Space & Physics: We've finally seen matter fall into a black hole

May 23 –This week, scientists witnessed matter plunging directly into a black hole. Elsewhere, we have stories on Europe's next Mars rover, space junk, the world's oldest spacefarer, and more! --Lee Billings, Senior Editor, Space and Physics

Top Stories

We've Finally Seen Matter Plunge into a Black Hole For the first time, scientists observed matter's freefall into a black hole's "plunging region" Allison Parshall

Europe's Mars Rover Will Use New Nuclear Power Source The radioactive unit will help to deliver Europe's first Mars rover to the planet's surface Elizabeth Gibney; Nature magazine

Quantum Internet Milestone Takes Entanglement Out of the Lab and into Cities It's a "big deal" to demonstrate entangled quantum networks outside a lab Davide Castelvecchi; Nature magazine

Ed Dwight, America's First Black Astronaut Candidate, Flies to Space on Blue Origin Rocket The 90-year-old finally realized his dreams of spaceflight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle, which also carried five other crew members on a short suborbital voyage Mike Wall; SPACE.com

There Is Too Much Trash in Space Debris from spacecraft threatens the burgeoning space economy. We need a global agreement to keep space clean The Editors

How Can You 'See' a Black Hole? How do astronomers find the darkest objects in the universe? Phil Plait

The Great Solar Storm of 2024 May Have Made the Strongest Auroras in Centuries Northern and southern lights produced by a recent bout of severe space weather may rival the most intense auroras of the past 500 years Sharmila Kuthunur; SPACE.com

The Scale of Space Will Break Your Brain The scale of the cosmos exceeds the bounds of human comprehension. But that doesn't mean the universe is beyond our understanding Phil Plait

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