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/2399028-what-would-it-take-to-make-the-most-inhospitable-planet-for-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:31:24 +0100 Most of the planets discovered in the universe so far would be incredibly hostile for life, but Dead Planets Society is intent on creating one worse than any we’ve seen before 2399028-what-would-it-take-to-make-the-most-inhospitable-planet-for-life|2399028 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398865-oddly-bright-burst-may-mean-space-is-more-transparent-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:00:57 +0100 A gamma ray burst seen last year was so powerful that cosmologists might have to update their models of the universe 2398865-oddly-bright-burst-may-mean-space-is-more-transparent-than-we-thought|2398865 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398867-the-moon-is-40-million-years-older-than-we-thought-it-was/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:00:36 +0100 A new look at the age of zircon crystals in a lunar rock sample brought back by NASA's Apollo 17 mission in 1972 has revealed that the moon formed at least 4.46 billion years ago 2398867-the-moon-is-40-million-years-older-than-we-thought-it-was|2398867 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398322-how-to-see-the-orionid-meteor-shower-in-october-and-november/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 20 Oct 2023 06:12:12 +0100 The Orionids are flashes of light that appear in the sky every year when Earth passes through debris from Halley’s comet. On 21 October they will be visible from almost anywhere in the world 2398322-how-to-see-the-orionid-meteor-shower-in-october-and-november|2398322 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034611-100-how-to-spot-the-constellation-aquila-and-its-deep-sky-objects/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Use the night sky pattern known as the summer triangle to help you track down Aquila, the eagle, and its collection of open star clusters, says Abigail Beall mg26034611-100-how-to-spot-the-constellation-aquila-and-its-deep-sky-objects|2397667 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398539-a-blast-of-radio-waves-hit-earth-after-travelling-for-8-billion-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 19 Oct 2023 20:00:11 +0100 A huge burst of energy that has been travelling for more than half the age of the universe is powerful enough to microwave a bowl of popcorn twice the size of the sun 2398539-a-blast-of-radio-waves-hit-earth-after-travelling-for-8-billion-years|2398539 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034611-000-seven-wonders-of-the-milky-way-an-astronomers-guide-to-the-galaxy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:30:00 +0100 Join us on an exhilarating tour of the Milky Way’s most spectacular sights – from a monstrous black hole and a river of dark matter to a diamond planet, primordial stars and a cosmic hall of mirrors mg26034611-000-seven-wonders-of-the-milky-way-an-astronomers-guide-to-the-galaxy|2397666 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397874-stunning-photo-of-jupiters-volcanic-moon-io-is-our-best-in-decades/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:52:13 +0100 NASA's Juno spacecraft has swooped close to Jupiter's moon Io, capturing this amazing photo of the surface – and even better ones will come soon 2397874-stunning-photo-of-jupiters-volcanic-moon-io-is-our-best-in-decades|2397874 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2398017-largest-quake-ever-seen-on-mars-points-to-surprising-seismic-activity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:01:00 +0100 Mars is generally thought of as being geologically dead, but a huge marsquake measured by NASA's InSight lander suggests otherwise 2398017-largest-quake-ever-seen-on-mars-points-to-surprising-seismic-activity|2398017 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26034600-700-the-quantum-experiment-that-could-help-find-evidence-of-the-multiverse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Scars of collisions with other universes could show up in radiation from the big bang. A new experiment aims to mimic these collisions and help us look for them mg26034600-700-the-quantum-experiment-that-could-help-find-evidence-of-the-multiverse|2396600 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934591-400-why-the-next-solar-eclipses-are-a-unique-chance-to-understand-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 02 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0100 North America will see an annular solar eclipse on 14 October and a total eclipse in April 2024. Scientists are preparing to use these spectacles to study our star's mysterious corona mg25934591-400-why-the-next-solar-eclipses-are-a-unique-chance-to-understand-the-sun|2395283 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394269-how-to-spot-octobers-ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse-across-the-americas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:00:06 +0100 An annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse because of the way the sun and moon line up, will be visible in the US, Central America and South America on 14 October 2394269-how-to-spot-octobers-ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse-across-the-americas|2394269 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397359-we-could-make-roads-on-the-moon-by-melting-lunar-dust/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 12 Oct 2023 17:00:39 +0100 Lunar dust can be melted with a laser to make a strong, glassy material – and