Researchers Discover Dimming Switch on a Quasar

Medicine & Technology Jan 26, 2015

Scientists have long believed that at the center of quasars are massively powerful black holes. However, a new study from Yale University researchers indicates the exact opposite may be true. Researchers at Yale found that one particular quasar is actually dimming, and astronomers think it could be because of a black hole on a diet.

Evidence of Water Flows Found on Vesta

Jan 26, 2015

NASA has revealed that new data from the Dawn spacecraft indicates that there may have once been short-lived water flows on the second largest body in the asteroid belt, known to us as Vesta.

NASA Scientists Mystified by White Spot on Ceres

Jan 26, 2015

NASA's Dawn spacecraft continues its approach to the dwarf planet Ceres for its planned mission. During this approach it has already snapped several images of this small planet located in the asteroid belt. And what these pictures have revealed has mystified scientists at NASA for weeks.

Could the Skies of Mars One Day Be Filled with Drones

Jan 26, 2015

The skies of Mars could be teaming with drones one day if NASA's new project manages to make it to the red planet. The proposed Mars Helicopter is currently being developed to help researchers cover more ground with their rovers, and one day it could even help them discover more unique and interesting aspects of Mars that they would have simply missed without it.

Massive Asteroid Doing a Flyby of Earth

Jan 25, 2015

An asteroid measuring approximately 1,800 feet across will fly pass the Earth on Monday, according to scientists from NASA.

NASA Researchers Resolve Every Star in New Panoramic View of Andromeda

Jan 24, 2015

While a new view of the the "Pillars of Creation" from the Eagle Nebula (Messier 16) was revealed this last Monday, Jan. 5 for the 225th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, researchers at NASA have revealed an even brighter sight from a bird's-eye view. Publishing their latest images from the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers at NASA are proudly displaying the largest Hubble image ever assembled in a stunning wide-angle view of the Andromeda galaxy next door.

Comet Awakes As It Approaches the Sun

Jan 23, 2015

Do you remember that comet we landed on last year? It seems this comet has unexpectedly become more active showing signs of "waking up" as it zooms towards the sun at almost 47,800 miles per hour.

Navy Launches New Communications Satellite

Jan 22, 2015

A powerful Atlas 5 rocket blasted its way into space Tuesday carrying a 15,000 pound Navy communications satellite. This satellite is the third of five relay stations planned for a new $5 billion global network designed to handle high-speed mobile phone traffic as well as voice and data from other, older systems.

Dwarf Planet Ceres Approached by Dawn

Jan 20, 2015

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has begun approaching the dwarf planet Ceres, and with a new vantage point it has snapped some of its first images of the planet showing possible craters on the surface.

Planets Outside Our Solar System May Be More Hospitable to Life Than Originally Believed

Jan 20, 2015

A study by astrophysicists at the University of Toronto suggests that exoplanets - planets that are outside our solar system - are more likely to have liquid water, and therefore may be more hospitable to life than researchers originally thought.

Mysterious Radiowave Outburst Captured From Space in the Blink of an Eye

Jan 20, 2015

A recent as last week, radio waves from a distant galaxy were detect by an Australian-based radio telescope. And just how far is "distant"―try around 5.5 billion light-years away.

Twin Astronauts Prepare for New Mission on the ISS

Jan 19, 2015

Scott and Mark Kelly, identical twin brothers and astronauts for NASA are participating in a new study that is the first of its kind. The study will look at the effects of long-term space missions on the human body, with the hopes of gaining insights on what will happen to humans on a mission to Mars.

Cosmic Radio Burst Caught from Outside Our Galaxy

Jan 19, 2015

Astronomers in eastern Australia using the CSIRO's 64-m Parkes radio telescope have for the first time caught a "fast radio burst" live. A fast radio burst is a short, sharp flash of radio waves from an unknown source.

2014 Is Officially the Warmest Year on Record

Jan 18, 2015

Scientists from both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA calculated that in 2014 the world experienced its hottest year in the 135 total years of record keeping. The Japanese weather agency and an independent group from the University of California Berkeley also measured 2014 and determined it was the hottest year on record.

New Planets Hiding In the Shadow of Pluto

Jan 18, 2015

While space agencies and astronomers alike have found that the outer fringes of our very own solar system holds small asteroids and chunks of ice, as opposed to life, it turns out that our investigation of the relatively small solar system is far from over. In fact, a pair of new studies published just this week reveal that we may be adding new members to the roster as at least two new planets larger than Earth are likely hiding beyond Pluto.