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The sooner-than-expected discovery of gravitational waves, announced in February, has given a new impetus to scientists in the field, who are now working to make sense of what it means not only for their research but also for our understanding of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
At the extremes of mass, energy, gravity and space-time – black holes still present a mystery for scientists, yet the key to finding a way forward is reconciling gravity, described by Albert Einstein’s general relativity, and the behaviour of subatomic particles modelled using so-called quantum theory.
Life could exist on Mars, tests on microbes have revealed, but finding it will be no easy task.
Sending astronauts to Mars poses several large challenges, among them a long journey filled with life-threatening radiation from cosmic ray exposure and solar flares. Not to mention the fact that we haven’t yet worked out how to get them back again.
Dozens of spacecraft have visited Mars over the years, generating untold amounts of data and expertise. Now scientists are bringing all of this together, with a hope of painting a new picture of the red planet.
There could have been life under the surface of Mars, according to Prof. Jan Woerner, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), which in March is launching its ExoMars mission to find out.
By studying the atmospheres of distant planets with sensitive new light analysis techniques, astrobiologists might be able to pinpoint which ones could be home to alien lifeforms.
Gravitational waves have been detected on earth for the first time, researchers at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in the US and the VIRGO detector in Italy have announced.
Galactic filaments – the vast threads that link clusters of galaxies – may feed them with the matter required to make new stars, researchers now believe.
Despite Matt Damon’s heroics in The Martian, where he overcomes the odds to survive after being left behind during a mission to the Red Planet, EU-funded researchers reveal that we don’t have the technology yet to get there alive and survive.
Astronomers could use giant radio telescope from 2025.
New tech could help shrink shipping emissions.
New wave of subsea tech includes pulsed-laser camera.
The EU’s research chief on his new role.
Open access to scientific publications must be reality by 2020, says Robert-Jan Smits.
Research and innovation can generate the knowledge and solutions to tackle urgent international problems like the Ebola outbreak or the refugee crisis.
