|2482828 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482664-trillion-dollars-worth-of-platinum-waiting-to-be-mined-on-the-moon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:29 +0100 Mining craters on the moon could be more practical than extracting precious metals from asteroids, but it might also introduce new legal difficulties 2482664-trillion-dollars-worth-of-platinum-waiting-to-be-mined-on-the-moon|2482664 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482339-will-spacexs-starship-rocket-ever-work-and-what-if-it-doesnt/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 29 May 2025 12:25:39 +0100 The failure of SpaceX’s ninth Starship launch has raised fresh concerns about the future of the rocket, but is there any alternative to Elon Musk’s approach to space? 2482339-will-spacexs-starship-rocket-ever-work-and-what-if-it-doesnt|2482339 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482320-amazing-images-reveal-new-details-in-the-suns-atmosphere/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 29 May 2025 12:01:09 +0100 City-sized droplets and twisting streams of plasma have been picked up by incredibly detailed images of the sun’s corona, showing our star as we’ve never seen it before 2482320-amazing-images-reveal-new-details-in-the-suns-atmosphere|2482320 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481905-the-sun-is-killing-off-spacexs-starlink-satellites/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 27 May 2025 15:00:28 +0100 There have never been so many satellites orbiting Earth as there are today, thanks in part to the launch of mega constellations like SpaceX's Starlink internet service - and now we are learning just how the sun's activity can affect them 2481905-the-sun-is-killing-off-spacexs-starlink-satellites|2481905 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481931-was-planet-nine-exiled-from-the-solar-system-as-a-baby/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 27 May 2025 16:00:20 +0100 The chance of a planet forming in the outer reaches of the solar system – a hypothetical Planet Nine – could be as high as 40 per cent, but it would have been a rough start 2481931-was-planet-nine-exiled-from-the-solar-system-as-a-baby|2481931 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481555-physicists-are-waging-a-cosmic-battle-over-the-nature-of-dark-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 26 May 2025 13:00:26 +0100 Results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) suggest that dark energy, a mysterious force in the universe, is changing over time. This would completely re-write our understanding of the cosmos - but now other physicists are challenging this view 2481555-physicists-are-waging-a-cosmic-battle-over-the-nature-of-dark-energy|2481555 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481477-new-dwarf-planet-spotted-at-the-edge-of-the-solar-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 22 May 2025 21:00:23 +0100 The unusual orbit of a possible dwarf planet, known as 2017 OF201, makes it less likely that our solar system contains a hidden ninth “Planet X” 2481477-new-dwarf-planet-spotted-at-the-edge-of-the-solar-system|2481477 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480992-weird-planet-is-orbiting-backwards-between-two-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 21 May 2025 17:00:29 +0100 After two decades of debate, research confirms that an odd binary star system has an equally odd planetary companion 2480992-weird-planet-is-orbiting-backwards-between-two-stars|2480992 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479469-china-is-readying-a-mission-to-two-rocky-bodies-in-our-solar-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 21 May 2025 11:00:01 +0100 China's ambitious Tianwen-2 mission will soon be heading to two extremely different space rocks, and should provide vital data to help us understand the nature of asteroids and comets 2479469-china-is-readying-a-mission-to-two-rocky-bodies-in-our-solar-system|2479469 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480956-earliest-galaxy-ever-seen-offers-glimpse-of-the-nascent-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 20 May 2025 19:00:08 +0100 The galaxy MoM-z14 dates back to 280 million years after the big bang, and the prevalence of such early galaxies is puzzling astronomers 2480956-earliest-galaxy-ever-seen-offers-glimpse-of-the-nascent-universe|2480956 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480740-astronomers-double-down-on-claim-of-strongest-evidence-for-alien-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 20 May 2025 11:44:42 +0100 Are there aliens living on the exoplanet K2-18b? Some astronomers believe they have evidence for molecules on the planet that must have a biological origin, but others disagree 2480740-astronomers-double-down-on-claim-of-strongest-evidence-for-alien-life|2480740 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480602-strange-sticky-dark-matter-could-be-lurking-in-a-distant-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 19 May 2025 12:00:18 +0100 Dark matter is thought to only interact through gravity, which is why it is so difficult to spot, but now evidence is growing for a type of dark matter that can also stick to itself 2480602-strange-sticky-dark-matter-could-be-lurking-in-a-distant-galaxy|2480602 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635430-800-already-know-the-big-dipper-theres-more-to-this-group-of-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Most of us can spot the group of stars known as the Plough or the Big Dipper. But there’s more to explore here, says Abigail Beall mg26635430-800-already-know-the-big-dipper-theres-more-to-this-group-of-stars|2479655 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480410-risk-of-a-star-destroying-the-solar-system-is-higher-than-expected/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:27 +0100 Stars that pass close to the solar system could pull planets out of alignment, sending them hurtling into the sun or out into space 2480410-risk-of-a-star-destroying-the-solar-system-is-higher-than-expected|2480410 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635430-300-a-doe-eyed-look-at-space-exploration-is-inadequate-for-the-zeitgeist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In highly politicised times, is living off-world something we should entertain, let alone do? Adriana Marais's futurist dream Out of This World and Into the Next feels tone deaf mg26635430-300-a-doe-eyed-look-at-space-exploration-is-inadequate-for-the-zeitgeist|2479640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480137-one-half-of-the-moon-is-hotter-than-the-other/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 14 May 2025 17:00:48 +0100 Anomalies in the moon’s gravitational field suggest our satellite’s insides are warmer on one side than the other – which means that its interior is asymmetric 2480137-one-half-of-the-moon-is-hotter-than-the-other|2480137 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479677-alien-megastructures-would-likely-self-destruct-before-we-spot-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 12 May 2025 13:00:57 +0100 Dyson spheres, a type of huge megastructure designed to capture the energy output of a star, would be a sign of an alien civilisation – if we can find one before they disappear 2479677-alien-megastructures-would-likely-self-destruct-before-we-spot-them|2479677 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479634-was-a-famous-supernova-an-alien-invader-from-another-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 09 May 2025 18:00:07 +0100 Kepler's Supernova, seen in 1604, is one of the most famous exploding stars ever seen, and now astronomers think it may have been an interloper from another galaxy 2479634-was-a-famous-supernova-an-alien-invader-from-another-galaxy|2479634 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479550-failed-soviet-probe-will-soon-crash-to-earth-and-we-dont-know-where/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 08 May 2025 22:20:41 +0100 Kosmos 482, a Soviet spacecraft that never made it beyond Earth’s orbit on its way to Venus, is due to come crashing down on 9 or 10 May 2479550-failed-soviet-probe-will-soon-crash-to-earth-and-we-dont-know-where|2479550 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478344-dark-energy-bombshell-sparks-race-to-find-a-new-model-of-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 02 May 2025 13:00:46 +0100 ‘Shocking’ results from a major astronomical study have raised doubts about the standard model of cosmology, forcing scientists to consider new ways of understanding dark energy and gravity 2478344-dark-energy-bombshell-sparks-race-to-find-a-new-model-of-the-universe|2478344 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635401-600-how-astonishing-observatories-could-do-big-physics-from-the-moon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0100 As humanity prepares to return to the moon, scientists also have ideas for huge lunar experiments that could revolutionise astrophysics mg26635401-600-how-astonishing-observatories-could-do-big-physics-from-the-moon|2477154 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477928-signs-of-alien-life-on-exoplanet-k2-18b-may-just-be-statistical-noise/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:49:21 +0100 Last week astronomers reported hints of biological activity on a distant planet, but a re-analysis of their data suggests the claimed molecules may not be there at all 2477928-signs-of-alien-life-on-exoplanet-k2-18b-may-just-be-statistical-noise|2477928 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477594-powerful-blasts-of-x-rays-could-reveal-a-black-hole-waking-from-sleep/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:00:16 +0100 Unusual signals called quasi periodic eruptions appear to come from black holes, but we don't know what creates them. Now astronomers have seen the most powerful one of these signals ever, and have a new idea about their cause 2477594-powerful-blasts-of-x-rays-could-reveal-a-black-hole-waking-from-sleep|2477594 