Recent reporting, background, and summaries from the science desk.
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered that the "super-puff" exoplanet Kepler-51d is enveloped in the thickest haze ever detected, rendering its atmospheric composition an impenetrable mystery. This Saturn-sized, cotton-candy-like world, with a density challenging existing formation models, remains an enigma even for JWST, prompting further investigation into its origins.
The Hubble Space Telescope unexpectedly captured the dramatic breakup of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) into at least four distinct pieces after its closest approach to the sun, an event NASA described as a "happy twist of fate." This rare observation, likely caused by intense solar heat and gravity, offers scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study pristine material from the early solar system.
Scientists at the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment have achieved an incredible feat, cooling their detectors to near absolute zero—a temperature 100 times colder than outer space. This groundbreaking step is crucial for their upcoming science run, which aims to detect elusive light dark matter, a substance believed to constitute 85% of the universe's matter.
Melting ice, leading to rising sea levels, is subtly slowing Earth's rotation and making days fractionally longer, much like a figure skater extending their arms. This unprecedented slowdown, occurring at a rate of 1.33 milliseconds per century, hasn't been observed in 3.6 million years and could eventually impact critical technologies like GPS.
New research reveals Mars may have sustained habitable conditions for a significantly longer period, with ancient sand dunes in Gale Crater showing evidence of being saturated by underground water billions of years ago. This discovery of hidden, mineral-rich habitats expands the potential for finding past extraterrestrial life and offers prime targets for future Martian exploration.
Astronomers have detected RBFLOAT, the most luminous fast radio burst to date, precisely tracing this incredibly powerful flash to a nearby galaxy, NGC 4141, using CHIME Outrigger telescopes. This non-repeating event, which briefly outshone all other radio sources in its galaxy, challenges existing theories about FRBs and revealed a faint infrared signal potentially from a red giant star or fading light echo.
Scientists believe they've cracked the enigma of mysterious plumes deep within the Greenland ice sheet, attributing their formation to thermal convection driven by temperature differences. This groundbreaking discovery suggests the deep ice is far softer than imagined, critically impacting predictions for the ice sheet's future in a warming world.
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has erupted with dramatic force, sending lava fountains soaring up to 1,000 feet high in its 43rd episode since December 2024. Despite ashfall warnings and summit closures, the lava remains safely contained within the crater, ensuring no immediate danger to nearby communities.
Cambridge University scientists have accidentally stumbled upon a groundbreaking light-powered chemical reaction that can modify complex drug molecules during their final development stages. This innovative LED-driven technique creates essential carbon-carbon bonds under mild conditions, promising a faster and more environmentally friendly path to discovering new medicines.
Nuclear physicists have finally cracked a 20-year mystery, making three significant discoveries about unstable atomic nuclei decay that clarify how heavy elements like gold and platinum are formed in the cosmos. These groundbreaking findings will enable more accurate models of stellar events and advance our understanding of exotic atomic nuclei, offering new insights into the creation of precious metals.
UC Riverside researchers have unveiled a previously unknown network connecting the brainstem and spinal cord, which is vital for controlling hand and arm movements. This groundbreaking discovery challenges long-held scientific beliefs about motor control and offers exciting new possibilities for stroke therapies.
Scientists have uncovered a puzzling cellular energy imbalance in young adults with major depressive disorder, where their cells produce excess energy at rest but fail to ramp up production when needed. This groundbreaking finding suggests that depression's symptoms may stem from fundamental cellular energy utilization issues, potentially paving the way for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatments.