Category: Celebrity Gossip
JWST Sees Hints of an Atmosphere on a Potentially Habitable Exoplanet
Hints of Atmosphere on Earth-Sized Exoplanet Raise Hopes for Life A monumental sign of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e could be the precursor to finally finding a living world around another star By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept shows the volatile red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 and its four most closely orbiting planets,…
How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion
The UniverseFridays How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion Superluminal velocities are common but illusory By Phil Plait edited by Clara Moskowitz The light echo around the star V838 Monocerotis as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope in November 2005. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait When I…
How Many Planets Orbit Our Nearest Neighboring Star?
New Instrument Checks on Proxima Centauri’s Planets Fresh results from near-infrared instruments foretell a bright future for finding life elsewhere in the Milky Way By Ivan Farkas edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of the Proxima Centauri system, with the planets Proxima b and Proxima d—the latter confirmed by the NIRPS planet-hunting instrument. Some…
Starship’s 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck
Nell Greenfieldboyce SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket racked up some much-needed successes on its 10th test flight, hitting key test objectives and breaking a streak of failures that bedeviled the spaceship this year. The silver and black two-stage rocket, which stands about 400 feet tall, blasted off from the SpaceX facility in south Texas near Boca…
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft After String of Mishaps
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft after String of Mishaps Overcoming three recent failed tries, Elon Musk’s rocket company successfully flew its reusable jumbo booster and upper-stage Starship spacecraft By Dan Vergano edited by Clara Moskowitz An earlier SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy booster are moved to the launch pad at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.…
Why Do SpaceX’s Starships Keep Exploding?
Can SpaceX Solve Its ‘Exploding Starships’ Problem? After a string of fiery failures, SpaceX’s biggest rocket faces another test flight with sky-high stakes for U.S. space ambitions By Adam Rogers edited by Lee Billings SpaceX’s Starship soars through the sky during the rocket’s ninth test flight on May 27, 2025. Both the “Super Heavy” booster…
U.N.-backed agency says famine exists in northern Gaza
Ruth Sherlock The world’s leading authority on food insecurity has confirmed a famine in Gaza. In a report published Friday, the United Nations-backed group of experts finds that over half a million people parts of north Gaza are at risk of dying from starvation, and hundreds of thousands more people face catastrophic shortages as the…
Air Canada suspends restart plans after union defies return to work order
By The Associated Press TORONTO — Air Canada said it suspended plans to restart operations on Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants said it will defy a return to work order. The strike was already affecting about 130,000 travelers around the world per day during the peak summer travel season. The Canada Industrial…
Scientific American Is Older Than the Discovery of Neptune
The UniverseFridays One Year after Scientific American’s First Issue, the Solar System Grew by a Planet Neptune’s discovery was a race that ended not long after this magazine came to be By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings The planet Neptune, as seen by NASA’s Voyager 2 probe during a flyby in August of 1989.…
Cosmic Tornado from Star’s Birth Whirls in Dazzling JWST Image
Cosmic Tornado from Star’s Birth Whirls in Dazzling JWST Image This telescope has revealed the whipped-up dust from the birth of a star—and a shining background galaxy—more clearly than ever before By Gayoung Lee edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! When a star is born, the process leaves behind a…
Vibrio pectenicida Identified as Cause of Sea Star Wasting Disease Affecting Billions
Mysterious Illness Decimating Sea Stars Finally Identified A devastating bacterium has decimated populations of sunflower sea stars, predators that play a crucial role in their environment By Andrea Tamayo edited by Andrea Gawrylewski A giant sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) walks across the reef underwater in Point Dume State Beach, California. Join Our Community of Science…
What Are Light Echoes, and Why Do They Matter?
