Space
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
NASA’s Perseverance rover has touched down on Mars
The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on February 18, joining missions from China and the United Arab Emirates.
- Astronomy
The number of Milky Way nova explosions per year has been pinned down
Knowing how frequently these stellar eruptions occur will help determine their contribution to the galaxy’s chemical makeup.
- Earth
Fossil mimics may be more common in ancient rocks than actual fossils
Evidence of early life may be harder to preserve than pseudofossils — structures that form abiotically but resemble living remnants.
- Astronomy
Two exoplanet families redefine what planetary systems can look like
The TRAPPIST-1 and TOI-178 systems, both home to multiple bunched-up planets, have densities and orbits that defy expectations.
- Cosmology
Einstein’s theory of general relativity unveiled a dynamic and bizarre cosmos
Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity foretold space-bending beasts, cosmic shock waves and mysterious forces.
- Physics
The Milky Way’s newfound high-energy glow hints at the secrets of cosmic rays
Gamma rays with energies approaching a quadrillion electron volts emanate from the disk of the Milky Way.
- Space
Crushed space rocks hint at exoplanets’ early atmospheric makeup
Experiments that heat crushed-up meteorites are helping astronomers understand what to look for in exoplanet atmospheres.
- Astronomy
Astronomers spotted a rare galaxy shutting down star formation
A distant galaxy harbors an active black hole and active star formation at the same time – an unusual coincidence.
- Space
The first magnetar flare detected from another galaxy was tracked to its home
An outburst from the super magnetic remains of a star suggests similar eruptions are behind some of the most powerful explosions in the universe.
- Space
The most ancient supermassive black hole is bafflingly big
The farthest known quasar challenges ideas about how the first supermassive black holes in the universe formed.
- Space
The Parker Solar Probe will have company on its next pass by the sun
The probe is about to make another close pass of the sun. This time, Solar Orbiter, BepiColombo and others will be watching too.
- Space
Here are the highlights from a busy year in space launches
Satellites, Mars rovers and astronauts launched into space in 2020.