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477392-claims-of-alien-life-are-overhyped-and-miss-the-real-accomplishment/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 18 Apr 2025 18:14:03 +0100 Whenever there’s even a slight chance that an exoplanet shows signs of biological activity, people understandably get excited – but it’s never been aliens, and we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, not this time or the next, says Chris Lintott 2477392-claims-of-alien-life-are-overhyped-and-miss-the-real-accomplishment|2477392 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476091-most-accurate-space-clock-to-launch-and-count-down-to-destruction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:00:16 +0100 A network of Earth's best clocks will be synchronised with the most accurate one ever sent into space. But the device has a short shelf life: it will burn up in the atmosphere at the end of the decade as the ISS deorbits 2476091-most-accurate-space-clock-to-launch-and-count-down-to-destruction|2476091 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477290-will-we-ever-have-confirmation-of-life-outside-our-solar-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:07:19 +0100 The report of possible biosignatures on the exoplanet K2-18b is exciting, but we are a long way from establishing beyond doubt that there is life on such a distant world 2477290-will-we-ever-have-confirmation-of-life-outside-our-solar-system|2477290 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477008-astronomers-claim-strongest-evidence-of-alien-life-yet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 17 Apr 2025 01:01:56 +0100 On a faraway planet, the James Webb Space Telescope has picked up signs of molecules that, on Earth, are produced only by living organisms – but researchers say we must interpret the results cautiously 2477008-astronomers-claim-strongest-evidence-of-alien-life-yet|2477008 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477039-exoplanet-found-in-odd-perpendicular-orbit-to-brown-dwarf-star-pair/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:00:10 +0100 It is rare to find brown dwarf stars orbiting in pairs, and this pair has an even more unusual exoplanet companion 2477039-exoplanet-found-in-odd-perpendicular-orbit-to-brown-dwarf-star-pair|2477039 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476805-the-race-to-visit-the-asteroid-making-the-closest-pass-by-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:00:16 +0100 Space agencies from the US, Europe and Japan are all making plans to visit the asteroid Apophis when it makes an extremely close flyby in 2029 to learn how to deflect others like it 2476805-the-race-to-visit-the-asteroid-making-the-closest-pass-by-earth|2476805 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476328-how-to-spot-the-2025-lyrids-and-eta-aquarids-meteor-showers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:00:56 +0100 The Lyrids and Eta Aquarids meteor showers can both be seen starting in late April, with viewing opportunities in both the northern and southern hemispheres 2476328-how-to-spot-the-2025-lyrids-and-eta-aquarids-meteor-showers|2476328 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635380-600-how-to-spot-haumea-one-of-the-solar-systems-strangest-objects/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Pluto isn’t the only dwarf planet in our solar system's outer reaches. Now is an ideal time to look for the egg-shaped Haumea, says Abigail Beall mg26635380-600-how-to-spot-haumea-one-of-the-solar-systems-strangest-objects|2475120 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476056-ringworld-extract-read-a-section-from-larry-nivens-timeless-classic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:30:13 +0100 In this extract from the classic science fiction novel, the latest read for the New Scientist Book Club, we meet Ringworld’s protagonist Louis Wu, as he travels a future Earth 2476056-ringworld-extract-read-a-section-from-larry-nivens-timeless-classic|2476056 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475330-can-amazons-soon-to-launch-kuiper-satellites-rival-musks-starlink/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:11:47 +0100 Amazon is aiming to launch its first operational satellites today to provide speedy internet connections in remote regions, but it will still take some time to catch up with its main competitor, SpaceX's Starlink   2475330-can-amazons-soon-to-launch-kuiper-satellites-rival-musks-starlink|2475330 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475523-how-long-is-a-day-on-uranus-slightly-longer-than-we-thought-it-seems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 08 Apr 2025 11:46:58 +0100 Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we now know that a day on Uranus lasts for 28 seconds longer than previously thought – a difference that could be crucial in planning future missions to the gas giant 2475523-how-long-is-a-day-on-uranus-slightly-longer-than-we-thought-it-seems|2475523 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2475308-astronomer-reviews-the-sci-fi-movies-that-get-creative-with-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 07 Apr 2025 20:00:27 +0100 Space is a favourite setting for many Hollywood films, but just how accurate are their portrayals? Patricia Skelton, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, sheds some light on the scientific rigour of her favourite movies. For example, during an explosive space battle scene in Star Trek, a crew member is tossed out into space … 2475308-astronomer-reviews-the-sci-fi-movies-that-get-creative-with-physics|2475308 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474089-quantum-eavesdropping-could-work-even-from-inside-a-black-hole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:00:25 +0100 An eavesdropper hiding inside a black hole could still obtain information about quantum objects on its outside, a finding that reveals how effectively black holes destroy the quantum states near their event horizons 2474089-quantum-eavesdropping-could-work-even-from-inside-a-black-hole|2474089 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474931-we-could-make-solar-panels-on-the-moon-by-melting-lunar-dust/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Researchers used a synthetic version of moon dust to build working solar panels, which could eventually be created within – and used to power – a moon base of the future 2474931-we-could-make-solar-panels-on-the-moon-by-melting-lunar-dust|2474931 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474255-nasa-cut-420-million-for-climate-science-moon-modelling-and-more/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:35:06 +0100 Under pressure from Elon Musk’s DOGE task force, NASA is cancelling grants and contracts for everything from lunar dust research to educational programmes 2474255-nasa-cut-420-million-for-climate-science-moon-modelling-and-more|2474255 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474150-asteroid-2024-yr4-could-still-hit-the-moon-jwst-observations-reveal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:21:45 +0000 Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which earlier this year seemed to be at risk of hitting Earth in 2032. Earth is now safe, but astronomers are cheering on a possible collision with the moon 2474150-asteroid-2024-yr4-could-still-hit-the-moon-jwst-observations-reveal|2474150 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2474340-watch-the-partial-solar-eclipse-from-londons-royal-observatory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Sat, 29 Mar 2025 10:02:38 +0000 On 29 March, a partial solar eclipse will pass over Canada and parts of northern Europe, including London.  Thanks to our friends at the Royal Observatory in London, we can experience this celestial event guided by their astronomers. Want to see a total eclipse? Why not join one of our Discover eclipse tours 2474340-watch-the-partial-solar-eclipse-from-londons-royal-observatory|2474340 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474071-little-red-dots-seen-by-jwst-might-be-a-kind-of-black-hole-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:00:10 +0000 Red specks in the early universe are puzzling astronomers, but a proposed explanation suggests they are the progenitors of supermassive black holes 2474071-little-red-dots-seen-by-jwst-might-be-a-kind-of-black-hole-star|2474071 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474034-weve-spotted-auroras-on-neptune-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:40:35 +0000 After nearly 36 years of searching, astronomers have finally confirmed Neptune has auroras, thanks to data from the James Webb Space Telescope 2474034-weve-spotted-auroras-on-neptune-for-the-first-time|2474034 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473890-an-early-hint-of-cosmic-dawn-has-been-seen-in-a-distant-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:00:56 +0000 A galaxy inside a bubble may be evidence that the universe was starting to become transparent 330 million years after the big bang 2473890-an-early-hint-of-cosmic-dawn-has-been-seen-in-a-distant-galaxy|2473890 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535353-900-is-our-cosmos-just-a-membrane-on-the-edge-of-a-far-stranger-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000 String theory may be our best attempt at a theory of everything, except that it can't describe an expanding universe like ours. Now a radical new twist on the idea could finally fix that – but it requires us to completely reimagine reality mg26535353-900-is-our-cosmos-just-a-membrane-on-the-edge-of-a-far-stranger-reality|2472635 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473170-nasa-has-made-the-first-radio-telescope-observations-on-the-moon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:00:28 +0000 The Odysseus spacecraft made a rough landing on the moon last year, toppling over and rendering much of its equipment unusable, but an onboard NASA radio telescope called ROLSES-1  was able to make some observations 2473170-nasa-has-made-the-first-radio-telescope-observations-on-the-moon|2473170 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472310-german-company-set-for-first-commercial-rocket-launch-from-europe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Isar Aerospace is preparing to launch its Spectrum rocket from a base in Norway, which would make it the first orbital launch from continental Europe outside Russia 2472310-german-company-set-for-first-commercial-rocket-launch-from-europe|2472310 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471743-dark-energy-isnt-what-we-thought-and-that-may-transform-the-cosmos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 19 Mar 2025 22:00:41 +0000 Our current best theories of the universe suggest that dark energy is making it expand faster and faster, but new observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument suggest this mysterious force is actually growing weaker 2471743-dark-energy-isnt-what-we-thought-and-that-may-transform-the-cosmos|2471743 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471894-euclid-space-telescope-captures-26-million-galaxies-in-first-data-drop/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:00:40 +0000 The European Space Agency has released the first batch of large-scale images from the Euclid space telescope, which astronomers have already used to find hundreds of strong gravitational lenses 2471894-euclid-space-telescope-captures-26-million-galaxies-in-first-data-drop|2471894 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472541-weird-meteorite-may-be-relic-of-lost-planet-that-no-longer-exists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 18 Mar 2025 18:00:34 +0000 A meteorite discovered in north-west Africa in 2023 didn’t come from a large asteroid or any of the known planets of the solar system – but it might have formed on a planet that was destroyed long ago 2472541-weird-meteorite-may-be-relic-of-lost-planet-that-no-longer-exists|2472541 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472144-best-ever-map-of-early-universe-is-double-edged-sword-for-cosmologists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 18 Mar 2025 16:00:20 +0000 The finest ever map of the cosmic microwave background - the faint evidence of the universe's early form - has yielded precise confirmation of the age of the cosmos and its rate of expansion. But for some scientists, the findings offer a frustrating lack of clues to major cosmological mysteries 2472144-best-ever-map-of-early-universe-is-double-edged-sword-for-cosmologists|2472144 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472570-new-evidence-microbes-played-a-role-in-mysterious-markings-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 18 Mar 2025 15:00:44 +0000 There are a couple potential explanations for distinctive markings found on a Martian rock, but new evidence suggests they are most likely to be related to microbial activity 2472570-new-evidence-microbes-played-a-role-in-mysterious-markings-on-mars|2472570 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472525-dust-devils-on-mars-produce-lightning-like-zaps-of-electricity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:00:32 +0000 NASA’s Perseverance rover recorded unusual sounds as a Martian dust devil passed directly over the robotic vehicle in 2021, and we now know they came from electrical activity in the storm 2472525-dust-devils-on-mars-produce-lightning-like-zaps-of-electricity|2472525 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472440-most-quakes-on-mars-happen-during-the-summer-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:00:08 +0000 NASA’s InSight lander recorded surprisingly large quakes that indicate Mars is more seismically active than we first thought. Mysteriously, they only happen during Martian summers 2472440-most-quakes-on-mars-happen-during-the-summer-and-we-dont-know-why|2472440 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472319-rolling-boulders-on-titan-could-threaten-nasas-dragonfly-mission/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:00:31 +0000 The wind on Saturn's largest moon is strong enough to blow around rocks of up to half a metre in diameter, which could put NASA's upcoming Dragonfly mission at risk 2472319-rolling-boulders-on-titan-could-threaten-nasas-dragonfly-mission|2472319 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472195-how-a-start-up-plans-to-mine-the-moon-for-a-rare-form-of-helium/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:00:26 +0000 A private moon mission planned for 2027 will be the first step towards commercial lunar mining of rare and expensive helium-3 2472195-how-a-start-up-plans-to-mine-the-moon-for-a-rare-form-of-helium|2472195 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472476-giant-milky-way-like-galaxy-formed-unusually-soon-after-the-big-bang/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:00:36 +0000 The Big Wheel, discovered using the James Webb Space Telescope, formed just 2 billion years after the big bang - surprisingly early for a spiral galaxy of a similar size to our Milky Way 2472476-giant-milky-way-like-galaxy-formed-unusually-soon-after-the-big-bang|2472476