a similar effect could be achieved by focusing sunlight with a lens 2397359-we-could-make-roads-on-the-moon-by-melting-lunar-dust|2397359 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396666-how-the-balloon-analogy-for-an-expanding-universe-is-almost-perfect/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0100 If space-time is expanding, then why does gravity seem to pull things together? Physics can be weird, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 2396666-how-the-balloon-analogy-for-an-expanding-universe-is-almost-perfect|2396666 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397232-samples-from-asteroid-bennu-contain-the-key-ingredients-of-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Oct 2023 22:23:13 +0100 The asteroid Bennu was sampled by NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex mission, which returned to Earth last month. Researchers have already begun studying the samples, and say they contain key ingredients of life 2397232-samples-from-asteroid-bennu-contain-the-key-ingredients-of-life|2397232 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397089-two-giant-planets-collided-and-vaporised-in-a-distant-star-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:00:49 +0100 A star behaving strangely was the first clue that astronomers were witnessing two Neptune-sized planets smashing into each other, creating a doughnut that may one day birth a new planet and moons 2397089-two-giant-planets-collided-and-vaporised-in-a-distant-star-system|2397089 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392930-nasas-psyche-mission-to-a-metal-asteroid-may-reveal-how-earth-formed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:00:30 +0100 The Psyche mission is scheduled to begin its journey to an asteroid of the same name on 13 October – it could help us understand Earth’s core and how our planet formed 2392930-nasas-psyche-mission-to-a-metal-asteroid-may-reveal-how-earth-formed|2392930 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396118-how-to-see-the-draconid-meteor-shower-peak-tonight/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:00:26 +0100 The Draconid meteor shower is happening between 6 and 10 October, peaking on 9 October, and you should be able to see it if you are in the northern hemisphere 2396118-how-to-see-the-draconid-meteor-shower-peak-tonight|2396118 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396204-slicing-the-moon-in-half-would-be-disastrous-for-earth-but-beautiful/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 10 Oct 2023 19:00:24 +0100 The moon can be a scourge for astronomers, so the Dead Planets Society has figured out how to destroy it, with consequences both disastrous and visually stunning 2396204-slicing-the-moon-in-half-would-be-disastrous-for-earth-but-beautiful|2396204 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396580-iss-livestream-watch-a-live-link-up-with-astronaut-andreas-mogensen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:04:03 +0100 ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, commander on the International Space Station, answers questions from students at New Scientist Live ahead of him doing his first spacewalk on Thursday 2396580-iss-livestream-watch-a-live-link-up-with-astronaut-andreas-mogensen|2396580 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395992-how-asteroids-can-help-us-understand-our-place-in-the-cosmos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:00:09 +0100 With the recent launch of the Psyche mission and the return of samples from the asteroid Bennu, asteroids are all the rage – but if they're just big rocks floating in the void, why do scientists care so much about them? 2395992-how-asteroids-can-help-us-understand-our-place-in-the-cosmos|2395992 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396456-largest-known-solar-storm-struck-earth-14300-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:00:02 +0100 By comparing the rings of 140 trees buried in the bank of a French river, researchers estimate that the largest solar storm that we know of occurred 14,300 years ago 2396456-largest-known-solar-storm-struck-earth-14300-years-ago|2396456 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396025-jwst-should-soon-glimpse-the-very-first-stars-born-after-the-big-bang/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Sat, 07 Oct 2023 15:00:36 +0100 The James Webb Space Telescope is looking ever further back in the universe’s history and the unexpected high luminosity of the sources it sees hints that the way we think stars form from gas in the early universe may need revision, astrophysicist Richard Ellis has revealed at New Scientist Live 2396025-jwst-should-soon-glimpse-the-very-first-stars-born-after-the-big-bang|2396025 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395744-why-trying-to-photograph-a-black-hole-was-a-massive-gamble/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Sat, 07 Oct 2023 17:35:27 +0100 Astronomers working on the Event Horizon Telescope project didn't know if their attempt to photograph a black hole would pay off, Luciano Rezzolla tells New Scientist Live 2395744-why-trying-to-photograph-a-black-hole-was-a-massive-gamble|2395744 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934590-700-a-glimpse-inside-how-the-james-webb-space-telescope-was-put-together/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 04 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Three decades in the making, JWST is one of the most ambitious space projects ever embarked on. These photographs, from a new book, Inside the Star Factory, show how it