Category Science

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Scientists Study Ancient Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, Seeking Clues to Early Star System Formation

Comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar visitor from beyond the solar system, is putting on a striking celestial show as it nears Earth. After passing perihelion in October, the comet brightened nearly tenfold and shifted from red to green due to glowing carbon molecules. Tracked closely by astronomers worldwide, this ancient object offers a unique opportunity to study th...

Spider-Like Scar on Jupiter’s Moon Europa Could Indicate Subsurface Salty Water

A spider-like scar on Jupiter’s moon Europa may indicate briny water beneath its icy crust. Researchers suggest impact-driven flows of salty liquid created starburst patterns resembling Earth’s lake stars. Future observations by NASA’s Europa Clipper mission could confirm these features, offering new insights into Europa’s subsurface oceans and potential habit...

Secret Rain Pattern May Have Driven Long Spells of Dry and Wetter Periods Across Horn of Africa: Study

Scientists have identified a hidden rainfall pattern that could reshape global farming. Research shows crops suffer greater drought stress when rain comes mainly from land rather than oceans. The findings highlight rising risks in the U.S. Midwest and East Africa and suggest that forest conservation and better land management could help protect rainfall and food secur...

JWST Detects Thick Atmosphere on Ultra-Hot Rocky Exoplanet TOI-561 b

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered compelling evidence of a thick atmosphere surrounding TOI-561 b, an ultra-hot rocky exoplanet orbiting its star every 11 hours. Despite extreme radiation and molten surface conditions, the planet appears cooler than expected, suggesting heat-redistributing atmospheric winds and volatile gases. The findin...

Uranus and Neptune May Be Rock-Dominated Planets, Study Suggests

Uranus and Neptune may not be true ice giants after all. New research using advanced hybrid simulations suggests the distant planets could be dominated by rocky material rather than water-rich ices. The findings challenge decades of planetary models and may help explain the planets’ unusual, non-dipolar magnetic fields. Scientists say future dedicated spacecraft mis...

Kepler and TESS Discoveries Help Astronomers Confirm Over 6,000 Exoplanets Orbiting Other Stars

More than 6,000 exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars), one of the most rapidly expanding frontiers in science, have now been confirmed by astronomers. Their search of other worlds has been transformed within a span of thirty years, which started as a form of speculation, to accurate detection. However, in the midst of this wave of discoveries, scientists believe t...