Arp 184, also known as NGC 1961, is a stunning yet asymmetrical spiral galaxy captured by NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Located about 190 million light-years away in the Camelopardalis constellation, it features a single, starry spiral arm and a rich history of supernovae. Included in Halton Arp’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, Arp 184 stands out due to its irregular structure and dynamic star formation. Hubble’s Snapshot programs targeted it for both its unusual shape and its relevance to stellar explosion studies.
In a rare airborne mission, scientists chased ESA's Cluster Salsa satellite as it reentered Earth's atmosphere. The fiery descent revealed emissions of lithium, potassium, and aluminum—chemicals that could impact the ozone layer and climate. With satellite reentries increasing, researchers aim to improve pollution models and plan further tracking missions through 2026.
NASA has stacked the Artemis 2 rocket’s second stage at Kennedy Space Centre, marking major progress toward its 2026 crewed moon mission. Despite this milestone, a recent budget proposal recommends ending the SLS program after Artemis 3, raising questions about the long-term future of NASA's lunar exploration strategy and deep space transportation system.
A new brain study reveals how we process language when reading silently or aloud. It uncovers distinct neural responses for letters, words, and pseudo-words, offering groundbreaking insight into how the brain manages language—and paving the way for improved approaches to reading disorders like dyslexia.
Hidden in Peru’s remote Sierra del Divisor, Cerro El Cono is a mysterious, pyramid-shaped peak that has baffled scientists and inspired local legend. Visible from 250 miles away, this jungle-covered mountain could be a volcano, a spiritual Apu, or the remnants of an ancient civilization. Despite its sacred significance and ecological value, the region faces growing environmental threats, with recent reports questioning the effectiveness of its protected status. Discover why Cerro El Cono remains both a scientific mystery and a conservation challenge.
Soyuz MS-26 safely landed in Kazakhstan on April 19, bringing NASA astronaut Don Pettit and two Russian cosmonauts back to Earth. The crew completed a months-long science mission aboard the ISS, conducting key experiments on 3D printing, water purification, fire behaviour, and plant biology, supporting future lunar and Mars exploration goals.
On May 4, 2025—Star Wars Day—SpaceX launched 29 Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. The flight marked the rocket booster’s 20th successful launch and landing, setting a reuse record. This mission carried the largest Starlink payload to date, advancing SpaceX’s goal of global broadband coverage through its growing satellite constellation in low Earth orbit.
A French Egyptologist says that he has discovered encrypted messages praising Pharaoh Ramesses the great as divinely chosen by the gods on the Luxor Obelisk in Paris. These hidden hieroglyphs, visible only from a specific angle, were allegedly meant for Egyptian nobility arriving at Luxor Temple during ancient rituals. While the discovery offers a new perspective on royal propaganda, some experts remain skeptical due to visibility concerns. The full findings will be published soon in a peer-reviewed journal for scholarly review.
NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope has begun its mission to scan the entire sky in 102 infrared wavelengths, capturing 3,600 images daily. Over the next two years, it will create a 3D map of hundreds of millions of galaxies, explore cosmic inflation, and search for life-forming ingredients in the Milky Way—unlocking new insights into the universe’s origin and structure.
Cosmos 482, a Soviet Venus lander stranded in Earth’s orbit since a failed launch in 1972, is expected to reenter the atmosphere between May 8 and May 14, 2025. Experts believe it may partially survive reentry due to its durable Venus-resistant design, sparking interest among scientists and space watchers globally.
AI bots posing as real users infiltrated Reddit to test their power of persuasion. The covert study, run by Zurich researchers without consent, posted over 1,700 comments and triggered backlash. Moderators condemned the experiment as unethical, while Reddit vowed legal action, warning of AI’s growing influence over digital discourse.
A team of archaeologists has unearthed two 2,300-year-old swords, accompanied by burial artifacts like brooches, jewelry, etc., in the necropolis in France. The presence of swastikas remains a matter of consideration. These swords belong to the second Iron Age.
NASA has delayed its TRACERS mission to no earlier than 2025 to provide additional preparation time for the crew. The mission will send twin satellites to explore how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetosphere, particularly through a process called magnetic reconnection. These high-speed solar particles can trigger auroras and impact satellites, astronauts, and communications. Managed by the University of Iowa and launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9, TRACERS is a key effort to understand and forecast space weather effects on Earth.
On May 1, NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers carried out the fifth all-female spacewalk, working for nearly six hours outside the ISS. They assembled hardware for upcoming solar arrays and relocated an antenna used by Cygnus cargo ships. The EVA sets the stage for a 30% power boost to the station. While some tasks were postponed due to time constraints, most objectives were completed successfully. The milestone highlights continued progress in ISS upgrades and the growing role of women in space exploration.
A bold claim of alien life on exoplanet K2-18b is now under scrutiny as a new analysis finds the data too weak to support earlier detections of dimethyl sulfide — a potential biosignature. Experts urge caution, noting that more robust, peer-reviewed evidence is needed before confirming the presence of life or habitable conditions on the planet.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Florida, marking the company’s 34th Starlink mission for 2025. The booster B1080 landed successfully on a drone ship after its 18th flight. These new satellites will expand the Starlink megaconstellation, bringing high-speed internet access to more parts of the globe.
