Harry Baker

The cryovolcanic "centaur" comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann has erupted four times in less than 48 hours, becoming unusually bright in the process. It is the most powerful outburst from the city-size oddball in more than three years.

A student-led project comparing satellite images of the Arctic has discovered that a small Russian island has recently vanished after "completely melting" away.

Scientists have discovered a new way of creating superheavy elements by firing supercharged ion beams at dense atoms. The team believes this method could potentially help synthesize the hypothetical "element 120," which would be heavier than any known element.

The nearby bright star Vega is surrounded by a surprisingly smooth, 100 billion-mile-wide disk of cosmic dust, confirming that it is not surrounded by any exoplanets, JWST images reveal. And scientists cannot explain its lack of alien worlds.

Earth from space Satellite images show the true extent of the flash flooding in Valencia during a freak weather event that killed at least 214 people across Spain.

Earth from space A 2014 photo shows a massive, iceberg-littered pool of vibrant blue meltwater sitting alone on top of a glacier in Alaska. Similar "melt ponds" are becoming increasingly common in the Arctic due to climate change and are further accelerating the rate of ice loss across the region.

Researchers spotted a second distant star orbiting a well-known black hole and its stellar companion in a never-before-seen gravitational triad. The system's unique configuration suggests that the black hole was not created as scientists initially expected.

A new animated map sheds light on the superhot "zombie star" at the heart of a nebula leftover from a distant supernova witnessed by astronomers in 1181. The remains of the stellar explosion are unusually wonky and are still exploding at a constant speed.

Four "potentially hazardous" space rocks, which are between 100 and 580 feet across, will all make their closest approaches to Earth within less than 12 hours of one another on Thursday (Oct. 24). Two of them were only discovered earlier this month.

A new NASA-led study suggests that photosynthetic microbes could thrive in hidden bubbles of meltwater below patches of ice on Mars. This could be one of the easiest places to search for extraterrestrial life "anywhere in the universe," the team says.

Half a dozen dinosaur eggs, each around the size of a grape, were recently saved from a construction site in China. Researchers say the tiny fossilized shells are exceptionally well preserved.

Earth from space A recent satellite image captured the reemergence of a unique, UFO-like cloud, known as the "Taieri Pet," which appears above New Zealand's South Island when conditions are just right.

A new video shows how Earth's magnetic field weakened and warped before temporarily flipping during a recent "polar reversal event."

A probabilistic new map of the universe surrounding the Milky Way reveals that our galaxy is likely part of an even larger "basin of attraction" than we previously assumed.

A new analysis of a peculiar metallic cloud surrounding the exoplanet WASP-49 b provides further evidence that it may have been birthed by a volcanic satellite, which may become the first officially recognized "exomoon."

A surprise announcement from scientists involved in monitoring the solar cycle has finally confirmed that the sun's most active and dangerous phase — solar maximum — is already well underway, and could continue for at least a year.

New photos of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS appear to show a faint "anti-tail" pointing away in the wrong direction. The puzzling extra limb is the result of a rare illusion that is only possible when our planet is in a certain position.

Earth from space This 2012 satellite photo shows a quartet of near-identical glaciers on Canada's Ellesmere Island. The ice masses help to spark life in the otherwise barren Arctic environment.

The launch of the Qianfan satellites on Aug. 6 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

A new study captured never-before-seen footage of hydrogen and oxygen atoms combining to form a miniature water droplet out of "thin air." The newly improved reaction could one day help astronauts make water in space.

Newfound comet C/2024 S1 will light up Earth's skies in late October before a super close slingshot around the sun.

Earth from space This 2014 satellite photo shows a cloud of haze sitting in the Kashmir Valley in the Himalayas. The ethereal "lake" consists mainly of smog and other pollutants from nearby factories.

Researchers discovered that some comb jellies can fuse their bodies together when injured. The unique adaptation, which involves merging their nervous systems and stomachs, has never been seen in any other species.

The sun has unleashed the most powerful solar flare since 2017, just days after it spat out another monster explosion. Both outbursts have launched solar storms that will likely hit Earth this weekend and trigger vibrant aurora displays.

Images captured by Curiosity's onboard cameras show several large tears in the tire of one of the rover's wheels. However, the damage does not appear to be slowing the roaming robot down.