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Uranus

Forgotten giants: Why the time is ripe to revisit Uranus and Neptune

25 July 2018

A fleeting glimpse of the ice giants 30 years ago hinted at very weird science that could tell us a lot about exoplanets. Now we have a rare chance to go back


planet

Why weird star systems are where we'll find alien life

18 July 2018

In the hunt for life beyond Earth, we've been looking for planets and stars like our own. But that is flawed – and a new plan promises answers in our lifetimes


probe 1

Mission Icarus: Inside the daring plan to touch the sun

27 March 2018

The Parker Solar Probe is about to unlock the secrets of our star by flying into its fiery atmosphere – a mission that will push technology to the limit


Long-lost relatives: An amazing poster of the sun’s family tree

Long-lost relatives: An amazing poster of the sun’s family tree

7 February 2018

A chemical comparison of 22 stars has revealed their common origins. Download this incredible poster to see the extended families of these stars


Mars

7 things we thought were made by aliens, but weren't... probably

31 January 2018

Unexplained phenomena from Martian canals to genomic patterns have been ascribed to alien intelligence – but mainly that's turned out to be wishful thinking


Planet X artwork

Planet X: We are closing in on the solar system's new occupant

13 December 2017

Evidence for a new body perhaps the size of Neptune way out in the shadows is building – but if there is a ninth planet, it’s unlike any we have seen


Luther's legacy: Did a religious revolt create science?

Luther's legacy: Did a religious revolt create science?

25 October 2017

A rebel monk's challenge to the Catholic church's teaching 500 years ago fired Europe with radical thinking. Did it spark the scientific revolution?


hole sun main

Hiding in plain sight: The mystery of the sun's missing matter

18 October 2017

A mass equivalent to 1500 Earths has vanished from the sun. Tracking it down could transform how we see the stars


MD

Cassini's Grand Finale: The ups and downs of our 20-year mission

13 September 2017

Michele Dougherty's team rode its luck to make eye-opening discoveries around Saturn and its moons. She reveals the project's pleasures and pains


What Cassini saw...

Cassini's Grand Finale: The spacecraft that unveiled Saturn

13 September 2017

From magical rings to loony moons to giant polar hurricanes, in 13 years orbiting Saturn the Cassini probe has exposed many wonders. Here's our pick


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