ISTA researchers have secured 5 ERC Starting Grants to fund innovative projects in AI, astrophysics, and optics. The grants will support early-career researchers in understanding bacterial immune systems and developing new microscope techniques to study elusive quantum matter.
Astronomers have discovered the first globular cluster stellar stream outside the Milky Way, providing a powerful tool for studying dark matter. The study uses the stream's shape to reconstruct the galaxy's gravitational field and infer how dark matter shaped the stars' orbits.
Astronomers have discovered water molecules in the envelope of star IRS 3, located near the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The star's enormous envelope, fueled by rapid mass loss, has allowed water to thrive in its vicinity. This finding suggests that Sgr A* is being enriched with fundamental building blocks of life.
The 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly brought together over 3,000 participants to exchange the latest results in space research and strengthen international scientific collaboration. Key highlights included a Space Agency Leaders Roundtable, Humanity's Cross-Disciplinary Exploration panel, and the first-ever Dark and Quiet Skies event.
NC State is leading three Genesis Mission projects using AI to accelerate discovery in high-performance computing, cybersecurity, and astrophysics. The projects focus on developing AI-powered tools for scientific research, defending agentic AI against adversarial attacks, and embedding AI techniques in large-scale simulations of neutro...
Two university-led projects receive $2.96 million to develop next-generation instruments for mid-sized ground-based optical and near-infrared telescopes. The grants aim to improve sensitivity and expand access to key wavelengths, enabling observations of extremely faint astronomical objects.
Researchers at Facility for Rare Isotope Beams identified magnetic transitions within the nucleus of zinc-70 as the cause of an unexpected excess of low-energy gamma rays. This discovery sheds light on a long-standing puzzle in nuclear physics and has implications for astrophysics, including the formation of heavy elements.
Astronomers discovered a giant planet orbiting a dead star, WD1856b, and used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to analyze its atmosphere. The study found the planet migrated toward its dead companion billions of years after the star died, surviving destruction through extreme heat.
The Kavli Prize in Astrophysics 2026 is awarded to Vasily Belokurov, Amina Helmi, and Rodrigo Ibata for their discovery of past mergers that prove the Milky Way galaxy was built through hierarchical accretion. This breakthrough reveals how our universe is formed and challenges assumptions on galaxy formation.
The Kavli Prize in Neuroscience 2026 honors scientists Christine Holt, Kelsey Martin, Erin Schuman, and Oswald Steward for their discovery of local protein translation in neurons. This breakthrough fundamentally rewires our understanding of brain development and plasticity.
The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience 2026 is awarded to Eva Y. Andrei, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Allan H. MacDonald for their foundational work in Twistronics. This new paradigm in nanoscience enables the exploration of interaction-driven quantum materials.
Researchers have developed a new procedure to speed up elaborate computer simulations analyzing matter under extreme conditions. The method, which uses mathematical transformation into imaginary time, enables faster evaluation of X-ray scattering experiments, improving fields like fusion research and laboratory astrophysics.
The US Naval Research Laboratory has launched the Glowbug-2 instrument to identify and localize cataclysmic cosmic events known as short gamma-ray bursts (GRB). The mission provides essential data for multi-messenger astrophysics, serving as a critical electromagnetic counterpart to ground-based gravitational wave observatories.
Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have discovered new large-scale waves moving deep inside the Sun, driven by magnetic fields far below the surface. These waves provide a unique window into the Sun's interior and help scientists study its magnetic field formation and evolution over time.
Astronomers from the University of Liège have solved a 50-year-old stellar mystery by attributing the X-rays emitted by Gamma Cas to a magnetic white dwarf orbiting the star. The study used high-energy astrophysics instrumentation and revealed that the X-rays are associated with the compact companion, not the massive Be star itself.
Using data from the TYPHOON survey, scientists examined the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 1365 and achieved resolution sharp enough to separate individual star-forming clouds. The study reveals that the galaxy grew and merged with other galaxies over 12 billion years of cosmic time.
The REGALADE catalogue combines data from 14 widely used catalogues and deep imaging surveys to create a unified place for astronomers to look up galaxy distances and features. This results in precise distance and size measurements for all galaxies, as well as stellar masses for most of them.
The American Physical Society's Global Physics Summit will feature over 10,000 individual presentations on new research in astrophysics and particle physics. Attendees can book discounted hotel rates near the Colorado Convention Center until February 12 to receive a discount.
The VIP-2 experiment, a highly sensitive test of the Pauli exclusion principle, found no evidence of its violation. The team set the strongest limits yet on possible violations involving electrons in atomic systems, constraining speculative theories beyond the Standard Model.
