Space
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Seeing the future hot spells
Satellite data could help scientists better predict killer heat waves, such as the one that hit Europe in 2003.
- Space
Frozen cosmic fingerprints
Researchers claim to find evidence of 11th century supernovas and the solar cycle in an ice core.
- Astronomy
These cosmic gluttons may be tight
Researchers may have discovered the most tightly bound pair of supermassive black holes known, an indication that two massive galaxies have merged.
- Physics
Black hole constant makes unexpected appearance
A mathematical constant that emerges only in the unusual conditions of specific black hole systems has shown up in a simple Newtonian system.
- Space
Planet hidden in Hubble archives
A new way to process images reveals an extrasolar planet that had been hiding in an 11-year-old Hubble picture. The technique could shed new light on other telescope images as well.
- Humans
DOE wants to become more like Bell Labs
Steven Chus prizes DOE's research prowess, but not it's ability to marshall its discoveries into marketable innovations.
- Space
Satellite collision: brief update on Hubble and debris
In an unprecedented collision, two large satellites crashed into each other in low-Earth orbit on February 10. The effect on a planned Hubble repair mission remains unclear.
- Space
New window on the high-energy universe
New telescope finds strange behavior in gamma-ray bursts, and also documents the highest energy burst known.
- Space
Galaxy mix: No dark matter required
New ultraviolet observations suggest dwarf galaxies may form without dark matter. The findings have implications for the early universe.
- Astronomy
A green visitor makes its approach
Comet Lulin, which passes closest to Earth on February 24, may be a sight for sore eyes.
- Planetary Science
Earth may be home to unearthly life
No need to look on other planets for new forms of life — weird life could exist right here on Earth.
- Space
Cosmic mystery
High-energy invaders from space could signal a nearby pulsar, or perhaps dark matter.
