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Tiny Mars’ big impact on Earth’s climate

Mars plays a measurable role in shaping Earth's long-term climate patterns, including ice ages, through its gravitational influence and orbital cycles. The study suggests that Mars' presence is necessary for the existence of major climate cycles, which have driven evolutionary changes on Earth.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific·DateJan 12, 2026
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

‘Invisible’ asteroids near Venus may threaten Earth in the future

Researchers have identified undetectable asteroids orbiting Venus that could collide with Earth in the distant future. The asteroids' low eccentricity makes them invisible from ground-based observatories, but simulations suggest they pose a real risk of devastating impacts on large cities.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·DateSep 23, 2025

Small and large planets have significantly different upbringings

Researchers measured exoplanet orbits, finding small planets have nearly circular orbits while giant planets have more elliptical orbits. This discovery points to two different formation pathways for small and large planets.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 5, 2025
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Antarctica’s irregular heartbeat shows signs of rapid melting

Scientists reveal that the Antarctic ice sheet is more unstable than previously thought, with periods of sudden melting linked to changes in Earth's orbit. The study provides a glimpse into the potential behavior of Antarctica without the Greenland Ice Sheet, highlighting the urgent need for climate action.

SourceUniversity of Leicester·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 10, 2024

WIYN 3.5-meter telescope at Kitt Peak discovers extremely strange orbit of rare exoplanet

A team of astronomers has discovered an exoplanet with an elongated and backwards orbit, which holds clues to the formation history and future trajectories of high-mass gas giants. The exoplanet, named TIC 241249530 b, is approximately five times more massive than Jupiter and orbits its host star in a highly eccentric path.

SourceAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)·JournalNature·DateJul 17, 2024
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Squeezed by neighbors, planet glows with molten lava

A new rocky planet, TOI-6713.01, has been found to be covered with active volcanoes, making it glow with a fiery, glowing-red hue. The planet's surface temperature reaches 2,600 degrees Kelvin due to gravitational forces that cause it to experience tidal energy.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·DateMay 9, 2024

SwRI-led team finds ancient, high-energy impacts could have fueled Venus volcanism

A Southwest Research Institute-led team modeled the early impact history of Venus to explain how it maintains a youthful surface despite lacking plate tectonics. The findings suggest that higher-speed, higher-energy impacts created a superheated core that promoted extended volcanism and resurfaced the planet.

SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateJul 20, 2023

One-third of galaxy’s most common planets could be in habitable zone

New analysis reveals that two-thirds of planets around small stars could be sterilized by tidal forces, leaving one-third with potentially habitable zones. Hundreds of millions of promising targets have been identified for future studies.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateMay 29, 2023

Could more of Earth’s surface host life?

A new study suggests that Earth's habitability could increase if Jupiter's orbit becomes more eccentric, leading to parts of the surface warming up and becoming habitable for multiple life forms. The researchers also found that this change in Jupiter's orbit could have implications for the search for habitable planets around other stars.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 9, 2022
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Simulations explain giant exoplanets with eccentric, close-in orbits

Astronomers used computer simulations to explore the evolution of high-mass planetary systems, finding that collisional growth and gravitational interactions lead to eccentric orbits. The models suggest a crucial role for giant impacts in producing close-in giant planets with high masses.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateOct 30, 2019

In ancient rocks, scientists see a climate cycle working across deep time

Scientists have documented a 405,000-year climate cycle in ancient rocks, which repeats every 405,000 years and plays a role in natural climate swings. The cycle is believed to result from a complex interplay with the gravitational influences of Venus and Jupiter.

SourceColumbia Climate School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 7, 2018
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Study shows how water could have flowed on 'cold and icy' ancient Mars

Researchers found a potential bridge between Martian geology and atmospheric models, suggesting peak daily temperatures above freezing could cause melting at glacier edges. This meltwater could have carved the features observed on Mars today, supporting the formation of water-carved valleys and lakebeds.

SourceBrown University·JournalIcarus·DateOct 17, 2017

Wide binary stars can wreak havoc in planetary systems

A recent study found that wide binary stars in planetary systems can lead to dramatic events over time. In one hypothetical system, at least one of four giant planets was ejected in almost half of the simulations. The researchers also discovered substantial evidence that this process occurs regularly in known extrasolar planetary systems.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·DateJan 7, 2013
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Astronomers discover six new planets orbiting nearby stars

Six new planets have been discovered orbiting nearby stars, bringing the total number of known planets outside our solar system to 28. The newly discovered planets are located within the habitable zones of their stars and have temperatures suitable for liquid water to exist in one case.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·DateNov 28, 1999

There's A Mystery Object Not Far From The Earth

An asteroid approximately 30-50 metres across has been discovered in an orbit close to Earth's, likely originating from the Moon. The object's unusual nearly circular orbit is unlike most comets and asteroids that cross the Earth's orbit.

SourceNew Scientist·JournalThe New Scientist·DateFeb 24, 1999

MIT Physicists Envision Violent Beginnings For Newly Discovered Planets

Astrophysicists at MIT propose that newly discovered planets in Jupiter-sized systems underwent violent instability upon formation. This instability can lead to the ejection of one planet and a smaller, eccentric orbit for another, with potential consequences for planetary system evolution and intelligent life.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·DateNov 8, 1996

SFSU Researchers Discover New Planet With Oblong Orbit

A new planet has been discovered around the star 16 Cygni B with an orbital eccentricity of 0.6, unlike any other known planet in our Solar System. This extreme oblong shape indicates the planet experiences significant variations in heat energy as it orbits its host star.

SourceSan Francisco State University·DateOct 22, 1996