The UniverseFridays Echoes of Light Illuminate the Cosmos Bizarre phenomena called light echoes create strange, shifting shapes seen in some telescopic images, and help astronomers chart the heavens above By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in February 2004, this image is part of a sequence showing the celestial…
Starlink and Astronomers Are in a Light Pollution Standoff
Can Astronomers and Satellite Operators Learn to Share the Sky? Satellite streaks are ruining astronomical images. Can scientists and space companies find solutions before it’s too late? By Emma R. Hasson edited by Lee Billings Sunlight reflecting off a pair of communications satellites creates two bright flares in this time-lapse photograph of the night sky.…
Students Find Hidden Fibonacci Sequence in Classic Probability Puzzle
Students Find Hidden Fibonacci Sequence in Classic Probability Puzzle Though the Fibonacci sequence shows up everywhere in nature, these young mathematicians were surprised to find it in the answer to a variation of the pick-up sticks problem⁠—a nearly two-century-old form of puzzle By Emma R. Hasson edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier A variation of a…
JWST Spots Possible Alien Planet at Alpha Centauri
Our Nearest Sunlike Star Might Have a Planet, JWST Shows in Stunning Finding In some of its most ambitious work yet, the James Webb Space Telescope looked to spot a planet in a potentially habitable orbit around Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system By Meghan Bartels edited by Lee Billings…
It’s 2025, the year we decided we need a widespread slur for robots
Vanessa Romo Debate over the song of the summer rages on, but if there were a contest for a word of the summer, one front runner would surely be the onomatopoeiac, clanker. In recent weeks clanker has risen to viral levels on TikTok and Instagram. One popular video from July shows a delivery robot on…
This Tuscan startup sold all its olive oil in the U.S. Then came Trump’s tariffs
By Maria Aspan SEGGIANO, Italy — On the steep hills of southern Tuscany, Romain Piro has spent the past two decades harvesting fruit from his silvery olive trees and turning it into olive oil. In 2019, he convinced his sister, Marie-Charlotte Piro, to go into business with him. The siblings started shipping their small-batch bottles…
Scientists identify bacterium behind devastating wasting disease in starfish
After 90% loss of global sunflower sea star population in 10 years, researchers hope decline can now be tackled A decade after the onset of a sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epidemic considered the largest ever documented in the wild, researchers have identified the microbial culprit responsible: a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida. In…
New Zealand to charge foreign tourists to visit most famous sites
Visitors to pay up to NZ$40 to access certain attractions in coming years amid overhaul of conservation laws The government plans to start charging foreign visitors NZ$20-40 ($12-24) per person to access some sites. Initially, those would probably include Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Track and Aoraki Mount Cook. The fees are likely to…
How the Potato Got Its Start Nine Million Years Ago—Thanks to a Tomato
The Potato’s Mysterious Family Tree Revealed—And It Includes Tomatoes About nine million years ago, a hybridization involving the lineage of another farmers market star gave rise to the modern-day cultivated potato By Nora Bradford edited by Dean Visser The new study reveals an interesting relationship between potatoes and tomatoes. Join Our Community of Science Lovers!…
Why Do Black Holes Spin?
The UniverseFridays The Physics of Spinning Black Holes Explained Scientists are uncovering how spinning black holes launch jets, warp spacetime and shape the cosmos By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings An artist’s rendition of a supermassive black hole surrounded by a swirling accretion disk. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this…
SpaceX launches international crew to space station on 6-month NASA mission
By Brendan Byrne An international crew of four launched into orbit just before noon Friday from Florida on NASA’s Crew-11, a six-month mission to the International Space Station. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket roared to life on Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A, lofting the company’s Dragon capsule and crew on a nine-minute trip from the…
As Gaza starves, the next generation may also endure the consequences
Juliana Kim The people of Gaza are experiencing a dire hunger crisis — and the consequences could reverberate across generations. Roughly a third of the 2.1 million people in Gaza have gone multiple days in a row without food, and a quarter of the population is experiencing “famine-like conditions,” Ross Smith, the director of emergency…
Trump sees ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, despite Israeli claims, and vows to step up aid
By NPR’s International Desk President Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed doing more to feed the starving population in the Gaza Strip on Monday, as an international outcry mounted over the rising number of people dying of hunger in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Trump’s comments during a visit to Scotland were at odds…
His name is Mohammad Al-Motawaq. He is 18 months old. And he is starving in Gaza
By Anas Baba , Emily Feng GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In a tent by the Mediterranean Sea, Hidaya Al-Motawaq cradles her crying baby boy and tries to offer what comfort she can. “Khalas,” she murmurs repeatedly. “Khalas, khalas.” Enough, that’s enough. Mohammad is a year and a half old and nearly all bone. His…
Interstellar Meteors Hit Earth All the Time but Still Elude Astronomers
The UniverseFridays The Sky Is Falling—From Another Star Astronomers think small space rocks from beyond our solar system routinely strike Earth—but proving it isn’t easy By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Some shooting stars in Earth’s skies probably come from beyond the solar system. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this…
‘Arsenic Life’ Microbe Study Retracted after 15 Years of Controversy
‘Arsenic Life’ Microbe Study Retracted after 15 Years of Controversy A controversial arsenic microbe study unveiled 15 years ago has been retracted. The study’s authors are crying foul By Dan Vergano edited by Lee Billings Felisa Wolfe-Simon speaks during a news conference at NASA Headquarters on December 2, 2010 in Washington, DC. “Can you imagine…
New Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS’s Biggest Mysteries Explained
7 Big Mysteries about Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Scientists are racing to learn as much as possible about the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS before it fades from view forever By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS appears as a blurry, dust-shrouded dot in this image from the Gemini North telescope. Future observations should…
1960s pop star Connie Francis has died. The singer’s life was touched by tragedies
Jeff Lunden Connie Francis fixes her hair during a 1959 press reception at the Dorchester Hotel in London Pop singer Connie Francis has died at 87. The first female singer to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, she was known for her hit single “Who’s Sorry Now?” and for singing the theme song…
Astronomers See Planet Formation ‘Time Zero’ in an Alien Solar System
Astronomers Witness an Alien Solar System’s Birth for the First Time Observations of a baby star may show the earliest stages of planet formation that astronomers have ever seen By Lee Billings edited by Dean Visser A view of HOPS-315, a baby star some 1,400 light-years from Earth where astronomers have observed evidence for the…
How LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian Survived Their Scandalous Start
After cheating on their respective spouses, Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian got married, made amends with his ex-wife Brandi Glanville and built a thriving life together. When Leann Rimes married Eddie Cibrian in 2011, even her biggest fans wondered what kind of life would that be. Considering they met while married to other people and…
Addiction Risk Shows up in Children’s Brain Scans before Drug Use Starts
Massive Study Flips Our Story of Addiction and the Brain Brain differences in children and teens who experiment with drugs early show up before they take their first puff or sip By Maia Szalavitz edited by Allison Parshall For decades, Americans have been told a simple story about addiction: taking drugs damages the brain—and the…
Can Life Survive the Death of the Sun?
The UniverseFridays When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant, Will Any Planet Be Safe? The future is bright—too bright—for life as we know it once the sun transforms into a red giant star By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of the far-future sun, swollen to become a red giant star, as…
Proof That Adult Brains Make New Neurons Settles Scientific Controversy
Proof That Adult Brains Make New Neurons Settles Scientific Controversy Adult brains grow new neurons, and scientists have finally pinpointed where they come from By Nora Bradford edited by Allison Parshall Neural precursor cells (green) are have been difficult to identify in human brians. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! For at least six decades,…
Astronomers Found the Most Self-Destructive Planet in the Sky
Astronomers Found the Most Self-Destructive Planet in the Sky This planet triggers flares on its star—spelling its ultimate doom By Jacek Krywko edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier In this artist’s impression, the planet HIP 67522 b sends a wave of energy along magnetic field lines toward the surface of its host star—triggering a massive flare…
In effort to protect children, France bans smoking at parks and beaches
Eleanor Beardsley PARIS — A restrictive outdoor smoking ban has come into force in France, a country where café culture, which often includes a glass of wine and a cigarette, is a way of life. As of Sunday, smokers are no longer allowed to light up in public parks, at swimming pools, or at beaches,…
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Deep Regrets’
Can you keep your sanity while fishing up increasingly strange things from the ocean? Deep Regrets is a strategic, horror-themed fishing game for 1-5 players, ages 16 and up, and takes about 30-150 minutes to play. The base game, along with the new expansion, Even Deeper Regrets, is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a…
Could the Solar System Lose a Planet to a Passing Star?
