Scientists discover potentially habitable planets
Just 40 light years from Earth, planets are best targets so far for search for extraterrestrial life.
First temperature map of a “super-Earth” reveals lava world
Exoplanet lacks atmosphere, is covered in rivers of magma.
3 Questions: The origin of the cosmos’ heaviest elements
Unique galaxy offers clues to the extreme conditions that yield the heavies of the periodic table.
Testimony: LIGO has “cracked open” a new window to the universe
MIT’s David Shoemaker testifies before Congress on the significance of LIGO.
Scientists make first direct detection of gravitational waves
LIGO signal reveals first observation of two massive black holes colliding, proves Einstein right.
Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein’s prediction
LIGO opens a new window on the universe with the observation of gravitational waves from colliding black holes.
Q&A: Rainer Weiss on LIGO’s origins
MIT physicist developed the concept for LIGO as a teaching exercise.
Most distant massive galaxy cluster identified
Formed in the first 4 billion years of the universe, cluster is 1,000 times more massive than the Milky Way.
3 Questions: Anna Frebel on searching for the oldest stars
New book details astronomers’ hunt for clues to the early universe.
New exoplanet in our neighborhood
Though likely uninhabitable, planet is rocky, Earth-sized, and near enough for study of its atmosphere.
Moon’s crust as fractured as can be
Study finds barrage of small asteroids shattered moon’s upper crust.
Pluto Revealed! An update from New Horizons
Professor Richard Binzel, NASA New Horizons science team co-PI, shares mission results on Sept. 9.
Paul O’Gorman: Extreme storm modeler
Atmospheric scientist tracks climate change’s effects on extreme storms.
New Horizons data hint at underground ocean
Ice flows and water ice mountains spied by NASA spacecraft support the idea that an interior ocean may be driving geologic activity on Pluto.