The earliest galaxies formed amazingly fast after the Big Bang. Do they break the universe or change its age?

Some of the earliest galaxies found with JWST are also the brightest. That’s a problem for our ideas about the universe.

Sandro Tacchella, Assistant Professor in Astrophysics, Kavli Institute for Cosmology, Cambridge, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge • conversation
Oct. 3, 2024 • ~16 min

A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is taking place in South America and the Pacific. Here’s how eclipses happen

Argentina and Chile will see the ‘ring’, but other regions will see a partial eclipse.

Oisin Creaner, Assistant Professor of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University • conversation
Oct. 2, 2024 • ~5 min

A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is set to thrill skywatchers over South America and the Pacific

Parts of South America, the Pacific and Antarctica are under the path of an annular eclipse.

Tamsin Mynett, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment, Kingston University • conversation
Oct. 1, 2024 • ~6 min

CubeSats, the tiniest of satellites, are changing the way we explore the solar system

CubeSats have already visited the Moon and Mars and are key components of upcoming deep space missions.

Mustafa Aksoy, Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University at Albany, State University of New York • conversation
Sept. 27, 2024 • ~7 min

Astronomers can’t agree on how fast the universe is expanding. New approaches are aiming to break the impasse

The Hubble tension has been described as a “crisis” for cosmology. Can it be resolved?

Alex Hall, Royal Society University Research Fellow, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh • conversation
Sept. 19, 2024 • ~12 min

Astronomers are getting better at detecting asteroids before they hit Earth – and it could save us from catastrophe

This month, they spotted just the ninth asteroid to be detected before impact with Earth.

Daniel Brown, Lecturer in Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Sept. 16, 2024 • ~7 min

Tiny, compact galaxies are masters of disguise in the distant universe − searching for the secrets behind the Little Red Dots

These small galaxies are either crammed with stars or they host gigantic black holes. The data astronomers have collected continues to puzzle them.

Fabio Pacucci, Astrophysicist, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
Sept. 6, 2024 • ~9 min

What is space made of? An astrophysics expert explains all the components – from radiation to dark matter – found in the vacuum of space

While space is mostly empty, it does have some matter and particles spread throughout it.

Nilakshi Veerabathina, Professor of Physics Instruction, University of Texas at Arlington • conversation
Aug. 30, 2024 • ~8 min

2 solar probes are helping researchers understand what phenomenon powers the solar wind

For years, researchers have wondered what energy source allows the solar wind − a projection of charged particles from the Sun − to rush by at hundreds of miles a second.

Samuel Badman, Researcher in Astrophysics, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
Aug. 29, 2024 • ~8 min

Ancient grains of dust from space can be found on Earth − and provide clues about the life cycle of stars

Most presolar grains were destroyed in the formation of the universe. But some survived on meteorites.

Sachiko Amari, Research Professor of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis • conversation
Aug. 7, 2024 • ~3 min

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