Friday, April 12, 2024

Space & Physics: The universe remembers every gravitational wave

April 11 –This week, we're basking in the glow of Monday's solar eclipse. Plus, testing the universe's mind-blowing ability to forever "remember" gravitational waves, a newfound "glory" in the heavens of a hellish exoplanet, a celebration of the life of the late legendary particle physicist Peter Higgs, and more. Enjoy!

-Lee Billings, Senior Editor, Space and Physics


See Where Future U.S. Eclipses Will be Visible

Just how rare are total solar eclipses, which require a perfect alignment of the sun and moon?

Donate Your Eclipse Glasses to Help Others Safely Enjoy the Awe

The nonprofit Astronomers Without Borders is collecting gently used eclipse glasses through Warby Parker and other sites to enable people to see future eclipses

What Were the Red Dots around the Total Solar Eclipse?

During the total solar eclipse, skywatchers saw ruby-colored prominences sticking out of the moon's shadow. Here's the science of those red dots

An Eclipse Is a Moment of Solitude, Even When You're in a Crowd

Even among hundreds of people, experiencing an eclipse is a joyous solitude

Could Gravitational-Wave 'Memories' Prove Einstein Wrong?

According to Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, the universe remembers every gravitational wave—and scientists could soon test these cosmic recollections

This Hellish Alien World's Skies May Create an Eerie Rainbow 'Glory' Effect

The atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-76b may rain iron and form a strange, rainbow-like phenomenon called a "glory" never yet seen outside the solar system

Peter Higgs, a Giant of Particle Physics, Dies at 94

The Nobel Prize-winning theorist's prediction of the Higgs boson sparked a half-century quest of discovery that reshaped physics—and our understanding of the universe

The Milky Way Illuminated Ancient Egypt's Goddess of the Sky


Astronomical simulations and ancient Egyptian texts show the Milky Way was linked to the ancient Egyptian sky goddess Nut. This fits within multicultural myths about our home galaxy

Scientist Pankaj

Day in Review: NASA’s EMIT Will Explore Diverse Science Questions on Extended Mission

The imaging spectrometer measures the colors of light reflected from Earth's surface to study fields such as agriculture ...  Mis...