The UniverseFridays How a Passing Star Could Oust Planets from the Solar System Close stellar encounters could change the structure of our planetary system, potentially dooming Earth or other worlds to oblivion By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept depicts one of the solar system’s inner planets slamming into Earth after being…
‘Kisses yes, Bezos No,’ protesters say, as Bezos wedding stirs controversy in Venice
By The Associated Press VENICE, Italy — Hundreds of protesters marched through Venice’s central streets on Saturday to say “No” to billionaire Jeff Bezos, his bride and their much-awaited wedding extravaganza, which reached its third and final day amid celebrity-crowded parties and the outcries of tired residents. On Friday, the world’s fourth-richest man and his…
A Conversation with Kickstarter and Crowdfunding Tabletop Roundup
Earlier this week I got to chat with Asher McClennahan, the head of games at Kickstarter. I was curious to hear how tariffs had affected things like the number of projects launching or being backed, and also whether some of the “tried-and-true” advice about launching projects is actually true. As far as tariffs go, McClennahan…
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Red Dog Junction’
You’ve got a ship, a crew, and a dream—but so does everyone else. Who will be able to take home the most gold? Red Dog Junction is a resource management game for to 2 to 5 players, ages 14 and up, and takes about 30 to 60 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter,…
SpaceX’s Starship Explodes in Texas During Preflight Testing
SpaceX’s Starship Explodes in Texas During Preflight Testing The latest catastrophic explosion of a Starship upper stage is a significant setback for SpaceX By Mike Wall & SPACE.com A view of SpaceX’s Starbase launch complex in South Texas on April 17, 2025. A Starship upper stage test vehicle is visible in the background. Join Our…
Gaia, Europe’s Galactic Cartographer, Is Gone But Not Forgotten
Gaia’s Long Goodbye Gaia, Europe’s Milky Way–mapping spacecraft, shut down earlier this year. It was arguably the most important—and most overlooked—astronomy project of the 21st century By Lee Billings edited by Dean Visser An artist’s impression of our galaxy, the Milky Way, based on data from ESA’s Gaia space telescope. This observatory has probably been…
Mapping Nearby Stars Could Solve a Deep Cosmic Mystery
The UniverseFridays This New Map of Nearby Stars May Solve a Cosmic Mystery A near-complete census of our interstellar neighborhood hopes to answer how stars, brown dwarfs and rogue planets form throughout the universe By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Newborn stars set gas clouds aglow in this mosaic of images from the James…
TikTok superstar Khaby Lame was detained by ICE before being allowed to leave the U.S.
By Bill Chappell Khaby Lame, famous for his silently hilarious TikTok persona, was detained by immigration officers last week, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lame, 25, rose to fame while living in Italy, becoming the most-followed personality on TikTok by creating comedy skits and skewering ludicrous “life hacks” promulgated online. He currently has…
Kickstarter Review: The Qwerkywriter Typewriter Keyboard 10 Year Anniversary Edition
I (not so) fondly remember summer school typing classes, where I had to labor to learn touch typing on an old-fashioned typewriter. No word processor for me; if I made a mistake, it would be Liquid Paper brushed on and waiting for it to dry before I could continue my keystrokes. Despite my irritation at…
How YouTube Star Derek Muller of Veritasium Is Challenging Scientific Misconceptions and Exposing PFAS Contamination
YouTube Science Star Derek Muller Confronts PFAS “Forever Chemicals”—In His Own Blood By Deni Ellis Béchard edited by Dean Visser Derek Muller attends the 2020 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at NASA Ames Research Center on November 3, 2019 in Mountain View, California. If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing…
Why Do We Launch Space Telescopes?
