A team of scientists used satellite data to augment measurements of a 2017 North Korean nuclear test, estimating its yield to be between 245 and 271 kilotonnes. The study demonstrates the value of space-borne InSAR data for measuring underground nuclear tests with greater precision than conventional seismic methods.
A new cosmological simulation, TNG50, has revealed that the geometry of cosmic gas flows determines galaxies' structures. The study finds that galaxies form into disc-like shapes with rapid rotation, eventually becoming spiral galaxies through a process known as galactic fountains.
Researchers used simulations to show how supermassive black holes' powerful jets are disrupted by hot gas and galaxies, preventing gas from cooling and forming stars. The team found that this 'weather' mechanism may solve the long-standing 'cooling flow' puzzle plaguing astrophysicists.
The HERON collaboration completes the largest survey of nearby galaxy haloes, finding that diameter correlates with galaxy brightness; vast haloes found in bright galaxies, also seen in smaller discs. The team's low-cost system reveals faint stars tracing dark matter structures, offering new insights into galaxy evolution.
A collaboration between amateur astronomers and the Ministry of Defence has successfully used high-end consumer equipment to track satellites in space. The project shows that small aperture prosumer level lenses can monitor positions and maintain accurate orbits for low Earth orbit satellites.
Researchers developed Deep-CEE, a deep learning technique to speed up finding galaxy clusters. The novel approach uses AI models trained on images to identify galaxy clusters, replacing manual analysis by astronomer George Abell.
The SULIS mission aims to understand the nature of solar eruptions and track magnetic clouds of charged gas. It will also demonstrate new technologies in space and precision alignment of small satellites flying in formation.
Researchers are using computer models developed by astronomers to create a rapid diagnostic test that can detect cancerous tissue without unnecessary biopsies. The technology has also shown promise in treating non-melanoma skin cancer, with simulations indicating that it could be effective in killing cancer cells.
A supermassive black hole at the centre of jellyfish galaxy JO201 is stripping away gas and throwing it out into space, accelerating the suppression of star formation. This process, known as ram-pressure stripping, has caused a brief increase in star formation due to the compression of clouds of gas.
Researchers from the University of Leeds have developed 3D holograms to share their work on massive star cluster formation with the general public. The holograms allow people to watch millions of years of stellar evolution in 3D, making it easier for non-experts to understand complex topics.
Researchers found that solar storms become more complex as the Sun's 11-year activity cycle reaches its maximum. The study could help improve forecasting of potentially hazardous space weather events with devastating consequences for modern technologies.
A new study reveals that electric propulsion for orbit raising can cause significant solar cell degradation due to space weather exposure. Satellites using this method may experience a 8% reduction in output power after a radiation storm, similar to spending 15 years at geostationary orbit.
A new study reveals no significant correlation between galaxy bulge size and spiral arm winding, contradicting a key assumption in Hubble's model. The findings suggest that most spirals may not be static density waves after all.
New observations using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal that some of the earliest galaxies in the Universe were significantly brighter than anticipated. The excess light suggests that these galaxies released high amounts of ionising radiation, which may have played a key role in the Epoch of Reionisation.
Astronomers captured a meteorite hitting the moon's surface during January's total lunar eclipse, creating a crater up to 15 meters across. The impact was recorded using eight telescopes in Spain and revealed an object measuring 30-60cm in diameter, traveling at 61,000 kilometers per hour.
Astronomers find that binary star interactions can expand the habitable zone, increasing the likelihood of life on planets. Simulations reveal that 20 out of 350 binaries in young star clusters are squeezed together, expanding their habitable zones.
A team of astronomers has identified a giant disrupted 'tadpole' galaxy 300 million light years away, with an elliptical head and a long straight tail. The galaxy is ten times larger than the Milky Way and contains a system of two close disc galaxies.
Researchers have found an extremely hot magnetosphere around a white dwarf, a remnant of a star like our Sun. This discovery sheds light on the origin of highly ionised metals in some white dwarfs, which were previously a puzzle. The study reveals that the magnetic field traps material flowing from the surface, heating it up dramatically.
Researchers have confirmed the existence of two elusive clouds of dust in semi-stable orbits around the Earth, known as Kordylewski clouds. The observations were made using a linearly polarising filter system attached to a camera lens at Judit Slíz-Balogh's private observatory in Hungary.
Researchers have found evidence for a large number of double supermassive black holes, precursors to massive galaxy mergers. The discovery was made by studying radio maps of powerful jet sources, which showed signs of periodic changes in jet direction, indicative of binary black hole mergers.
A team of astronomers using Gaia data found twenty high-velocity stars racing towards the Galactic centre, raising questions about their origin. The stars' velocities could be a sign of supermassive black holes or binary systems in nearby galaxies.
Researchers have detected matter falling directly into a black hole for the first time, with gas spiraling in at 30% of the speed of light. The discovery sheds light on chaotic accretion and its implications for supermassive black holes.
Researchers estimate that the Milky Way contains about 10 billion trillion trillion tonnes of greasy matter, equivalent to 40 trillion trillion trillion packs of butter. The discovery could have implications for understanding the origins of life in the universe.
A European team of scientists re-examines giant solar structures, finding they don't rotate like traditional tornadoes. By analyzing data from several years' worth of observations using the Doppler effect, researchers determine magnetic field direction and plasma movement.
New observations suggest dark matter may only interact through gravity, contradicting previous findings. Researchers used the Atacama Large Millimetre Array to study a galaxy cluster and found no separation between dark matter and its surrounding galaxy.
