universe

Astronomers identify trick to root out false-positives in the search for life

Posted in Science on 6th Mar, 2016
by Alex Muller

Scenarios in which the detection of oxygen in the atmosphere of exoplanets would not represent the presence of extraterrestrial life.

Great tilt gave Mars a new face

Posted in Science on 4th Mar, 2016
by Alex Muller

Mars hasn't always looked like it does today. Some 3 to 3.5 billion years ago, the planet underwent a huge tilt.

Einsteins Gravitational Waves Detected For The First Time

Posted in Featured, Science on 12th Feb, 2016
by Alex Muller

Gravitational waves are created when masses accelerate. The gravitational wave signal detected matches the exact signal expected from two merging black holes.

Moon formed by a head-on collision between Earth and young planet

Posted in Science on 31st Jan, 2016
by Alex Muller

The moon was formed by a collision between the Earth and a "planetary embryo" called Theia approximately 100 million years after the Earth formed.

Case made for the existence of a 'ninth planet'

Posted in Science on 21st Jan, 2016
by Alex Muller

The planet would have 10 times the mass of Earth. Astronomers have an idea where it ought to be in the sky, and we might expect a campaign to try to track it down.