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Meteorite That Crashed Into A Home In The US Is Older Than Earth, Study Finds
The meteorite, which formed 4.56 billion years ago, is approximately 20 million years older than Earth.
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James Webb Telescope Detects Potential Gas Giant Exoplanet Just 4 Light-Years Away
Astronomers using JWST have spotted a possible gas giant orbiting Alpha Centauri A, only 4 light-years away. If confirmed, it would be the closest exoplanet to a Sun-like star ever imaged. The discovery could challenge current models of planetary formation in binary systems and open new opportunities for studying nearby worlds.
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Scientists Explore Role of Space Radiation in Powering Alien Microbial Life
A new study proposes that life may exist far from sunlight in a “radiolytic habitable zone” deep beneath the icy surfaces of Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Cosmic rays, which can penetrate rock and ice, break water molecules apart to release hydrogen, oxygen, and energy-rich electrons. These can fuel microbes in subsurface water, much like bacter...
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Plastic Pollution Threatens Human Health: Study
Ahead of the UN treaty on plastics, a new report in The Lancet journal on Monday has warned that plastic pollution is an underrecognized threat to the health of both humans and the planet, which must be addressed immediately.
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Doomed Exoplanet TOI-2109b Spirals Toward Its Star with Three Possible Fates
The gas giant TOI-2109b, over five times Jupiter’s mass, is spiraling closer to its star in a rare planetary death spiral. With a 16-hour orbit and blistering heat, the exoplanet could either plunge into its host star, be torn apart by tidal forces, or evolve into a rocky super-Earth through photoevaporation. NASA’s TESS and ESA’s Cheops data...
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Uranus Found Emitting Internal Heat, Reviving Hopes for Flagship NASA Mission
Astronomers have discovered that Uranus emits 12% more heat than it receives from sunlight, contradicting past data from Voyager 2. The internal warmth likely comes from leftover energy in the planet’s core, offering clues to its tilt and interior structure. This unexpected heat has intensified calls for a flagship NASA mission to Uranus. Scienti...
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Crystalline Ice Discovered in Space: New Study Reveals Hidden Order in Cosmic Ice
A groundbreaking study from University College London and the University of Cambridge reveals that water ice in space, long believed to be completely amorphous due to extreme cold, may actually contain up to 25% crystalline structure. Simulations and X-ray diffraction experiments confirm the presence of nanocrystals in so-called low-density amorpho...
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Meteorite From Outer Solar System Challenges Planet Formation Timeline in Early Solar System
A meteorite from the outer solar system may upend long-held beliefs about planetary formation. New research shows rocky planets like Earth may have formed at the same time as those beyond Jupiter. The findings challenge previous models and suggest a more synchronised origin for rocky worlds across the solar system, with major implications for plane...
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Astronomers Discover 3I/ATLAS, Largest Interstellar Comet Yet Detected
Astronomers have discovered 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar comet to pass through our solar system. Detected by the ATLAS telescope in Chile, it’s racing inward at 150,000 mph and will swing closest to the Sun in October. Estimated to be 10–20 kilometers across, it is likely the largest interstellar object observed so far. Signs of comet...
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Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
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Cities Are Heating Up The Planet, How They Can Tackle Climate Change
Cities have a central role to play tackling climate change. They contribute 67-72% of the greenhouse gas emissions which are heating up the planet.
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Astronomers Discover Baby Planets Taking Their First Steps in Nearby Stellar Nursery
Astronomers have detected early signs of planet formation in 27 young protoplanetary disks within the Ophiuchus star-forming region, just 460 light-years away. High-resolution imaging revealed spiral and ring patterns forming earlier than expected, suggesting stars and planets may grow together from infancy. The findings bridge a knowledge gap betw...
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Global Warming Clouds Changes Are Making Earth More Even Hotter: Study
At any given time, about two-thirds of Earth's surface is covered by clouds. Overall, they make the planet much cooler than it would be without them.
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Earth Could Be Ejected Out Of The Solar System, Study Warns
Passing stars could trigger instability across the solar system, resulting in Earth being hauled out of its orbit.
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JWST Reveals Pluto’s Haze Cools Atmosphere, Paints Charon’s Poles Red
Pluto's thin haze of organic particles, confirmed by JWST’s mid-infrared observations, plays a crucial role in both cooling its mesosphere and launching methane into space. This methane escapes Pluto’s gravity, landing on Charon’s poles where radiation transforms it into reddish tholins. The study highlights how Pluto’s haze shapes not only...
