Scientists at Rutgers and collaborators have traced the invisible dark matter scaffolding of the universe using over 100,000 Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies. By studying how these galaxies clustered across three eras shortly after the Big Bang, they mapped dark matter concentrations, uncovering cosmic “fingerprints” that reveal how galaxies grow and evolve.
Read moreAstronomers have long relied on supercomputers to simulate the immense structure of the Universe, but a new tool called Effort.jl is changing that. By mimicking the behavior of complex cosmological models, this emulator delivers results with the same accuracy — and sometimes even finer detail — in just minutes on a standard laptop. The breakthrough combines neural networks with clever use of physical knowledge, cutting computation time dramatically while preserving reliability.
Read moreJezero Crater’s rocks reveal three stages of water activity, shifting from hostile acidic fluids to more life-friendly alkaline ones. Perseverance’s discoveries guide future sampling and strengthen the hunt for past life on Mars.
Read moreFaint hydrogen signals from the cosmic Dark Ages may soon help determine the mass of dark matter particles. Simulations suggest future Moon-based observatories could distinguish between warm and cold dark matter, providing long-sought answers about the invisible backbone of the Universe.
Read moreAstronomers have detected the chemical fingerprint of a frozen, water-rich planetary fragment being devoured by a white dwarf star, offering the clearest evidence yet that icy, life-delivering objects exist beyond our Solar System. The find suggests fragments like comets and dwarf planets may be common ingredients of planetary systems.
Read moreNew measurements of the rate of expansion of the universe add to a growing mystery: Estimates of a fundamental constant made with different methods keep giving different results.
Read moreThe early universe is filled with monsters, a new study revealed. Researchers discovered a previously invisible galaxy, and perhaps a new galaxy population waiting to be discovered.
Read moreMars once had salt lakes that are similar to those on Earth and has gone through wet and dry periods.
Read moreAstronomers exposed acetylene ice — a chemical that is used on Earth in welding torches and exists at Titan's equatorial regions — at low temperatures to proxies of high-energy galactic cosmic rays.
Read moreA new technique for analysing satellite images may help scientists detect and count stranded whales from space. Researchers tested a new detection method using Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite images of the biggest mass stranding of baleen whales yet recorded. It is hoped that in the future the technique will lead to real-time information as stranding events happen.
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