Editorials

Reports of four galaxies from when the Universe was 2% of its current age are as exciting as they are puzzling — leading scientists to question our galaxy formation and evolution models.

Missions from various space agencies are going to be busy delivering material from different bodies throughout the upcoming decade, looking forward to the return of samples from Mars.

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.

The launch of ChatGPT late last year has school teachers, conference organizers, Google and others worried, for different reasons. Where should we draw the line when it comes to artificial intelligence?

We are still in the early days of open science, with implementation lagging ideation. But the benefits are clear and progress is picking up.

For blind and visually impaired astronomers, sonification of data creates opportunities for research and outreach. But for everyone, this Focus issue lays out the benefits of complementing vision-based data analysis tools with data sonification.

Although space debris has been a problem for decades, recent investment in active debris clearing shows a wider commitment to sustainable space development.

Our Collection on dwarf galaxies brings together a series of articles that showcase the breadth of research in this field, with links to galaxy formation and evolution, cosmology, dark matter and the interstellar medium.

Astronomy needs ground- as well as space-based telescopes. The European Southern Observatory (ESO), an example of successful international cooperation, has managed state-of-the-art observatories for the past 60 years.

With the easing of the global COVID-19 pandemic, conference organizers now have the option to return to in-person conferencing once again. Early indications show that they are keen to do so, largely without any online-access possibility, despite the manifold benefits of virtual attendance.

As the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion within teams grows, large organizations are starting to commit to funding and data-driven action to build on and sustain the momentum.

Origins, Worlds, and Life is the title of the US Planetary Decadal Survey for 2023–2032. The completion of the Mars sample return and the exploration of the outer Solar System icy worlds crown a varied programme that touches all the diverse aspects of planetary science.

Historical under-regulation of the Earth’s atmosphere and the orbital space around it have brought the astronomy and space communities to a critical point at which action is needed to move towards a sustainable future.

As a result of the ongoing conflict, long-standing collaborations in astronomy and space are jeopardized and individual researchers are facing difficult choices that will have a long-term impact on the advancement of science.

Following the nominal arrival of the James Webb Space telescope at L2, hopes are high for exciting scientific discoveries, starting from later this year and stretching for decades to come.

Nature Astronomy turned five this month. We share some of our most popular covers and impactful papers, and look forward to more discoveries in 2022.

If nothing else, 2021 has taught us to expect the unexpected. But what exactly are we expecting next year?

Although often not publicly identified, the personalities and life experiences of our referees affect their reviewing practices. Therefore having the most diverse set of reviewers possible underpins our efforts to ensure a fair peer review process.

As the world recovers from one global crisis, it must steel itself for the coming of a far greater one: the climate crisis. Astronomers and planetary scientists have roles to play as trusted scientific experts, but should seek partnerships with domain experts when venturing outside their areas of knowledge.

Many people have been unable to travel due to the pandemic, or even take a ‘staycation’. This August, we encourage you to slow down, look after your mental health, and let these stunning photographs transport you to a different place.