A new study in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society by researchers including István Szapudi of the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy suggests the universe may rotate—just extremely slowly. The finding could help solve one of astronomy’s biggest puzzles. “To paraphrase the... Continue Reading →
What created the unusual halo around the Cat's Eye Nebula? No one is sure. What is sure is that the Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the best known planetary nebulae on the sky. Although haunting symmetries are seen in the bright central... Continue Reading →
Mitochondria are the powerhouses in our cells, producing the energy for all vital processes. Using cryo-electron tomography, researchers at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel have now gained insight into the architecture of mitochondria at unprecedented resolution. They discovered... Continue Reading →
This was once a beach -- on ancient Mars. The featured 360-degree panorama, horizontally compressed, was taken in 2017 by the robotic Curiosity rover that explored the red planet. Named Ogunquit Beach after its terrestrial counterpart, evidence shows that at times long ago the area was underwater,... Continue Reading →
Recorded from 2024 March 10, to 2025 March 1, this composited series of images reveals a pattern in the seasonal drift of the Sun's daily motion through planet Earth's sky. Known to some as an analemma, the figure-eight curve was captured in exposures... Continue Reading →
Nothingness is often perceived as an absence, an empty void without meaning or substance. Yet, in the realm of human nature, nothingness holds profound significance. It is in the face of nothingness that we seek meaning, purpose, and identity. The... Continue Reading →
Our understanding of black holes, time and the mysterious dark energy that dominates the universe could be revolutionised, as new University of Sheffield research helps unravel the mysteries of the cosmos. Black holes – areas of space where gravity is... Continue Reading →
This was a very unusual type of solar eclipse. Typically, it is the Earth's Moon that eclipses the Sun. In 2012, though, the planet Venus took a turn. Like a solar eclipse by the Moon, the phase of Venus became a continually thinner crescent as Venus became increasingly better aligned with the Sun. Eventually... Continue Reading →
Two protostars are hidden in a single pixel near the center of a striking hourglass-shaped nebula in this near-infrared image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The actively forming star system lies in a dusty molecular cloud cataloged as Lynds 483, some 650... Continue Reading →
Scents of Science 