The fastest star in our galaxy moves at 8 per cent the speed of light

Astronomers have spotted the fastest star ever, whizzing at 8 per cent the speed of light…

Snapped cable slashes a devastating hole in Arecibo radio telescope

As Tropical Storm Isaias hit Puerto Rico, a thick cable snapped at Arecibo Observatory – one…

Why dark matter should be called something else

There are many things that we don’t understand about dark matter, but whether it is actually…

ESA's dazzling laser hunts for atmospheric pollution in the Antarctic

The European Space Agency shines a laser beam out from the world’s most remote research station…

Ancient serene galaxy suggests the early universe was eerily calm

A strange “coffee stain” galaxy in the early universe is much calmer than it ought to…

Dwarf planet Ceres may be home to an underground ocean

New analysis of data from the Dawn spacecraft suggests there may be a liquid water ocean…

Maps of the sun’s corona could help us predict dangerous solar storms

The tenuous outermost layer of the sun, called the corona, is invisible most of the time,…

The future of air travel in a warmer world

Air travel contributes to climate change, but scientists have only recently discovered that climate change is,…

The Lady Astronaut series tackles historical sexism brilliantly

Two recent books imagine a different history of science, but one handles the prejudices of the…

Strange lightning on Jupiter may be caused by ammonia snowballs

The Juno spacecraft has spotted lightning on Jupiter that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, and it…