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Scientists Recreate Universe’s First Molecules, Challenging Early Star Formation Theories
Scientists have recreated helium hydride ions, the universe’s first molecules, under lab conditions. The study reveals these ions were far more effective in driving early star formation than older theories suggested. Published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, the research reshapes understanding of early cosmic chemistry and challenges assumptions a...
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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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Chinese Astronomers Use Insight-HXMT to Decode X-ray Outburst of Binary Star System
In a recent study published on July 24 via arXiv, astronomers from Wuhan University have detailed the powerful X-ray outburst of the Be/X-ray binary system RX J0440.9+4431. Using China’s Insight-HXMT satellite, the team tracked the event from its eruption in December 2022 through March 2023.
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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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5 Arms, No Eyes, No Heart: DNA Revealed Weird Deep-Sea Brittle Star Journey
You may have read that the deep sea is a very different environment from the land and shallow water. There is no light, it is very cold, and the pressure of all the water above is immense.
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James Webb Telescope Spots Rare ‘Cosmic Owl’ Formed by Colliding Galaxies
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled the “Cosmic Owl,” a jaw-dropping image of two colliding ring galaxies forming a structure that resembles an owl’s face. This double-ring formation is extraordinarily rare, and the event is shedding light on galaxy evolution, black hole dynamics, and rapid star formation. Led by Ph.D. student Mi...
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New Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Could Reveal Secrets of Distant Worlds
Astronomers have confirmed the arrival of 3I/ATLAS, only the third interstellar object ever spotted in our solar system. First seen on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey team in Chile, it was quickly identified by its unusual hyperbolic orbit and comet-like tail. Larger and brighter than either 1I/ʻOumuamua or 2I/Borisov, 3I/ATLAS is estimated to b...
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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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Very Massive Stars Blow Away Outer Layers in Powerful Winds Before Black Hole Collapse
Massive stars may lose much more mass than expected before collapsing into black holes. A new study reveals that their powerful stellar winds strip outer layers early, reshaping theories of star evolution, black hole formation, and gravitational wave events. This research challenges previous models and helps explain observed features of stars like ...
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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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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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James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Near-Infrared View of Sombrero Galaxy
NASA has unveiled a spectacular near-infrared image of the Sombrero Galaxy taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This fresh perspective showcases the glowing stellar bulge and dust distribution, deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time.
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New Study Confirms TeV Halos Are Common in Middle-Aged Pulsars
A recent study by researchers from the U.S. and Mexico using data from the HAWC Observatory has confirmed that TeV halos are a universal feature of middle-aged pulsars. These extended regions of gamma-ray emission are significantly larger than pulsar wind nebulae and may help identify otherwise undetectable pulsars. The findings challenge existing ...
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NASA Telescopes Reveal Hidden Properties of X-Ray Pulsar RX J0032.9-7348
A joint study using NASA’s NuSTAR and NICER telescopes has shed new light on RX J0032.9-7348, an X-ray pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud first identified 30 years ago. The pulsar exhibited a 7.02-second pulse period and underwent a significant X-ray brightening event in October 2024. Researchers noted a double-peaked pulse profile and measured...
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Scientists Recreate Universe’s First Molecules, Challenging Early Star Formation Theories
Scientists have recreated helium hydride ions, the universe’s first molecules, under lab conditions. The study reveals these ions were far more effective in driving early star formation than older theories suggested. Published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, the research reshapes understanding of early cosmic chemistry and challenges assumptions a...
-
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...
-
Chinese Astronomers Use Insight-HXMT to Decode X-ray Outburst of Binary Star System
In a recent study published on July 24 via arXiv, astronomers from Wuhan University have detailed the powerful X-ray outburst of the Be/X-ray binary system RX J0440.9+4431. Using China’s Insight-HXMT satellite, the team tracked the event from its eruption in December 2022 through March 2023.
-
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...
-
5 Arms, No Eyes, No Heart: DNA Revealed Weird Deep-Sea Brittle Star Journey
You may have read that the deep sea is a very different environment from the land and shallow water. There is no light, it is very cold, and the pressure of all the water above is immense.
-
James Webb Telescope Spots Rare ‘Cosmic Owl’ Formed by Colliding Galaxies
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled the “Cosmic Owl,” a jaw-dropping image of two colliding ring galaxies forming a structure that resembles an owl’s face. This double-ring formation is extraordinarily rare, and the event is shedding light on galaxy evolution, black hole dynamics, and rapid star formation. Led by Ph.D. student Mi...
-
New Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Could Reveal Secrets of Distant Worlds
Astronomers have confirmed the arrival of 3I/ATLAS, only the third interstellar object ever spotted in our solar system. First seen on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey team in Chile, it was quickly identified by its unusual hyperbolic orbit and comet-like tail. Larger and brighter than either 1I/ʻOumuamua or 2I/Borisov, 3I/ATLAS is estimated to b...
-
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...
-
Very Massive Stars Blow Away Outer Layers in Powerful Winds Before Black Hole Collapse
Massive stars may lose much more mass than expected before collapsing into black holes. A new study reveals that their powerful stellar winds strip outer layers early, reshaping theories of star evolution, black hole formation, and gravitational wave events. This research challenges previous models and helps explain observed features of stars like ...
-
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...
-
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.
-
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Near-Infrared View of Sombrero Galaxy
NASA has unveiled a spectacular near-infrared image of the Sombrero Galaxy taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This fresh perspective showcases the glowing stellar bulge and dust distribution, deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time.
-
New Study Confirms TeV Halos Are Common in Middle-Aged Pulsars
A recent study by researchers from the U.S. and Mexico using data from the HAWC Observatory has confirmed that TeV halos are a universal feature of middle-aged pulsars. These extended regions of gamma-ray emission are significantly larger than pulsar wind nebulae and may help identify otherwise undetectable pulsars. The findings challenge existing ...
-
NASA Telescopes Reveal Hidden Properties of X-Ray Pulsar RX J0032.9-7348
A joint study using NASA’s NuSTAR and NICER telescopes has shed new light on RX J0032.9-7348, an X-ray pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud first identified 30 years ago. The pulsar exhibited a 7.02-second pulse period and underwent a significant X-ray brightening event in October 2024. Researchers noted a double-peaked pulse profile and measured...
