Latest articles by Brandon Specktor
Hoag's Object Is a Galaxy Within a Galaxy Within a Galaxy (and Nobody Knows Why)
Hoag's object, which is a galaxy within a galaxy within a galaxy, has befuddled stargazers since astronomer Arthur Hoag discovered it in 1950.
Your RNA May Have Come from Space, Meteor Study Suggests
The discovery of ribose sugar in ancient meteorites just made space rocks a little sweeter.
This 'Blob' of Radiation Might Be a Long-Lost Neutron Star
In 1987, a star exploded, creating the brightest supernova to light up Earth's skies in 400 years. That star's corpse has been missing for 30 years. Now, researchers think they've found it.
The Curiosity Rover Just Took a Very Emo Photo of Its Rocky Martian Prison
Curiosity is the last functioning rover on Mars, and its lonely mission has taken the robot to a steep mountain in the middle of a vast crater.
Scientists Want to Make a 3D Map of the Entire World Before Climate Change Ruins It
A nonprofit called The Earth Archive wants to make a 3D map of the entire planet, before the climate crisis changes Earth's face forever.
Early Earthlings May Have Watched the Galaxy's Center Explode 3.5 Million Years Ago
The mysterious Fermi bubbles at the center of the Milky Way may have been caused by a gargantuan nuclear explosion 3.5 million years ago, new research suggests.
The Andromeda Galaxy Has Been Devouring Other Galaxies Since It Was a Baby (And Earth Is Next)
The cannibal next door has an even mightier appetite than we thought.
Nobody Knows What Made the Gargantuan Crater on the Dark Side of the Moon
The moon's South Pole-Aitken basin is one of the largest craters in the solar system, and a new study debunks the most popular explanation for its formation.
UFOs Are Real — and You Were Never Supposed to See Them, Military Official Says
Remember those viral UFO videos you saw last year? The government would like you to forget them, please.
This Ridiculously Speedy Star Might Be Running Away from a Rare, Unproven Type of Black Hole
I'd be running, too.
Gargantuan 'Bubbles' of Radio Energy Spotted at the Center of Our Galaxy. How'd They Get There?
Two huge bubbles of radio energy swirling out of the Milky Way's middle could be evidence of an ancient cosmic explosion — or maybe the start of a new one.
The 'Fireworks Galaxy' Is Exploding in X-Ray Light, and Scientists Are Confused
Scientists spotted a mysterious blast of intense X-ray light flashing out of the distant Fireworks galaxy, and it's no mere supernova.
America's Largest Asteroid Impact Left a Trail of Destruction Across the Eastern United States
America's largest impact crater wreaked havoc on the land and water. Scientists are just beginning to understand it.
Apollo 11 Moon Landing Showed That Aliens Might Be More Than Science Fiction
The moon may be dead, but the Apollo 11 astronauts still managed to bring extraterrestrial life back to Earth. Astronomer/alien hunter Seth Shostak explains.
'Renegade' White Dwarf Survived a Supernova. Now It's Warping the Little Dipper Before Our Eyes.
There's a rebellious, half-dead star in the Little Dipper that's hellbent on escaping our galaxy — and now, astronomers have an idea why.
The Largest Black Holes in the Universe Formed in a Snap — Then Stopped
The biggest, oldest black holes in the universe shouldn't technically exist. A new study provides fresh evidence for the weird, "direct collapse" process that may have made them.
Gorgeous 'Atlas of Space' Smashes the Textbook View of the Solar System
Biologist Eleanor Lutz's new map of the solar system shows the precise orbital paths of more than 18,000 near celestial objects.
30 'Homeless' Binary Stars Spotted Drifting in the Void Outside Any Known Galaxy
The universe may be full of binary stars that have been exiled from their home galaxies, thanks to one star's rowdy behavior.
Two White Dwarf Stars Collided and Came Back from the Dead. Soon, They’ll Go Supernova.
These two dead stars united and came back to life. And soon, they’ll go supernova.
Earth's Oldest Meteorite Collection Just Found in the Driest Place on the Planet
Researchers scouring the desert for space rocks found the oldest collection of meteorites on Earth.
First-Ever Image of a Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Burst Shows Light Exploding Out of a Thundercloud in Asia
Researchers just created the world's first image of a terrestrial gamma-ray burst.
Space Mining Could Ruin Our Solar System If We Don't Establish Protected Places Now, Researchers Warn
If humans mine one-eighth of the solar system's extraterrestrial resources, we could be doomed.
New York City Has Been Obliterated in a New Asteroid-Impact Simulation
New York City, home to 8.6 million people and one hot duck, has perished in an apocalyptic meteor strike … in a simulation.
