A new solar cycle just started. Here's what that means. By Meghan Bartels We're officially nine months into solar cycle 25, scientists have confirmed, and it will likely look much like its predecessor, which ran from 2008 to 2019.
Venus, once billed as Earth's twin, is a hothouse (and a tantalizing target in the search for life) By Nola Taylor Redd As Earth's twin, Venus offers much in the search for life and habitable worlds.
Countries around the world want a Space Force — but why? By Chelsea Gohd Countries around the world are following the U.S. in creating their own version of the Space Force.
SpaceX gearing up for 12-mile-high test flight with prototype of Mars-colonizing Starship By Mike Wall The next big leap for SpaceX's Mars-colonizing Starship spacecraft appears to be right around the corner.
Fate of Schrödinger's cat probably isn't in the hands of gravity, experiment finds By Mike McRae Can we blame gravity for one of quantum physics' most brain-numbing paradoxes — Schrödinger's cat?
Possible hint of life discovered on Venus By Rafi Letzter Phosphine, a chemical long thought to be a signature of life, is floating around in the clouds of Venus. How did it get there?
See Venus swing by the crescent moon Monday morning By Joe Rao The moon and Venus will form a triangle with the Beehive star cluster in the predawn sky on Monday (Sept. 14).
Laika and her crew: 'Space Dogs' documentary explores Moscow through a stray's eyes By Mike Wall A new film channels the spirit and traces the lineage of Laika, the first creature ever to orbit Earth.
Physicists who disproved '5th force' win $3 million 'Breakthrough' prize By Rafi Letzter Three physicists won a $3 million Breakthrough prize for a series of experiments that began using cheap equipment on a tabletop in Seattle and ended up hunting dark matter.
Mind-blowing Andromeda galaxy and 'Cosmic Inferno' earn space photo contest's top prizes By Mindy Weisberger An international contest for space photography awarded its top prize to the photographer who captured a unique view of the Andromeda galaxy.
Alien-hunting telescope suffered 'no damage to electronics' during mysterious midnight disaster By Brandon Specktor Mysterious midnight disaster spared critical electronics in iconic alien-hunting telescope called the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
Pioneering gravity research snags $3 million physics Breakthrough Prize By Mike Wall A team of physicists just snagged $3 million for testing the law of gravity like never before.
Interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua could actually be a cosmic dust bunny By Chelsea Gohd A new theory has emerged that the cigar-shaped space rock 'Oumuamua might actually be a dust bunny.
Dark matter hunter who found unexpected, giant 'Fermi bubbles' wins $100,000 physics prize By Rafi Letzter Tracy Slatyer, known for hunting dark matter in our galaxy and discovering evidence of an ancient Milky Way explosion, has won a $100,000 prize funded by tech billionaires.
3,200-megapixel camera of the future Vera Rubin Observatory snaps record-breaking 1st photos By Mike Wall The imaging sensors for the future Vera C. Rubin Observatory have taken their record-breaking first photos.
China's reusable experimental spacecraft returns to Earth after two-day mystery mission By Elizabeth Howell A Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft has safely landed after two days in orbit, according to state media, and may have deployed a satellite during its mysterious, brief journey in space.
Stunning new sun images show our star's popcorn-like magnetic field structure By Meghan Bartels A spectacular new set of images of our sun shows its popcorn-like magnetic field structure in all its glory.
New quantum paradox throws the foundations of observed reality into question By Eric Cavalcanti Physicists have found a new paradox in quantum mechanics that throws doubt on some common-sense ideas about physical reality.
The moon is rusty, and it’s likely Earth's fault By Yasemin Saplakoglu The moon is turning ever so slightly red, and it's likely Earth's fault.
Rarest planet in the universe may be lurking in Orion's nose By Brandon Specktor A rare look at a three-star solar system reveals wobbly disks of dust that may host a young, three-sunned planet.