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has revealed that some of the universe’s brightest light sources originate near supermassive black holes in galaxy centres. These active galactic nuclei emit intense radiation, including gamma rays and X-rays, despite black holes themselves being invisible. Their powerful jets and high-energy emissions challenge current understandings of cosmic dynamics and galaxy evolution.
New scientific models and telescope observations from 2024 and 2025 reveal how comet and asteroid impacts can change atmospheres on Earth-like exoplanets, potentially supporting life or triggering climate disruption.
Astronomers have discovered Eos, a massive, crescent-shaped molecular cloud only 300 light-years from Earth, making it the closest known cloud of its kind. Unlike most molecular clouds, Eos contains little carbon monoxide, which is typically used to detect such formations. Instead, it was found by tracking the faint glow of hydrogen. Shaped by cosmic radiation, the cloud offers insight into the raw materials behind star and planet formation. Scientists believe more hidden clouds like Eos await discovery.
VML, The Organoid Company, and Lab-Grown Leather Ltd claim to be producing luxury fashion accessories using lab-grown "T. rex leather" made from fossilized collagen. The product is marketed as a sustainable, cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather. However, palaeontologists strongly dispute the claim, citing the lack of dinosaur DNA and preserved skin tissue. Experts argue that without authentic samples, the collagen is too generic to replicate actual T. rex skin, rendering the concept more fantasy branding than scientific innovation.
NASA’s Juno probe has uncovered colliding cyclones circling Jupiter’s north pole and flowing magma beneath the crust of its volcanic moon Io. Using thermal and microwave instruments, scientists have tracked atmospheric chaos and subsurface lava flows, offering new insights into the Jovian system’s extreme weather and volcanic activity. These discoveries reshape the understanding of planetary heat and atmospheric dynamics.
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has revealed that some of the universe’s brightest light sources originate near supermassive black holes in galaxy centres. These active galactic nuclei emit intense radiation, including gamma rays and X-rays, despite black holes themselves being invisible. Their powerful jets and high-energy emissions challenge current understandings of cosmic dynamics and galaxy evolution.
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, en route to a metal-rich asteroid, paused its thrusters after detecting a drop in xenon gas pressure. Engineers are investigating the issue while keeping the mission on track. Psyche will fly by Mars in 2026 before entering asteroid orbit in 2029.
NISAR, the joint NASA-ISRO satellite mission, is set to launch in June 2025 after resolving technical issues. It will monitor Earth's surface with advanced radar imaging. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is finally nearing liftoff after overcoming delays caused by overheating concerns in its 12-meter radar antenna. Now scheduled to launch in June 2025, the Earth observation satellite will use cutting-edge dual-band radar to track minute changes in the planet’s landforms, ice sheets, and ecosystems every 12 days. A major milestone in Indo-US space cooperation, NISAR will deliver critical data to support climate research, disaster management, and infrastructure planning worldwide.
Skywatchers can catch a fleeting celestial display as a wafer-thin crescent moon appears near Jupiter in the western sky on April 29 and 30. The moon will leap to Jupiter’s upper right by April 30 evening, with just over five degrees separating the two. Earthshine and nearby stars add to this picturesque twilight event visible shortly after sunset.
A new geological study reveals that Yellowstone National Park may harbor a valuable source of carbon-free helium, a gas crucial for medical devices, space missions, and quantum technologies. Traditionally extracted alongside fossil fuels, helium is in global shortage and poses environmental concerns when sourced conventionally. Scientists have identified geothermal conditions and ancient uranium-rich rocks in Yellowstone that could offer a cleaner helium alternative. These findings may point the way toward a more sustainable future for high-tech industries increasingly reliant on this non-renewable resource.
A new study reveals Jupiter’s monster storms create mushballs—giant hailstones made of ammonia and water. This discovery explains the puzzling absence of ammonia in the planet’s upper atmosphere and suggests similar processes might be happening on gas giants across the universe.
Archaeologists discovered Prince Userefre’s tomb, son of King Userkaf, at Saqqara, featuring a monumental pink granite false door and important Fifth Dynasty artifacts.
NASA’s HALO module, a key element of the Artemis Gateway, has arrived at Northrop Grumman in Arizona for final outfitting. The module will support astronauts with living and working spaces in lunar orbit. Outfitting includes critical systems for power, life support, and communications, marking a major milestone toward NASA’s long-term lunar missions and sustained deep space exploration.
The EZIE mission is shaping up to be a breakthrough in space weather research. Launched in March 2025, its three satellites are now orbiting Earth and collecting data on auroral electrojets, massive energy currents near the poles. Scientists believe the results could lead to better forecasting tools and stronger, safer satellite systems.
Researchers have developed microrobots that can dynamically change shape and move across land and air, opening new possibilities for exploration, rescue, medical devices, and virtual reality.
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Moon Lander uncovered unexpected hard rock formations and extreme lunar heat variations during its mission. These discoveries provide critical insights for improving future lunar landers. As Firefly prepares for its annual moon missions, the lessons learnt from Blue Ghost's successes will guide robotics and human operations across both the near and far sides of the moon.
