7 April 2023
Philosophers have long debated whether Earth is the best of all worlds. More powerful telescopes are finally giving us a better chance of answering this question, writes astronomer Chris Impey
31 March 2021
Hints of a hefty source of gravity beyond Pluto sparked the search for a possible “Planet Nine”. Now, some astronomers think it could instead be a black hole from the big bang, offering a rare glimpse into the early universe
1 January 2020
There is no law of physics dictating that dark matter and dark energy can’t be connected, and it is natural to wonder about it, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
7 August 2019
Exoplanets are abundant near the galaxy's smallest stars. Observing M dwarfs could teach us more about the worlds beyond our solar system, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
4 July 2018
A fundamental rule of general relativity has passed its most extreme test yet, courtesy of the movements of three distant stars
11 January 2018
Reflected light from a star’s flares may help us find otherwise invisible worlds. These exoplanets could be hit by powerful blasts, but may still host life
14 June 2017
New observations reveal a rare binary planet system made of two gas giants four times as massive as Jupiter that likely formed in the breakup of a protostar 10 million years ago
10 May 2017
Human clones, a colony on Mars, alien contact... what world-changing breakthroughs will come in the next decade? We asked the experts – with some surprising results