The UniverseFridays Why Do We Launch Space Telescopes? Telescopes in space give us a view we literally cannot get from the ground By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Astronauts Steven Smith and John Grunsfeld, appear as small figures in this wide-angle photograph from December 1999, taken during a spacewalk to service the Hubble Space…
Elon Musk’s SpaceX City Starbase Faces Opposition from Its Texas Neighbors
SpaceX’s Starbase Is Officially a City. Some Neighbors Aren’t Thrilled Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site turned company town in South Texas, faces local opposition from residents outside the city limits By Paola Rosa-Aquino edited by Lee Billings SpaceX rockets stand near the end of a neighborhood street in the company’s Starbase launch complex in this photograph…
Mother of jailed British-Egyptian activist hospitalised after 242 days on hunger strike
Laila Soueif continues protest against detention of Alaa Abd el-Fattah in Cairo The mother of the imprisoned British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been admitted to hospital after spending more than 240 days on hunger strike. Laila Soueif’s family said she had been admitted to St Thomas’ hospital in London on Thursday night…
SpaceX’s Ninth Starship Test Flight Delivers Mixed Results
SpaceX’s Ninth Starship Test Flight Delivers Mixed Results The largest, most powerful launch vehicle ever built is meant to be a key part of SpaceX’s plans to send humans to Mars—and NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the moon, too By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings The SpaceX Starship rocket launches from Starbase, Texas,…
Astronomers Discover Mysterious Object Bursting with X-Rays
Astronomers Discover Mysterious Object Bursting with X-Rays A celestial object some 15,000 light-years away is emitting bright flashes of radio and X-rays that scientists are struggling to explain By Robert Lea & SPACE.com An X-ray, infrared and radio view of the sky surrounding ASKAP J1832−0911 (circled) using combined light from multiple telescopes. Join Our Community of…
Hypervelocity Stars Hint at a Nearby Supermassive Black Hole
The UniverseFridays Hypervelocity Stars Hint at a Supermassive Black Hole Right Next Door Some stars streaking through the Milky Way at millions of kilometers per hour probably trace back to a supermassive black hole in a neighboring galaxy By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings An artist’s concept of a hypervelocity star streaking through the…
Why Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Won’t Shield the U.S. from Nuclear Strikes
Why Some Experts Call Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield a Dangerous Fantasy The White House’s $175-billion plan to protect the U.S. from nuclear annihilation will probably cost much more—and deliver far less—than has been claimed, says nuclear arms expert Jeffrey Lewis By Lee Billings U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the…
The U.K. hands Chagos Islands over to Mauritius but says it will secure a U.S. base
By Fatima Al-Kassab LONDON — The United Kingdom has signed a deal to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in an agreement Britain says will also ensure the future of a strategically important U.S. military base. The Chagos Islands are an archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Under the deal,…
Mother of jailed British-Egyptian activist resumes full hunger strike
Laila Soueif announces life-endangering action in protest over continued detention of Alaa Abd el-Fattah in Cairo The mother of the imprisoned British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has announced she has resumed a near-total hunger strike, stopping taking the 300-calorie supplements she had been consuming on her partial hunger strike for the past three…
What Makes Stars Twinkle?