Researchers at Cardiff University have discovered a significant scarcity of phosphorus in cosmic supernovae, which could pose a challenge to the existence of life beyond Earth. The finding suggests that material blown out into space by these stellar explosions may vary dramatically in chemical composition.
Researchers have developed chemical models from car engines to study the atmospheres of hot exoplanets. The results show deviations in these atmospheres due to extreme temperatures and pressures.
Astronomers have discovered that the Beatles' record company funded Godfrey Hounsfield's X-ray research, leading to the invention of the CT scanner. The band's music has also inspired NASA to name their Lucy mission after the 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' song.
Astronomers found intense X-ray radiation from red dwarf stars can strip away a planet's ozone layer, making it uninhabitable. This means that life on land might only survive in the oceans.
A team at Plymouth University used artificial neural networks to classify five planets as potentially habitable, estimating a probability of life in each case. The technique may aid in selecting targets for future space missions with improved spectral detail.
Researchers have found that massive black holes in the center of most galaxies can disrupt and modify binary system orbits, leading to observable gravitational waves. This process could force binaries to merge sooner, producing detectable ripples in space-time.
A collaboration between astrophysicists and ecologists is helping to monitor rare and endangered species using thermal infrared imagery captured by drones. The project aims to track, find, and monitor endangered animals easily and prevent poaching.
Researchers used Subaru telescope in Hawaii and Isaac Newton telescope in Canary Islands to create 3D map of universe's first 16 billion years. The team found nearly 4000 early galaxies, many of which may have evolved into Milky Way-like galaxies. These discoveries provide crucial information about early phases of galaxy formation.
A study reveals that neutron star magnetic hot spots can survive for millions of years despite the overall magnetic field decay. The simulations show strong electric currents producing heat, explaining the strange behavior of magnetars like SGR 0418+5729.
A team of astronomers found 72 very bright but quick events in a recent survey, which they believe could be related to supernovae. The transients appear hot and large, expanding and cooling as they evolve, sparking debate about their origin.
A team of astronomers has found that galaxies like the Milky Way are slowly increasing in size due to star formation on their outskirts. The study, led by Cristina Martínez-Lombilla, reveals a growth rate of around 500 meters per second, which is fast enough to cover the distance from Liverpool to London in about twelve minutes.
A new age-map of the Milky Way's center shows that a period of star formation lasting around 4 billion years created the complex structure. The map, produced by an international team, combines data from millions of stars and spectroscopic surveys, revealing that the bar-shaped structure was formed about 7 billion years ago.
New research confirms that 'Oumuamua, the first confirmed interstellar asteroid, originated from a binary star system. The study found that rocky objects like 'Oumuamua are far more likely to come from binary systems than single star systems.
A team led by Professor Pat Roche created the first high-resolution map of magnetic field lines in gas and dust swirling around a supermassive black hole at the centre of our Galaxy. The map shows intense infrared light and magnetic field lines within filaments of warm dust grains and hot gas, revealing their intricate relationship.
Professor James Hough receives the Gold Medal for his seminal contribution to gravitational waves, while Professor Robert White is awarded for a lifetime of distinguished achievement in solid Earth geophysics. The awards recognize significant achievements in astronomy and geophysics across various fields.
Researchers found that equatorial regions on planets like Proxima b and TRAPPIST-1d might trap ozone, hiding signs of life from telescopic observations. This discovery highlights the challenges in detecting life beyond Earth, requiring a more nuanced strategy for searching for life.
A giant gas giant planet, NGTS-1b, has been discovered orbiting a tiny star, defying conventional formation theories. The planet's proximity to its star and short orbital period pose significant challenges for understanding the origins of such massive worlds.
A citizen scientist has discovered a comet's tail streaking past a distant star using data from the Kepler Space Telescope. The discovery marks the first time an object as small as a comet has been inferred by observing dips in a star's light.
Researchers from Germany's Technische Universität Braunschweig uncovered a crucial link between the formation of cometary 'dust pebbles' and planet accretion. The study, based on Rosetta mission data, reveals that these pebbles are concentrated by solar instability, leading to collapse and the birth of comets.
Researchers found that spots on the surface of Zeta Puppis, a supergiant star, create large-scale spiral structures in its stellar wind. The team observed periodic signals in the star's light and wind behavior, indicating a link between surface variations and wind clumping.
A new study finds a model universe with no dark energy provides a slightly better fit to Type Ia supernovae data than the standard dark energy model. The 'timescape cosmology' challenges current understanding of the Universe's expansion, highlighting the need for more data and better supernova precision.
A team of scientists identified 68 exoplanets where observers can see the planets in our Solar System transit the Sun. Nine of these are ideally placed to observe Earth's transits, although none are habitable.
Researchers have observed a sudden change in rotation speed of SXP 1062, a binary pulsar exhibiting the 'glitch' phenomenon. The discovery provides new constraints on neutron star equation of state and sheds light on the interior dynamics of these compact objects.
The Kepler Space Telescope's K2 Mission has observed detailed variations in the brightness of stars in the Seven Sisters star cluster. The team developed a new algorithm to measure relative changes in brightness, overcoming instrumental effects and revealing slow-pulsating B stars.
A team of scientists has calculated the distribution of all light energy contained within the Milky Way, providing insight into galaxy formation and stellar processes. The research shows how stellar photons control gamma-ray production in the Universe.