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Meteorite That Crashed Into A Home In The US Is Older Than Earth, Study Finds
The meteorite, which formed 4.56 billion years ago, is approximately 20 million years older than Earth.
-
James Webb Telescope Detects Potential Gas Giant Exoplanet Just 4 Light-Years Away
Astronomers using JWST have spotted a possible gas giant orbiting Alpha Centauri A, only 4 light-years away. If confirmed, it would be the closest exoplanet to a Sun-like star ever imaged. The discovery could challenge current models of planetary formation in binary systems and open new opportunities for studying nearby worlds.
-
Scientists Explore Role of Space Radiation in Powering Alien Microbial Life
A new study proposes that life may exist far from sunlight in a “radiolytic habitable zone” deep beneath the icy surfaces of Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Cosmic rays, which can penetrate rock and ice, break water molecules apart to release hydrogen, oxygen, and energy-rich electrons. These can fuel microbes in subsurface water, much like bacter...
-
Plastic Pollution Threatens Human Health: Study
Ahead of the UN treaty on plastics, a new report in The Lancet journal on Monday has warned that plastic pollution is an underrecognized threat to the health of both humans and the planet, which must be addressed immediately.
-
Doomed Exoplanet TOI-2109b Spirals Toward Its Star with Three Possible Fates
The gas giant TOI-2109b, over five times Jupiter’s mass, is spiraling closer to its star in a rare planetary death spiral. With a 16-hour orbit and blistering heat, the exoplanet could either plunge into its host star, be torn apart by tidal forces, or evolve into a rocky super-Earth through photoevaporation. NASA’s TESS and ESA’s Cheops data...
-
Uranus Found Emitting Internal Heat, Reviving Hopes for Flagship NASA Mission
Astronomers have discovered that Uranus emits 12% more heat than it receives from sunlight, contradicting past data from Voyager 2. The internal warmth likely comes from leftover energy in the planet’s core, offering clues to its tilt and interior structure. This unexpected heat has intensified calls for a flagship NASA mission to Uranus. Scienti...
-
Crystalline Ice Discovered in Space: New Study Reveals Hidden Order in Cosmic Ice
A groundbreaking study from University College London and the University of Cambridge reveals that water ice in space, long believed to be completely amorphous due to extreme cold, may actually contain up to 25% crystalline structure. Simulations and X-ray diffraction experiments confirm the presence of nanocrystals in so-called low-density amorpho...
-
Meteorite From Outer Solar System Challenges Planet Formation Timeline in Early Solar System
A meteorite from the outer solar system may upend long-held beliefs about planetary formation. New research shows rocky planets like Earth may have formed at the same time as those beyond Jupiter. The findings challenge previous models and suggest a more synchronised origin for rocky worlds across the solar system, with major implications for plane...
-
Astronomers Discover 3I/ATLAS, Largest Interstellar Comet Yet Detected
Astronomers have discovered 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar comet to pass through our solar system. Detected by the ATLAS telescope in Chile, it’s racing inward at 150,000 mph and will swing closest to the Sun in October. Estimated to be 10–20 kilometers across, it is likely the largest interstellar object observed so far. Signs of comet...
-
Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
-
Cities Are Heating Up The Planet, How They Can Tackle Climate Change
Cities have a central role to play tackling climate change. They contribute 67-72% of the greenhouse gas emissions which are heating up the planet.
-
Astronomers Discover Baby Planets Taking Their First Steps in Nearby Stellar Nursery
Astronomers have detected early signs of planet formation in 27 young protoplanetary disks within the Ophiuchus star-forming region, just 460 light-years away. High-resolution imaging revealed spiral and ring patterns forming earlier than expected, suggesting stars and planets may grow together from infancy. The findings bridge a knowledge gap betw...
-
Global Warming Clouds Changes Are Making Earth More Even Hotter: Study
At any given time, about two-thirds of Earth's surface is covered by clouds. Overall, they make the planet much cooler than it would be without them.
-
Earth Could Be Ejected Out Of The Solar System, Study Warns
Passing stars could trigger instability across the solar system, resulting in Earth being hauled out of its orbit.
-
JWST Reveals Pluto’s Haze Cools Atmosphere, Paints Charon’s Poles Red
Pluto's thin haze of organic particles, confirmed by JWST’s mid-infrared observations, plays a crucial role in both cooling its mesosphere and launching methane into space. This methane escapes Pluto’s gravity, landing on Charon’s poles where radiation transforms it into reddish tholins. The study highlights how Pluto’s haze shapes not only...