was developed mg25934590-700-a-glimpse-inside-how-the-james-webb-space-telescope-was-put-together|2395265 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395033-how-the-end-of-the-universe-was-completely-rewritten/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Sat, 07 Oct 2023 08:00:25 +0100 Cosmologists in the 1960s thought they had the end of the universe worked out – then an unknown PhD student called Beatrice Hill Tinsley upended it all 2395033-how-the-end-of-the-universe-was-completely-rewritten|2395033 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395991-amazon-is-launching-its-first-internet-satellites-to-rival-starlink/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:00:23 +0100 Project Kuiper is Amazon's answer to SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, and the first prototype spacecraft are due to launch on 6 October 2395991-amazon-is-launching-its-first-internet-satellites-to-rival-starlink|2395991 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396104-astronomers-spotted-the-highest-energy-light-ever-seen-from-a-pulsar/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 05 Oct 2023 17:00:18 +0100 Gamma rays with energies upwards of 20 teraelectronvolts have been recorded from the Vela pulsar – 20 times higher than any other light ever seen from one of these odd stars 2396104-astronomers-spotted-the-highest-energy-light-ever-seen-from-a-pulsar|2396104 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395070-water-may-be-forming-on-the-moon-thanks-to-earths-magnetic-field/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 03 Oct 2023 09:00:03 +0100 For a few days each month, as the full moon sweeps through the stretched-out tail of Earth’s magnetic field, high-energy electrons seem to be helping form water molecules on the lunar surface 2395070-water-may-be-forming-on-the-moon-thanks-to-earths-magnetic-field|2395070 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395238-astronomers-alarmed-by-satellite-that-outshines-all-but-seven-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 02 Oct 2023 17:00:29 +0100 Observations collected from telescopes around the world confirm that the communications satellite BlueWalker 3 outshines all but seven stars, posing huge problems for astronomy 2395238-astronomers-alarmed-by-satellite-that-outshines-all-but-seven-stars|2395238 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394923-these-are-the-next-comets-that-will-be-visible-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:00:01 +0100 Three comets named Hartley, Encke and Tsuchinshan will pass by the sun in the next few months and be visible from Earth. Here’s how you can spot them 2394923-these-are-the-next-comets-that-will-be-visible-in-2023|2394923 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393462-students-search-desert-for-lost-rocket-after-attempted-launch-to-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:21:22 +0100 KSP’s chairman Shapol M says he is nervous but confident ahead of the launch. "The rocket is going together nicely, but we need to be careful with everything. We'll hopefully put in the engines soon. The best thing about Mojave is that the weather is almost always good, but we're trying to launch early in the morning before the winds pick up." 2393462-students-search-desert-for-lost-rocket-after-attempted-launch-to-space|2393462 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394254-distant-galaxies-are-gobbling-up-an-unexpected-amount-of-gas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:00:20 +0100 Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found that the most distant galaxies are being “watered down” with pristine gas from their surroundings far more than nearby ones 2394254-distant-galaxies-are-gobbling-up-an-unexpected-amount-of-gas|2394254 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394136-how-to-see-the-northern-lights-this-winter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 26 Sep 2023 16:34:51 +0100 The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are expected to be stronger than they have been for at least a decade over the next few months. Here is how to spot them 2394136-how-to-see-the-northern-lights-this-winter|2394136 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394065-is-it-possible-to-turn-venus-from-boiling-hellscape-to-liveable-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:27:08 +0100 Venus is remarkably similar to Earth in many ways, but saying its surface is unsuitable for life is a drastic understatement. In this episode of Dead Planets Society, our hosts attempt to fix it 2394065-is-it-possible-to-turn-venus-from-boiling-hellscape-to-liveable-world|2394065 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393888-this-is-the-best-place-to-build-a-moon-base/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:00:46 +0100 By looking at the amount of sunlight and shade available, which are both important factors in supplying a lunar settlement with power and water, researchers have found the perfect location for a moon base 2393888-this-is-the-best-place-to-build-a-moon-base|2393888 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393860-hopes-fade-for-renewed-contact-with-indias-chandrayaan-3-moon-lander/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 25 Sep 2023 12:46:35 +0100 Mission engineers had hoped that the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover could survive the freezing lunar night, but the sun rose on their landing site on 22 September and there have been no signals from the craft 2393860-hopes-fade-for-renewed-contact-with-indias-chandrayaan-3-moon-lander|2393860 