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Space

Scientists are working out how cosmic dust turns into hard, spherical pebbles which can then develop into planets. Image credit - NASA/JPL-Caltech
space | frontier research
05 September 2018

From dust to pebbles to planets – insight into the birth of a solar system

Detailed simulations of planetary formation are revealing how tiny grains of dust turn into giant planets and could shed light on where to find new Earth-like worlds.

Prof. Sarkar believes that many of the results supporting the existence of dark energy may be affected by confirmation bias. Image credit - Prof. Sarkar
interview | space
03 September 2018

Dark energy is the biggest mystery in cosmology, but it may not exist at all - leading physicist

The most mysterious phenomenon in cosmology – dark energy – may not exist at all, according to Professor Subir Sarkar, head of the particle theory group at the University of Oxford in the UK.

Mysterious radiation emitted from pulsars - like this one shown leaving a long tail of debris as it races through the Milky Way - have puzzled astronomers for decades. Image credit - NASA
frontier research | space
16 July 2018

Antimatter plasma reveals secrets of deep space signals

Mysterious radiation emitted from distant corners of the galaxy could finally be explained with efforts to recreate a unique state of matter that blinked into existence in the first moments after the Big Bang.

plasma-cell
frontier research | space
09 July 2018

Plasma accelerators could overcome size limitations of Large Hadron Collider

Plasma particle accelerators more powerful than existing machines could help probe some of the outstanding mysteries of our universe, as well as make leaps forward in cancer treatment and security scanning - all in a package that’s around a thousandth of the size of current accelerators. All that's left is for scientists to build one.

Dr Frank Postberg hopes that research on Jupiter's moon Europa yields similar results to those from Enceladus. Image credit - Frank Postberg
interview | space
29 June 2018

Ingredients for life on Saturn’s moon may be ‘tip of the iceberg’

There are likely to be many more ingredients for life on Saturn’s moon Enceladus than those identified so far, says Dr Frank Postberg from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, the lead author of a paper published on 27 June which revealed the presence of complex carbon-based molecules in the moon's core. He says a fresh mission could reveal a ‘rich zoo’ of such organic molecules and provide solid proof of life beyond Earth.

Micro-satellite-ICEYE
space
28 May 2018

Microsatellite swarms could paint clearer picture of our planet

Tiny, low-cost satellites that can work together to boost their output and a technology that reduces the loss of satellite data are two of the latest innovations to hit the Earth observation market – and the results promise to reveal a more detailed image of our planet.

thunderstorm, storm, lightning
space | environment
16 May 2018

Supercomputers and space-based laser to help predict extreme weather events

From droughts and forest fires to floods and big freezes, extreme weather events are on the rise. But to what extent are these linked to climate change? Just months before the world’s first wind monitoring satellite enters orbit, scientists have finalised a climate model with exceptional resolution, and the new tools will help identify how climate change impacts weather-related natural disasters like storm surges, hurricanes and heatwaves.

Thomas-Hertog-and-Stephen-Hawking
space | interview
03 May 2018

'I opened a bottle with Stephen Hawking to celebrate our eureka moment' – Prof. Thomas Hertog

A theory developed with the late Professor Stephen Hawking stating that the universe is more simple and uniform than current models suggest was so shocking that it had to be sat on for a while before it was released to the world, according to co-author Professor Thomas Hertog from KU Leuven in Belgium.

The Square Kilometre Array, which is depicted through an artist's impression, will begin construction in 2020. Image credit - SKA Organisation
space
19 April 2018

SKA 'time machine' will be able to detect formation of first stars, galaxies

The world’s largest radio telescope, known as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and situated over two continents, will be able to detect the first stars and galaxies emerging from the ‘murk’ at the beginning of the universe and much more besides, according to Professor Phil Diamond, Director General of SKA.He spoke to Horizon at the opening of the Shared Sky art exhibition in Brussels, Belgium on 16 April, where indigenous artists from SKA host nations South Africa and Australia use traditional painting and folk art to explore the themes of astronomy, spirituality and a borderless sky.

Bacteria survive in the harsh conditions of the Andean lakes of Argentina among high concentrations of arsenic. Image credit – ASLIFE project
environment | space
23 January 2018

Arsenic and permafrost microbes help hunt for life on Mars

Studying environments that are similar to Mars, and their microbial ecosystems, could help prepare biologists to identify traces of life in outer space.

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