astrophysics
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Astrophysicist who claimed to find alien tech may have done the science wrong
Last month, theoretical physicist Avi Loeb made headlines with the sensational claim that tiny spherules recovered from the bottom of the ocean were probably of alien origin. “It’s most likely a technological gadget with artificial intelligence,” he said to The New York Times, which published a story today about the Harvard professor’s contentious claims. Although the biggest scientific breakthroughs often start with a bold hypothesis, Loeb’s peers believe the decorated astrophysicist’s assertions can be called many things — but “good science” isn’t one of them.
Construction starts in Australia on the world's largest radio telescope
Construction has begun for the world's largest radio telescope, which will help explore the early universe.
NASA's DART asteroid impact test left a trail over 6,000 miles long
Astronomers have captured an image showing that the trail from NASA's asteroid impact test is over 6,000 miles long.
Researchers may have discovered a galaxy barely younger than the Big Bang
Astronomers have found the most distant known galaxy to date — it existed just 300 years after the Big Bang.
Black hole 'quantum hair' might solve a decades-old scientific paradox
Scientists claim to have solved a scientific paradox by determining that black holes have 'quantum hair.'
Strange Milky Way object sends radio bursts a minute at a time
A strange object in the Milky Way galaxy is sending radio bursts a minute at a time, and it's not necessarily a neutron star.
NASA's Swift Observatory may have suffered an attitude control failure
NASA has temporarily paused science aboard the Swift Observatory after noticing a potential equipment failure.
NASA finishes deploying the James Webb Space Telescope
NASA has finished deployment for the James Webb Space Telescope, although you'll have to wait a while for images.
Hubble telescope helps find six 'dead' galaxies from the early universe
The Hubble telescope and ALMA have found six 'dead' early galaxies that stopped forming stars unusually quickly.
NASA will finally launch the James Webb Space Telescope on December 18th
NASA now plans to launch its long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope on December 18th.
A star fragment is flying out of our galaxy at nearly two million miles per hour
Scientists have studied a supernova star fragment flying out of the Milky Way galaxy at nearly two million miles per hour.
The best dark matter map to date raises questions about the universe
Scientists have released the most precise map of dark matter to date, but it only serves to highlight mysteries in the universe.
New AI supercomputer will help create the largest-ever 3D map of the universe
A new AI supercomputer, Perlmutter, is powerful enough that it will be used to help make the largest-ever 3D map of the universe.
Scientists spot the most energetic light ever seen
Scientists have spotted the most energetic light yet, suggesting our galaxy is full of particle accelerators.
This is the most detailed picture of a black hole to date
Scientists have captured an image of the M87 galaxy's black hole showing how it looks in polarized light, revealing the shape of key magnetic fields.
SpaceX will launch a NASA mission to study the history of the universe
NASA has chosen SpaceX to launch SPHEREx, a mission that will study the origins of the universe.
Scientists may have found the background ripples of the universe
Scientists have found a strong signal that might represent the universe's background gravitational waves.
NASA smallsat concepts will study galaxy evolution and exoplanets
NASA has picked four missions for smallsats and a balloon that will study galaxy evolution, exoplanets, neutron stars and neutrinos.
Scientists find a strange signal coming from our closest neighboring star
Scientists have detected a strange radio signal coming from Proxima Centauri, although we wouldn't count on aliens being involved.
Solar System 'superhighway' could speed up space travel
Scientists have discovered a Solar System 'superhighway' that could lead to faster, more efficient space travel.