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2393982-worlds-best-space-images-from-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 25 Sep 2023 17:17:26 +0100 See the world's best space images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 photo competition 2393982-worlds-best-space-images-from-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2023|2393982 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393877-samples-from-asteroid-bennu-brought-back-to-earth-by-nasas-osiris-rex/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:10:29 +0100 Precious samples from the asteroid Bennu have returned to Earth, where researchers hope to use them to learn more about the origins of the solar system 2393877-samples-from-asteroid-bennu-brought-back-to-earth-by-nasas-osiris-rex|2393877 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934570-800-dark-stars-have-we-finally-found-a-weird-sun-powered-by-dark-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Astronomers say they have spotted evidence of stars fuelled by the annihilation of dark matter particles. If true, it could solve the cosmic mystery of how supermassive black holes appeared so early mg25934570-800-dark-stars-have-we-finally-found-a-weird-sun-powered-by-dark-matter|2392545 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393522-no-sign-of-chandrayaan-3-as-india-searches-for-sleeping-moon-mission/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 22 Sep 2023 16:46:30 +0100 The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, which together make up India's Chandrayaan-3 moon mission, went to sleep two weeks ago to survive the freezing lunar night 2393522-no-sign-of-chandrayaan-3-as-india-searches-for-sleeping-moon-mission|2393522 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393445-last-chance-to-see-comet-nishimura-before-it-vanishes-for-400-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 21 Sep 2023 14:28:36 +0100 The comet Nishimura is heading away from the sun and on to the outer reaches of the solar system, so you'll need to be quick if you want to catch a glimpse 2393445-last-chance-to-see-comet-nishimura-before-it-vanishes-for-400-years|2393445 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393584-osiris-rex-is-about-to-fling-samples-of-the-asteroid-bennu-at-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 22 Sep 2023 10:00:54 +0100 NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is about to hurtle past Earth, and if all goes well it will drop its samples from the asteroid Bennu in the Utah desert on 24 September 2393584-osiris-rex-is-about-to-fling-samples-of-the-asteroid-bennu-at-earth|2393584 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392977-we-can-only-predict-star-motion-in-the-milky-ways-heart-for-462-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 22 Sep 2023 09:00:22 +0100 Chaos in the interactions between stars near the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole makes it impossible to predict their trajectories after about 462 years, much shorter than expected 2392977-we-can-only-predict-star-motion-in-the-milky-ways-heart-for-462-years|2392977 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2393349-europas-underground-ocean-seems-to-have-the-carbon-necessary-for-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:00:48 +0100 Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have shown carbon dioxide on the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa – that’s a good sign for the habitability of its buried seas 2393349-europas-underground-ocean-seems-to-have-the-carbon-necessary-for-life|2393349 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392713-eris-and-makemake-might-be-hiding-unexpected-oceans-of-liquid-water/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:00:25 +0100 Dwarf planets aren’t expected to carry liquid water, but hints of surprising geological activity spotted with JWST indicate that some of them might have buried oceans 2392713-eris-and-makemake-might-be-hiding-unexpected-oceans-of-liquid-water|2392713 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934561-800-its-a-great-time-to-see-the-cygnus-constellation-heres-how/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0100 You can currently see Cygnus and its lovely stars, including stunning double star Albireo, from almost anywhere in the world, says Abigail Beall mg25934561-800-its-a-great-time-to-see-the-cygnus-constellation-heres-how|2391532 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391582-how-to-spot-green-comet-nishimura-in-the-skies-this-week/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:38:14 +0100 Comet Nishimura, which was discovered just a month ago, is about to make its closest approach to the sun, giving people in the northern hemisphere a great chance of a sighting 2391582-how-to-spot-green-comet-nishimura-in-the-skies-this-week|2391582 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392360-data-leak-means-anyone-can-see-when-astronauts-urinate-on-the-iss/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:48:21 +0100 A security researcher has found an old data feed that reveals how full the urine tank on the International Space Station is, allowing them to track when astronauts use the toilet 2392360-data-leak-means-anyone-can-see-when-astronauts-urinate-on-the-iss|2392360 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2392326-jwst-has-taken-an-astonishing-image-of-a-baby-star-with-powerful-jets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 14 Sep 2023 21:41:59 +0100 The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an image of