Astronomy
Why Do Stars Twinkle?
The familiar flicker reveals the air between an observer and a distant star.
Oct 3, 2026 • 6 min readBEYOND OUR WORLD
Space & The Universe
Explore the universe, from planets and stars to galaxies and cosmic history, through astronomy, space missions and scientific questions.
EDITOR’S PICK
The Hidden Oceans Beneath the Solar System’s Icy Moons
Some of the solar system’s largest oceans never see the Sun. Gravity, magnetic fields and plumes reveal liquid water beneath the ice of distant moons.
Sep 16, 2026 • 4 min readRead the discovery →LATEST
Latest discoveries
New stories, explanations and research from Space & The Universe.
Planetary Science
Why Is Mars Red?
Mars looks red because iron-bearing minerals in its rocks and dust became oxidized. Ferric iron compounds absorb more blue and green light and reflect…
Oct 1, 2026 • 4 min read
Astronomy
Why Is Venus Hotter Than Mercury?
Mercury is closer to the Sun, but Venus is hotter because its massive carbon-dioxide atmosphere traps outgoing infrared energy. Venus averages about 464°C at…
Oct 1, 2026 • 4 min read
Astronomy
Why Pulsars Are the Universe’s Precision Clocks
Rapidly rotating neutron stars sweep radio or high-energy beams past Earth with extraordinary regularity, making them tools for studying gravity and interstellar space.
Sep 30, 2026 • 2 min read
Space & The Universe
How Cosmic Rays Create Particle Showers in the Atmosphere
A high-energy cosmic ray can trigger a cascade of secondary particles in the atmosphere. Ground arrays and fluorescence telescopes reconstruct the event from its…
Sep 30, 2026 • 3 min read
Astronomy
How Radio Telescopes Work Together as One Giant Instrument
Radio interferometry combines signals from separated antennas to resolve fine structure. Baselines determine detail, while collecting area and coverage determine what can be reconstructed.
Sep 30, 2026 • 3 min read
Astronomy
How Pulsars Became Some of the Universe’s Best Clocks
Rapidly rotating neutron stars can sweep radio beams past Earth with extraordinary regularity, allowing astronomers to test gravity, map interstellar matter and search for…
Sep 28, 2026 • 2 min read
Space & The Universe
How Scientists Return Samples from Asteroids
Asteroid sample return combines navigation, brief surface contact, protected storage and an Earth-entry capsule. Clean handling preserves the evidence after the spacecraft’s journey ends.
Sep 28, 2026 • 3 min read
Space & The Universe
How Lagrange Points Hold Spacecraft in Useful Orbits
Lagrange points are equilibrium locations in a rotating orbital model. Spacecraft use nearby trajectories for useful observing geometry, with station-keeping at unstable points.
Sep 28, 2026 • 3 min read
Astronomy
How Cold Clouds Collapse and Form New Stars
Stars begin in dense regions of cold gas clouds. Gravity drives collapse, while rotation, magnetic fields and feedback shape how material reaches a growing…
Sep 28, 2026 • 3 min readWORTH KNOWING
Popular & evergreen
Astronomy
How Gravitational Waves Reveal Colliding Black Holes
Kilometre-scale laser interferometers measure minute changes in spacetime and reconstruct mergers far beyond the Milky Way.
Sep 21, 2026 • 12 min read
Space & The Universe
How Solar Storms Disturb Earth’s Technology
Solar flares, energetic particles and geomagnetic disturbances affect technology through different mechanisms. Impacts depend on the event, its connection to Earth and the system…
Sep 21, 2026 • 3 min read
Space & The Universe
How Scientists Study the Atmospheres of Distant Planets
Astronomers separate tiny planetary fingerprints from starlight to infer gases, clouds, temperatures and winds on worlds light-years away.
Sep 13, 2026 • 9 min read
Astronomy
What Is Inside a Neutron Star?
A neutron star compresses more mass than the Sun into a sphere the size of a city, turning its interior into a laboratory for…
Sep 13, 2026 • 11 min read