Neutron stars scanned for signals of dark matter turning into light

Dark matter is thought to outnumber the regular stuff by a ratio of five to one, yet it remains frustratingly elusive. But there might be ways to potentially spot it, if you know where to look, and now astronomers have scanned neutron stars for telltal… Continue reading Neutron stars scanned for signals of dark matter turning into light

Evidence of “modified gravity” strengthens dark matter alternative

Dark matter is currently the most widely accepted hypothesis for explaining some of the weirdness we see in the cosmos – but it’s not the only possibility. Now, a team of astronomers has discovered evidence in over 150 galaxies for a long-standing alte… Continue reading Evidence of “modified gravity” strengthens dark matter alternative

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Saw Through the Stars

We as humans are limited in the ways we can look at things ourselves, and rely on on the different perspectives and insights of others to help make sense of things. All it takes is one person to look at a data set and find something completely different that changes …read more

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Missing dark matter mystery reveals a galaxy entering death spiral

Astronomers are a step closer to solving a cosmic mystery, thanks to new Hubble data. Observations from the space telescope show a dwarf galaxy previously found to be missing most of its dark matter is being stripped of this matter by a larger nearby g… Continue reading Missing dark matter mystery reveals a galaxy entering death spiral

Mean temperature of the universe is rising over billions of years

Earth isn’t the only place that’s heating up of late – the universe seems to be too. Astronomers at Ohio State University have taken the mean temperature of cosmic gas at different distances and ages, and found that it’s roughly 10 times hotter today t… Continue reading Mean temperature of the universe is rising over billions of years

Mean temperature of the universe is rising over billions of years

Earth isn’t the only place that’s heating up of late – the universe seems to be too. Astronomers at Ohio State University have taken the mean temperature of cosmic gas at different distances and ages, and found that it’s roughly 10 times hotter today t… Continue reading Mean temperature of the universe is rising over billions of years

2020 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to black hole science pioneers

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three astrophysicists who made huge contributions towards our understanding of black holes. One half was presented to Roger Penrose for his proof that black holes result from general relativity, while… Continue reading 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to black hole science pioneers

Scientists calculate how much matter there is in the universe

Scientists have now estimated the total amount of matter in the universe, using a new, more precise method. By calculating the mass of hundreds of galaxy clusters, the team found that matter makes up less than a third of the contents of the universe.Co… Continue reading Scientists calculate how much matter there is in the universe

Astronomers detect strongest known magnetic field in the universe

Astronomers have detected the strongest magnetic field ever observed in the universe. Studying powerful X-ray signals coming from a neutron star, the team calculated that its magnetic field is tens of millions of times stronger than any ever created in… Continue reading Astronomers detect strongest known magnetic field in the universe

Strangely light galaxies could imply new model for dark matter

Most of the mass in any given galaxy is invisible, made up of stuff we call dark matter. But in recent years astronomers made the puzzling discovery of two bizarre galaxies with almost no dark matter. Now, a new study has suggested an explanation for t… Continue reading Strangely light galaxies could imply new model for dark matter