Space

Feb 17th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google For decades, scientists suspected that Venus might hide massive lava-formed tunnels beneath its scorched surface, but clear evidence had remained elusive. Now, a newly analyzed radar signal has confirmed what researchers long suspected: an empty volcanic tunnel lies beneath one of the planet's collapsed surface pits. The discovery offers the first direct indication that Venus hosts intact underground lava tubes, turning a long-standing geological hypothesis into an ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - Scientists may be one step closer in their hunt for signs of past life on Mars after . Nearly a year ago, – one of two – came across an intriguing rock sample that contained some interesting features. On the rock, Curiosity's instruments detected organic compounds that on Earth are most often produced by living things. Though geological processes can also make the material present, researchers concluded in a study Feb. 4 in the journal Astrobiology that such non-biological processes ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - For most of astronomy's history, the death of a massive star has been a loud event. A supernova flares so brightly it can briefly outshine an entire galaxy. But a new study describes something far stranger: a massive star that seemed to fade out of existence, leaving behind only a lingering, heat-like glow. At first, the data looked like a mystery and even an "oddball." Then the pattern kept getting harder to ignore. By stitching together more than a decade of observations, astronomers say they ... [Read More]

Feb 15th, 2026 - Humans in space: Are astronauts obsolete? The Artemis II mission, which will return US astronauts to lunar space, has run into problems that have critics demanding NASA remove the crew from the flight for safety reasons. The bigger question is, why do we have astronauts at all? NASA's Artemis program to set up a permanent US human presence on the Moon has so far cost the American taxpayer an eye-watering US$93 billion in return for, at the time of publication, only one unmanned flight around ... [Read More]

Feb 15th, 2026 - Kaolinite pebbles show evidence of alteration under high rainfall conditions. A recent study showed that Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago. The finding contrasts with another theory that this era was mainly cold and icy. The result has implications for the idea that life could have developed on the planet at this time. Whether Mars was once habitable is a fascinating and intensely researched topic of interest over many decades. Mars , like the Earth, is about 4.5 billion years old and ... [Read More]

Feb 15th, 2026 - Tree-covered hills stand watch over a yawning hole in the ground. The giant pit steps down in stages, its concentric rings growing ever smaller the deeper it goes. Huge trucks rumble up and down these makeshift roadways. This is the scene at Wangu goldfield in China's Hunan province. This area has already been mined for gold, but it seems they've only scratched the surface. In late 2025 came the announcement that they believe there's over one thousand tonnes of gold tucked away below the ... [Read More]

Feb 14th, 2026 - Next-generation telescopes are mapping this outer frontier. Out beyond the orbit of Neptune lies an expansive ring of ancient relics, dynamical enigmas, and possibly a hidden planet—or two. The , a region of frozen debris about 30 to 50 times farther from the sun than the Earth is—and perhaps farther, though nobody knows—has been shrouded in mystery since it first came into view in the 1990s. Over the past 30 years, astronomers have cataloged about 4,000 Kuiper Belt objects ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - Amid federal funding uncertainty, commercial spaceflight saw highs and lows, a comet from another star surprised us, and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory began its 10-year survey. By Alison Klesman , Brooks Mendenhall , and Mark Zastrow Our picture of the cosmos is ever-changing, transformed by new discoveries. In 2025, we learned evidence is now piling up to suggest that the mysterious dark energy that guides the evolution of our universe may not be constant over cosmic history, but might grow ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - The telescope primarily detects light in the infrared in order to observe sources such as the first galaxies and protostars. Two scientists from the University of Sydney have performed a remarkable space science feat from Earth, the BBC reports . By using AI-driven software, the researchers have successfully corrected image blurring in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. This innovation, called AMIGO, fixed distortions in the telescope's infrared camera, restoring its ultra-sharp vision without ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - Reading time 3 minutes Astronomers have discovered a star system that's out of order, with a late bloomer planet that may have sprung up at a different time than its neighbors. The discovery defies the norms of planet formation across the cosmos, raising questions over how this weird rocky world broke a familiar pattern. The inner planets of our solar system, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, are rocky worlds, while the outer solar system is reserved for gas giants like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google Supernova explosions are part of how the universe builds matter, but they're not the only cosmic blasts that shape what we're made of. When a massive star runs out of fuel, it ends its life as a supernova. The star's core collapses, its outer layers blast outward, and the explosion scatters heavy elements like carbon and iron into space. There is also a second, much rarer kind of explosion. In a kilonova, two neutron stars collide and produce even heavier elements, ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - The zodiacal light (left) glows against the nighttime sky, with the Milky Way shining beside it (right). Credit: Sky This Week is brought to you in part by Celestron. Friday, February 13 This dark, moonless Friday the 13th evening is the perfect time to head out after dark and try to catch a glimpse of the zodiacal light. The ethereal, cone-shaped glow is actually the reflected light from tiny particles of dust orbiting the Sun, left over from myriad comets as they swing around our star and ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google Saturn's moon Enceladus has long fascinated scientists for its towering geysers and hidden ocean, but new research suggests this small icy world influences Saturn far more than previously understood. Instead of acting only as a local source of water vapor and ice, the moon appears to function as a powerful electrical generator within the planet's magnetic environment. As charged particles from Enceladus's plumes interact with Saturn's magnetic field, they create ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - It's quick and easy to access Live Science Plus, simply enter your email below. We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up for our daily newsletter, keeping you up to date with the latest science news. ! , Earn Your First Badge Keep Earning Badges See what you've unlocked. Members Exclusive Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Get the Live Science Newsletter Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - In a study published on Feb. 2 in Communications: Earth & Environment , an international team of researchers reveals how, in 2023, an atypical storm during Mars' northern summer lifted water into the planet's upper atmosphere, allowing hydrogen to escape. This discovery, a first of its kind, has big implications for understanding the evolution of Mars' climate. "The findings reveal the impact of this type of storm on the planet's climate evolution and opens a new path for understanding how Mars ... [Read More]

Feb 13th, 2026 - It's quick and easy to access Live Science Plus, simply enter your email below. We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up for our daily newsletter, keeping you up to date with the latest science news. ! , Earn Your First Badge Keep Earning Badges See what you've unlocked. Members Exclusive Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Get the Live Science Newsletter Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight ... [Read More]