TESS discovers a planet the size of Mars but with the makeup of Mercury
The boiling new world, which zips around its star at ultraclose range, is among the lightest exoplanets found to date.
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Climate modeling confirms historical records showing rise in hurricane activity
New results show North Atlantic hurricanes have increased in frequency over the last 150 years.
One year on this giant, blistering hot planet is just 16 hours long
A newly discovered “ultrahot Jupiter” has the shortest orbit of any known gas giant.
Peeking into a chrysalis, videos reveal growth of butterfly wing scales
The findings could inform the design of new materials such as iridescent windows or waterproof textiles.
How ultracold, superdense atoms become invisible
A new study confirms that as atoms are chilled and squeezed to extremes, their ability to scatter light is suppressed.
Mark Vogelsberger: Simulating galaxy formation for clues to the universe
“In astrophysics, we have only this one universe which we can observe,” the physics professor says. “With a computer, we can create different universes, which we can check.”
Dragging your feet? Lack of sleep affects your walk, new study finds
Periodically catching up on sleep can improve gait control for the chronically sleep-deprived.
Solid, liquid, or gas? Technique quickly identifies physical state of tissues and tumors
The method could be a route to quicker, less invasive cancer diagnoses.
Neutron star collisions are a “goldmine” of heavy elements, study finds
Mergers between two neutron stars have produced more heavy elements in last 2.5 billion years than mergers between neutron stars and black holes.
Dinosaurs may have lived in social herds as early as 193 million years ago
Fossils indicate a communal nesting ground and adults who foraged and took care of the young as a herd, scientists say.
Astronomers detect signs of an atmosphere stripped from a planet during giant impact
Such planetary smashups are likely common in young solar systems, but they haven’t been directly observed.
Scientists find evidence the early solar system harbored a gap between its inner and outer regions
The cosmic boundary, perhaps caused by a young Jupiter or an emerging wind, likely shaped the composition of infant planets.
Rover images confirm Jezero crater is an ancient Martian lake
The findings include signs of flash flooding that carried huge boulders downstream into the lakebed.
Zeroing in on the origins of Earth’s “single most important evolutionary innovation”
A new study shows oxygenic photosynthesis likely evolved between 3.4 and 2.9 billion years ago.
Taylor Perron receives 2021 MacArthur Fellowship
In his research, the geomorphologist seeks connections among landscape evolution, biodiversity, and human history.