Space
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Astronomy
Enormous cosmic lens magnifies supernova
Galaxy warps light of distant exploding star, greatly increasing its brightness.
- Earth
The long and winding Colorado
The history of the West’s iconic river is written in the dramatic landscapes it has shaped. How to interpret that chronicle has become a contentious issue among geologists.
- Astronomy
Earth-mass planet resembles a mini-Neptune
KOI-314c, an exoplanet 200 light-years away, is about 60 percent larger than Earth but made mostly of gas.
- Astronomy
Supernova is a dust factory
Grains of matter spewed by stellar explosion offer clues to early star formation.
- Astronomy
Unusual three-star system promises new test of gravity
A unique stellar threesome could help astronomers test the leading theory of gravity to unprecedented precision.
- Astronomy
Relic of early universe found nearby
A galaxy little changed since the dawn of the universe shows up in our celestial neighborhood.
- Astronomy
Signs of cloudy skies seen in two exoplanet atmospheres
Exoplanets GJ 436b and GJ 1214b have signatures of clouds in their atmospheres, but the skies are like nothing seen in the solar system.
- Cosmology
Best maps of the universe, bugs and all
Maps from the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite reveal the cosmos in a range of microwave and infrared frequencies.
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- Astronomy
Space station pump fixed after two spacewalks
The repair allowed astronauts to restore power to the labs and experiments running on the space station.
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- Astronomy
Year in Review: Visitor from the Oort cloud
A visitor from the outer solar system flies past the sun.