Researchers from ICCUB led the most extensive observational study of runaway massive stars in the Milky Way, combining measurements of rotation speeds and binarity. The results reveal that most runaway stars rotate slowly, while those with high velocities are linked to supernova explosions or gravitational ejection.
A team of international astronomers, including HKU researchers, have uncovered evidence that some fast radio burst sources reside in binary stellar systems. They detected a distinctive signal revealing the presence of a nearby companion star orbiting an FRB source.
Researchers will investigate fundamental properties of unstable atomic nuclei, focusing on neutron-rich and neutron-deficient isotopes. The project aims to improve theoretical models in nuclear structure and understand the origin of chemical elements in nuclear astrophysics.
Scientists have found that active galactic nuclei are two to six times more common in merging galaxies than non-merging counterparts. Galaxy mergers were most strongly associated with bright, dust-cloaked supermassive black holes linked to rapid growth.
Two new research projects will bring advanced tools to Lick and McDonald Observatories, studying planet and star formation. The programs aim to extend the scientific reach of mid-sized telescopes, delivering new insights and demonstrating technologies for larger observatories.
Researchers developed a comprehensive model of luminous black hole accretion, including radiation flows and interactions with surrounding gas. Their simulations reproduce consistent behaviors across various black hole systems, providing insight into extreme nonlinear processes.
Astronomers from India use JWST to spot a mature spiral galaxy, Alaknanda, with two sweeping arms and annual star-forming rate 20 times that of Milky Way. This discovery challenges current models of galaxy formation and encourages rethinking theoretical frameworks.
The University of Hong Kong has launched the Hong Kong Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (HKIAA), uniting astronomers across Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. The institute aims to bolster Hong Kong's role as a global hub for scientific excellence, attracting top talent and fostering international collaborations.
The team discovered a flat, spherical gas and dust structure resembling a diamond ring, formed by a massive star's radiation and winds. The 'Diamond Ring' is around 20 light years in diameter and shines strongly in infrared light.
Researchers at RIKEN successfully simulated the Milky Way Galaxy with over 100 billion individual stars, far surpassing previous state-of-the-art models. This achievement demonstrates the power of AI-accelerated simulations in tackling complex multi-scale problems in astrophysics and beyond.
Life in Space bridges astrophysics and biology to explore conditions for life on Earth and beyond. The book offers a comprehensive view of astrobiology, tracing how astronomical and biological forces intersect to create and sustain life.
Astrophysicists used simulations to uncover the missing piece that previous studies had overlooked: magnetic fields. They found that strong magnetic fields can slow down a black hole and carry away some of its stellar mass, creating lighter and more slowly spinning black holes.
Researchers revive dark matter as a serious contender for explaining the Milky Way's central glow, proposing a more complex and nonspherical dark matter structure. Advanced simulations reveal that dark matter may still be the best explanation for the excess of high-energy radiation observed by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
The new emulator Effort.jl allows researchers to analyze complex data sets faster and more efficiently than ever before. It uses state-of-the-art numerical methods and clever preprocessing strategies to achieve exceptional computational performance, making it possible to explore cosmic scenarios without waiting hours for each simulation.
Researchers Josh Frieman and Anowar Shajib found that physics-based models for evolving dark energy better explain current data than the standard model. The data suggests that dark energy density has decreased by about 10% over the last several billion years, changing the cosmic expansion history.
The ATREIDES program observes and analyzes exo-Neptune systems, revealing a surprisingly inclined orbital architecture that offers new insights into chaotic planetary history. The study of TOI-421 highlights the role of high-eccentricity migration in shaping planetary orbits.
A newly detected black hole merger has provided the clearest evidence yet of how black holes work, confirming fundamental predictions by Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The observations reveal insights into the properties of black holes and the nature of space-time, hinting at how quantum physics and general relativity fit together.
Researchers capture unprecedented 130-year evolution of Planetary Nebula IC418, revealing significant changes in emission lines and implications for stellar evolution. The study offers unique evidence of how PN central stars evolve, prompting a rethink of existing models of stellar life cycles.
The European Space Agency-led Solar Orbiter mission has split energetic particles into two groups, tracing them back to distinct solar outbursts. Researchers found that one type of particle is connected to intense solar flares and the other to larger coronal mass ejections.
Researchers at Nagoya University and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics have determined how molten rock droplets formed in Jupiter's early days. Their study shows that chondrule characteristics are influenced by the water content of impacting planetesimals, providing a clearer picture of solar system formation.