a young star spewing out powerful winds that have created a pair of stunning, colourful jets 2392326-jwst-has-taken-an-astonishing-image-of-a-baby-star-with-powerful-jets|2392326 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391589-reusable-rocket-built-by-students-is-about-to-launch-to-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:12:28 +0100 The Karman Space Programme, set up by students at Imperial College London, will attempt to launch its Aurora rocket to an altitude of 100 kilometres, the generally accepted boundary of space 2391589-reusable-rocket-built-by-students-is-about-to-launch-to-space|2391589 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391777-the-earliest-black-holes-seen-by-jwst-appear-to-be-unusually-massive/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 13 Sep 2023 13:16:22 +0100 Observations by the James Webb Space Telescope suggest supermassive black holes from the early universe are more massive in relation to their galaxies compared with those near us 2391777-the-earliest-black-holes-seen-by-jwst-appear-to-be-unusually-massive|2391777 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391292-could-we-tweak-the-solar-system-to-make-pluto-a-planet-again/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:03:08 +0100 Pluto officially lost its planethood in 2006, and this episode of Dead Planets Society is all about bringing it back by making it bigger, faster and better than ever 2391292-could-we-tweak-the-solar-system-to-make-pluto-a-planet-again|2391292 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391414-the-universes-evolution-seems-to-be-slowing-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:38:15 +0100 The development of cosmic structure – the huge strands of galaxies and caverns of emptiness that make up our universe – seems to be slowing down more than expected. That could mean there is something wrong with our understanding of the universe 2391414-the-universes-evolution-seems-to-be-slowing-and-we-dont-know-why|2391414 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391065-why-its-a-big-deal-that-india-beat-russia-in-the-new-race-to-the-moon/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:00:08 +0100 The success of the Indian Space Research Organisation mission to the moon places India as a capable up-and-comer in the space industry, and may inspire other nations with relatively new space agencies to follow suit 2391065-why-its-a-big-deal-that-india-beat-russia-in-the-new-race-to-the-moon|2391065 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391083-asteroid-hit-by-nasa-spacecraft-is-behaving-unexpectedly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:00:49 +0100 When NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the asteroid Dimorphos, the goal was to shorten the space rock's orbit around its parent asteroid. The mission succeeded - but Dimorphos' orbit has continued to shrink and it isn't clear why 2391083-asteroid-hit-by-nasa-spacecraft-is-behaving-unexpectedly|2391083 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391084-japan-launches-moon-lander-and-x-ray-space-telescope-on-same-rocket/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:49:47 +0100 The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe and XRISM X-ray space telescope blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on 7 September, sharing the same rocket to orbit 2391084-japan-launches-moon-lander-and-x-ray-space-telescope-on-same-rocket|2391084 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2391051-never-before-seen-space-explosion-is-incredibly-bright-but-fades-fast/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 07 Sep 2023 01:01:14 +0100 An explosion that was billions of times brighter than the sun but faded within a month may have occurred when a rare medium-sized black hole ate a star 2391051-never-before-seen-space-explosion-is-incredibly-bright-but-fades-fast|2391051 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390435-indias-moon-craft-enter-sleep-mode-and-await-freezing-lunar-night/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 04 Sep 2023 16:15:29 +0100 The Chandrayaan-3 mission is officially complete, with both the rover and lander powering down for the lunar night, but the solar-powered hardware is expected to reawaken at sunrise 2390435-indias-moon-craft-enter-sleep-mode-and-await-freezing-lunar-night|2390435 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390244-have-interstellar-meteor-fragments-really-been-found-in-the-ocean/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 31 Aug 2023 21:07:32 +0100 Astrophysicist Avi Loeb and his team claim to be the first to have found fragments from an interstellar meteor, but other scientists are extremely sceptical 2390244-have-interstellar-meteor-fragments-really-been-found-in-the-ocean|2390244 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934541-000-how-the-juice-mission-will-look-for-habitability-on-jupiters-moons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100 ESA’s JUICE mission will help us better understand whether Jupiter’s icy moons are habitable. But we need to be open to their unexpected secrets, says principal investigator Michele Dougherty mg25934541-000-how-the-juice-mission-will-look-for-habitability-on-jupiters-moons|2389303 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389513-india-set-to-launch-probe-to-investigate-mysteries-of-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:00:02 +0100 The Aditya-L1 satellite will sit between the sun and Earth and provide constant observation data to scientists around the world 