Many discovered exoplanets have characteristics similar to the worlds of our Solar System. Therefore, they receive nicknames like “Hot Jupiter”, “Mini Neptune”, or “Super Earths”. But it seems that there is another kind of somewhat different exoplanet: the eyeballs, which look like a giant eye. Well, there is nothing strange about the surface of these planets for … Read more
Not believing in extraterrestrial life is going against the odds. Still, the year is 2020 and we still have no irrefutable clue that life has flourished elsewhere than Earth. But as far as NASA is concerned, this search is getting more intense already in this decade that is just beginning – thanks to the missions that we will … Read more
This year just started promises many historical moments in space exploration. Space agencies in many countries have bold missions on schedule, and private companies are not kidding when it comes to venturing into space – including space tourism. Here we list the main space missions that will take place in 2020, a year that will be … Read more
In 2019, NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing with Apollo 11, which was the most historic moment of space exploration to date, while also working hard to reach the goal of sending the first woman and next man to lunar soil by 2024. In addition, further progress has been made in research aimed at … Read more
The year 2019 was amazing in terms of expanding our knowledge of the universe. A lot of cool things have happened, and many breathtaking images have been recorded by astrophotographers, astronauts and space observation instruments. In this article, we have selected 20 of the most amazing astronomical photos of the year, either by what they represent, … Read more
The total number of galaxies in the universe is still unknown. Astronomers have several estimates, and a current consensus is that there are somewhere between 100 billion and 200 billion of them out there. Below are five of the most interesting or curious galaxies ever discovered. They all have some distinctiveness that sets them apart from the … Read more
At the end of 2019, it is time to remember what were the biggest science fiascos. But first of all, let us point out that learning also comes out of every mistake – and in science, making mistakes is often part of the process towards progress. “There are many hypotheses in science that are wrong. … Read more
Using the MeerKAT telescope, located in the Northern Cape, South Africa, scientists have identified a large radio-emitting explosion from a binary star. The phenomenon identified as “transitory” represents an important discovery about star studies. When an astronomical object suddenly appears and disappears, or shines more and less brightly for a certain period of time (seconds, days, … Read more
A group of US scientists has developed a new method that can help id entify exoplanets with the greatest potential to harbor life. The novelty was described in a study published in the scientific journal Astrophysical Journal Letters in November and may facilitate the work of the James Webb telescope, which will launch shortly. The team of Northwestern … Read more
Christina Koch, the astronaut who took part in the first all-female spacewalk alongside Jessica Meir, once again made history. It is that last Saturday (28), Koch broke the longest space mission record ever by a woman, surpassing the mark previously set by Peggy Whitson in 2017. Not that there is any rivalry among NASA w omen. In a series of … Read more