Isabel Angelo will refine and expand machine learning-driven pipelines for detecting exoplanets, focusing on subtle or unconventional candidates. Her work aims to uncover rare or unexpected planetary systems using cutting-edge AI and astrophysical modeling.
Researchers measured magnetic field of Sagittarius C, a region in the Central Molecular Zone, to understand interaction between dense clouds, star formation, and strong magnetic field. The study found that the magnetic field wraps around an expanding central bubble of hot, ionized gas created by massive young stars.
Researchers observed a flare caused by a star falling onto a black hole and surviving the encounter. The discovery suggests that these flares may be part of a longer, more complex story about supermassive black holes.
Researchers successfully demonstrate Fermi acceleration mechanism with ultracold atoms, unlocking new understanding of cosmic rays behavior. The technology has the potential for high-precision control over particle acceleration and opens new possibilities for investigating phenomena relevant to high-energy astrophysics.
Kilonova Seekers, a public participation project, has announced its first major discovery - a bright exploding star named GOTO0650. The team collected highly complete dataset on the star through fast response from volunteers, suggesting it's a period bouncer and rare object to find in wide-field imaging surveys.
The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) aims to transform our understanding of the Universe, capturing billions of stars, galaxies, asteroids, and celestial objects. Durham University researchers will focus on frontier topics in astrophysics, including dark matter, black holes, and galaxy evolution.
Scientists at UC Riverside successfully measured the electric dipole moment of aluminum monochloride, a crucial diatomic molecule. The precise measurement will aid in quantum technologies, astrophysics, and planetary science.
The University of Cologne has been awarded funding for five Clusters of Excellence in aging research, plant sciences, astrophysics, economics, and quantum research. The clusters will focus on fundamental understanding and innovative research to address major challenges like age-related diseases, climate change, and global food security.
The US National Science Foundation-funded ZEUS facility at the University of Michigan has roughly doubled the peak power of any other laser in the country with its first official experiment reaching 2 petawatts. Research at ZEUS will have applications in medicine, national security, materials science and astrophysics.
Researchers discover over 500 dense cores in Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone, which may indicate widespread presence of protoplanetary disks. The findings propose two scenarios: self-absorption of smaller structures within dense cores or growth of dust grains in these systems.
A new computer model simulates magnetism and turbulence in the interstellar medium, providing unprecedented detail on the Milky Way Galaxy's overall magnetic field. The model also helps understand star formation and the propagation of cosmic rays, offering insights into astrophysical phenomenon.
Researchers employed Bayesian neural networks to fit photonuclear cross-sections with remarkable reliability, outperforming traditional methods like TENDL-2021. The approach demonstrated superior accuracy in describing low-energy thresholds and high-energy tails, particularly for sparse or biased data.
Researchers develop ultra-intense neutron generation through petawatt-class lasers, achieving densities exceeding 1025 cm-3. This breakthrough enables high-yield fusion reactions, revolutionizing fields like astrophysics, materials science, and neutron imaging.
Researchers discovered that magnetar flares can produce the universe's heaviest elements, including gold and platinum. The discovery resolves a decades-long mystery concerning a bright flash of light and particles spotted by a space telescope in 2004.
Ryan Amberger, a Ph.D. candidate in physics at Texas A&M University, has been selected for a 2025 Los Alamos-Texas A&M Fellowship to conduct dissertation research on nuclear astrophysics. He aims to improve understanding of the s-process by studying neutron cross sections.
The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program has selected 24 outstanding astrophysicists for the 2025 class, providing up to three years of support at a U.S. institution. The fellowships aim to foster excellence and leadership in astrophysics by supporting innovative early-career researchers.
The Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics is now supporting MESA's ongoing maintenance and development after its creator Bill Paxton steps down. The center has hired Philip Mocz as a full-time software engineer to ensure MESA's continued growth and impact in stellar physics.
SLAC researchers develop a laser-based shaping technique to compress billions of electrons into a length less than one micrometer, producing an electron beam with femtosecond-duration and petawatt peak power. This achievement opens up new discoveries in quantum chemistry, astrophysics, and material science.
The Solar System passed through the Radcliffe Wave galactic structure approximately 14 million years ago, compressing its heliosphere and increasing interstellar dust influx. This journey may have impacted Earth's climate and left geological traces.
The book delves into the cosmic connection between art, science, and humanity, citing examples ranging from ancient cultures to modern-day artists. Imara aims to encourage a feeling of interconnectedness and unity within ourselves, with one another, and the universe.
The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy will launch its first space mission in 2029 with a $10 million NASA grant. The STARI mission aims to demonstrate a new technique for studying exoplanets, which could help search for life beyond our solar system.