2389513-india-set-to-launch-probe-to-investigate-mysteries-of-the-sun|2389513 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2390189-iconic-supernova-captured-by-the-james-webb-space-telescope/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:00:46 +0100 The supernova 1987A lies around 168,000 light years from Earth, and is the closest stellar explosion we have seen in hundreds of years. Now, the James Webb Space Telescope is revealing new details 2390189-iconic-supernova-captured-by-the-james-webb-space-telescope|2390189 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389378-massive-crater-found-on-distant-world-far-beyond-neptune/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:35:29 +0100 An object in the Kuiper belt named 2002 MS4 has a depression 45 kilometres deep and 320 kilometres across, unlike anything seen before on such a small world 2389378-massive-crater-found-on-distant-world-far-beyond-neptune|2389378 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389515-indias-chandrayaan-3-moon-rover-swerves-to-avoid-crater/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 29 Aug 2023 16:18:21 +0100 The six-wheeled Pragyan rover had to change course to avoid a 4-metre-wide crater on the surface of the moon, as the Vikram lander has returned temperature readings from the lunar surface 2389515-indias-chandrayaan-3-moon-rover-swerves-to-avoid-crater|2389515 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387399-is-an-enormous-shield-the-worst-way-to-protect-earth-from-asteroids/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:29:45 +0100 There are several reasonable ways to protect Earth from any potential asteroid threats, but in this episode of Dead Planets Society, reason loses out to the idea of a huge orbiting shield 2387399-is-an-enormous-shield-the-worst-way-to-protect-earth-from-asteroids|2387399 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389145-jwst-may-have-seen-black-holes-suppressing-the-creation-of-new-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:00:44 +0100 The supermassive black holes at the centre of many galaxies were suspected to quench the formation of new stars – now the James Webb Space Telescope has spotted evidence of this   2389145-jwst-may-have-seen-black-holes-suppressing-the-creation-of-new-stars|2389145 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389081-indias-chandrayaan-3-mission-starts-exploring-the-moons-south-pole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:21:01 +0100 After the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s historic landing on the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s rover has begun researching the composition of the surface and investigating water ice near the lunar south pole 2389081-indias-chandrayaan-3-mission-starts-exploring-the-moons-south-pole|2389081 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2389041-solar-wind-that-blasts-from-sun-may-be-driven-by-tiny-plasma-flares/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 24 Aug 2023 20:00:41 +0100 The source of the charged plasma that makes up the solar wind has long been debated, but new evidence suggests it could come from a barrage of tiny flares 2389041-solar-wind-that-blasts-from-sun-may-be-driven-by-tiny-plasma-flares|2389041 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388702-the-gravitational-waves-that-could-shed-light-on-the-cosmic-dark-age/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:00:20 +0100 Some astrophysicists have said that the discovery of the gravitational wave background could shake the foundations of physics – why is it so momentous? 2388702-the-gravitational-waves-that-could-shed-light-on-the-cosmic-dark-age|2388702 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388886-indias-chandrayaan-3-mission-has-landed-near-the-moons-south-pole/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:47:13 +0100 ISRO, India’s national space agency, has successfully made a historic soft landing near the moon's water-rich south pole, only days after Russia’s Luna 25 crashed on the lunar surface attempting a similar mission 2388886-indias-chandrayaan-3-mission-has-landed-near-the-moons-south-pole|2388886 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388616-chandrayaan-3-livestream-watch-indias-attempted-moon-landing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:34:29 +0100 ISRO, India’s national space agency, is attempting a historic soft landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission near the moon's water-rich south pole, only days after Russia’s Luna 25 crashed on the lunar surface 2388616-chandrayaan-3-livestream-watch-indias-attempted-moon-landing|2388616 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388294-russias-luna-25-moon-mission-ends-in-catastrophic-crash/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:44:13 +0100 It has been almost 50 years since Russia - then the Soviet Union - landed safely on the moon. The crash of Luna 25 on the lunar surface means that won't change any time soon 2388294-russias-luna-25-moon-mission-ends-in-catastrophic-crash|2388294 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934523-400-a-guide-to-cosmic-fireworks-from-stellar-flares-to-black-hole-beacons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 16 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Far from serene, the night sky is a riot of spectacular bangs and flashes that reveal the universe at its most extreme. Here, an astronomer explains the explosive physics behind them and what they tell us mg25934523-400-a-guide-to-cosmic-fireworks-from-stellar-flares-to-black-hole-beacons|2387470 