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Rare early optical observations that captured the prompt-to-afterglow emission of GRB 201223A demonstrate that it behaved according to the fireball model of gamma-ray bursts.
A laboratory experiment has replicated the braided strands of solar coronal loops and shown that the bursting of individual strands produces X-rays. Measurements of these braided strands and the generated X-rays reveal a multi-scale process that could be responsible for the energetic particles and X-rays that accompany solar flares.
X-ray polarization measurements of the Crab nebula and pulsar by the IXPE satellite reveal a global toroidal magnetic field with large variations in local polarization, suggesting a more complex turbulence distribution than anticipated.
A laboratory experiment replicates the braided strand nature of solar coronal loops, revealing a potential mechanism for generating energetic particles and X-ray bursts from the Sun.
What is the link between the discovery of the relativistic expanding Universe and British imperialism? A public panel debate in the early days of relativistic cosmology shows how fundamental scientific research, whether there are obvious political stakeholders (like biosecurity and climate) or not, runs real-time risks of being repurposed for political ends.
Long-exposure spectra taken with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal the most distant galaxies ever observed — back to a time when the Universe was only 2% of its present age.
As part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), NIRSpec has spectroscopically confirmed four young and metal-poor galaxies at redshift 10.3–13.2, from an early epoch of galaxy formation.
The JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey using NIRCam to find the earliest galaxies reveals the size and star formation rates of four extreme redshift (z > 10) galaxies of the distant Universe.
The red dwarf star YZ Ceti produced two observed bursts of radio waves that may have been caused by the star interacting magnetically with a nearby Earth-like planet, as the radio bursts occur at similar points in the planet’s two-day orbit.
The exploration of small planetary bodies depends crucially on the success of anchoring robots. This Perspective takes us through the diverse challenges and technological innovations involved when making contact with unknown surfaces.
A diffusion model of Jupiter’s troposphere with updated thermochemistry can explain the upper tropospheric CO observations if the deep oxygen abundance is subsolar. Alternatively, to reproduce Juno’s supersolar deep oxygen abundances, a deep layer of reduced vertical mixing is necessary.
Magnetars are potential sources of fast radio bursts, but are the magnetars that may be created following a binary neutron star merger fast radio burst source? This study of the coincidence between FRB 20190425A and a gravitational wave event finds a weak association.
The unusual radar properties of icy satellites appear to be correlated and distributed along a spectrum of values. Only modelling including the coherent backscatter opposition effect can reproduce this behaviour.
Low Earth orbits are increasingly congested, impacting astronomical observations and dark skies. Globally coordinated regulatory policies and mitigation strategies are among urgent next steps to protect this shared environment and intangible heritage.
Light pollution affects every region on Earth, including at the poles and even above us in low-Earth orbit. That isn’t news. But the extent of the problem, laid out in our Focus on dark skies, is startling and should turn us all into activists.
Unfettered access to dark night skies is rapidly diminishing, due to light pollution and satellite constellation tracks. Scientists should do more to stand up to ‘big light’ and ‘big space’ and preserve this natural resource.
The returned samples from Hayabusa2 show that C-type asteroid Ryugu experienced various steps of mineralogical alteration within only 1–2 million years after accretion.
Each space launch is assessed for various risks, but not its wider impacts. This Perspective shows how the aggregate effects of space launches, plus the attendant rise of space debris, affect the darkness of our night sky now and in the future.