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Astronomers Spot the Tiniest Packed Quadruple Star System
1 day ago•Source: Gizmodo
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16.925 min•1 day ago
Tiny Life Survives Asteroid-Scale Shock in Lithopanspermia Test
Johns Hopkins researchers simulated the harsh journey life might take on a rock traveling between planets, blasting Deinococcus radiodurans between metal plates at speeds up to 300 mph to mimic asteroid ejection from Mars. The microbes withstood 1–3 gigapascals of pressure, with only some internal damage, while the steel plates failed. The study lends support to the lithopanspermia idea that life could hitch rides on asteroids, but it remains unproven and limited in scope, and it underscores the need for planetary protection and further testing on other extremophiles.
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JUICE Captures 120 Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas as It Recedes
Gizmodo•4 days ago
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Gigamaser: The Universe’s Brightest Microwave Laser Detected in Deep Space
Astronomers using the MeerKAT radio telescope spotted an extremely bright hydroxyl maser in the distant galaxy merger H-ATLAS J142935.3–002836, whose signal was amplified by an unrelated foreground galaxy acting as a gravitational lens, yielding the first gigamaser—about 100,000 times the luminosity of a star—and enabling new ways to probe cosmic evolution from billions of light-years away.
Curiosity Uncovers Crunchy Nodules Among Martian Boxwork
NASA’s Curiosity rover examined boxwork formations on Mount Sharp and found mineral nodules along ridge walls and hollows, formed by ancient groundwater as water flowed through rock cracks. The nodules, plus the height of the groundwater that cemented the ridges, suggest groundwater persisted longer than expected, potentially extending the window for past habitability and microbial life on Mars.
Webb’s 17-hour stare at Uranus uncovers baffling auroras
The James Webb Space Telescope spent 17 hours peering at Uranus to map its upper atmosphere in three dimensions, revealing two bright auroral bands near the planet’s unusual magnetic poles and a depletion of ions between them. The observations show how Uranus’s tilted, offset magnetosphere shapes energy flow and auroral activity, with the upper atmosphere still cooling since the 1986 Voyager flyby, providing new insights into the dynamics of ice-giant atmospheres.
Galaxy Cloaked in Darkness Hints at 99% Dark Matter
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope identified CDG-2, a very dim galaxy in the Perseus cluster that appears to be 99% dark matter, with most of its normal matter stripped away by the crowded environment; the galaxy is inferred from a surrounding globular cluster population, marking it as one of the most dark-matter–dominated galaxies and a test bed for theories of dark matter and star formation.
Hidden Lava Tubes Hint at a Subsurface Network Beneath Venus
Researchers analyzing radar data from the Magellan mission detected what appears to be a large underground lava tube beneath Venus, near the Nux Mons region. The tube is about 1 kilometer wide, with a roof around 150 meters thick and a hollow cavity at least 375 meters high, marking the first confirmed subsurface feature on Venus and supporting long-held ideas about the planet’s volcanic activity. If confirmed, there may be more tubes beneath Venus’ surface, a task for upcoming radar-focused missions VERITAS and EnVision, planned to launch around 2031.
NASA's Artemis II fueling fix stalls in latest test
NASA's latest confidence test of the Space Launch System fueling system, including newly replaced seals, partially filled the core-stage liquid hydrogen tank and then encountered a ground support equipment issue that reduced hydrogen flow. The test followed a hydrogen leak observed during Artemis II prep; engineers will purge the line and inspect equipment, including replacing a suspected filter. Artemis II's March launch window could be at risk, but NASA says safety remains the priority and work will continue.
NASA Puts Swift Observatory on Pause to Prevent Reentry, Seeks Rescue Mission
NASA has paused most Swift Observatory science operations to reduce atmospheric drag and slow its orbital decay, as the 21-year-old gamma-ray telescope faces a rising risk of uncontrolled reentry by mid-2026. To extend its life, NASA awarded a $30 million contract to Katalyst Space Technologies for a rescue mission to rendezvous with Swift and boost its orbit, with a launch aimed for June to keep the spacecraft above about 185 miles in altitude. The Burst Alert Telescope will still detect gamma-ray bursts, while other telescopes remain on hold to minimize drag.
SpaceX Bets on Moon City, Mars Plans Put on Hold
Elon Musk announced SpaceX is shifting focus from Mars to building a self-growing Moon City, claiming the Moon option could be ready in under a decade while Mars would take 20+ years; the pivot comes as NASA and Blue Origin vie to land astronauts for Artemis 3 and SpaceX faces Starship HLS delays, signaling closer alignment with lunar goals and a potential delay to Red Planet ambitions.
Dark Matter Core Emerges as Challenger to the Galactic Center’s Black Hole
Simulations show a dense dark matter core at the Milky Way’s center could mimic Sagittarius A*’s gravity, matching observed orbital data as well as a black hole and aligning with Gaia DR3, but the model isn’t decisively better yet; next-gen instruments will test whether dark matter could truly dominate the Galactic Center.
Einsteinian Gravity Explains Why Circumbinary Planets Are So Rare
A new study shows general relativity alters the three-body dynamics around tight binary stars, progressively destabilizing circumbinary planets and helping explain their scarcity and the difficulty of detecting them.