After a rocket malfunction left two satellites spiralling in the wrong orbit, Chinese engineers turned to gravitational slingshot manoeuvres for a 123-day rescue mission—successfully restoring them and advancing China's ambitions in space autonomy.
SpaceX launched 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability, aboard a brand-new Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre. Marking its second launch of the day's mission, this was the first flight for this booster and the 50th Falcon 9 launch of the year, further expanding the Starlink megaconstellation in low Earth orbit.
Amazon has launched 27 satellites as part of Project Kuiper, initiating a broadband constellation aimed at challenging SpaceX’s Starlink. Deployed via a ULA Atlas V rocket from Florida, the launch marks the first of over 80 missions planned to establish more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit, offering global internet coverage and advanced satellite connectivity.
NASA captured a rare stellar occultation of Uranus this month, providing fresh data about the ice giant’s atmosphere and rings. Scientists measured temperature changes and atmospheric composition, offering new insights since the last major occultation in 1996. The findings could help guide future exploration missions and deepen our understanding of Uranus' complex environment.
Using the microlensing technique, KMTNet studied the exoplanet, which is twice as big as Earth, yet smaller than Neptune. It is believed that there are more such super-Earths outside our solar system. It is common to have such planets orbiting their stars.
Magnetic fields may play a bigger role in neutron star mergers than previously thought. A new study using advanced simulations shows that these fields can shift or suppress oscillation frequencies, altering gravitational wave signatures. This discovery could change how astronomers decode post-merger signals and refine models of neutron star interiors, mass, and evolution in extreme environments.
To celebrate 35 years in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope has released breathtaking new images of Mars, a planetary nebula, and a distant spiral galaxy. Since its 1990 launch, Hubble has captured nearly 1.7 million observations and continues to awe scientists and stargazers alike with vivid cosmic scenes that reveal the ever-changing beauty of our universe.
Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence suggesting that early Mars was surprisingly wet, featuring extensive networks of lakes and river basins shaped by rainfall and snowfall. This challenges long-held views of a predominantly cold and icy ancient Mars. Despite current climate models struggling to explain sustained liquid water on the Red Planet, geological features explored by NASA's Perseverance rover and analyzed through new precipitation models point to a more Earth-like past. This research not only deepens our understanding of Mars' history but also offers valuable insights into the early evolution of our own planet.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 28 new Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral and nailed its 23rd booster landing on a droneship in the Atlantic. The mission adds to a rapidly growing orbital network now exceeding 7,000 satellites, marking the 47th Falcon 9 flight of 2025 and the company’s 30th Starlink mission this year.
The expert team of scientists from the University of Cambridge, UK, has made a shocking statement by claiming that there are signs of life at a distant planet, K2- 18 b. The scientists have discovered DMS and DMDS molecules in the plant’s atmosphere. However, the claims are being questioned worldwide.
Donald Pettit worked for seven months in space and came back to Earth on his 70th birthday, April 20.
GRBs uncover a more massive and closer Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall, reshaping cosmic scale theories.Astronomers have found that the Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall—the largest known structure in the universe—is even larger and closer than previously thought. Spanning 10 billion light-years, this immense cluster of galaxies was traced using gamma-ray bursts. The findings challenge long-standing theories of cosmic uniformity and may reshape our understanding of large-scale universal structure.
A 2025 study led by geologists Christopher Spencer, Ross Mitchell, and Thomas Gernon identifies ancient Greenland rocks embedded in Icelandic cliffs. These rocks, transported by icebergs over 1500 years ago, confirm glacial expansion during the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA). The findings shed light on past climate anomalies and serve as crucial data for future climate modelling.
SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 mission carried Phoenix 1, Europe’s first private reentry capsule, into orbit. Built by Germany’s Atmos Space Cargo, the capsule will attempt a full reentry and ocean splashdown after one orbit. The mission marks a turning point for European space logistics and reusable technology tailored for scientific, defence, and commercial applications.
Iran’s Zagros Mountains showcase tightly folded rock layers caused by the slow-motion collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Visible from space, these dramatic geological structures reveal the raw power of continental tectonics and provide scientists with valuable insights into mountain formation, seismic activity, and Earth’s ongoing structural evolution at the Asia-Europe boundary.
Astronomers have spotted a massive hydrogen cloud near the Milky Way that may be a rare dark galaxy—an object composed of gas and dark matter but lacking stars and light. Detected through radio telescopes, the galaxy-like structure challenges conventional astronomy and could reveal hidden phases of galaxy formation and dark matter interaction in the local universe.
Ionized Hydrogen gas cloud is believed to have the missing matter of the universe, said scientists. This discovery, conducted by DESI, changed the perspective of black hole theory and is believed to switch on and off at its duty cycle. The scientists will further use new measurements in the existing models of the Universe.
The team of biologists from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands, has identified microplastics on the casings of claddisly. The research was proven when blue-colored plastic was found on a casing dated back to the 1970s. The team observed 549 casings before concluding their research and findings.