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388146-all-of-neptunes-clouds-have-vanished-it-may-be-because-of-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:52:40 +0100 Over the past few years, the white clouds that usually shroud Neptune’s surface have disappeared, and it may be because of changes in the sun’s activity over its 11-year cycle 2388146-all-of-neptunes-clouds-have-vanished-it-may-be-because-of-the-sun|2388146 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387934-astronomers-have-found-a-strange-new-type-of-extremely-magnetic-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 17 Aug 2023 20:00:39 +0100 A new type of star may eventually collapse and become a magnetar – a highly magnetic neutron star, whose origins have been a cosmic mystery for decades 2387934-astronomers-have-found-a-strange-new-type-of-extremely-magnetic-star|2387934 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387975-black-holes-may-be-hurtling-around-at-10-per-cent-the-speed-of-light/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:02:15 +0100 When two black holes merge to form a single one, it can zoom off at an extraordinary pace – but scientists have found that it does have a speed limit 2387975-black-holes-may-be-hurtling-around-at-10-per-cent-the-speed-of-light|2387975 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387387-could-a-gravitational-wave-rip-apart-an-entire-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:59:56 +0100 When we detect gravitational waves, it’s because they are warping space and time by a tiny amount – but this episode of Dead Planets Society is about making one that is far more powerful 2387387-could-a-gravitational-wave-rip-apart-an-entire-planet|2387387 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387518-aliens-on-low-oxygen-worlds-may-never-discover-fire/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 15 Aug 2023 15:38:10 +0100 Low levels of oxygen on planets where alien life could potentially evolve may make developing technology impossible there because there would be no combustion 2387518-aliens-on-low-oxygen-worlds-may-never-discover-fire|2387518 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387251-giant-star-rocked-by-waves-three-times-larger-than-our-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0100 A binary star system shines 20 per cent more brightly whenever the smaller star gets close to its giant partner, because of the immense waves that break on the larger star 2387251-giant-star-rocked-by-waves-three-times-larger-than-our-sun|2387251 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386864-what-are-the-weirdest-stars-in-the-universe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 11 Aug 2023 10:00:02 +0100 Exotic stars may be scattered throughout the cosmos, from boson stars that could look like black holes to dark stars that might be powered by dark matter 2386864-what-are-the-weirdest-stars-in-the-universe|2386864 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934511-400-how-to-spot-saturns-rings-through-a-telescope/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0100 Seeing Saturn’s rings through a telescope can be an awe-inspiring experience. Now is a great time to check them out, says Abigail Beall mg25934511-400-how-to-spot-saturns-rings-through-a-telescope|2386361 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2383496-how-to-spot-the-2023-perseid-meteor-shower-as-it-peaks-this-weekend/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 10 Aug 2023 11:20:43 +0100 The Perseids are a major meteor shower - here is your guide to spotting them during their peak on 12 and 13 August 2023 2383496-how-to-spot-the-2023-perseid-meteor-shower-as-it-peaks-this-weekend|2383496 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387025-storms-on-saturn-are-so-huge-that-their-traces-last-hundreds-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 11 Aug 2023 20:00:02 +0100 Every couple of decades Saturn develops a huge storm, and now researchers have found that the atmosphere keeps chemical records of those storms for hundreds of years 2387025-storms-on-saturn-are-so-huge-that-their-traces-last-hundreds-of-years|2387025 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2387099-the-most-distant-individual-star-ever-seen-may-actually-be-two-stars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 10 Aug 2023 22:26:32 +0100 The James Webb Space Telescope has made new observations of Earendel, the most distant single star ever seen, and it seems like it has a cooler companion star 2387099-the-most-distant-individual-star-ever-seen-may-actually-be-two-stars|2387099 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386827-virgin-galactic-launched-its-first-space-tourists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Aug 2023 20:43:27 +0100 Galactic-02, Virgin Galactic’s first mission to carry paying civilian customers to space, successfully launched and then landed in New Mexico 2386827-virgin-galactic-launched-its-first-space-tourists|2386827 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386630-russia-chases-former-soviet-glory-with-luna-25-moon-mission/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:30:22 +0100 Russia's first lunar mission in nearly 50 years is designed to land near the moon’s south pole and is being viewed as an attempt to show that the country can still compete in the international space industry 2386630-russia-chases-former-soviet-glory-with-luna-25-moon-mission|2386630 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386760-mars-used-to-have-wet-and-dry-seasons-similar-to-ones-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:00:19 +0100 The Curiosity rover has discovered hexagonal patterns in ancient mud on the Red Planet, which hints at cyclical wet and dry periods and boosts chances Mars once hosted life 2386760-mars-used-to-have-wet-and-dry-seasons-similar-to-ones-on-earth|2386760 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386788-brown-dwarf-is-locked-in-a-destructive-2-hour-orbit-with-a-tiny-star/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:39:03 +0100 A “failed star” known as a brown dwarf is orbiting so tightly with a small star that both of them would fit inside our sun, and at least one of them won’t survive 2386788-brown-dwarf-is-locked-in-a-destructive-2-hour-orbit-with-a-tiny-star|2386788 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386042-astronomers-have-spotted-inexplicably-bright-light-coming-from-the-sun/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 03 Aug 2023 17:03:07 +0100 Extraordinarily high-energy gamma rays have been found emanating from the sun, and none of our theoretical models can explain why there are so many of them 2386042-astronomers-have-spotted-inexplicably-bright-light-coming-from-the-sun|2386042 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934501-400-does-space-time-remember-the-search-for-gravitational-memory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Wed, 02 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Detecting the permanent imprints left by colliding black holes would reveal a universe saturated with infinite symmetries – and narrow the possibilities for a theory of quantum gravity. mg25934501-400-does-space-time-remember-the-search-for-gravitational-memory|2385360 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385748-what-would-really-happen-if-you-landed-on-an-asteroid/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:00:46 +0100 Asteroids are far weirder than we had imagined – landing on one wouldn't go as you expected, says astronomer Phil Plait 2385748-what-would-really-happen-if-you-landed-on-an-asteroid|2385748 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2386213-the-ring-nebula-glows-green-in-a-stunning-new-jwst-image/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 03 Aug 2023 22:25:14 +0100 A new image of the Ring Nebula from the James Webb Space Telescope is revealing its intricate internal structure, which could help us learn what the sun will look like when it dies 2386213-the-ring-nebula-glows-green-in-a-stunning-new-jwst-image|2386213 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385738-nasa-has-regained-contact-with-voyager-2-after-losing-it-for-a-week/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 01 Aug 2023 21:49:26 +0100 After accidentally turning the Voyager 2 spacecraft away from Earth and losing contact with it, NASA engineers have now heard a “heartbeat signal” that shows it is still okay 2385738-nasa-has-regained-contact-with-voyager-2-after-losing-it-for-a-week|2385738 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385424-euclid-space-telescope-sends-back-amazing-first-images-of-the-cosmos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:25:39 +0100 The European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope launched on 1 July, and now it has delivered its first stunning pictures of stars and galaxies across the cosmos 2385424-euclid-space-telescope-sends-back-amazing-first-images-of-the-cosmos|2385424 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385526-is-it-possible-to-drill-a-hole-straight-through-a-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:42:32 +0100 Could we bore a hole through the centre of Earth? What would it be like to fling yourself through it? The Dead Planets Society podcast digs deep into the potential hazards 2385526-is-it-possible-to-drill-a-hole-straight-through-a-planet|2385526 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2384657-essential-molecule-for-life-spotted-floating-in-space-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:10:51 +0100 Carbonic acid, an important component of amino acids, has been seen in a cloud of gas near the centre of the Milky Way, which could help us explain how life came to be on Earth 2384657-essential-molecule-for-life-spotted-floating-in-space-for-first-time|2384657 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2385393-our-solar-system-might-be-1-1-million-years-older-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Tue, 01 Aug 2023 12:24:33 +0100 A new analysis of small flecks in meteorites calculates the age of the solar system as 4.5684 billion years old, rather than 4.5673 billion 2385393-our-solar-system-might-be-1-1-million-years-older-than-we-thought|2385393 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2375987-space-germs-how-can-we-avoid-contaminating-other-worlds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:00:16 +0100 Headlines about alien flu from outer space exaggerate the risk of extraterrestrial microbes but we still need to be careful about taking our own germs off-planet, says astrophysicist Erika Nesvold 2375987-space-germs-how-can-we-avoid-contaminating-other-worlds|2375987 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2384991-why-do-so-many-people-believe-aliens-have-visited-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=space Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:30:35 +0100 Despite testimony by David Grusch to US Congress about "non-human biologics" and UFO crash sites, there is still no evidence aliens have ever come to Earth. Why are people taking such claims seriously, asks Jacob Aron 2384991-why-do-so-many-people-believe-aliens-have-visited-earth|2384991