The UniverseFridays What Makes Stars Twinkle? The quirks of light moving through gas are the cause of stellar twinkling, which can be a bane—and sometimes a boon—for astronomers By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait Ah, it’s a lovely night…
The End of the Universe May Arrive Surprisingly Soon
The Universe May End Sooner Than Scientists Had Expected A new study suggests the universe’s end could occur much sooner than previously thought. But don’t worry, that ultimate cosmic conclusion would still be in the unimaginably distant future By Sharmila Kuthunur & SPACE.com An illustration of the remnants of an ancient, dead planetary system orbiting…
Almost 300m people at risk of death through starvation – report
Aid cuts, conflict, climate and economic shocks contribute to sixth consecutive rise in numbers facing ‘high levels of food insecurity’ Acute food insecurity continues to rise at an alarming rate, with almost 300 million people at risk of death through starvation, new analysis reveals. Escalating conflict and cuts to humanitarian aid along with climate and…
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: Defeat the ‘River Rats’ with Cooperative Poker
The River Rats hold all the wealth—but can you work together to drive them into debt? River Rats is a cooperative poker-based game for 1 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and takes about 20–30 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a pledge level of €15 (about $17USD) for a…
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Whisker Wars’
The king has vanished and the noble houses are battling for the throne! Oh, and they’re all animals. Whisker Wars is a card battle game for 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and takes about 45 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a pledge level of $30 for a…
Why NASA’s VIPER Lunar Rover Is Still in Limbo
Remember VIPER, NASA’s Off-Again, On-Again Lunar Rover? It’s Still in Limbo NASA’s nearly complete yet canceled lunar rover VIPER isn’t going to get carried to the moon by a private space exploration company—but it’s also not quite dead yet By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner NASA’s VIPER, or the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover,…
The latest roadblock for House Republicans’ ‘big beautiful bill’: Senate Republicans
Deirdre Walsh As House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., feverishly works to finalize the details of a massive package that includes major portions of President Trump’s agenda, many Senate Republicans are dismissing the legislation before it is even finished in the House. “Unfortunately, it’s a sad joke,” Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson said Wednesday “Wimpy,” and…
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: The Return of ‘Whale Riders’
Whale Riders travel up and down the Ice Coast to trade, and with the coming winter, there’s time for one more trip before everything freezes over. Whale Riders is a resource-management game for 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 45 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with…
Gear Review: The RIG M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR
One such upgrade you’ll be looking for is in your audio gear. RIG Gaming recently released the M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR microphone, geared towards streamers, content creators, and gamers. They sent me one so I could share my thoughts with our readers. The RIG M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR is a USB Microphone with built-in Bluetooth,…
What Is a Galaxy?
The UniverseFridays What Is a Galaxy? Galaxies come in many shapes and sizes, and trying to define them is difficult By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3982, as seen by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Galaxies come in many different variations, but astronomers classify them into four main…
The Strange and Surprising History of the Once-Rejected Zero
Zero Is Foundational to Modern Mathematics. But It Was Rejected for Centuries By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas I’m a zero at mental arithmetic. It’s true—I struggle with this skill—but I want to focus on the phrase itself. In our language, we often equate zero with something negative. But zero is the only real…
Ukraine’s allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday
Joanna Kakissis KYIV – Four European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today in pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – or face more sanctions on Russia. “The ceasefire must be comprehensive: in the air, at sea and on land,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “It is quite possible to…
Jury selection in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sex trafficking trial begins today
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento Jury selection for the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will begin in New York City today. The media mogul, who’s been in custody since his arrest last September, faces criminal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty on all charges. The selection…
Mysterious Glowing Structure Discovered Near Solar System
Giant, Glowing Gas Cloud Discovered Just 300 Light-Years Away An enormous glowing cloud that contains approximately 3,400 solar masses worth of gas has been discovered near the solar system By Keith Cooper & SPACE.com A crescent-shaped gas cloud has been spotted on the edge of the so-called Local Bubble, shown here in this artist’s illustration…
What Amazon’s Project Kuiper vs. SpaceX’s Starlink Satellite Mega Constellation Wars Mean for Earth
What the Amazon vs. SpaceX Satellite Mega Constellation War Means for Earth Amazon has launched its first operational Project Kuiper satellites in its attempt to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink—but experts remain concerned about space debris and astronomy By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Test launch for Amazon’s Project Kuiper on a United Launch…
Disney Store’s Star Wars May the 4th Daily Drops Just Started
Get ready to jump to hyperspace. Disney Store’s Star Wars May the 4th launches are here with new collectibles, apparel, and gear dropping every day leading up to the galaxy’s biggest celebration. Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. …
Is There Any Sound in Space?
