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Sloan Digital Sky Survey launches data release 20

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has released its 20th data set, featuring over three million spectra of stars and galaxies, as well as 18 new value-added catalogs. This release marks a significant expansion of the survey's efforts, integrating full all-sky panoptic spectroscopy across both hemispheres.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·DateJul 31, 2026

Universe expansion still accelerating say astronomers

New study by University of Southampton confirms the universe's expansion is still accelerating as previously found, debunking 2025 claims that the cosmos was slowing. The team re-evaluated data using Type Ia supernovae to calculate vast cosmic distances and found no error in their methods.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJun 10, 2026

Cosmic blowtorches: How quasars shut down star formation in the early universe

A team at the University of Arizona discovered exceptionally fast and powerful galactic winds from quasars a billion years after the Big Bang. These winds could have caused galaxies to lose gas supplies, effectively shutting down star formation. The study suggests that quasars with extreme outflows were more common in the early univers...

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateMay 7, 2026
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Stardust study resets how life’s atoms spread through space

A team of astronomers has discovered that the winds of giant stars like R Doradus are driven by complex processes, rather than being powered solely by starlight and stardust. The study used advanced computer simulations to model how starlight interacts with dust grains, finding that they are too small to be pushed outward by starlight ...

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·TypeObservational study·DateDec 22, 2025

Mapping the Universe, faster and with the same accuracy

Researchers have developed an emulator called Effort.jl that mimics the behavior of large-scale structure models, allowing for fast analysis on standard laptops. The new model delivers similar accuracy as the original, enabling scientists to analyze upcoming data releases from experiments like DESI and Euclid.

SourceSissa Medialab·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 16, 2025

LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detect most massive black hole merger to date

The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration detected the merger of two massive black holes, producing a final black hole over 225 times the mass of our Sun. The signal challenges current astrophysical models and requires the use of theoretical models to interpret its complex dynamics.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·DateJul 13, 2025
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.

‘Ice in a volcano’ reveals age of gas cloud at Milky Way’s center

The discovery of dense clouds of neutral hydrogen gas within the Fermi bubbles challenges current understanding of their formation and age. These 'ice-like' clouds are found at 12,000 light years above the Milky Way's center and are much younger than previously estimated.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJul 7, 2025

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Researchers from Penn University propose a five-member particle package, known as the 5-plet, that string theory cannot accommodate. This particle family is absent in any known string-based calculation, raising concerns about the framework's validity.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPhysical Review Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 3, 2025

“The models were right”: Astronomers find ‘missing’ matter

Researchers found a huge filament of hot gas in the Shapley Supercluster, containing some of the Universe's 'missing' matter. The discovery was made using XMM-Newton and Suzaku space telescopes, revealing a thread of gas stretching over 23 million light-years.

SourceEuropean Space Agency·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·TypeObservational study·DateJun 19, 2025

NASA's Roman mission shares detailed plans to scour skies

Roman's surveys will investigate dark energy and dark matter governing cosmic evolution, and study the demographics of worlds beyond our solar system. The missions include High-Latitude Wide-Area Survey, High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey, and Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateApr 24, 2025

Cosmic twist: New study suggests the universe could be spinning

Researchers propose universe may rotate with one rotation every 500 billion years, resolving Hubble tension paradox and explaining discrepancies in astronomical measurements. The theory is compatible with current models and doesn't break any known laws of physics.

SourceUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateApr 16, 2025
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.

Howard University physicist revisits the computational limits of life and Schrödinger’s essential question in the era of quantum computing

A study by Philip Kurian and colleagues reveals a revised upper bound on carbon-based life's computational capacity, connecting it to the universe's information-processing limit. The discovery of quantum superradiance in cytoskeletal filaments enables eukaryotic organisms to process information through tryptophan networks.

SourceHoward University·JournalScience Advances·TypeSurvey·DateMar 28, 2025

New limits found for dark matter properties from latest search

Researchers have set new limits on the lifetime of dark matter particles using a combination of models and state-of-the-art observations. The findings highlight the utility of their technology, setting an upper bound of ten to a hundred million times the age of the universe for the frequency of dark matter decay events.

SourceTokyo Metropolitan University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 1, 2025

Getting the most out of cosmic maps

Researchers have developed a new approach to analyzing cosmic maps, known as field-level inference, which preserves the fidelity of the data and can improve the determination of cosmological parameters by a factor of 3.5 to 5.2 compared to standard methods.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 20, 2025
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Falsifying anthropics

A new paper in JCAP proposes a way to test the anthropic principle, which suggests the universe is fine-tuned for life. The proposal involves confirming three conditions: cosmic inflation, axion existence, and dark matter not being made of axions.

