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Astronomers discover two Jupiter-sized super-puff planets

Astronomers discover two Jupiter-sized super-puff planets

Researchers have identified a pair of low-density exoplanets, TOI-791 b and c, that challenge existing theories on how planetary systems form and evolve.

Science ·4 Jul 2026, 17:36 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA opens applications for yearlong Mars and Moon mission simulation

NASA opens applications for yearlong Mars and Moon mission simulation

NASA has opened applications for a yearlong analog mission designed to simulate the challenges of deep space travel at the Johnson Space Center. Volunteers will reside in specialized habitats to help the agency develop health and psychological protocols for future lunar and Mars expeditions.

Science ·4 Jul 2026, 15:37 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA releases red, white and blue space images for America’s 250th birthday

NASA releases red, white and blue space images for America’s 250th birthday

NASA has unveiled a collection of space imagery and audio sonifications rendered in red, white, and blue to mark the United States' 250th anniversary. The project features four celestial objects captured by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other space and ground-based telescopes.

Science ·4 Jul 2026, 12:36 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrives at asteroid Kamo’oalewa for sampling

China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrives at asteroid Kamo’oalewa for sampling

China's Tianwen-2 mission has reached the quasi-satellite Kamoʻoalewa, initiating an effort to collect regolith and resolve the object's mysterious origins.

Science ·4 Jul 2026, 11:36 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
uOttawa researchers discover genetically distinct Western toad in Canada

uOttawa researchers discover genetically distinct Western toad in Canada

New research reveals that Western toads separated by the Canadian Rockies represent distinct evolutionary lineages, prompting a re-evaluation of conservation needs.

Science ·4 Jul 2026, 00:35 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Webb Telescope captures star formation in FS Tau region

Webb Telescope captures star formation in FS Tau region

New infrared imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope offers a look at the birth of stars within the dust-shrouded FS Tau region. These findings provide evidence that protostars accumulate mass through discrete, energetic episodes rather than steady growth.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 22:40 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling back to Earth

Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling back to Earth

Katalyst Space Technologies has deployed its Link spacecraft to perform a robotic rescue of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. The mission seeks to prevent the telescope from burning up in Earth's atmosphere by boosting it to a higher, stable orbit.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 21:31 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA's Hubble Spots Star-Spangled Cosmic Scene

NASA's Hubble Spots Star-Spangled Cosmic Scene

To commemorate the U.S. 250th anniversary, NASA has released a high-resolution image of the massive Messier 3 globular cluster containing 500,000 stars.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 19:36 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA launches Link spacecraft to rescue falling Swift telescope

NASA launches Link spacecraft to rescue falling Swift telescope

Katalyst Space Technologies launched the Link spacecraft to stabilize the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is losing altitude due to solar activity.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 14:32 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA launches robotic mission to rescue Swift observatory from orbit decay

NASA launches robotic mission to rescue Swift observatory from orbit decay

A robotic spacecraft is attempting an unprecedented salvage mission to rescue the decaying Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from atmospheric reentry. This high-risk effort marks the first time an American robotic craft will attempt to service an uncrewed U.S. government satellite.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 13:32 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
GJ 3378b identified as potentially habitable super-Earth 25 light-years away

GJ 3378b identified as potentially habitable super-Earth 25 light-years away

New research indicates that GJ 3378b is a rocky super-Earth rather than a gas giant, making it a key candidate for future studies of habitability.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 12:33 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
University of Minnesota scientists create first synthetic SpudCell

University of Minnesota scientists create first synthetic SpudCell

University of Minnesota researchers have developed SpudCell, a synthetic construct that performs fundamental biological processes like growth and replication. This bottom-up engineering effort provides a platform for studying the threshold between inanimate matter and biological behavior.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 09:33 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
ESO Study Warns 1.7 Million Satellites Threaten Future of Astronomy

ESO Study Warns 1.7 Million Satellites Threaten Future of Astronomy

An ESO study warns that the proposed launch of over 1.7 million satellites poses an existential threat to astronomy by causing severe light pollution. Researchers are advocating for a strict orbital limit of 100,000 satellites to preserve the viability of ground-based observations.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 06:04 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Antarctica froze before the Arctic due to tectonic uplift of mountains

Antarctica froze before the Arctic due to tectonic uplift of mountains

New research reveals that tectonic mantle waves raised the Antarctic landscape, allowing ice to form millions of years before global cooling reached the Arctic.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 05:06 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Acinetobacter baumannii genome study reveals decades of superbug evolution

Acinetobacter baumannii genome study reveals decades of superbug evolution

Researchers reconstructed the evolutionary history of Acinetobacter baumannii by sequencing samples dating back to the 1970s. The study reveals how the bacterium evolved in waves to acquire resistance traits and survive medical interventions.

Science ·3 Jul 2026, 03:03 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins decade-long cosmic survey of the sky

Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins decade-long cosmic survey of the sky

Equipped with the world's largest digital camera, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has begun a decade-long project to create a time-lapse of the sky. The survey aims to capture vast amounts of data to help researchers study dark energy, dark matter, and other celestial phenomena.

Science ·2 Jul 2026, 22:35 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
NASA mission to rescue Swift space telescope delayed by launch problem

NASA mission to rescue Swift space telescope delayed by launch problem

A mission to boost the aging Swift gamma-ray telescope's orbit has been paused following a failure to deploy the rocket. NASA is evaluating if a secondary launch attempt is feasible.

Science ·2 Jul 2026, 17:31 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
ESO study warns massive satellite constellations threaten space observation

ESO study warns massive satellite constellations threaten space observation

New research from the European Southern Observatory indicates that massive satellite constellations could damage astronomical research by creating light trails and elevating background sky brightness. Scientists are calling for an orbital cap to protect the ability to observe the cosmos.

Science ·2 Jul 2026, 15:35 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
Planned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: Study

Planned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: Study

A study by the European Southern Observatory warns that the rapid expansion of satellite constellations could render critical ground-based research impossible. Scientists are urging the FCC to implement strict regulatory limits to protect the night sky.

Science ·2 Jul 2026, 09:01 ·Niko Vale 3 min read
1.7 million planned satellites pose existential threat to astronomy

1.7 million planned satellites pose existential threat to astronomy

A new European Southern Observatory study warns that proposed satellite constellations could render ground-based astronomy impossible through massive light pollution and data interference.

Science ·1 Jul 2026, 17:03 ·Niko Vale 3 min read