New measurement of Hubble constant adds to cosmic mystery
New measurements of the rate of expansion of the universe add to a growing mystery: Estimates of a fundamental constant made with different methods keep giving different results.
Read moreCosmology
How to spot a wormhole (if they exist)
Whether wormholes exist is up for debate. But in a recent article, physicists describe a technique for detecting these pathways.
Read moreFirst identification of a heavy element born from neutron star collision
For the first time, a freshly made heavy element, strontium, has been detected in space, in the aftermath of a merger of two neutron stars. The detection confirms that the heavier elements in the Universe can form in neutron star mergers, providing a missing piece of the puzzle of chemical element formation.
Read moreMonstrous galaxy from dawn of the universe accidentally discovered
The early universe is filled with monsters, a new study revealed. Researchers discovered a previously invisible galaxy, and perhaps a new galaxy population waiting to be discovered.
Read moreMaking connections: Bringing astrophysical processes down to Earth
Magnetic reconnection, a process in which magnetic field lines tear and come back together, releasing large amounts of kinetic energy, occurs throughout the universe. The process gives rise to auroras, solar flares and geomagnetic storms that can disrupt cell phone service and electric grids on Earth. A major challenge in the study of magnetic reconnection, however, is bridging the gap between these large-scale astrophysical scenarios and small-scale experiments that can be done in a lab.
Read moreStormy cluster weather could unleash black hole power and explain lack of cosmic cooling
'Weather' in clusters of galaxies may explain a longstanding puzzle. Scientists have now used sophisticated simulations to show how powerful jets from supermassive black holes are disrupted by the motion of hot gas and galaxies, preventing gas from cooling, which could otherwise form stars.
Read moreNew understanding of the evolution of cosmic electromagnetic fields
Electromagnetism was discovered 200 years ago, but the origin of the very large electromagnetic fields in the universe is still a mystery.
Read moreGoing against the flow around a supermassive black hole
At the center of a galaxy called NGC 1068, a supermassive black hole hides within a thick doughnut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. When astronomers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to study this cloud in more detail, they made an unexpected discovery that could explain why supermassive black holes grew so rapidly in the early Universe.
Read moreMilky Way raids intergalactic 'bank accounts'
Gas blown out of the Milky Way disk from exploding stars falls back onto the galaxy to form new generations of stars. In an effort to account for this recycling process, astronomers were surprised to find a surplus of incoming gas.
Read moreHow do the strongest magnets in the universe form?
How do some neutron stars become the strongest magnets in the Universe? Astrophysicists have found a possible answer to the question of how these so-called magnetars form. Researchers have used large computer simulations to demonstrate how the merger of two stars creates strong magnetic fields. If such stars explode in supernovae, magnetars could result.
Read more