The UniverseFridays Can There Be Sound in Space? It seems contrary to common knowledge, but sound can travel through some parts of space quite well By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Sound—in the form of shock waves—helps sculpt the beautiful, delicate structures of some supernova remnants, such as those seen here in a Hubble…
A developing political scandal in Florida has Gov. Ron DeSantis on the defensive
By Greg Allen MIAMI — Fla. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is on the defensive over questions about how $10 million in state money came to be used to fund a political campaign. In two terms as governor, DeSantis has enjoyed strong support from the Republican-controlled legislature. But now, Republicans in the state House of Representatives…
Mercury, Venus and Saturn to delight stargazers in a parade across the sky
By Alana Wise Alongside a crescent moon, Mercury, Venus and Saturn will become visible to stargazers just before dawn on Friday morning. According to NASA, the planetary phenomenon will be clearest about 45 minutes before sunrise, low in the eastern sky and appearing near the moon. Venus and Saturn will be the easiest to spot…
Word of the Week: A brief history of Coachella — the festival and the place
By Rachel Treisman Each April, tens of thousands of people flock to the heart of the Coachella Valley to camp, dance and let loose at the music festival by that same name. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival features hundreds of performers on some half a dozen stages, spread out across two consecutive three-day…
What Is a Star?
The UniverseFridays What Defines a Star? At the lower end, and to the bitter end, defining a star is tougher than you might expect By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of our sun, as seen by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column…
How Brexit, a Startling Act of Economic Self-Harm, Foreshadowed Trump’s Tariffs
Tariffs News analysis Britain’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016 was sold to voters as a magic bullet that would revitalize the country’s economy. Its impact is still reverberating. By Mark Landler Reporting from London Britain has watched President Trump’s tariffs with a mix of shock, fascination and queasy recognition. The country, after…
JWST Spots Remains of Alien Planet That Fell into a Star
JWST Spots Remains of Alien Planet That Fell into a Star NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provided a closer look at the aftermath of a star that wreaked violence on its planet By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean Visser NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has followed up on what is thought to be the first…
Zimbabwe starts compensating white farmers 25 years after land seizures
Step is requirement for restructuring country’s debt, including new IMF programme Zimbabwe has started to make compensation payments to white former farm owners, 25 years after Robert Mugabe’s government began confiscating land. The government paid $3.1m (£2.3m) to a “first batch” of 378 farms, the ministry of finance said in a statement on Wednesday, the…
How Many Rogue Planets Are in the Milky Way?
The UniverseFridays How Many Rogue Planets Roam the Milky Way? According to new simulations, many, even most, planets get ejected from their star early in their history By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of a rogue planet in the depths of interstellar space. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts…
When Was the First Exoplanet Discovered?
The UniverseFridays When Was the First Exoplanet Discovered? Evidence of alien worlds goes back farther than you think By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept shows an exoplanet and debris disk orbiting a polluted white dwarf. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait For…
As Starlink and Other Satellites Proliferate, Astronomers Learn to Manage Interference
In a Sky Full of Satellites, Astronomers Find Creative Ways to Observe the Stars Swarms of satellites launched by SpaceX and other companies are disrupting astronomical observations. Here’s how scientists are coping By Alexandra Witze & Nature magazine Satellite streaks appear in a photograph taken above the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Western Australia. In…
Venezuela says it will start accepting repatriation flights from the U.S. again
By Joe Hernandez Venezuela has announced that it will resume accepting flights of its citizens who are deported by U.S. immigration authorities. Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said on Saturday in a post on social media that the repatriation flights would begin again as early as Sunday. “Migration is not a crime,”…
What’s the Definition of a ‘Moon’?
The UniverseFridays What Makes a Moon? Defining the word “moon” is harder than you might think By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A quintet of Saturn’s moons come together in this image from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait Here’s a simple…
Keir Starmer Talks Trump, Russia-Ukraine War and the Fragile Europe-US Alliance
Trump Administration The British prime minister said in a series of conversations that the tectonic shifts in America’s relationship with Europe and Russia had to be a ‘galvanizing moment.’ Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Barrow-in-Furness, England, on Thursday.Andrew Testa for The New York Times By Mark Landler Mark Landler spoke with Prime Minister Keir Starmer…
Trump Wants to go to Mars. That’s Not Happening
Opinion We’re Not Going to Mars Anytime Soon—Despite What Musk Says Elon Musk and Donald Trump have announced ambitious plans to send a mission to Mars in 2026 and 2028. It’s not going to happen By Paul M. Sutter edited by Dan Vergano Elon Musk gives a tour to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and lawmakers…
After 286 Days in Space, NASA Astronauts Return to Earth with a Splash
After 286 Days in Space, NASA Astronauts Return to Earth with a Splash NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams had been “stuck” at the International Space Station since June 6, 2024, after Boeing’s Starliner, the vehicle they rode to get there, ran into multiple hardware problems By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings NASA…
Are the Colors in Space ‘Real’?