SourceSissa Medialab·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 9, 2024

Research sheds light on large-scale cosmic structures

A new study identifies regions where gravity dominates, such as the Sloan Great Wall and Shapley Supercluster, suggesting that our Milky Way likely resides in the larger Shapley basin. The research provides an unprecedented look into the gravitational landscape of the local Universe.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 27, 2024

AI helps distinguish dark matter from cosmic noise

A deep-learning algorithm developed by astronomer David Harvey can untangle the complex signals of self-interacting dark matter and AGN feedback in galaxy cluster images. The Inception model achieved an accuracy of 80% under ideal conditions, showcasing its potential for analyzing vast amounts of space data.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Astronomy·DateSep 6, 2024
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Milky Way-like galaxy found in the early universe

Researchers found a barred spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way at a redshift of 3, challenging previous understanding of galaxy evolution. The discovery suggests that galaxies matured and became ordered much faster than thought, with implications for theories of galaxy formation and evolution.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateNov 9, 2023

Biggest ever supercomputer simulation to investigate Universe’s evolution

Researchers have carried out the largest ever computer simulations to investigate the Universe's evolution, taking into account ordinary matter and dark energy. The FLAMINGO simulations provide a detailed picture of virtual galaxies and galaxy clusters, allowing for comparisons with observations from new high-powered telescopes.

SourceDurham University·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 24, 2023
DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Webb Telescope detects most distant active supermassive black hole

The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole to date, existing about 570 million years after the big bang. The galaxy, CEERS 1019, is less massive than other identified black holes in the early universe, with a mass of around 9 million solar masses.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJul 6, 2023

Searching for the earliest galaxies in the universe

A team of astronomers discovered 87 galaxies that could be the earliest known galaxies in the universe using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. This finding suggests a revision to our understanding of galaxy formation, indicating that more galaxies may have formed earlier than previously thought.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateJan 9, 2023

Space-bound clocks to detect dark matter

A new proposal aims to detect ultralight dark matter using atomic clocks in space. The clocks will track changes in energy oscillations caused by dark matter, allowing researchers to measure its presence.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Astronomy·DateDec 5, 2022
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Shedding light on turbulence with wave-optics simulations

Researchers conducted wave-optics simulations to study the impact of turbulence on light beams, finding that branch point density grows non-linearly with grid resolution. The study's results could lead to more accurate modeling and improved performance in Adaptive Optics systems.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalOptical Engineering·DateMay 18, 2022

Shadow of cosmic water cloud reveals the temperature of the young universe

A team of astrophysicists has discovered a new method to measure the cosmic microwave background radiation's temperature at an early epoch of the universe. By observing HFLS3, a massive starburst galaxy, they found a cold water cloud that casts a shadow on the microwave radiation, revealing the Big Bang's relic temperature.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 2, 2022

Unveiling galaxies at cosmic dawn that were hiding behind the dust

Researchers used ALMA to observe distant galaxies and discovered two new, dusty galaxies near original targets, challenging our understanding of early galaxy formation. The discovery suggests that a significant portion of early galaxies may be hidden from view due to cosmic dust.

SourceWaseda University·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 22, 2021
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Astronomers agree: Universe is nearly 14 billion years old

Astronomers have estimated the universe's age to be nearly 14 billion years old using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the European Space Agency's Planck satellite. The findings match the predictions of the standard model of the universe, resolving a discrepancy that had sparked debate in the astrophysics community.

SourceCornell University·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·DateJan 4, 2021

Is life a game of chance?

A new study suggests that life in the universe is likely to be common, but only under specific conditions. The research, led by Professor Tomonori Totani, found that complex RNA structures necessary for life to exist may have formed spontaneously in vast regions of space beyond our observable horizon.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 5, 2020
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.

Neutron star jets shoot down theory

Researchers observed a strongly magnetized accreting X-ray pulsar using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and NASA's Swift space telescope. The discovery reveals a new class of jet-producing sources, contradicting previous expectations about strong magnetic fields.

SourceInternational Centre for Radio Astronomy Research·JournalNature·DateSep 26, 2018

Ancient galaxy megamergers

Astronomers have observed gargantuan cosmic pileups, the impending collisions of young starburst galaxies, when the Universe was only half its current age. These ancient systems are thought to be building the most massive structures in the known Universe: galaxy clusters.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateApr 25, 2018

Dark matter may be smoother than expected

A team of astronomers from institutions around the world has processed images from the Kilo Degree Survey to make one of the most precise measurements ever made of cosmic shear, a subtle variant of weak gravitational lensing. The results suggest that dark matter in the cosmic web is less clumpy than previously believed.

SourceESO·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateDec 7, 2016
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Measuring the universe more accurately than ever before

A team of astronomers has measured the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud with unprecedented accuracy, pinning down its value at 163,000 light-years. This breakthrough improves distances for Cepheid variable stars and the Hubble Constant, enabling more precise surveying of the Universe.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateMar 6, 2013

ALMA telescope reaches new heights

The ALMA telescope has successfully transported its first antenna to a high-altitude site in Chile, marking the start of the next phase of the project. The move allows for improved astronomical observations using millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, key to exploring cosmic origins.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·DateSep 23, 2009

Scientists detect cosmic 'dark flow' across billions of light years

Researchers identified an unexpected motion in distant galaxy clusters, suggesting gravitational attraction beyond the observable universe. The 'dark flow' is constant out to a billion light-years and flies in the face of predictions from standard cosmological models.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateSep 23, 2008

Entire Universe Captured In Computer Simulation, As Reported In 5 June 1998 Science

A team of astrophysicists and computer scientists has captured the entire observable universe in a computer simulation, depicting how gravity gathered ripples from the big bang into cosmic structures. This unprecedented model aims to better interpret data from large surveys and understand rarest structures in the cosmos.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateJun 4, 1998
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.