Space
- Planetary Science
Plate tectonics spotted on Europa
First evidence for plate tectonics elsewhere in solar system discovered on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa.
- Astronomy
Rosetta’s comet shows few signs of surface ice
The first data sent back from one instrument aboard the Rosetta spacecraft suggests that comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has little surface ice.
- Astronomy
Plasma corkscrews form on sun during stellar eruption
Coronal mass ejection creates twisted loop in sun’s magnetic field.
- Astronomy
Milky Way connected to a vast network of galaxies
The Milky Way galaxy lives on the outer edge of a newly discovered supercluster of galaxies named Laniakea that is 520 million light-years across.
- Astronomy
Subatomic particles give glimpse into sun’s core
For the first time, a subterranean detector has captured neutrinos generated in the main nuclear reactions that power the sun.
- Astronomy
Pleiades star cluster is a bit farther away than thought
New observations might impact Gaia satellite’s mission to map the Milky Way.
- Astronomy
Wake of nearby supernova hints at explosion’s origins
Gamma rays from radioactive decay of cobalt formed in a nearby supernova reveal unprecedented details of the explosion’s aftermath.
- Astronomy
Chemical signature of first-generation star found
The unusual balance of elements in the atmosphere of a star most likely came from the explosion of another star more than 100 times as massive as the sun.
- Astronomy
Distance to quasars debated
Some astronomers thought quasars were buzzing around our galaxy; turns out these starlike objects live on the other side of the universe.
- Planetary Science
To explain asteroid composition, scientists invoke nuts
Brazil nut effect may explain why only large boulders dot surfaces of asteroids.
- Astronomy
Dust nabbed by spacecraft may be from outside the solar system
NASA’s Stardust mission captured seven particles that probably come from interstellar space, providing researchers with the first direct samples from beyond the solar system.
- Planetary Science
Spacecraft films Pluto’s largest moon in orbit
New Horizons spacecraft, en route to Pluto, captures nearly one orbit of dwarf planet’s largest moon.