The UniverseFridays Are the Colors in Astronomical Images ‘Real’? In colorful photographs of galaxies, stars, planets, and more, what you see isn’t necessarily what you get By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A colorful view of Lynds 483, an hourglass-shaped system of jets and outflows from two central protostars mid-formation. Captured by the James…
Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’
Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’ Charged water droplets generate sparks that can forge organic compounds By Cody Cottier edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier In this landmark experiment, Miller produced several amino acids out of inorganic molecules. (Amino acids combine to form proteins, which in turn combine to form living organisms.) He…
Daylight Saving Time and Early School Start Times Cost The Economy Billions
Daylight Saving Time and Early School Start Times Cost The Economy Billions The current system of daylight saving time and early school start times wastes billions while causing more car accidents, workplace injuries and health issues By Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse & The Conversation US Daylight saving time kicks in on March 9, 2025. Along with the…
How to Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse on March 13
The UniverseFridays How to Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse on March 13 The March 13–14 lunar eclipse will be an all-night affair you won’t want to miss By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A time lapse image of a total lunar eclipse’s progression. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly…
SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ends with another explosion
By The Associated Press Nearly two months after an explosion sent flaming debris raining down on the Turks and Caicos, SpaceX launched another mammoth Starship rocket on Thursday, but lost contact minutes into the test flight as the spacecraft came tumbling down and broke apart. This time, wreckage from the latest explosion was seen streaming…
How Early Could Life Have Emerged in the Universe?
Life May Have Emerged a Cosmic Eyeblink after the Big Bang New simulations suggest that habitable worlds could have begun forming only 200 million years after the big bang By Conor Feehly edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of some of the universe’s first stars, thought to have formed about 100 million years after…
Starting with Rep. Al Green, Democrats protest against Trump’s speech to Congress
By Elena Moore , Deirdre Walsh NPR is bringing you the latest from President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. For more updates, get our or listen to The NPR Politics Podcast. Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green was removed from the House chamber after heckling President Trump during his first address to a joint session of…
UK prime minister unveils steps toward a Ukraine peace deal, urges US cooperation
Juliana Kim British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday laid out a framework for a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine — one where Europe will lead the charge for securing peace — while still relying heavily on U.S. backing. The proposal is the result of emergency talks held by European leaders in London…
Europe Races to Repair a Split Between the U.S. and Ukraine
Russia-Ukraine War European leaders pledge to assemble a “coalition of the willing” to develop a plan for ending Ukraine’s war with Russia, which they hope could win the backing of a skeptical President Trump. transcript By Mark Landler and Stephen Castle Reporting from London European leaders raced on Sunday to salvage Ukraine’s ruptured relationship with…
UK, France and Ukraine agree to work on ceasefire plan for Russia’s war in Ukraine
By The Associated Press LONDON — Britain, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday as he prepared to host a summit of European leaders to discuss ending the war. The summit has been overshadowed by the extraordinary scolding…
Do Aliens Know We’re Here?
The UniverseFridays If Aliens Looked at Earth from Far Away, What Might They See? Whether aliens could detect our modern civilization depends on what signs they’re looking for—and, crucially, their distance from us By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings How far out into the cosmos would signs of our civilization reach? The answers might…
Argentina’s Crypto Scandal Swindled Thousands. What Did Javier Milei Know?
Trump Administration A new cryptocurrency called $Libra bilked investors out of $250 million. It had been promoted by President Javier Milei. By Jack Nicas and David Yaffe-Bellany Jack Nicas, who covers Argentina, reported from Rio de Janeiro. David Yaffe-Bellany, who covers the crypto industry, reported from San Francisco. The scandal began with a tweet. “The…